Texas Aggie Womens Basketball

Rob adores the Aggie Womens basketball players!  He always want to go to the games and has been to quite a few in his short three years.  CiCi and Pop are very good about taking him to every game he can go to.  He loves to got to the kid's court before the games and play then be in his seat in time to sing the national anthem and all the Aggie songs.  I love seeing him hump it during the Spirit of Aggieland. 
*The first time he went to the game, he came home and told me he saw girls dancing like this(while he shhok his bottom) and they didn't have any shirts on.  Cici had to tell me they were very small sports bra looking tops!
He does have his favorite Aggie - Kelsey number 40 and he loves to cheer for her and go on the court after the game to see her.  She is so sweet to take the time to love on him.  He also loves coach blair.  He always want to go and shake his hand before the game (and get candy from him).
Here are some pictures from when he took some of his cousins to the game

This is Kelsey and danielle adams

Rob and Karen and Luke

Luke, Rob, Karen and Ryan in the Kid's court area before the game

new dessert

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  So much fun seeing family, but also RESTING.  here is a great cake for the holidays

4 layer pumpkin cake

What You Need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 can  (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup  oil

4 eggs

1-1/2 tsp.  pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup  powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1/4 cup  caramel ice cream topping

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Portion of ourselves

 "The only true gift is a portion of yourself."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I think about this quote, the first thought in my mind is Christ giving himself up for me. He did not just give a portion, he gave all he had.  I have to then think about my own self.  Do I give myself to others? Of course a quick response is well yes I do.  I give all my time to my family and I take time for my friends.  I serve at church and offer help to those I can.  But as I really reflect, I find myself thinking that is really not true.  Giving of me is not just about time or service, it also has to do with the attitude in which I do it. 
Bobby loves to eat dinner early and I have found I enjoy it as well.  I would have never considered myself a cook until two years ago when I had to start cooking to save money.  I plan out each month of meals and really enjoy my time in the kitchen.  I enjoy trying new things and really like it when it gets good reviews.  But some of that is really selfish.  My ego needs to be told I did something good.  I pride myself on having dinner on the table when Bobby comes home, because I know he appreciates it, but it also helps our evenings flow better.  There is one thing I have found though, when I really take time and enjoy preparing the meal and its not just out of "have to attitude" the meal tastes better.  It also brings me joy to serve my family in this way.  A preference of Bobby's has become a joy in my life.
Too many times we serve or give money knowing in the back of our minds, God will reward us.  There is a radio station here in Houston, that every year during their giving campaign, says "give and God will give to you"  Sometimes they have even gone so far as to say "give $20 and you will happen to find $40 you didn't know about"   This really angers me, because we are not called to give in order to get something in return.  This is not the attitude God calls us to have.  He tells us to serve as I have served you.  When we give it needs to be out of joy, compassion and the desire to let others see Christ in us.
I think I can do a better job of serving my family and friends. 

Busy Busy

Bobby works so much during the summer and the start of the school year, that but October we miss him!  Its just the nature of his job, so this year he has take some days off to spend with us.  We went to the zoo and aquarium last week and had a wonderful time.  (For those of you who know of us doing Financial Peace, it was so comforting to go with a budget in cash and not be worried about how much the day will cost!!)  Rob loved all the animals and Ryan just tried to take it all in.  The elephants were getting baths and Rob thought that was the coolest thing.  Ryan really enjoyed the aquarium and the white tigers there.

We really had a great day with daddy!!

Both the boys are Junior Aggies.  We love it when we get to go to Junior Aggie day at the sporting events.  Last week JA were invited to the Lady Aggie Soccer game.  The Lady baskestball players were there and that made Rob's day!  He loves them. Rob had a big time that night.  He walked up to one little girl (around 9 yrs old) and grabbed her hand.  My mom said Rob do you know her and he responded with "no, but I think she is pretty."  So they held hands for a bit!   Such a flirt!

Focus - where to begin

I had been feeling like I was losing my focus. Focus on my diet, my quiet times, my workouts, my boys, my husband, the house, the laundry...need I go on??  After laying in bed for a bit and unable to calm my mind I came to the ever calling computer, and instead of wasting time just playing, I searched the Bible for the word FOCUS.  What I found comforted me in an instant.  It was like I felt a warm blanket on my shoulders and a pillow behind my head.
 Matthew 6: 6- from The Message
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."
(Whenever I search a Bible verse to calm my mind, I always use The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible). 

