First Tastes of Summer: My Top 5

Summer is here and with it all the great treats. Here is my list of top Summer Treats:

1.Mango Bing

(shaved ice, fresh cut mangoes with condensed milk heavily drizzled over it.)

Yum! Yum!

2. Passion Fruit Green Bubble Tea

(So refreshing on a hot day!)

3. Mango

(This is my favorite fruit!)

4. Yellow Watermelon

(Yes, it really is yellow and I like it better than the red.)

5. Corn-on-the-cob

(This has to be my favorite this year as, well the picture tells all!)

Matthea's first bite of corn-on-the-cob EVER! It was a huge hit! We actually had to take it away because her bites were too big and too often. Oh, the thought of that feeding tube being gone for good is coming to a reality! Still praying that she doesn't aspirate and is pneumonia free until October! Then it is good-bye to that Mic-Key G-tube!

Finally.....

Ok, I finally finished a Jane Austin book. I say finished because I started one and seriously thought, "This woman is highly over-rated!" I think I only got into 3 chapters and decided to just quit. Do I dare write the title?

Why not, just please don't throw tomatoes at me through our screen (that would be an awful mess)....anyway, it was...."Emma".

What was it about the book I didn't like? I just couldn't get into the language and the descriptions....guess I'm a die-hard MG/YA reader with lots of good plot and not so much description. Also, Emma was just one of those characters I wanted to smack in the face. Lately, I've been wondering if she is one of those characters that after about chapter 20 you begin to like. Kind of like the TV show "The Office" (US version)....Michael Scott was like that. He really annoyed the pants off of me for about the first 10 episodes (and that includes the first season of what 4 episodes or so?). But, then it was strange...I remember watching an episode and thinking...."Awww, poor Michael!" and then thinking, "Poor Michael? What?" But, it happened, I liked him and all his crazy screw ups as a boss." Hmm, should I give "Emma" another chance? Or should I just watch the movie? I'll have to think on that one....

So, why DID I pick up another Jane Austin?

1. We ARE going to Bath, UK for a few weeks this summer AND I just couldn't go there without reading something of hers.

and

2. My good friend and die-hard Jane Austin fan suggested "Pride and Prejudice".

OK, much better. At least I could relate to Lizzy....I actually couldn't put the book down at points in the story. Hard to believe after my "review" of "Emma", huh? But, it is true. Cross my heart and all that.

(Have I redeemed myself for all you Jane Fans? Especially you Ginann?)

So, now what? Start "Emma" again? Pick up another book by Jane? Probably, NOT. I need to be reading books in my writing genre, so maybe at a latter point in time. But, I am headed over to my friend's apartment, the Jane Fan, to check out her Jane Austin DVD library to get more of a feel of this author before our trip in about a month. I don't want to look like a total American idiot walking through her Centre clueless of everything...

So, what is your favorite Jane Austin book and why?

Or for those like me....what book of Jane's have you read and why you didn't like it?

What is Your Assignment?

This weekend I was reminded/challenged by a speaker. He spoke on Matt. 25:14-30 and brought out some interesting/thought provoking questions. (especially, to me as a mom)

He brought to my attention the wording of v.14.... (the master) "entrusted his property to them (servants). This property was then given "each according to his ability" (v.15).

As a Christian you can probably see that the "Master" is God and the "servant" is us, his people, his workers. In this parable the servants were given something because of their ability. The "talent" wasn't a gift, it was a something that he wanted the servants to take care of....an assignment.

The application for me:

1. What has God entrusted to me? What is my assignment?

My answer is my husband and my kids...those are my two biggest ones. There could be more depending on "my ability".

Reactions: I sometimes struggle with this "assignment" I was given. Mom. I get tired of picking up clothes, fixing meals, wiping noses, wiping bottoms, etc. Don't judge me yet...I LOVE my kiddos. They also bring me the most joy with hugs, kisses, flowers, smiles and jokes. They are all just the best. But, I just sometimes miss my "old" life. Teaching, writing, feeling like I have a purpose. Today is one of those days...the "To Do" List...forever long, never-ending list of jobs that I must do.

This leads to the next applications:

2. I should be a good care-taker of the object of value to Him. How often do I complain or whine about it....take for granted....sigh as yet another drawer is emptied out, water is spilled, and toys strung all over the "just picked-up" apartment.

Reaction: Pooh! On! YOU! OK, that is honestly my first reaction....but, I can't stay there, not if I really want to love my LORD and obey HIS word. So, like a child myself, I apologize (again) and begin to look at the assignment with His eyes. He's given me a wonderful husband whom I need to show love and encouragement daily to. He's given me three great kids for this time in my life... I need to enjoy and love them. And out of those three, he's given me a special needs child...I need to recognize that I can't do it on my own and rely on HIS strength for each day; HIS peace for each day; and HIS love for each day....and remember that I am teaching now (home school Matthea); I do have time in the week to write (when I don't waste time on FB, Blogging, or whatever else I fancy to do); and I need to remember that my purpose in life is not being accomplished, published, or recognized....but to love God and love others...to be the good care-taker of the object(s) of value to God that he has entrusted to me.

Do I have it altogether? Absolutely NOT! In fact, in about one minute after I publish this post I am sure I will be saying "Seriously?" because....well....it's a process that I'm going through right now.

So, what is your "assignment"?

* btw, the speaker just happened to be my husband....i love him!

Plan B part 2

I couldn't call this Plan C because we are still doing Plan B, just an extension. If you want to read about it read here.

This plan I believe is going to be great! Why? What is it? I hear ya...

It is simply a card system. I used a variation of it when I was teaching G5 (back during my Tianjin days). We have 3 cards.

Green = Good (and if it is on green the next morning, she gets a sticker)

Yellow = 5 min. in the corner

Orange = spanking (ok, I know there are going to be parents out there that are going to throw a fit, but seriously, a under-controlled swat is not bad....it's the ones done out of rage, which I am against as well.)

She gets a warning before the card change....this has helped her make the right choice on her own.

Our rules are simple:

1. Obey what we tell you to do. OR Choose to do the right thing.

2. No back talking. OR Say "Yes, Mama/Papa"

3. No lying. OR Tell the truth.

**note that if she is not on green but makes 2 right choices, then she gets to move back up one card....so if she is on orange, she has to make 4 right choices total. That way we reward her for good behavior/choices.

So, after 10 stickers she gets a date with me. We are on sticker 3 after a week, but yesterday and today has been really good. She is really excited about that date with mom.....and so am I. I'm thinking of making it a milkshake date this time.