Our "Forever Ours" day!

More to come about our "Forever Ours" day in the near future!  I just had to share this one picture to those who have been requesting one.  A very memorable day indeed!

Family Ties!

Last Sunday we had the honor of meeting some really sweet people....Uncle Randy and Aunt Billie Ray! (Birth family to some of the kiddos!) I'm so glad they came down to visit.  The kids had so much fun hearing many stories and lots of interesting tidbits from the past!  There was much laughter!  

Tim and Max our grill team made us some wonderful hamburgers and hotdogs!  Holly made us a wonderful batch of cole slaw...with a wee bit of help.  Everyone chipped in and dinner turned out wonderful.  Josalynd even got me to make a homemade batch of strawberry lemonade which was so yummy and we haven't had it in a long time!  Uncle Randy/Aunt Billie Ray brought all the fixins for ice cream cones including sprinkles which the kids thoroughly enjoyed! 

I'm so grateful that they took the time to come down and visit everyone.  It was a very special day which will be warmly remembered!

Wordless Wednesday !

(Okay...I can't resist...HE IS SO STINKIN' CUTE!!!!!)

Homemade Is Always Better!

Today we made Sausage Egg McMuffins!  It was fun and oh my goodness...slap your neighbor yummy!  I don't really like McDonald's McMuffins...but the kids do so I thought we could try our hand at making our own.  Everyone loved them!  

Mister 10 cooked the sausage patties, Mister 9 toasted the muffin, Miss 15 cooked the cheese egg muffins and Miss 11 assembled the sandwiches.  It wasn't a long process and the kids are always asking to cook so this was a great opportunity to spend time in the kitchen together.  

This is the recipe for our crew:

18 english muffins

18 eggs

18 sausage patties

Cheddar Cheese (18 slices or shredded)

Mayo (for those who want it)

1. Cook up the Sausage (or bacon/ham)

2. Toast English Muffins

3. Take muffin pan...grease each cup...crack one egg in each cup...set oven at 400' and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked almost all the way.

4. Pull out of the oven...add cheese on top of the eggs and put back in the oven until melted.

5. Assemble sandwiches: Bun, egg/cheese, sausage pattie, bun!

6. ENJOY!

This will probably be a weekly breakfast this fall/winter season at the Jeffries.  This ones a keeper folks!

Life Means So Much

Every day is a journal page
Every man holds a quill and ink
And there's plenty of room for writing in
All we do is believe and think
So will you compose a curse
Or will today bring the blessing
Fill the page with rhyming verse
Or some random sketching

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much

Every day is a bank account
And time is our currency
So nobody's rich, nobody's poor
We get 24 hours each
So how are you gonna spend
Will you invest, or squander
Try to get ahead
Or help someone who's under

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much

Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life
And don't you think giving is all
What proves the worth of yours and mine

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much

Every day is a gift you've been given
Make the most of the time every minute you're living

A Labor of Love Outreach!

This morning we got the privelege to volunteer at A Labor of Love Outreach!  We worked beside a group of amazing people and were so blessed to just reach out...to help so many people.  I heard over 900 people came through the church parking lot where the outreach was held today and that there were 90 volunteers.  

  The littlest of our party played in the playground during the event!

Mr. Magoo chillin' in the play tunnel!

Mo and Hannah made 100's of snowcones for the kiddos!  They were stained from all the flavoring!

The youngest five of our household waiting in line to get a snowcone!

Love!

Tim helping with the food distribution!  What a blessing to be able to help so many people in need of food.  Misters 17 and 13 helped with the food as well.  They helped those that couldn't carry stuff by walking their food to their cars for them.  

Tinkerbell took this picture of Little Miss and I just love it!

I was helping hand out prepared hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and drinks to everyone.  It was so much fun seeing so many smiling faces!  They gave out new clothing, used clothing and furniture, bags of food and feed everyone that came through!  I was honored to work beside my family and to watch them serve others.  What a blessed morning it was!

The day did not end there though.  Tim took a van load of teenagers down to the Freedom Concert!  He was such a good sport taking 14 teens to the event!  The kids had a fabulous time.  Mo and Hannah got tatoos!  They are fantabulous...Mo got music notes etc around her ankle.  They also had someone walk up to them while they were walking around and hand them four free VIP passes to meet Switchfoot after the concert!!!!  Stinkin' Awesome!  They didn't get to stay for the fireworks, but plan to do so next time.  

All in all...a wonderfully blessed and fun filled day!!!

Homeschool Connection Kick Off Party 2011!

We have been looking forward to tonight!  Free Chapel's annual homeschool kick off party!  I was looking forward to seeing some of my bestest friends and I know the kids were looking forward to seeing their friends.  We've been so busy this year that we've not been able to hang out as mom/kids like we did last year.  God has opened new doors for each of us mom's and families.  It was nice for us to have a chance to reconnect at the party!

Ambered Stripes played for us and it was AWESOME!  Great praise and worship time!

Two of my besties and cutie patootie Micah!

Becca and Jameson giving our Rachel some love!

Best of friends...Mr. 7 giving his beautiful smile while Mr. 6 gives me his "Cool" face!

Mr...um...we won't put his age in there...Tim with Misters 7 and 6.  What's with all the superhero poses Jameson?

Miss 5 was coloring at her table with her friends!  Beautiful little missy!

 

Me and two of my lovies!

We praised, we ate, we laughed, we talked...we met new people and visted with old friends.  It was a great night.  I look forward to all we get to do this year with our Free Chapel homeschooling buddies!

Sick Happens!

We've been very blessed these past 5 months with having no real sickness of any kind in the house at all.  I'm so thankful.  It has allowed us to have a really busy and active Spring/Summer season.  We had a slight upset to our healthy streak by having two precious littles wake up with slight fevers and upset stomachs.  No other major symptoms so we didn't rush to the doctors office...but we did put them in the Sick VIP section!!!  Johnston asked if he could be in charge of the patients and knowing Johnston was in charge means those two kiddos would be treated like royalty!   He fixed them up an area on Becca's bed.

 (Holland couldn't help but smile brightly/Jensen was giving us his sad sick face!)

Then he asked his awesome big brother Justice to carry the tv that is in my bedroom into the girls room so he could put on a movie for them.  They thought this was great fun and enjoyed a whole day of movies, coloring, stories read to them, and whatever Johnston could think of to do for/with them.  They were right as rain by bedtime so only got to enjoy one day of pampering, but they had a great day! 

Thank you Johnston....you blessed them so much today.  I am so thankful for your servants heart!