Our Neck of the Wood

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

2012-02-14T05:59:00.001-08:00

We started our day with pink donuts…

Strawberries & bananas…

And of none other than pink milk!

We read this story, it’s another good one from Crystal Bowman about God’s love…

And then dug in!

Little A enjoyed breakfast from across the table.

After breakfast, we enjoyed opening a ‘Baalentine Sooprise’ all the way from Texas! B was thrilled to see a box filled full of things he likes…

While Little A simply took it all in…

May this Valentine’s Day, and every day be filled with God’s for you!

Be blessed.

Gigi & Papa, thank you for the Valentine surprises!

Gam & Gampa, thank you for the donut pan that made our breakfast special!

Just Heard This Song…

2012-02-13T18:20:00.001-08:00

As I was cleaning up the kitchen, and closing the chapter on another day, I was taken back by the lyrics….

“Let us not grow weary, keep on looking ahead…we are not home yet!” It’s so easy to loose sight of the truth that we are simply passing through this life…this isn’t our ultimate destination…we must not grow weary or discouraged because what is being prepared for us is far greater than we could ever imagine…Praise God, WE ARE NOT HOME YET!!!!

May the lyrics & song pasted below encourage your heart like it did mine.

Be blessed.

Not Home Yet Lyrics

Steven Curtis Chapman

To all the travelers
Pilgrims longing for a home
From one who walks with you
On this journey called life's road
It is a long and winding road
From one who's seen the view
And dreamt of staying on the mountains high
And one who's cried like you
Wanting so much just to lay down and die
I offer this, we must remember this
We are not home yet
We are not home yet
Keep on looking ahead
Let your heart not forget
We are not home yet
Not home yet
So close your eyes with me
And hear the Father saying, "welcome home"
Let us find the strength
In all His promises to carry on
He said, "I go prepare a place for you"
So let us not forget
We are not home yet
We are not home yet
Keep on looking ahead
Let your heart not forget
We are not home yet
We are not home yet
Keep on looking ahead
Let your heart not forget
We are not home yet
I know there'll be a moment
I know there'll be a place
Where we will see our Saviour
And fall in His embrace
So let us not grow weary
Or too content to stay
'Cause we are not home yet
We are not home yet
Not home yet
So let us journey on
We are not home yet
We are not home yet
Keep on looking ahead
Let your heart not forget
We are not home yet
Not home yet

(sorry about the commercial at the beginning of the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=I-A1u-Zfal8

These Days…

2012-02-10T18:41:00.001-08:00

We hug a little tighter.

Say, “I love you” more often.

Enjoy simple moments like this...

And work to have grateful hearts through each day God blesses us with!

Be blessed.

2012-02-10T14:33:00.001-08:00

I don’t often jump on technology band wagons. I haven’t gotten much into facebook. I don’t carry an iphone. I have no idea what twitter is/does. I pretty much only use our computer to download photos, email and blog.

So it was with initial hesitation that I even began exploring the world of pinterest. Friends raved about it, but I hesitated because I knew I didn’t need another ‘time waster’ or distraction.

Then someone mentioned pinterest being like a free magazine of ideas that never ends…something you can pick up when you have time and glance at. Something that can help you sort random things you wished you could remember like how to get your bathroom tile sparkling or fun toddler activities that don’t cost hardly anything.

So I sent a request for an invitation…and upon accepting realized that it is quite simply fantastic! Yes, it can be a huge time waster…and is something I feel like I need to ‘limit’ myself to, as I could spend hours looking at other peoples’ fun, pretty, functional, organized, crafty, tasty, creative ideas etc. ideas. But with moderation, I have found myself quite enthralled (and impressed) by what others are able to think up.

C challenged me to try some of the things that caught my eye, to make it a little more productive…so in true pinterest fashion, I created a ‘board’ of “things I’ve tried”…and this activity is one I recently ‘pinned’ to that board.

To my surprise and B’s delight, the crayons actually turned out…but even more, B and I enjoyed time together in a fun out-of-the-ordinary way.

Thank you pinterest!

Be blessed.

How…

2012-02-10T14:15:00.001-08:00

Does this…

Turn into this?

Laundry seems to get backed up, quite literally, in our neck of the wood and I work at it almost every day…it’s amazing how such little people can create such mountains of laundry and we really don’t have that many ‘costume changes’ throughout the day!!!

It baffles my mind and often leaves me feeling like I live in the laundry room, but I am thankful for the bodies that these clothes adorn.

Be blessed.

Just for Fun…

2012-02-10T14:02:00.001-08:00

Check out this bath time resemblance!

(Little A @ 9 months)

(B @ 9 months)

Be blessed.

We are at it Again!

2012-02-10T13:56:00.001-08:00

Maybe the fourth time’s the charm!?

Potty Power on the little chair seems to have taken. But transitioning to the BIG potty chair…well, lets just say it’s a work in progress.

Someday we’ll look back on this time and these photos and laugh…until then, this is what daily life in our neck of the wood has come to (though I wouldn’t trade it for anything).

A reminder watch (still struggling to know when to go)…

And a decked out bathroom.

I never imagined that we might have a book ledge, potty chart and step stool affixed to any of our bathroom fixtures but realize that many are the days in front of us that will be spent within the confines of this space asking, coaching and coaxing little ones to say good bye to diapers and hello to underwear!

Be blessed.

Baking Buddies

2012-02-10T13:46:00.001-08:00

Life in our neck of the wood has finally slowed down a touch. We are finding ourselves at home more which means getting a little creative with our daily activities.

I’ve always wanted to learn how to bake homemade bread and thought this recipe might be a good spring board for trying (thank you pinterest). So earlier in the week, we tried our hands (both little and small) at baking.

B enjoyed pouring the ingredients into the mixer while little A cheered from the floor.

I was pleasantly surprised with how well the rolls turned out. We honestly didn’t have much need for rolls with the week’s dinner menu so I ended up breaking them into pieces to make french toast casserole for breakfast…it was a hit! I don’t know if I can commit to baking like this always…but it is a fun treat.

Be blessed.

Quite Possibly…

2012-02-10T13:34:00.001-08:00

My proudest Momma moment yet! And it didn’t have anything to do with me.

The other night, B and I were laying on his bed reading stories and snuggling before bedtime. He chose the stories, I read.

Then when we were done reading, I asked him if he wanted to pray. In the past he would say, “No, Mommy you pray” or “Daddy you can pray”. But this particular night he said “Okay” and began to pray.

I found myself crying tears of joy into his pillow as I listened to…

“Dear God, thank you for my room, thank you for my bed, for A, for mommy, daddy, for the moon, for my fan, for Ella. Amen”

So honest, so earnest, so pure, so sweet.

Oh, may this only be the beginning of his child-like faith and may he be drawn to truth as he learns about and talks with his Great Heavenly Father.

Be blessed.

Eternal Lesson from the ‘No Turn’ Lane

2012-02-08T14:02:00.001-08:00

Let me explain.

A few weeks ago, I was turning into a parking lot and didn’t see the ‘no turn’ sign posted near the intersection’s light. I proceeded to make the turn, unaware that I had done anything wrong. It didn’t take much more than a minute to see flashing lights in my rear view mirror, much to my surprise and shock…see to this point, I had never been given a ticket, my record was completely clean!

After finding a safe place to pull over, I frantically searched for my license and registration totally dumb-founded as to what I might have done. While I rolled down my window, the police officer approached the driver-side of my car and asked for the documents that I had searched frantically for. Upon giving them he very mater of factly stated, ‘M’am, you turned despite the no turn sign’ and then walked back to his car.

I was left thinking, what sign? I don’t see it? Is it new? I have been to this parking lot several times and always turned the way that I just did? Really? No, I’m not a criminal, I make good choices, I’m a safe driver, etc. etc..

Several minutes later, the officer returned to the car. He poignantly told me that he had written my offense up as a ticket, that I was GUILTY and that there was no chance of me talking him out of his decision. I didn’t hardly have a chance to ask what I had done, before he pulled away to find his next unassuming driver.

Talk about a joy-buster! The word GUILTY just rang through my ears… ‘Me, guilty!?!, no, I’m not guilty it was an honest mistake, I didn’t see the sign’.

A few days later, unable to shake the feelings that my new ‘criminal-self’ felt, I called the traffic citation office to see if I might be eligible for defensive driving so that my record could remain clean. I’ll admit, there were tears on my end of the line as I tried to explain my case to the woman on the other end of the line. Not knowing how to tend to me, she encouraged me to schedule an appointment with a citation officer at our district court to see if my ticket could be waived as a warning or if I could learn how to drive more defensively while keeping my record clear. Encouraged, I made an appointment and almost forgot the ticket and the entire fiasco…she seemed convinced that I wasn’t guilty, so in my mind, I wasn’t.

