Thomas, born in France on May 6th weighing 8.27lbs — We love you already!

]]> http://simplysplendidliving.com/congratulations-3/feed 0 http://simplysplendidliving.com/congratulations-3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimplySplendidLiving/~3/tdIPVVwMQZQ/sea http://simplysplendidliving.com/sea#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:46:08 +0000 Linda http://simplysplendidliving.com/?p=4326 I haven’t been on my computer very often the last few weeks (maybe months) – my phone is a different story – so I’m finally getting around to posting these.

We like going to this beautiful spot overlooking the ocean, there’s also a quaint park close by.

That orange sweater Preston’s wearing is gone. He kept wearing it and wearing it so I took action. It might of taken Steve a few months or a year before he started to see an orange pattern. : )

First I hid it high in his closet while we was sleeping…but the very next morning when I came downstairs there he was sitting on the couch wearing it! I still don’t know how he managed that one.

I figured a more drastic approach was needed or he’d keep finding it so…

 

 Bye-bye orange sweater, it was getting too hot for you anyways.

We had a fun celebration for him with a few of his friends which was low key and relaxing — a pleasant surprise.

So far Preston’s personality has been very easy going, though he does have a determined side when he’s set on something he wants, whether that’s food (he has a sweet tooth!) or staying with dad and mom instead of going with his group at church, and not much will change his mind. It makes for an interesting contrast from his usual jolly self.

When he gets in those moods I wanna tell him ‘it’s not part of your laid back personality to do that!’, but that would just be silly since apparently it is.

And then with the other boys I expect, or at least am not surprised, by their more “intense” reactions to a host of things. Gotta love all the different personality types under one roof.

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You Are As Valuable As the Orphan by Amber C. Haines. “We’ve had to remind ourselves again and again that salvation doesn’t come when we work more. Sometimes it comes when we stop and lay down the work, not in sloth, but more like in the work of turning back a cup and drinking.”

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What Shames Us by Tim Challies.

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Tips for Decluttering Your Kid’s Bedroom by Melissa from The Inspired Room.

Even though I’m not able to pull off all her tips exactly I still liked the general concept of “zones” for kids and it helping with organization/cutting down on messes. I’ve already started getting rid of things we don’t really use enough, now I need to put some toys and books out of sight too.

I keep up better with cleaning and organizing by having less stuff around me – big surprise there – but the hard part is consistently keeping things to the essentials and/or things we love without letting all the other stuff make its way into the house (first-world problems I know).  

Are you gonna spring clean or how’s it coming along if you already started?

We just got this Bible last week and it’s SO nice, it’s like a giant comic book fully in color. My boys love it!

I got our copy here but I’m sure you can buy it from other online stores too.

My struggles are so small and petty I know, nothing very dramatic or terrible; jam & bread crumbs here, sibling fights there, kids disrespect & ungratefulness, wanting those same kids to thrive in learning, dirt trails throughout the house, more laundry, more messes, paint peeling off walls, lack of quiet, money to save for a bajillion different things, bla bla bla. Mediocre pettiness to be sure. It still wears me out and drives me nuts on an hourly basis.

I’m thankful for this life. I don’t want to waste it or not see it for the gift it is.

Just how exactly do you live a beautiful life when you know these things breaking and dirty around you also mirror your own brokenness? You know when kids are grown and a cleaner house is yours there will be other things breaking still, because isn’t that life?

I think my idea of a “beautiful life’” has been wrong or at least lacking in its definition, in the totality of what that type of life looks like.

Ultimately, it’s not the state of our house or family, our goodness, our accomplishments, is it?

I believe a beautiful life is one that’s been redeemed. One who cherishes the price paid and lives and acts in such a way which honors and glorifies that redemption. Not out of guilt or condemnation, but from the knowledge and recognition of their freedom.

Christs’ life and purpose was to love and redeem us so we wouldn’t have to live and die in bondage to our own fallen state. Whom better to look to than Christ and how He lived.

His agape love was extraordinary, it was all about binding up our brokenness and setting us free.

We can live extraordinarily beautiful lives regardless of our physical limitations, circumstances, the nature of our problems or issues.

