I finally remembered to ask for these. My brother took them at Christmas. He is quite the photographer! They are some of my favorites of our family. Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Spring has sprung!
My bloomin' calendar tells me so! The baseball fun begins! :) Starting tomorrow we have baseball practice for Sweetdoll on Tuesdays and Fridays, baseball practice for SweetBoy on Thursday and Saturday, Wednesday night church, and small group Bible study on Thursday evening. I will try to get some action shots and share them here. Talk to you when I can! Anyone have some healthy, quick, kid-friendly meal ideas?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
My name is Shelly and...
My name is Shelly, and I'm a scrap-aholic. Or obsessed with finishing a project, whichever way you want to look at it. I had several pages for my daughter's scrapbook done except for the journaling. Yesterday after school, I took them and my pens to the playground and journaled on the picnic table while my children played...for TWO hours! I know. I have a problem, but I got 10 pages finished and in the book over the last two days! In the book she is now 18 months old! I think I'm going to run out of pages before I run out of pictures, but that is a problem for another day.
Funny story...Let me preface this with this fact. If you haven't seen SweetDoll in a while (or ever), she is not very tall, even for her age. She and SweetTate are mistaken for twins at the grocery store all the time--they are three years apart! (He is on the taller side for his age but still.) So where some kids look older than they are, she definetly does not. Then to totally get the scene, SweetDoll has a very matter of fact attitude at times. Like "I'm 5 and am smarter than you." With the scene set, here is the funny story...SweetHeart takes her to the dentist the other day. She gets up in that big chair and the hygenist is making small talk and asks, "My goodness, how old are you? Are you 12?" SweetDoll looks her straight in the eye, furrows her brow and says, "Do I look 12?" That is so SweetDoll! We have seen those furrowed eyebrows from day one!
Funny story...Let me preface this with this fact. If you haven't seen SweetDoll in a while (or ever), she is not very tall, even for her age. She and SweetTate are mistaken for twins at the grocery store all the time--they are three years apart! (He is on the taller side for his age but still.) So where some kids look older than they are, she definetly does not. Then to totally get the scene, SweetDoll has a very matter of fact attitude at times. Like "I'm 5 and am smarter than you." With the scene set, here is the funny story...SweetHeart takes her to the dentist the other day. She gets up in that big chair and the hygenist is making small talk and asks, "My goodness, how old are you? Are you 12?" SweetDoll looks her straight in the eye, furrows her brow and says, "Do I look 12?" That is so SweetDoll! We have seen those furrowed eyebrows from day one!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
My Boys and ice cream
We all have a thing for a little Blue Bell, but for my boys it seems to be a little more. At SweetBoy's first birthday, we were serving cake and ice cream. I asked, "Does anyone want some ice cream?" He raised his little finger as if to call a waiter and said, "Some!" Then when he was about 2, we were driving home from my parents and we told him we would be stopping at Braum's for lunch. A few miles later, kind of out of the blue, he says, "I'm thinking they have ice cream there." We just laughed and said, "I think you're right!"
Last night ice cream was the dessert of choice after supper. SweetTate had eaten his and asked for more. He didn't have enough of his supper for seconds on dessert, but I offered to help him scrape the bowl. I'm pretty good at getting the last drop, especially ice cream. I told him that it was all gone, but he looked at the bowl and said (now imagine this in your best toddler speak), "I think there's a little more in there." So I scraped the last 1/2 drops until it was completely and totally empty!
We have a friend that it does not matter what time you get to his house, 3:00 in the afternoon or 2:00 in the morning, he says, "I think it is time for some Blue Bell." My boys have not met Mr. Pratt, but I have a feeling they would LOVE going to his house!
Last night ice cream was the dessert of choice after supper. SweetTate had eaten his and asked for more. He didn't have enough of his supper for seconds on dessert, but I offered to help him scrape the bowl. I'm pretty good at getting the last drop, especially ice cream. I told him that it was all gone, but he looked at the bowl and said (now imagine this in your best toddler speak), "I think there's a little more in there." So I scraped the last 1/2 drops until it was completely and totally empty!
We have a friend that it does not matter what time you get to his house, 3:00 in the afternoon or 2:00 in the morning, he says, "I think it is time for some Blue Bell." My boys have not met Mr. Pratt, but I have a feeling they would LOVE going to his house!
Friday, February 20, 2009
The things they say...
