Wrapping Up my Family Series

Being in bed for a week with the flu really messed up my schedule!

I am going to wrap up the Family series this week with two more posts.  

Today, I am introducing my other sister, Lisa.  She's the one we call Sis.  

She is the heart of our family.  If there is something to shed tears about she will be the first one.  At times you may hear, "Is Sis crying again?"

Yep, that's her.  Tenderhearted.

I grew up in a blended family and I was the "ours" of the bunch. I was showered with attention constantly. And, both my sisters were like extra moms that I got to have.  

If you remember, my oldest sister got married when I was 5 and she stuck her tongue out at me through the whole wedding. 

Well, that left me and Sis at home. We fought like crazy part of the time, and laughed, and then fought some more. 

She got married when I was 14, and I don't think I talked to her for a week.  I was so mad. 

She left me!

She will do anything for anyone that needs it, and she's always there when I need her. 

Here's my Sis.

In this fab '90's pic, Sis is on the left.

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Well, when Nan ask my to write something about family I thought where would I start. So I decided what better place to start than where I came from. Not literally where I came from but how I came to be me. You see I was born in March of 1963 but I remember very little about that time in my life.   I had a wonderful momma that loved me very much. A brother that would let me play with his model cars until I would break the steering wheel or pop a tire off. An older sister to whom played endless hours  of dolls, house and anything else she said (she's the bossy one).

My real life began in March of 1968 when I was "born" into my extended family. With my new family came two older brothers and the most amazing daddy. My daddy loved me unconditionally from the start. Why this man would be willing to take on four more mouths to feed is only by Gods amazing grace. My other two brothers were here with us a lot. One lived with us for quiet some time. 

My daddy was such a sweet gentle man. I'm sure it happened more then this but I only remember him getting on to me two times. Once because Lolo ( the bossy one ) and I would not stop laughing one night while trying to go to sleep. He simply said GIRLS and we knew he meant business. The other time I came home from Longview after dark in the rain one night and he let me know that wasn't the thing to do. Daddy loved me just the way I was. 

To the bunch we added a little sister. With her came endless hours of dressing Barbie's over and over and over. As we got older I learned to sew and crochet from my grandmother Aunt Birdie. I used my new found skills to make my baby sister some clothes. Halter tops was my specialty, and yes she actually wore them outside the house. 

Mom held it all together. From Saturday perms, making uniforms for three girls in Tiger Dolls, cooking meal after meal. She taught us to be good do right and remember where you came from.   Love is what we do. You will always hear us say I Love You even if we are only be gone for a minute. 

Family comes in many forms so no matter how you were "born" into yours they are still a blessing from God. I love you all and I love you Nan for reminding us what family is all about.

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Our family is very close. I know other families are, too. But, to me, we really have something special.

From, Mom and Daddy, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins that I know are reading this, and my own family at home,  I love you all. 

You have made me, ME!

I'm Back With 31 Days of Family

Hello, all!  

I am among the land of the living again. Thank goodness!

I sincerely hope that you don't suffer through the flu this season. It's really no fun, especially when it's followed up by Strep and then the mother of all migraines.  

Geez. Not a fun week. 

I quarantined myself to the bedroom and just waved to the kids from the bed. For a week!

Ah. Enough of that. 

I am going to carry on with my 31 Days of Family, even though I am woefully behind.

My mom is talking about the family today.  

And, leave it to her to come from the most unique angle of all.  

My sisters and I have always joked that the in-laws are her favorites. Who could blame her if they are, they are the best husbands and wives for her sons and daughters.

Here are a few of her feelings about them.

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When we are asked to talk about our family, the first that comes to mind is your children and grandchildren; and I do have a lot to say about mine; but with this writing I want to tell about the amazing men and women that  my children have married.

My daughter-in-law,Polly, has been part our family for so long (she was just a baby when she married my son, Mike).  She is the perfect wife for him, a wonderful homemaker and exceptional mom to Miranda and Michelle.  She has always treated me with the utmost kindness and respect.  I love her like my own.