All was good and forgotten until this morning, as today as the date of my appointment. This morning I woke up, got the kiddos situated and drove down to the courthouse to wait for my appointed time. I had my ticket in one hand and my ID in the other…just like they told me to do. I’ll admit I did find myself thinking ‘I’m such a good little citizen, they will understand my side of the story, they will erase the ticket and the fine.’

I was one of the first to arrive to the waiting area. It wasn’t long before more people arrived and the clerk raised the window and opened the court for business. She very confidently stated, ‘If you’re here fore a court date, sign in, If you don’t sign in we will write up a warrant!’ Really!?! Did that include me? Well, to be honest, no it didn’t as I was simply there for a traffic citation…but there were people all around me signing in, talking with layers, creating game plans as to what they should say, what they shouldn’t say etc. I honestly felt myself wanting to proclaim ‘Oh, I’m not like these people, I don’t make those kind of choices, I just didn’t see a no turn sign’. My pride was nothing short of pitiful.

As the clock got closer to my appointed time, I felt my stomach sink and churn… I found myself wondering ‘What if this person decides I am truly GUILTY, like the police officer?’ About 3 minutes after my appointed time, I heard my name…I stood up and walked to what I hoped would be a warning and pat on the back for having such a clean driving record, looking back this was entirely pride before the fall.

I was escorted into a cold drab room with a small metal desk and a chair sitting across from it. The man, sat at the desk and pointed to the chair for me…no hand shake, no nod. He then said ‘So what do you want to tell me?’ I’ll be honest, I had rehearsed my little bit and I went into it with polite gusto. He then looked at me and said matter of factly. ‘I know what intersection you were at, in the past people didn't heed the warnings given so now officers only give tickets, they often set up sting operations to catch people’ that was it, no exceptions. He didn’t care that it was a mistake, that my record would be tarnished, that I wasn’t a criminal, that it was an honest mistake, that I wasn’t GUILTY!

And then it hit me…I was. Just like all the other people waiting to have their cases looked at. I was no better. I made a mistake, just like them. I admit, mine might not have been as extreme or dangerous, but it's simple, I broke the law and there are consequences to that.

As I realized this, I found myself desperately wanting the officer to wipe my record clean, for it not to be blemished, to turn back the clock, for the stain to be gone.

It was then that I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude for Jesus, for what He did for me on the cross. See I was guilty, filled with sin and criminal in comparison to the perfection of God Himself (Romans 3:23). And Christ, graciously gave His life on the cross to wipe out all the stains on my record, all my sins and all my guilt to make my record clean and worthy (John 3:16). Because I know Jesus personally, I’m no longer guilty! My record in Heaven is clean…despite my human self. Even though my driving record here on earth is tarnished, I couldn’t be more grateful as I look forward to my ‘clean record’ which will allow me to spend eternity with Christ Himself in Heaven someday.

It’s hard to admit that I am thankful for my ticket. Deep down, my heart still wants to say ‘It was an accident, I am not guilty’. But ultimately in the grand scheme of things this is minor…my eternity is not. I am grateful that the Lord “directs [my] heart into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thessalonians 3:5) and provides little lessons and reminders of what really is important in this life He has given us.

I am sure to make more mistakes…though I don’t intend to miss the no turn sign again…praise God for grace and for Jesus.

Be blessed.

For the record…the officer was gracious and reduced my ticket fine from $128 to $88. I am still guilty, it’s on my driving record…but the $40 reduction was helpful for our monthly budget.

Super Bowl Party!

2012-02-06T14:31:00.001-08:00

We went all out this year’s big game…

…not really.

Instead of watching the game, these two cheered C on as he enjoyed some chips and guacamole…B made sure to help himself to some of the goodness.

I would like to say that we enjoyed the game as a four-some…but shortly after the game started, we decided little eyes didn’t need to watch some of the commercials highlighted in between football plays.

C headed downstairs to enjoy the game while I enjoyed some 'nugget-time’ upstairs with the kiddos before bed. I will say of the few commercials I did catch, I decided this was this year’s favorite in our neck of the wood (the dog part at least).

video taken from youtube.com

Be blessed.

Double Goodness

2012-02-06T14:19:00.001-08:00

Good till the last drop (times 2)…

B brought his water bottle to the dinner table to enjoy alongside (quite literally) his milk.

Oh, how he keeps us laughing.

Be blessed.

Water Babies?

2012-02-06T14:17:00.001-08:00

You decide .

Be blessed.

Wheels a Turnin’ & Eye Brows at Work

2012-02-06T14:16:00.001-08:00

Here is a little glimpse of B’s wheels turning and his ever so famous eye brows at work as he tries and tries to manipulate the little bit of dexterity that his little hands have…

He might not have clothes pins down just yet…but his patience and diligence while trying provides a glimpse of a work ethic that I pray comes to fruition later on down the road.

Be blessed.

How?

2012-02-06T14:09:00.001-08:00

It feels like all we’ve done is blinked!

Be blessed.

Tent Time

2012-02-06T14:04:00.001-08:00

This is a ‘tent’…

This tent is occupied by these two around bedtime most nights…

They read a story or two…sometimes with a flashlight… all before B turns in for the night.

It warms my heart to see these to making memories together.

Be blessed.

This Tower is…

2012-02-06T13:58:00.001-08:00

MONUMENTOUS in more ways than one!

So glad to be building again.

Be blessed.

Utter Delight

2012-01-31T13:07:00.001-08:00

B is fighting his nap this afternoon…all I have heard for the past hour or so is giggles, talking and singing.

I just overheard ‘BLESED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD, BLESSED BE THE NAME…’!!!!!

Seriously…he has no idea how much he just blessed his momma’s day…praise God for little gifts from little not-napping boys!

Be blessed.

Happy Accident…

2012-01-30T20:10:00.001-08:00

My elementary art teacher encouraged us to call our mistakes ‘happy accidents’, I think it was all in effort to save paper and other art supplies, but I bought into it and have coined the phrase in my own grown up life…thus the title of this post.

This weekend, I attempted my first official Pinterest project…and failed miserably! (this is what I tried). But the project, though a failure, meant a trip to the craft store where I found these little $3.00 gems…hence the ‘happy accident’…for displaying our kiddos artwork.

I’ve always wanted to have our kids’ work prominently displayed in whatever house we live…so having this little dream come to fruition, through my Pinterest misfortune, brought utter delight to my heart .

C was gracious as he very willingly hung all 9 pins…

Now the stage is set…I can’t help but imagine what ‘master pieces’ and ‘happy accidents’ might find their way to this little space and bring simple smiles to this proud momma’s heart!

Be blessed.

Building…

2012-01-30T19:57:00.001-08:00

These three worked together to build a tower tonight before bed…

Ella supervised.

Be blessed.

Simple Joys of a Lazy Day…

2012-01-30T13:31:00.001-08:00

Lounging around in big boy pants…

And baby legs!

Be blessed.

Up & Running…

2012-01-30T13:28:00.001-08:00

No, little A isn’t on the move just yet…but our sink is finally back up and running which means this little nugget is finally able to enjoy baths in the kitchen once again!

Being without a kitchen sink for almost two weeks makes this momma beyond grateful for modern day conveniences!

Be blessed.

We Can’t Count our Eggs Before they Hatch…

2012-01-30T13:25:00.001-08:00

But hopefully our little guy is getting close!?!!

This is a little glimpse of the past couple of days…the game on the floor, lack of an area rug, the juice, pretzels & ‘encouragement’ treats on the stool, little A in the background, the little potty chair, the reading material, the big boy pants around the ankles…sums this fourth attempt of potty training up quite well!

Stay tuned as we hold our breath…and count our blessings for this healthy and capable little guy!

Be blessed.

Minnesota is Finally…

2012-01-27T13:10:00.001-08:00

Living up to its reputation!

This afternoon we played in the snow, in lieu of checking some errands of our perpetual to do list.

This little guy couldn’t have been more content with the chilly weather and falling snow flakes…he trudged and trudged under his clothing bundles as he looked for sticks and other backyard treasures.

After an invitation to come inside to warm up was politely declined, Little A and I decided to bundle up, make a memory and enjoy the snow.

B laughed as I tried to teach him how to make a snow angel…

Once all three sets of our cheeks turned red and noses started to run, I invited B inside to warm up and enjoy some hot chocolate…it wasn’t until I suggested adding marshmallows to the treat that he decided he might be interested in pealing his layers to warm up for a bit.

The miniature puddles from melting snow that had dripped off our boots and clothes left evidence of an afternoon well spent…

And the hot chocolate (and marshmallows) really hit the spot!

I could get used to days like this…at least for a little while longer…then I will gladly welcome spring and pack away the winter gear…and memories.

Happy Friday from our snowy and chilly neck of the wood to yours!

Be blessed.

Just a Typical Evening…

2012-01-26T17:34:00.001-08:00

In our neck of the wood.

Watching B try to ‘work’ with his gloves could make just about anyone’s heart melt…he works so hard despite his lack of dexterity and fine motor control…such a hard worker, love it!

