Praises of a Wife and Mommy

On one of our walks along a trail we found a little playground and found this awesome sign there.   
Yes one of my biggest pet peaves is someone smoking near children!   Then it get's worse if you smoke around my children.   
I think every park needs this reminder to adults!    I smell smoke blowing within several feet so if you smoke please go take a walk! 
Yes, I will work on showing more love and forgiveness in this area! 

Yes, we still have more places to try for ice cream in this area!   YUM! 
This week we went to Country Style where they had old fashion and soft serve ice cream.   

I fell in love with the little store.  The colors are awesome and the hanging doors are a great decorative touch.   They also had two separate sections with a comfy leather couch and chair.  :)  This is a place where I would want to come back because I enjoy the atmosphere. 

Back to the ice cream!  Everyone gave it a thumbs up!   My husband and our church intern both ordered a quart of ice cream and they ate it all!   How can someone sit down and eat an entire quart of ice cream?  







Yes, with all this ice cream eating we are trying to burn those calories!   We went for a nice walk on one of the walking path's in Davenport! 

Package includes a Body Tape Measure for waist, thigh, arm and other physique measurements, and a Body Fat Test Caliper to confirm weight management progress as your muscles grow and your unwanted body fat goes away.Body Tape measures up to 78 inches (200 cm), and features push-button locking and retraction for easy and accurate measuring.Body Fat Test Caliper employs a simple and time-tested mechanical means of determining body fat, without relying on electrical and battery powered devices.Body Tape measures in both inches (in) and centimeters (cm), and is made of ABS with a vinyl tape for long lasting use.Body Fat Test Caliper includes a body fat chart for men and women that categorizes and helps you understand your body fat levels. Product Description The Ozeri Body Tape Measure and Body Fat Test Caliper empower you with the critical tools needed to measure and track your weight management program. These tools provide a simple and accurate method of determining your waist and other…

Still trying to catch up on some posts from the fun we had when we were visiting family in Wisconsin and Minnesota.   I finally took my kids to the St. Paul Children's museum!   I don't remember the last time I went... has to be when I was a kid. The kids had a ton of fun playing in the water area.  There were several water stations from boats to bubbles to balls floating.
Put on some costumes and get creative with your imagination.  I love watching my kids role play.      


Thomas the Train was an exhibit there and my son loves trains so he was a happy camper.  There was a huge set of train tracks and trains for the kids to play with.  Then there was a section about the history of Thomas the Train.  I learned a lot! 


My favorite exhibit was the ant area.   They created a pretend ant hill so the kids could climb around and pretend they are ants.   I will admit my knees were very sore at the end of the day from crawling around! 

Now in a convenient 3 stories in one collection, young readers will learn from the Berenstain Bears just how important it is to serve and love one another. Written in level one of the I Can Read standards, this bind-up of stories from the Berenstain Bears Living Lights I Can Read series is sure to please young, emergent readers as well as parents and grandparents looking for good quality reading that will help practice early reading skills as well as teach lessons about serving and caring for others. Included in this collection are the following titles: Faith Gets Us Through, Have No Fear, God Is Near, and Piggy Bank Blessings. 

Faith Get's Us Through: The Bear Scouts are ready to earn their Cave Adventure Merit Badges.  How will Scout master Papa Bear help the cubs.  
This first book in the series had me laughing at Papa bear as he shows his confidence but after many hurdles finally gets out of the cave.  My children enjoyed the laughs through this story but it also was great to te…

This is already #6 in our Ice Cream tour!  Yes this is Nelson's Ice Cream and there are only two locations for this family run business, Stillwater Minnesota and St. Paul Minnesota.  
If you are looking for old fashion ice cream and a huge portion then this is the place to go!   Nelson's offers over 40 flavors of ice cream and the amount you get huge and the price is fantastic!  We all ordered the kid size and none of us finished the monster portion size.   







