We Are Going Home!!!

First, my sister in law got married about a month ago and she was beautiful. We were so blessed to be a part of her wedding.





I' m so lucky to have her as my sister in law and now I am looking forward to living in the same city with her!!!
After a year and a half of living here in Louisville, we are going home to Murfreesboro!

Clint has accepted an unofficial, official...? offer to be the singles pastor at Belle Aire. We couldn't be more excited and ready to go home to our church family.

Also, our sweet Aslan accidentally broke our Mac book. So we have no internet currently :( Sorry for the lack of updates. But the boys are getting so big and absolutely precious.

Stating a New Trend...

I love my friend Keva's blog, she and her blogging friends are always doing something fun. She just got tagged by a friend and then tagged a few other friends. The point is to answer a list of questions  and then tag a friend to do the same.

So here I go with something new! And I tag Lisa Moore, Shai and Stephanie because they happen to be three of the most amazing people I know (among a few others :) and I love hearing about them!

1. What time did you get up this morning?

5:21 for just a few and then 7:40

2. Diamonds or pearls?

Both! diamonds on my fingers and usually pearls in my ears :)

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

The Dark Knight (if it makes me a heathen, sad! but it was awesome!)

4. What is your favorite TV show?

I can't afford cable :)

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?

Coffee and what ever is in the pantry at the time.

6. What is your middle name?

 Mercedes

7. What food do you dislike?

cranberry sauce, oysters,  crawfish, brussel sprouts, candied carrots

8. What is your favorite CD at moment?

a CD I made with Hillsong, Nicole Nordeman & Charlie Hall

9. What kind of car do you drive?

KIA Sedona with leather seats, dvd player and sunroof~how is that for a rockin' mini van!

10. Favorite Sandwich? 

Grilled Chicken Sand/Chicken Biscuit from Chik-fil-A (makes me think of Carrie & Ellie)

11. What characteristic do you despise?

condescending/patronising  

12. Favorite item of clothing?

Clint's One Goal pullover fleece

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?

Ireland or Italy

14. Favorite brand of clothing?

Anything on sale

15. Where would you retire to?

Anywhere on the ocean

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?

29~it seems like yesterday I couldn't wait to be 20. and my son's second birthday

17. Favorite sport to watch?

Only because I love me husband.... GATOR FOOTBALL!

18. When is your birthday?

May 31

19. Are you a morning person or night?

night

20. What is your shoe size?

8.5-9.5, just depends on the shoe

21. Pets?

Teboe the Hermit Crab (and I love him!!)

22. Any new and exciting news you would like to share with us???

I'm Pregnant! JUST KIDDING!!! I am currently getting into refinishing wood things

23. What did you want to be when you were little?

a marine biologist. I wanted to study whales

24. How are you today?

a little tired and missing my husband but overall, happy!

25. What is your favorite candy?

Reeces peanut butter eggs

26. What is your favorite flower?

Tulips

27. What is a day on your calendar you ae looking forward to?

October 14~ a job interview for Clint!!! (but don't ask because I can't give details yet:)

28. What is your full name?

Rachel Mercedes (Morgan-maiden) Nadeau

29. What are you listening to right now?

Nody, a PBS cartoon on dvd

30. WHat was the last thing you ate?

Coffee Cake

31. Do you wish on stars?

no but I think they are pretty :)

32. If you were a crayon what color would you be?

Red I think

33. How is the weather right now?

46 and chilly

34. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?

My friend Lindsay, through text.

35.  Favorite soft drink?

always Diet Coke

36. Favorite Restaurant?

thing I'm with Keva, P.F. Changs

37. Real Hair Color?

light brown

38. What was your favorite toy as a child?

first thing that comes to mind, a She-ra doll my dad bought me.

39. Summer or winter?

SUMMER!!!

40. Hugs or kisses?

depends on who from. 

41. Chocolate or vanilla?

ok... that totally depends. ice cream-vanilla, cake-yellow with chocolate icing. unless its store 

bought and then it's buttercream icing. 

42. Coffee or tea?

always coffee

43. When was the last time you cried?

I can't remember! I'm sure it wasn't that long ago, but just can't remember.

44. What is under your bed?

little bit of everything

45. What did you do last night?

cleaned out a closet while watching Moulin Rouge

46. What are you afraid of?

shallow~bees and wasps. deep~not measuring up to the ones I love the most.

47. Salty or sweet?

depends on my mood. but since Aslan I'm a fan of sweets :0

48. How many keys on your key ring?

I think 4

49. How many years at your current job?

2.5 years and going strong~ it's my favorite yet!

50. Favorite day of the week?

Sunday bc Clint is almost always home and you just can't lose with church & family time.

51. How many places have you lived in?

Hunnington, W.V./ Jacksoville, Fl/Nashville & Murfreesboro, Tn/Louisville, KY... so 4 states 

and 5 cities.