Be blessed.

C’s Helpers…

2012-01-26T17:31:00.001-08:00

Apparently the kiddos thought C needed a little help with installing the garbage disposal!

C’s patience with his helpers never ceases to amaze me…they love being ‘workas’ alongside their dad!

Be blessed.

Utility Sink = Kitchen Sink

2012-01-23T15:55:00.001-08:00

Due to a very unfortunate and unforeseen ‘issue’ with our kitchen counters…we don’t have have a working kitchen sink or cook top!

This means that our utility/laundry sink has been put to good use lately!

Let me paint a picture of meal times around our neck of the wood…

1. I conjecture up any meal that doesn’t require a cook top and has minimal mess implications

2. I serve the meal using as few dishes, utensils, etc. as possible

3. At the end of our meal, we bus our dishes to either the garbage can or a bucket next to the sink

4. I carry the dirty dishes downstairs to the utility room (the heater on the washer and dryer is there for added warmth…the room is ‘quite chilly otherwise)

5. I hand wash the dishes

6. Lay clean dishes on top of the washing machine

7. Dry the dishes and carry them back upstairs to put away

8. Repeat this process each time a meal comes around

The utility sink is proving to be multi-functional as it has tripled as a bathtub for our littlest nugget as well!

This entire ‘ordeal’ has left me so grateful for modern day conveniences like kitchen sinks, running water and dishwashers…we take so much for granted!

I hope we are able to find the humor in this a few weeks from now, as we don’t foresee the ‘issue’ being fixed anytime soon.

Be blessed.

A Visit to Our Neck of the Wood

2012-01-23T15:19:00.001-08:00

Last week, We enjoyed a visit from three special people…Gigi, Papa and Auntie B!

We had grand plans of playing outside in what should have been a wintry snowy visit…but made the best of our atypical snow-less winter and enjoyed some inside fun!

We parlayed their visit with a belated Christmas celebration. We left our decorations up and little A enjoyed every prolonged minute of play time with the nativity set.

B was elated to discover that Gigi and Papa had come to his house…they arrived after he had gone to bed and he was surprised by them waking him up their first morning in town.

The first day of their visit was laid back, B enjoyed taking Gigi and Papa to the ‘tree house’ play gym to play and then showed them how to play with his cars and train set later at home.

The next day, we bundled up and headed to the Mall of America to explore and play (I will have to someday post on our ‘adventure on getting to the mall and the lesson I learned while driving there, but that’ll be for another post).

The mall provided lots to look at…

And kept this little nugget quite content in the stroller.

Gigi and Papa helped B pick out and make a special Christmas gift.

This was our first endeavor with Build-a-Bear…our little guy was hesitant at first, but as always, warmed up to the idea of pushing buttons and watching machines work.

After stuffing the little pup and enjoying lunch, we walked through Lego Land. B’s little finger raced through the store as he pointed to all the things that he liked.

Later, we ventured into Nickelodeon Universe to explore the various rides. A didn’t know what to think of all the sights and sounds!

B found this truck ride which suited his fancy quite well…he rode with Gigi & Papa!

After riding the trucks, B and C took a ride on a miniature school bus. The little bus went round and round in circles up in the air, to our disbelief, B loved the ride!

Little A seemed to enjoy keeping her feet safely planted on the ground (sort of).

After rides, Gigi, Auntie B and I snuck in a little shopping…B kept the rest of our crowd entertained by making laps around the mall itself.

After calling it a day at the mall, we headed home to make Grandma’s Famous Enchiladas before celebrating our family Christmas.

In lieu of a cake, we lit brownies and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. B was on a role when it came to consuming the brownies and ripping through the wrapping paper!

The next day, we enjoyed taking everyone to the church that we have been attending. After church we enjoyed a quite complicated lunch…we tried three places before actually choosing where we wanted to eat and then headed home for a lazy afternoon of naps and football. During naptime, the girls (minus little A) snuck out to shop at one of my new favorite spots. We enjoyed some delicious coffee, sweet conversation & company and even some new moccasins to keep our toes warm! Ella also enjoyed a little extra playtime outside with Papa, B and Auntie B.

The next day we enjoyed breakfast at home (one of our favorite things in our neck of the wood)…

After breakfast, we headed back to the tree house to play…but found a batting cage and basketball court that caught our attention instead. C enjoyed hitting some balls, while B enjoyed being just like his daddy!

After working up quite a sweat, we headed for lunch which consisted of one of my absolute favorite treats…popovers… from a local hole in the wall.

After lunch, B turned in for naptime…of course not before hearing a story in his nook with Auntie B.

Auntie B headed home later that night to get back for work…to B’s utter delight, Gigi and Papa stayed a bit longer which meant even more quality play time.

The next day, we ventured out (despite frigid wind chills) to explore the Minnesota Children’s Museum. It was a hit! We spent more than three hours just exploring one floor!

B drove a city bus…

Maneuvered a conveyor belt…

Drove a crane…

Raced boats…

Built with blocks…

All while little A enjoyed quality time with Gigi…

Papa…

And her beloved bottle!

Later, the kiddos (and some of us adults) enjoyed a nap in effort to gain enough energy to do a little more playing…

And in typical Our Neck of the Wood Fashion, work around the house! Gigi and Papa were gracious to enter into our world to help us remove counter tops and re-wire a cooktop outlet.

After the kitchen had been tackled, our little foreman headed to bed after some special story time with Gigi and Papa.

The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast together before sending C off to work.

We played some more, packed up, met C for lunch and then wished Gigi and Papa a safe trip back to Texas.

All in all it was a simple and delightful trip…nothing fancy, but a whole lot of good family time. We treasure days like this and are so grateful to have family who is willing to enter into our ‘craziness’ and experience life as it is in our neck of the wood.

We promised more snow that next time they come (at least next winter that is) and look forward to getting out of our neck of the wood to try sledding, skating, tubing and maybe even skiing!

Be blessed.

Gigi, Papa and Auntie B…thank you thank you thank you!

Finally…

2012-01-23T07:07:00.001-08:00

It’s snowing!!!!

It only took till Mid- January to look like ‘winter’ outside!

I am sure the novelty will wear off and shoveling the driveway will become a chore…but until then, we will relish in the new-ness of winter with snow!

Be blessed!

Like Getting Hit Over the Head…

2012-01-23T05:55:00.001-08:00

Is what yesterdays’ devotional in Jesus Calling by, Sarah Young felt like.

It reads:

“STRIVE TO TRUST ME in more and more areas of your life. Anything that tends to make you anxious is a growth opportunity. Instead of running away from these challenges, embrace them, eager to gain all the blessings I have hidden in the difficulties. If you believe that I am sovereign over every aspect of your life, it is possible to trust Me in all situations. Don’t waste energy regretting the way things are or thinking about what might have been. Start at the present moment- accepting things exactly as they are- and search for My way in the midst of those circumstances.

Trust is like a staff you can lean on, as you journey uphill with Me. If you are trusting in Me consistently, the staff will bear as much of your weight as needed. Lean on, trust, and be confident in Me with all your heart and mind.”

Psalm 52:8; Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP)

-January 22

Just yesterday, I found myself lamenting to C about how I wish I had done some things different, how I wish I could change our current circumstances, how I wish we had more community etc. etc.

Thinking and wishing such things don’t provide a whole lot of fruit, instead they provide discontentment, frustration and even some anxiety. I wish I was better at seeing hidden blessings and gifts during such a time as this…better at using my time and energies to trust rather than lament and try to change my circumstances.

On this new Monday, I choose to trust…not in my own power, but His…to grab hold of His staff and allow Him to bear my weighty burdens…and hope this provides some good food for thought and encouragement!

Be blessed as you lean!

Fantastic…Incredibly Convicting Message

2012-01-11T05:06:00.001-08:00

“The majority of my sin is in response to being sinned against of living in a fallen world” –Greg Cook

This week a friend called to encourage me to listen to this message…she said she found it incredibly convicting and encouraging…she hit the nail on the head!

The entire message is about 40 minutes…but well worth the precious time as it is filled with phenomenal nuggets of truth!

http://www.ccbcfamily.org/ccbc-media

(the title of the sermon is ‘Suffering Well’ (it is from January 7 2012)

Be blessed.

Triple Bear Hug!

2012-01-10T19:40:00.001-08:00

(Please disregard the chocolate all over B’s face…little A’s stoic half-dazed look and the bright flash spot!)

Be blessed.

Front Row Seat…

2012-01-09T15:11:00.001-08:00

Apparently our quiet little street has some excitement after all!

These two together make my heart melt!

Be blessed.

What a Difference…

2012-01-09T15:09:00.001-08:00

A Year Makes!

I can’t take any credit for snapping either of these two photos (in effort to protect copyrights, I have to mention that the photographers that B’s schools’ use deserve all the credit)…I simply put B’s school photos next to each other to snap this glimpse of how much our little guy has changed!

