July 03, 2009

Could it be?

I think we have turned a corner in the Furtick household.  After many long months of fighting and screaming, my children are finally figuring out how to play TOGETHER!  Now there are still many arguments.  Still lots of screaming.  Still confiscated toys that must be banished to the garage for a few days because they could not be shared.  I am not delusional, I know they will fight with each other for the rest of their lives, but they have started to play together.  This is progress.  This is good news.

 

July 02, 2009

Photo Journal: Sail Away

June-cruise vacation 141 June-cruise vacation 075 June-cruise vacation 017 June-cruise vacation 087 June-cruise vacation 126 June-cruise vacation 091 June-cruise vacation 090 June-cruise vacation 132 June-cruise vacation 021 June-cruise vacation 134 June-cruise vacation 203 June-cruise vacation 177

July 01, 2009

When I grow up

June 131
Yesterday Elijah and I had a conversation something like this...

E: What happens when you grow up?

Me: Well, you get married and you have your own family.

E:  I don't want to have my own family.

Me:  Well thats fine, you can just live with me.

E: Ok.

A little while later, the conversation came up again...

Me: Tell me again how you are not going to have your own family when you grow up.  (Yes, I was fishing because his thought process was so sweet)

E: Well actually, I am going to marry Ella, and we are going to live here.

Me: Ok!  You can do that!  I will remind you.


This post is particularly for documentation.  June 1, 2009.
PS.  Happy Birthday to the world's best father-in-law.  You're the best Ltrain!

June 30, 2009

Recipe: Turkey Chili, 2 Ways


#1 Non-traditional
Turkey-chili_slideshow_image

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
2 cloves pressed garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt and pepper (each)
2 c cooked brown rice
1 can chicken broth
1 can of corn (drained)
1 can of black beans (drained)
1/2 cup green salsa (salsa verde)
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 c chopped cilantro
Toppings: sour cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onion

Directions:
1.  Heat oil in deep skillet.  Add turkey and garlic, chop while cooking until brown.  Add cumin, salt and pepper, cook for 30 sec.
2.  Stir in broth, beans, corn, rice, cilantro, onion and salsa.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes
3.  Ladle into bowls, serve with toppings.


#2 Traditional
Touchdown_Chili.ashx

Ingredients:
2 cans light red kidney beans (do not drain)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 packet of McCormick's original chili seasoning packet
Toppings: sour cream. chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.  Heat olive oil in deep skillet, add turkey, brown.
2.  Add kidney beans and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.
3.  Ladle into bowls, serve with toppings (and jiffy corn bread).

The first way is very non-traditional but tasty and light.  I modified the recipe a little bit from a Woman's Day magazine (I tore it out while waiting at the doctor's office).  The second way is so easy and so delicious. You are sure to enjoy both dinners!  Let me know if you try it and like it! 


June 29, 2009

You Asked... Staying connected

1147438_question_mark_icon Thanks so much for this opportunity. How do you and your husband connect (maybe re-connect is the better word) after his full week outside the home and your full week at home with the boys? Do yall ever have a chance to worship together? Do you set aside time each week that is just yall's? If so, how do you spend it? As a church plant pastor's wife and mother of two under 4, I am searching for some help here!
Looking forward to your responses.
  Posted by: Mandy Perry

Funny that you should ask this question Mandy.  My husband and I just got back from a 7-day Caribbean with another couple on our staff and NO KIDS (pictures to come)!  We had the best time although we missed our kids terribly.  (In fact, when we got home last night, my husband ended up sleeping in the bed with Elijah.)

We also go out on a date every week with out fail.  We usually get a sitter and just go to dinner.  Sometimes we walk around a mall or a bookstore after dinner.  Every now and then, we will drive around the city.  We love to talk and have time together.  It is so important for the health of our marriage that we take this time every week.

As for the worship together part, I am going to answer that in another You Asked post.

I strongly recommend this for every couple, no matter your profession.  It doesn't have to cost a lot of money.  We don't go to Ruth's Chris every week.  I know of couples who swap child care with another couple.  You could take ChickfilA to a local park.  And as for the week long get-away... We haven't always had the money to take week long cruises without our children.  There were times when we planned our entire "vacation" around a speaking trip with some paid expenses and asked our family to watch our kids.

