The Reynolds Nation

Labor Day is usually the official end of summer...so we are entering the Labor Day weekend...and I am so ready for the school year to start. That's why seasons are so great...there is a time and a place for them, and when they end you are so ready. Today I cleaned the grout in my kitchen and dining room and cleaned the leather couches and moisturized them. So that completes my list of things that I wanted to get done this summer. I made a list that I wanted to finish around the house before school started, and I have completed it and now I am ready to move on to the school year. I used to school in the summer until a friend of mine who has eight kids told me that summer is the only time you get to clean your closets out. So I now take the summer off as a mental, emotional and physical break, and I am so glad. It gives everyone a breather and then we are in the right mind when we start again. And of course I was able to complete a lot of tasks that I would have never been ...

I realized recently that I haven't written anything specifically about my oldest child, Bryn. I usually have something funny to say about William, or my prayers for Caleb, but Bryn is my special girl. She is the one who made me a mommy. Only 21 years old, married only one year and out comes this beautiful girl. I remember being in such awe of her and how God granted us such a beauty. It was just Matt , Bryn and I for a long time. It was fun just having one child. She went everywhere with us...camping, traveling, Walmart at 10:00 at night. Where ever we were, she was. Life changed a lot for her when Caleb came and only 19 months later we had Esther. She went from being only child to one of three in 19 months. That is a lot for any 5 year old to take on. And since then she is now the leader of this five pack. And what a responsibility that is. Not only does she have more responsibility than the others but she also has the burden of being the example for others. A long time ago, I rea...

Yesterday, the kids and I enjoyed making pretzels. I have never tried this before with them, but I have memories of doing this when I was a kid. Since we aren't doing much outside, because of the mosquitoes, I decided to try this new recipe I got from Family Fun magazine...if you have never seen this magazine then you are missing out. It is full of recipes, crafts and fun ideas to do with your kids. I got a stack of them free at the library and I found this recipe in there (I also found a great egg roll recipe that I did with our homeschool group, what a blast that was). Here is everyone while we were making the recipe...very simple ingredients (see bottom for recipe) and everyone got to join in. Note: Judah is in the picture, but he didn't care much about stirring the bowl like the rest of them, but he sure did like eating them, lol. Here is everything put together...we let it rise for 45 minutes and it reached the top of the bowl...the kids loved the fact that it grew. H...

Well, I must admit that I will think differently the next time I am told that a tropical storm is heading our way. We have had five days of being totally cooped up in our house...with five kids! My kids are used to swimming several times a week and to have the option of going in and out. They kept on asking me if they could go outside...and then I would point out the window and they would shake their head in disgust! I must admit that it has been a very productive week. Since we only have a week left until school starts, I finished all of my summer cleaning. My room was uncluttered completely, the kids room were organized, all the toys were gone through and thinned out...so here is a few pictures of this week, so you know what we were up to. Here is Esther with her treasured umbrella. Matt went into work for a few hours every morning, and he took a kid with him each day. Here she is dressed in her "office" outfit, ready to work. Here is William being super creative. He built ...

So, we are hanging out today...tropical storm Fay is dragging through the state. It is overcast and rainy and the storm is right below us. We have been through this before...so, we are just hanging out...getting some things done around the house and waiting for the storm to blow through. We need some dead limbs to come down in various places over the property, so I hope they fall down. Storms are the Lord's natural way to clean up. If it looks messy, I will post pictures in a few days.

As the rest of Volusia county prepares to start school on Monday, I must admit that the Reynolds family is going to be still splashing in the pool, the beach and soaking in the air conditioning, oops I mean the rays! As a Northerner I think it is almost illegal to start school before the Labor Day holiday. August is still summer...hasn't the Florida school districts figured that out? I just can't get into the school mode in this blazing heat and long humid days. Now don't get me wrong, my school schedule is in the back of mind, trying to push forward. I just scream, two more weeks...just two more weeks! So, while the rest of the moms are packing lunches and stuffing backpacks, I will be enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

I was in my quiet time this morning (at least I am quiet, with a dull roar around me, lol), and I was faced with this question in my notes from a few weeks ago. How much has our culture touched our lives? And is it the world's culture or Gods? How many things do we do are from what we have learned over the course of our lives and how many are from the Lord? How much "culture" are we allowing into our lives? And how is it getting into our homes? I was reading the first chapter of Daniel where the king was teaching the children of Israel the language and literature of the Chaldeans...they were taught this culture for three years to be ready to serve the king. Daniel "purposed in his heart" not to receive any of the kings delicacies. What in our world would be considered the "kings delicacies?" I am sure to each of us it may be different. Also in 2 Kings 17, we read about the children of Israel being captured and brought into the land of Assyria...