9.30.2008

Hair Cuts

The girls had hair cuts at Amber Jo's the other night.
Hunter was trying so hard to grow hers out....but it
just gets so tangly. So Amber cut & styled it about
to Hunter's shoulders...it looks great!





Alli Jo really didn't need a cut...just a trim on
her bangs! It was her FIRST time getting it cut
though! She did not want to sit still and was
not thrilled LOL! When we left I told her to
tell Amber "thank you". And she said, "Bye
Dr. Amber!" Hahahaha She thought amber was
a dr :)




Another crazy weekend!

What a weekend! I will try to get it all in, but I've
had a horrible migraine since Sunday night...so bare
with me!!!

Well last Thursday I took my sister down to The Walk
to Emmaus. I am so happy she got the chance to go,
and I got to sponsor her! She had an amazing time!!!
I took my walk back in April, and it was the best thing
I've ever done!

Friday night was our first night in the new house. It
wasn't quite ready for us, but we are more than ready
for it LOL!! We all slept on a queen mattress on the
floor....so not exactly the best sleeping that night.

Saturday I went and purchased a king mattress, so Joe and
I could sleep a little more comfortably. I also did a
little shopping and got some things for the house we needed.
Saturday night we had a weenie roast out at his Robinson
g-parents. We had a blast!!!




Sunday was the last day of the Cardinals season, and we had
tickets from our anniversary gift. I'll post a little slideshow
from the game. Those of you that know me, know that I LOVE LOVE
LOVE Albert Pujols....so those are the majority ofthe pictures LOL!!
Joe didn't even mind I took some of Albert stretching haha! Cards
ended up beating Cincinnati, 11-4!!!


9.25.2008

I hate to brag.....

Just kidding...but check out this video of Alli Jo coloring!!!!!!



9.24.2008

Work Diaper Shower

Last night we had a diaper shower for Jenn, who I work with.
She's having her 2nd boy at the end of October. We had so
much fun! When we all get together outside of work we are
unstoppable!!!! Ha Ha

We played a couple games, Who Knows Mommy the Best, and
The Poopy Diaper Game. If you don't know what the poopy
diaper game is......you melt candy bars into a diaper and then
guests sniff them to see kind it is.

Here's a slideshow


9.22.2008

Dining Room

Well the house is moving along. A couple months ago
we had the furniture company come and deliver our
furniture for the dining room and mast bedroom. We
originally wanted them to hold it until we were ready
and then we'd pick it up from E-ville. Well they told
us one day they were in the neighborhood and would
deliver it free of charge and assemble it all, then wrap
it in plastic. We could not resist, so we had them take
it into our garage. So Sunday, we FINALLY got the
dining room done, and put the furniture in...thanks to
the help from our neighbor Matthew!! I love it!!!!!!! I'm
so excited to have a room pretty much done
( I still have to work on the buffet) Here is a pic I took
with my cell.

9.19.2008

Random photos

Here are some random photos from Joe's B-day/Our Anniversary
which was September 3rd. I forgot I even took pics that day!!!

.


Hunter was being a maid LOL

Too darn cute!

Making Grady laugh





Alli watching TV....and look she has her big girl
panties on

9.15.2008

What's your Cardboard Testimony?

Ok, my friend Lauren started this blog....but I wanted to start a strand
of it too! What is your Cardboard Testimony........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKX4xPgOkfo&feature=related

Continual Prayers for the Patrick Delaney & Tara Fuhs family.....

Please continue to pray for the Patrick Delaney family and Tara Fuhs family. My friend Lacy has been working on her blog that she wants to show during the viewing tonight.....


9.13.2008

MY NEW SITE IS LAUNCHED!!!!

