Secret to miracles in your family

Secret to miracles in your family

Sally clarkson continues to touch my heart with her writing. If you have never read her blog or her books, please do, you will be glad you did.

Windy Afternoon at the Park with Friends

After nap today we jumped in the car and headed to the park for some afternoon playtime with friends. It was extremely windy today, so much so that Maggie was having a hard time standing up.  It was absolutely beautiful though and I got to catch up with my sweet friend Stephanie.  We have a hard time connecting because we stay so busy and because our schedules are kind of opposite.  She and I initially met 2 years ago at the mall play area.  Ever since then we have been fast friends.  I love friends like that...ones that you just immediately connect with and enjoy hanging out together.  Her kids are precious and are just about the same age as ours.  We are going to try and make this a monthly playdate.  Thanks Steph for a fun afternoon!!

 Maggie hanging onto the park fence trying to stand up!!

 Sam soaking up the rays and swinging to his own beat!

 Boys just having fun!!  Probably trying to out pump each other.

 The girls smiling and swinging!

Maggie's First Puddle Splashing Experience

Anniversary Numero Six

This past November Rob and I celebrated 6 years of marriage.  When I really think all that has happened in the last 6 years, it kind of makes my head hurt.  We got married, 8 months later discovered we were pregnant...shocker. Rob started his own company. 9 months later, we had Sam. I stopped working (ouch!) to stay home with him.  4 months later we discovered again that we were pregnant...DOUBLE SHOCKER. 9 months later we had Kate. 1 week after Kate was born, we decided to put our house on the market. just to see if the timing was right to make a move to the Upstate to be closer to our families. 3 days later, full price offering and the move started with a 13 month old and a 1 week old. We had no place to go, so my parents graciously allowed us to live in their lake house for 6 months, while we made plans to BUILD...WHAT??  7 months later we moved into our newly built home. Rob began new business from the ground up here in SC.  Thinking things somewhat settled down a bit as far as major life changing events. We were in a new town, searching for our new church home and raising two babies....the Simple Life.  A little over 2 years later....You guessed it, pregnant again...Maggie joined us 9 months later and now our family of Five is closed for business.  The last 6 years have been fun filled with lots of ups and downs and challenges that I had no idea would be so, well, challenging, but through it all we have managed to stay grounded enough to know that God had to be at the center and had to be our rock. Without our faith, I am certain we wouldn't be where we are today.  We still are managing to love each other and quite honestly love each other more and more than I ever thought possible.  I am thankful and grateful for all the last 6 years has brought us, but I am very much looking forward to what is to come.  I love our little life and wouldn't want it any other way:) 

A Princess and a Dragon

My New Best Friend

THE Eureka ErgoRapido Stick Vac...Where have you been all my life???

This new addition to my appliances has been amazing.  For the last 5 years, I have been using a Dirt Devil Dust Buster.  I had no idea what I was missing.  Mealtimes around my house (at least 4 a day, b/c we snack) is a time of reconnecting, talking and sharing...then there's the clean-up:(  With my children being so young, we have LOTS of crumbs, therefore lots of time spent gathering the crumbs to avoid a compost pile under the kitchen table.  With the traditional dust buster, I was constantly leaning over, crawling under the table to get to crumbs and doing that 4+ times a day is NO FUN!  I wish I wasn't so obsessed with a clean floor, but I am, so finding something that was more efficient and easier to use was a MUST.  This Eureka stick vac is lightweight and has great suction.  It is slim lined and also has a detachable hand held vac on the body of the vac. I give this product two-thumbs up!!  I recommend it to any mom out there looking to simplify their post meal clean up time.  For the record, I am not getting paid to say any of this, hmmmm...maybe I should be??

Three Silly Monkeys

I mean seriously, people...Could these three be any cuter??  I took this the other night in a futile effort to get a decent picture of the three of them together.  My dad had requested that I send him a picture of all three grandchildren so he could put it as the screensaver on his phone.  Well, I have not been successful in doing this EVER, because they are all so busy.  Maggie, the middle cutie, has started walking and she is hardly ever still anymore.  She has most recently proved to be quite the climber too.  If I leave her alone for a minute, I usually find her on top of a table or in her rocking chair in her room.  She is quite pleased with her newly found mobility.  Sam has been obsessed with my new iPad.  The apps that I have gotten for kids are very fun and his favorite is the drawing and coloring app.  He LOVES to draw!  Kate loves to cook in the kitchen and enjoys being the 2nd mommy.  I have to remind her daily that she isn't in charge...but a girl has to dream, right?  Well, anyway, here are the shots that I attempted to take.  I love Maggie's expression with her toothbrush shoved way back in the mouth where her molars are popping through.

