Maggie's Moments

A true story {continued}

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 22:40:00 +0000

Remember that 'girl from WA' and 'boy from ID'? I wrote about it here >>> A True Story.

Well.......

THEY'RE ENGAGED!!!!!

On April 19th, it was our 1 year anniversary of meeting! I knew Garrett had a gift for me that was coming that day, but didn't know what. As the day progressed and I didn't receive my 'mysterious gift' in the mail or otherwise, I began to wonder what could it be?!

My family wanted to take a walk around the neighborhood to get a little fresh air and exercise. Honestly, I didn't want to go. I was feeling tired and didn't want to do much. They insisted that I come and said I would feel better after I took a walk and got some fresh air. I gave in to their request and as we started walking they said, "Hey, maybe your gift will be waiting when we get back!" This made me excited to finish the walk, in hopes I would FINALLY know what that 'mysterious gift' was!

Halfway through our walk, Kali wanted to stop by a little park on the way to take a few pictures. As we were walking down the trail, I saw someone in the bushes heading towards me with a huge smile on his face!! I ran towards my man and gave him a big hug! I couldn't believe he was here! I thought he had to work that day, but apparently not ;)

He then proceeded to get down on one knee! At that point, I knew what was coming next and couldn't believe it was finally happening! Of course, I started crying...

"I love you, Maggie. Will you marry me?!"

To which I replied...."YES!" He let out a "WOOHOO!" and threw the ring box backwards! Haha

We are so, so happy to be engaged and are looking forward to being Mr. and Mrs. Johnson!!

Btw, a late summer wedding is being planned :)

So blessed

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 04:25:00 +0000

Hello? Anyone there?! I realize I haven't been the best blogger lately. Before my own relationship, I had noticed other bloggers becoming infrequent once they met the 'the person of their dreams'. I then purposed that I would make blogging a priority once I began a serious relationship. Ha.ha.ha Obviously that hasn't been the case! It's ok though, once God brings that special person into your life it's amazing how your priorities change :) I can't promise that I will become more frequent with blogging, but I will try to update you all when I can!

With the year coming to a close, very soon might I add, I look back over the year and see how many blessings God has bestowed upon me!

The most obvious blessing would be Garrett :) It still amazes me how God has that perfect person for you and how He knows what you need, more than what you even think you need! We are so similar in so many areas, opposites definitely didn't attract in our relationship. Garrett is such a Godly, grounded man, sweet, handsome, thoughtful, caring, hard working......I could go on and on but I'll stop there ;) I am very thankful that God's timing is perfect and he gives us blessings far beyond what we even imagine!

God has also blessed me with a wonderful, dream come true, job! I am a nanny to two sweet boys, a 2 1/2 year old and a 9 month old. My 2 1/2 year old (Julian) is a live wire and busy as a bee! He is super silly, loves to be tickled, and keeps me on my toes :) I've been caring for him for over a year and it has been fun to see him grow. My little man (Jonathan) is such a sweet baby. His big smile and gut laughter keeps us smiling throughout the day. Our little sunshine! I started watching him in September, of this year, and it's been fun to see him change. He's been sitting up, army crawling (almost full on crawling), and lifting himself up on things! These boys are my joy and I'm so thankful to have a job that I love!

Josh and Liz were able to visit this year, in October! It was soooo nice to be able to see my big brother and his wife, after over a year. I am so blessed to have a wonderful sis-in-law! They are doing well, in charge of the middle school group and Josh was just voted in as a deacon in their church! God has been blessing them and it's been neat to watch. While they were here we were able to get family pictures taken, by my talented Uncle. We were so pleased with how well they turned out!

I could go on and on with how God has blessed in my life, this year! It sure hasn't been all peaches and cream but I'm thankful that God works his perfect will in each situation. His ways are always best! I am looking forward to see what's in store for 2014 and another year to serve my Lord!

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. -Psalms 68:19-

On long distance relationships

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 02:58:00 +0000

Long distance. You never know how truly hard or rewarding it is, until you are actually put into the situation.The tearful goodbyes and those joyful hello's.