SweetTate is in that oh-so-cute phase of mispronouncing things. He has a fire truck shirt and I keep trying to get him to say fire engine, because I'm sure you have already guessed what it sounds like! Many words he uses f instead of t. But then SweetDoll had a tamberine and he said it was a tenerine. He got the t right! One of my personal favorites is when I give him something he will say, "Thanks me, Mom." He hasn't quite gotten the personal pronouns down yet! Tonight before bed, SweetTate was going around the house with his little microphone singing, "Jesus is love me. Jesus is love me." How much I need that reminder that Jesus is loving me! He is love to me! He is love! So precious! I love this part of this stage!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
New to the Blog-sphere
Hey, Just wanted to introduce some friends of mine. They are 2Moms, or Mom-and Loving It! Ministries, aka Sharon and Laurie. They are sisters who have gotten together to write some music (and some with their big Brother Chris) for their CD "Hold you, Mommy" --anybody else have a "Jungle Baby"? Or have your kids reached up and said "Hold you." Or maybe need a reminder that "These days are here. These days are now. Help me treasure them." They have also written two books, and are entertaining speakers. They are real life moms with real life families and real life faith. I'm not getting a dime to promote them. I just happen to be friends with them and have been encouraged by what they are doing and hope the get to do it a lot more. They just started blogging and I can't wait to read the encouraging words they will share. I added their blog to my sidebar or here is a link to their website. Enjoy!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
My Blessing Day
Here is what I wrote at the end of my blessing day...
Yesterday (Tuesday) I was in such a bad mood that I couldn’t even finish my Bible study. I read it, but it was not getting anywhere. All day God kept chipping away at the wall I was building in my heart, and giving me a little grace here and there to not say what I was thinking. This morning (Wednesday) I woke up with hope that today was going to be better, but there was still a tidge of bad attitude ready to take over. I was reading in my Bible study, yesterday’s lesson, about having a blast in Jesus and really delighting in His blessing. Because He is full of blessing and He gives them to us one after another. “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (John 1:16 BTW this is my new memory verse I'm learning.) (Beth Moore’s John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple, Day 36) To fully set the scene, I’m memorizing Colossians 3:1-2, the set your hearts and minds verse, and a friend is reading a joy study I put together and we have talked about it recently, so I had been thinking about experiencing God’s joy and being in His presence…today would be better. The phone rings. SweetHeart calls to tell me that the big freezer in the garage—the freezer that housed, among other things too, the roast, steak and hamburger mom and dad just stocked for us—that freezer door was open all night. And everything was defrosted. Thankfully it is winter and everything was still cold. But thanks was not my initial response! Here is the prayer I wrote in my journal this morning.
God, today is better than yesterday, but I am struggling with being joyful. I know Your love for me is very great and right this moment I am loved, but life is happening and I am down—I'm frustrated with someone I love, money is tight, the fence blew down in the storm last night, the freezer door was left open, the dishwasher is out, SweetHeart's job is stressful for everyone, I have lazy kids because I'm not teaching them right, SweetTate is being 2, I’m tired and have a sinus infection…Lord, I need Your joy just to get through today! I want it to be more than that, for You to be a blast to me, but this is where I am.
So here is my blessing day…I decided I wanted this to be a blessing instead of a chore. How? I knew our youth pastor’s wife was on a mission trip to Africa, so I invited he and his girls to dinner. I needed to make a roast and some steak, and there would be MORE than plenty so I invited our music director and his family too. (The pastor and his wife couldn’t make it.) I figured Wednesday nights were hectic to get a meal in for them, and that was evidently my job for the day so why not! Was it easy? I defrosted the freezer, cooked 3 pounds of hamburger patties, browned 6 pounds of hamburger to freeze, made a roast and steak for supper to feed 12, the dog pooped in the house, the dog started tearing up the carpet, my son scratched a borrowed DVD, my daughter spilled oranges all over the kitchen, did I mention the fence was down…chased the dog, did I mention the dishwasher was out…washed dishes, pick up the house for company…um, no, it was not easy. Here are the blessings, one after another. Because my focus was on God, I told my daughter that she left the freezer door open, she said she was sorry, I gave her a hug and that was the end of it. I did have to explain later in the day that I couldn’t help her pick up the toys because I was busy in the kitchen—there were consequences all day. But at the end of the day, she knew I loved her, no matter the mistakes. That is not necessarily my nature, that is God working, that is a blessing today! My son thought we were having a party because friends came over—that is a blessing. Fellowship with friends, somewhat hurried because of busy schedules, but I pray it was a blessing to them too. We only lost a couple of pizzas and a package of chicken, and those I bought on sale with a coupon! That is a blessing! I was able to give a friend some of the steak. At some point in the day I asked God that if He was giving me one blessing after another, that I needed strength for this day. I was on my feet all day, and here I am at the end of the day, very tired, but my feet don’t hurt (that is rare). That is a blessing!
