Kitchen pics

first of all, here is the deer that we saw in our back yard!

here is the view of our backyard from the kitchen window

our eating area...and colin

our kitchen

A few thangs....and Honest Scrap(edited)

So we are back from youth camp. We had an awesome time! Our whole group seemed to really unite together for the first time since we have been there. Our group has had big issues with the whole "social status" thing. Lots of groups, lots of people not liking eachother because of the "title" they hold. But it was different this week. One girl even said, "This is the first time that i have felt like this group was a family and not a group of separated people." We had quite a few students that seemed to make some pretty big realizations about their lives and what God wants to do with them. It will be interesting to see, now, who actually follows through with that. Its easy to rely on the "camp high" for growth. So we are really praying for these kids to make REAL changes in their lives.

I missed Colin SOOOO much this past week. That was the longest he had ever been away from me! I was so excited when he came home. He seems to be talking so much more now! He used to say, "mo jink?" for more drink. Now he says, "was sumo jink pees?" (meaning, "want some more drink, please?) He is just talking in longer sentences, following directions better, and seems to be slowly getting to an age where i might can start reasoning with him more. what a big boy he is!

And now, for the Honest Scrap...



Amanda, at A Special Blend, gave me the Honest Scrap award! There are a couple of things you have to do when you get this award:

~ You have to tell your readers ten things about you they may not know, but that are true.
~ You have to tag 10 people with the award.
~ Let all the people you've given the award to know that they've gotten it.
~ Make sure you link back to the person who awarded it to you.

1. I love love love squash and zucchini! This is actually a new found love for me. I mix them together and put them in the frying pan with a little olive oil and then i put cheese on top. So yummy!

2. I used to hate chuck taylor converse shoes, cause i thought they looked like clown shoes. Now I LOVE them. I really want some in green (cause its my favorite color) and red (cause that is our school colors). Today to church, the whole family wore chucks (even Colin!)

3. I would someday like to own 5 or 6 acres of land. Don't know if that will ever happen, but it would be cool!

4. We saw a deer in our backyard the other morning! It was so cool. It came back like 30 minutes later too! We told our neighbors, and apparantly that is normal to see a deer back there. How cool is that?

5. I take pride in the fact that I can drive a standard. Alot of girls don't know how to drive one! (Not that your worth depends on that...) I am loving driving the van, but i do miss my standard car. Well, i still have the car...jeff just drives it now. so i guess i could drive it whenever i want.

6. I am a new fan of The Office. I never disliked the show, but I now appreciate the humor because i understand the characters now. Good stuff.

7. I hate Tea, and root beer, and bologna.

8. I can't whistle. I can do it a little if I suck air in. But I can't do it at all while blowing out.

9. the older i get, the more easily overwhelmed i seem to get. i don't like that i am like this. i want to be laid back and flexible, but i seem to just break down and cry if i feel like there is too much going on. wish i weren't that way....i'm working on it.

10. i used to say that i would much rather be hot than to be cold...but after this past week at camp where i spent 100% of my time drenched in sweat (including sleep time) I might have to switch that around.

*Edit*
So I forgot to tag 10 people! Ha!
1.Jenni from The Life of a Bubbly Bride
2.Mom from Nena's Notes
3.Sharla from Maaaaaa
4.Mary from When God doesn't behave
5.Taylor from A Little Slice of Heaven
6.Stephanie from The Calderon Family
7.Joyia from The West Family
8.Karen from Karen's blog
9.Kristin from Kristin's Life
10.Maile from Jeremy and Maile

packing!

well i am supposed to be packing....not getting very far.

we leave in the morning to go to a student life mission camp in Ruston, LA with 24 youth tomorrow. please pray for us and pray for the hearts of the youth that are going.

i am excited, but really really missing Colin right now. I am usually okay if I stay busy. It is the down time that I have when I start to tear up and miss him. But I know he is in great hands so I am not worried....just missing him.

