tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12913014796947113822024-02-19T13:13:03.204-06:00Cowlicks and CurlsJenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-91059034337760740832010-06-04T23:09:00.005-05:002010-06-05T00:21:24.040-05:00I'm baaaaccckk! :)Dear Blog,<br />Oh how I have missed you. I write to you daily in my head. I write about my life, thoughts, joys, concerns and dissapointments. I write to you about my sweet, sweet girls and all the wacky things they say and do. I write to you about my relationships, I write to you about craft inspiration and finished projects. Honestly, I write often. Very often. But, it's all in my head! I've been majorly stuck in writing here because I am so very, very far behind. As in about six months behind! And we have BIG news here in Brewer land because we have a brand new member of our family (who isn't so new anymore!)<br /><br />I'm sorry, dear Blog. I plan to be back! Well, as often as time allows!<br /><br />************************<br /><br />It is time to introduce my darling little (big) love bug Ellie! I pretty much know that anyone who does read this has already been introduced to Ellie in person or via Facebook. But, since this is my blog and for posterity's sake and because I can't move on until I do this properly....please let me introduce her again.<br /><br />Here she is!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479149633387930146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 281px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmgb1neQb4S2sG1LpXY12WU2BCe_PpCPmLOl2eQKEUJcFWw8WtRaZyjl-3N5mil_3d6gFom3KcIJE154s7XWloCy8K0zZqJHl5FAXBqR5tH6P7YQBEvzwbA2_hUYh2TI9nUxs3rd6sNRO/s400/ellieannounce.jpg" border="0" /><br />Isn't she a sweetie?! Look at all that dark hair! (We hear this every day!) Her "birth" day was a very special day. I was a little more prepared for the c-section this time around so I was prepping myself for the pain to come. My awesome friend, <a href="http://www.thewildthingsare.com/">Kori</a> was so gracious to come and photograph the whole day. She was at our house by 5 am to document us getting ready, saying goodbye to the girls and prepping at the hospital. (She was also a huge support to me and I am truly thankful that she was there with me. She has been one of my closest friends for many years and I love that I can be myself around her and she makes me laugh so much! I love it!)<br /><br />Anyway, I gave myself little goals all morning and I knew that I could do it again (the c-section) if I took it step by step...no make-up, iv, prep, spinal, gurney, surgery, post-op (ouch!), recovery, walking, the first night (YEEOUCH!), etc and all the way through. It really was a good day and we were so delighted to meet out sweet baby, Ellie. We were shocked to see her head-full of dark hair and darker skin. Seriously, everyone was like...whoa, the small amount of Indian blood we have is coming through. My nurses joked that they hadn't seen a baby with that much hair that wasn't Hispanic. She is definitely our baby though. She looks a lot like Sophie and like my nephew, Ike. Sweet, sweet girl! Sophie (4.75 yrs) and Gracie (almost 2.5 ) weren't able to come into the Women's Center because of Swine flu and that was hard, but it was also easier I think. They did get to meet her through the glass of the nursery and that was so sweet. It has been a huge adjustment here at home! Grace especially has had a hard time, but I am happy to say that it has been getting better and now I can actually lay Ellie down for a minute on the couch without fear of her being hurt. (Seriously!)<br /><p><a href="http://www.thehudsonsrock.com/elliebirth/"><span style="font-size:130%;">{Click here to jump to Ellie's Brand New Day Slideshow}</span></a></p><p>Amazingly enough, she is over four months old now (sniff). I will write more about her and and the big girls later, but I guess I really wanted to share about her today, because the preciousness of her life has struck me in a new way as I have remembered the events of this same day last year. Last year at this time....the first Friday of June (Lum n Abner days here in my hometown .) was the day that I thought I was having a miscarriage. I had just found out the day before (Thursday) for sure that I was pregnant, although I had suspected it for a week or so. I was heavily involved in tornado relief during that time and Daniel was at home working on replacing our roof. The girls were napping and I took a test. It was positive and I immediately ran out and asked Dan to come down off the roof. I told him. We hugged. We were happy. We were overwhelmed. We were thankful. The next call was to my dad. I told I was going to have to cut waaay back on my tornado work because I was having another baby. He was quite happy! We told a few people that day and the next morning I was up early for a meeting (tornado) with two close friends. I was at the airport and actually I had just shared the news a little bit before and then had to use the restroom. There was lots of blood. My stomach dropped and I was certain that I had had a miscarriage. I had never had any bleeding and I really thought it was over. We went straight to the doctor. Dan and my sister, Jaclyn took turns with me. I had blood test. My levels were definitely showing pregnancy. I was told to return on Sunday to take another test and it would show if the numbers went up or down. Hard weekend. Very unsure about anything. But, to our amazement the numbers were up on Sunday. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and that began a month waiting and testing and more testing. My dr. says I had a baby who didn't play by the rules! The hcg levels weren't lining up with the size of my uterus, etc, etc. The numbers were big! Mt dr was concerned that I might have an ectopic pregnancy or that I might have miscarried.We finally had an ultrasound three weeks later and what a BLESSING to see her little heart beating! The tech did see a dark spot on the slide that showed obvious bleeding and what was very likely another sack that had pulled away and not made it. (A twin would explain the high hcg levels.) I don't know. In some ways it is hard not knowing if there was another baby there, but at the same time I know that the Lord's hand was on my life, my womb, and on Ellie. I am so thankful for her life. At this point we are pretty sure that Ellie will be our last biological child. As she grows that has started to hit me. The last baby. We've shared a few tears this week as I have loved on her and snuggled her up and whispered to her that she will always be my baby. She always will. </p><p>Just like Sophie. Just like Gracie.<br /><br />Thank You, Jesus. May we be good stewards of these precious lives you have entrusted to us. To YOU be the Glory! </p><p><br />*************************<br />Yay for a post! I think I am over my hump! Enjoy the wonderful slide show of Ellie's birth. Thank you, thank you, Kori! (She took like 800 plus pictures and then her and Jason graciously narrowed it down to about 8o or so. There are more good ones, but these tell the story well. :) Hopefully I will be back soon to share more of life here. Thanks for listening!</p>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-91668237101867057112009-11-15T20:01:00.002-06:002009-11-15T20:14:10.496-06:00Still hereJust a note to say I'm still here. Quite big actually at 30 weeks pregnant. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Unfortunately</span>, I failed my 1 hour glucose test and have to go in for the long and grueling 3-4 hr test tomorrow morning. :( I was really hoping to not have GD this time around. It is SO hard to manage in general, especially during the holidays. (At least for a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">carb</span> lover like me!)<br /><br />I'm praying for grace and wisdom and strength and JOY on the journey.<br /><br />Sophie (now 4 yrs, 2 months) and Grace (22 months) are both doing good. Growing, interacting (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ie</span>...fighting) with one another and keeping Dan and I on our toes. :) They are a huge blessing and they crack us up daily.<br /><br />I have done nothing decorating wise to prepare for our sweet baby GIRL coming. I'm not in denial, I'm just much more laid back about everything this time. It will be challenging to lose our office/craft room, but I'm sure it will all work out. It is SO worth it. The new baby will have her own room as of now and then in a year or so when she is older we would like to give Sophie her own room and the little ones will share.<br /><br />This is usually a very busy time for us preparing for the holidays. Usually lots of Christmas decorating, party planning, etc. This year, I have had to turn down a few decorating jobs so far and as hard as it is, I know that it is the right decision for right now. I really need to lay low and spend as much time at home with my family and with my feet up as possible to keep the physical pain (a huge struggle this time around) at bay and this sweet girl cooking in the oven as long as possible!<br /><br />Hope you are all enjoying your Fall and Thanksgiving season. We do have SO much to be thankful for no matter what season of life we are in right now.<br /><br />God bless!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-42824968016304293682009-09-04T21:14:00.004-05:002009-09-04T21:33:18.186-05:00friday night random-ness-sophie, who will be FOUR in ten days, is addicted to band-aids. she's a pretty rough and tumble kind of girl and has quite a few "boo boos" lately. she hates blood, but as long as the band-aid is on she is OK. she just came and grabbed another one and i just smiled. in fact, sometimes her fav wal-mart treat is a box of character band-aids. weird? :)<br /><br />-today i had the grand idea to paint on paper on our patio instead of on the easel. this was NOT a great idea for a 19 month old! grace, sophie and mommy were covered head to to by the time it was over.<br /><br />-i was in a cleaning/organizing/throwing away mood today. the target was the dreadful play room. not quite done, but accomplished a lot during grace's nap. we have been shipping quite a few toys over to baby ike lately and it feels so good to get rid of some of the clutter.<br /><br />-another weird sophie quirk...she packs bags, boxes, totes, etc every day with such a random hodge podge of stuff. we get ready to go somewhere and she runs to the playroom and grabs a bunch of stuff to fill her bag...a few little people, a stuffed cow, a couple of crayons, two blocks, a syringe from her dr kit, hair stuff, make-up, some plastic food, etc, etc, etc. it drives me bonkers!! i try and organize their toys so that they can actually play with them and we have bag upon bag of stuff. i'm about to empty all the bags and i've been working on teaching her purse appropriate stuff...like her hair stuff, lip gloss, pretend money, etc. we'll see how it goes!<br /><br />-i won a new hello kitty cricut cartridge on e-bay today. WOO HOO! it will be great for making stuff for soph's hello kitty party.<br /><br />-i'm totally looking forward to perusing boo mama's <a href="http://boomama.net/2009/09/04/diptacular-2009/">diptacular</a> blog carnival. dips, YUM! :)<br /><br />-well, i better go. gotta get this little goose to bed. looking forward to hanging out with some of <a href="http://thewildthingsare.com/">my fav photographers</a> tomorrow as well as eating some d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s ethnic food from my uncle. :)<br /><br />happy labor day weekend!