Angel

Valentines 2012

2012-02-15T21:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a little quick post about our Valentines Day. Mostly just pictures because I want to remember what this day was like in the year 2012. Just for the record, it was super sweet and I so enjoyed it.

I made the kids some little gift bags and had them on the table when they got up for breakfast. It wasn't much, but they were so excited. You would have thought I'd given them a ticket to Disney world or something.

Aren't they adorable?! My heart is so full of love for them.

For dinner I got the kids all dressed up and we all went to Bravo for dinner. It was an amazing time-Quinley slept through it all and Tanner was so pleasant. I told TIm that everything just seems so much easier now.

And no I did not forget that I have a husband on this special day of love- We exchanged cards, candy, a few other things and this….

That cracks me up because it looks like a big fancy bottle of wine. I guess it is-just minus the alcohol.

I do love my man. Valentines Day is special because that was our first date ever. To a Valentines Banquet.

I'm so blessed and priveleged to be sharing this holiday with the same one I fell in love with 12 years ago.

I love you honey-Happy (late) Valentines Day to all~

T-a-n-n-e-r

2012-02-13T16:16:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of Tanner~

I think one of the most rewarding things about being a parent is seeing that look of achievement come on their little faces. I was happy to see that on my little man tonight.

Here he is walking around in daddy's new tennis shoes. What a ham he is!!

It's been a good day.

Our Weekend

2012-02-11T16:27:00.000-08:00

We didn't do anything out of the ordinary this weekend but it's been great none the less. I told TIm earlier that the weekends go by way too fast. EVERYTHING is going by way too fast. I may or may not have had a small meltdown last night because I just realized yesterday I won't get to be a playgroup mom forever. How ridiculous am I?! I think I love taking the kids to play and do fun things as much as they like going themselves.

It's not just that. I have watched them grow and develop their little social skills right before my very eyes-and become prouder than a peacock in the process. Particularly TL, has come a long way. A little part of me has to catch her breath at the thoughts of preschool/kindergarten days coming up.

But that's all another post for another day. Back to the weekend.

Friday night our friends The Howell's came over and we ordered pizza and played dominoes. They have the sweetest tiniest little girl and TL and Q love her. They play so well with her. We all had a lot of fun.

Today was just a lazy day. Our house had a showing from 4-5 so this afternoon Tim took Tanner to an estate auction and the little girl and myself went to the mall of course.

Tim said that Tanner got a kick out of the auctioneer. Watching him must have worn him out because he is OUT as I type this. Quinley came home and showed her daddy her new things from the mall. She kept saying, "I look like a princess. I'm adorable!"

She is so funny and so cute. I'm glad she has confidence……now let's just work on keeping it from going too far :)

Today Is a Special Day

2012-02-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

This morning as I was making breakfast for the kids I heard Quinley say, "Today is a special day because we're together."

She's said it several times throughout the day. I have no idea where she heard that-or if she just made it up herself. Either way I think if is one of my favorite mommy moments of all time. It has made more than my day, it's made my whole week.

I tried to get a video of her saying it tonight and here's what I got. A little help from big brother:)

Tanner has come a long way lately with drawing/writing letters. He drew this train this week and I thought it was pretty cool:)

Not every moment is a Kodak moment-Lord knows yesterday I was a desperate excuse for a mother in my opinion. However, today has MORE than made up for yesterday's bad moments.

And that's just how being a stay at home mommy goes:)

Because February is the Month of Love~

2012-02-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

Isn't she lovely?!

She is quite the spit-fire these days! She told us a big story last night about how Frosty the snowman bit her on the foot and then she slapped him in the face!! Where does my almost two year old beauty come up with some of this stuff?

Even TL was just staring at her, as if to say, "really Quinley?!"

She keeps us laughing-hope you all enjoy these pictures and the whole month of everything pink and love.

Some Mark Lowry Wisdom

2012-01-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

I was doing my "homework" in my bible study tonight which happens to be about the book of James if you are interested. The book of James is considered (by some) to be "wisdom literature." Who couldn't use a good dose of that?!

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Lord knows, I sure could use some "wisdom." At best, I'll gain some while doing this study. At least, I sure am enjoying learning about James the writer/pillar of the early church/brother of Jesus.

While I was reading tonight I remembered something I considered to be wise that I had meant to share on here earlier.

In December my sister and I went to a Gaither concert-yes I am going to spare you the part of the post where I would normally go ON AND ON about how much I love Bill Gaither, the Gaither homecoming tour and basically just anything Gaither.

Because I know I bore everybody to death with that stuff. Not everybody is 70 years old at heart. I get that (big smile.)

I have to say that in times past Mark Lowry was maybe my low point during these concerts. Now I'm sounding 80 instead of just 70 right?! But he said something at this concert that I just find myself remembering all of the time now.

He was talking about the aging process and how his mom is suffering from dementia now and what an impact she's had on his life.

It really is sad to me-there's a wonderful generation of pastors/singers/leaders of various types who are passing on. Now, I believe that we've also got some good young feet filling a lot of those old shoes-but it does make me sad none the less. I am going to miss some of these people!!

One of the things he shared about his mom was the fact that she had instilled in him the big dreams and plans for his future (Jeramiah 29:11) from a very young age.

He said, "Imagine it. They (parents) probably didn't even believe it themselves. After tucking a child in bed who had exhausted them all day long and being the ripe old age of 20-something themseleves, they still found it in them to say-Mark, did you know that God is going to do something AWESOME with your life? I can't wait to see what it is!"

I started crying. I am in those parent's shoes these days. And it is SO IMPORTANT that I instill the right words of wisdom into my children now. NOW. While they are young and impressionable.