Come visit my new photography website

http://leahrobinsonphoto.com/

It's just a start....but I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9.12.2008

My thoughts & prayers

My thoughts and prayers are with Patrick Delaney's friends & family. May God's love & strength be with you all during this difficult time.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Psalm 46:1-2

9.10.2008

Turkey Trot 08

Last Friday we went to a local festival called The Turkey Trot.
I know there are several out-of-towners that read my blog, so
I will explain a little....The reason it's called turkey trot is to
help draw attention to the thousands of turkeys raised in our
county. It is always held in September and I believe it's always
the weekend after labor day. Festivities start on Thursday
nights and end Sunday. It includes turkey races, exhibits,
tractor pulls, horse pulls, live entertainment, carnival rides,
mud volleyball, and many other attractions.

I completely forgot that I had a couple pictures
on my cell phone from the girls riding some rides.




We usually spend the entire weekend up at Turkey Trot...
but this year Joe was working on the house the entire
weekend. The girls and I picked up Kayla (my BFF)
and we went for a little while. I do have to admit it was
some of the nicest weather I ever remember @ Turkey Trot!

9.08.2008

Lookin more like home

Well we're getting closer and closer to moving into
our home! This weekend was soooooooo nice, we
really didn't want to spend it working indoors, but
we knew we had to! We got a lot done including
our kitchen tile down, the dining room hardwood,
and the foyer hardwood done! While Joe worked
on the floor, I worked on painting trim. Oh what
fun that was :)


The shower in our master bathroom

Where the tub will go

Steps going upstairs

Joe working on foyer

Luv it!

Dining Room

Dining Room again

Kitchen tile

Laundry Room

9.05.2008

Week 4 - For Women Only Bible Study

Well I hope you all have time on your hands, b/c this is a long one :)

This week's chapter was called: Sex Changes Everything

Women are faced with a crisis! Men are worried that we are not even aware of it!

Men aren’t getting enough sex.

I can hear your howls of laughter. It’s not exactly groundbreaking news that men want more sex. We know they are sexual creatures. I do think that you are going to be fascinated this week when you realize how strongly the feel this need and you may be blow away when you understand why.

Our culture portrays sex as a physical need for men. However, as Shaunti conducted research around the country, it became clear that the importance of sex had little to do with the physical. In fact, to a husband it was emotional, all about feeling desired by his wife. On search survey and in random interviews, this theme emerged with great urgency. Being desired by his wife also gave a man a sense of well-being in other areas of his life.

When men were asked how important it is for them to feel sexually wanted and desired by their wives, and astounding 97% said “getting enough sex” wasn’t, by itself, enough; they wanted to feel wanted. In the entire survey, this was the question that men most agreed on.

Shaunti also gave men this scenario and question:

You are getting all the sex you want, but your wife is reluctant or simply accommodates your needs. Will you be sexually satisfied? A total of 74% said that they still would feel empty if their wives were not engaged and satisfied. A huge signal to a man of whether he is desired and desirable is whether his wife enjoys their intimacy together.

One man that Shaunti interviewed summed it up this way:

“Everyone thinks women are more emotional than men (when it comes to sex)….that women are more into the emotion and cuddling of it. So women think there are no emotions there (for the guy)….but there are, and when you say no, you are messing with all those emotions.”

Sex makes your husband feel loved—in fact, he cannot feel completely loved without it. You have discovered that he often feels isolated and burdened by secret feelings of inadequacy. Making love with you assures him that you find him desirable, salves a deep sense of loneliness, and gives him the strength and well-being necessary to face the world with confidence.

Before we go any further….let me make sure a few things are clarified. First, while there continue to be ways in which singles are addressed in this week’s study, know that this week focuses exclusively on sexual intimacy within the God-ordained marriage relationship.

Second, we will be focusing on the apparent majority of cases, in which the husband tends to crave more sex than he is getting. You should know that according to the surveys of women Shaunti interviews 25% found themselves in the reverse situation. If you are one of these women, know that many of these truths will still apply, but please recognize that this week, of necessity, focuses on the majority of cases.

