The Boy Who Doesn't Like Sledding!

We've had alot of snow this past December and January and I finally got a chance to go sledding.  I've always loved sledding - as a kid and as an adult. 

I remember when we were growing up, we would always go over to the Edmond's hill and go sledding or we would walk across the highway and go sledding down this really steep hill in the Rudisill's back yard.  On this particular day, I bundled myself up and drove to Rockport to pick up Beth, Gavin, and Mom.  Of course none of them were ready so it was a chore hurrying them up and getting Gavin bundled up.  We actually spent more time bundling up then we did sledding.  It was cold outside, but we really didn't notice it since we were having fun.

In the back of the park, there is a hill that Mom and Beth and her family always go to for picnics and to let the dogs run around and play.  It wasn't a really big hill, but it was big enough to get a good sled ride in, but not too big that it killed you while walking back up it to go down again.  I went down a couple times and then once with Gavin; Beth went down it two and a half times.  Mom stayed at the bottom of the hill by the car and took pictures.  After Gavin's one and only ride down the hill, he throws his hands up in the air and says to us "Done, done" and walks to the car and tries to open the car door to get in.  It was the funniest thing ever!  While we wanted to stay out longer, I knew he wasn't having fun and it was cold outside, so we left.  Maybe we'll try again next year!

 The fun sledding hill!
 

For Christmas I got Gavin and myself round sleds. 

Now I realize I should of gotten him a sled that

can pulled so he can go for sled rides instead of sledding down hills.

 

Poor little guy was so bundled up, he couldn't hardly move. 

Beth had to practically drag him up the hill.

Here I come!  Weeee!  My screaming might of scared him a bit too!

 

Gavin watches as his mom *attempts* to go down the hill.

 

Apparently she rides sleds like she rides a bike.  LOL!!

 

She did have fun rolling down the hill though!

 

We are ready Tootie, give us a big push!

 

While I enjoyed it, this is the point when he says "done" and walks to the car!

 

Here comes Tootie....

 

...and she wiped out again! 

 

Relaxing in our jammies after a hard 10 minutes of sledding!

 

The Daniel Fast - The Second Seven Days

Well the second week of our Daniel Fast has come and gone.  I was horrible with eating over our first break.  I felt like I had to eat everything in sight before we started up again.  I think I had Chinese three times, Mexican food once, and a few unneeded sweets.  I gained 7 pounds back of the 12 that I had lost.  I felt miserable and I was so moody!  I decided on our next three day break, I was not going to be like that.  It was ridiculous.  It was like I was never going to get to eat again.  UGH!

As with the first week, our leftovers from dinner was usually our lunch the next day.  Seemed like we always had fruit and salad with each meal.  Breakfast for us was bananas, nuts, and/or cereal.  Our second week of menus were:

Wednesday - fried rice (brown rice, frozen peas and carrots, green onions, soy sauce) and stir fry (cabbage, onion, celery, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, garlic, soy sauce)

Thursday - great northern beans cooked with veggie broth, onions, garlic, and green onions, fried potatoes with corn, and fresh fruit

Friday - whole grain angel hair pasta with organic marinara sauce with diced zucchini and onion, corn, salad, and fresh fruit

Saturday - tacos/salads with veggie crumbles, taco seasoning, and onions, lettuce, tomato, white onion, green onion, organic refried beans, brown rice with corn and diced tomatoes, organic chips and salsa

Sunday afternoon - great northern beans cooked with veggie broth, onions, garlic, and green onions, fried potatoes with corn, and fresh fruit

Sunday night - veggie burgers with tortillas, grilled onions, lettuce, and tomatoes, leftover Mexican rice, organic chips and salsa

Monday - taco soup with taco seasoning, red beans, veggie crumbles, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, onion, green onion, and I put in some leftover Mexican rice, seasoned potato chunks (my new FAVE!), and fresh fruit

Tuesday - whole grain angel hair pasta with fresh garden veggies (asparagus, zucchini, squash, yellow bell pepper, onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, basil), salad, fresh fruit

The Daniel Fast 2011 - The first seven days

Our church is once again participating in the Daniel Fast for 21 days.  We are doing it a bit different than in past years.  This year we are doing the fast for 7 days, then off for 3 days, fasting for 7 days, off for 3 days, and fasting for 7 days.  I wasn't how sure I felt about this when I first found out, but I am glad we are doing it this way this year.  The first year we did the fast, I enjoyed it; the second year, not so much.  The second year my heart was not in the fast at all; I didn't pray like I should have nor did I read my Bible like I should have.  And I flaunted it around to everyone that we were fasting.  I really struggled with it and had a few breakdowns.  This year, I'm so excited that we are doing it again.  My heart is really in it and I've been reading the word and praying for God to help me on the fast.  I want to draw closer to him.  I'm praying, fasting, and beliving in God to answer the prayers and desires of my heart - to be a mom.  Shawn and I have been trying to conceive for over 3 years now. 