52. Do you make friends easy?

honestly, depends on my surroundings. if I'm around other friendly people, yes. if they are yankees, no :) (unless they are Morgans or Zimmermans:)

Is What I Know More Important....

Than Who I am?

"We have all had times on the mount, when we have seen things from God's standpoint and have wanted to stay there. The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have the power to rise only, something is wrong...

We are apt to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching, it is to be turned into something better than teaching,  viz., into character. The mount is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something."   Oswald Chambers

Today I have been thrown into deep thought by these words inspired by Mark 9:2.

Is the bit of knowledge I possess from my few trials made me smarter and wiser to life and certain spiritual truths? Or have they transformed my character, do I look like Jesus? 

Am I full of sunday school answers and no power?

Food for thought.

In addition...

I was just washing dishes and thinking about cleaning the countertops. I wondered if some of you might hesitate to use the homemade cleaner because you like the 'anti-bacterial' security of store bought cleaners.

Tip: cut meat and chicken on wax paper, then dump the meat/poultry in baking dish and toss.

(Saw this on Martha Stewart!)

Environmentally friendly way: save boxes of cereal and plastic bags that hold the cereal to use for cutting your meat and then toss when done. 

Saves money and a few trees :)

Who Needs a Swiffer????!!!!!

Ok I'm not sure how many friends and family are keeping up with our blog these days, especially since I took a bit of time off after Abraham. So, if you are regularly reading this, would you comment on this post so I can know who is out there and to keep posting? :0

Proverbs 31 Here we come!!!!!!

Tough times call for thrifty moms!! And since I have never been all together thrifty I am learning new tricks to save money and want to share as I learn. So here are a few things in my current repertoire.

Throw out your Swiffer Wet Jet!!

1. Get a .99 cent spray bottle at Walmart and fill it will this VERY cheap homemade cleaner. 

1 tsp borax

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 tsp liquid dish soap

2 cups hot water

Then sweep your floor with your cheap broom. Squirt the floor with your spray bottle and mop with an inexpensive sponge mop. WORKS GREAT and is so quick and easy. use the extra money you save on a new dress!!!! (or the phone bill if you're like me :)

also, this works great on your kitchen and bathroom sinks as well!

2. Also you can make a really great laundry detergent with the borax, washing soda (NOT baking soda, totally different things) and a bar of ivory. The cost of all these items is the same, if not cheaper, than one bottle of regular washing liquid.

a. Look up this recipe for the detergent and vinegar fabric softener~ it really works! the smell goes away during the rinse cycle and they smell fresh.

b. If you don't want to process/don't have a processor then take a cheese grater and grate the bar of soap.

c. For whiter whites, wait until the washer stops filling and starts washing and add your bleach. 

If you feel like this is too much work~ then get the cheapest brand of laundry detergent, I think its Purex and a box of Washing Soda (big yellow box by Arm & hammer on same isle as laundry deter.) and use half the recommended liquid and add some W. soda. I PROMISE IT WORKS!!!!!

Save money and by a new dress! Love you all!!!!!!

Outside the Box

Well one of the big events of the summer was my birthday at the end of May. It was the first time I realized I am officially "outside the box" of 24 candles :(  I need 2 boxes of candles!!! This was a bit of a sad realization for me...  apparently this has been the situation for a while I just hadn't noticed.

Notice the blow torch in the top right corner that 29 candles creates. 

Clint, the arsonist, and Daniel watching the flame of age burn bright. 

  

Notice the haze of smoke as I try and blow out all those candles. 

And as always, Clint surprised me with a sweet display of birthday gifts that he wrapped himself. I thought he did a great job, don't you?

Perhaps my favorite part, a birthday wish from one of the cutest, sweetest gifts I have ever received. 

Really it was a sweet day. And while it was a bit of a shock that my age exceeds the number of candles in one box by about 5 years... Those five years have been the best of my life.  I found the greatest church in the greatest city, met my gorgeous husband, went to Paris, London, Mexico and China and had two of the most beautiful children I have EVER seen. So if that is what getting old has to offer, I welcome the next 5+ years, bags and sags. :) 

Praise the Lord for His Word and  His faithfulness to answer all His promises.

" To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness

That they may be called trees of righteousness

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

And they shall rebuild the old ruins,

they shall raise up the former desolations,

And they shall repair the ruined cities,

The desolations of many generations.

Isaiah 61:3-4

what a great life!

The Many Faces of Abraham

The "I'm on vacation and I can't believe you're feeding me peas!" face. (Needless to say he didn't eat them)

This appears to be the "how about no pictures now" face.

This is the "catch ya later need my beauty rest" face.

The "what up now! automatic sprinkler!" face. (Which he totally was for the first few months... see the onesie)

This, maybe one of my favorites, is the " I'm only four months and my dad just fed me vanilla icing while my mom wasn't watching..." face.