Then there's Garry who takes care of my yard and worries whether I am eating right or not; he is kind and funny.  I appreciate him more and more as time goes by. He and Lori have raised beautiful children.

After some troubled times I know Ricky has found the love of his life, Connie. I don't  know her very well yet, that will come with time. I can say though, I know her to be very smart and funny. I like her a lot.

David, we have known him and his family since he was about five.  He was raised in a Christian family just as Lisa was.  I know him to be a dedicated Christian, husband and dad who earnestly wants to be the very best he can be.  He looks after my house and car and does the "honey do" things I am not capable of.

Rex is a Godly man who adores Amy, spoils her and is and amazing Dad to their three boys.  He is always ready and willing to help me do chores that need to be done when they come for weekends. I know in my heart he genuinely loves our family and we love having him as part of us.

This may sound unusual but I cannot write about my in-law children without telling you about Roy.  Reason being, even though he is not married to us any longer he has been in our family since he was just a boy and I love him like my own. I know if I need him he is there.

These are my in-law children and I know how blessed I am to have them.

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My mom is the matriarch of our family, we all love gathering at her house and just spending time with one another. 

31 Days: Big Brothers Are The Best

Families come in all shapes and sizes.  My husband's family is small and my family is pretty large.  

I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters.  

When I came along, my brothers were already out of the house, so it was just us girls. In a tiny house with only one bathroom.  My poor Daddy! Ha!

So, I don't have the memories of bonding with my brothers. 

When I read the essay sent to me by another of my nieces, Hannah, it brought tears to my eyes! She and her big brother are so close, and I love that.  (I did, by the way, ask him to participate, but he is a pretty private guy!)

I call the big brother in question, "my first baby boy". It's probably because of him that I decided that I only ever wanted to have sons.  Since both of my sisters are older than I am, he was born when I was 16, and I loved on him all the time. He is the one who gave me my family nickname, "Nanny". 

Usually, that is a name reserved for a grandparent, but it stuck and I have been Nanny or Nan ever since. 

Hannah is a culinary student and loves to cook and create delicious desserts.  She has been baking since she was very young.  I am so proud of her!

Here is her view on what it is like to have a big brother.

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I’m notoriously clumsy, it’s probably safe to say that I have spent almost as much time on the ground from tripping on my own two feet as I have spent actually upright on my feet, I even fell at my high school graduation. And it’s not just falling that is the problem, one time in the eighth grade I ran into the metal door of the gym at school and knocked half my front tooth off, I know…who does that!?

It didn’t happen immediately, but about 2.5 seconds after realizing that half of my tooth was no longer attached I started bawling, like out of control, ugly, full on wailing. And it wasn’t that I was in pain, it was just that I knew I was going to be a half-toothed hick for the rest of my life, that’s all I could think about. I didn’t know what to do at the time, so I started walking inside the school, somewhat disoriented from the ridiculous emotional mess I was, and made my way to the high school library where I knew my older brother was, who was a senior at the time, and just stood outside the door. I didn’t want to actually go in because my blubbering was loud and I just knew the librarian would kick me out and I really didn’t want to embarrass my brother.  So I stood there not really knowing what to do until the door opened and one of my brothers friends came out, she took one look at me and I’m certain she wanted to run from the unstable mess that was standing there, but instead, she turned back in the door and said, “Colby, your sister is out here crying.” So much for not embarrassing him…but if he was embarrassed he didn’t show it. He came out in the hall, and let me know things were going to be okay, he’s always been good at that, not like he has any experience with dramatic girls after growing up in an almost all-girl family. Needless to say, he called my dad and I ended up getting my tooth fixed that day and only had to show four people my ‘half-tooth hick’ self.

Isn’t this is what family is about? When you’re down, your family is there to pick you up, help you dust your rhinestones off, and help you on get on your merry little way. Our family in particular has always been so very good about this, no matter what the case, family is always there to help you pick yourself up, and to laugh it off. That’s the biggest blessing about our family, no matter where we’ve been or what has happened in the time we were there, we are always able to pull each other up and bring joy back to each other’s lives, because after all, in the words of Princess Diana, family is the most important thing in life.

