Lucas and I have had many conversations about this season of our lives. We are very much at peace with where we are and the things we are doing. But there is something that is happening that neither of us can put into words. There is something more that is at work, yet neither of us can quite put our finger on it. Through different circumstances, different relationships, and different whispers from the Holy Spirit, there seems to be something working in a realm that we can't quite identify. We both just keep saying, "God is preparing us for something bigger".
So pray with us. What I love about my Father is the unknown is not a scary place with Him. I can wait patiently, in expectation, because I know that He has nothing but the best prepared for us.
Lord, we are willing. When you say "Go", we will go. When you say "See", we will see. When you say "Listen", we will hear. When you say "Learn", we will gain wisdom. And when you say "Wait", we will trust.
Psalms 27:13-14
Yet, I am confident. I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be strong and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Showing posts with label Family Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Life. Show all posts
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Absent
I have been avoiding this area like the plague. When I come, it just makes me feel so far behind on everything that I have failed to record. So let me just tell you the trend in my life right now: SIMPLIFY!
Lucas left Sunday, a week ago, and will be gone for 2.5 weeks. So this puts me about one week in. After this week I have realized one thing. I have got too much on my plate! Lucas and I are a really good team when it comes to this whole parenting thing and with us entering another season of life with him going back and forth to NYC, I am realizing that I cannot keep up everything that him and I make work together.
So, I am letting some things go. I have taken a step back to reevaluate my priorities. It means sacrifice in some things that I enjoy but it means securing the most important things on the top of the list. Jesus, unchallenged time with my husband and daughter, and time to invest in my friendships are the areas in which I want to be my best.
So, excuse me in my absence. I will be back soon to catch up on life. I really do enjoy this spot. It is often a place to get things off my mind and I hope for it to be that again very soon. Life doesn't stop, even when we feel like we need a break and I hope to get back to remembering it here.
Lucas left Sunday, a week ago, and will be gone for 2.5 weeks. So this puts me about one week in. After this week I have realized one thing. I have got too much on my plate! Lucas and I are a really good team when it comes to this whole parenting thing and with us entering another season of life with him going back and forth to NYC, I am realizing that I cannot keep up everything that him and I make work together.
So, I am letting some things go. I have taken a step back to reevaluate my priorities. It means sacrifice in some things that I enjoy but it means securing the most important things on the top of the list. Jesus, unchallenged time with my husband and daughter, and time to invest in my friendships are the areas in which I want to be my best.
So, excuse me in my absence. I will be back soon to catch up on life. I really do enjoy this spot. It is often a place to get things off my mind and I hope for it to be that again very soon. Life doesn't stop, even when we feel like we need a break and I hope to get back to remembering it here.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday Sitdown
Okay, so Monday is the new Sunday!
Maybe we will start calling it Monday Meltdown...
Anyway, here's what we have been up too:
The beginning of the week was very routine for us.
Tuesday, We had our girls lunch with a couple close friends and their girls. We ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Sun in my Belly.
Wednesday, I got back to a Bikram (Hot Yoga) class. I can always tell it has been too long when my back tightens up again.
Thursday, the weather was BEAUTIFUL so after a morning at church and nap time, we spent probably over 2 hours at the playground. Just about the rest of the neighborhood was out there as well. It really did feel like spring time. It was great catching up with all the neighbors and seeing how their kids have grown over the "winter".
Friday, we spent the morning with our twin friends, Bobby and Sydney, at Hippo Hop. It is one of those indoor bouncing places. The kids had a great time and all ate a big lunch at the mexican restaurant afterwards. Friday night, I went out with my girlfriend (and neighbor) Heather. She is about 30 weeks preggo with #2 and was needing some R&R. We dined outside at Leons under the heaters. Have I mentioned we have the BEST patio dining here?? Anyway, after a peaceful kid free meal, we walked down and grabbed some frozen yogurt. It as a great evening.
Saturday, we have a busy day. I started the day, teaching my spin class, and then ran home and hopped in the shower. We took Layla to a performance of Mother Goose at Decatur School of Dance. Her teacher at DSOB was Mother Goose and she also got to see the "older"girls dance. The show was about and hour and Layla sat still in Lucas's lap the whole time. She clapped very enthusiastically after each performance. She loved to watch them do moves that she recognized from her 2 year old class. She said when she got big she wanted to dance like them:). We then grabbed lunch as a family and I had to run off to another meeting while Layla napped at home with dad. This year I am co-chairing in the organization of Kirkwood's Spring Fling 5k. It is a 5k around our neighborhood that happens the morning of the annual festival. Last year, there were about 400 hundred runners and we are hoping for more this year. Right now we are trying to tie down our sponsors before the tshirts are printed. Sign up at active.com. It's a fun race! After a busy day, Lucas had some guys over for poker night which meant I got a solo trip to target and a bed time of about 10pm. Good Day!