Garrett and I are coming upon our 6 month anniversary of our relationship, next week. Wow, how time flies! It's amazing how much can change in your life, in just 6 short months. I have been mulling around a post in my head about long distance relationships. Honestly, I didn't know much about long distance relationship's besides knowing people who have been in one. I hope this will help some couples who are either in a long distance relationship or single adults who might be in one, in the future. I am certainly not an expert, but thought I would share a few things that we have found to be very helpful.

~Skype dates: This is something that has been a lifeline for our relationship. Nothing is worse than longing to see the other person but knowing you are miles away. If you set aside a night (or a couple nights) in the week to just sit and Skype with each other, this makes a world of a difference. Seeing each other, face to face is so, so nice! We have even watched movies together or played games, like Sudoku! Things like that can mix it up a little and make it lots of fun!

~Day date to somewhere in the middle: This one would only work if you are about a state away. Luckily, Garrett and I are 457 miles apart and it was able to work for us. We met in the Tri-cities area and went to coffee, garage sales, shopping, more sudoku, and a picnic lunch. This is a nice way to mix it up a little! The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that it made for a really long day. It was 3-4 hours driving each way for both of us, plus one day together is just not enough! ;)

~Communicate, communicate, communicate: This is the key to any relationship that lasts. Especially for the long distance couples, communication is all you have right now so you better learn how to communicate well with one another! Which is great practice for marriage. Long distance is usually harder on the woman's end, so it's important to relay to your man what is really important to you. For example: I really enjoy getting a "Good morning" text from Garrett and I've told him how much I enjoy it. Ever since I relayed that to him, he has made a point to text me in the morning. It's little things like that, that make you feel special and connected to the other individual.

~Packages, letters, texts, etc..... : Sometimes, the best thing ever is getting a random text in the day from Garrett, telling me how much I mean to him. You seriously can't put a price on that! Packages/letters in the mail are a way to get back to the 'old fashioned' way of doing things and makes the other person feel so special! Garrett sent me flowers on a particularly hard day for me, it made me feel so great that I was on his mind. One time, I sent him pizza to his work and man, oh, man! He absolutely LOVED it! I knew he would love it but I literally had no idea how much! Ladies, send pizza to your man. You know what they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach :)

~Talk about plans for the next visit: When you miss the other person so much, it can help to plan out the next time you will see one another. Each time we get together we usually have a goal of when we will be together again. It helps to keep things in perspective and know that it won't be forever.

There are just a few things that we have learned along the way and I'm sure we will learn so much more over the next 6 months!

The past month and a half.

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 02:26:00 +0000

Despite the silence on my blog for a while, I really have been busy with so many things! Along with summer comes all the busyness of life and enjoying those many days of sunshine. Here is a little update of what I've been up to...

Kali and I were able to take our girls to Junior Camp in July. It was a fun time getting to know our girls better and many decisions were made for Christ! Including one girl accepting Christ!

We took a 2 night camping trip with another family in August. It was a good time of fellowship and nice to get away in the mountains for a little while.

While Kali and I were at camp, we realized how important it is to be involved in our girls' lives outside of church. So, we are doing a once a month fellowship for a time of devotions, games, and a place where they can share their burdens. This picture was our first ever meeting. I'm looking forward to what God will do in their lives through this new ministry.

In August, I was able to head down to Idaho for a week to visit Garrett! A sweet couple let me stay at their house for the week and it was a huge blessing. It was such a great time meeting new friends and of course spending time with my man :) They had a pastor's conference and a college/career camp that we were able to attend while I was there. It sure kept us busy but it was a good time!

A true story.

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 03:33:00 +0000

There once was a girl from Washington.

And a boy from Idaho.

They had never met before, but little did they know God would allow them to meet in a great way.

One day, this girl and her sister took a trip to Idaho to visit a cousin and catch up with some friends.

The sisters went to their friends church one Wednesday evening, on a lovely April day. This boy from Idaho and girl from Washington caught a glimpse of each other that evening, but didn't meet.