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We do pick each other up and do our best to keep each other up, too.

Yes, that is what family is all about.

31 Days: Gifts Come In All Varieties

I am so excited about today's post!

You have met Rex (the hubs), and my niece, Kaley, so far.  I wish I could introduce you to each and every person in my family, but that would take way more than a month. And, I would be a little nervous that you would like them better than you like me.....seriously....;)

Today I am introducing you to my big sister. She will probably have some comment about me calling her my "big" sister, but she IS my big sister.  She is the oldest of the 3 of us girls. I don't know what we would do without her to keep us all in line. And, I really mean that.  She keeps us focused on what needs to be accomplished and we get it done, in all situations from organizing a garage sale, to deciding what to have for dinner when we all randomly gather, to planning the funeral for my Daddy.

She's pretty awesome.

Just don't get on her bad side. 

I know I don't want to be there.  

Ha! Really.

This is my Lolo. 

Her given name is Lori, but since I mispronounced it as a little girl, Lolo has stuck. Everyone in the town that we grew up in, and where she still lives, calls her Lolo. Even some people that have never met her.  They will say, "Ohhhh! You're Lolo!" 

True story.

Here we are quite a few years ago.

From left to right it's my sister, Lisa, me in the middle, and Lolo.

I had some serious hair happening.  It was the early 90's, after all. 

We were laughing our heads off about something and then had to get all serious and hold still for the photo. I have no idea why we struck this pose. 

Now that you have been introduced, I'll let you get to know her!

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Is THIS my gift?

I know that the Lord gives every individual person a special gift, but for the majority of my 55 years I couldn’t define exactly what my gift was. I’m a good mother and good at my job, I can sew and craft and can make a comfortable home.  But when others talked about their gifts I would wonder, is this what I’m supposed to do? Is this my talent? Is THIS my gift?

I’m a good cook, not fancy and not trained but I know what tastes good and what makes my family happy. Large quantities and lots of variety for large family gatherings are my favorites. As our extended family plans a get together I generally will make the menu and assign the dishes to the ones who do them the best.  Whether it’s a control issue or the fact that I’m bossy, ( I can’t imagine why they say I’m bossy) but  I tend to take the majority of the menu on myself. One exception to that is that Mom always makes the Thanksgiving dressing. It can’t be beat. I like foods made from “scratch”. How can you stir in the memories and love if it comes from a box? But still I wonder, “Is THIS my gift?”

Several years ago while grocery shopping with a sister-in-law she made the statement that I was “feeding the whole world”. Of course, she had never shopped with anyone who bought more than one onion at a time or potatoes in a 5lb. bag.  Dinner that night was BBQ chicken from the grill, potato salad, cole slaw, deviled eggs, baked beans, rolls and dessert, for fifteen to twenty family members.  Days later I was pondering her statement. Maybe, just maybe she had hit upon something. Is THIS my gift?

It’s hard to explain the joy I feel when our family comes together. The occasion never matters.  Whether it’s Soup Tuesday, a wiener roast, softball game or holiday some of my greatest blessings come when we gather at the table and I hear/feel/see the happiness that my food brings.  Just last week hubby told me that he’s most happy when he sees me cooking. While some would find this a rather chauvinistic way of thinking, I took it as a compliment. My heart was singing! Hmmm. Is THIS my gift?

Mom, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, three children, one son-in-law, one grandchild, thirteen nieces and nephews, some married with children of their own. More to come. Family. My family. And someone is always hungry. So just maybe, possibly and even probably this in more ways than I can count is MY gift.   

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She really is gifted in being hospitable and showing love to her family.

When I was a little girl, she was my world.  She is 13 years older than I am, so she was kind of a second Mommy to me. She played Barbies with me (and put them away), put me up on the kitchen counter so I could hang my head in the sink while she washed my hair. I hated to get soap and water in my face.

I remember when I was in college and I got a box full of Morning Glory Muffins in the mail. I love those things! She told me to freeze them and pull one out and pop it in the microwave before heading out to class. It was awesome. 

When she got married, I was five years old.  I was the flower girl and cried through the whole wedding.  She kept sticking her tongue out at me to make me smile.  