As always I intended to blog each day of the fast with what we are having and and pictures and how I felt, but so far I haven't.  So I'll recap our menu with our suppers.  Our lunches the next day were always leftovers from the previous night's dinner.  Breakfast for me was usually a banana and peanuts.  I snacked on bananas, peanuts, apples, and organic popcorn.  Shawn's breakfast was usually oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins, and bananas.  We also had salad with each meal and I had fresh fruit with each meal.

Our menu for this past week has been:

Sunday:  whole-wheat angel hair pasta with organic spaghetti sauce with onions and diced zuchinni, and corn, salad, and fresh fruit

Monday:  great northern beans with green onions, fried potatoes with onions, and corn, salad, and fresh fruit

Tuesday:  cabbage soup with cabbage, red beans, onions, corn, diced tomatoes, and green onions, and I made a corn muffin with cornmeal, green onions and corn, salad, and fresh fruit

Wednesday:  whole-wheat angel hair pasta with onions, garlic, squash, zucchini, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and basil, salad, and fresh fruit

Thursday:  corn and potato chowder with potatoes, carrots, corn, onion, green onion, veggie broth, and soy milk, salad, and fresh fruit

Friday:  tacos/salads with veggie crumbles, taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green onions, organic refried beans, brown rice with corn and diced tomatoes, organic chips and salsa

Saturday:  Chili like Wendy's minus the meat, pinto beans, dark red kidney beans, diced tomatoes with green chili's, tomato sauce, onions, and celery

RIP Bro. & Sis. Jackson

The Jackson's were an older couple in our church.  When I met Shawn in 2001 and started going to church with him, they were regular members and were there every service.  They were always excited to see us at church and we were always excited to see them.  When we would pull in the church parking lot and see there car, we both would exclaim "The Jackson's are here!".  It was always a pleasure to see them.  Bro. Jackson called Shawn his "little buddy" and would always ask me if Shawn was behaving, because if he wasn't, he would take his belt off and take it to Shawn.  For the most part, Shawn behaved, but there was a few times, I had to tell on him.  LOL!!

In the past few years, their health started declining and they weren't able to come to church as often as they wanted and eventually they weren't able to come at all.  We always loved the Jackson's and who they were.  They were people of the Lord.  They loved to share the gospel of the Lord and loved their people.  We would stop by and visit them on occasion, but not as often as we should have. 

This past year, our church was reading a book called Fear Fighters.  During the reading of the book, we had daily activities that we committed too.  One of my activities was fasting.  I choose to fast my Wednesday night supper before church and instead of eating, I would go visit with the Jackson's.  I didn't get to spend alot of time over there, maybe an hour or so each time.  But what time we did get to spend together, I believe was a blessing to us both.  Sis. Jackson ALWAYS looked forward to the company; Bro. Jackson enjoyed the company too, but mostly he just sat in his chair and slept.

This past week, they both passed away.  Bro. Jackson passed away on Tuesday morning and Sis. Jackson was right behind him on Wednesday morning.  They died within 22 hours of each other.

These obituaries were taken from the Boone Funeral Home website.

Reverend Woodrow Jackson

(May 14, 1920 - December 28, 2010)

Reverend Woodrow “Poppy” Jackson, 90, of Evansville went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at 7:04 am, Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at his home. His beloved wife, Vera Jackson, followed him Home to God the next day, Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 4:50 am. They were married for 68 years and now will spend eternity together in Heaven.

Woodrow was born May 14, 1920 in Putnam County, Tennessee, the son of Haywood and Dora Myrtle (Denson) Jackson. He had been a minister in Indiana for over 30 years. Reverend Woodrow retired as the minister of 12th Street Church of God in Linton, Indiana. He had also been a pastor at Eastside Church of God in Evansville and at Church of God in Tipton, Peru and Elwood, Indiana.

He is survived by: Daughter, Brenda DeTalente (Jimmy) of Newburgh, IN Son, Robert S. Jackson of Augusta Brothers, Calvin, Thurman, William and Donald Jackson, all of TN Sisters, Willene Hettinger of Logansport, IN and Ailene Hancock, Annie Duke and Veller Dyre, all of TN Grandchildren, Jimmy DeTalente (Sarah), Robert William Jackson and Nathan Jackson 4 Great Grandchildren

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Woodrow Jackson, Jr., brothers, Jim, James, Marshall, Horace and Will Allen Jackson and sisters, Edna Simpson, Valley Williams and Lyndsey Carr.