Our Weekly Challenge:

Married Women—This week track the messages you may be sending your husband regarding your desire (or lack thereof) for him. In what ways can you make progress in understanding and meeting the needs of his heart through sexual intimacy?

Single Women—Observe how the media portrays a man’s view of sex. What messages does it convey about how the culture thinks guys are wired versus how they really are created by God?

Everyone: begin each day with a prayer that God will help you meet a new challenge. Practice every day. Continue to practice changes you are making from other Weekly Challenges.


Something is missing in your husband, and only you can fill that void.
How does this truth differ from the popular view of a man’s sexual needs?
A Man’s deep need for his wife is more than physical. His emotional need to bond with his helpmate is a reminder of how we were created.

Read proverbs 12:4, The Message
4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Think how a man feels when his advances for sex are rejected.

When a wife is the kind of wife a man needs, he shines like a crowned king. When a wife causes her husband to feel belittled, it eats at him deep inside. When sex is good, the husband likely will be affected in such a way that everyone will know. He will be energized and on top of the world. If he feels rejected or undesired as a man, he can feel ashamed, as if his very insides are being eaten away.

How will this knowledge change your behavior?


First Corinthians 7: 1-5 offers powerful warnings for couples.
Marriage
1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

What principles does this passage teach?


What is the danger of denying sex to each other?

The danger is if we are not willing to ensure that our husbands feel desired by us, they could have much more difficult time resisting that temptation elsewhere. Remember what a core need this is! Many a man has been let astray by the flattery of someone who, without the pressures of the day-to-day grind that you face, makes him feel like the most desirable man on the –planet. The lure of the prostitute in Proverbs 7:15, is that she is looking for him and is available all night long. It’s a love feast, and he’s the main course!

The lure of pornography is another danger. If you are like me, you have puzzled over this one; I mean it’s just a picture, isn’t it? Men have explained it this way: “It is as though that beautiful desirable woman is looking through the camera directly at me and saying, “I want you.” In today’s world, the temptation to get that intoxicating feeling is at his fingertips 24/7.

The Apostle Paul warns that as human beings we have limits. We can be tempted. To deny your husband or to not give the effort to make sex a fulfilling experience can be dangerous for your marriage.

I do want to point out that the Bible is not saying that we belong to our husbands in the sense of personal property that can be used or abused.

Read 1 Corinthians 7:1-5

Notice verse 4 speaks to both of you. He has just as much responsibility to meet your needs as you do to meet his. However, remember that the focus of our study is narrow—on his privilege to have access to all of you.

Think honestly for a moment about what goes on through your mind when you reject your husband’s advances. Do any of these responses sound familiar?

I have a rIght to a good nIghts sleep.
I am just plain tIred and rest Is what I need.
I can’t be expected to meet everyone’s needs all the tIme.
I need some tIme to myself.
I am not Interested.

The emphasis on “I”, while not subtle, helps us to remember our focus. Aren’t we often quick to want to exercise our rights? To think “Well, it is my body!” But is it?

Our memory verse this week is 1 Corinthians 7:4

4The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.

When you deny him the sexual response he is expecting, you deny him access to part of himself. When a part of himself is messing, the wounds can go very deep.
One of Shaunti’s most fascinating discoveries from her research has to do with how men look at romance. They really do want romance.
Playing together is very romantic for men. Having fun with their wives makes them feel close and loving and intimate; it offers an escape from the ordinary and a times to focus on each other—all things that women also want from romance. This means that going with him on an errand to the local hardware store may be terribly romantic for him!

One married man explained it this way, “For a guy, a big part of the thrill was doing fun things together. The woman who is having fun with her husband is incredibly attractive. If you see a woman out playing golf with her husband, I guarantee that all the other guys are jealous. Getting out and having fun together falls off in a marriage because of various responsibilities, but men still want to play with their wives.”
Think about times your husbands have suggested some activity that you didn’t realize might have been romantic for him. In his mind, the activity was just a fun day of hiking or a chance to relax—it was his version of a candlelight dinner.
Now where does sexual intimacy come into romance. Sex doesn’t always have to be connected to romance, and it doesn’t have to happen at the same time—but it’s in the back of his mind! To make a giant generalization, women can often experience emotional closeness and feel that an evening is romantically complete without sex—while men often cannot.