Yep, she's a pretty awesome big sister. 

Love you, Lolo.

31 Days: Family Meals

Family meals are a really big deal for our family. We have dinner together at the table at least 4 nights a week.  It is such an important time for us because we can connect with all three of our children and they can connect with one another.  I try to keep meals interesting and satisfying.  I do get into ruts where I can't think of what to make and we end up with the same thing over and over, and I hate it! So does the family.  

We have a ritual where we ask them each to tell us something good that happened during the day. And, it can't be what they had for lunch! We find out about their day and learn about their relationships with friends and teachers. It's so important for kids to know that their parents want to know what's happening in their lives. 

When I find a good recipe or a product to help me prepare a meal I get really excited.  

That's where Kraft Recipe Makers come in.

You find a huge selection of Kraft Recipe Makers on the pasta aisle in your local grocery store.  The price is really great considering that you get everything that you need for meal prep except for 1-2 ingredients.  There are recipes to create in the skillet, oven, or slow cooker, so they've got ya covered not matter what.

I chose the Verde Chicken Enchilada package.  I have prepared it before and it was a huge hit with the whole family.  We are a Mexican food loving family so I was initially quite skeptical that any product from a box could live up to our standards. I was oh so wrong!

I saw the Velveeta Toppers next to the Recipe Makers, and I thought it seemed like a good combination.  I top the enchiladas with grated cheese and I thought that the addition of the smooth melty cheese would be perfect.

This is everything that I used to create the whole meal! Oops, except I added avocados to the enchiladas. I didn't go by the recipe on the box , exactly, I tried to create something a little different.  And, it was yummy!

One onion

12 corn tortillas

one avocado

1 lb. chicken breast

Kraft Recipe Makers Verde Chicken Enchilada Mix

Velveeta Toppers Queso Blanco

I boiled my chicken and then chopped it up with half an onion and an avocado. Then, I sauteed it all in a little butter.

After I sauteed the mixture, I added in the Filling Sauce that's included in the package.

It already looked and smelled delicious!

Then, I filled the warmed corn tortillas. 

I filled them, rolled the tortillas, then placed them rolled side down in the dish.

I ended up with a little of the filling left over and I certainly didn't want to waste it. So, I tucked it into a corner....

Sweet.

I topped them with the grated cheese and popped them into the oven.

During the last 5 minutes of baking, I topped them off with the Velveeta Toppers Queso Blanco. I'm a sucker for the white cheese!

Here's the yumminess hot out of the oven!

I completed the meal with the Spanish Rice and black beans and a jar of Peach Iced Tea.

It was a big hit!

The Littlest had not been feeling well, but he even gave it two thumbs up.

And, this guy had two helpings!

This is seriously good and I really can't wait to try another variety.

The onion really filled out the enchiladas and the avocado added some creaminess. And, avocados are so good for you and I try to sneak in extra veggies any time that I can.

Follow Kraft Foods on Facebook for more great recipes to try out.

Have you tried Kraft Recipe Makers yet? Which one is your favorite?

31 Days: Silly Songs, Amazing In-Laws, and Charlie Parker

I may be crazy.

I'm pretty sure that I am.  

I am giving the hubs access to the blog. The ability to say anything he wants to the world.

I have a little case of the nerves over this.

Nah, not really.  We're all crazy and weird, why not share it with the world, right?

As we continue 31 Days of Family, I had to include him.  He has a unique perspective because he comes from a very small family, and his first encounters with my large and noisy family didn't discourage him.

I'm going to make a shameless request here...  If you're reading my 31 Days Series, I would love it if you would leave a comment. I love hearing from you and I know you're out there, I see you in my blog stats! (Ok, end of shameless plug...)

Don't forget to catch up on the past posts HERE.

And, don't forget to get your most pinnable posts linked up to THE Pin It Party while there is still time.

Now, without further adieu, meet Rex, otherwise known affectionately as The Hubs!

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“Do you know anyone named Charlie Parker?”  This was the funniest, most embarrassing, and perhaps scariest question I’ve ever been asked…but I’ll get to that.