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-40354822091770577682009-08-27T21:52:00.003-05:002009-08-27T22:02:03.335-05:00Snuggle Puppy<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-I5OXf0eke8HuocFzjUox1aiNgoDqMkeGE2-joBFwspw7iHDK1ywxWIRbiTbCoCGd0m0gmubBzx1e06mP-pi8VVyUwcQGHSqNG1Y8ynBxAjcBYE4WO4PK7hrrGwXmWj7-FdZy0_jKBdD5/s1600-h/gracie+012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374842879786842338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-I5OXf0eke8HuocFzjUox1aiNgoDqMkeGE2-joBFwspw7iHDK1ywxWIRbiTbCoCGd0m0gmubBzx1e06mP-pi8VVyUwcQGHSqNG1Y8ynBxAjcBYE4WO4PK7hrrGwXmWj7-FdZy0_jKBdD5/s400/gracie+012.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />{Gracie B. loves to snuggle with her babies lately.}</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">:)</div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-77639942404654730332009-08-25T14:16:00.004-05:002009-08-25T14:34:11.552-05:00overwhelmedright now i am overwhelmed. with finances, with my home, my garage, my van. with case management work. with my fatigue. i'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. i know that is such a cliche, but it is honestly how i feel at the moment. sometimes i wonder if i will ever have energy again. sometimes i have energy spurts, but they usually don't last very long. it makes me feel like such a stinky wife and mother.<br /><br />i know that His grace is sufficient for me and that His power is made perfect in my weakness. sometimes I just don't tap into that.<br /><br />we have a full week ahead including hours of meetings for me tonight and tomorrow. blah.<br /><br />the other night i was at my little brother's house in fayetteville. him and some friends were having an impromptu concert. there were several college students there. kids that love God and have their whole lives ahead of them. we were all sitting on the floor in the dark room and as one of my friends was singing, tears unexpectedly pricked my eyes. i was thinking about missions and dreams and being young. not necessarily being a stay at home mom of two little ones with colored walls, a swollen belly, stacks of bills and extreme fatigue. (not that i would trade my husband or kids for the whole world.) i don't know, i just felt sad for a moment and the Lord gently reminded me that this is just a season. as all the different times of life are. the happy ones and the tough ones. even though the first few months after having sophie were so incredibly hard in so many ways, they were also some of the sweetest. i miss those times. maybe at some point i will look back at this season with fond memories. i know i will miss the stage that grace is at now. she is so precious and is learning new words and things every day. i will miss sophie's quirky little faces and funny expressions too.<br /><br />i probably won't miss the heaving and the exhaustion and the early mornings and the colored walls.<br /><br />it's all just a season.<br /><br />now, back to work...Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-46403477408610434532009-08-20T22:39:00.003-05:002009-08-20T22:59:51.582-05:00MDO Quotes, Rescue Mission, and BlackberriesThe girls did enjoy their first day at Mother's Day Out. I didn't accomplish as much as I would have liked to, but I did get some rest. That's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ok</span>, because SLEEP is a very important commodity in my world lately. :)<br /><br /><br />Apparently the boys greatly out-numbered the girls at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MDO</span> today. Grace was the only girl in her one year old class and Sophie mentioned all the boys a few times. She said "she likes boys!" :)<br /><br />When I got them in the van to run errands I started asking Sophie all about it....Did you have fun? "Yes." Did you eat your lunch? "Yes?" Did you make a craft? "Yes." Did you learn anything? <em>Pause for her to think about it...</em> "Probably. " Smile from momma. :) Then I asked her about the potty. Did you use the potty? "Yep, I even <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">poopied</span> once." Really? Who wiped you? "Some grandma." :)<br /><br />After a few errands and Grace had fallen asleep, Sophie begged to "watch a movie" on the couch. I finally consented and suggested one of Mommy's movies...The A & E version of "Pride and Prejudice." I lured her in with talk of pretty dresses, balls and horseback, but I really figured that it would put her right to sleep. Sure enough it did. It put us both to sleep! :)<br /><br />I think their day was a success!<br /><br />**********************<br />Tomorrow I am joining my Mom, Sister (and my sweet nephew Ike), and Grandma on a "Rescue Mission" to help my sister Britt finish getting settled into her now home. She bought the cutest house and she needs a little help with finishing her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">un</span>-packing and decorating. She also needs some hugs and laughs and prayers from her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">fam</span>. I am looking forward to our time together...and of course I am looking forward to eating out in Rogers. YUM!<br /><br />*********************<br />Last, but certainly not least...I am happy to report that I am the proud owner of my second Blackberry Curve. My dear sweet original phone died a slow death drowning in a mug of coffee earlier this summer. I've been surviving on a little flip phone for the last month. My sweet, sweet friend, Alicia upgraded to an i-phone and gave me a great deal on her Blackberry and a few accessories. I am so very thankful! I can text again! The stinky part is that I lost all my numbers, so I will slowly get those added back in, but I am a happy camper!