Sunday: We headed out the door for church, and on the way Lucas said "you know if you had gotten up earlier we could have stopped for HOT Krispy Kreme". You bet I will be ready next week:). When we got home, we took a walk to our urban garden that the neighborhood shares. We are getting a plot there this year because I am dying to plant some veggies. I am so excited about having a garden, I can hardly stand it. Thank goodness I have a husband who supports my excitement. I am sure there will be more on this subject later:). After a Sunday afternoon nap, we all headed to the ball field for the first softball practice of the spring. I can't believe it is that time of the year already! Then after softball, we headed to some neighbors house for dinner. SO nice to have someone cook for you. The food was delish and the company was even better. We had such a good time, Layla stayed up until almost 9pm :0.
We are feeling very blessed to live in a great city, with a great community.
The beginning of the week was very routine for us.
Tuesday, We had our girls lunch with a couple close friends and their girls. We ate at one of my favorite restaurants, Sun in my Belly.
Wednesday, I got back to a Bikram (Hot Yoga) class. I can always tell it has been too long when my back tightens up again.
Thursday, the weather was BEAUTIFUL so after a morning at church and nap time, we spent probably over 2 hours at the playground. Just about the rest of the neighborhood was out there as well. It really did feel like spring time. It was great catching up with all the neighbors and seeing how their kids have grown over the "winter".
Friday, we spent the morning with our twin friends, Bobby and Sydney, at Hippo Hop. It is one of those indoor bouncing places. The kids had a great time and all ate a big lunch at the mexican restaurant afterwards. Friday night, I went out with my girlfriend (and neighbor) Heather. She is about 30 weeks preggo with #2 and was needing some R&R. We dined outside at Leons under the heaters. Have I mentioned we have the BEST patio dining here?? Anyway, after a peaceful kid free meal, we walked down and grabbed some frozen yogurt. It as a great evening.
Saturday, we have a busy day. I started the day, teaching my spin class, and then ran home and hopped in the shower. We took Layla to a performance of Mother Goose at Decatur School of Dance. Her teacher at DSOB was Mother Goose and she also got to see the "older"girls dance. The show was about and hour and Layla sat still in Lucas's lap the whole time. She clapped very enthusiastically after each performance. She loved to watch them do moves that she recognized from her 2 year old class. She said when she got big she wanted to dance like them:). We then grabbed lunch as a family and I had to run off to another meeting while Layla napped at home with dad. This year I am co-chairing in the organization of Kirkwood's Spring Fling 5k. It is a 5k around our neighborhood that happens the morning of the annual festival. Last year, there were about 400 hundred runners and we are hoping for more this year. Right now we are trying to tie down our sponsors before the tshirts are printed. Sign up at active.com. It's a fun race! After a busy day, Lucas had some guys over for poker night which meant I got a solo trip to target and a bed time of about 10pm. Good Day!
Sunday: We headed out the door for church, and on the way Lucas said "you know if you had gotten up earlier we could have stopped for HOT Krispy Kreme". You bet I will be ready next week:). When we got home, we took a walk to our urban garden that the neighborhood shares. We are getting a plot there this year because I am dying to plant some veggies. I am so excited about having a garden, I can hardly stand it. Thank goodness I have a husband who supports my excitement. I am sure there will be more on this subject later:). After a Sunday afternoon nap, we all headed to the ball field for the first softball practice of the spring. I can't believe it is that time of the year already! Then after softball, we headed to some neighbors house for dinner. SO nice to have someone cook for you. The food was delish and the company was even better. We had such a good time, Layla stayed up until almost 9pm :0.
We are feeling very blessed to live in a great city, with a great community.
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| Layla and her two loves. |
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| This cat lives in the pet store in down town kirkwood. We walk by there almost everyday the weather permits. Layla loves to stop and see the 2 kitties. I swear that this one "Ginger" waves to her every time. |
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| Homemade pretzel making with dad |
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| in the bubble on the playground with Kyson |
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| such a daddy's girl. she was watching him in the garage. |
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| running the bases |
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| this awesome tree and swing in the woods by the garden |
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| who doesn't love a sleeping baby. She had both feet hanging out:) |
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| when did they get so big?? |
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| getting Mrs. Dee's autograph |
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| Cheese! |
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday Sitdown (happening on a Monday)
Highlights of our week:
1. Layla finished ANOTHER session of music class on Friday. I keep looking for a way to weave this out of schedule, but she loves it more & more. We start the Spring session mid march.