I grew up in the most conservative of homes.  Vanilla was a daring flavor.  Conservative.  Mom and Dad were amazing parents, and I wouldn’t trade my upbringing for anything…it’s my story after all; however, to say I was sheltered would be a colossal understatement.  My family was quiet, calm, and predictable.

Amy and I started dating in 2002.  We had both been previously married.  My divorce was the most traumatic thing that my ultra-conservative family had ever faced.  I’m sure they were nervous when I began to date again.  Amy’s family was like nothing I’d ever known.  Her family is HUGE (by my standards anyway).  The first time I met her family in July, 2002, was interesting to say the least.  We drove to her parent’s house in Mt Pleasant, TX, for the Fourth of July weekend.  When we pulled up I was greeted by her parents, who were standing on the back porch looking like the farmer and his wife from the iconic painting “American Gothic”.  All my future father-in-law needed was a pitchfork.  We entered the house and I met a sister and her husband and two of their daughters, a brother and his wife and one of their daughters; and within 5 minutes the group of 11 were whisked off to a local restaurant.  This group was LOUD!  This group had BIG personality.  Despite my conservative upbringing I fell in love with this group and my soon wife-to-be even more (I met another sister, brother-in-law, and 3 more nieces/nephews –to-be by the end of that weekend).  This group of people did a lot to bring me out of my shell.  They taught me to loosen up and have fun.  They allowed me to truly be myself.  They may have created a monster!

Amy and I each brought a son into our marriage.  Matt and Christian became best friends while we were dating…over 10 years later this hasn’t changed.   My new-found sense of family (fostered by Amy’s family) led me to interesting father-son interactions.  The conservative guy was gone.  I made up tons of silly songs about the boys…so many that the boys to this day don’t know the difference from songs I made up to actual nursery-rhyme songs (they’re a little warped in that regard).  Matt (now 15) and Christian (now 13) still sing many of these songs to this day.  These two boys grew accustomed to my silliness; sometimes they weren’t sure when I was being goofy or needed to be taken seriously.  This caused many hilarious moments over the years.  I built a fort in our back yard when Matt and Christian were 6 and 4 years old, respectively.  Our back yard was not completely fenced in at that time (across the back only).  One fall day the two boys were playing on the fort where they’d been pouring buckets of water on each other’s heads.  I stuck my head out at one point and hollered for them to strip down buck-naked on the back porch before they came inside (so they wouldn’t get the house filthy with muddy clothes and shoes)…and I went back inside without further supervision or explanation.  I mean, that was straight forward enough for a 6 and 4 year old, right?  What could go wrong?  I got busy and actually forgot about them (Dad of the Year!!).  About 45 minutes later I hear Amy laughing hysterically.  Matt and Christian had stripped down and continued to play on the fort.  Our back yard backs up to a busy road that feeds multiple subdivisions, and this fort was designed like a tree house (several feet off the ground)…so lots of folks could see these two kiddos playing buck-naked like a couple of Aborigines.

Just doing as they were told. 

Caleb came along in 2005; now we had a truly blended family.  He grew up on silly songs just like his brothers.  Now, every family with small children uses some simple non-offensive term for a child’s private part(s).  Boys for instance, often are taught to refer to their business as a tee-tee.  Harmless, innocent, simple…but not very original, right?  And that’s where the aforementioned Mr Parker comes in.  When Caleb would get out of the bathtub as a little boy I would sing one of my silly songs (that had been sung to Matt and Christian when they were little)…the song “We Wraps Him Up Like an Eskimo” was a big hit at our house.  One night I told Caleb to get his PJ’s on…he preferred to run around naked laughing hysterically (don’t all little boys…why is that?!).  I made the comment, “You better get your Charlie Parker covered up buddy”.  And the name stuck.  His boy-business was Charlie Parker from then on.  I know…it’s awesome! (I mean shameful…this IS my wife’s blog after all…shameful indeed).  One day when Caleb was 5 years old I was picking him up from daycare after work (Church daycare, mind you).  Caleb’s teacher said he’d had a good day, but asked if we knew anyone named (you guessed it)  Charlie Parker!!  I stammered and said, “no”, and got out of the daycare with my child as quickly as possible (before the Church deacons and possible Child Protective Services swooped in).  A little family discussion that night settled the matter; but it remains a funny memory for our family. 