<br /><br />********************<br />Well, Dan is out doing his nightly archery practice in the garage. I better finish packing for tomorrow and hit the sack!<br /><br />'Night!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-21592842359343051592009-08-20T09:40:00.006-05:002009-08-20T09:57:18.992-05:00Mother's Day Out!<div align="center">The girls started Mother's Day Out today at a local church. This is our first time ever to leave them somewhere other than with family or friends or our church nursery. I think it went well. They looked so cute with their bags/backpacks and lunch boxes. Sophie helped Grace and was very mature about the whole thing. My only concern today is the dreary/stormy weather and that a few of the kiddos were sad and crying when their mama's left. I think Grace will be ok if the crying doesn't scare her. Hopefully they will both make friends and be a blessing to their teachers. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW4d_g2kaqy-JtrWxPPgMiPN1kz9X0etkWn_Z__Agw6cGVrP2U9RJ9WQR6BRXoZof8SfcU2mq6096EaA-TltTm83o-6ADFAh9KN7TADkIbg8hgdTgq3YCCVhXl2oZBSk3ZiHwbThcwBTz/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372057966536454578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 224px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW4d_g2kaqy-JtrWxPPgMiPN1kz9X0etkWn_Z__Agw6cGVrP2U9RJ9WQR6BRXoZof8SfcU2mq6096EaA-TltTm83o-6ADFAh9KN7TADkIbg8hgdTgq3YCCVhXl2oZBSk3ZiHwbThcwBTz/s400/011.JPG" border="0" /></a> {Sophie, Age 3 and 11/12ths}</div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnU_pmeMGIcrQWo3SfTUqDJL979ZY0ckJGsnjNMWBGltJqm4siGBCxbzCRXk_vmA9kUTDH1MXoYrWRCZMFkQwew6dpfTMtnRL07Xr5vZw3-nBcuW19FmZxeNNkP72Qod4kbaBq4Us9Z5c3/s1600-h/012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372057959955824658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 201px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnU_pmeMGIcrQWo3SfTUqDJL979ZY0ckJGsnjNMWBGltJqm4siGBCxbzCRXk_vmA9kUTDH1MXoYrWRCZMFkQwew6dpfTMtnRL07Xr5vZw3-nBcuW19FmZxeNNkP72Qod4kbaBq4Us9Z5c3/s400/012.JPG" border="0" /></a>{ Grace, Age 19 months}<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtvbAGV3DqRR5u3yf3-e7TLiEDKeag3zt1-w0jS0vqGnVVKYpK6EJwP_aR6vNDfIdfm2c2BTN0FeSsuhvhB5iR3VsL18gi2o0idoaLGHwS0FOL2QMVgDR1vaq93koqaNp8nxOCOwCkdZ5/s1600-h/014.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372057941903322882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 329px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtvbAGV3DqRR5u3yf3-e7TLiEDKeag3zt1-w0jS0vqGnVVKYpK6EJwP_aR6vNDfIdfm2c2BTN0FeSsuhvhB5iR3VsL18gi2o0idoaLGHwS0FOL2QMVgDR1vaq93koqaNp8nxOCOwCkdZ5/s400/014.JPG" border="0" /></a> {Sweet Sisters.}</div><div> </div><div></div><div>I'm pleased with the $4 each outfits that we put together yesterday. I bought two gently used Children's Place skirts from a friend and I scored the tops at Wal-Mart for $2 each last night. The bows that I made for their Christmas outfits matched perfectly. Yay! I love cute and inexpensive, coordinating outfits! :)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUJB7GQhL_v6L6S2ZarcB3nR-I5YcaNTm06Df5_ipQW-GCHxOKW4zw-5hPyeEt8BkOyfsHGtAHZEV25GKS4Ba6DjSnnI2rm9XXJ1VC4K1tQuqeMg-Nad_eBidIvf7oniGlldfQiM6FQC4/s1600-h/015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372057933806108962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUJB7GQhL_v6L6S2ZarcB3nR-I5YcaNTm06Df5_ipQW-GCHxOKW4zw-5hPyeEt8BkOyfsHGtAHZEV25GKS4Ba6DjSnnI2rm9XXJ1VC4K1tQuqeMg-Nad_eBidIvf7oniGlldfQiM6FQC4/s400/015.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />{Come On, Sis! Let's Go!}<br /><br /><div>This mother won't be out too much today even though I am really craving Papa's! I have some cleaning to do today and I have some good Poppyseed Chicken leftovers. So today we are having Mother's Day Home Alone! </div><br /><br /><div>I have lots to do to get ready to be out of town for the next couple of days, but first I think I might close my eyes for a few minutes. :) </div></div></div><br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-50877958104652135452009-08-18T21:11:00.004-05:002009-08-18T21:54:49.587-05:00Ten on Tuesday: The Numbers of Summer Edition<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">(1) 16 - 17. As in weeks pregnant. It is going pretty well. Last week was pretty rough and I keep thinking that I will be over the yucky sick stage s-o-o-n...but the breakthrough has yet to come. Extreme exhaustion is probably my number one issue. Sometimes I feel like I need to prop my eyes open with matches like Mr. Bean in Mr. Bean's Holiday. :) The little kicks I get from time to time make it all worth it! </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">(2) 14- The number of books I have read this summer. I just finished number eight of the Love Comes Softly Series today and I'm a little bit sad. What a great series...it almost makes me wish we lived back in the olden days. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">(3) 7 - The number of years I have been blessed to be married to Daniel. We celebrated our anniversary this month and took a few days off from life here and rested, relaxed, laughed, ATE, shopped, read, vegged, ATE and laughed some more. We had a great time together and we really appreciate all those who pitched in an helped with the girlies. :) </div><div align="center"> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371501988256491346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjRnuCRw-Av8r-FFDl8RMm06iOQelblJyeUFsid54JVylrZg4RrbQdwJi1fjcfoTGIpV0GM5JZbVN_R_RhJ8EYLkziki6KJICL3feCzIbT7R4_ZQoqD9Gb0OtkIJtW9TGAOh4B9ws9DUo/s400/7th+anniversRY+069.