We’ve been set free and any crappiness we face here and now is just a reminder of why we needed to be freed in the first place.

Brokenness. Redemption. Holy. That’s a beautiful life.

Isaiah 61

Enjoying…lots of outside play, making tents around trees, drinking fruit smoothies, not having to get up at 6am during Spring Break, and looking forward to Easter.

Reading…about famous characters, especially when we need a lesson in perseverance.

Attempting…to get organized before munchkin #4 is added to our “spirited” tribe.

Waiting…patiently for baby sister’s arrival, just about 13 weeks to go, so excited!!

Trying...to find the bright side on cloudy days — and I do mean figuratively.

Dreading…dear friends moving away but hope they’ll be in our future, and frequently.

Being intentional…about making these last months before Wesley begins attending school count quality time–wise.

Learning…to apologize to the kids when I’ve let my emotions get the better of me.

So blessed...to get to share life with these precious sweeties.

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Hope you’re currently enjoying your little ones!

I found something about each of these posts/articles I could relate to or that perked me up.

Enjoy!

Knitting Us Well Together by Sarah Markley.

The Day I Let My Children Eat Cheese Off the Floor by Sarah Mae.

I Want To Be Awesome At Humility from Hayley at The Tiny Twig.

I Wish I Had Known by Sally Clarkson.

There’s No Such Thing As Perfect Hospitality Or Perfect People by Lisa-Jo Baker.

Balls On The Floor Kelle Hampton from Enjoying The Small Things.

]]> http://simplysplendidliving.com/link-love-3/feed 3 http://simplysplendidliving.com/link-love-3 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SimplySplendidLiving/~3/IiW7AZONNzg/costco-shopping-kids http://simplysplendidliving.com/costco-shopping-kids#comments Sun, 17 Mar 2013 01:26:53 +0000 Linda http://simplysplendidliving.com/?p=4256 So before going to Costco with 6 & 3 yr. old I try to “pop” into 3 other stores. First store was truly popping in, of the Redbox sort, the second 2 stores I lost my resolve to remain single-minded and proceeded to browse.

By the time we’re driving to Costco 6 yr. old is complaining how I didn’t stick to my list (busted! how did he know that!?) and 3 yr. old is crying to go home. But I have to go to Costco because that’s really why we went out in the first place isn’t it.

Of course they’re whinnying for samples once we get there and I don’t have all day to wait for them, I wanna keep crazy train movin’, but Wesley is going downhill fast so I try yet again to wait.

Sample person is taking her sweet time ever. so. slowly. sanitizing all 2 or 3 feet of surface space as if butchering of raw meat was going on, but no, it was yogurt in little containers threatening the area with healthy bacteria. While spraying and wiping and wiping some more she remarks about Wesley (who at this point is spazzing out a bit) “he’s got a bad temper doesn’t he?”. I informed her he’s hyperglycemic (he actually has ‘reactive hyperglycemia’) and decide I didn’t need to stick around for more small talk. No yogurt for us. boo hoo. choo choo. chug a chug.

The Sun Chips variety box almost did the trick, other than Preston picking the flavor Wesley wants and him refusing to eat his bag because he doesn’t want to be matching with him but doesn’t want another flavor so I try to ‘quietly yell’ that he had better eat those chips (the ones we hadn’t paid for just yet). Good times.

We ended the outing with some highly nutritious food right there and as I was half seated, mid-air to be exact, Preston’s soda with a lid somehow spills. A sticky splash on my sandal-clad-toesies. Didn’t even faze me. I’ve somewhat evolved in my crazy train conductor skills.

On an even happier note this thoughtful couple–albeit unlucky people since they were seated next to us–held their empty pizza box so I could gracefully push my humongous dripping wet napkin wad into their box. Hallelujah! Then Preston wanted a refill.

Moral of the story:

- Don’t assume a kid’s got a bad temper just ’cause he’s spazzing out

- It’s save to assume mama’s the one with a temper  ; )    

- Nice people stand out in this day and age, they really do

 –That’s the true moral of this story–

Brave Girl. I want to be brave.

Maybe Your Two-Year Old Just Needs You. This was a good reminder for me with all my kiddos.

Have a fabulous week!