We know how to laugh at ourselves.  That’s important.  My family is my rock.  They will always be the people I most want to be with.  My extended family took this vanilla conservative guy and showed him it was ok to be silly.  They loved me unconditionally, and in the process made me a better man.  I’ll cherish the silly songs, and I’m sure I’ll come up with a few more in the years to come. 

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AWW!

Isn't he sweet?

I really am surprised that we didn't scare him off.  

What he doesn't mention, is that once we got past my parents on the porch, we entered the house to see my family lined up in a receiving line to meet him.  They all had huge grins on their faces, and he literally had to go down the line and shake hands or get a hug.  I was slightly mortified.

And, I don't think that we had to do much to show him that was okay to be silly.  He was already pretty good at that on his own!

31 Days: Artwork, Family Style

Hey, Everyone! So sorry I missed getting to hang out with you yesterday. The Littlest was sick and I was tending to him and dealing with a migraine. Yuck.

I hope you got to read the guest post from my niece.  It's too cute.

You can go HERE to read all of the posts in the 31 Days Series, too.

Today is all about artwork for your home that can really showcase your love for your family.

There are so many ways to do this and I want to share some of my favorites.

This Scrabble Family Art from One Creative Housewife is great, and it would be really simple to do with scrapbook paper and scrabble tiles.  She used a stencil to create the background, but I'm a sucker for using scrapbook paper in projects to simplify the process!

via One Creative Housewife

Here is a great idea from a lady that I don't think has a blog. But, she knocked this gallery wall out of the park! Also, she explains what she did in her description on Pinterest. I'm linking here to her board on Pinterest that is all about her craft room.

via Pinterest

This Family Tree from Leaves of Love would be a great idea to create when your whole family is together. And, it would make a neat keepsake for grandparents.

via Leaves of Love

I still love all the different interpretations of Important Dates artwork, and there are so many to choose from on Etsy.  I like this one from A Custom Design with the "First Comes Love" rhyme included:

via Etsy

This one that has the "family" math is really cute, too.

via Etsy

There are just all sorts of ways to display your love for family in your home. 

What is your favorite?

31 Days: Crazy Families are the Most Fun

I'm really excited about this 31 Days post!

It's all about family, right? Yes, it is!

So, you have to MEET my family, don't you agree?

Two and half years ago, my beautiful niece, Kaley, got married.  

It was a very non-typical extra super deluxe hot summer, and she had an outdoor wedding. 

I love this girl so much that my husband and I, along with the 3 boys, set up a good portion of the tables, chairs, and other structures.  

Did I mention it was super fantastic hot?

So hot that I got the worst sunburn of my entire life.

My legs swelled up to twice their normal size because of it. 

Uh huh. 

I love this girl.

She's pretty awesome. 

AND, she's my guest blogger today!

She's sharing what it's like being a girl in this slightly neurotic family of ours.

Isn't she cute?

And, here she is!

Prepare to giggle....

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Standing at a grocery store checkout at 9pm one night I looked at my husband and gasped, “WHERE’S ANNAH?”

At that moment I turned around to see a look of terror in the eyes of the store employee who obviously assumed from my minor panic attack that Annah was A) a small child or B) an elderly, Alzheimer’s patient, but no. She’s my 23 year old, responsible, self sufficient, educated, beautiful, younger sister.

“I’m right here.” Annah said looking at me with sheer disgust at my ridiculous fear that something had happened to her in the 5 minutes that we had been standing there at the checkout counter.

My husband just looked at me and rolled his eyes as he continued to checkout while I immediately burst into laughter.

Growing up I probably had the most over-protective parents a person can have. Yes, we were allowed to function as normal children and adolescents, but before every outing we always knew we were going to get an earful of advice, suggestions, do’s and don’ts before we were allowed to sally-forth. These talks included things like, having to wear a helmet to a tricycle race in pre-school all the way to the dreaded ‘It only takes one time and you could get hurt…’ talk Dad gave us countless times before getting behind the wheel of a car as teenagers.