God, My Father, I am so overwhelmed! A day that every turn had another mess to deal with, and You were busy blessing me and others! You are so worth it! You can take a terrible day and turn it into good! I see other families that I admire turn mistakes into blessings and wondered how they did that. Today You showed me. I have to put You first and keep my eyes on You, not on whatever is happening around me. Thank you for my blessing day! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! I know You really love me, and I love You too. In Jesus’ precious name…amen.
Psalm 25:5 (current memory verse--another blessing!)
Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. ALL DAY LONG I put my hope in You.
Yesterday (Tuesday) I was in such a bad mood that I couldn’t even finish my Bible study. I read it, but it was not getting anywhere. All day God kept chipping away at the wall I was building in my heart, and giving me a little grace here and there to not say what I was thinking. This morning (Wednesday) I woke up with hope that today was going to be better, but there was still a tidge of bad attitude ready to take over. I was reading in my Bible study, yesterday’s lesson, about having a blast in Jesus and really delighting in His blessing. Because He is full of blessing and He gives them to us one after another. “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (John 1:16 BTW this is my new memory verse I'm learning.) (Beth Moore’s John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple, Day 36) To fully set the scene, I’m memorizing Colossians 3:1-2, the set your hearts and minds verse, and a friend is reading a joy study I put together and we have talked about it recently, so I had been thinking about experiencing God’s joy and being in His presence…today would be better. The phone rings. SweetHeart calls to tell me that the big freezer in the garage—the freezer that housed, among other things too, the roast, steak and hamburger mom and dad just stocked for us—that freezer door was open all night. And everything was defrosted. Thankfully it is winter and everything was still cold. But thanks was not my initial response! Here is the prayer I wrote in my journal this morning.
God, today is better than yesterday, but I am struggling with being joyful. I know Your love for me is very great and right this moment I am loved, but life is happening and I am down—I'm frustrated with someone I love, money is tight, the fence blew down in the storm last night, the freezer door was left open, the dishwasher is out, SweetHeart's job is stressful for everyone, I have lazy kids because I'm not teaching them right, SweetTate is being 2, I’m tired and have a sinus infection…Lord, I need Your joy just to get through today! I want it to be more than that, for You to be a blast to me, but this is where I am.
So here is my blessing day…I decided I wanted this to be a blessing instead of a chore. How? I knew our youth pastor’s wife was on a mission trip to Africa, so I invited he and his girls to dinner. I needed to make a roast and some steak, and there would be MORE than plenty so I invited our music director and his family too. (The pastor and his wife couldn’t make it.) I figured Wednesday nights were hectic to get a meal in for them, and that was evidently my job for the day so why not! Was it easy? I defrosted the freezer, cooked 3 pounds of hamburger patties, browned 6 pounds of hamburger to freeze, made a roast and steak for supper to feed 12, the dog pooped in the house, the dog started tearing up the carpet, my son scratched a borrowed DVD, my daughter spilled oranges all over the kitchen, did I mention the fence was down…chased the dog, did I mention the dishwasher was out…washed dishes, pick up the house for company…um, no, it was not easy. Here are the blessings, one after another. Because my focus was on God, I told my daughter that she left the freezer door open, she said she was sorry, I gave her a hug and that was the end of it. I did have to explain later in the day that I couldn’t help her pick up the toys because I was busy in the kitchen—there were consequences all day. But at the end of the day, she knew I loved her, no matter the mistakes. That is not necessarily my nature, that is God working, that is a blessing today! My son thought we were having a party because friends came over—that is a blessing. Fellowship with friends, somewhat hurried because of busy schedules, but I pray it was a blessing to them too. We only lost a couple of pizzas and a package of chicken, and those I bought on sale with a coupon! That is a blessing! I was able to give a friend some of the steak. At some point in the day I asked God that if He was giving me one blessing after another, that I needed strength for this day. I was on my feet all day, and here I am at the end of the day, very tired, but my feet don’t hurt (that is rare). That is a blessing!
God, My Father, I am so overwhelmed! A day that every turn had another mess to deal with, and You were busy blessing me and others! You are so worth it! You can take a terrible day and turn it into good! I see other families that I admire turn mistakes into blessings and wondered how they did that. Today You showed me. I have to put You first and keep my eyes on You, not on whatever is happening around me. Thank you for my blessing day! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! I know You really love me, and I love You too. In Jesus’ precious name…amen.
Psalm 25:5 (current memory verse--another blessing!)
Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. ALL DAY LONG I put my hope in You.
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