A few days went by and the sisters were at a friends house for a game night, the boy was there too. They were officially introduced and both came to realize how they really enjoyed the other's company. Through the next few days, they were able to spend time together, with others. They sat back watching and observing each other, but found how much they had in common.

All too soon, it was time to say goodbye to Idaho. The girl went back to Washington not knowing if there would be anything evolving with this handsome boy. Still. she knew God would work everything out and that His ways were best.

A few days after returning home, the boy contacted the girls' father and asked to 'get to know her.' The father and daughter both prayed and asked God for His will. Upon receiving peace, the boy and girl started corresponding via texts and many multiple hour phone calls.

A month later, it was now time for the boy to officially meet the parents! The boy from Idaho came to meet the parents and get the official stamp of approval. The approval was met and the boy and girl realized how much fun they have together. Their zeal for serving Christ and silly sense of humor brought them together even more over the next month.

Then one day, the boy knew it was time to make it 'official'. After receiving the blessing and approval of the girls' father, they began a wonderful new chapter in their lives. Courtship.

That's right, my friends! I am courting a wonderful, Godly man and we are excited to see how God will continue to work in our relationship :)

Bit by the crafting bug

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:47:00 +0000

Have you ever had an urge {a stinging sensation in your hands, really} to craft?!

Yes?

No?

Can I get an amen?

Maybe you get it too, or maybe I'm just weird like that.

Anyways, I was bit by a crafting bug this past month. I had received the urge to get the hot glue gun, handle some scissors, shop at thrift stores, and do some painting.

I.must.craft.

Here are the products of my crafting bite.

{Spring/Summer Bird Wreath}

{Old thrift store vases spray painted to look more modern}

{Using the 'new vases' to redecorate the mantel}

Warning: The crafting bug is a serious bite and can be contracted via internet. If bit, you will need to be treated right away with some fabric, paint, and probably a glue gun or two. Consider yourself warned...

Guest Post

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:43:00 +0000

Hey all! Here we are, in June already! Last month was filled with fun, crafting, and new beginnings. June has already started out wonderful with the promise of a busy, yet fun-filled month. God's blessing in my life are so abundant and He truly amazes me. I will try to do a little catch up soon :)

Today, is a special treat! I have Mrs. G {a long time family friend and basically a second mom to me} doing a guest post! She has a gift for words and as you will read, is great comparing everyday things to God working in our lives.

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Late spring is the time to prune and fertilize rhododendrons around my area. It is a chore I often put off, because if not done correctly and exactly the right time, there will be no flowers the following year. Consequently, most of my rhodies are overgrown. In fact, the area underneath the giant shrubs is very grotto-like and mysterious. The cats often sit quietly there, peering out at unsuspecting tweety birds that might venture near. Because no light penetrates the canopy, not even weeds grow—a small side benefit. I decided this was the year I would get my rhodies under control. They have grown too large for their beds, too near the house, and the siding is suffering.

I sharpened up the pruners, donned leather gloves and surveyed the target plant. I almost lost heart and purpose as I noticed how beautiful and shiny green the leaves were. Its’ perfect symmetry almost dissuaded me from the task. However I was spurred on by the memory that this plant, always the first to bloom during the very earliest part of spring, had produced no flowers this year—always a sign that pruning is needed. Hardly knowing where to begin, I just grabbed nearest branch and started cutting and cutting…what I found was very disheartening. Underneath the lovely canopy of green was: nothing! Just an intricate skeletal system of branches, supporting leaves at the exterior ten percent of the plant. This was not a healthy shrub! It should have had layers of leaves. Because of my years of neglect, it was necessary to cut this lovely, favorite shrub back 30 percent, only saving enough leaves to continue photosynthesis so the plant could survive.

