turkey trot

here are a few quick pics of the boys running their big race this morning! it was about 38 degrees!! aj finished in 8:21 and ry in 8:47. we are so proud of our big boys!!

friends

several years ago, adam and i met a great couple - josh and ann. you know how hard it is to find a couple that you BOTH like BOTH of?! it's kind of like, what are the chances that both wives will get along and both husbands will get along? well, they were one of those couples, and we really enjoyed getting to know each other! they moved away from us, and we kept in touch here and there. but you know how crazy schedules can be, so we really didn't get to talk that often. well...i got a phone call about a month ago from ann, saying that they were moving back to NH!! we were so excited!!! i love when you can have a friend that you can pick right up where you left off and it's as though they were never gone!! they have 2 girls (5 and 3) and we have 2 boys - obviously (5 and 7) and we have alreay really enjoyed spending time together again! the kids have a fun time playing together, and the girls LOVE aj!! they keep calling him their brother....it is sooo cute! anyways, here are a few pictures from last week. wow, that was a lot of rambling. all i had to say was here are some pictures of the boys and some of our good friends kids :) but then it wouldn't of been very rachelle-ish! you know how i can be!!

chores

the boys have really loved doing their chores around here, so i thought i would post a couple pictures of them working hard! they are so sweet, and they really do help me out a lot! i know that by teaching them how to do laundry, clean windows, and do dishes now - there will be a happy little wife in the future! :)

God is always faithful.

it's that time of year again! cold weather is coming. of course that means that the boys need all new winter stuff! i guess that's what happens when you feed your kids! :) natalya told me that old navy was having a half off outerwear sale, so we went and got riley a new coat (aj's were a little much price wise, so we will be getting him a new one somewhere else this week!) and all the fleece hats were 1 dollar! riley loves his new coat, so i thought i would share a little picture! also, it was so cute. yesterday, aj was on the couch, and i heard riley say "aj, can i get my warm blanky and thnuggle with you?" seriously, the cutest thing ever. he really does have the cutest voice in the world, and i was reminded of how blessed i really am! i have had a little bit of a rough few days, for many different reasons all unrelated to the other, but i was needing something from God's word to just get me through yesterday and i came across 2 Corinthians 5 and 6. wow. it was amazingly just what i needed! a few that stood out to me were - "our hearts ache but we always have joy" "we serve God whether people honor us or despise us" and i loved how this one was worded in the nlt - "God...encourages those who are discouraged" 2 Cor. 7:6. isn't that GOOOOD!!!???? then fbi was amazing last night reminding me of what i am in Christ, how i am secure in Him and i just love the picture of Jesus interceding for ME! i am just so thankful for the Word that can lift me up and keep me going! can i get an amen? :)

revolutionary war days

i have this great book called "Revolutionary War Days". i don't even know where it came from. either erika, or a yard sale :) anyways, we just started it today, and it takes you through the war days through the eyes of kids. it has games, projects, recipes and other activities you can do as you go through it. today we made a hunter's bag to keep ammunition in (imaginary, of course). the boys had so much fun sewing it together, and they did such a great job! it took a little longer than i had planned, so the schedule got a little off, but it was worth it! also, i had gotten a "service opportunities" chart from doorpost to put a list of chores. i have to admit, that i have never really given the boys certain "chores" (i know at least half of the people reading this just gasped in horror, and the other half breathed a sigh of relief...so, hey - ya can't impress everyone :)) anyways, i love the idea, and both the kids are THRILLED with it! it really cracks me up, because aj was just saying, mom...i really want to do chores. and i want to do all the chores on the list. i said, well...i will break them up and you and ry will do different ones each week. he said, mom. i really want to do all of them! am i blessed or what?!?!

ironing

who in the world ever had the bright idea that clothes look better if they are ironed? for one thing, it's not even realistic because after wearing something for ANY amount of time, it automatically has wrinkles! seriously, i am physically unable to iron. i am not even kidding. i am fortunate, because i really only iron once a week. adam wears a dress shirt and dress pants on sundays, and other than that it is only if there is a funeral or something that he needs to dress up any other time. but for real, every saturday night when i start ironing, i just get so frustrated! i mean i iron the sleeve. then, thinking i have just accomplished that, i turn it over and find that there is now a HUGE crease in the other side. so i then iron THAT side. well, then i turn it over again, and see another crease in the previously ironed side. and this goes on for a while...you get the idea. pants are a whole nother story. i mean, for real? a crease down the FRONT??? not in the natural place, like where each side is sewed together? and then how in the world are you supposed to get the back side ironed? it doesn't even fit on the ironing board...aaahhhhhh!! ok, am i the only person who was born with this disability, and is there a name for it?? ironitis, or ironexia? well...i guess i will just keep thinking that everything i do i have to do it heartily - as if i were doing it for the Lord. but then, he chose to wear robes, right? i'm sure they weren't ever ironed!!

pastor's conference part 1

last week was an interesting week. i will break this into 2 parts (maybe more...) so that it doesn't seem like i am going on and on! :) my parents and me and adam were going to word of life in new york for a pastor's conference. because it was from tuesday - thursday, we were really having a hard time figuring out who we would trust our boys with. my sister, erika is always willing...but i thought that 2 added to her 6 may just be the 2 over. i would not do that to her!! my other sister, melanie said that she would be more than happy to, and of course, i trust her 100% with my kids. i know she treats them just like i would, and they absolutely adore her! but because she lives in new jersey, it wasn't exactly the easiest for her! she was so incredibly helpful, and met us in albany to pick up the boys. it was so weird as we drove away...i thought to myself, those are 3 people who mean more to me than just about anyone else in the world!!! the weather wasn't great, so i pryed more than ususal the rest of the trip! they made it safely to new jersey. they had a great time with her, as i knew they would! i thought they might ask to just keep her as their mom by the time it was over! it was a really great conference. we had such a good time, and the preaching was amazing. i still have not had time to let everything sink in, and figure out where i am going to go from here! some decisions i made had to do with how i am as a mother. some had to do with how i am as a wife, and others had to do with ministry. as some of you know, me and adam are very involved in many different ministries at church, and there have been some hard times with some aspects of some of the ministries (how's that for being vague?! :) anyways, too many times i focus on the very few people who are hurting me, or the few people who are not committed, and that is exactly where satan wants me to be!!! i don't want to be there anymore. me and adam have decided to take the verse in timothy that says to invest your life into faithful men and really run with it. we are going to do that. we are discipling a newly married, newly saved couple, and that has been so encouraging. i love to be with people who love the Bible, and are so hungry to learn more! isn't that what it's all about?? we have decided to choose the 2 teenagers who have the most potential, and who have the most sensitive hearts for God and disciple them. i am beyond excited to see what God is going to do. i can't wait to post in a few months and share what God has done. i have to have faith and believe that he will do more than we can hope or imagine!! one of the millions of things that i took from the conference was the thought of having intimacy in your prayer life with God. have you ever thought about that?? how serious are you about not letting your time with God get interrupted? try thinking of your relationship and prayer time with God in that light and see how it can change your thinking. just a thought :) i am going to bed, so goodnight for now!