It makes me want to push ‘pause’ now…as I can’t image what next year’s photo might look like!?!

Be blessed.

Christmas

2012-01-09T05:46:00.001-08:00

We spent the morning as our little family together in our neck of the wood.

We woke up to sweet noises from down the hall (quite simply the best type of alarm clock). And then enjoyed ‘cuddle time’ together (all 5 of us…Ella joined in) while C read the Christmas story and I read My Christmas Gift by, Crystal Bowman.

Then we turned the video camera on and let our little guy venture into the living room to see the gifts under the manger.

B was quite tentative as he walked down the hall, it’s not every morning that he is greeted with a video camera and a train set surprise! He warmed up rather quickly upon surveying the situation and realizing that the train layout was for him to play with.

This was our first year to have stockings…B enjoyed finding his very own ‘monica’ (harmonica) inside his stocking…this harmonica has become a staple for our little guy as he ‘worsips’ in the car!

Little A enjoyed watching her brother as he played with his miniature train city.

Once we found a lull in the initial train excitement and noticed our tummies were rumbly, we sang ‘Happy Birthday to Jesus’ and then enjoyed birthday cake for breakfast!

Little A seemed to be content with her soft and floppy stuffed friends while B worked his way through a couple more packages.

Later, we packed up and headed to the cabin to celebrate with my family. This was our first Christmas to spend at the cabin, it was quite novel being up there in the winter…seeing it all cozy and decorated!

We enjoyed simply being together while we opened stockings and packages.

B took his job as the stocking and delivery man quite seriously!

Later some of us ventured out onto the lake to wear the pups (there were four of them!) out!

After a traditional viewing of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, a few of us ventured back out onto the lake to look at the stars…C snapped this photo, the cabin looked simply magical!

The day was a special day. Experiencing Christmas through B’s eyes was incredible…and simply being together as our first Christmas as a family of four was quite a gift!

Merry Belated Christmas!

Be blessed.

Christmas Eve

2012-01-09T05:44:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve proved to be a sweet family day in our neck of the wood.

Our little family of four ventured out to a local hole in the wall for breakfast.

Little A joined us in a high chair at the table for the first time.

After breakfast we returned home to prepare for our big birthday celebration and then headed to church for the Christmas Eve service. After church, we enjoyed dinner with family and then headed home to get kiddos to sleep so we could get to work on getting gifts ready for the next morning.

C and I had been looking forward to assembling this train set…we turned on Christmas music and opened a bottle of our most favorite Texas wine (thanks K & J) and began what turned into quite a task!

We had no idea that assembling it would be as time/labor intensive as is was! We laughed as we tried to find which pieces fit with what…Ella kept us company!

Finally after almost two hours…the train set was complete!

And the stage was set…for the greatest birthday celebration celebrated!

The entire process wore our sweet Ella out!

Our hope, as we went to sleep remained that the tangible gift of the train set, might remind our hearts and our little guy’s heart of the greatest Gift ever given!

Be blessed.

A Christmas Birthday Celebration

2012-01-06T07:55:00.001-08:00

The teacher in me enjoys books…not of the chapter sorts but of the story sorts. Our basement is filled with boxes yet to be unpacked of books from my classroom…books I someday hope the read with our little ones.

With that said, whenever I come across a good picture book, I find my typical frugalness transfer to that of an impulse buyer all in effort to provide our kiddos with as many print/illustration opportunities as possible.

Before Christmas, while I was attending MOPS, I stumbled upon this book at the church bookstore. I casually flipped through it and found myself delighted by the bright illustrations and rhyme of the story.

Reading the book triggered a little plan for Christmas Eve in my heart, the plan included cake, decorations and a simple birthday celebration.

On Christmas Eve, we set out to bake a birthday cake and decorate the house in Jesus’ honor.

B helped bake the cake…

Because of the special occasion, B got a chance to taste the batter…he SO enjoyed the finger-tip-sized treat!

While the cake was in the oven, we worked on decorating our living room. I had grand ideas of B learning how to make a paper chain…

He was more interested in the roll of tape!

But did make sure to tell me that I was doing a good job with the help of a hug and a kiss!

Little A cheered us on from the comfort of her excersaucer…

C acted as the chief ‘decoration hanger’…and enjoyed help from his little apprentice!

Once the decorations were hung, we were officially ready to celebrate the most important birthday ever celebrated!

Just before naptime, B helped frost and decorate the cake…

And then set it aside as we waited patiently for Christmas morning to arrive.

C had the idea of enjoying the cake as a special breakfast treat on Christmas morning. We sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and then B blew out the candles!

The cake acted as a fantastic breakfast treat…and proved to be the start of a sweet family tradition.

Be blessed.

Can’t Help But Share…

2012-01-06T05:26:00.001-08:00

This is another little sweet nugget of truth that I read in Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling devotional, that again, I felt compelled to share.

January 6

“I AM ABLE to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.”

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than al we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3: 20-21

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”Romans 8:6

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar of wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:13

I am humbled by the reminder that there is no limit to what God can accomplish. As our family walks through a seemingly scary and uncharted territory, it is so comforting to be reminded of this truth, I don’t need to be scared and think of what-ifs, but instead need to be positive and filled with hope! And also to be reminded that I simply need to do is TRUST, to not be discouraged but ask the Holy Spirit to take control over my heart…oh, how I wish this simple task was easier done than said!

God isn’t in the dark…even if I feel like I am. I so badly wish I could wiggle my nose and immediately know that everything will be okay…being reminded that time trains hearts is overwhelming…it is all part of a great lesson that ultimately will ‘train’ me to become more dependent on our Incredible Heavenly Father and less dependent on myself…as I do whole-heartedly believe that He can do far greater than I ever could imagine!

May this little nugget of truth bring your heart encouragement!

Be blessed.

Yes, I’m Old Fashioned!

2012-01-05T13:34:00.001-08:00

I just came across this book…it doesn’t have a power cord but it will help me remember special dates in our family’s and friend’s lives!

(image taken from amazon.com)

Old fashioned…and so great!

Be blessed.

Christmas Card Progression

2012-01-04T15:04:00.001-08:00

This is how I had planned our Christmas photo shoot to be…I admit, I had planned it through rosy colored glasses.

I had visions of this year’s card photo being that of snow, snow and more snow! We would take it while playing in the snow, B would be utterly bliss-filled delightful on account of the snow and A would be a content little snow bunny. We would all be donning our new snowy apparel and appear to be one happy family fresh from the L.L.Bean winter catalog. We would take it one Saturday morning after breakfast while anticipating some delicious hot chocolate and a lazy morning together inside afterwards.

Reality didn’t quite pan out as ‘quintessentially’ as I had hoped. A really snowy playtime wasn’t possible as Minnesota is experiencing a huge and bizarre snow DROUGHT! The photo shoot itself did not happen on a lazy Saturday morning, instead it was squeezed into a very busy Saturday morning before trips to the home depot, grocery store and Christmas tree lot.

And we learned that snapping ONE good photo with a 2 year old, 8 month old and pup proves more challenging than we ever think!

Just to paint a picture, here is a glimpse…

Me: “B, let’s go outside and take a picture!”

B: “No, thank you please”

Me: “But you get to wear your snow pants and boots like daddy!”

B: “Okay”

We proceed to get everyone bundled (it was about 15 degrees outside the Saturday morning we chose to check the photo off of our list) and ready to go.

C has me sit down with Ella and A (in the most snowy part of our yard we can find) so he can get the camera and tri-pod set up. B ‘helps’ all while complaining his “Boots are too heabey!”

Trial #1: C pushes the timer button….and runs with B in tow to duck into the photo…and then realizes he cut off his head.

Trial #2: C’s head is in the photo! B is looking down, A is looking at C, my eyes are sort of closed and Ella is watching our neighbors pull into their driveway!

Trial #3-7 look a lot like this, too far away…the kids aren’t looking at the camera, etc. etc. At this point I am trying to keep my ‘cool’ feeling rather deflated as I am realizing that the shoot itself is going down hill rather quickly.

Our neighbors noticed our grand effort (and probably heard B’s less than polite complaints) and graciously offered to take the photo for us to alleviate the need for C and his little helper to run back and forth between the camera and the photo spot.

The help allowed us to snap ONE (yes, this was the best we could get) photo with all of us at least looking at the camera. C joked that someday we are going to send one of the ‘not good’ shots as our official Christmas photo to provide a more realistic display of what real life in our neck of the wood looks like!

In all honesty, that might not be a bad idea…see, the photo shoot didn’t turn out half bad…in fact, I have come to enjoy the expressions that each of us display and love that you can see some snow, C’s big boot, B’s polar bear hat and little A’s bright pink snow suit.

Now that I am a touch removed from the ‘shoot’ I realize the need to protect my heart from unrealistic expectations…yes, it’s okay to dream about what things might be like but even more important to enjoy every moment (even when they don’t live up to expectations) because every moment is a gift, and if I live disappointed by expectations not being met, I might miss out on simple joys like getting to talk with and get help from our new neighbors.