Jeff will have his Iphone this week and will be taking pics and posting them on a flickr account that he created for the youth group. If you are interested, check out

www.flickr.com/photos/refuelyouth

He will post throughout the week.

Hope everyone has a great week! And if anyone from Arlington happens to see my boy, kiss him for me!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Thursday, June 18, 2009

Outside my window... bright, warm, and beautiful....and now muddy because Colin played in the sprinkler this morning

I am thinking...about finishing up VBS, and for the sweet little kiddos that I got to teach and for the couple of kids that asked Jesus into their heart! Beautiful.

I am thankful for...my home! I really love it and look forward to my future here. I look forward to taking care of it and slowly adding some "value" to the house. I am thankful for how God has never ceased to provide for us since we packed up and moved here to Marshall. A situation that I wasn't really sure how it was going to work....well it MORE than worked. It beautifully and perfectly fell into place. Thank you, father!

From the learning rooms...Who learns during the summer! We are here to PLAY!!!!

From the kitchen...i am planning meals that don't require the oven. The oven that was here when we moved in is not working. We called a guy to get an estimate and order the part. Well it will be fixed soon, but it ended up costing us 300$! And for just a tiny little part. Poooo!

I am wearing...black flops, black shorts, and a green tank that is very "flowy." I wore the same shirt last night to VBS and one of the youth girls asked if I was pregnant because she said I have been wearing alot of shirts that look like maternity shirts. Ha! (and no, mom, i'm not prego)

I am creating...a new budget. some MAJOR lifestyle changes are about to take place. The major one is there will be very little eating out (sad day...i love to go out to eat) and when we do eat out we will be ordering water, splitting meals, etc. Hopefully we will stick to that.

I am going...to take a shower in a little bit.

I am reading...The Shack. Very much enjoying it and enjoying that i actually have a little time to read!

I am hoping...that the summer doesn't fly by too quickly!

I am hearing...HGTV on a low volume and Colin slightly snoring next to me on the couch. Little ones are PRECIOUS when they sleep.

Around the house...a sleeping boy, some toys scattered on the floor, an absent husband (who is golfing with our pastor), and a "mud room" that really is covered in mud right now from our sprinkler adventure this morning!

One of my favorite things...ideas and visions! I was sitting in our backyard (which I LOVE!) and i have ideas and visions for that place that I can't wait to do! I want to build a deck, and then we have these 2 big trees that our about 4 or 5 feet apart that i would like to build a high up fort between the trees and then hang a swing from under the floor of the fort. Also got to get crackin soon on finding out about buying the rest of the land behind our property!

A few plans for the rest of the week...1 more night of VBS, then VBS family night picnic on friday, take Colin to granny's on saturday(*sniff sniff*), get ready for youth camp, leave for youth camp on Monday!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...as my little boy sleeps he has the same face now that he did back then! Just lighter hair and....no pacifier!



To participate or simply enjoy more daybooks, visit The Simple Woman.

new background

I got a new background and I designed the banner up at the top. Its nothing fancy but it took me FOREVER!

Well, summer is in full gear here at the Notelpats household. Summer holds a whole new meaning for me now that we are in the ministry. It is still relaxing in some ways but also very stressful and busy with planning camps and activities. There is also this added pressure to help bring about change in the lives of these teenagers through these camps and activities. But...it is all very exciting and I am looking forward to what we have coming up. In case you are interested in peeking into my calendar here are some upcoming events for us...

June 14-19: VBS for our children (I am teaching 3rd grade)
June 22-26: Youth Mission Camp (taking 25 students!)
July 2-6ish: Visit MomMom and Pepaw
July 18: Colin's birthday party!
July 19-23: Take youth to Mission Arlington
July 23: My little boy turns 2! (*sniff sniff*)
August 4-6: Port Aransas with granny, pops, jenni and tim

And now for your viewing pleasure...here are some pics of C-man enjoying his summer in the new backyard!