2. Friday was Girl's Night! A few of my close friends and I went to see The Vow and then hit up Starbucks afterward. The movie was really good but we were kicked out of Starbucks before we were ready to leave:)
3. Saturday turned into a rainy day so we pulled out another movie from our stash. Have I mentioned this to you guys?? We joined the Disney Movie Club and got 7 Blue-Ray movies for about $13. We just have to pay full price for 2 Disney movies in the next 2 years. We received all the movies the same day, so we put some away to pull out on a rainy day. Princess and the Frog was the first one and Saturday, we introduced Alice in Wonderland. Layla loved both of them and we have watched them multiple times.
4. So VERY THANKFUL for our church home here in Atlanta.
5. We spent Sunday afternoon at Natalie and Chris's house. We had ribs on the BIG Green Egg. They were delish. Layla napped there and then woke up in a crazy mood. She was very entertaining for everyone:). Last night we kept sweet Annie while her parents went out. Did I mention I LOVE being a aunt?? Enjoy them and send them home:)
6. Productive Monday so far! Dance class, watched Kyson so his mom could grocery shop in peace, & completed my ironing. After nap we have storytime and then grocery shopping! Maybe a play ground trip in there somewhere?
Life is good, I LOVE my job;)
Happy Presidents Day!
1. Layla finished ANOTHER session of music class on Friday. I keep looking for a way to weave this out of schedule, but she loves it more & more. We start the Spring session mid march.
2. Friday was Girl's Night! A few of my close friends and I went to see The Vow and then hit up Starbucks afterward. The movie was really good but we were kicked out of Starbucks before we were ready to leave:)
3. Saturday turned into a rainy day so we pulled out another movie from our stash. Have I mentioned this to you guys?? We joined the Disney Movie Club and got 7 Blue-Ray movies for about $13. We just have to pay full price for 2 Disney movies in the next 2 years. We received all the movies the same day, so we put some away to pull out on a rainy day. Princess and the Frog was the first one and Saturday, we introduced Alice in Wonderland. Layla loved both of them and we have watched them multiple times.
4. So VERY THANKFUL for our church home here in Atlanta.
5. We spent Sunday afternoon at Natalie and Chris's house. We had ribs on the BIG Green Egg. They were delish. Layla napped there and then woke up in a crazy mood. She was very entertaining for everyone:). Last night we kept sweet Annie while her parents went out. Did I mention I LOVE being a aunt?? Enjoy them and send them home:)
6. Productive Monday so far! Dance class, watched Kyson so his mom could grocery shop in peace, & completed my ironing. After nap we have storytime and then grocery shopping! Maybe a play ground trip in there somewhere?
Life is good, I LOVE my job;)
Happy Presidents Day!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
28!
Yesterday, I celebrated my 28th birthday.
It was a normal Tuesday, with a few special events:).
After I came home from teaching my morning spin class, Layla greeted me with a "Happy Birthday, Momma!". We met Natalie, Katie and their babes for a yummy lunch and then we all walked around the corner for some even yummier frozen yogurt! Lucas came home with my gift which Layla opened for me. He bought me a gift card for a spa day (YAY!) and another gift card for make-up! He HAD been listening:) Of course, Layla wanted to know where her present was??
The power of social media always amazes me. Starting before I even climbed out of bed, people were wishing me a happy birthday on FB. All through my morning spin class, my phone was lighting up! I had to turn it over to keep from being distracted. At the end, of the day I think I had about 125 birthday wishes. That is just CRAZY! Thank you everyone.
After teaching my evening spin class, Lucas had arranged a sitter so we went out dinner. We went to Murphy's in the Highlands and it was delicious! It was a perfect day with many of my favorite people.
The older I get, I realize that age is just a number. I still feel like I am in my early 20s! If it has taken 28 years to get me to the place in life I am right now, I will welcome growing older. Because of a lot of grace, I can say without a doubt that I am better at 28 than I have EVER been, in every area of my life.
Cheers to many, many more!
It was a normal Tuesday, with a few special events:).
After I came home from teaching my morning spin class, Layla greeted me with a "Happy Birthday, Momma!". We met Natalie, Katie and their babes for a yummy lunch and then we all walked around the corner for some even yummier frozen yogurt! Lucas came home with my gift which Layla opened for me. He bought me a gift card for a spa day (YAY!) and another gift card for make-up! He HAD been listening:) Of course, Layla wanted to know where her present was??
The power of social media always amazes me. Starting before I even climbed out of bed, people were wishing me a happy birthday on FB. All through my morning spin class, my phone was lighting up! I had to turn it over to keep from being distracted. At the end, of the day I think I had about 125 birthday wishes. That is just CRAZY! Thank you everyone.