My parents could be a little overboard in their protective measures sometimes, but to tell you the truth, they weren't the only ones. As a girl in our family, you could always count on Gran to warn you, “Don’t make eye contact…” when dealing with less than desirable strangers. And NONE of kids can forget the time when driving through a small town in a nearby state, Gran told us to all close our eyes until we got out of the town due to “known accounts of witchcraft.”  Not to mention countless talks about being sure to go to the First Baptist Church before any other churches when we went to college because there was a good chance that they weren’t going to be a cult. I promise Gran isn't crazy, but from the day we were born she has worried about our souls and salvation probably more than the Pastor.

Although my sister isn't as “cautious” as some of us, I know she still worries about me. When I began dating as a teenager she used to sit up in her room waiting to hear if I made it in on time worrying that if I missed curfew I wouldn't be allowed to date anymore. I’m not sure, but I think she was looking out for her future interests. And then there was the aunt that threatened to clean-the-clock of a boy that broke my heart when he failed to ask me to a school dance.

So from these accounts it’s easy to see why I might be just a little overprotective when it comes to my baby sister. My dad always told us that no matter what, you take care of each other because all we have is each other. Yes, it can be a little embarrassing at times to be so protective of one another, but as I start my own family, I hope to pass that protective nature and instinct on to my children. I’m so glad through this dangerous, scary, witchcraft wielding world, I know I’m covered with a slew of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, siblings, parents and a star of a husband to lookout for me. Isn't that what family’s for? 

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Yes, the Gran she refers to is my Mom, and I'm pretty sure I was the one that offered to clean some boys clock for her. Never mind that she ended up marrying him. (He's pretty awesome, too, by the way. He's the cutie patootie in the picture with her.)

Families are a tad more fun when they're a little crazy, aren't they?

Isn't yours?

31 Days: Our Family Rules and a Free Printable

First of all, don't miss out on THE Pin It Party going on right now! 

Get your project linked up!

For a while, Family Rules art was really popular.  I'm sure it still is, you just don't see as much of it floating around blogs and Pinterest as you did.

Before I started this blog I saw the family rules art of Shaunna over at Perfectly Imperfect and fell in love.

via Perfectly Imperfect

Her version was pretty time intensive since she cut each strip of paper and layered all of them.

But, I knew I could come up with something that wouldn't take as much time and be pretty inexpensive, as well.

Family Rules 

These rules are super important to our family. 

No, we don't recite them every day, or really even look at them.

But, they do say a lot about who we are and what we believe in.

We owe our thanks to God for everything that we are and everything that we have. That includes each other. 

We strive to teach our children responsibility, respect, and wisdom to make appropriate choices.

I truly want my boys to speak kindly to their friends and each other, and encourage one another when things are hard.  (Um, sometimes that one is easier said than done!)

Our children know that listening to what we tell them and doing as we ask it extremely important for our lives to run smoothly and for their safety.

Friendship is one of the most valuable gifts that God gives to us. Friends extend our family, and bring such joy to our lives. 

I always tell my children that if they are doing their best, then I am a happy mama.  I don't ever expect perfection. After all, I'm not perfect, either, and I never hesitate to give myself an "Oops" when I need one. 

Creativity (and fun) is a big deal in our family. (Obviously!)

Creativity sparks new and interesting ideas, and keeps us learning all the time. 

We should all be ready to forgive one another.  We have been forgiven by Jesus Christ and offered the gift of salvation without doing anything to deserve it, so we should be willing to offer grace, and ask for it, when necessary. 

We say our prayers at every meal and every night.  Our boys all take turns saying grace at meals, and it warms my heart to hear them talking to God.

God is the center of our home and everything that we do.  Without Him, we would be lost.  

These rules reflect our values and our beliefs.

God

Family

Friends

I love it.  

My version fits us perfectly.

I created it on the computer and ordered a large print for framing. 

If you would like to have your own copy, I'm making it available for download for free.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

DOWNLOAD FAMILY RULES ART