Successful marriages take time to invest in each other.  To get to know each other.  To continue to know each other.

If you do not have a regular date night with your husband, start small.  Try once a month for a few months, then gradually increase to twice a month.  And try to plan a weekend getaway sometime this year.  It will be well worth the investment.

June 26, 2009

Lasso Golf

June 2009 284  June 2009 282 June 2009 275 June 2009 288

My in-laws are great.  We have a great time with them at the beach every year.  My mother-in-law has this thing for these little outdoor games.  We always play Bocce Ball on the beach.  We have a set of Cornhole, and this year she added to our collection with Lasso Golf.

So it was the YFs vs the OFs (Young Furticks vs the Old Furticks).  First one to 21 wins.  The game was close.  It came down to the last tosses between the matriarch of the family and the princess.  The princess scored.  There may have been a bit of gloating.  Enjoy the pictures.

June 2009 294   

June 25, 2009

Photo Journal: Family Vacation 2009

June 2009 057  June 2009 058 June 2009 068 June 2009 086 June 2009 060 June 2009 070 June 2009 064 June 2009 122 June 2009 132 June 2009 077 June 2009 139 June 2009 202

June 24, 2009

Marble Jar

June 016 When it comes to discipline, my philoshphy seems to be do what works.  While we do believe in spanking our children, it is certainly not the only form of discipline used around our house.

I am a firm believer in positive discipline.  While obtaining my education degree, I studied the age old marble jar technique.  If you are not familiar with this, I will summarize... Everytime the students displayed good behaivor, they got a marble in the jar.  Misbehavior could result in a lost marble.  When the jar gets full, a reward is earned. 

A while back I started a marble jar for Elijah.  I found some small glass cups and some bouncy ball (from the party favor section of Target).  We select a cheap prize for Elijah to earn.  Last week it was these Bruce flip flops from the Disney Outlet in Concord ($2.99).  Every time Elijah completes cleaning up hisJune 2009 093 toys, shares with his brother etc... he earns a ball.  A bad attitude, temper tantrum etc... gets a ball removed from the jar.

The jar is in no way the only form of discipline in our house, but it serves as a great supplement.  It takes work to be consistent with this, but it seems to be effective, especially for cleaning up.  I think it took Elijah about 2 weeks to earn his flip flops.  He finally got them right before we left for the beach.  Here's a picture of him on the beach last week sporting them.

June 23, 2009

Everything except the kitchen sink

June 2009 034


We are not what you would call light packers.  I like to make sure I have everything I need when on vacation.  Last week we went to Myrtle beach.  This was our car, loaded up and ready to go.  I was quite proud of my neat packing job.  There were additional items in the front of the car as well.  We had a great week and had everything we needed while away from home.

So how about you, heavy packer, or light?

June 22, 2009

You asked... judgemental people

You asked How do you deal with judgmental people in your life? Like ones who try to condemn you for the how you spend your time or money. You don't have to justify your life to anyone but since you are in front of so many people do you ever get frustrated at what people say? Posted by: Christina (and several others)

So many minister's wives deal with judgement.  Actually, we all do.  Especially as women, we struggle with wanting to please everybody around us.

There is a fine line between wanting to please others, and living our lives trapped by the fear of what others think about us.

Whether you feel like you live in the fish bowl of ministry where everyone watches you, or you feel pressured by what family members and friends feel you should or should not be doing, as difficult as this may sound, my answer for you may seem overly simplistic.

There are really only two people in my life whose opinions matter: My Husabnd and Jesus Christ.  Do I always live by this?  No.  But this is what I must fall back on.

The fact is, the people in your life who seem to be concerned about the way you live your life will never be satisfied with what you do.  Whether their intentions are good or bad, their appetite will be insatiable.  If you change one thing, they will find another thing to criticize you about.

Does this mean that I never listen to the opinions of others?  Of course not.  I consider the opinions of others.  I weigh them against the scripture.  I talk it over with my husband.  I consider our family values and convictions.  And then I must act in confidence.

We have to learn to let small things be small. We have to learn what battles to fight and what discussions to have.  The other day my husband twittered this phrase: He who lives by the approval of others will die by the absence of the same.  Now thats some good preaching.

I hope my answer was not too simplistic.  Sometimes, I think, we need to take a big, complicated issue and break it down to its most simplistic form.