After teaching my evening spin class, Lucas had arranged a sitter so we went out dinner. We went to Murphy's in the Highlands and it was delicious! It was a perfect day with many of my favorite people.
The older I get, I realize that age is just a number. I still feel like I am in my early 20s! If it has taken 28 years to get me to the place in life I am right now, I will welcome growing older. Because of a lot of grace, I can say without a doubt that I am better at 28 than I have EVER been, in every area of my life.
Cheers to many, many more!
Monday, February 6, 2012
House Fires and Beach Vacations
Today was definitely not an ordinary Monday. After dance class all was quiet on Warren St until about 11:00am when I heard the first firetruck. We are close to a health clinic so firetrucks are not out of the norm BUT then I kept hearing them. I went to the window and they were all parked in front of my house. Then I noticed them unraveling the hose and looked to the left, only to see the house 2 doors down up in smoke. I immediately called Lucas because he had the number of the guy who lives there who is usually home during the day. Thankfully, he wasn't home but was shocked to learn what was going on. It wasn't until about 3:30 this afternoon when the last firetruck left. All in all, there were probably about 10 trucks and about 30-40 fireman. They busted out windows and slammed through the front door and then used a big chain saw to cut a hole in the roof. It was determined that they think it started in the basement from the furnace. Everyone is ok and thankfully all that was ruined can be replaced. My neighbors have been so generous in their donations which is no surprise to me. We really do have the BEST neighbors:).
God used this whole episode as a test of my faith. We have been challenged at church to be not only tithers but sacrificial in our giving this year. I had been struggling about what kind of "sacrifices" our family could make. We really don't live on that much and are not that big of spenders because we don't have a lot of extra, quite honestly. I had been holding a couple of checks from my work and from my birthday and had taken them to the car this morning so I could add them to our savings account. I was feeling a little more comfortable with our financial status because this was going to add more to our savings than we have had in there in a LONG time. When I watched these peoples belongings disappear right before my eyes, I thought about how God promises to give us our daily bread. So was I going to hang on tight to my extra, or give it freely to this family in need claiming God as my provider of all things? I think I passed the "test". Funny how God challenges us in these areas so that he can prove himself more faithful than every before. I am thankful about how God answered my prayer about our role in the sacrificial giving and I pray that he will give us more opportunities throughout the year to return to him what he has so generously given us.
On a much lighter note...our spring time beach vacation is in the books, April 22-28th. We will be spending a week at a friends condo in Hammock Beach Florida. When I say we, I mean the girls. Grammy, Aunt Natalie, Annie, Layla and I. I look forward to this trip every year!
God used this whole episode as a test of my faith. We have been challenged at church to be not only tithers but sacrificial in our giving this year. I had been struggling about what kind of "sacrifices" our family could make. We really don't live on that much and are not that big of spenders because we don't have a lot of extra, quite honestly. I had been holding a couple of checks from my work and from my birthday and had taken them to the car this morning so I could add them to our savings account. I was feeling a little more comfortable with our financial status because this was going to add more to our savings than we have had in there in a LONG time. When I watched these peoples belongings disappear right before my eyes, I thought about how God promises to give us our daily bread. So was I going to hang on tight to my extra, or give it freely to this family in need claiming God as my provider of all things? I think I passed the "test". Funny how God challenges us in these areas so that he can prove himself more faithful than every before. I am thankful about how God answered my prayer about our role in the sacrificial giving and I pray that he will give us more opportunities throughout the year to return to him what he has so generously given us.
On a much lighter note...our spring time beach vacation is in the books, April 22-28th. We will be spending a week at a friends condo in Hammock Beach Florida. When I say we, I mean the girls. Grammy, Aunt Natalie, Annie, Layla and I. I look forward to this trip every year!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sunday Sitdown
1. I finally got back to book club this month! It was so great to see some friends that I haven't seen in forever. We chose Redeeming Love for the month of February. It is absolutely one of my favorites and I am excited to read it again.
2. Layla had a traumatizing experience trying to poop this week. Without much detail, she was struggling and I had to help her. All ended well and I think Lucas for more traumatized by it than Layla.
3. I also got back to a Stroller Strides class this week. Again, it was great to catch up with some old friends. I was even sore the next day which was a great feeling. There are some things in the works so that maybe I can start teaching a few classes. It would be a privilege to be apart of this organization in a different way. I love seeing moms trying to do something to better themselves and I also love that we are doing it right in front of our children.
4. We had some awesome prayer time at my mom's group, Thursday morning. I am so blessed to be doing life with these awesome ladies.