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">{Dan & I before dinner one night.}<br /></p>(4) 3- The number of nights away from momma that it took Gracie to wean from nursing. She did great!! And I am happy to report that that she now sleeps all night long and takes one morning nap and sometimes a late afternoon nap too. YAY! She still wakes up at the crack of dawn, but at least we are sleeping all night.<br /><br /><br /><br />(5) 2- The approximate number of un-soiled (by markers, crayons or pen) surfaces in our home! Ok, this is an exaggeration, but it is out of control! All markers have been confiscated!!<br /><br /><br /><br />(6) 7- The approximate number of times I could eat Mexican food every week! Especially Papa P's! My cravings are INTENSE! (My friend Alicia and I have been ate the the last two Wednesdays and how I wish that could go on and on!)<br /><br /><br /><br />(7) 27- The number of days until Sophie's FOURTH birthday! I can't believe she is going to be four. She has been looking forward to this since the day she turned three. :) Four is by far her fav number and right now PINK is by far her fav color. She reminds me every day that she wants the pink plate, the pink bowl and the pink cup! (I think Grace is more partial to purple like her mama!)<br /><br /><br /><br />(8) 6- The number of mice we have caught in the in our home in the last week and a half. Is that not crazy, gross, disgusting, scary, etc, etc!! Sophie likes the hunt and has inspected some caught by her daddy. She thinks it would be fun to squish their eyeballs out!<br /><br /><br /><br />(9) 3- The number of yummy snack foods that Dan and I made tonight. Spinach dip, Zesty Cucumbers and Toffee Crack. I guess we were hungry when we made the wal-mart list. Yum! Like I said, my cravings are pretty intense! :)<br /><br /><br /><br />(10) 100's - The number of times I am overwhelmed, over-joyed, full of thanksgiving, full of love, frustrated, broken and out of control and then back again each day. Life is sometimes pretty crazy and if I have learned anything during this season it has been that we don't have it all together. Nobody does. And I've learned how valuable each and every person and part of the Body of Christ is. We are all on the road of life seeking the Lord and how to please Him and relating to one another. Sometimes we grind against one another and sometimes we walk side by side in harmony, but either way we are helping one another become the people we are to be. My life is crazy sometimes, but I am thankful for it and for those the Lord has put in it every day!<br /><br /><br /><br />I've missed blogging. I'm hoping to be back in the saddle again soon!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-48542513244433595042009-07-16T21:26:00.012-05:002009-07-17T21:54:44.105-05:00In Honor of Grace's 1.5 yr Birthday- Gracie's Winter ONEderland<div align="center"><em>***I realize I'm a day late and a dollar short on this post. I had picture problems! :)***<br /></div></em><div align="center">In all my slacker-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bloggy</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ness</span> I failed to post pictures of Gracie's 1st Birthday Party back in January. It's amazing that SIX months have gone by! </div><div align="center"><br />But, in honor of her Half Birthday- eighteen months old and <a href="http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2009/07/childrens-parties.html">Kelly's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Korner</span> Children's Birthday Parties</a> carnival I decided to go back and make a post of it.<br /></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359264898785069666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6WoAk223VDmyee1O6TS-7oQ-p0cga2mb7oLb70Rw_2hnagrMpX5w_o9fKejfd-6Yu9ZemFlDrww7lZxge40_pz1X-n85rfO41tdAJNeX5hyzbxphnpY8-EQ6Xd0L-2qaFg_kz2rsOxsQ/s400/grace+in+pool.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center">{My little fishy girl in July} </div><div align="center"><br />Gracie is such a delight and I am loving the stage she is in now. She is saying new words every day. My favorite right now is "hot." Outside is "hot," food is "hot." (She says it very staccato like.) I also love it when she says, "noddy- for naughty", "uh-oh" and "eye" as she points to her eyes and nose and mouth. :)<br /></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359264901878648770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnsTF2FU0KAmtG8hb36s659z6W8B2CzrQB0tRjeFmji6qZabts9PlHhNv89OuQWwo4pfPZEG_rzrfVWAahiczzQgurMwN41IJv8KUdKMBCEOYi6eq8B_aQ0feQXg-S8awxeSVvxt95gt3/s400/grace+in+pjs.jpg" border="0" /><br />{Grace in her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">PJammers</span>} </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center">I loved planning Grace's Winter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ONEderland</span>. It's crazy thinking about how COLD it was the day of her party in the midst of the extreme heat of this summer. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359264892172465602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpkg9K96f5VMfQt0bXRsZ-sTpKKW3RtSAn3kHDsQiOBzVYsQ58MnQLgJILeW-F99AeQTinL-Tl45FBbNsW665FixjdtnLsqgNNmfnffr9-VGMu_Pu-Ih3cgyb1RueTST7XbBl1c3ou3-2/s400/grace+1st+bday+invite.jpg" border="0" />{The Invite- made at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">scrapblog</span>.com} </p><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359261751089769298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkT4c-4Lop12Qo9vkUiBuX6M7ahbt0zAf9_zDQAi7RAgktxd13fOxdDrw5YdADcbu24N8L3Oz1N0tQIBhyzyO-1FKviPySMo9ePMJZVe2KllbfzKPFmxpxKKIoQAzTE5VBn62IIpMwrxB/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+179.JPG" border="0" /><br />{A view of several of the tables} </p><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><p align="center">I was able to take advantage of lots of after Christmas/Winter sales. We used pastel colors, lots of glitter and sparkles!