A favorite devotional book of mine is “Secrets of the Vine,” by Bruce Wilkinson. He masterfully describes how God (the vine) manages his branches (us,) how he prunes and tends us like the loving vine-dresser he is, so we are able and fit to produce fruit, or good works for him. I always thought the pruning was punishment, but through scripture have learned that it’s the “good” growth which must be correctly pruned and trained. Chastisement has a much different look. As I was pruning off the plants green growth, it appeared pretty and healthy, but not fruitful. It’s true condition? The leaves were just show, while the true fruit, flowers, had not emerged this year. Further examination exposed evidence of storm damage, most likely from the two extremely harsh winters we experienced a couple of years ago. There were quite a few dead and non-producing branches. Are we like that? Is our outside 10 percent looking pretty good, while the inside of us has life and sin-damaged branches that are not producing anything of value? Is the new growth being stunted?

Obviously we are not plants that can prune ourselves. We would not know what to cut and when. This must be left up to the Master Gardener. I am sure if the rhodie had feelings it would complain and maybe even cry about my seeming callousness. Our response should be to accept His knowledgeable husbandry. A natural characteristic of rhododendrons is the shedding of dead and diseased leaves. Our responsibility is to shed off the sinful things in our life in a daily regeneration through prayerful confession and determination to grow His way. This makes us clean and healthy for the gardener who loves us for eternity, but who also wants us to bear precious fruit for him while we sojourn in his beautiful garden.

I am looking at my sad, denuded rhodie. Most of it now sits on the burn pile, but it will not die; it is not forgotten. I stirred up the dirt beneath, gave it a good dose of fertilizer and settled on a nice blanket of mulch. By pruning it I probably saved its life. It is a favorite, and I did what was best for it to continue to produce gorgeous flowers. I hope I am growing enough that the Gardener needs to prune me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How true is this. If it were up to us, we probably wouldn't do any pruning in our lives. It hurts, it's sometimes scary, but always necessary. I am so thankful that even though pruning hurts, God uses it to make us into the person He wants us to be.

Idaho Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 01 May 2013 05:10:00 +0000

Well, here it is. We made a slide show with some pictures and also video's of our Idaho trip! We did fail to take pictures with the friends we were visiting (although we DID get our cousin), our awesome game night, and the great church we were able to attend. Boo. Yet, we did get some great shots from star-gazing in the park, the super-fantastic candy store, and other random things :)

Enjoy!

Rejoicing in the impossible

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:37:00 +0000

First off, Kali and I had a wonderful time in Idaho!! I don't think I've laughed so hard, in a long time. BUT more on our trip later...

The same day Kali and I drove back from Idaho, we had the Lord answer one of those 'seemingly' impossible situations.

You know, it's that moment where you are so amazed at the Lord's goodness but so surprised at the same time that God made what seemed impossible, the possible. It really shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did, since I serve an already AMAZING God, but it did.

"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27

In my mind, this seemed like one of those 'impossible' situations, but God saw it as possible. Honestly, at this point I had accepted this situation as something God wanted in my life, it was hard, but I had finally accepted it as His infinite plan for my life.

It was so cool the way the Lord worked it out too. Just the night before we had been talking with a friend and the friend was encouraging us in this exact, same situation.

As I was thinking about it, I am truly thankful God waited so long to make this 'impossible' possible. Maybe if He solved it sooner, I wouldn't have learned and grown so much in the Lord, through this trial. Another amazing reminder that my ways are not the ways of my wonderful Saviour.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." Isaiah 55:8

Here's the clincher, even if God didn't solve this situation in the wonderful and miraculous way that He did, He still is amazing. God knows exactly what we need in our lives and what He needs to put us through to make us stronger in the Lord. Even though that 'refining' might hurt and not be the most pleasant thing to go through, God has a purpose and His way is always best!

So, if you have some situation in your life that is seemingly 'impossible' just remember that God solves the 'impossible' every day. It might not be in your timeline of how things should go, but God has a greater and far superior timeline that makes it that much sweeter when He does solve it!

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20

My brain is spinning

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:03:00 +0000

You know that feeling, right before you leave on a vacation, your brain is spinning/swirling around trying to remember anything you need, might possibly need, or things you probably won't need but pack it anyways.