5. The weather has been AMAZING these last couple of days. Our late afternoons at the park our back on the schedule and I am loving it! Layla is too:).
6. Friday afternoon, we went to a sweet neighbor's 2nd birthday party at one of the jump places. Layla had a blast and her climbing skills are much improved since our last trip in November. Friday night, we had a couple of couples over for dinner. They are "younger couples" from church and we had a great time getting to know each other more.
7. Saturday night, we chose to spend some time at home. We rented the movie 50/50. I think both of us enjoyed it! Definitely worth renting.
8. Lastly, I was so relieved to get some rain last night.. My allergies have been making me crazy the past couple of days. I am feeling much better today. We had a great message at church today. I will be listening to it again so I can digest it more. It's super bowl Sunday, but I don't really think it is that super. We did have a couple of friends over to grill out, but I will be going to bed before the games ends.
I've got to get some rest because today kicks off the start of my birthday week!! Bring it on 28:)
2. Layla had a traumatizing experience trying to poop this week. Without much detail, she was struggling and I had to help her. All ended well and I think Lucas for more traumatized by it than Layla.
3. I also got back to a Stroller Strides class this week. Again, it was great to catch up with some old friends. I was even sore the next day which was a great feeling. There are some things in the works so that maybe I can start teaching a few classes. It would be a privilege to be apart of this organization in a different way. I love seeing moms trying to do something to better themselves and I also love that we are doing it right in front of our children.
4. We had some awesome prayer time at my mom's group, Thursday morning. I am so blessed to be doing life with these awesome ladies.
5. The weather has been AMAZING these last couple of days. Our late afternoons at the park our back on the schedule and I am loving it! Layla is too:).
6. Friday afternoon, we went to a sweet neighbor's 2nd birthday party at one of the jump places. Layla had a blast and her climbing skills are much improved since our last trip in November. Friday night, we had a couple of couples over for dinner. They are "younger couples" from church and we had a great time getting to know each other more.
7. Saturday night, we chose to spend some time at home. We rented the movie 50/50. I think both of us enjoyed it! Definitely worth renting.
8. Lastly, I was so relieved to get some rain last night.. My allergies have been making me crazy the past couple of days. I am feeling much better today. We had a great message at church today. I will be listening to it again so I can digest it more. It's super bowl Sunday, but I don't really think it is that super. We did have a couple of friends over to grill out, but I will be going to bed before the games ends.
I've got to get some rest because today kicks off the start of my birthday week!! Bring it on 28:)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
I see grandma
My mom's mom, grandma Strawn had 12 children and lived a long life to the age of 92. What a blessed woman she was! She was in her right mind until her last days in the hospital and her physical health was pretty decent, considering her age.
Lucas and I had been married a couple of years and I interviewed and got offered an awesome job at a cardiac clinic in town. The pay was the most I had ever been offered and I would have been doing things that were above my education level at the time, but they were going to train me to do them.
I had finished a Certified Nursing Assistant Program which meant I had a lot of training in basic patient care. At this point, my grandma's health was declining and all her children were going to do whatever they could to keep her out of a nursing home. This meant they were going to have to hire someone to come to her house to care of her. For some reason, deep in my heart I felt that I was suppose to be the one to take care of her. I still remember the conversation with the man who was offering me this great job and I told him I wasn't going to take it. He was shocked and quite frankly, I was too.
Taking care of my 90+ year old grandma was anything but glamorous. It included meal preparation, giving her meds, cleaning her house, bathing her, grocery shopping, and taking her to run various errands around town. BUT it also meant precious time with my old grandma, to listen to stories, tell stories and spend lots of quality time that otherwise would have never happened.
The point of all this is that I see grandma a lot in Layla and it always brings a smile to my face. The way she spits in the sink after she brushes her teeth, the way she splashes water on her face, and the little bit of OCD that she was born with. Tonight, Layla stood up in the bath and put soap on her washcloth and started to clean herself. And there grandma was again. It feels like a déjà vu experience but always puts a smile on my face.
I am so grateful for the time I spent with grandma and I am also grateful that she is still around at times in the form of my daughter. I am even more grateful that this world is not my resting place and I have an eternity to spend her.
Grandma, we look forward to seeing you one day. Can't wait to introduce you to your great granddaughter.
Lucas and I had been married a couple of years and I interviewed and got offered an awesome job at a cardiac clinic in town. The pay was the most I had ever been offered and I would have been doing things that were above my education level at the time, but they were going to train me to do them.
I had finished a Certified Nursing Assistant Program which meant I had a lot of training in basic patient care. At this point, my grandma's health was declining and all her children were going to do whatever they could to keep her out of a nursing home. This meant they were going to have to hire someone to come to her house to care of her. For some reason, deep in my heart I felt that I was suppose to be the one to take care of her. I still remember the conversation with the man who was offering me this great job and I told him I wasn't going to take it. He was shocked and quite frankly, I was too.