<br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359627565807413282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeORNJ0zFzEIpk1KIlzdMHuiIu2rhD9-IEOP16WcY-B7S9I4BA_ajb22Fr9ep07L42INWij-HkEXshWG0hXrwbAd4IO6hqzdEbD4kjkEdsoVjxmOUhv5-jjXCcNhJzE0ELPcUf-Uv38Mm/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+181.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><br />{The Cake Table}<br /><br /></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359622952004786530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnjWBTH4dQ1HsZHyL33-gtc0CSHY500C2X1len7Z-R6byAEESqlz0ALHbjez3hJWf2O_T2MfyQ1P_S8sO0sum1p23F1luPYTCWHKQNj2CqNLAhpc3eFRUHPU3G3z4IkPYDM2uRTgq5KB1/s400/Graces+first+birthday+005.JPG" border="0" /> {I believe in BIG 1st Birthday cakes. My sweet, sweet friend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Jerusha</span> made this for Grace and I added some fun snow-flakes, etc cut with my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Cricut</span>} </p><br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359261732939917842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxy7KAktnDfPRJRYYun-pWCR_ztWU1h2CR2_tHVdVvGd2bgUf5S62CIUWUi62mgHVGao1WAJ0jvQ2c96TSpS4sTsNBNlj6eUDG2Xjhr83NLIuE1C-mCxIPB-rN3NgLMYSQwjOUIAzFcEbA/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+185.JPG" border="0" /><br />{The food bar…we had three yummy types of soup, bread, crackers and all the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">fixins</span>.}<br /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359257228201756402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztjTBaLdxVNDLbdEBREGqMpI73Bb5dKF8BF3jZkOuqxf8vbIVK1er4IQxR5QAeILGHoP2T1EscoY9LKIQOp-GZcdeOH7nmZE3POIE6hgGggb-6kv4lyYHFw-qIeMrnZGARnWePaJvtmEj/s400/Graces+first+birthday+012.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">{For drinks we offered tea, water and a Hot Chocolate Bar} </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359257215354356034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5bdQHwymNvfmBa5HDyYZYsJESj-C81GJGAfQXr_6fzMFb9Pmo3-aUzZn9hEx3POxPrzP1zqhq7LAach_E1-Qxrq9ZqO1Io8nNBQob_Fe_WToq_q3oUc1L08HnF0k93yS3ETUp8ZXPOx1/s400/Graces+first+birthday+008.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">{The Favors- I saved MANY of Grace's baby food jars and we made little jars of Snowman Soup…hot chocolate & <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">marshmellows</span> filled these.} </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359257219093305922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fUg0W-E_hpDAkKdLs41Z4CB_Kk7PpKv7p8F93WCP37RoBI_n-VKvc2PCs27mzCBTge3x9ulub9e2bPNOlY1XI9-f4YWXHtLPwEC-8LmS4bozNIn9tX15YLbMfcSRcCELHORisQzxFN8P/s400/Graces+first+birthday+009.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">{The Brewer Snow-family} </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359261726451508034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XqHKrSkyQLvXJCyx1O73ZeqnI-lgjWLR0vO8eQ8Un3m8bc2X9Fq5bH7_3wfsFQjX0bGmSZKUkWd1w8lJLaVI6kKElt3Hhh56_jcp0UPqRrMN-kc44yzu929nfa5ZrTO0gGQ38dy3hUV_/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+193.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">{The Real Brewer Family}<br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359259647087891938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 249px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wOSWk3zAQgkobWO_jzQ7WbYEtplfNLSpws5vV4LmEWdELR4_GUcSBUQkE97-I5GFJdvWdDPOGMawEAaF8ZdYKi-tGSzxDbjJ54jEE8BjlrpDBC9MrsyPpVsAJS0vHapaf4oTcN4Zdqbp/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+203.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">{She wasn't walking yet…but she sure tried!}<br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359257233083286098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGwDTAOjQroN-fMOF9_Tn-yTrrvDPLJY-hestEzZTPRgGZEmkMMUBv-8OGRML-5YR-FzueZ5ANpYT9Eal0uRD6NvVJsiWYuLMcjDG_RSlBS0-GpAEwMXlcOj69_yb8QO3SERYWjo3HMXZ/s400/Graces+first+birthday+026.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">{Sweet sisters at the gift table.} </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359259639732176946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1Wx43dqCjrfTqG8h97rvvg36jJ3dpYX6yQuQsGWnRchk3J9OUSiaOrR5aC6azn-NK09Hia2uqdc5CfGzLbA18MuhqhxCl7aZGHPg44xu1ELk9g7kY0DS4NY5NwrnJrZoBUsVPm3BMnOz/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+225.JPG" border="0" /> {Gracie was blessed with some fun toys and lots of sweet winter and spring clothes.} </p><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359259629845015474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bir5LoMWkwfymZuXVvUWhRcOolatU1fO9bo6AjfUA34VSYrYbUmrZ0QCNIIDi-iCzd-_Rcx8M9mYNKZ6zSHncNnw2JJo1qbdvXsSzzOafjix22SlVL6r53H1ZdhFCXMxRNwYNEhcqXja/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+277.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">{This melts my heart. She just beamed when she realized everyone was singing to her!} </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359259626479545874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xcf8tKMn41mtLHZ_l3TtXgZiskY6xriMptpllk1SDprNyL6Kl64akh672uHu2V5hsC9ufaehBG7p0ztkgVjC7kVMzdrguAfMKd434y9aCOso2jpeg8jU2rCIYgDjvWN94RGN0Sa98xQ4/s400/grace's+birthday+from+Lisa+298.