Suzanne Griffin

Last week Allen took Gabby to meet the legendary Jim Shockey . Now I realize that most of you won't know his name, it's not like he is in the news headlines everyday, but he is on TV every week. On the Sportsman's Outdoors Channel. Jim and his wife Louise , from Team SHE Safari, were in Rogers signing autograph's and Allen took Gabby as she too dreams of being an avid hunter someday. Not that Brian doesn't, it's just that he's still pretty woolly and just the thought of him standing in line politely, wore everyone out. Makensie? she's not too sure she's comfortable with the whole idea of hunting yet. So Gabby won the bid to go. Allen and Gabby were both so impressed with how friendly both Jim and his wife were. Not that he expected them to be rude, he just didn't think we would get a chance to actually talk with them. Here is a picture of Gabby winning over two of her favorite celebrities.

I don't even want to ask how you all are doing as I'm already behind. But ahead of where I was is the goal right? Here is the devotion for this week on page 20 Here is the assignment for this week.

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Have I mentioned yet my obsession with coupons? If you don't coupon, you just can't understand the thrill of the hunt and high of victory when it all comes together. It may look like a lot of work for such little savings, but if you do it right, it truely can be well worth your time. My kids are well versed in the world of couponing. In fact, Brian asked me this week during school time if I was just having him cut so much so he'd get better at cutting so he would have to cut out my coupons? My plan has been soiled. I don't really want to post how to coupon are a lot of sites out there that can explain it much better than I. I will just briefly tell you what I do. I rip the coupons with a metal ruler, much faster than cutting and less crippling on the hands after hundreds. I sort them into catagories. I put the stacks into my coupon file. Check the sales ads and circle in black sharpie what looks like a good deal. Print off cheat sheets from blogs from other ladies doing...

Due to a challenge over at Biblical Womanhood , I'm posting about my daily routine. When I complete the current task at hand, I then run to do dishes, laundry and housework...in that order. I'm still working on the Colossal Clutter Clean Up , fell behind this week, trying to get caught up today. I am really liking our new routine. It is a less is more approach. I met with a friend and wise orderly balanced mom and upon her advise. Rather than me having such high expectations and trying to fit so much in. Allow more time for things, take some things off the schedule and enjoy my life and kids and save the extra stuff for Sundays or Summer. Save the major house cleaning for Saturdays. And I am so grateful. Nothing earth shattering, but just a new perspective that is really flowing well. 6:00- I make coffee, do my Devotions Take a Shower 7:00 Start Breakfast, wake up the kids and they start their morning chores 7:30 Breakfast-table chores-brush teeth 8:00 Bible-scripture memo...

So many times I find the laws in Deuteronomy amusing. I can't believe I used to think this was a boring book. Not that most of these I'll be able to use for Child training without a little tweaking, but it would never hurt to read this to them and let them think these laws still apply. Chapter 25- vs 2- If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and have him flogged in his presence... Modern day Child Training: So if there is a dispute, the guilty get punished in front of the innocent. vs 9-10 (if an unmarried man does not want to marry his brother's widow((only if she had no sons with his brother to carry on his name)) )... She shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face...The man's family line shall be known ....as The Family of the Unsandaled . So if one of the kids will not do the right thing and take care of a sibling, they have to be shamed and go without one shoe....forever. ...

As I studied Acts 5 yesterday there were 2 different topics of focus. The 2 nd was the apostles being beaten in the Sanhedrin and what I grasped onto was verse 41, "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for The Name." Wow. This is the line of thinking I need to hold onto. Most times in the heat of the beatings I forget that the war isn't against flesh, but it is spiritual warfare. I forget that if I wasn't a threat, it would be smooth sailing under the enemies radar and the evil one would have no reason to take me down. After I crash and burn it does take me a while to regain confidence to go back to the fly zone, where I'll be open to take the hits. I guess I do exactly what satan hopes. Lose my air under my wings, learn his lesson to stay low, unnoticeable , reaching no one. I need to remember to rejoice in the hurts that I've been worthy of the suffering for His Namesake. The 1st par...