That's exactly how I'm feeling right now. Kali and I are taking a sister road trip to Idaho and we are leaving early in the morning. Exciting? Yes. Racking my brain to remember every little item I might need? Yes.

Of course, I am leaving Julian here, and I must confess that I will miss my little man. Almost a whole week without seeing him, or the kids Kali watches will be definitely weird. I really love those kids. Although, this is a much needed vacation and I am SO looking forward to it!

Prayer Request Update: Ruby {the baby I mentioned in my last post} has been diagnosed with infant botulism. She is still in the Seattle Children's hospital, and will continue to be there for several weeks for recovery. Slowly but surely she is showing signs of improvement. Thank you all for the prayers and I ask you continue to pray for her! God has truly blessed them with a great hospital to care for her every need.

A few things

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 23:37:00 +0000

As I sit here typing, the wind is blowing and the skies are gray. Not exactly a 'cheery' April day as I was hoping. Last weekend, the ladies from our church went to the west side of the state for a ladies conference. It was raining almost the entire time we were there, and ever since we got back to the east side it's been gloomy and gray. I guess we must have brought it back with us.

Even though I grew up on the coast, I confess that I enjoy the warmth and cheerfulness of the bright, sunny days, more than the comforting feeling of home that rain brings me. All that being said, I'm crossing my fingers the weather gets better soon!

As I mentioned, the ladies of our church went to a ladies conference last weekend. As always, it was tons of fun to spend time with the ladies and meeting fellow Christians.

The theme was 'somewhere in time' and they try to get the ladies to dress up according to the theme. All of our ladies dressed up and it was so fun to see the different decades around the room.

Out of over 200 ladies present, I was drawn for one of three door prizes! That was great, especially since it was a basket of ice cream sundae fixings :)

We did our yearly 'spend a full day shopping on Saturday', since we were close to lots of shopping. It's always fun shopping with friends!

We are in the middle of our Mission's Conference this week with Bro. Jayne from Long Beach, WA. It has been a blessing to have him and his wife with us this week and the messages God has given him have been great!

On a little side note..I have a prayer request regarding this sweet baby (she is the one I'm holding in the picture above)

Ruby is about 7 months old and she has been in the hospital for about 2 days now, she flew to the hospital in Seattle for further care today. She has been very lethargic, weak, and not wanting to eat anything. It came upon her very suddenly and of course it has her parents and our whole church concerned about her. Please pray for God's healing hand and that the doctor's would have wisdom on what exactly is going on in her little body. Thankfully, we have an awesome God, Who has everything under His control!

A cousin's visit

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

We don't get too see our {quite large} extended family very often, but when we do it's always lots of fun! Our cousin, Selma, had her spring break in March and was able to spend most of it with us. Kali and I made a mini-road trip out of it to pick her up in OR. We left on a Friday night and came back Saturday, which makes for a very long weekend {about 7 hours each way}.

Of course, we were able to get together {and have a very short visit} with some of our family that lives in Oregon too! It's always great to see them!

As always, it was so fun to have Selma around for several days!

Memo Frame

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

After receiving some inspiration from Shanty 2 Chic, I set about making my own DIY memo frame.

I found a thrift store frame and painted it white. Then, used twine to criss-cross across the back, keeping it there with a staple gun. Finally, I made some fabric flowers to go on the corners and as easy as that you have a DIY memo frame. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!

Right now, I just have a few pictures on it, but you can add notes or anything else you want. We had a wall in our kitchen that was just begging for something to be on it, so that's where mine went!

I'm baaaack!

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:12:00 +0000

After almost 3 weeks, I come back to my little corner of the internet. It was an impromptu 'blogging break' but it's nice to have a break every once in a while.

First off, Happy April!! I cannot believe it's April already, because we just started March, didn't we?! Although, I can't complain about the wonderful, sun-shiny weather we have been enjoying. Plus, April is already promising to be a busy and fun-filled month!

We had a great Resurrection Sunday, celebrating the fact that Jesus Christ conquered death and rose from the dead! I am so thankful the gospel message doesn't end at the cross.

