As for me and my house we will serve the LORD...

Josh and I are so thankful for the Lord in our life and for the faithfulness He shows us as our God. We believe that our children are a gift from Him and that they are His; He is sharing them with us while we're here on earth. Because of this, we choose to dedicate them back to Him at church, in front of our family and friends. It is a very special time and we are so blessed to have a huge support system! This past weekend, we dedicated Aaron. We are so glad that he is in our family and is such a sweet, healthy little boy.

We pray that as Aaron and Sophie grow they will choose to love and serve the Lord, obeying Him all of their lives. I believe that my job as a mom will be successful if, when I die and stand before the Lord, I can say that I did my best and made the most of every opportunity to raise my children to worship the Lord and love others during their lives.

So improvise...

It saddens my heart, but not all houses come with a room especially for doing laundry. I think it should be a requirement to provide a cute room for this abominable task, but apparently men still design houses! So, we must improvise. I have a corner in the garage for my laundry. I should not complain because it is in the garage so I can have a bigger kitchen, and my loving husband did a lot of work to make it happen...but it still should be cute! Today I organized my little space and designated some cute buckets I already had to be for laundry items. This picture is a little pitiful for some to see, if you have a laundry room, but I am blooming where I'm planted. For me, this will be a cute laundry space!

All dressed up...

Josh's cousin got married today, in a very beautiful and special ceremony. So, of course I needed to take some pictures of Sophie all dressed up (Aaron was dressed up too, just sleeping). I took them before we went, knowing the styled hair probably wouldn't last!

Learning...

This is what happens when a little girl is told to get back in her bed 5 times and she keeps getting up to play...she falls asleep on the floor, because she really is tired despite what she thinks, in her 2 year old wisdom.

Being a girl in the summer

I just love this girl...



I introduced my little tomboy to being a pretty little girl in the summer...



Chilling in the playhouse...

Today's challenge...

Anyone who knows Sophie, knows that she went from taking her first steps to a full sprint. She has not stopped running since. She plays hard from wake-up to nap and from nap to bedtime! Consequently, she eats mostly all day long. This is good because she burns so much and needs the nutrition...hence my challenge.

How do you feed a toddler all day long without partaking of their snacks and or leftovers all day long with them? I do not have her metabolism and should not eat all day long like her! After having Aaron, I've gotten back into working out to "get my body back." I'd actually like to see the body I had in high school! I'm only 15 pounds and lots of muscle development away from my goal!

Now all of that said, I will choose to remember that God made my body fearfully and wonderfully. I look this way, because He also created two precious babies inside of me and I love them dearly...no matter what they did to my figure.

As I feed Aaron and Sophie all day long, I will drink my water and be thankful!

Today's Nap Time Craft

So, I know it seems that my projects are always done at nap time...and, they usually are. Either that or after bed. Life with a toddler is so busy...between snack, blocks, diapers and the fact that craft supplies are not toddler friendly!

Today, I decided that her magnetic letters needed a home other than the standard box they came in. It was cute enough for a preschool or totally devoted child space, but since Sophie's letter area and table is in the middle of my living room/dining room...it was not to be.

I decided to use a metal planter box that I had gotten at a garage sale for $2 (2 summers ago). It was a steel color which didn't work. So, I spray painted it brown and distressed it. Then, I stenciled a "L" for letters on it.



Sophie's area is really coming together. She is starting to really like having snacks and coloring time here.

So much playroom...so little time

What you can do when sister is in bed...

Truly Welcome

So, our front walkway was more welcome to spiders than friends...plainly stated it was gross. I just couldn't have that! Armed with a hose and a broom, I took care of the spiders and their webs. Then I filled our pots with cheerful flowers that brighten a mood just at a glance. Lastly, was the hard part. My parents had given us an adorable bench and table that were well loved and in need of some care.


After scrubbing and sanding, I painted...



Now our walkway is truly welcoming...



Next, we just need to update the exterior paint and get some pillows on that bench! We're hoping to get to the paint maybe in August...I just close my eyes and pretend it's green with black shutters! I'm going to love it. Gone will be the outdated maroon and white (so the previous home-owners choice...not mine!)

We love summer

Today we went to Lone Pine Farm...a great favorite in the summer! It's free to visit the animals and it gets us out on warm days. Of course, our dear buddies Melinda and Mason came along. Sophie and Mason just adore each other and having another adult-friend along always makes it more fun.