I also am reminded of the need to be real…I don’t want to imply that we live this totally put together, bliss-filled, perfect, snowy, problem-free life…we aren’t a family out of a catalog…we are real and quite honestly not often put together…but if I’m honest with myself, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Merry Belated Christmas from our not always put together neck of the wood to yours!

Be blessed.

2011 Manger Painting

2012-01-04T14:24:00.001-08:00

This year’s manger painting was special as it provided a tangible opportunity to reflect on some of things that have transpired in our little family’s life this year.

In effort to keep things as ‘clean’ as possible, the kiddos operated under the philosophy that shirts weren’t necessary…and bath time later in the evening was!

Initially, little A was not as impressed with the idea of painting. She proved to be a little skeptical of the entire ‘ordeal’ but seemed willing once given the opportunity to test the paint on her finger tips out all by herself.

B’s interest in the painting was substantially more impressive than last year as he talked about what he was painting and was quite willing to paint his hands to make handprints. B claimed to be painting everything from tractors and trailers to bulldozers.

After the kiddos went to sleep, C and I enjoyed some quiet time, cider and painting our own slats.

The highlights that C painted included attending the Rose Bowl with his dad last January (and watching the Frogs win), camping with B, the various metro-plex sports teams in the national spot light-specifically, the Mavericks winning the NBA Championship and our big move up north.

The highlights that I painted included selling our first little house, our trip to the Hill Country to visit friends, moving into our rent house, turning my ‘cool’ car in for a ‘mommy car’, walks around TCU waiting for little A to arrive, little A’s arrival, our move up north, our stay-cation back to Texas, Clifford & Emily Elizabeth and making our new house our own.

As we reflect on 2011, God’s goodness and provision remains evident, despite our elementary painting ability!

We have come to treasure this family Christmas tradition and look forward to many more family painting nights in the future! We also can’t help but wonder how long it will take B and A to surpass us with their painting abilities!

Be blessed.

Better Late than Never…

2012-01-04T13:51:00.001-08:00

I try to use our blog as a family journal of sorts…I have the best of intentions of one day ‘publishing’ it for our kiddos since I'm not a scrap booker and can only hope that will come to fruition.

With that said, I have been working on crafting our Christmas post and realized that we hadn’t posted about Thanksgiving…so despite the date, I thought I’d share, I regret not taking more photos but trust we will remember the highpoints!

We enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving week in Texas. We started the week by visiting our beloved Cowtown for a whirl-wind weekend.

Friends graciously joined us for breakfast at our favorite bakery. We also enjoyed our fill of REAL Tex-mex and Central Market food (both of which are non-existant up in the northland) and relished in the opportunity to attend our former church and see familiar faces.

Our time after Fort Worth was dedicated to some much needed ‘family time’. B and A seemed to captivate their Gigi, Papa and Auntie B with their latest ‘to-do’s’ and C and I enjoyed hearing about how they had changed and grown. We were also able to enjoy an extended family dinner with great grands, aunts and uncles which proved to be quite sweet.

Midweek, little A and I snuck home to celebrate my mom’s birthday. C and B remained in Texas where a stomach bug tried to ruin everyone’s(everyone except for Grandpa J & Papa) fun! With the help of saltine crackers, Gaterade, Clorox wipes and lots of patience, everyone proved resilient (even our little guy who hadn’t ever been sick before) and was able to make the most out of the remainder of the week.

The entire stomach bug situation provided a good reminder that plans sometimes change, but all that truly matters is having the opportunity of being together.

The the bookend to the week was a trip to the lake where C’s grandfather rented a house for everyone to enjoy. The kiddos enjoyed playing around the house, the guys golfed and I have been told that the girls shopped.

Here are a couple photos from our week…

The group at the lake…

We have so much to be thankful for and our time away was a nice little break from ‘typical’ life in our neck of the wood.

Gigi & Papa, thank you for a sweet trip!

Be blessed.

Amazed!

2012-01-03T11:35:00.001-08:00

God, our Heavenly Creator, is incredible…I stand in awe of how intricately each of our little ones are woven together.

In His perfect timing, which feels like a blink of an eye (truly less than 24 hours), our littlest nugget learned how to pull herself up to a standing position and has two little pearly whites coming through her gummy little smile.

It is all a little bitter sweet to think that the days of simply crawling are numbered as are the days with a toothless smile… a simple reminder to stand back and be grateful for the here and now and be amazed by how perfectly fashioned each of us are.

^“13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you. “ Psalm 139: 13-18

Be blessed.

Salve for the Heart

2011-12-30T14:10:00.001-08:00

I wanted to pass on some salve-like encouragement that a dear friend shared with me.

It comes from Sarah Young’s ‘Jesus Calling-Enjoying Peace in His Presence’ daily devotional.

“Make me the focal point of your search for security. In your private thoughts, you are still trying to order your world so that it is predictable and feels safe. Not only is this an impossible goal, but it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth. When your private world feels unsteady and you grip My hand for support, you are living in conscious dependence on Me.

Instead of yearning for a problem-free life, rejoice that trouble can highlight your awareness of My presence. In the darkness of adversity , you are able to see more clearly the radiance of My Face. Accept the value of problems in this life, considering them pure joy. Remember that you have an eternity of trouble-free living awaiting you in heaven.”

^“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “ Isaiah 41:10

“even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:10

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds,” James 1:2

The security that I often find myself seeking in this unpredictable world is fleeting…I’m not promised problem-free days…but am promised the warm reminder that radiance brings as I work to find joy throughout life’s trials.

Be blessed.

All in a Day’s Work…

2011-12-27T21:04:00.001-08:00

The majority of our house has hardwood floors…something I really appreciate as I can’t (our family) can’t seem to keep carpet free from stains.

One of the only spots left with carpet has been the room in which our computer resides…a room that would benefit from a good home improvement makeover on many levels as is evidenced by the lovely periwinkle wall color as seen below.

I have joked with C that he better be careful in that one day he might come home and see that I have pulled the carpet up during naptime in an effort to ditch the plush and go for a more clean hardwood look.

Well today…that joking became a reality! I quite literally decided I had had enough with vacuuming and trying to keep the carpet clean so I tried pulling up a corner of the carpet in the closet just to take a peak.

This is before…

Lets just say one thing led to another and I found myself on a role! I can’t take all the credit. C graciously helped me finish my ridiculous task when he got home.

I have absolutely no idea how one might actually sand and refinish hardwood floors but hope to be a quick learner (though I honestly think it looks better now unfinished without baseboard than it did earlier this afternoon).

I will gladly take the blame for adding one more iron to our already exploding fire of home improvement projects…but am thrilled (as is C) to see evidence of progress in our neck of the wood!

Be blessed.

Worship Song

2011-12-24T19:06:00.001-08:00

We have enjoyed listening to Bebo Norman’s Christmas album in our car for the past few weeks.

Until tonight, B hasn’t made any requests for any specific songs on the album…then out of nowhere, tonight after the Christmas Eve service, he said (rather matter-of -factly from his car seat) “Daddy…what does worship mean?”

C and I worked to put together a developmentally appropriate response and responded with “Buddy, it means telling and showing God how much we love him.” To which B responded, “Oh, okay.”

And then it started… “Daddy, can we listen to the worship song pwease?” C, complied (several times) and we all BELTED the words to this song over and over again. B asked each of us to sing and make music with our hands (that is his way of asking people to clap)…leaving both C and I wondering if it could possibly get any better than this? Seriously…this is what Christmas is all about…we get to come and worship Christ, the newborn king!

We will treasure this simple moment of driving in the car, worshiping as a little family of four together on Christmas Eve forever…GOD IS SO GOOD!

Below is the “Worship Song” that B requested…the visual images the video provides is pretty powerful.

May each and every one of you enjoy a blessed and worship-filled Christmas!

Be blessed.

When B’s at School…

2011-12-18T19:39:00.001-08:00

Little A gets to ride like a big kid!

She grinned and giggled throughout our entire trip…I could really get used to company like this (though we did miss B and all of his fascinating questions about grocery items and comical B-isms).

Be blessed.

Far Succeeded Expectations…

2011-12-18T11:07:00.001-08:00

Last night we were blessed with the opportunity to attend The Story. The program provided a powerful depiction of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation through music.

It was a treat to be together and hear some of my favorite voices from the radio.

If you ever have the opportunity to attend…we HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT…or at least try to watch the dvd or listen to the sound track, you won’t be disappointed!

Be blessed.

Lollygagging…

2011-12-16T13:35:00.001-08:00

Or Woweegaggin’ in B’s words.

Is the speed at which I have been working to keep up with my ‘job’ the past few weeks. Really, I have been nothing short of pathetic. I’ve justified my apathy by describing my overall feelings of being overwhelmed and frustrated that every time I clean and get the house back in order it would last for about 3 minutes and then be in need of my time and effort all over again.