{Over the past two Sunday's, THREE of my junior church kids have made a profession of faith! SO exciting and blessed to be used of the Lord in their lives.}

I made these cute and yummy cupcakes for my junior church kids to enjoy!

April fools day was filled with fun pranks and laughter. I really haven't done too much in years past, but this year I was in the pranking mood. :) When someone opened the fridge for something they saw these little eyes looking back...

Some other pranks included tissue paper stuffed in the toe of shoes, plastic wrap on a shampoo bottle, safety pins holding together clothing {so when you pull one out, several more come out too}...

Kali decided she would fight back and put salt on my toothbrush, luckily I caught it before it went in my mouth.

Kali and I were laughing about it, but Braxton reprimanded Kali saying, "Salt doesn't go on toothbrushes, it goes on food!!" Silly boy.

I did see a prank online that you put chicken bullion in the shower head, so when you turn in on it rains chicken broth. I decided that might not be appreciated too much :)

Tasty Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 01:33:00 +0000

Ok, Ok. I know what your thinking.

"She's writing a blog post about toast?!"

YES.I.AM

BUT, it's not your typical pop in the toaster and slab a little butter on it, toast.

A different and yummy variation to the classic breakfast food.

First, we have coconut toast. We have had this in our family for years and it's so yummy!

6 slices of bread

1/2 c. flaked coconut

1/3 c. sugar

1 stick butter, melted

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Combine coconut, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Spread evenly on bread, place on cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Next, we have cinnamon toast. This makes me believe I have been making cinnamon toast wrong all my life. Plus, the 'Pioneer Woman' came up with this recipe, so you know it's yummy.

8 slices of bread

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

dash of nutmeg {optional}

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, if using. Spread evenly over the slices of bread. Place the slices of bread on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Then, turn the broiler on 'low' and broil until it's bubbly.

And that's it! Two yummy toast recipes that are fast and easy to make.

Oh, did I mention they are low-calorie and fat-free?

No?

Ok good, because they aren't.

::Hello Monday::

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 02:04:00 +0000

::Hello green breakfast smoothie::

::Hello sleepy Julian::

::Hello lovely shower curtain. {The shower door was taken down and replaced with a curtain}::

::Hello cute dragon::

::Hello secret prayer sister. Thanks for these, they definitely hit the spot::

::Hello quiet time with my Father::

::Hello comfy maxi skirt. It feels like I'm in my pj's all day, but socially acceptable::

::Hello lovely blue skies, makes it nice for a evening run/walk::

::Hello pandora, thanks for the fun music while cleaning::

How did we get so blessed?

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:14:00 +0000

I was looking through all the pictures and videos in my phone yesterday. I couldn't help but laugh and smile. Quite a few of my pictures and videos consist of the kids.

{I'm not sure if I have ever explained it for those who might not know me personally. Kali (sister) is the nanny to Braxton and Lizzie. I am the nanny for Julian. They all come to our house during the work week.}

So, I was looking through all these pictures and videos, laughing and smiling at all the silliness of the kids. Also, its so neat to see the progression of their lives from even the past couple months.

Here are our kids... and a few fun things about them :)

Braxton

{3 years old, next friday}

--The oldest child in the house and certainly acts like it

--Been 'a part of our family' for a little over two years

--Loves, loves, loves anything monster truck or sports related

Silly stories:

--When we were teaching him the concept 'God made everything', we would point to things and say 'God made that' and ask him in return 'Who made that?' Later, he went home and his neighbor was mowing the lawn, Braxton proceeded to yell at the man mowing {across the street}, "GOD MADE THAT!!" He said this loudy over and over again trying to get his attention. Silly boy.

--Today, as the little ones were napping, he went with Kali and I to workout downstairs. He was trying to do the exercises with us, laying on the ground trying to do bicycle crunches. All of sudden, he let's out this big 'whew!', gets up, and goes to sit on the couch. I guess it was a little too much for him!

Julian

{2 years old, next friday}

--Yep, you read that right, Braxton and Julian are exactly one year apart. Pretty funny.