We love our friends...of course, this is the "reality picture." Trying to pose for a cute picture, while the kiddos try to escape!



Mason making friends...



Sophie fed the goats and giggled when they licked her...



This goat was very excited when the food came out...



So nice of the goats to hang around for the food...umm I mean, the kids...




Every trip to the farm needs a ride on the tractor...



Momma and Sophie; Aaron was sleeping in the stroller...



Melinda and Mason...



Mason, don't eat that...



The stroller is so much more fun when it's your idea...



Gotta love those goats...


We love these kiddos...



Of course, Auntie Melinda pulled through with a popsicle for the ride home...

To Infinity and Beyond!

A new spin on a lazy susan

I've always thought that lazy susan's are quite practical in the middle of a table or on a counter for projects or dinner...however, I can't stand how they look. So, enter the hamper lid. It didn't fit on the hamper anymore, because I'm using that for Sophie's blocks. I saved it, but wasn't sure when it would come in handy. Now it's a custom lazy susan!

Here's the hamper lid...



Here's the ugly Walmart lazy susan...hot glue gunned on...



Here is the custom lazy susan...perfect for those barbecue condiments!

She's got the look

She did not really want her picture taken, but I just could not resist. She was running around with one of my long necklaces. Her hair was wild (like always) because she had taken her pony out. Of course, the boots in summer are a nice touch...I wanted to put her sandals on today but she's two!

Here is the toy shelf...

What a few accessories from around the house can do...

A Crafty Time...

So I had this plain brown rug, that I had paid $3 for a loooong time ago. I was feeling like it needed to be refreshed.



So...I monogrammed it...yeah!

God the Father

On this day, where we celebrate our earthly fathers, we should also celebrate that God is our heavenly Father. He is the perfect father, that will never hurt us or forsake us, like our earthly father may have done. He calls Himself a father to the fatherless. Even though I have an incredible earthly father, I still find joy and comfort knowing my heavenly Father is providing for me and taking care of my family. I want you all to know that our Heavenly Father is preparing a home for us and He will come back to take us home with Him to live for eternity. It will be amazing and perfect. It will be the ultimate father's day to worship and adore the One who created the world and is everyone's Father. Although He calls Himself our father, He is waiting for us to cry out to Him as our Father. He does not force that relationship but desires us to respond to His love that He offers. I pray that if you have never responded, if you have never asked for forgiveness and approached Him to have that relationship, you still can. Today could be a Father's Day to remember for eternity. God can be your Heavenly Father. All you have to do is ask and recognize your need. He promises never to leave you or forsake you. He promises to provide for you for eternity. He knows everything about you, everything you hide or are embarrassed about and still loves you completely. Today, you can become a child of God.

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." 1 John 3:1

"And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 4:10

"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who serve Him." Psalm 103:13

Friends, much love to you on this special day. I pray that as I love you here on earth, I will also be able to love you for eternity...the Heavenly Father wishes this too.

My Dad

Now that I have my own children, I am able to truly understand what love and sacrifice my dad balanced for us. I remember waking up early and finding him in the family room reading his Bible or praying for our family. Then, he would go early into work and stay long hours to provide financially. He still found time to play with us or coach sports. He also took us on "dad dates" where he showed us how a gentleman treats a lady. We also saw that at home, in how he treated our mom. I still love his "famous sandwiches" which is the best with my mom's homemade roast beef. I know my mom did a lot of behind the scenes work to aid in my dad's success with us, giving up her own time with him or explaining the mind of little girls.
Now that I'm married and away, I still love talking to him on the phone or seeing him every few weeks. He still continues to provide a lot for our family and our children. I am so thankful that my children have "Poppy." He plays a lot of the same games with Sophie that he did with us. I love it when she asks for or about Poppy, even when we're home.
Thanks Dad for being so faithful to our family and for loving us so completely. We love you.

A Father's Love

I'm very thankful for Josh as a husband, but my love for him has grown so much as I watch him with our children. I see such an unconditional love and tenderness when he is both playing or disciplining. He delights in our children and provides such security for them as they develop. He is able to fill a need for them that I was never designed to supply. I know as they grow he will be able, with the Lord's guidance and grace, to teach Sophie how she should be treated and what a lady deserves while showing Aaron how to become a godly gentleman. My job will be to support him and pray for his wisdom, but it is he who will set the example for them. Happy Father's Day, darling. We are so glad you are in our lives.