Sunday, November 30, 2008

An Afternoon at the Ranch



leaves everywhere....note the missing teeth!


three generations of Grants....sitting on the porch


the girls...
Align Center
he is supposed to be cutting firewood....

ok....why do they stand inside the trough? they are yearlings....go figure

Saturday, November 29, 2008


"What I like best in the whole world is Me and Piglet going to see You, and You saying "What about a little something?' and Me saying, 'Well, I shouldn't mind a little something, should you, Piglet,' and it being a hummy sort of day outside, and birds singing." "I like that too," said Christopher Robin, "but what I like doing best is Nothing." "How do you do Nothing?" asked Pooh, after he had wondered for a long time. "Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, What are you going to do, Christopher Robin, and you say, Oh, nothing, and then you go and do it." "Oh I see," said Pooh. "This is a nothing sort of thing that we're doing now." "It means just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."





Friday, November 28, 2008

a few pics of the family...


baby willow....11 months and just a joy to behold

aunt sheri and emma

the west, busby, grant family

Thursday, November 27, 2008


..."give thanks to the lord..." 1 chr. 16:7
..."it is good to give thanks..." ps 92:1
..."giving thanks, He broke..." matt 15:36
..."but thanks be to God..." rom 6:17
..."not cease giving thanks..." eph 1:16
..."always to give thanks..." 2 thess. 1:3
..."with the voice of thanksgiving..." ps 26:7
..."His presence with thanksgiving..." ps 95:2
..."supplications with thanksgiving..." phil 4:6
..."thanksgiving and honor..." rev 7:12

Monday, November 24, 2008

7 x 7




i have pointed you towards a wonderful blog called Bring the Rain ,written by Angie Smith before. She is a woman of God, wife to Todd Smith (of the group Selah), and mom to four children, one who is with the Lord. She is an amazing writer. They have been through very difficult life challenges over the past 18 months. Link to her post and read it regularly. You will be blessed by the Lord himself. The above button is a project she put together to help you pray for your children with scripture every day. Click on it and take a read on the post - it will have the scriptures listed.



Sunday, November 23, 2008

Champions, anyone...

i lost my voice.....and this is why...



i'm not sure who is more exhausted, the mama coach or the player...

the absolute joy of my season...handing a championship trophy to a boy who had never played soccer until this year, he was an integral part of our team, sweet smile, great athlete, sensitive to the needs of others, and he scored his first goal EVER this weekend, an incredible honor to have coached him. Way To GO LUCA!!!

Friday, November 21, 2008

ok...it is a rare day when i give myself my own shoutout, but here goes. check this out

SweaterContest


i've featured this gals blog before....but what you might not know is that i gave a big shout out for lisa leonard designs to her for something a couple of months ago and my, oh my....guess what first prize is for the contest? You'll have to click on over and see...
does it not strike anyone else as funny that our local Mervyn's store has a HUGE, i mean HUGE sign hanging across the front of its store saying this....


and right underneath it has another very large banner which says this...



ok....must be me then....'cuz those two signs together don't yell Job Security!



Tuesday, November 18, 2008

"An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children.
He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part,
but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others."
AW Tozer

Monday, November 17, 2008




Thoughts expressed by the 1st grader today...

"If only they would use a number line" (obviously, the number line makes all the difference when solving equations with letters and numbers and calling it algebra!)

"I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom..." (complete with body gyrations)

"I never get my way." ....(seriously, don't go there)

"Mom, did you know 178 plus 132 equals 741" (now, where is that number line?)

"does Moto, Moto stand for hotty?" (oi...blame it on Madagascar 2)



Saturday, November 15, 2008

They are Pink and They are Fireballs

I couldn't talk about the boys without showing off the girls...


meet The Pink Fireballs...


so crazy....

so fun....

they brought challenge, fun, and laughter to my fall....


Thursday, November 13, 2008

The List

A few fun facts....i am often asked questions so i took a couple of lists, compiled them together and here are the results...

First name? Melissa

Were you named after anyone?
No

Do you wish on stars?
Yes

When did you last cry?
This morning!!

Do you like your handwriting ?
no

What is your favorite lunch meat?
Salami

What is your favorite time: day or night?
neither, Morning!!

What is your favorite movie of all time?
My Fair Lady

If you were another person would you be friends with you?
Yes

Do you have a journal?
Electronically. I type faster than I write

Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Not so much now

Would you bungee jump?
NO!!

What is your favorite cereal?
Cocoa Krispies (shh...don't tell)

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
sometimes

Do you think that you are strong?
yes

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Chocolate Chocolate chip

Shoe Size?
9

Red or Pink?
Red

What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
I started snoring after I had four children!! What's with that?