--I have been caring for him almost 6 months already. When he first started coming he was barely talking, now he is spouting off words left and right. He is always ready to babble off some kind of story. Although, he will not say Maggie for whatever reason. I guess he will say my name in his good time. Stinker.

--He's also our little laughing boy. He loves to laugh and when he does, it's very contagious! He enjoys tickling and being tickled.

Silly stories:

--When he falls down {in the snow, for example} he will just lay there for a while, like a bug stuck on his back. He stays still and doesn't even cry out for help or anything. So, so funny.

--I'm pretty sure he has this cell phone radar attached to his brain. We usually set our phones on top of the piano and one day I found that he had climbed up on the piano in order to reach the phone. One of those moments that you need to punish the child, but laugh behind a corner.

Lizzie

{2 years old, in May}

--Kali has been caring for Lizzie for about a year and a half.

--She's our little princess. Totally different from the boys. A snuggle bug and very sweet.

--She was a little baby when she started coming, so it's been so fun to watch her progress into a toddler. As she was getting bigger, she basically skipped crawling and went straight to walking. Anytime I would try to get her to crawl, she wouldn't have any of it!

Silly stories:

--We found a kids song on pinterest that is sung to the words of a book. The kids absolutely loove it, it's called the 'pout pout fish song'. Whenever we refer to it during the day Lizzie then says, 'waaaatch it' in her little girl voice, without fail.

--I went to check on her during her nap time last week, and I found her standing there without pants AND without a diaper! In the midst of quietly laughing to myself, I asked her where they were and she just closed her eyes and looked down. She had tossed her diaper over the play pen. Haha, I guess she was saying she is done with that!

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All this to say, we are so, SO blessed to have these sweet children in our lives. I absolutely love being a nanny and am so thankful God saw fit to bless our lives with these precious kids. They always keep us laughing. Kali and I get good practice in being Mom's and our parents are enjoying taking on the Grandparents role. :)

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."

~Psalms 127:3~

Moldy Cheese or Caramel Corn?

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:37:00 +0000

Have you ever had these?

There are several types of jelly beans but two kinds of each color. You can pick your color but as you place it into your mouth you don't know what you are about to eat.

Here are your options:

Skunk Spray or Licorice

Rotten Egg or Buttered Popcorn

Canned Dog Food or Chocolate Pudding

Booger or Juicy Pear

Baby Wipes or Coconut

Pencil Shavings or Top Banana

Toothpaste or Berry Blue

Barf or Peach

Moldy Cheese or Caramel Corn

Centipede or Strawberry Jam

Disgusting right?!

This was very comical with the kids but some even kept coming back for more! Of course, several adults from church {myself included} tried some and I can tell you that the risk is not worth it!

These jelly beans also doubled as my object lesson for the kids. How our 'yummy or good words' can leave a good taste in someone's mouth, but those 'yucky or not nice words' leave a very gross taste in someone's mouth. The thing about those bad words too is that just like the gross jelly beans, the taste usually stays longer in your mouth than the yummy ones.

Just thought I share a little humor from my weekend!

Happy Tuesday!

On birthdays and celebrations

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:43:00 +0000

Last month, we celebrated this handsome man's 24th birthday! {also, known as my big brother}

Then, today is Kali's 26th birthday!

I feel like we are all getting so old! I mean not old, old but we are definitely not kids anymore. Kali's now 26, Josh 24, and I'm going to be 22 fairly soon. Craziness how time flies.

In other news, my grandpa is celebrating 2 years with Christ today! We miss him so much, but are SO thankful that we know exactly where he is!

Happy March!

Butterfinger Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 01:19:00 +0000

This recipe is a happy merriment of peanut butter cookies and butterfinger candy bars.

Oh, so delicious.

Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Can't ask for a better cookie!

Peanut Butter Butterfinger Cookies - Makes 3 dozen

{Recipe adapted from: Six Sisters' Stuff}

1/2 c butter, softened

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

8 'fun size' butterfinger candy bars, crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking soda, and powder. Beat until combined, then add in egg and vanilla. Add in flour, then fold in the butterfingers to the mixture. Place by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes. Enjoy!