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center"><br />{The Cake- she dug right in!}<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359257240373853714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYR99v2TgujzpYMMpqAqWfbV3XuJu25sb6d7TjYBqZcnj-2Khmr-k6td3_YAyXJAYt19pI9omLx4m1EDbGZyv2jBo6zAwv_6dIivA6MOJAQv82bQ9O1NqCGqEE-_Ylk877pBpDbTXUs63/s400/Graces+first+birthday+046.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">{YUM- I love this girl!} </p><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359622954544782914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcHggG7eyMW8gL6ECjVtrpoJrHbxsOJk6IfJZa81wCRB4li9RLSCoVDufhta2dq4UCepgO3fwvZZQUpgi_BwlUqFz0iKzKUGjpYwIpYM3whyr48RVxk7fi-RRXjZPGYgwV6agnUpgMFn4/s400/grace+at+cc.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Happy Half Birthday Miss Gracie B.!!!<br />**************************************************************************<br />Right now I'm getting into Birthday mode for my Sweet Sophie. She will be FOUR in September. She is very excited about her Hello Kitty Birthday Party. (Here is a <a href="http://cowlicksandcurls.blogspot.com/2008/09/sophies-3rd-birthday-party.html">link</a> to the post from her 3rd Birthday party.) </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><br />Then we'll look forward to January 2010 when we celebrate my 28<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">th</span> Birthday, Grace's 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">nd</span> Birthday, my nephew Ike's 1st Birthday and our new baby's BIRTH! </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><br />More on that to come… :)</div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-78207213535509491042009-05-15T00:08:00.002-05:002009-05-15T00:12:56.654-05:00Under ConstructionI think part of my recent aversion to blogging is that I couldn't stand to look at the pink snowflakes any longer! {Well, that and a very full month and a newly mobile child etc, etc. :)}<br /><br />BUT, I do miss blogging and commenting and I feel the need to report on all the hilarious stuff that the girls are doing lately too.<br /><br />Hopefully the new and improved Cowlicks and Curls will be up and running soon!<br /><br />As for now, the kitchen and living room are clean, everyone is in bed and I need to get there too!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-80290721853370350332009-04-23T17:10:00.003-05:002009-04-23T17:36:20.125-05:00my perspective has changed...i am still alive. my town is reeling from the tornado that ravaged it 2 weeks ago tonight. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">i'm</span> one of the 1500 plus volunteers here trying to clean up. been forever changed. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">i'm</span> so thankful for my life. for the lives of those in my family. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">i'm</span> thankful for my home for my car. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">i'm</span> thankful for the "stuff" that fills my home. (although right now, that "stuff"...primarily laundry is about to take over my home. will i ever get it all done?) i am so grateful to be a part of this community. sure...we are a little country here. sure, we don't have the most up to the minute news sources or technology. sure, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">walmart</span> is like "it" here.... but after all of this there is not another place i would want to be right now. i have seen these precious people love on one another, and work their tails off. they haven't waited around for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">gov't</span> (although we are still hoping they might show up), they haven't looted or rioted. they have gotten to work and they/we still are. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">mena</span> will never be the same. there is just no way. BUT, i do believe that it will be better. i know i will. i will always be proud of my home town. i will always love the people and i will always serve the God Who has redeemed us and Who is working in this situation and bringing good things out of it.<br /><br />well, now i broke the ice. hopefully i can get caught up here eventually.<br /><br />right now, i am doing most of my "blogging" on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mena</span> Disaster Relief Information Blog <a href="http://menadisasterrelief.blogspot.com/">here</a>. hopefully we will have some word from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">FEMA</span> soon so that we will know which direction to go.<br /><br />the girls are doing good. grace moves very quickly! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">sophie</span> cracks me up daily. we got a pretty good report from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">dr</span>. this week on grace's ears... she still has some fluid, but it is no longer infected. Thank YOU, Lord! we were SO over taking antibiotics and all the yucky side effects of those. her <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">dr</span>. does have some concerns about some bumps on her chest/arm (that have been there since birth/we came home from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Childrens</span>). Grace has an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">appt</span> with a Pediatric Dermatologist at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ACH</span> this summer. we aren't worried, but we do want it to be seen.