DollarOma.

I 've found her.

Forget Nanny 911. Super nanny? nah, she ain't got nothin' on my source. Even parenting books haven't got the wealth of kid know-how that this lady bestowes.

Who is she you ask?

DollarOma. The one and only.

Not only is she the single greatest source of all things cheap and thrilling (let's not confuse that with cheap thrills now you naughty readers....ahem) from the Dollarama dollar store, she is also the Fountain of parental guidance for those who are at their wits end.


Self-acclaimed DollarOma is my number one disciplining resource. You need to know how to silence that back-talker? Or perhaps how to teach some r-e-s-p-e-c-t (sing it Sista..), maybe you're still dealing with a bossy betsy, or even a sucky sam...wellllll look no further. Help has arrived.


For me at least.


Within 1/2 an hour she help me lay down the law. It was the Garrett Smack down. ( I say this without really knowing what a smack down thingy is) And the best part? It took the red-neck parenting style straight outta me.


Explain you say. Well Shure darlin.


Gabe the babe has become quite a mature lil man. Sometimes a little beyond his years. Sometimes a little beyond my years. Sometimes a little beyond Methuselahs years. You get the idea. It took DollarOma less than half an hour to teach me how to nip this little know-it-all in the bud. And the best part, it wasn't her making me feel like my parenting was headed down the tubes, she could see that I was drained from the lack of r-e-s-p-e-c-t (Go Aretha...) and only after I had ASKED her, did she give her golden nuggets of granny advice.


My parenting had become worn out, it fell in some ruts and quite often I was resorting to my red-neck style of parenting. 'Hey yous' and 'Git over here' and 'Git 'er done'... no wait... not that last one. In the end, I was shouting and he was shouting and it was like an all out brawl some days.


Now we have peace. I don't shout. I ask once. If he doesn't obey he gets a time out on the landing. then we discuss it and hug. Simple really. So why the heck couldn't I think of it? Sometimes when you're drowning in the everyday monotony of disciplining your children it's hard to think of the simple solutions, and instead just fall into the quick blow up. Yelling or spanking and both parties feeling really down after.


Thank goodness for DollarOma, she helped to remind me life can be a lot quieter and more loving.


Advice? remember that grandparents have a wealth of knowledge to give, you've just got to ask!

The ewwww face.

Biblical Parenthood

A blog that I read had this to write this morning, and it struck me ... my parents have done exactly this. And I can't thank them enough. They've helped to foster a wonderful marriage for Dwight and I, at times it's not easy as a parent, having to 'let go'. I feel like this blogger has taken the words out of my mouth!

A BIG thank you to Mom and Bill!!

Here is her blog : Resolved to Worship


"I've always had a wonderful relationship with my parents ~ I never had times of "rebellion" growing up. We had dis-agreements... but really, very rarely in my 19 years at home! I got along wonderfully with them. Since getting married, my relationship with them has only deepened, or rather changed even for the better as it's no longer a child/parent relationship. They have become trusting friends who have more than anyone in my life, loved me, accepted me and encouraged me. And a long with me, my husband and our children.They have respected Robert and I as a married couple, with Robert having jurisdiction as head of our household. They have respected our marriage, our privacy, our lives, our decisions, and supported us with unconditional love. They have somehow found the balance of being interested in our lives, yet letting us live our own lives - and it has made for a healthy, God centered relationship. I praise God for that... He knew that though I thought myself least likely to be back at mom and dad's after marrying, it would be me that would be back. And a whole lot more than just once.When I left home at 19 and married Robert, I LEFT. Not just physically, but emotionally, and mentally - wholeheartedly following and transferring my everything to my husband. I never felt "homesick" or this need to live next door to my parents. Robert was to then be my counsellor, my head, - I did the "leaving and cleaving," as the Bible commands husbands and wives to do when they marry and become a new family of their own. It was natural for me. It was right.I appreciate my parents words of wisdom on this topic and guidance as I lived at home. I appreciate my mom's example... and I appreciate the bad examples the Lord put in my life before I married to show me what was not His way. I am very grateful for my parents allowing and releasing, and trusting.----------------------------~Speaking of married children and parents - a little side note:I've talked to hundreds of young married women who come from homeschooled families. A huge plus to homeschooling is the close relationship that can develop between the parents and the children. One of the biggest down falls in the parents having invested so much into their children, often times making them their whole life, an idol, and not being able to release them in God's way when they our young adults and when they marry...It's not always just the parents ~ often times, the young person, after marriage, in not able to fully "leave and cleave" as they should to their spouse because they feel constant guilt for not continuing to be/ or do what their parents still expect of them, want of them, continue to "counsel" them. It's an unhealthy and ungodly relationship.I can't help but advise that if you have come from a tight knit family, whether homeschooled or not, and you marry - take some time AWAY - maybe a year, maybe more - leave the city and state, or just get distance, whatever - as a couple become one, apart from your families. Make leaving and cleaving a priority. Let your folks know, let them know your vision as a couple to do as God commands. Start your marriage right with the two of you learning to go to God and learn to hear from Him, together. I've thought a lot about how good it would be too to encourage our children- as they are growing -in their relationship with Jesus, A Part From US -- to go to Him, to hear His voice, to read the Word and discover what He is speaking to them. If we encourage a relationship with the Lord and yet are always teaching them, telling them, to constantly rely upon us to tell them what He is saying, what He is wanting of them, what we feel is right or wrong for them... (of course this would be the case when they are young, I'm speaking more of when they become pre-teen/adolescent)...Then they become husbands and wives one day who do not have a real/breathing relationship with the Lord... or maybe they do, but it can not mature and grow as it should because they are controlled by/led by the continued control of their parents. Often times it also caused these grown adults to still act like children or rather much younger than their age because they have not matured in the area of decision making and seeking the counsel of the Lord.They've not learned the wonderfulness of listening to the Holy Spirit and His voice, but rather seen their parents as the "holy spirit." Their parents are their conscience, not the Lord. Their consciences have just been trained by their parents, rather than molded by God and by a true and breathing relationship with Jesus. Their parents are still their top counsel, not the Lord. Their parents are who they fear, not God. Persons who are in this situation, when they marry, often times they continue to look to their parents to "counsel" them in every little thing from their housing, to their income, to their job, to what standards they should have for their family, to what church they should attend, what kind of foods they should be eating as a family, should they get close with that person and their family, should they not? Who and who should not be their friends. etc, etc, etc. and etc! They are merely programed robots, even as adults, and not married couples with Christ as the center of their relationship. Really, outside influences, fear of man, parents beliefs are the center of their relationship when it really comes down to it."Therefore a husband should leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife..." - "Wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." (notice, she is no longer to submit the her mother/father, but to her husband - in essence, a leaving and cleaving as well.) Eph. 5:22,31-----------------------------~