Who do you miss most?
My grandmother

What color pants and shoes are you wearing?
jeans, black flip-flops

Last thing you ate?
Muffin and Tea

What are you listening to right now?
Pandora.com, online radio – Christmas jazz

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
sky blue

Favorite Smells?
eucalyptus, cinnamon/nutmeg

Last person you talked to on the phone?
My mom

The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
their eyes

Favorite Drink?
amaretto sour (another shhh...don't tell)

Favorite Sport?
Soccer

Hair Color?
Brown/red with golden highlites, ok....so the golden is really gray!

Eye Color?
blue

Do you wear contacts?
No, that does not mean I can see, though.

Favorite Food?
Toss up between Mexican and italian

Scary Movies Or Happy Endings?
happy endings

Most Recent movie you watched?
High School Musical 3

Favorite Day Of The Year?
Christmas

Summer or winter?
both

Hugs or Kisses?
Both

Favorite Dessert?
Tiramisu or Apple Crisp

What book are you reading?
Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What's On Your Mouse Pad?
Winnie the pooh and Tigger

What Did You Watch Last night on TV?
House

Favorite Sounds?
Ocean waves, wind through pine and cedar trees, my children’s voices

Rolling Stones or Beatles?
neither

Where is the furthest place you've been from home?
Utah

Day of Choice
Friday

Cake or Pie
Hmmnn……Pie

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Totally Captivating

they have stolen my heart...


trust me...they play a mean game of soccer...

and they totally love each other! can you tell?!!

Thursday, November 06, 2008

What Goes Around Comes Around

Ok....when i was little (or younger!), my mom made cold potato soup one day for dinner. Cold potato soup's real name is Vichyssoise (phonetically said....vichee swah). I am not a fan of the cold potato soup - actually not a fan of the hot potato soup either. Cold potato soup while i'm sure may taste good, can look a bit grey and sad. Being that i felt the need to express my thoughts on the subject I made the proclamation that not only was I not going to eat it, but its newly christened name was fishy slop.......yeah, that didn't go over so well.

Spring forward many years to my dinner table the other evening for the following conversation, but first let me set the stage. Mama was a bit exhausted, mama had just come in from a long day of homeschool, work, coaching soccer, etc....mama had dinner plans with a friend, but mama made sure to have a hot meal on the table for her brood. Chicken, mashed potatoes, apples, corn....yum! I had baked the chicken with fresh herbs (which I do all the time). For some reason my youngest felt the need to express herself and exclaimed as the food was brought before her, "Ewww, the chicken has bugs on it." Thinking the herbs looked like bugs. Three of the four did not touch their meals after that!

What goes around comes around.

ps be careful commenting mom, i'll post on pnut butter spaghetti. 'nuff said.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Compassion

Check out this blog when you have a chance. Big Mama and Boo Mama are two blogs that I have been reading for quite a while. Two hysterically funny, God loving woman who tickle my heart and also touch it with how the Lord has moved in their lives over the past couple of years. They have a growing ministry.... Melanie from Big Mama is traveling in the Dominican Republic with Compassion International at the moment. She and the others on the team are bloggers and making daily entries...take the time to read through them. It will touch your heart. Ever considered sponsoring a child? Do it - for His glory.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Jesus Saves
by travis cottrell and david moffitt

Hear the heart of Heaven beating,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
And the hush of mercy breathing,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Hear the host of angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."
And the sounding joy repeating, Jesus saves.
See the humblest heart adore Him,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
And the wisest bow before Him,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
See the sky alive with praise, melting darkness in it blaze,
There is light forevermore, in Jesus saves.

He will live, our sorrow sharing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
He will die our burden bearing
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
"It is done!" Will shout the cross,
Christ has paid redemption's cost,
While the empty tomb's declaring, Jesus saves!

Freedom's calling, chains are falling, hope is dawning bright and true,
Day is breaking, night is quaking, God's making all things new.

Jesus saves!
Oh to grace, how great a debtor,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Are the saints who shout together,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Rising up so vast and strong, lifting up salvation's song,
The redeemed will sing forever, the redeemed will sing forever,
The redeemed will sing forever, Jesus saves!"


wonderful song from travis cottrell's newest album entitled Ring the Bells. Go download it from itunes....it is awesome.



Saturday, November 01, 2008

Walking in Sojourner's Journal Today

I'm speaking to Extraordinary Graces over at Sojourner's Journal today....come on over and have a read...