God's Voice

Come to me all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because i am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy, the load I give you to carry is light. ~matthew 11:28-30

As this scripture seeps into my brain today during my quiet time, I am reminded that I don't have to have it all together and that each day I think I do, I am robbing myself of the ultimate joy of resting in God's arms and releasing the daily burdens that make me feel so heavy. We don't have to feel heavy, we don't have to rely on ourselves, our husbands, our families, or our friends to unburden us. It's as easy as opening our mouths in prayer to a father who loves us more than we can ever imagine and saying "father, I am tired, I am weary and I need you, I Need rest" and He will give it to you. Wow! Isn't that amazing? It may not come in the form of a three hour nap, but it will come. I often have the habit of forgetting this teaching and it's usually when I am dragging so low emotionally that I stop and remember his promise to us. I know my journey is a common one and that moms across the world are struggling this very moment with some of the same challenges I am being faced with today. I know that with each day His mercies are new and that by His grace I am able to see another day. For this I am grateful. I pray that if this finds you weary in any way, that you too will remember His promise to you. Take a deep breath and be rest assured that he wants you to rely on him and release your burdens on Him. He yearns for a deeper more personal relationship with you. Let Him carry your load...he's waiting and ready to listen.

Fruit of the Spirit

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. - Galatians 5:22-23 Here is our memory verse that we did last week.  We ordered our Truth Cards (http://www.truthcards.org/) and it has been a huge hit.  Not only do they look forward to learning the verses they get so excited seeing who can memorize the verse first.  At the beginnning of the week , they are eager to see which verse is next.  I highly recommend investing in this excellent way to write scripture and truth on your children's hearts. 

Music is a Way of Life Around Here...

I have always said that music can change the mood of almost any circumstance. I mean, you know how you can be driving in the car and a song comes on the radio that brings back a flood of memories? Sometimes for me, it can invoke tears, laughter or just thoughts of days long ago. Well, I know that years down the road, I am going to hear some of the songs that are played in our home and I am going to be able to close my eyes and hear the precious laughter of my children as they sing, dance and play guitar. We listen to music everyday without fail. Whether or not it is just playing the background or there is a specific purpose for singing, dancing or playing along, it is always FUN! I find that when we are getting restless and need to transition into something different, music always provides that perfect segue. It can take two whiney, complaining and bored children to immediate smile and togetherness. It is like magic! I love that my children love music and hope that it will forever be part of their lives in some fashion or form. Here are some pics of the most recent performance I was able to catch on film.

Killing the Souls of Our Children

As I was listening to my three and four year old playing in the backyard today (thank you Jesus for the warmer weather and sunshine), I found this posted on a friend's blog. It struck me and has resonated all day with me. The sounds of my children playing, imagining together, creating make believe scenarios and generally laughing together makes my heart swell and eyes smile for I know that these moments are going to be too few and vanish long before I am ready for them to. On the days that I am feeling like my mothering and molding are inadequate, which are many, I will stop and remind myself that the gift I am giving my children by simply being home with them and letting them just discover their own imaginations in the backyard or playroom is a gift that they will keep forever!! Please read this blog post and be encouraged too that you don't have to be "planning" every moment to give your children more, but leaving them with less to explore and discover MORE!

www.itakejoy.com/killing-the-soul-of-children

Maggie's One Year Pics...A Sampling

Well, as a very proud mama, I will have to say that Maggie came away from her One Year Photo shoot with lots of cute ones.  There are so many to choose from, but the ones here are my favorites for several reasons.  Each one captures a different side of her sweet and spunky personality.  I can't believe she is ONE! Wow, the last 365+ days have really been a whirlwind.  What a blessing she is to us. Thank you God!

Tile Writing in the Tub

We have been practicing our letters lately and I have been looking for ways to make it fun...well, here you go!  This is a terrific way for your kids to learn to form their letters without getting frustrated.  Just smear some shaving cream on your bathtub tile and you are immediately ready for some "handwriting without tears."  The preschool they attend uses this program in school and it has really been an amazing way for them to learn to write without the grueling task of the pencil grasp and the tedious fine motor skills that are not always present at this age.  They are so many other activities to do that are along this same line.  You can place flour or sugar in a baking pan and allow them to draw in there amongst many others.  Anyway...try it, your kids will smile and laugh while learning to write!!!

                                 Can't you just see the sweet satisfaction of a job well done!!  Yay!!

Kate working on her "E".  Maybe one too many lines, but who cares?  That is the point, just smear through and try again:)

Snug as a Bug in My Wool Camel Coat

This morning after breakfast Sam wanted to watch one show on tv.  On Tuesday and Thursdays, I sometimes allow them to snuggle up after breakfast and watch one show just until the kitchen is cleaned up and I have time to possibly drink my coffee:) Well, this morning, Sam says to me that he is "freeeeeeezing." To which I replied, " go put on some warmer clothes."  I didn't pay much attention to what happened next until Rob tells me to go over in the den and see how he remedied his problem.  This is what I found:

 VERY RESOURCEFUL!  Gotta love him:)