The coolest thing was that he (M.L.) said, "They were young. They probably didn't even believe it themselves. But I did."

His life and ministry is the beautiful evidence of the seed a young mother and father planted a long time ago.

That's what I want to do…..what I hope and pray earnestly to God that I am doing this day and every day.

No matter what my children pursue-I hope they do it with a sense of inspiration straight from the throne of God. I do believe that verse for both of them-I just hope I can convey to them how true it really is.

Now, if any of you has made it to the end of this and is still reading….if you've got lots of extra $$$ could you please send me on a Gaither Alaskan cruise?! Because I would really really really like to go….hahahaha

Do You Think He Was Listening?!

2012-01-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

Tim has torn his ACL twice. Both times he tore it, we had a baby. But that's not really the point.

Tearing an ACL means surgery, rehab, pain etc. Basically just a lot of uncomfortable/unfortunate things.

So lately Tim and I have been running together. You know where this is going already (big smile).

~While I am typing this Quinley just walked in here and said, You're so huge mommy~

Back to the knee.

Last week Tim was running on the treadmill and bam. He came home and his knee had started hurting. Within a short while it had swollen up and the next few days he had more than his fair share of ibuprofen and ice packs. It may not have been another ACL, we just know it was hurt pretty bad. He couldn't straighten it out.

On Saturday we took the kids to the air force museum. We had so much fun but I could tell that Tim was just in so much pain. He was kind of hobbling around and not really saying much. It made me so sad. Now, a little side note to all of this is that I was sort of aggravated at him also. Tim never does anything half way. So when he was running I'm sure he was going at a not so slow pace. While I admire his enthusiasm and zest for life-I also think sometimes when one has been down a certain road TWICE….it would maybe be good to slow down a little? Just a thought.

We had prayed for Tim's knee and tried to help him take it easy for a few days and we didn't really see any positive changes. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse.

The kids and I went to church Sunday night and on the way home I started telling them about how the bible says if two or three people agree on a certain thing that Jesus said it will be done in his name. (Matthew 18:19) I said, "Kids let's pray for daddy's leg that it would be all better."

When we were praying I could hear Quinley saying, "Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus."

Do you think HE was listening?! Do you think that scripture applies to a 3 year old and 20 month old?! Does God hear and understand the little words that aren't perfected yet, sometimes even gibberish in nature?

I do.

When we got home I told Tim how earnestly the kids and I had prayed for him. I was disappointed because he wasn't better already.

Today not much was said about the knee but then this evening Tim came into the kitchen and announced that his leg hadn't hurt him near as much as it had been. It seems to have gotten a little better all evening.

I was so excited-not only that the kids had strengthened their faith muscle-but that Tim felt better as well.

I'm so grateful. He cares for and can heal a broken knee. He can mend broken hearts, broken homes, broken promises.

He hears the petitions of little tiny lips out of mouth's that don't even have all of their teeth yet-all the way to the ones close to HOME-lips parched and dying. He hears and cares for them all.

And he STILL ANSWERS PRAYERS. Whatever yours is, don't be afraid to give it to Him.

If you can find a friend to agree with you in faith then that certainly never hurts either:)

Pictures~

2012-01-15T19:56:00.001-08:00

I'm glad a picture is worth more than 1000 words (or so the old saying goes). Because I am OUT of them tonight. This doesn't happen very often:)
The kids love train sets. Quinley got a little girly one for Christmas. I snapped this one day earlier this week.

Just look at this precious-ness. (And notice some living room renovations going on in the background. yay!!)

This is my little bundle of precious-ness #2!

Jam Session in the living room….Tim got a guitar this weekend. It sounds awesome and he's learned so much already! I am so proud of him.
,

TL was begging to play outside today…so we let him for a little while. It was COLD-but he loved it as you can see.

And that's a wrap for now. Have a good week ya'll!

Progress Report

2012-01-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

I don't remember if I blogged about this before or not? I thought I did but I can't seem to find the post.

Anywhoo….

A few months ago we were having a difficult time with Tanner. He just seemed to be a little introverted and fearful. Wanting him to have fun and be interactive with other kids, I started taking him to storytime on Tuesdays and a playgroup on Fridays. (He was also old enough to start children's church on Tuesday nights right around this time.) Tim and I thought that getting him into a routine might help him overcome some of his fears and learn to enjoy playing with others.

At first all of these activities were a little painful. By painful I mean throwing tantrums and me basically coercing him to try new activities and make friends at each of these three weekly dates. There were a few times that I just didnt know what to do. It made me so sad-I just wanted him to have fun, make friends and not be afraid.

It's been a process. One of the first things I did was write out the scripture Mark 11:24 and hang it on our bathroom mirror where I would see it and be reminded of it several times a day. Under the scripture I wrote, "Lord I am believing you for a well behaved child free from tantrums and fears."

So slowly that I didn't even really see it happening, TL has been transformed.

Now, he doesn't just voluntarily leave me and run downstairs to children's church on his own-but we've made progress.

At children's church sometimes they read a bible story and kids pretend that they are the characters. On Tuesday, Tanner VOLUNTEERED TO BE DANIEL!! I was so excited that he volunteered and so proud of him for getting involved and having fun. Every time he got to do his little part he would turn to look at me and smile.

Last Friday when I took the children to playgroup it was kind of a totally different experience for me. Quinley has always been thrilled to be there and jumped at the chance to run and play. One week ago tomorrow, TL did the same thing. I talked to grown ups instead of walking around on pins and needles that we could have a meltdown at any moment.

It was so freeing, watching him run and play. I just stood there with a little disbelief and a big smile on my face as I watched him run, play and make new friends. it brought me so much joy. I'm pretty sure he is just beginning to grasp the fact that these activities are a lot of fun. It is fun for me to watch him discover JOY.