Taking care of my 90+ year old grandma was anything but glamorous. It included meal preparation, giving her meds, cleaning her house, bathing her, grocery shopping, and taking her to run various errands around town. BUT it also meant precious time with my old grandma, to listen to stories, tell stories and spend lots of quality time that otherwise would have never happened.
The point of all this is that I see grandma a lot in Layla and it always brings a smile to my face. The way she spits in the sink after she brushes her teeth, the way she splashes water on her face, and the little bit of OCD that she was born with. Tonight, Layla stood up in the bath and put soap on her washcloth and started to clean herself. And there grandma was again. It feels like a déjà vu experience but always puts a smile on my face.
I am so grateful for the time I spent with grandma and I am also grateful that she is still around at times in the form of my daughter. I am even more grateful that this world is not my resting place and I have an eternity to spend her.
Grandma, we look forward to seeing you one day. Can't wait to introduce you to your great granddaughter.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Sunday Sitdown
What a fast week!
We started the week with dance class and then hosted a playdate at our house with 4 of our neighbor friends. It was a great time for the kids (and moms) on a rainy Monday. It was so fun, we are meeting again tomorrow, just at a different house:)
Monday night, we were heading over to aunt Natalie's for our Monday night tradition of watching the Bachelor. Guess who answered the door when we rang the bell?? GRAMMY! Layla was so excited. She had tried to come by earlier in the day to surprise us but we weren't home. So now we were really surprised! Natalie and Chris had gone to TN over the weekend and grammy hitched a ride back and was here for the week. That meant that a normal week, now had a few more plans:).
Layla spent the night at Natalie's Monday and stayed while I taught my Tuesday morning class. Then we all headed to lunch date which included Katie and Lucy. A grandmother, 3 moms, and 3 daughters. It was girl heaven and Layla was surrounded by BABIES! She was on paci duty when ever it called. Have I mentioned how blessed I am to have a daughter? I can't imagine life without one.
Wednesday was a chill day, We shopped a little and had lunch. Then Natalie, Grammy, me, and the kids headed to dinner since the men were working late.
Thursday and Fridays were busy days for us. I had committed to keeping baby Hamilton (8weeks) since his mom was going back to work and he wasn't starting day care until Monday. It was about 8am-6pm both days. He went to our moms group at church with us on Thursday and Music Class on Friday. We had a great time and he was such an easy kid. It was a great way to see what life with 2 would be like. It was ALOT easier than I thought, but you must remember that I wasn't sleep deprived like I would be if he was mine.:) I even went to the grocery store with the two of them. Layla is at a great age. There is not a shred of jealousy in her when it comes to Hamilton, Annie, or Lucy. She is very gentle, sweet, and helpful. Maybe I'm ready to venture in that direction??
Saturday, Lucas and I decided we were going to treat Layla to a new movie. We had grown a little tired of the regular rotation and thought it was a perfect day for a family movie. She wanted to buy Cinderella but we had to somehow explain to her that it was not out of the Disney vault right now:/. After looking through several movies at Best Buy, her hand landed on a Barbie Princess movie.....NO! I eventually sold her on UP because of the balloons on the cover. Daddy also through in the Hunchback of Notre Dame because it is one of his childhood faves. We loaded up on candy (mini M&M's and PEZ, Layla's choice) at the check out aisle and then headed home to watch the movie.
Have you seen UP?? It is a little sad. Over the weekend we probably watched it 3 times and I think I got a little teary eyed each time! What a great movie with some very funny parts. Layla loved it and actually sat through most of it, which was nothing short of a miracle. It was definitely a great addition to our DVD library.
We started today by heading out to church. Anytime, we listen to worship music or christian music in general, Layla calls it "church music". We had tried to remind her that it is music about Jesus, but to her its all the same. Nothing is more precious than my daughter belting out "Oh happy DAy...When Jesus washed my sins away!" She loves that song along with "Stand Up for Jesus", & "Who Built the Ark?". She even throws in her own renditions like "Zip up, Zip up for Jesus" when zipping up her coat. Then one day, we were getting coffee at the grocery store and she added "Coffee for Jesus" all in the same melody as the song. A woman in the coffee aisle laughed out loud as Layla and I talked about whether or not we thought Jesus drank coffee. He was a busy guy who ran on little sleep...my bets are he did.
Anyway, after church as Layla napped, I went on a run with my neighbor. It was a beautiful day and we had a great run. I felt awesome and refreshed and was very thankful that I ditched my Sunday nap and ran instead. Now time to relax with my hubby.