So since my ice cream was overflowing the cup I put half of it in a bowl.   I finished all of the monster cookie flavor but became to full to eat the butter brickle flavor.  I loved the monster cookie ice cream a lot, probably because it had a lot of peanut butter and I have become a peanut butter addict!  My kids shared the ice cream flavor which actually has real gum in it.  
I am so thrilled to recommend you all to plan a trip to Minnesota and go here for some great ice cream!  :)  Truly this child size was only $3.50... an…

Keep reading because you can enter to win 2 boxes of Moonpies and 2 t-shirts! 
About First Things First First Things First (FTF) is an award winning not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families in Chattanooga, Tennessee. FTF is a resource that collaborates with and is supported by a broad cross-section of community organizations, groups and individuals. FTF accomplishes it mission through meaningful media messaging and skill building classes. Did you know: • 24 million children are growing up in homes without their biological fathers. • Only 30% of divorces are due to infidelity, addiction or abuse, 70% of divorces are due to couples feeling disconnected. • Couples who manage to devote time specifically to one another at least once a week are markedly more likely to enjoy high-quality relationships and lower divorce rates, compared to couples who do not devote as much couple time to one another. • Fathers provide unique benefits to their daughters through their acti…

Another great year of seeing artists in action in Wausau Wisconsin.  

Even with a rained out Saturday these artists still created many masterpieces in less time than prior years.   

I wish I could have taken a picture of every single one but I didn't have the time with two kids and it would take a long time for this page to load for all you fans to read.   

I thought I would have seen more Frozen scenes but there were only a couple.  



The black and white ones always have been a favorite of mine!   The detail in facial expressions always capture my heart.   

Still more to be done on this one but the colors are fantastic!   
I am a huge Eric Carle fan so this piece left me wanting to go read some of his books.  :)
This is a past youth student I had in youth group and this is her piece this year.   I think she did a fantastic job!  :)   Such a talented young lady! 

Well my little boy is growing up so fast and showing a big interest in cars and racing.   He was so full of joy riding around the house in this little four wheeler.   I think we might need to buy one!   :)   Wonder if I can find one at a garage sale or better yet get one to review.  :)  My daughter was also a little speedster and enjoyed this a lot! 


I can't go to Wausau Wisconsin without going to Polito's Pizza!   The slices are huge and my favorite is the spinach and feta but I will admit that I felt bloated after eating one piece.   My body is not used to eating all that grease! 
The kids had a slice of the pepperoni and neither of them could finish their slice...should have made them split a piece!  They also have a few other neat pizza toppings that makes them stick out compared to other pizza chains.   They  have steak and fry, mac n cheese, tomato basil, chicken bacon ranch, and many more!   

Description: “God told Jonah to obey, said, ‘Go to Nineveh this day.’ But, stubborn Jonah fled instead. Didn’t do just what God said.” Jonah’s disobedience landed him inside a big fish! And there he had time to think and pray. Children will feel the waves and hear the splash as Jonah sinks “down and down and down” into the belly of the fish. This story serves as an excellent reminder of how important it is to listen to God.
Author Bio: Rhonda Gowler Greene  Rhonda Gowler Greene is the author of over twenty picture books. Her books have received honors such as School Library Journal Best Book, Children’s Book Council Showcase Book, Bank Street College Best Book, and starred reviews. A former elementary school teacher, with a master’s in educational media, Rhonda is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and conferences. She lives with her husband, Gary, in a house overflowing with books in West Bloomfield, Michigan. They have four grown children. For more information, visit her on the w…

When faced with a busy academic schedule during high school and college, it can be 
difficult to imagine taking the time to study in a foreign country. Travel is expensive, and 
learning a new culture, language, and location can carry with it some complex learning 
curves in addition to completing your studies. However, the travel experiences people 
can have during secondary school and university studies may bring with them unique, 
once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that can change the course of life and enrich people 
with worldly experiences they wouldn’t have elsewhere. There are also grants and 
scholarships available through various foundations that can help fund studying abroad, 
so people of many nationalities can gain important cross-cultural experiences that will 
enrich and benefit their own lives and cultures.