Earlier this evening I was walking to my closet and I looked over at that scripture on my mirror.

I took it down.

Ask and ye shall receive-my desire has been granted.

Choices

2012-01-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

Life is full of them huh?

The choices on my mind tonight are not the huge ones, rather the small-daily ones. Choices we make without even thinking. The ones that make up who we are. Our personality I guess you could say.

I just read a chapter out of my current Max Lucado book that I wanted to share a little of. I think I am going to type it out and put it on my refrigerator to help me remember to make better choices every day.

Here it goes…..(this isn't exactly how it is written. I'm only putting down the lines that spoke most to me. Please don't accuse me of plagiarism!!)

I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy.
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical….the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace.
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience.
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I will invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank GOd for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness
I will be kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness.
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness.
Today I will keep my promises.

I choose gentleness.
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self control.
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I will be drunk only by joy.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed I will give thanks. If I fail I will seek his grace.

I love Max Lucado's writing. I love these Godly principles and I need to be more aligned to these kind of choices.

The spirit is strong but the flesh is weak…..my human nature is just like your's and everybody else's. I don't always WANT to act as I should but I am going to try to CHOOSE to do so a little more often:)

2012

2012-01-04T19:26:00.001-08:00

Well the 3rd day into January I guess it's time to put up a list of my resolutions huh?

Except that I really don't have any:)

There are some things that I would love to accomplish/do in 2012 but I think more than anything I just need to be still. Does anybody besides myself have a hard time with this? It's a hard thing to do sometimes.
What I mean by being still is just enjoying life as it is and soaking up every day to the fullest.

Lately I have been anxious about the silliest things. Are we going to have another baby or are we good as a family of four? Am I ever going to go back to work? Is our house going to sell or are we going to stay here? I think I have finally come to my senses a little bit though and realized that everything is going to work out just the way God intends for it to work out. And in His own good time. So I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride!

On the note of enjoying the ride-we have decided to fix up the house a little even though it is for sale, and I am super excited about that. We went to Lowe's on Monday and picked out new carpet. They are coming to measure our bedrooms tomorrow and I couldn't be more thankful. Our carpet is pitiful. This update is a blessing. I would also like to paint and change some smaller furniture pieces. yay!!

A friend of mine gave me a bible study book last year and I just got started on it not too long ago. Through studying and reading I think I've pointed out a few areas that I want to work on in my personality as well. I'm soooo a work in progress. On my best days I'm not too bad-but on my bad days I'm feeling like I need an extra dose of grace. This book was a tremendous help-I am so glad for a little awareness in this. It is so easy sometimes to point out things that you don't like or would like to change about OTHERS when sometimes the biggest change needs to come from YOURSELF :) (That's me I'm talking about!)

And while I'm at it I guess I will spill the beans on my attempt at running. I've been hesitant to mention this on here because I have never attempted running before. It was just too hard for me. I thought I would try it a day or two and stop. Who knows, I may throw out a knee and have to quit tomorrow-but so far the Lord has blessed me into actually enjoying this form of exercise a little.

Who knew?!

HAHA. i think what I enjoy most about it is that it is my half hour outside of the house every day. It's my "quiet time." When a mama get's any of that she is very appreciative and thankful in whatever form it comes. Even running. I also like the two running friends I have made at the gym. Socialization does a woman good.

Well-if you've made it thus far then bless your heart my friend. This is very scattered I know. If it helps any, I have a lot of Barney going on around me right now. And a 3 year old jumping on my bed. Therefore, I must call it a post.

Good night friends.

Merry Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

I have been lame about blogging for the past week, but I've had a good excuse.

Last weekend we had a semi-virus bug thing make it's way through Tim, TL and I. It wasn't near as bad as our last bout with this sort of thing though and for that we were thankful.

Quinley escaped it-but on Monday she was really fussy which is unusual for her. We went to our friends house for dinner and she just layed around all evening. She ran a fever Monday and all day Tuesday. By Wednesday when it wasn't going away I decided to take her to see the pediatrician. I'm so glad I did. She had microplasma (walking pneumonia) croup and strep. Poor little thing, she has had a rough go of it. Tommorow is her last dose of medicine and I think she is now on the mend. Tonight she's been running around like her old self.

Despite the sickcness-it's been a good Christmas so far. We opened our gifts at home and it was such a special time. Tanner got his racetrack and I'm not sure who has enjoyed it more, Tim or TL :) Quinley loved all of her presents, but if you ask her what she got she says, "a racetrack!" So sweet.

My mom got Tanner a drum set and a guitar. You might think this is the part where I would say that it's taken me a few advil to make it through Tanner's first few hours with these instruments but that's not actually the case. I love music and I love seeing him discover it as well. Tim has already gotten some basic chords down on the guitar. We just might have a band before long.

Well I must go-it's over the river and through the woods once more tommorow.

I wish you all a very very very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Truffles That Weren't

2011-12-15T16:52:00.001-08:00

Sigh.

I guess if I can't make them I'll blog about them.

Yes, a recipe that falls in the category of "easy and only three ingredients" is a recipe that I can surely mess up.

I am so disappointed. I even forsook my vow of staying away from the retail madness and made a quick run to hobby lobby to purchase some of those cute tins that you put candy in. I had big plans of the kids and I singing Christmas songs and making candy together this evening. Tomorrow we were going to deliver it along with a Christmas card to each of our neighbors. Sounds like something so beautiful it could be seen in a Hallmark movie.