Have a great week everyone!
We started the week with dance class and then hosted a playdate at our house with 4 of our neighbor friends. It was a great time for the kids (and moms) on a rainy Monday. It was so fun, we are meeting again tomorrow, just at a different house:)
Monday night, we were heading over to aunt Natalie's for our Monday night tradition of watching the Bachelor. Guess who answered the door when we rang the bell?? GRAMMY! Layla was so excited. She had tried to come by earlier in the day to surprise us but we weren't home. So now we were really surprised! Natalie and Chris had gone to TN over the weekend and grammy hitched a ride back and was here for the week. That meant that a normal week, now had a few more plans:).
Layla spent the night at Natalie's Monday and stayed while I taught my Tuesday morning class. Then we all headed to lunch date which included Katie and Lucy. A grandmother, 3 moms, and 3 daughters. It was girl heaven and Layla was surrounded by BABIES! She was on paci duty when ever it called. Have I mentioned how blessed I am to have a daughter? I can't imagine life without one.
Wednesday was a chill day, We shopped a little and had lunch. Then Natalie, Grammy, me, and the kids headed to dinner since the men were working late.
Thursday and Fridays were busy days for us. I had committed to keeping baby Hamilton (8weeks) since his mom was going back to work and he wasn't starting day care until Monday. It was about 8am-6pm both days. He went to our moms group at church with us on Thursday and Music Class on Friday. We had a great time and he was such an easy kid. It was a great way to see what life with 2 would be like. It was ALOT easier than I thought, but you must remember that I wasn't sleep deprived like I would be if he was mine.:) I even went to the grocery store with the two of them. Layla is at a great age. There is not a shred of jealousy in her when it comes to Hamilton, Annie, or Lucy. She is very gentle, sweet, and helpful. Maybe I'm ready to venture in that direction??
Saturday, Lucas and I decided we were going to treat Layla to a new movie. We had grown a little tired of the regular rotation and thought it was a perfect day for a family movie. She wanted to buy Cinderella but we had to somehow explain to her that it was not out of the Disney vault right now:/. After looking through several movies at Best Buy, her hand landed on a Barbie Princess movie.....NO! I eventually sold her on UP because of the balloons on the cover. Daddy also through in the Hunchback of Notre Dame because it is one of his childhood faves. We loaded up on candy (mini M&M's and PEZ, Layla's choice) at the check out aisle and then headed home to watch the movie.
Have you seen UP?? It is a little sad. Over the weekend we probably watched it 3 times and I think I got a little teary eyed each time! What a great movie with some very funny parts. Layla loved it and actually sat through most of it, which was nothing short of a miracle. It was definitely a great addition to our DVD library.
We started today by heading out to church. Anytime, we listen to worship music or christian music in general, Layla calls it "church music". We had tried to remind her that it is music about Jesus, but to her its all the same. Nothing is more precious than my daughter belting out "Oh happy DAy...When Jesus washed my sins away!" She loves that song along with "Stand Up for Jesus", & "Who Built the Ark?". She even throws in her own renditions like "Zip up, Zip up for Jesus" when zipping up her coat. Then one day, we were getting coffee at the grocery store and she added "Coffee for Jesus" all in the same melody as the song. A woman in the coffee aisle laughed out loud as Layla and I talked about whether or not we thought Jesus drank coffee. He was a busy guy who ran on little sleep...my bets are he did.
Anyway, after church as Layla napped, I went on a run with my neighbor. It was a beautiful day and we had a great run. I felt awesome and refreshed and was very thankful that I ditched my Sunday nap and ran instead. Now time to relax with my hubby.
Have a great week everyone!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday Sitdown
Since getting back from Disney World we have just been trying to get back to the routine of life. That is definitely easier said than done during the holiday season. Let me just say that we have had a blast so far this year with Layla and all the traditions of the season. This is the first year she has even the slightest idea about what is happening. I wish I could walk around with a video camera glued to my head so that I could just capture every moment. In attempt to remind Layla of what the Christmas season is really all about, we have had a ton of conversations about Jesus, his family, where he was born and why he means so much to us.
In the beginning of the week I asked Layla whose was born on Christmas day and her response was "Santa Claus". Makes since but that is exactly the lesson to be learned here.:)
Last night, I asked Layla if she remembered what Jesus's mommy's name is? Her reply without any hesitation was, "Yes! Mommy". Smart Girl:)
Tonight during bath time Layla was singing a song about Jesus so Lucas asked, "Why do we love Jesus"? Layla answered, "because of the song". Lucas then replied with, "We love Jesus because he saved us from our sins." And Layla's response was "Oh, thank you!". What a perfect response. This is the first time we have really talked about Jesus with many terms other than "baby Jesus" and night time prayers, dinner prayers, and praying for her boo boos. What a sweet thing it is to watch your kids come to a tiny understanding of how big Jesus really is!