Many men expressed frustration and even heartache over times when they tried to be romantic, tried to do things that signal their love and care for their wives—and still didn’t see any increase in sexual interest. Clearly, just as we want our husbands to love us in the way we need to be loved, so do our men want the same for themselves. Sex is a huge part of making them feel loved.
So what about the times you HAVE to say NO?
The truth is there are times when sex is just not going to happen. Men have told Shaunti that if a woman takes the time to explain her “no” then it can help. You cannot assume that he sees your briefcase full of reports or the pile of dirty dishes in the sink and automatically understands what is foremost on your mind.
Gently let him know what is going on inside of you at the moment. Leave him without a doubt that you desire him but that you are just not able to respond at the moment. Leave him with hope! Make plans for a time when you can be fully devoted to each other. No other appointment should be as important as this one. Get a baby-sitter! Go away! Lock the door! Let your husband know he is irresistible to you!
Trust that God knows what He is doing. He delights in helping His children. As you obey Him, you will also find delight and joy. As you affirm you husband sexually, as you watch him blossom with your respect, and as you see him secure in your trust and admiration, you will feel delight.

9.03.2008

3 years ago today.........

Joe and I were married!!!!

I can't believe how fast 3 years went by! We've
had some of the happiest times of our lives! Joe
makes me feel like I'm the center of the universe!
What more can you ask for in a husband :)

Here's a little slideshow of our wedding day.......

Some potential Ha Ha

I'm so excited the paint is finally on the walls!!!
After days and days of trying to decide on final
colors...they are up! And I love 'em!

Dining Room

Hunter's Room (light purple)

Alli Jo's Room (light pink)

The Girl's Bath - Green (monkey bathroom)

Main Level (Dromedary Camel)

9.02.2008

Week Three - Part II

The World on His Shoulders.

A total of 76% of men Shaunti surveyed echoed this conviction: “I love my wife, but I can’t depend on her to provide. That’s my job. Period.”

Men not only carry this burden but an overwhelming majority carries it constantly. When asked under what circumstances do they think about their responsibility to provide for the family, 71% of men said it was always or often on their minds. There’s no respite; the knowledge of their responsibility is always pressing down on them.

This week, we will talk about how this responsibility must feel for a man—and what it means for you, even if you make a greater salary.

The provider element often leaves a man feeling pulled in several directions. He works hard to provide for his family, but that sometimes means taking time away from those he loves. If he loves his job, he is torn. If he is not particularly fond of what he does, work hours can sap his energy and enthusiasm, but he has to keep those paychecks coming in. All the while, he is very conscious of the family’s happiness and level of satisfaction with how things seem to be going.

This week’s challenge was to keep track of the number of times you show appreciation for all that your husband does in the area of provision. What imaginative ways can you find to lighten his “provider burden” a bit? Begin each day with a prayer that God will help you meet a new challenge. Practice every day. Continue to practice changes you are making form other Weekly Challenges.

How do the following scriptures help you understand a man’s driving need to provide?

Genesis 1 and 2:
God created man in Genesis to work & watch over the garden—Work and providing are the core of a man’s created identity. He doesn’t assume the role of provider. He doesn’t do it if he feels like it. God has assigned him this task and put this compulsion in his heart. It’s not about wanting to be the breadwinner; it’s about HAVING to be!

Exodus 35:
Moses is faced with the challenge of leading the people of Israel to build the Lord’s tabernacle. He had his instructions from God. The people may have wondered how this project was going to turn out, but Moses wasn’t worried. The Lord had given them wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work of constructing the sanctuary.