Except that mother apparently can't cook. So I guess we need a plan B:)

The first truffle was beautiful. Apparently I underestimated the messiness of the situation though because when I went back later to read what I had done wrong there were hundreds of comments on how to make your chocolate go on smooth without clumping-therefore leaving the rest of the chocolate white and beautiful for the remainder of the truffles.

I'm sure there's some culinary tool out there that I wouldn't know the name of if it hit me in the head for this kind of thing.

I'm also pretty sure that I'm not going to find out what tool that is because now my neighbors are getting cookies. Something I can make.

I've been making fun of myself lately because the more I try to become a good cook, the harder time I'm having! It's sweets that I have the hardest time with. I can make a mean lasagna but you know my family can't eat that for dinner five nights a week so mama must branch out.

I was so frustrated earlier and I was telling Tim that I felt like a failure as a wife and mom because I'm not a wonderful cook. He said that's how he feels sometimes about not being a handy man. It was good to have an understanding/encouraging word:)

I mean seriously ya'll my mother is one of the best cooks in the state of Ky. She ought to be-that's what she does for a living. My sister totally inherited all of that gene. She doesn't even have to try. If there's something as meager as a 1 lb. roll of hamburger and a bag of noodles or something in her cabinets she can make a Paula Deen meal out of it. It's just not fair.

When I went home for Thanksgiving we went to her house for dinner on Friday evening and Dad came over. After we got done eating dinner-April announced that she hadn't made anything for dessert. I suddenly announced that Tanner and I had made a chocolate pie! You should have seen the looks on their faces. I don't know if they didn't believe me or if they were afraid I was telling the truth and they were going to have to try it.

Just for the record-I was telling the truth. The pie was good if I did make it.

Now my truffles…..that's a different story. But it's my story and here it is. There's a few things I can do-and there's a few things I can't.

And I (think) I'm okay with that:) At least for now anyways!

Christmas Activities

2011-12-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

I wish I had pictures to go with this…but I don't. Tim went on a hunting trip last weekend and took my third baby (otherwise known as my camera) with him. Therefore I didn't get to capture my littles all dressed up going to the children's theater.

At the beginning of the Christmas season I tried to make a vow that I would enjoy the holidays and do fun activities with the kids instead of run around so much and get caught up in the stressful hustle and bustle like I usually do. Somehow, that has been quite easy to do so far.

Let's just say the US postal service is getting taken advantage of by me. If it can be bought online-and I don't care if the mall is only ten minutes away from my house-it usually is. That has allowed more time to enjoy some of the more fun things to do around this time of year.

This past Saturday the Children's Theatre had a matinee at 11:00 of Frosty. I had never been there before and to be honest I thought my children were probably a little to small to go. I took a chance anyway and I'm glad I did. They loved it. They've been talking about it ever since. If it didn't cost a small fortune I might take them again to the same play.

Then on Monday night Tim told the kids how Christmas was about giving back and we took them shopping for our sponsored kids from the bus ministry at church. I am aware that they probably didn't get half of what we were telling them, but I don't think they're ever too young to plant a seed. So we will do the same thing next year and hopefully they will catch on and want to do the same thing themselves when they're older. Tanner and I wrapped those presents today and he kept saying, "They are going to be so excited when they open this!!"

Tonight we went to Woodland Lights at the Washingtown Township Rec. Center. I had never been there before either and I was missing out. It was a delight! There were horse and carriage rides, carnival rides, food and a whole lot of lights. The coolest part was that you have to walk through a candlelit path through the woods. There are lights and music everywhere-and then in the middle of nowhere there is this little tiny cabin. We walked in and there was Santa! The cabin was decorated SO cute and there was a fire going in the fireplace. Both of the kids talked to Santa-and Tanner has changed his mind about what he wants. He saw a toy horse at Wal-Mart the other night and he told Santa he wants that tall horse. Quinley couldn't think of anything she wanted so Tim suggesed a toy puppy (which we've already conveniently bought her) and she shook her head and said yes. She wants a toy puppy!

I'm glad we've been able to make a lot of good memories with the kids so far this Christmas. I hope the JOY this season brings just continues to grow and grow in their little hearts and minds as the years pass.

A Few Stories and A Few Pictures

2011-12-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

Just look at this little ragmuffin! These kids change clothes SO many times in one day. This is Quinley with Tanner's shorts and one of his socks and one of hers.

They wanted me to take their picture! I think they have figured out that I love packing around a camera haha~ and they love coming up with something crazy for me to take a picture of as well.

They have said so much that is funny this week. We were driving down the road the other day and I heard Tanner say, "Quinley look at this big booger." She said back to him "WOW!"

When I take them to Barnes and Noble story time on Tuesdays I ALWAYS have to remind them not to pick up and play with the toys besides the train table. Because they are usually packaged up and they want to tear into them. And they cost money. So yesterday another little girl (whose mom had obviously told her the same thing) kept bringing toys over to Quinley trying to get her to open them! Tanner got aggravated at her and said, "We can't open that, it cost's 60 DOLLARS!" I don't know where he came up with that amount but it was funny :)

Quinley has come up with another little phrase that is appropriate I guess, but not so nice. When someone does something that she doesn't like she has started saying, "That is so rude of you!" I think she actually picked this up from Tanner. I don't know where he came up with it?! Today she didn't want me to change her diaper and she kept saying "That is so rude of you." Of course I kept on changing her and telling her that it was not rude, it was actually nice of me :) So then she just said, "Ridiculous, ridiculous."