Reading the words "the focus will shift from you to God", made me more clear of why I was losing "focus".  Kelli, its not about you! Being healthy, the house, your children....its not about you....ALL OF THAT IS MINE.  We hear people say its not my money it's God's, but how often do we relate that to our everything in our lives?  Most of the time we don't and that's where it all goes down hill.  Our bodies are just simply places for our spirits to dwell.  God wanted our spirits to have a temple, so he gave us a body.  Jesus said he could raise a temple in 3 days and so many people see right past those very pointed words....his body, his temple, was raised from the dead in 3 days.  Many times I joke that I was standing in the wrong line the day God handed out bodies - but really how blessed am I that aside from things I can work on, my body is just fine. I have two arms, hands, feet, and can do so many things others can not.  But when I lose focus and think of what a smaller dress will look like on me, I forget it's not about what I look like in the mirror, its about how others see me, or Christ in me. Do they see Him or me trying to make myself better for me?
Losing focus with Rob and Ryan seems to happen more that I would like it to.  My job is to raise them to love and respect God, to worship and accept Jesus Christ and to be His  hands and feet to all they encounter.  How I treat them is a glimpse into how they will treat others.  You always here "You know he is a keeper if he is close with his mom", when it comes to men.  But I need to start by looking at how I speak to them, how I encourage, discipline, respect, and love them.  Am I treating them how I want to be treated BY them in the future?  I have never been much for patience, but I do believe that's where God's sense of humor comes in.  He gave me one who over thinks each situation and can communicate way beyond his age.  He is already an amazing debater, and getting smarter than me everyday.  Then there is the precious puppy dog eye-maker.  If he disobeys, he looks up with his big blue eyes, head tilted ever so slightly, lips pursed together and a small whimper, followed by a bowed head and raised eyes with a smile, as if to say HA I GOT YOU!  He is refusing to use words, maybe because he brother says enough for the whole family, or maybe he is plotting something. (With Bobby's genes you never know)  But by this age, Rob was talking in sentences.  What gives God?  I love each one, despite how they make me mature as a mom, sometimes against my will, but God is showing me I need to focus on Him.
 How do I treat my God?  Do I yell at Him when He did not listen to me? Or do I put Him in "Time Out" till I am ready to deal with it?  Do I worry more about how I look to others than I do to Him?  He tells us find a quiet place, be a simple and honest as you can, and you can feel grace.  O the goose bumps I feel when I think about having an encounter with Grace. 
One quote I love is, "Don't tell God how big the Storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!"  We can replace -the storm- with just about anything.  The diet not going well,  house not always picked up, the children, dare I say the spouse, or the finances??? Tell all of them your God is bigger than they are, and you are turning your focus on Him, for you will sense grace. And when we focus on God and are in His grace, He is in control and that's what He does best.
I have a quote in my bathroom that reads "I plan and God laughs."  So fitting for my life.  I plan on being healthy, being patient with the men in my life, having a well kept house, etc but in all reality, my relationship with my creator has to be in place before anything else.  If God and I are not communicating then I am not the person I need to be.  The catch for me is communication is a two way street.  God chose to give us one mouth and two ears, maybe this means I am to listen more than I speak. If I listen more than I speak, I can actually hear His plan instead of making my own and running it by Him. If I listen more, maybe I will hear the words of encouragement that we all long to hear.  If I listen more, He will be able to give me the wisdom I need.  If I listen more, I will FOCUS more, on Him.

Trying new things

I have always had my certain dishes that I liked to cook, or that Bobby and the boys like, but I felt I was just cooking the same things over and over again.  After doing Financial Peace University, we were on a very tight food budget, and trying new things seemed impossible.  But I have learned to use coupons and sales to my advantage. It does take time, but I plan for 15 days worth of meals, make my list, coupons in hand, and headed to the store.  It takes a while to get the hang of shopping for ONLY whats on your list, and it usually takes an hour to shop, but it is well worth it.  I usually spend $320 a month on food! But we eat leftovers and are saving money!!
In May one of my college students graduated from A&M.  She has never really cooked, so I  had been showing her how to cook a few basic meals.  I decided for her graduation I would make her a cookbook.  Due to her OCD nature, I typed all the recipes.  I love that I decided to do this, because now it is easier for me to share recipes when I like them.  I whet on a recipe rampage to find plenty to fill her book.  This is one that we really enjoyed. 