You May Never Have Another Chance
Life in secondary school or at a university is certainly busy, but most students escape 
the lack of freedom that life after school can bring. B…

I was excited for my trip back to Wisconsin to visit this ice cream place, BRIQS!   I was unaware how disappointed I would be when I walked up to the window to order the "Funky Monkey."   The sign read:

I may sound stupid saying this but I was about to have tears coming down my face.   I came 5 hours to get a funky monkey and now there is no Krunch coating for the tasty treat my tongue has been waiting for.   So the funky monkey is vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, banana, and last but not least krunch coat.  It was a very sad day! So I understand it was a manufactruing issue for the Krunch shortage so I actually went online and was looking to find my own Krunch to order and I to found it difficult.   I saw several items "currently out of stock!"   I did however find a recipe!   So keep checking back for my adventure in making my own crunch coating!  :)   
So I still ordered the Funky Monkey and did add sprinkles but it was not near as delicious with the original kru…

Watch out world-  My son just might be the next top bowler!  :)   He beat all the kids two times and he was the youngest!  :)   Good job lil man!  

This was our first night of our road trip adventure.   We were originally suppose to go watch the hot air balloons but due to rain we opted for bowling and staying dry.  




My daughter was so thrilled to see her dear friend whom she has missed for a long time.  The goofy girls were full of fun and smiles!  


We were full of smiles too!   I have missed those two ladies!  They always make me smile and I will admit they both kicked my butt in bowling.   I am very very rusty!  

Also, had more friends to play with... or babysitters!  :)  

Aldi's was selling Slip N Slide's for $10.00!   We have used it a handful of times so it sure has paid for itself.   These kids played so nice together when I was making curtains with a friend.   
We want more sunshine days for more water play outside.  

The kids and I had a fun road trip!   We traveled back to Wausau, our old home and then from there went to my dads.   
Our first pit stop was Fudrucker's for lunch.  I did not realize that it was more of a burger joint till we were already in.   So the kids ordered the chicken and were satisfied and I ordered this:


This chicken taco salad was awesome!   I wish it had a little more beans but that's because I love black beans!   
I am kinda bumming out that I didn't try their burgers.   So I better go back and try a burger and see if they are tasty.  My kids did not like the french fries since they were potato wedges so that was a bummer but I liked them.  ;)  

We have been in our house for over a year and we are finally getting some curtains put up!!   It's about time!  :)
I am so thankful for my beautiful friend for coming over for 7 hours to sew them.  SHE IS SO AWESOME! 

Yes, that is the look of concentration!   I thought she had done this before and half way through the first curtain she says, "so this is the first time I have done this!"   WHAT!?   She knew all the skills to do it and it turned out fantastic!   My bedroom is more welcoming and it is staying darker in the bright morning hours.  :)   

I will be the first to admit that I have lacked in my Thankful posts... I can't even remember the last time I posted what I was thankful for.    There are so many things in my life right now that I thank Daddy God for orchestrating!  Here are a few on the top to get you thinking and praising Him as well.

1.  My job-  I started working full time last August and I feel I am making a difference in kids lives.  

2. Summer Break-  I have been off of work since June 7th and having extra time with my kids has been divine.  

3.  Finishing 2 graduate courses for my masters.  I took 2-3 credit classes in 6 weeks.   I am so thankful to be done!

4.  My husband!  I appreciate all the help he gives me! He helps at the drop of a dime!   I keep falling more and more in love with him. 

5. My flowers because they are blooming and so beautiful!  

6.  My son for always making me laugh!

7.  My daughter for always relaxing me and spoiling me with foot rubs and hair playing.

8.  My new car because I really need…

Have you ever had the chance to listen to live spoken word?   Spoken Word: Spoken word is performance-based poetry that is focused on the aesthetics of word play and story-telling. It often includes collaboration and experimentation with other art forms such as music, theater, and dance. The spoken word I listen to was very Jesus focused and testimony driven.   Hear these boys share how Christ has changed their lives was awe inspiring.   I know my hubby is going back this weekend to share his spoken word but I will be out of town but I am still thinking there is a chance I might have something to share.   God has done so much in my life so why not share it and give Him the Glory!!   I have some pictures of the boys I had the privilege to hear and hope to get to know them better because God has a huge calling on their lives!   On the bottom is a great video I found showing you what a spoken words is like!  :)  Listen to it because it will give you chills.    





So what story do you have to t…