Both of the kids have always been good about bowing their little heads to pray over meals. They just usually never said anything. Lately though, Tanner has wanted to do the blessing. He has a lot to say and it's adorable. He thanks God for "Mommy, Daddy, Tanner and Quinley." Sometimes he remembers the food :) The other day he thanked God for the downstairs at church!! That struck me funny because the downstairs is where we go to Sunday school on Sunday mornings and children's church on Tuesday nights. Any time spent upstairs means that he has to be still and quiet! haha

I may not know much but one thing I have figured out-out of the mouth of babes comes a lot of laughter and merriment of the heart. Who couldn't use a little of that every once in a while?!

On the 4th day of Christmas

2011-12-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

My true love gave to me TWO sweet little Christmas babies :)

Here they are last year in front of the tree….

Is it just motherly nostalgia or have they grown and changed so much that they don't even look like the same kids?!

I love them so much. It's been a busy but great weekend. This holiday season has been pretty laid back so far and I'm loving it. I'm trying to soak up every minute of it.

Hope everyone has had a great weekend as well~goodnight!

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

2011-12-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

Today after we went to play group we made a rare trip to the mall. I thought we would eat lunch there and I would let the kids continue playing in the play area-then come home and nap.

To get to food court you have to pass the Christmas set up with santa. Tanner has never been a fan of having his picture taken with Santa so I really wasn't even going to try. He decided today that he wanted to go tell Santa that he wanted a racetrack for Christmas-so I jumped on the opportunity to get a picture with the man with a white beard:)

He didn't want to sit on his lap (I didn't really want him to either because I am PARANOID about child predators. Can you blame me after all of the news with Penn State and Syracuse recently?!?) but he was more than happy to stand there and smile. So cute! He told Santa that we already had him some cookies and milk. He said really fast-almost like he was embarassed-"I want a racetrack." This Santa was really nice and totally played the part well. He even ho ho ho-ed a few times. He asked him if he would like some cars to go with his racetrack.

Now the reason that Miss Q is not in this picture is simply because she did not want to be. It was her naptime and she was getting annoyed with not being at home in her bed. While I would have loved to have a picture of both of them with Santa, I didn't want to push it because I never really pushed Tanner either. He just decided this year that he wanted to do this. So when Quinley gets ready she can have her picture made too!

Play Dates

2011-12-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

The kids and I have gotten ourselves into a good routine lately. We've been going to story time and children's church on Tuesday's and play group on Fridays. The rest of the time I've tried really hard to keep them entertained here at home. Tanner and I set up an extension bridge for his Thomas Trains today.

TL loves it when a grown up get's down in the floor to play with him.

We take our trains pretty seriously.

Tomorrow is play group day.

I think I'm as excited as they are. Mama needs to get out of the house for a little while:)

Books

2011-11-30T20:19:00.000-08:00

The older I get, the more I love to read.

In fact, I sort of feel like I have been glued to my recliner all evening under a pile of books going back and forth. Reading one for a while and then another. It's a good feeling. A feeling I love:)

A few years ago my mother in law got me the mother of all bibles in my opinion. It is a study bible. I fell in love and I'm never going back! I usually read it along with a daily devotional of some kind and one or two other books that can vary according to whatever author or study I'm feeling at the moment.

Now let's be real. Sometimes-I just don't get a lot of time to read at all. Period. One thing that's been helping me out lately is the fact that the kids have a children's bible that they LOVE. So they think it's cool to get out their bible and books and read while mommy's reading. Tanner has noticed that I write in my bible and he wants to be just like me :) so I've tried to channel him in the direction of "writing his scriptures"on pieces of paper and folding them to stick into the pages of his bible. Precious!

I just finished a couple of awesome books by Beth Moore and Angie Smith and a few days ago I began reading a book that a friend gave to me back in the summer, "Having a Mary Spirit in a Martha World." If you've ever read these-there are two of them. I'm reading the most recent one. I love it because it has a simultaneous bible study that accompanies the book. There is just something so very fulfilling about flipping through the thin little pages of my bible searching out all the wonderful truths between Genesis and Revelation and every book in between. mmmmm-good. I love it. I love how this book is set up.

Now I realize that there are probably about 0 people left reading this post because most of you want to see adorable pictures of my precious children and I don't blame you:) You've figured out by now that this isn't going to have a picture of them anywhere in these lines.

But for myself I just want to jot down how I hope to become a little less "Martha-esque" and so much more like Mary.

You know as girls growing up, we learn to do all of the Martha things. We learn to cook and clean and host a fabulous dinner party. Most of us also learn about Jesus and the many wonderful things that He did and still does. We just don't have time to sit at his feet. To listen. To be still and ponder the things close to His heart that He would so desperately like to share with ours.

As a young mother this is a battle that I constantly fight. It's such a roller coaster. One day I am in prayer and bible study and seeking the face of the Lord-while the next I am in over my head with laundry, dishes and diapers without even finding one minute of quiet time with the Lord.

Before I had children my favorite time to spend with the Lord was at night. I've always been a night owl and that was my time for me and Him.

As I've gotten older and learned a little more about prayer-I've tried to incorporate it into every part of my day. (And night since I am a hopeless insomniac.) That's turned out to be a good thing because most of the time by the time we put the babies to bed, I follow soon after in an exhausted heap. My prayers of thanksgiving and requests for God's blessings turn to snores.

But on nights like tonight when both of the children are asleep early (big smile) I just feast on my time to read, reflect and get personal with the Lord.

Tonight has been such a blessing for me. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book and learning how to give Martha a break and tap into my inner Mary.

And with that-I'm going to wrap it up here and encourage any person who might be left reading to pick up this book-or any good book for that matter. Let the Lord speak to you and minister to your little heart through the wisdom of His word and some wonderful writers that He has appointed for such a time as this.

A Few Things Funny

2011-11-28T18:50:00.001-08:00

I have been needing to do a post like this for quite a while now. Because surely I will forget something that I will either a) never remember or b) remember when I am in the middle of something and never end up writing it down on here.