How are you ladies? Ready? I know I am, in fact, yesterday afternoon as my husband was out fishing I got started. I only made it through the downstairs bathroom and the living room, but I'm pleased. Not that the living room looks picked up this morning... Here is the link to assignment #3 and here is #2 and here is #1 in case you haven't looked at them yet. And here is the post from last week. The devotional for this week is here. On page 19. Week 2 - Cast your burden. I decided to follow the 52 calendar in Amy's Clean Heart Clean Home Challenge as my guide, but my personal goal is 40 days as I think the number 40 is blessed. :) So for a 40 day calendar, taking Sunday's off, this is my goal. Day 1 Rest Day 2 (today) Pictures/kitchen Day 3 kitchen Day 4 pantry Day 5 home school hutch Day 6 craft/music room Day 7 Living Room Day 8 Rest Day 9 Wyatt's room Day 10 Wyatt's closet Day 11 Cubby hole & bookshelf Day 12 Our room Day 13 Our room Day 14 Downstairs...

Yesterday was very sense filled. Maybe because the 4 day migraine finally subsided and what had been sensory overload was finally back to normal. I'm thankful for my- sight so that I could watch Wyatt jump on the trampoline and laugh at what the static electricity was doing to his crazy monkey hair. hearing so that I could enjoy the kids sing on my wonderful cooking abilities because I make the best breakfast smoothie ever. taste so that I could savor the homemade french fries and sweet potato fries that Allen made to go along with our breakfast supper last night. touch so that I could relax in my new wonderful (non-white) bright purple and pink striped softest ever socks I got from a dear friend for Christmas. smell so that I could appreciate that Allen was having a cigar and varnishing wood while running a diesel heater in the garage all evening, because this meant I have a husband who was home. (Not that I think smoking around combustible gases while running a flaming heater i...

Gabby came stomping into the room obviously quite irritated . She is the child I worry will be on high blood pressure medicine at the same time as me. I asked her what was the matter and she unloaded. "It's Brian! He's a just a complete liar and annoying me!" I took a deep breathe and wondered what fight I'd now be expected to judge and bring equality to all those involved. "What did he lie about?" She tells me, "He's upstairs trying to tell us he's a Rootin Tootin cowboy and he can't even say his alphabet perfectly!"

I had posted that I was going to start the Clean Heart Clean Home Challenge as developed by Amy, however I just discovered her Colossal Clutter Clean Up challenge . If you are like me you'll probably want to start here too. However, if you are already organized and clutter free, then you'll want to start on the Clean Heart Clean Home to really get in there and clean. I also am struggling as to what is the best way to do this as I thought it would be encouraging for us to follow along together, however I also don't want anyone to feel defeated if they fall behind (like myself!) So here is the link to Amy's site, look it over and see where you fit in best, pray about what it is that you need to accomplish and if you want to partner with me for support that would be great. F or today : Take down any Christmas decorations still up and put them away where they belong (not at the back door or at the base of the stairs). We are also suppose to thin out any decorations th...

I couldn't sleep last night...ongoing problem. But last night as I lay there tossing and turning I thought I'd share the Allen and Suzanne story and the reasons why I love this man. 11 1/2 years ago I worked in Kansas City as a professional Claims Adjuster secretary by day and a cocktail waitress by night at Dick Clarks American Bandstand. When I look back, that year at the Bandstand was one of the funnest year of my life. There was a story every night. I was waitressing one night and Allen was at the bar. I told one of the other waitresses that I thought he kept looking at me. Sure enough, as I walked by he stopped me and asked me out and gave me his business card. Now mind you, I used to be a thinner little thing, not a heavy girl, and being friendly and cute got me asked out quite often. However, I had just ended a terrible ongoing relationship 3 days prior and was not looking for anyone again...ever. I didn't want to embarrass this handsome smiling young man in front of...