Proverbs 23:4
Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; stop giving your attention to it. As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes winds for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Can you remember the last time you complimented your husband on one of his God-given talents? What was his reaction?

Listen to the following day in the life of Rob:

Rob sank down onto the couch and rubbed his temples. His thoughts tumbled together. Could this day get any worse? If Elrod takes his account to another firm I don’t know what my boss will do with me. The third installment on Ethan’s braces is due next week! What if I lose my job? What did Martha say about Mandy’s glasses?
His misery was interrupted as his family rushed through the front door. Ethan ran to show him his new video game. Martha plopped down the armload of shopping bags beside him on the couch.
“We found some great deals, hon. I couldn’t resist! Mandy’s growing like a weed and practically needs a whole new wardrobe! How was your day?

Put yourself in Rob’s skin. What emotions are rising up at this moment?
Rob felt anger b/c those shopping bags represented a lack of respect for all he was doing to provide fro the family. B/C Rob knew things about his job that Martha didn’t, he also felt a gut-wrenching horror. He had to take a deep breath before he could answer, “We’ll talk about my day later.”

Just b/c come men are not articulate when it comes to describing their feelings doesn’t mean they do not experience a wide range of emotions. Maybe your man is very stoic. Perhaps you don’t always understand his feelings. Whatever his personality style, know that men experience emotional reactions to their inner fears just as we do!

Martha didn’t mean to be insensitive to Rob. She just took advantage of a good sale for a daughter who was outgrowing her clothes. That was a good thing! Just as our emotions are not always rational, a man’s may not be either.

One guy put it this way, “About sex, men are utilitarian, and women are emotional. About money, work, or providing, women are utilitarian, but men get emotional!”

Providing is a man’s way of expressing love to his family. At the same time, providing for the family may take him away from those he loves. It takes money to provide and it takes time to make money. If you are like Shuanti…she says you may find yourself complaining that the job that takes so much time is more important to him than they are. How can the poor guy win?

What about us (wives)?
As we better understand what is going on inside our men, we often have to make one-sided changes. The one person you can change is you! Shuanti talks about receiving many e-mails telling her about salvaged relationships b/c the woman made a decision to meet her husband’s inner needs, regardless of any changes he made.

Many of us have faced difficult financial seasons in recent years, and obviously it is hard then to feel as sense of gratitude. I understand that it may be hard for some of your to feel supportive of your main in this provider issue. It is easy to get nervous and want to blame our husbands or pressure them to “do something” differently.

This is one of those sensitive areas in which you need to try to make the decision to support him and show gratitude. Remember a man’s need to be respected and affirmed? B/c the role of provider is so ingrained in his inner core; he especially needs your trust in this area. It’s not always easy, but there are some actions you can take to make it more doable.

Read Luke 12:22-26 and notice Jesus’ first instruction to His disciples:

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

What is God revealing to you about worry?

How can you worry affect your man?

What changes do you need to make?

A man doesn’t need added pressure. Those feelings of failure are never far away. He is already suffering while you’re asking, “What do I do when I can’t see how the bills will be paid or how we will make it in retirement?”

Remember Jesus’ reminder about worry in Luke 12:24?

24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Shuanti remembers going through a difficult financial season with her husband…..she says the answer is to cast our cares for provision on the Lord rather than on our men. In the end, it is His job to carry the burden, even as He directs us. And He promises He will!

9.01.2008

Gracie's Slumber Party

Hunter and Alli Jo attending our soon to be
neighbor Gracie's b-day party Friday night.
They had a blast! Hunter ended up staying the
night for her 2nd ever slumber party.

Jess bringing out the cupcakes.......

The girls waiting to patiently

Gracie blowing out her candles

Yummy

Hunter sure does like them!

And Alli Jo too :)



Hunter getting her toenails done by Miss Jamie

All the girls ready for the movie and popcorn