So I'll start with this picture

Tim and I found Miss Q earlier this evening and she had my underwear wrapped around her neck. That is probably way too much information for some of you but we thought it was too funny to pass up on a picture.

She says and does the sweetest things. She says, "I'm sweet!" all of the time. She almost always says "thank you (whomever)" and inserts their name when anyone does something for her. She also says "skew me" which is excuse me when she comes close to people and needs to go around them.

Unfortunately she has also learned the words dumb and rude. But we are working on that :)

Today she did not nap very long and Tanner didn't nap at all. That is really not unusual for him but both of them were getting pretty hectic tonight. So after Tanner went to sleep I took her to her crib and she started crying, obviously not quite ready for bed. When I left her room she started saying, "This is ridiculous. Ridiculous. Ridiculous." I was laughing so hard. (Just for the record I did go and get her and she stayed up a little while longer.)

Tanner says the word yesterday as "lasterday." A few days ago he told me, "Mom, I'm sorry for being hateful lasterday." I wonder who he's heard that from before…..:)

Quinley is still talking about a "HUGE pumpkin" from the fall. She points her little finger and talks about the "little one and the big one." We are trying to get her to move on to Christmas trees. She knows she's gotten a lot of positive attention from this because Tim and I have noticed she tries to start talking about the "huge pumpkin" after she has said either of the not-so-nice words mentioned earlier to avoid getting into trouble.

Tanner is genuinely a sweet kid. That's not to say he never does anything bad-he just seems to be curious and MESSY! He can make a mess faster than I can tell him to stop. I'm trying to make sure he doesn't get too bored, thus continuing in our Tuesday and Friday activities. If you give him free time, you'll probably be cleaning up after him in five minutes. I think this is mostly just a big difference in boys and girls? It is in our house anyway. For example: (and this has happened several times) I caught him with some of Tim's protein powder shake mix poured out the other day. He was driving his trucks through it pretending like it was a big dirt hill. You've got to give him a point for creativity for that.

And you can't hold it against him too much when he currently LOVES to run the vacuum cleaner?! Praise the Lord for that! I'm sure the phase will pass when he get's tired of making loud noises with a new machine :( haha

Well that's all for tonight-I think I might start doing a post like this once a week. They just do and say so much at this age that I know I am forgetting a lot of it and that makes me sad. I sure love my babies and I am so thankful for the little bit I do remember to put on this blog.

Good night~

A New Look

2011-11-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

Everybody needs a little makeover every now and then, even a blog-right?! Especially when the last header was from when Quinley was 5 weeks old.

My "babies" look more like "kids" in this header. Their baby fat has turned into two tall lean(er) toddler/preschoolers.

Sigh. Where does time go? I'm so enjoying this life, it just seems to be going really fast!

We just got home from our weekend away for Thanksgiving. Tim helped me put most of our stuff away already so I'm going to give him a nice tasty meal of corn dogs as a special treat :)

Have a great week ya'll!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-25T13:01:00.000-08:00

I think our food was better this year than ever before. Not only was it good but it was bee-yoo-tee-full. We ate it with our eyes before we ate it with our mouths if that makes any sense at all. I told my mother it was a shame that the whole world couldn't see the beautiful delicious feast she had prepared for us.

I promise, I really do promise to try to learn to make my momma's homemade dressing before too many more years pass. I just hope it turns out better than the pecan pie I attempted the other night....

I surely, surely am thankful for so much this year. Mainly three little blessings by the name of Timothy, Tanner and Quinley who I happen to get the privelege of sharing everyday life with. So I guess it's a little more like Thanks-living for me than Thanks-giving. But it does a body good to be reminded to give our Father above thanks for all He has given us once a year. Once a day is more like it really should be.

I'm also thankful for the 40% off sales I got to take advantage of right here from my couch thanks to a little thing called online shopping :)

We all know that the sweet reality of the holidays is not the food. Or the sales. It's really about slowing down and enjoying the splendor and awe of our wonderful Saviour's plan. It's about spending time with and enjoying the company of friends and family and giving back. Even if it's not in our budget to give money-any and all of us could give a little time. Time is really the greater sacrifice of the two in my opinion. Just ask an elderly person if they'd rather have 50 of your dollars or 50 minutes to sit and shoot the breeze and see what most of them say.

So with all that being said I am commiting myself publicly, right here on my blog, to make a difference this year. I'm seriously not going to stress about the holidays or the hustle and bustle of it all. I'm going to ENJOY it. I'm going to make cookies and read Christmas stories and watch Christmas movies and drive around and look at the lights and sing carols with my kids (close your ears neighbors) and on and on and on.

And if at all possible-I'm going to avoid the mall:)

My kids have already given me a glimpse of the magic again with their enthusiasm over the decorations we put up. I want to keep that alive and make it wonderful for them-not something they remember as a time of the year that we went shopping twice as much. I only have one shot to teach them right. Lord, help me not to mess it up!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody-I hope you all enjoy your weekend
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows James 1:17

Pictures and a Few Words

2011-11-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

How's this for little Miss Personality?!

I love my little family (at the Christmas Parade last weekend)

Tonight they helped me put up the big tree in the living room. By the time we were finished Miss Q was ready for bed. But before TL went to bed he sat and watched a Gaither video for a while. He is my child for sure.

Love you all-hope you are enjoying this Thanksgiving week :)

It's Beginning to Look a lot like...

2011-11-19T19:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas!! Yay!!!

I hate to admit this but for honesty's sake I'm going to: I dreaded putting my Christmas decorations up this year. I thought that with the kids it just sounded like so much work and a horrible mess.

Shame on me.