In all honesty, I’d let most things go, I apathetically turned on house-keeping cruise control leaving only necessary jobs (like diapering and half hearted meal preparation) to be tackled. I justified my overwhelmed feelings by telling myself… It's really not that bad, and it probably could be worse!?!?!”

Then sweet little A started crawling…and I discovered that her little knees were doing much more dusting and cleaning than I was (It’s true…I humbly admit!)…leaving me wondering just how I could muster the desire or servitude to keep our family’s home clean and somewhat in order?

As I was about to hoist a white flag above our front door in surrender to the dust, the grime and my apathetic heart, I came across a book that some friends of mine have read and recommended and decided to give it a read.

(Image taken from amazon.com)

I am by no means advocating that this is a perfect forever fix (I’m not even all the way through the book yet)…but reading has helped me realign my heart and reminded me of the gift that serving my family is.

Just look at these nuggets of truth…

“Scripture had already told me I was a child of God-born of God. Anything I do is sacred. It may look ordinary from the outside; it may even look mundane and worthless. The spiritual significance of it is far different. The God-breathed reality is that anything His children do is sacred work-set aside for Him. This caused a revolution in me. I began to see toilet cleaning as a sacred trust. Yes, go ahead and smile. It does look ridiculous on paper, but Scripture had instructed me that whatever I did, I was to do it for God. Toilet cleaning represents the lowest form of labor I do. If it was important to Jesus, it would jolly well become important to me. I decided I would run my home as unto the Lord. My tasks were holy; I would enter them wholly…

The home has replaced the classroom {Her former job} and I began to realize that if I wanted to succeed, I had to work at it with the same dedication and drive I had applied to my teaching job. As a child I had memorized Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as reward." It is the Lord Christ you are serving: This section of the Bible put it all into perspective. I began to search for the holy in the daily grind. How could I honor the Lord through my daily tasks?

I read 1 Corinthians 14:33 about how the church should conduct its service. The verse called for order, saying, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” I was fascinated with the contrast. Disorder as opposed to peace. The fruit of the Spirit is peace. I wanted a peaceful home. Apparently I need to bring that home in order-in each room, in all of my housekeeping jobs, in our schedules. Order in our home would honor God.”

– Carol Brazo

Wow! I am still marveling at God’s timeliness. Grateful that He (through the encouragement of friends) allowed me to read Carol’s words at such a drought-like time in my heart. Carol’s heart articulates what I desire. I don’t want to begrudgingly serve or neglect to serve this family that God has so graciously blessed me with…I want to see my tasks…as mundane as they might seem… as acts of service to God Himself.. to quit lollygagging, roll up my sleeves and serve whole heartedly!

I am not promising gourmet meals or an immaculate home but am hopeful for a happier heart as I clean, dust, scrub, vacuum, cook and launder.

Be blessed.

New Adornment…

2011-12-15T14:59:00.001-08:00

B brought this ‘gift’ home from school…

He hung it all by himself and proudly displayed it in the center of our tree right at his eye level.

Makes my heart melt!

Be blessed.

Little Elf

2011-12-15T14:55:00.001-08:00

B woke up early from his afternoon nap to find our kitchen table covered with tape, ribbon, wrapping paper and tissue paper…

He did what any two and half year old would do…rolled up his sleeves and got to work!

Be blessed.

A Day in the Life of an Elf

2011-12-15T14:51:00.001-08:00

As tradition would have, we recently ventured out from our neck of the wood to visit the Macy’s 8th floor auditorium to see the “Day in the Life of an Elf” display. It was sweet to watch B’s eyes light up as he watched the animated characters move & ‘work’ (as B would say).

In typical B fashion, it took a bit to warm up to the idea of looking at the bright colored displays. His eye brows furrowed as we started our walk but quickly relaxed as he gained interest in the different magical vignettes.

B doesn’t have a clue about Santa, but thought the workshop with all the toys was pretty neat…so much that he wanted to go help the elves with the toys.

Be blessed.

Two Peas in a Pod!

2011-12-15T14:41:00.001-08:00

The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree!

Be blessed.

Lefse & Spritz!

2011-12-15T14:38:00.001-08:00

The other day was a ‘good day’…which we took full advantage of by baking lefse & spritz cookies! Both were holiday ‘staples’ around my (S) house when I was younger.

B helped mix the Spritz dough before his nap…

While the dough chilled, we worked on making the lefse which was quite a labor of love, if I don’t say so myself! I would like to think that my Scandinavian blood might encourage me to take this undertaking on more regularly than Christmas time…but I still have a lot to learn and quite a bit of perfecting to do before lefse becomes a staple in our neck of the wood.

This was the process…

The extra height from the stool helped me knead the dough.

Then we rolled it out…

Rolled it flat…

And used what I call the ‘adorable Scandinavian flipper’ to pick it up to transfer to the griddle…

The undertaking was really a two person job as the rolling and cooking needed to happen simultaneously to get our entire batch completed before naptime was up…all in effort to keep little curious hands safely away from the hot griddle.

Once B woke up, we made the spritz…

He called the dough ‘Cookie Noodles’ as it came out of the cookie press.

The best part was decorating…there were sprinkles all over the counter and floor…Ella couldn’t have been more grateful!

We divvied the lefse up amongst family and friends and are enjoying the spritz noodle cookies that B worked so diligently to decorate!

We treasure days like this!

Be blessed.

‘Bebe Jesuss’!

2011-12-15T14:14:00.001-08:00

B continues to be quite enamored by ‘Bebe Jesuss’ as he has incorporated his little nativity toy into his train layout…

While B teaches the shepherds about engines and bridges, Little A seems to enjoy tasting the nativity participants…

May these sweet moments be beginnings of a firm foundation of faith!
Be blessed!

Joy to the World?!?!

2011-12-15T06:39:00.001-08:00

I will be honest…recently there have been days when my heart has wanted to hum “Chaos in my world….da…da…da…da…” as opposed to “Joy to the World…the Lord has come!”.

This Advent season hasn’t seemed to go the way that I had planned…and instead of rolling with it and choosing to see joy and God’s hand amidst the ‘chaos’ in life, I have selfishly chosen to take on a ‘Bah-Hum-Bug’ type attitude and been guilty of making life pretty miserable for the people around me.

This week at BSF, one of my group members mentioned something that has resonated in my heart…

She described life to be like the threads of an ornate tapestry. If you look at the back side of the tapestry you see loose threads, knots…basically a big ugly mess that isn’t really recognizable…but if you turn the tapestry fabric over you discover a beautifully woven piece of art which reveals the messy purpose of the tapestry’s back.

The image of the tapestry continues to come to mind as I find myself feeling like this season of life, especially this advent season, looks like the back of a tapestry…a big ugly chaotic mess. I can’t help but wonder what the other side must be shaping up to look like…and am humbled by the reality that God’s hand is still working diligently through the mess to create something beautiful that hopefully will ultimately bring Himself glory.

Hebrews 11:1 which reads “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Right now, I feel like it’s easier to see the mess, ugliness, chaos, disappointment and fear…but true faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see”…the beauty of what is to come…which ultimately is Heavenly perfection! So on this new day…with 10 days of Advent left…I choose faith and sing “JOY TO THE WORLD!”

(Please hold my heart accountable )

Happy Thursday.

Be blessed.

Siblings…

2011-12-14T14:35:00.001-08:00

B took it upon himself to make sure little A had plenty to play with as she waited for mommy and daddy to come ‘rescue’ her from her crib this morning.

The noises coming from A’s nursery were priceless as these two giggled and giggled together!

We pray that this is simply the beginning of a sweet friendship!

Be blessed.

Leftover Containers…

2011-12-09T22:02:00.001-08:00

Such a simple joy!

Be blessed.

Guess What We’re Up To!

2011-12-09T14:17:00.001-08:00

It’s beginning to ‘smell a lot like Christmas’!

Be blessed.

Can’t Hardly Believe…

2011-12-07T09:16:00.001-08:00

We are blessed to enjoy these two little nuggets!

God is so good!

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Advent.

Be blessed.

_______________________

These are more of the photos that our friend took. If you are interested in capturing photos of your family and want to support a sweet family’s upcoming adoption please please please let me know!

Badge of Honor!

2011-12-05T20:45:00.001-08:00

C made it through his first official snow fall!

The driveway was cleared and no one slipped on the ice!

The next morning, B helped clear the remaining snow before piling into our four wheeled sleigh to head to church.

Be blessed.

Nativity Playtime

2011-12-05T20:32:00.001-08:00

What a difference a year makes!

Be blessed!

Advent Calendar

2011-12-05T20:27:00.001-08:00

B is starting to understand the meaning behind Christmas and some of the traditions we have made as a family.

Each night, just before bed, we practice counting on our advent calendar and B helps unwrap the day’s special surprise.

