Set The Standard High

Josh has this knack for setting the parental standard high in this house.  There is nothing that I love more than watching him interact with our kids.  

-I love his creative way of "helping" them be obedient.  

-I love the way he turns EVERYTHING into a wrestling match.  

-I love how he makes everything fun and exciting for them.  For example, after bath time tonight he was putting lotion on them and held the lotion bottle way up in the sky so that it "flew" down to their tummy's before he tickled them to death while rubbing it in.  

-I love how crazy his nighttime ritual is getting.  

When we are both here to put the kids down for bed Josh is the one to tell/read the stories and do little, silly things in the dark to "wind them down" before we say goodnight.

But when he's not here to tuck them in I just can't compete.  Areyna even tells me "Mom, you aren't good at making up stories.  You can just read one."  And, after several attempts to recreate one of daddy's right-before-bed stunts the kids just tell me I'm not doing it right and hop in their beds=)  

Nothing makes me more proud of my husband, and more in love with my babies daddy!!!

I'm Trying

I've heard so many moms say "I was the healthiest when I was pregnant".  I'm just NOT that mom.  As hard as I try I just cannot acquire a taste for the "good stuff", especially during the first trimester.

This pregnancy has been, by far, the worst EVER!  I had a few cravings with the other pregnancies and food that definitely sounded good, but this pregnancy I seem to move from craving to craving with no relief!  The list just keeps going and going:  steak, cheeseburger, snickers, subway, french fries, snickers, milkshakes, popsicles, french fries, snickers, frozen pizzas, slushies, extra crunchy salty chips, etc.  Did I mention french fries and snickers?!

When I finally went to the store this week I tried so hard not to give into my cravings and only buy snacks that I thought I could handle while being somewhat nutritious, like dried fruit trail mixes and frozen real-fruit popsicles.  Okay, so I gave in and bought a frozen pizza too=)

I think the main thing for me are the smells!  I've always gotten the sensitive smell issue before but this time I tend to gag over just about everything.  The smell of cooked chicken just about did me in last night...

So, I have let it go and just had realize that this is a season and it will not last forever while I just pray that I don't gain 100 pounds during this "season".=)

A Mess To Me Brings Joy To Them

This has been what my house has looked like...ALL WEEK!!!  Every room of the house.  I have slowly whittled down the piles one room at a time and now only have our bedroom to tackle.

The kid's suitcase sat in the middle of our living room until this morning.  It did make for hours of "fun" for the kids while they buckled themselves in and out as they flung their clean clothes all over creation=)  It became their car, their classroom, their beds, their playroom...oh the fun!

Guaranteed Visit From Your Friends

I cannot seem to get any of my out-of-town friends to come visit me (j/k, I know ya'll are busy)=)  But I can guarantee you that they'll come for this!

The Charlotte IKEA will be opening on February 18, 2009.  I am SO excited!

Be Jealous, Be Very Jealous

Oh, you don't see it?  Look a little closer.

Here ya go...

This is all Josh could muster up for our snowman today=)  He did withstand the sun's heat this afternoon.  Pretty impressive!

The Yard Of Envy

Good thing I didn't have any plans today because this is what we woke up to this morning to my delight.  

This is the best kind of snow.  We've been so busy and going non-stop since last Thursday that I haven't been able to keep up with my favorite obsession; watching the weather.  Therefore, when the snow started falling on our way to go pick up the kids after CharlotteONE last night I was shocked!  What a GREAT surprise=)

We've already gotten the expected doorbell ring from the neighborhood kids to slide down our driveway.  We have the yard of envy to all who see the slopes and slants of our hilly driveway and in our backyard.  Not to mention the perfect shade in just the right spots to keep the ice for the longest in the neighborhood.  Today is even better, there is a layer of ice sandwiching the snow so it makes for some cheap thrills down the hills.

*Note - You know your kids are tired when the doorbell rings at 9am and you have a porch full of noisy kids ready to tackle our driveway and my kids continue to sleep uninterrupted!=)  They are out cold this morning.  We're going to let them sleep as long as they want today.  They deserve it=)  Hopefully the snow will hold up until they get up to play in it...

After Midnight

Well, I'm sitting here after one of the best night's at CharlotteONE that I can remember going to.  I am so blessed to be a part of this awesome ministry.  I'm so keyed up tonight. I did get a Frappuccino on the way to C1 at 4pm.  Now, I know I haven't had much caffeine since I've been pregnant but there's no way that the caffeine is still affecting me=)

It is snowing outside so that is adding to my glee!

And the Lilley's, who watched our kids tonight, could only speak sweet words about how sweet our kids did.  They even thanked us for letting them watch them=)  Now that's music to this mom's ears!

I've been going NON-STOP since 8:30 this morning and just now sitting down.  Areyna and Zeke are both a little sick so we made a trip to the doctors, finally stocked the pantry (praise the Lord), and got 3 lessons in before heading to C1.

What's on my agenda tomorrow...NOTHING!  I'm taking a personal day to recoup from our extended weekend of worship.

I guess it's time to wind down and get some sleep, or maybe I'll just sit and watch it snow some more=)

Living With Less To Live On Less

Josh and I have been on this "aww, just give-it-away" kick lately.  I always love when Josh gets sucked into these things with me=)  Doesn't it feel so good to get rid of stuff that you don't use or need anymore?  Doesn't it feel so good to give someone something that they NEED when you no longer do?  It's one of my favorite things=)

Just like everybody else the economy has had an effect on us.  Don't get me wrong, we are doing fine.  We aren't exactly rollin' in the dough but God is good and faithful to provide for every need!  The failing economy has more been a reminder of the frailty of this world and what it has to offer.  We have been more determined to be content with what God has given us and realize how blessed we are and to give, get rid and live simply.

We are already on a tight budget but instead of thinking, "I can't go to _________" and "I can't buy ____________"  I am learning that "I don't need to go to _____________" and "I don't need to buy____________".  I already have so much!  I have stopped going LOTS of places.  I stay at home a lot.  I have more time to spend with my kids, my husband, and with my blog of course=)  It allows us to use the money more wisely on things that we need and that matter.

I love trying to make our home a safe place and a place we can really call home but I am slowly learning how to do it without having to go to the store to buy something for it.  We've been selling some of our furniture on Craigslist - our little house was too crowded, besides that, we are about to have another little one to add to the bunch.  We've been purging our old books and clothes - we don't need them.  

We've really been inspired by Francis Chan.  He is a pastor in Simi Valley, California who has decided to live a life of example, humility, and generosity.  His family of 6 lives in a 1000 sq. ft. house and lives on as little as possible so they have more to give to the church and to missions.  He's written an incredible book that I am beginning to read called Crazy Love.  You can read Josh's review of the book HERE.

Wow, I want to live like that.  I say I don't care about worldly possessions but do I really live like that?  Bottom line, I just want to be willing to live the life God has called me to live and fall more in love with Him.  For me, that means getting rid of excess things in my life that are distracting to me and changing my mindset to see that I don't have to have tons of money to give, but to find other ways to give like God has commanded us to do.

What is it for you?

30-34

I just filled out an on-line survey for CVS to get some extra ECB's.  10 ECB's ya'll!!!  This is beside the point though=)

Anyway, in the survey I had to give my age.  I know I just turned 30 but I just now realized that I am now in a new age bracket=(

I am no longer in the 18-29 age bracket or the 25-29 age bracket...

I had to bubble the age, 30-34!