It has been more fun this year than ever before. Honestly. They have been begging me to "put Christmas up." haha! I started getting everything out the other day and they were literally jumping up and down :)

Isn't it beautiful seeing life through the eyes of a child? It makes me want to take of my "adult glasses" and be innocent again. One of my favorite things about being a parent is experiencing all of the beauty of life without the callous edge that we acquire over the years as grown-ups.

It takes me back to a time when I wasn't worried about life or messes or the madness of the holiday's. Back to when I wasn't worried at all. About anything.

There is so much to be said about the way children view the world-but honestly I am having a hard time putting it into words right now. The stomach virus made it's beautiful rounds throughout our house this week and because of that I am functioning on way-too-little-sleep.

So with that I'm going to sign off with a happy pre-Thanksgiving and a promise for more lovely pictures of my Christmas lovelies a little later.

A Snoodle's Tale

2011-11-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Recently I have become fascinated with all thing's Veggie Tales. I really like the message behind the video's. If there's one thing I hope to get right, it is to instill in my children early on how much God LOVES them and made them just the way they are. This poem is lengthy but worth reading. It sums up so much of what I want my kids to know about others and how people see each other vs. how God see's us. I've highlighted a few of my favorite verses at the end. Enjoy-and be encouraged :)

A Snoodle's Tale
by Phil Vischer
(italics are mine)

Far, far away in the land of Galoots
Where the Biggle-bag trees bear their Biggle-bag fruits
And Far-lilly bushes all blossom in yellow
And Thimbuttle plants squirt snooberry Jell-O

Here where the mountains of Rocky-ma-goo
Rise high o'er the meadows of Gilda-manjoo
Where sunsets are painted with purple and blue,
You'll find a small town, not much bigger than you.

Welcome to Snoodleburg! Home of the Snoodles!
A curious folk who eat pancakes with noodles
And spend half their days making sketches and doodles
And cutting their hair into shapes like French poodles.

Now, right in the heart of this curious town,
Stood a curious building – the tallest around!
With a clock at its top and a chute at its bottom,
T'was pink in the spring and turned red in the autumn.

But weirder by far than its color or height
Was what happened there every fourth Tuesday night.
As strange as it seems, it has been demonstrated
That Snoodles aren't born, but rather, “created.”

Every fourth Tuesday at quarter past nine,
The tower would shimmy and rattle and whine,
And as the town nibbled on Biggle-bag fruit,
A shiny young Snoodle would drop from the chute!

That's where they came from – though no one knew why
Nor who could have built the great tower so high.
These “mysteries of life” befuddled most Snoodles -
Who'd much rather focus on pancakes and noodles
And cutting their hair into shapes like French poodles.

Yes, most found the tower too noisy and strange
Until one small Snoodle made all of that change.
This little Snoodle was much like the others.
He came without parents or sisters or brothers.
He came without money, a mom or a dad.
The pack on his back was all that he had.

“This is peculiar,”…The little guy said.
“I came from a chute and I fell on my head.”
“What do I look like? What am I for?”
He pondered those questions – and then thought of more.

“Checking my bag is a good place to start.”
He pulled out some paints.
“Maybe I'm good at art!”
The next thing he found was a Snoodle-kazoo.
“Hey, what do you know! I can make music, too!”
Then back on his pack, he pulled a small string.
And out from the sides popped two little wings!

“Amazing!” …he said, with a gleam in his eye.
“I can paint, play kazoo, and now I can fly!”
Wait 'til the others see all the great things
I can do with my paints, my kazoo and my wings!

So he packed up his paints and his Snoodle-kazoo
And hopped off to show them all what he could do.

There from atop a short, stubby wall,
The big Snoodles heard the new small Snoodle call…
“Come watch me, you guys, as I head for the sky!”

He straightened his wings with a gleam in his eye
Then he jumped and he flapped like the Red-Snootered Finches
That fly from the plains to the peak of Mt. Ginchez.
His flight – unlike theirs -
…covered only 12 inches.

“You call that flying?”
“You think you're a bird?!?”
“We've never seen anything quite so absurd!”

The old Snoodle snorted – he sniggered, he shook.
“I'll paint you a picture to show how you looked!”

The brushstrokes were skillful; the colors were coolish.
The story they told made the young one feel foolish.

“Take it from us,” …Said a Snoodle named Lou,
“Flying just isn't what you're meant to do!”
The young Snoodle drooped. He felt his heart sag.
The painting, the old Snoodle placed in his bag.

“Carry this with you,” The old Snoodle said,
“So visions of flying don't go to your head.”
The weight on his back was as heavy as lead.

So under the weight of the picture he bore,
He hobbled along, feeling lonely and sore.
'Til up far ahead on a bench near the tower,
He spied a bright bundle of Far-lilly flowers.

His heart started lifting. “What beautiful things!”
Then he remembered, “I've got more than wings!”
So quickly, he dug the paints out of his pack.
And hoped that with art maybe he'd have the knack.

“I did it!” …he yelled to the Snoodles in town.
Then held up his picture as they gathered round.
“You did it, alright,” …said the Snoodles replying,
“You showed you're no better at painting than flying!”

Then one of them laughed, and, while eating a waffle,
Painted a picture that made him feel awful.
“You're puny. You're silly. You're not all that smart.”
“You can't use your wings and you're no good at art.”

That picture, too, was placed in his pack
And made his heart slump just as low as his back.

“I'm ugly – I'm foolish – and so very small.
I don't think I should be with people at all.”
And so he decided to get out of town.
His wings hung so low that they dragged on the ground.

He walked past the tower, and out of the city.
He walked through the fields and thought, “My, this is pretty.
”The Far-lilly bushes all blooming in yellow,
“And Thimbuttle plants squirting snooberry Jell-O.”