Rain storm in summer 08

Jersey Girl.

a- HA!!

(read previous post 1st)

I listened. He answered.

Not 20 minutes after writing that post I began to read a book by Francis Shaeffer and read with me what he writes.

(He speaks of how God used Moses' shepherding staff to preform miracles, victories, and judgements : Book of Exodus)

'Consider the mighty ways in which God used a dead stick of wood. "God so used a stick of wood", can be a banner cry for each of us. Though we are limited and weak in talent, physical energy, and psychological strength, we are not less than a stick of wood.' ... 'The Scripture emphasizes that much can some from little if the little is truly consecrated to God. There are no little people and no big people in the true spiritual sense, but only consecrated and unconsecrated people. The problem for each of us is applying this truth to ourselves: is Frances Shaeffer the Francis Shaeffer of God?'

Is Leanne G. the Leanne G. of God?

and here's when I knew God wanted me to read this very page right now...

'No little Places' (!!!!!)
But if a Christian is consecrated, does this mean he will be in a big place instead of a little place? The answer, the next step, is very important : as there are no little people in God's sight, so there are no little places. To be wholly committed to God in the place where God wants him - this is the creature glorified.' .... 'This means being what He wants me to be, where he wants me to be.'

Darn tootin. if that wasn't the answer I was looking for then I don't know what is.

Amazing!!!

If you're more confused then ever, my apologies.. sometimes I like to shake the place up :P

Going back...

Back to the roots.

Here I am again .. in this place. 'Things' (oh the elusive conclusions that such a word as 'things' can bring about) are changing here. Big things, and smaller things.

Changing can sure leave you in a whirlwind if you don't take hold of at least a moment in each day to recognize where you are in life.

Realizing God has you in your place for a reason is certainly something to continue to recognize. But more importantly, recognizing why or what exactly God has you in your place for, is sure nice to know. Ain't it? I guess sometimes those reasons are as elusive as that shady word...'things'.

'I've got you there for ... 'Things',... My 'Things' Leanne.' ' Have a little faith would ya?'

So here I sit. With my faith.

Patience is a virtue, and it is one of those 'things' I haven't yet mastered.

I've been reading lately and the themes that continue to stick with me are: keeping good people silent and complacent are keys to Satans attacks. Whether it be through fear, lack of communication, idleness, anger, or lacklustre ...

Y'all, I love Jesus and I just want you to know it. I'm sick of the idleness..

I'm ready for a re-vamp. An over-haul. A Tune up. Whatever you wanna call it, I'm gearing up for some serious listening.

Listening and patience. Ohhhh me.

Trusting... and Patience...and Listening.

And then suddenly...

Can't... resist... the cuteness.....

These are older pics of Eden ... but I see them I cringe with that pain of utter cuteness. I've always loved leaving the kids shirts on their heads like this... It somehow brings out their features. And makes them appear ready for the convent.

Cousins...

Here are the girls...Eden (L) Lily(M) and Ava (R) All born within a year of eachother. It's gonna be a great time watching these munchkins grow up together!!

Big Red.

My Children were shocked to see the man in red show up. My Aunt and Uncle threw quite the party this year..the food was endless, which of course kept me happy, and the kids were treated to the spectacular surprise of Santa. I just love Gabes expression. It really says it all...he's just can't believe Santa Claus has his arm around him.

images from the hollidays...

Here's my dorky brother, Ava was going in for the kiss and Steve always has to act like the obnoxious twit when the lens comes out. Makes me giggle though...when I need a good laugh, I either look at pictures of him, or the pictures of myself after just having had Eden. Those are some Doozies...the glazed look of a deer in the headlights on a puffy new mom are really something to behold. and No. I know what you're thinking, but they're only funny because I look at them alone :)

Here's the cute one. They are such sweethearts. I really am so glad God had this in store for my brother and I.