French onion-pork chop skillet

What You Need

6 boneless pork chops (1-1/2 lb.), 1/2 inch thick

2   Onions, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 pkg.  (6 oz. ) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1-1/2 cups hot water

1 cup  KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Make It

HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chops and onions; cook 10 min. or until chops are done (160°F), turning chops and stirring onions after 5 min. Remove chops from skillet. Cook and stir onions 5 min. or until golden brown.
STIR in Worcestershire sauce. Return chops to skillet; top with onion mixture.
MIX stuffing mix and water; spoon around edge of skillet. Top with cheese; cover. Cook 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

My sweet Rob

A week ago, we attended the Texas Aggie Womens Volleyball game.  It was junior Agggie day so they had lots of activtities for the children.  They got to meet the Lady Aggie Soccer team, Reveille, and be on the sidelines of the court to welcome the team onto the court.  The also were asked if they wanted to participate in a dance contest at half time and Rob raised his hand.  Rob was much younger than the other children, so I really thought he would decided not to do it. But as the viedo shows you, he not only participated, he danced and enjoyed it!!  He was so excited just to get to do it. I don't think he really understood "winning" but he sure enjoyed himself.  He seemed to have captured several students hearts.  As we went back to our seats, everyone was shaking his hand and giving him high fives!  I will say I am impressed, like always, with his kind heart.  They had prepared 8 prizes to give the children, but they had want to dance than they had planned for. They had wrapped a t-shirt around a sports ball noise maker and Rob was the last in line to get one (the yell leaders stopped him to shake his hand as he left the court).  When they ran out of the shirts, he looked at me and said "I guess I dont get one. I really liked them."  The students in charge raced to find other"prizes". So what did Rob get-- Aggie Silly bands.  He had never seen a silly band before, so he was not really sure it was a good prize.  He told me he like it when the Aggies yelled for him. 

My precious Rob has also been asking me, "Mommy, how much do you love me?"  He asked between 50-75 times a day.  The other night he brought tears to my eyes when he said, "Mommy, I love you with Ryan's herat too, since he can't tell you himself!"

My Plans

I am learning, ever so slowly, that I am NOT in control.  I have always needed to be in control and and fought most of my 30 years to keep that control.  I have always wanted to be a few minutes early everywhere so I could control my timing, or be the leader or any group I am in, to control what happened.  Again Control has ruled my life.  The past few years I have been hit with anti-lock brakes, my seat belt has tightened and I have been flung back into my seat.  I also have heard a voice saying, "Move over! You are in my seat!"  Of course, God, has been trying to get my attention.  So many time in the past few years, one verse has completely captured my heart. Jeremiah 29:11-12   Most people know verse 11 but I rarely hear it followed by verse 12.  "11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. 12 Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you."   What amazing peace this gives me.  I have fought for control for all my life and here God just so plainly states, Pray to me and I will hear and heed you.  Heed means -to give attention to-  God will give me His attention!!   The verses then go on to say all the little things that happen, have been on purpose.
To say the least just having children has made me lose some control!  But almost 2 years ago, God pulled me up from a career, in ministry, and placed me at home with my boys.  At first I was upset, since it was not MY decision to leave, even though I had been wanting to for over a year. But His plans are so precious.  I love how when I think I am in full control, He reminds me how small I really am. 
One fight I have never had control over is my weight and eating habits.  I guess that's the one area I would always "give" God to control and felt like He never did.  After I had Ryan 17 months ago, my body has not rebounded.  I realized I never wanted to take pictures with my boys and I had a VERY limited wardrobe, which contained all black shirts.  I never wanted to buy larger clothes.  A few weeks ago I wrote down a prayer for my health.  I literally felt God opening His arms and saying finally.  I feel as if He wanted me to take control of my body, my temple, and make it a better place for his Holy Spirit to reside.  In that moment, I called the Dr and the change has started.  I now eat because my body needs it, not because my emotions do!
So I daily check people's blog's and finally decided its an amazing way to keep amazing accounts of our family!
I will keep updating my progress as well as on Rob and Ryan!