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I made these for my kids in Junior Church, but of course there was quality control by the family. :) I asked Dad how he liked them, his eyes got big and said "Delicious!"

These definitely 'climbed the charts' to one of our favorite cookies. Hope you enjoy them!

Rays of Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:09:00 +0000

A couple of days this week the sun has popped out of the clouds, making its grand entrance. It has been wonderful!

The kids are loving being outside! Yay, for the snow melting and kids getting outside to run, yell, scream, and get their hands dirty!

All of this sunshine has given me spring fever! I am SO ready for the weather to warm up. Long days spent outside, picnics on the green grass, popsicles, and pool time for the kids is sounding soo good!

Hurry up, Spring!

Setting a Goal

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 02:37:00 +0000

I am very much a goal-oriented person.

Oh, and I am a list-lover too. The joy of crossing 'to do' things off of my list is very gratifying for me.

Maybe I'm weird or maybe your weird and I'm normal.

Maybe

That being said, I set a new goal for myself yesterday.

That's right, read the New Testament in 60 days. This goal is short enough but something I feel I can easily grasp. Plus, what better goal is there than to take more time reading God's Word?!

The reason I chose this route was to make it more manageable on a day to day basis. Also, that way I don't feel extremely overwhelmed by how much I need to read, that I can actually get something out of what I'm reading.

Oh, do you see that I get to check off that little box after I've finished my reading for the day? That makes this list-lover very happy.

If you would like to join me in this goal, here is the link to print off the plan I have.

>> Read the New Testament in 60 days

Valentine Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000

I try to make {or do} something special for my wonderful family on Valentine's Day. This year it was all about delicious homemade goodies.

It was my very, first time making homemade bagels and they were delicious! These blueberry heart-shaped bagels were happily consumed for breakfast!

We have been working out and trying to eat better so I opted for a healthier dinner and dessert this time.

Baked salmon, quinoa, and roasted green beans were on the menu!

You may be wondering, "Wait, what in the world is quinoa?!" {Pronounced KEEN-wah} Quinoa is a healthier version of rice, basically. It has a good source of protein, fiber, magnesium, and even iron. Not too popular yet, but I was able to find it a Walmart. So, if your wanting to give it a try hopefully you can easily find it too!

Then, we finished off the evening with some yummy chocolate covered strawberries!

I hope everyone had a love-filled Valentine's Day!

A merry heart

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:35:00 +0000

I read this verse in my time with God yesterday, and it really popped out to me.

'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine'... this verse is so, SO true.

How many times do you see Christians walking around with their frowny face on, complaining about all the trials of life they are facing?

No wonder people don't want to be like us, Christians aren't responding any differently to those trials that they are facing either! So, what's the difference?

Today, I want to challenge you to have 'a merry heart'.

Don't let those trials you are going through get you down.

Don't let the day that doesn't seem to go 'right' get you in a grumpy attitude.

Don't let the zit that randomly popped up on your face right before school/family pictures get you frustrated.

Don't let that person who said something harsh get to you.

Don't let the baby who wants to be held all day {the exact day you have 1,000 things to do} get you irritated.

Don't let your joy and love for Christ turn into a broken spirit.

Don't let it.

Choose to laugh or smile {instead of getting upset} at all those things that don't seem to be going our way.

Sometimes all you need to do is take a step back and look at the situation with fresh eyes. It's really amazing at what you can laugh at instead of getting upset over.

A merry heart is like a medicine. So whether your having a bad day or someone else is, choose to administer that medicine and turn that broken spirit into a merry heart!

Valentines Banquet

noreply@blogger.com (Maggie) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:15:00 +0000

Our Valentines Banquet was a hit and went off without any problems on Friday! Not only did the couples have a great time but so did the workers!

Skit crew! It turned out awesome! {If you didn't watch the skit we performed, check out my last post!}

As I mentioned in my previous post, Kali and I were in charge of the decorations {with the help of some others to help get it all up}! It was great to see the place transform into a love oasis! ;)