What things do you do with your kids during this season to remind them of the real meaning of Christmas? I would love some suggestions.
While we were out of town, 2 of our close friends had their babies. Visiting these babies was at the top of our list this week.
In the beginning of the week I asked Layla whose was born on Christmas day and her response was "Santa Claus". Makes since but that is exactly the lesson to be learned here.:)
Last night, I asked Layla if she remembered what Jesus's mommy's name is? Her reply without any hesitation was, "Yes! Mommy". Smart Girl:)
Tonight during bath time Layla was singing a song about Jesus so Lucas asked, "Why do we love Jesus"? Layla answered, "because of the song". Lucas then replied with, "We love Jesus because he saved us from our sins." And Layla's response was "Oh, thank you!". What a perfect response. This is the first time we have really talked about Jesus with many terms other than "baby Jesus" and night time prayers, dinner prayers, and praying for her boo boos. What a sweet thing it is to watch your kids come to a tiny understanding of how big Jesus really is!
What things do you do with your kids during this season to remind them of the real meaning of Christmas? I would love some suggestions.
While we were out of town, 2 of our close friends had their babies. Visiting these babies was at the top of our list this week.
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| Layla's newest girlfriend: Lucy While we were sitting here, Layla sweetly kissed Lucy on her head. It was so sweet. |
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| Layla's newest boyfriend: Hamilton. He was mid-yawn during this pic. |
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| Our Christmas lights! More have been added since this pic. |
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| Fresh Mulch! This was our after church project today:) |
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| Layla loves the tree. She sings "Oh Christmas tree" over and over. |
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| Layla with her Mickey and Minnie ornament. |
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| If you look at our tree now, there are clumps of balls hung near the bottom. I'm sure you can guess who did that:) |
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| After her pic with Mickey and Minnie, she wanted to pose with every other ornament. We eventually put a stop to it. |
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| Decorating a gingerbread house today! |
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| She enjoyed it except when the icing stuck to her fingers. Hope all of you are full of joy during this holiday season. It really is the most wonderful time of year. The 60 degree weather we have been having is also a special bonus. Disney posts are coming soon! |
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Surprise Party for Katie Harrison!
A few of us hosted a surprise baby sprinkle for our friend Katie. Here are some pics:
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| Before the guests arrived |
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| The surprise face! She thought Natalie was baby sitting Henry. That is why she had the bag and cup:) |
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| Then the tears started...Obviously, Josh knew all along:) |
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| Still trying to figure everything out |
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| Henry with Katie's mom and dad |
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| "Big" Brother |
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| Henry touching his baby sister |
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| One of the many beautiful things she got for this special girl! |
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| A handmade blanket and hat from her momma |
Our last trip to TN
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| Reese helping Layla up the biggest slide at Gavin's 4th birthday party |
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| She looks a little scared! She laughed at the bottom but didn't ask to go up again:) |
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| Playing with Granddaddy! |
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| All the kiddos at the party |
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| The 3 cousins: Layla (2), Reese (8), Gavin (4) |
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| Refusing to smile |
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| Natalie's TN baby shower |
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| Cousins at the shower |
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| More beautiful cousins! |
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| Chris's mom and grandmother |
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| Grammy bought Reese and Layla matching outfits |
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| The pregnant girl MUST eat! |
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| All the hostesses...plus me and the kids |
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| At the end of the party, Layla crashed out with granddady while watching True Grit |
Monday, October 31, 2011
We've been busy!
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| The queen is served breakfast in OUR bed by her daddy. Perfect Saturday morning:) |
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| We had a surprise couples party at our house for our sweet friends Mike and Erica, who are expecting their first son. |
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| Opening gifts...all the men were inside:) |
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| We had a couples baby shower for Natalie! |
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| Future Mom & Dad:) |
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| Two of my favorite pregnant women! Katie and I hosted the party together. Katie is two weeks ahead of Natalie in her pregnancy. She is expecting her first daughter, second child. |
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| Layla came over at the end of the party. She threw on some lipstick and had to be a part of the pics. |
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| Layla helping daddy by "coloring" on the pumpkin |
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| "Cheese!" |
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| Always a princess, even when doing the dirty work! |
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| Pumpkin Seeds! |
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| Helping daddy clean up the leaves! |
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| Finished product! |
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| Party at the neighborhood library during story time |
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| Kimmie and the kiddos |
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