“I might like it here,” Said the small Snoodle fellow.
Then feeling some warmth coming back in his chest,
He thought he would sit for a moment and rest.
But try as he might to sit down with grace,
The weight on his back knocked him flat on his face!

“Ha! That's a hoot!”
Said a voice from behind.
A farmer stood up with a Thimbuttle vine.

“Why, you need a picture, my Snoodleberg bud,
”Lest you forget how you look in the mud!“

And so in an instant, the picture was done -
And placed in his backpack, which now weighed a ton!
The poor Snoodle struggled, he wobbled, he groaned,
He stood to his feet and he said with a moan,
”Is there anywhere I can be truly alone?!?“

Just then overhead, flew two red-snootered finches,
Winging their way toward the peak of Mt. Ginchez.
”I see,“ Said the Snoodle, ”Then that's what I'll do.“
”The home for those finches will be my home, too.“

So painfully, struggling under his pack,
The small Snoodle inched up the big mountain's back.
He crawled over boulders in rain and in lightning.
He trudged on and on though the journey was frightening.

'Til finally, Sunday at quarter past two
He spied all the meadows of Gilda-manjoo
And realized he was on top of Mt. Ginchez.
Alone with the wind, and his thoughts, and the finches.

He thought of the Snoodles. He thought of the tower.
He thought of the bell that would chime on the hour.
He thought of his pack and his very long walk.
He thought it so loudly, he heard his thoughts talk!

“Hello,” said his thoughts, “you’ve made quite a climb!”
“That voice,” he remarked, “doesn’t sound much like mine.”
Then he turned and he noticed he wasn’t alone –
for a man stood behind near a cave in the stone.

He looked like a Snoodle, though quite a bit bigger.
“Maybe a giant,” the small Snoodle figured.
“I’m going!” the Snoodle boy said with a huff.
“And don’t paint a picture – I’ve got quite enough!”

“But first, come inside,” the man said. “Have some tea!
I’m so very pleased that you’re visiting me!”
The Snoodle boy stopped, though he’d only gone inches,
and stared at the stranger he’d found on Mount Ginchez.

He didn’t seem angry; in fact, he looked kind.
The poor little boy was confused… “Are you blind?
I’m puny! I’m silly! I’m not all that smart!
I can’t use my wings, and I’m no good at art!”

The stranger leaned down with a pain in his heart.
“Who told you these things?” he asked, “how do you know?”
“These pictures I have in my pack tell me so.”
The small Snoodle sniffled and started to go.

“First, if you please, let me look at this art
that makes your pack heavy and weighs down your heart.”
Then, picture by picture, he unpacked the bag
that bent the poor Snoodle and made his wings sag.

“Dear boy,” said the man, “these look nothing like you!”
Then into the fire the pictures he threw.
He rose from his chair, saying “wait there – you’ll see
that what you need most is a picture from me!”

The Snoodle sat patiently,
sipping his tea.
Then from a room in the back he returned,
and said, “Dear little Snoodle, it’s time that you learned

what you really look like!” And he threw off the sheet.
What the boy saw warmed him right to his feet.
The boy in the portrait looked older and strong,
with wings on his back that were sturdy and long,

and a look in his eye both courageous and free.
“Sir?” asked the boy, “are you saying that’s me?
I’d like to believe it, but sir, I’m afraid to.”
“I know who you are,” the man said, “for I made you.

I built the tower and set it in motion.
I planted the meadow, put fish in the ocean.
And I feed the finches – though most Snoodles doubt it –
not one of them falls that I don’t know about it.

I’ve seen you fall down in the mud and the goo.
I’ve seen all you’ve done, and all you will do.
I gave you your pack, and your paints and your wings.
I chose them for you – they’re your special things.

The Snoodle-kazoo is so you can sing
about colours in Autumn or flowers in Spring.
I gave you your brushes in hopes that you’d see
how using them, you could make pictures for me.

Most of the Snoodles,” the old one said sadly,
“just use their paints to make others feel badly.”
The young Snoodle pondered the things he’d been told.
Then wondering something, grew suddenly bold.

“But sir, if you made this incredible land,
can’t you make Snoodles obey your command?”
The big one smiled warmly, then said to the small,
“A gift that’s demanded is no gift at all.”

With that the small Snoodle reached into his pack,
and pulled out the picture he’d made ten miles back.
“They’re far-lillies, sir, from over the bridge.”
The old one beamed bright and said, “That’s for my fridge!”

After the small Snoodle’s picture was hung,
the old one bent down to the face of the young.
He said, “Here’s what you look like; here’s how I see you.
Keep this in your pack and you’ll find it will free you

from all of the pictures and all of the lies
that others made up just to cut down your size.
And lastly, your wings – you know what they’re for.
But not just to fly, son, I want you to soar!”

“But sir,” said the Snoodle, “how can I fly?
This picture’s so big, I won’t get very high!”
“But this picture’s special – it’s bigger, it’s brighter –
carry it close and I think you’ll feel lighter.”

As soon as he heard it, the Snoodle looked down
and noticed that he was an inch off the ground!
He laughed and he leaped, and he flew from the cave
feeling now older and stronger and brave.

And he flew through the clouds and he flew with the finches,
and soared up and down ‘round the peak of Mount Ginchez.
He flew over far-lilly bushes in yellow,
and thimbuttle plants squirting snooberry jell-o.

He flew over biggle bag trees and their fruits,
in big, lazy loops o’er the land of Galoots.
Then hurried back home to the center of town,
where the Snoodles all stood with their wings on the ground.

And starting precisely at quarter past two,
he told them the story that I just told you.