It really is magical watching B begin to understand the importance of this sweet Advent season.

Be blessed.

Typical Day…

2011-12-05T20:21:00.001-08:00

Lots of train time…

And lots of time exploring on the floor…

Be blessed.

Nook

2011-12-05T20:15:00.001-08:00

When we bought our house, I immediately thought B’s closet would be perfect for a fort or reading nook someday. It has a few stairs up to the attic in it and just seemed to cater to my teacher-like mindset and any little kid’s desire for a nook and cranny hide-a-way.

This weekend, we finally unpacked some boxes that had been collecting dust and came across several of B’s picture books. Discovering the books seemed to provide a great excuse to clean B’s closet out to finally create the little reading ‘nook’ I had imagined.

The nook has become a quite popular place in our neck of the wood…

Now I am mulling over the idea of adding a dutch door to the nook to give it even more of a ‘club house’ feel…am I crazy, yes! C is quite patient, and B seems to be grateful for all the silly ideas!!!!!

Happy Monday.

Be blessed.

Bedtime Stories…

2011-12-05T20:07:00.001-08:00

Under the light of the Christmas tree.

Be blessed.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

2011-12-05T20:05:00.001-08:00

This year’s Christmas tree search was our most memorable so far…probably because this little guy understood what we were looking for which made our trip to the tree lot and morning of decorating nothing short of magical!

We found this lot which benefits a ministry serving local kids.

This lot was great, most of the trees were upright in stands so you knew what you were picking out….B circled the area, running in and around the trees until we found just the right one!

Little A enjoyed the experience from the cozy comfort of her infant seat…maybe next year she’ll be running right next to her big brother!?!

After finding the ‘perfect’ tree, we got to watch it get a fresh trim…afterwards a volunteer showed B just how old our tree was by counting the rings on its trunk.

B was nothing short of giddy as he watched C load it up.

When we arrived home, B helped center the tree stand in front of the window…

Little A was sure to give her input on ‘centered-ness’ as well…

And then B used his big muscles to help C carry our tree inside.

Once the tree was upright and straight in its stand the decorating began.

B helped walk lights around the tree, and then handed them to me to place.

Before turning the lights on, we made sure the star fit snuggly on top!

Little A just sat contently on the floor as she seemed to take it all in.

After turning on the lights (with an anticipatory count to three) we worked to adorn the tree with the myriad of ornaments that we have collected over the past several years.

And then stood back to stand in ‘awe’…we even walked outside to check out the view from our street.

Having the tree up and lit makes our house feel like Christmas…such a phenomenal and sentimental feeling!

Be blessed.

She is on the Move!

2011-12-05T19:37:00.001-08:00

Our littlest nugget is crawling!

It is so fun to hear little hands and knees move along the floor as she follows everyone’s every move!

Be blessed.

Frog Shout Out…

2011-12-05T15:08:00.001-08:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7390195n#ixzz1fJ985IPH?tag=facebook

(around 2:40 in the clip)

Kermit’s proud to be green, while we (along with Bob Schieffer) are proud to be PURPLE!!!

Cheer-filled Saturday

2011-12-03T12:39:00.001-08:00

We have this playing (while it’s snowing outside)…

(image taken from amazon.com)

And our Christmas tree is up, lit and decorated!

More photos to come as we nestle our way into Christmas in our new neck of the wood.

Happy Saturday!

Be blessed.

Bay’s Babysitters

2011-12-01T11:28:00.001-08:00

B came home from school to find Ella’s little playmate, Bay, in our backyard!

Initially skeptical, B found solace from Bay up on his ‘shool’ (stool).

Ella made sure her little buddy was taken care of…

So much that it wiped both she & Bay out!

Praying for a miracle and enjoying a little puppy love!

Be blessed.

LOVE!

2011-12-01T11:22:00.001-08:00

I find myself falling more and more with these three by the day!

Happy Thursday.

Be blessed.

Guess What!?!

2011-12-01T06:39:00.001-08:00

There is a light blanket of snow outside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B told us that it fell from the sky and that “Jesus gave us the snow”.

Oh the little joys!

Be blessed.

New Header Photo

2011-11-22T18:55:00.001-08:00

This photo seems to capture our little family to a tee right now…quite chaotic…but laughing despite the chaos!

A sweet friend from Fort Worth did a fantastic job capturing our little and extended family this past weekend.

She is graciously snapping photos of families as a way to raise money for her family’s ongoing adoption costs as they are working to bring their littlest child home sometime this coming year.

If you live in Cowtown and are looking for a special and meaningful way to capture your family for the upcoming Christmas card season…and want to bless this family as they anticipate their upcoming adoption please let me know (I’d be glad to get you in touch with our friend).

Be blessed!

This Year More than Ever…

2011-11-18T08:53:00.001-08:00

Enjoy a blessed beginning to this Thanksgiving week!

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord: let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.” Psalm 95: 1-3

Be blessed.

Our Bathroom Foreman, B,…

2011-11-18T08:49:00.001-08:00

Has kept his ‘whorka’s’ on schedule with demolition and prep as the plumber comes next week…

We are so excited to have a bathroom for little ones to go potty during play time (that presupposes that little ones are potty trained!) and separate place for house guests to enjoy a little more privacy!

Check back for more photos as this project continues to take shape.

Be blessed.

Gatsby

2011-11-18T08:40:00.001-08:00

A got to take her first Gatsby ride this week…

She seemed to be quite impressed!

Be blessed.

Band-Aid ‘Magic’

2011-11-18T08:39:00.001-08:00

B has learned that band-aids make everything feel better…

Be blessed.

Just Be(ar)cause…

2011-11-15T06:45:00.001-08:00

Happy Tuesday!

Be blessed.

Beautiful Noise

2011-11-11T06:55:00.001-08:00

As I rewind back to November 11, 2006, when I got to marry my very best friend, I remember thinking that 2011 seemed that seemed so far away…

…Fast forward to today and I feel like it was just a blink of an eye when it felt like time stood still (at least for an evening) to celebrate our wedding surrounded by family and friends.

This photo was snapped after our wedding ceremony when all the guests had left to enjoy the reception celebration. The photo captures a brief moment where we were simply just the two of us together in the quiet of a BEAUTIFUL Texas November evening…before the hustle and bustle of our life together officially began.

There are moments when my heart craves this simple quiet when I didn’t hardly have a care in the world…yet I am humbly reminded that the lack of quiet/ hustle and bustle are evidence of God’s gracious gifts in our little family’s life.

When this photo was snapped, neither C or I could have comprehended the ‘noise’ that would graciously interrupt our ‘quiet’ life together (especially this past year’s noise). The noise of sweet family, friends and of course our precious B and little A. The noise of life’s joys and the noise of life’s obstacles and challenges. The noise of laughter and the noise of tears.

On 11.11.06 we couldn’t have comprehended how God, in His goodness, would weave our two lives together and take us on a ‘loud’ journey far beyond either of our expectations…we still can’t fully comprehend God’s goodness but appreciate little glimpses as we celebrate five years of our little family’s life.

We look forward to quiet moments when we can enjoy simply being together and reflect on the noise…and bask in the more consistent noisy moments where we get to enjoy God’s various blessings in our life.

I love you C… ‘You’re the best!’…thank you for walking alongside and listening to all the sweet ‘noise’ with me.

happy anniversary.

love,

Be blessed.

Baby It’s…

2011-11-10T20:36:00.001-08:00

Cold Outside!

We couldn’t be more thrilled!

Be blessed.

Potty Training

2011-11-10T20:34:00.001-08:00

We haven’t thrown in the towel with potty training…though I have wanted to on MANY occasions the past few days.

We have bumped the intensity down a notch in effort to keep our sanity.

Everyone seems to appreciate the break…though the big boy pants and potty remain quite novel in our neck of the wood.

Be blessed.

p.s. B found the purple ‘rally’ band on his own accord and placed it on his ankle…if you see him, be sure to ask him about it…he may just encourage you to stop what you’re doing to pray! oh, to have faith like a child!!!!!

Noises from the Garage

2011-11-10T20:29:00.001-08:00

One of my new favorite noises is listening to these two as the ‘work’ together in the garage. B follows C around like a little puppy…asking questions, holding tools…helping in ways that only B can help!

He wants to be just like his dad…and I couldn’t be more thrilled!

Be blessed.

Guess What...!?!?

2011-11-10T14:28:00.001-08:00

We saw snow flurries dancing in the sky today!

To celebrate we read…

(image taken from barnesandnoble.com)

…before naptime.

Now I totally understand that this book depicts more than little snow flurries…but it does make us anxious for play days in the snow!

Everyone in our neck of the wood says it will be here soon enough…we sure hope so!

Be blessed.

Ugghhhh!

2011-11-07T19:53:00.001-08:00

So it turns our that potty training is SUPER SUPER HARD!

Seriously, one of the hardest things we have attempted to date!