Funeral Services for Mr. and Mrs. Jackson will be held at 10 am, Monday, January 3, 2011 at Boone Funeral Home East Chapel - 5330 Washington Avenue, Evansville with Reverend Bill Heard, Reverend Gordon DeTalente, Reverend Eddie Carroll and Reverend Paul Jacobs officiating. Burial will be in Midway Cemetery, Richland, Indiana.

Friends may call from 1 pm until 8 pm, Sunday, January 2, 2011 at Boone Funeral Home - East Chapel and again from 9 am until time of service at 10 am, Monday, January 3, 2011.

Memorial Contributions may be made to VNA Charlier Hospice Center, 610 E. Walnut St., Evansville, IN 47708.

Condolences may be made to the family online at boonefuneralhome.net

Vera Jackson

(June 20, 1919 - December 29, 2010)

Vera “Granny” Jackson, 91, of Evansville went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at 4:50 am, Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at her home. Her beloved husband, Reverend Woodrow Jackson, preceded her Home to God the day before, Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at 7:04 am. They were married for 68 years and now will spend eternity together in Heaven.

Vera was born June 20, 1919 in Putnam County, Tennessee the daughter of Sid and Bertha (Leftrick) Whitehead. She was a devoted minister’s wife and loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

She is survived by: Daughter, Brenda DeTalente (Jimmy) of Newburgh, IN Son, Robert S. Jackson of Augusta Grandchildren, Jimmy DeTalente (Sarah), Robert William Jackson and Nathan Jackson 4 Great Grandchildren

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son, Woodrow Jackson, Jr., brothers, Joe, Tom and Estel Whitehead and a sister, Eurlene Jackson.

Funeral Services for Mr. and Mrs. Jackson will be held at 10 am, Monday, January 3, 2011 at Boone Funeral Home East Chapel - 5330 Washington Avenue, Evansville with Reverend Bill Heard, Reverend Gordon DeTalente, Reverend Eddie Carroll and Reverend Paul Jacobs officiating. Burial will be in Midway Cemetery, Richland, Indiana.

Friends may call from 1 pm until 8 pm, Sunday, January 2, 2011 at Boone Funeral Home - East Chapel and again from 9 am until time of service at 10 am, Monday, January 3, 2011.

Memorial Contributions may be made to VNA Charlier Hospice Center, 610 E. Walnut St., Evansville, IN 47708.

Condolences may be made to the family online at boonefuneralhome.net

This picture below of Bro. Jackson was taken in August of 2010.  While Bro. Jackson's memory slipped and he didn't know who you were or remembered alot of things, he never forgot how to play his banjo!  I have a video of him playing too and a picture of Sis. Jackson that I want to upload, but it's on the other computer. 

Our LONG Weekend with Gavin

This past weekend, we kept Gavin from Thursday afternoon until Saturday evening when his mom and dad picked him up.  Thursday afternoon we went to lunch at Angelo's, went to Walmart and bought groceries/food to make stuff for our New Year's Eve party and our UFC party.  That night we went to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse with Steve and Christa.

Friday afternoon we went to Chuck E. Cheese with my friend Mandy and her boys.  Gavin had a BLAST this time.  He loved all of the rides he rode on and was just running around the whole time.  We went to Schnucks to buy groceries for our upcoming Daniel Fast at church. After that we came home and got ready to go to Garvin and Angie's for their New Year's Eve party.  I made a queso dip with tortilla chips.  We had a great time at their house and had fun ringing in the new year!

Saturday morning we all slept in until around 11 and then started getting ready for lunch.  We went to Red Lobster with Steve, Christa, Paula, Wes and Vivian.  Lunch was yummy there as usual!  After there, we went to Kohl's and I got a new purse and billfold and Shawn got a new shirt.  We left Kohl's and ran to Walmart again to pick up some last minute things for our UFC fight party and then I also got Gavin a new big boy haircut!     Then it was time to head home and get the food started for our UFC fight party that we were having that night.

Uncle Shawn got one of his new golf clubs in and Gavin loved watching Shawn play with it and even got to play with it himself!  Shawn put the box and the club in the garage and everytime we had to go out to the garage to get in the car, Gavin would see it and say "uncle shawn" in his cute little voice!

Hanging out with the girls on New Year's Eve!