A great giveaway!!!

Another contest!! Boy the bloggin world is busy!!! Today is the last day for it however so hurry up and scoot on over to this site to enter to win some fabulous prizes!! While you are there check out some of the other stuff on the site! Much encouragement for ur Moms trying to be the Mother God desires for us to be!!

Hurry, go on over to this site now!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

The Language of Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

I received a complimentary copy of The Language of Love and Respect from Thomas Nelson for review quite a few months back and it has taken me FOREVER to get through this book!! It started out quite well with Mr. Mac and I reading it together at night but then things got busy! I decided to go ahead and read some on my own but it just couldn't hold my attention and at times I thought it was repeating itself. Over all I give this book a "B" because although at times hard to follow, it really does offer a lot of great advice!

I thought that I wouldn't get anything out of this book because I do have a good marriage, but we all know marriage in general isn't always bliss. For me it helped explain communication which at times is a hindrance in my marriage - proper communication is key. No matter how great your marriage is I feel you will get something out of this book (just skim through the parts that repeat itself).
I wish someone would have given it to me as a newly wed. It would have saved me a lot of trial and error, especially early in my marriage.

One of my favorite parts is when Mr. Eggerichs talks about the Energizing Cycle. (There are a lot of "cycles" that he says couples go through so I won't even bother to list any but this one). During this cycle couples are practicing the Love and Respect Principles. To show their love husbands live out the acronym C-O-U-P-L-E; closeness, openess, understanding, peacemaking, loyalty and esteem. The wife shows her respect living out the acronym C-H-A-I-R-S; conquest, heirarchy, authority, insight, relationship and sexuality.

These two principles really make so much sense and seem to be right on target in relation to what men and women really need from their spouse. Really quite an informative book!

Thanks for stopping by!!

A reminder for all parents!

A Prayer for New Parents
by James Keller

O Lord, give us the wisdom ---
To deal with our children as You would,
To see in each of them Your Holy Image,
To develop in them a Christ-like love of all men, not only a select few,
To teach them to be go-givers rather than go-getters.
Oh God, in training these dear ones whom
Thou hast entrusted to our charge, help us ---
To encourage rather than discourage them,
To discipline with kindness not softness,
To guide them intelligently, not blindly,
To coach, not scold; to nudge, not nag.
Dear Lord, above all, help us ---
To use common sense in regard to their future,
To let them go gladly when the time comes,
To let them lead their own lives while following them with our love,
To pray always that they will be close to Thee,
not only for the few years of this life
but for the endless years of eternity.

Thanks for stopping by!!
McMama

Happy Easter

Some photos from our Easter weekend. Wish ALL of you could have been here to enjoy it with us!! Maybe next year?!

Free digital collage customized with Smilebox

Thanks for stopping by!!
McMama

First day of Spring

It is finally here!!! FINALLY!!!! It is SPRING!!! We have been anticipating this day for soooooooooooooo long! We have had an unusually cold and snowy winter here in NC so the change in weather is more than welcome!!!

We are also excited because we have decided to FINALLY start the garden that we have been talking about for years!! We couldn't have started it on a more beautiful day either! Check out that beautiful Carolina blue sky!!!

Mr. Mac took Brother Mac this morning to go and rent the tiller and pick up a load of soil and compost. This part of NC is ridden with that hard clay soil!! NOT the best gardening soil I'm learning so we had to pick up some fillers for our ground. Here's the pictures.

Our clay dirt!

What the store calls "Gardener's Choice" soil!

This was their "Father/Son Outing" for the weekend. No, they don't do something together like that every weekend but Brother Mac has been in need of some alone time with Daddy lately so this was a perfect opportunity!!

Helping Daddy put the soil on the garden.

Mr. Mac has worked so hard today! Look at the progress of his labor!!

All of the kids had a great time playing in the truck bed with all of that "black gold!!" Check them out!

We are still trying to figure out what exactly we are going to plant. We are novices at best so this going to take some thought and a little more planning! We've a busy week ahead of us!!

As for my work for the first day of spring; no, I didn't just walk around snapping pictures today! The girls and I have been busy cooking up our St. Patty's/First day of Spring/Thank you Daddy for all your hard work meal!! What's on the menu?! Nothing special...

Corned Beef Brisket
Irish Soda Bread
Chocolate cupcakes with surprise candy centers and green frosting
Lime jello jiggler eggs

Flowers from the girls!

"Irish surprise cupcakes"

Irish Soda Bread...Yum!!

It took a while to get this all done but it was DELICIOUS!!! (Although I wasn't sure if the brisket was suppose to be pinkish or not so we have actually eaten the meal without the meat so that it could cook longer. Upon finding out that it is suppose to be a little pink we packed it up and put it in the fridge for Sunday lunch!)

It has been a busy but lovely day! Biggest Mac said at one point, "This is the best day ever!!" I've noticed that she says that whenever she is very excited and happy!!!

So, what have you done with your First day of Spring?




Thanks for stopping by!!
Mama Mac

So here is the video that I mentioned in an earlier post. I know that I'm blogging a lot today and probably fillin up your Inboxes from snippets of my life but I only have so much free time now and have to cram as much into those few spare moments as possible! So, now you see what the fruit of getting homeschool done at 10:30 in the morning leaves me to do!!

We thought that Littlest was just too cute riding this thing! It amazed us also how she figured out how to make the three wheeler go on her own...must get her smarts from her Mama?! ;) She's so cute, hope you enjoy watching her...and if you don't just humor me please!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Mama Mac.

Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window...soggy wet grass, mushy mud and gray, rainy and dreary skies...oh where is the beautiful sunshine of yesterday?
I am thinking...are the kiddos doing their chores?
I am thankful for...a wonderful church service last night where we heard about TWO awesome answers to prayer! God IS real!!!
I am wearing...a brown shirt, jean skirt (with my PJ bottoms underneath...it's cold) pink fuzzy, warm and comfy socks...and my robe...it's cold remember?!
I am remembering...that I have eggs boiling...
I am going...NO WHERE!! Remember the gray soggy mess outside?! YUCK!!
I am currently reading...How to Have a Mary Heart in a Martha World.
I am hoping...that I can memorize 5 verses from Proverbs 31 in Spanish this month.
On my mind...wondering when Mr. Mac will be home.
Noticing that...there sounds like too much playing going on to be chores.
Pondering these words..."Mommy, you sound like you're not coming yet..." ;)
From the kitchen...my eggs, crumbs and a very messy baby in her high chair.
Around the house...got to straighten up our Master bath...fold laundry and maybe get some Modge Podging done?!
And one of my favorite things...crazy songs coming from my singing-lovin' children.
From my picture journal...

Happy 8th birthday to Biggest Sis!!!!!

Check out more Simple Woman Daybooks from this lovely lady's blog!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Krissy