I even admit that teaching a classroom filled with preschoolers is easier than helping our own little guy understand the potty process!

Let me paint a picture (promise, I won’t provide a literal one)…

This morning, B woke up and sat on the potty for a bit. When I encouraged him to get up to go play, he politely declined. I assumed that was okay, I mean what kid actually wants to sit on the potty?

Less than five-or-so minutes later I noticed that he had gotten up and was looking at something on the floor…yep, he was looking at a real human specimen of his very own POOP!

When I asked him why he didn’t put it in the potty he said “It’s on the floor, I need my diaper!” (WE WERE SO CLOSE!!!!!)

I proceeded to help him clean it up (I helped because I didn’t want poop all over the family room) and then he offered to sit on the potty again…and asked if he could watch Potty Power (which we all have memorized) for the 25th time since Friday… REALLY!?!!?!

B continues to floor us by his desire to sit, we just wish this sitting on the potty would transpire into actually figuring it out!

I have done more laundry in the past 72 hours than I typically wash in one week…but deep down know that this too shall pass and praise God for a healthy little boy who has a body that even allows him to pee and poop!

Happy Monday.

Be blessed.

Could it Be?

2011-11-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

My cousin just introduced me to a new store/website...

http://shopruche.com

Now I can't say that I have ordered anything just yet...but she described it to be an inexpensive version of Anthropologie which is a store I enjoy but typically just 'window shop' in.

I can't pull off (or don't have the confidence to pull off) a lot of the Anthropologie styles...though I secretly wish I could...but just might be a touch more tempted as I am always up for a good deal!

I know I ultimately need to remember 1 Peter 3:3-4 which reads "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

As long as it doesn't consume my heart...it's fun to click and explore the good deals.

M...thanks for sharing your find.
Be blessed.

p.s potty training is SUPER HARD...thanks for the prayers!

Could It Be?

2011-11-04T20:13:00.001-07:00

That our little guy is ready to enlist in Potty Training Boot Camp?

If so, his mom and dad are ready…at least we hope we are!

We have a timer…

Lots of incentives…

I’ll be honest, the M & M’s were supposed to be incentives for B, BUT they turned into momma incentives about 4 hours in (B didn’t have one, I on the other hand almost polished them off!)

Salty pretzels to make our little guy thirsty…

Lots and lots of special juice…

Lots and lots and lots of big boy pants…

Disinfectant(s)!

And a little play room makeover sans the area rug…

We promised ourselves that we wouldn’t push it and make life miserable for B and for ourselves.

The verdict is still out on whether or not our little guy gets it…though we did have two small potty successes just before dinner…this could make for a long long long weekend, but I’ll be honest, seems to be quite a rite of passage for little ones and their parents!

Thanks for the prayers for patience, we most definitely need them!

Have a great weekend.

Be blessed.

A Little Goat’s Lesson

2011-11-03T15:12:00.001-07:00

This recent post that Ann Voskamp shared touched my heart as it is so easy to question if God really hears our prayers…our tears…etc. etc.

Ann writes:

“Faith is this unwavering trust in the heart of God in the hurt of here. Unwavering trust all the time though I don’t understand all the time. “ Ann Voskamp

Right now…the ‘here’ of life is hurting…it’s scary…it’s uncomfortable…it’s uncertain…it’s hard to even comprehend let alone understand.

Praise God for His unwavering heart in a time and place where so much seems to be wavering.

Happy Thursday.

Be blessed.

Go Tim!!!!

2011-11-03T13:49:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/frogsforthecure

Getting a glimpse of this flash mob reiterates the pride I feel in my heart for all things purple….not just for the frogs… not just for beating breast cancer…but for the battle at hand in our family’s life…WE’RE GONNA SURVIVE!

Be blessed.

A Couple Book Suggestions

2011-11-02T13:09:00.001-07:00

Thinking about the Pumpkin Patch Parable reminded me about some of my other favorite classroom Christmas books that I thought I might share (probably best for ages 3-6). Crystal Bowman is the author of these sweet rhyme books that center Christmas around Christ and His birth.

(Each image is taken from amazon.com)

Hopefully our boxes will be unpacked by Christmas so we can enjoy these books again this year.

I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do!

Be blessed.

Pumpkin Patch Parable

2011-11-02T12:58:00.001-07:00

Each fall, I looked forward to reading this book in my classroom…

(photo taken from amazon.com)

The book is a simple presentation of the Gospel.

The pages explain that our heart is like a pumpkin…before we know God, the insides of our hearts are full of sin which is icky, slimy, gooey, etc. It is God who cleans the inside of our heart out and Jesus who comes to live inside of our hearts which results in a heart change…He shines through us so others can see and experience God’s goodness.

My copy of this book is still packed away in boxes waiting to be unearthed from the move…but I tried to tell B the story as we carved a little pumpkin together…He didn’t ‘get’ the story…but hopefully over time God will help B begin to put the pieces together in his own spiritual walk.

B wasn’t too interested in touching the seeds and pulp…he smelled it and just waited for mommy to ‘keen’ the pumpkin out.

Look at the evidence of his excitement (and disregard the cartoons on in the background…we had had a tough morning in our neck of the wood)!

We decided to carve a heart out of the pumpkin to represent Jesus shinning in our hearts.

After carving, B helped put the pumpkins ’lid’ back on…

And was enthralled by the candle that flickered inside.

Afterwards, I cleaned the seeds and roasted them for old time sake (another classroom tradition). B wasn’t too interested in trying the roasted seeds…but C and I will be sure to enjoy them

A little side note: Next year I’ll splurge and buy real $2.00 carving tools…apparently kitchen knives aren’t meant to carve pumpkins, go figure.

Let your lights shine!

Be blessed.

If There is Ever Any Question…

2011-11-02T12:36:00.001-07:00

Who B resembles…

Check out this hair…

Check out this look (specifically the shoes)…

It’s true…the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree as B continues to want to be just like his Daddy!

B has big shoes to fill (literally and figuratively)…the hair…we’ll just say it’s a ‘tousled look’ that not everyone can confidently pull off!

Be blessed.

Just Sayin’…

2011-11-01T20:18:00.001-07:00

Check the clearance tags with the electronic scanners at Target…you may be surprised to learn that items are on sale for even more than you think!

Case in point…my very first pair of one star’s….$8.42!

The color of these kicks have multiple meanings these days!

Be blessed!

Resemblance?

2011-11-01T14:04:00.001-07:00

Be blessed.

Apple Sauce

2011-11-01T14:02:00.001-07:00

It’s that time of year…

B enjoyed using the ‘apple machine’ (his own dubbing) while little A watched in fascination.

Honey Crisp Apples make fantastic apple sauce…at least I think so…B tried the sweet sauce and spit it out in his typical '’I don’t care for this’ fashion…go figure, he has already asked if we can make it again, I guess it’s all about the experience.

Be blessed.

LOVE!

2011-11-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Be blessed.

Fun Night

2011-11-01T13:53:00.001-07:00

Some people enjoy halloween for the candy…we enjoyed the evening because it provided a fantastic opportunity to meet some of our new neighbors!

B took his candy collecting quite seriously, in typical B fashion, his eye brows were on the move as people would ask him who he was dressed as…C or I would typically have to say “Clifford” for him as he became quite the shy red dog.

A bit into our walk, B was thrilled to see Ms. K…one of our dearest new neighbors. He showed her his special Clifford basket (she had found it for him and hand delivered it) and even posed for a quick photo.

Afterwards, we came home…said good night to Clifford and counted B’s loot…one, two, three, four, fifteen, seventeen, eleven…yes, B ‘counted’…then we sorted it and he chose two pieces to enjoy before bed.

B woke up asking for “Kindee” for breakfast this morning…I guess we all have to learn the skill of moderation and self control at some point.

It was so fun to experience the evening through B’s eyes, he seemed to ‘get it’ this year…oh, sweet sweet memories!

Be blessed.

Thank you Gigi & Papa!

2011-11-01T13:44:00.001-07:00

What special surprises!

Be blessed.

The Howard Family

2011-11-01T13:38:00.001-07:00

We studied up…

Then got into costume.

Clifford…

Emily Elizabeth…

Mr. & Mrs. Howard…

Clifford even “Woofed” as he prepared for his big red debut!

Be blessed.

New Blog…

2011-11-01T13:31:00.001-07:00

For my Google Reader:

http://makinghome.blogspot.com/2007/11/hospitality-vs-entertaining.html

The leader of my MOPS group shared this specific post to encourage all the young moms in our group…this is a lesson that I want/need to learn as my ‘perfectionist’ personality wants our house to be immaculate.

Aiming for an immaculate house seems silly and fleeting…though I admit that often that is my goal especially as we don’t know visitors to our home very well yet and I want them to ‘like me and out house’ .

What really matters is spending time with these precious little gifts that God has provided us with…I need to remember the dust bunnies that accumulate underneath the couch and coffee table can wait!