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">dan</span> is good too. he is officially a "red neck" since he got some major sun last week working on clearing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">debis</span>/chainsaw/tarp work. he has helped me a lot with the girls since i have have lots to work on. he also preached last <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">sunday</span> at a little church in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">wickes</span>. he did a great job (what i heard at least). i spent most of my time wrangling a 15 month old who really wanted to be on stage with daddy or behind the piano with the pianist. :)<br /><br />we're looking forward to celebrating "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">easter</span> on six mile" this weekend. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">easter</span> was really different this year. but worshipping amongst the rubble and then delivering about 1300 meals in our community was awesome.<br /><br />He is the GOD of this city. He is the hope of these people and yes, better things are yet to come....Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-88534934089854477912009-03-21T23:02:00.006-05:002009-03-21T23:43:25.221-05:00What A Difference One Year Makes...I was browsing through some pictures tonight and found these from last year...<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315858941509802978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOEnPzf7ZlebsSJ1SuLgfvwDLtI57hQQWdLfag8qfMXBNoJxhjI4Ijkx_E0wRd0rRSalLlHBoU0IREWSRubpPBS_mPmx_t6935yd35TOOiWKTsvZsZDXf_MiPcdrpV_sx1Ej_OiT1sOmc/s400/girls+058.JPG" border="0" /> Sophie with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Muncle</span> Jon this week last year. Look at those chubby cheeks and short hair!<br /><br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315858944673079154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mJjMFrxyWa5xJGF6_qogrNN9PCZ4hIRqSmlG72gbgQjBEECaI9Pkj1aSmmJtjqHl8jdkmsoHkNRxUAuoJ65W2Gg9e5xq31SVeiw4BgYF_yBotNkvZeu2NQjaHrl0a7mgEEfHy5qFRF1I/s400/girls+036.JPG" border="0" />Sophie with Aunt Sarah Jo & Aunt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Jac</span> doing some "Walk Away The Pounds!" She has grown INCHES since this time last year! (Incidentally, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Soph</span> joined me for some Walk Away The Pounds this week and she kept up great for about a quarter of a mile. Then she said, "I'm hungry!", ate a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">banana</span> and plopped down in the couch!) :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oZO-FVwmyc2WNN3OY8AbHMgBNS-7KrZnA6adxicvEzVAObahPEmdRtVXM0DJuF_tHL8Be0H20G9HUtu7UsrEB8ZqmNHs-lPTcYzVZ_66YcyONTAEL8s-5_6WHPqzhl-oaF9BQltAlSf3/s1600-h/IMG_0038.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315861874581200626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oZO-FVwmyc2WNN3OY8AbHMgBNS-7KrZnA6adxicvEzVAObahPEmdRtVXM0DJuF_tHL8Be0H20G9HUtu7UsrEB8ZqmNHs-lPTcYzVZ_66YcyONTAEL8s-5_6WHPqzhl-oaF9BQltAlSf3/s400/IMG_0038.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Sophie (with her hair straightened) NOW. She looks SO grown up!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVk4swGi5mAXtWY92fTE7IHZK6DCVgMBO7c9FjEYk9eloXJbOJR-iRhZMqvaHBNDKyN06MLCGQ7vg5H4ojAIU-QbwLEqLlf37Y0gls0z_1tLCgpq06xx0nMTaI5zUXEPMpZZ5ojy2_vGwP/s1600-h/IMG_0037.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315861863498050450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVk4swGi5mAXtWY92fTE7IHZK6DCVgMBO7c9FjEYk9eloXJbOJR-iRhZMqvaHBNDKyN06MLCGQ7vg5H4ojAIU-QbwLEqLlf37Y0gls0z_1tLCgpq06xx0nMTaI5zUXEPMpZZ5ojy2_vGwP/s400/IMG_0037.JPG" border="0" /></a> And SO tall!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip46km-tvGaToHPL-qXkvUhm_-HyXS2LdoYSwCtBXr1UacbqdL3vEuhESpK1oocNFZ-C_1vsvyTNPXGMhjskgsfdg4DqCq5oatL52HK3kFjCku8qnEsIIMlpYyv4BpZbL4gLe6O8YtMQfT/s1600-h/girls+041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315858951556692626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip46km-tvGaToHPL-qXkvUhm_-HyXS2LdoYSwCtBXr1UacbqdL3vEuhESpK1oocNFZ-C_1vsvyTNPXGMhjskgsfdg4DqCq5oatL52HK3kFjCku8qnEsIIMlpYyv4BpZbL4gLe6O8YtMQfT/s400/girls+041.JPG" border="0" /></a> Miss Gracie B. one year ago... all sweet and sleepy and snuggle in Aunt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Nera's</span> lap.<br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzKhCMIezQYAnJzXtb7IrLsxX6lfto00ynV__7W4R67j5kbM7wb3G_BIGYcxPx33UBMMekYSW085R8DY9ZunMwsrM-L8CVknesUtxGYWSripESgBLXrk2tMotbw6NBvpMdcJU-7mytP1E/s1600-h/girls+081.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315858942060323954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzKhCMIezQYAnJzXtb7IrLsxX6lfto00ynV__7W4R67j5kbM7wb3G_BIGYcxPx33UBMMekYSW085R8DY9ZunMwsrM-L8CVknesUtxGYWSripESgBLXrk2tMotbw6NBvpMdcJU-7mytP1E/s400/girls+081.JPG" border="0" /></a> Grace in her favorite (and Mommy's too) swing! </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315861881873950754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEize8oyvM_pWuGufHFH0tD09r3BKgcPvcyPKXwl0p0i4F7ZjdaF9s2J6OwoOuKg6r3f8jiqw_3KZcyIVtDffrAFhHsiSUISB7V3db2ljJv48Q6RNjQFV0-3ptqcSXrXxTlrhTCtHZG6eTQO/s400/IMG_0045.JPG" border="0" />And look at my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">walkin</span>' girl NOW! I love her look of determination! </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315861894866629842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fk1WmsKBgyP3j5QP8wy0OMSGBOO5HjhDofGj6FW-Ys_7Ua6rkh3oN_vhMXaM2aBVxLqciLfSvK-8VGlbWNILm-XI6Ax1WFWR_nDK7tG_s5VxJCXStNlg-jrivaT_66ZIt2zGF18ldt3O/s400/IMG_0059.JPG" border="0" />This girl melts my heart every day!<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315861904279763426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwJ4GHFPwNJH_7kN2UbVOTTAZrZL2ivdeId4RxN05uX2x-A9i2SEm4TTj1FdGVP-7D0hK-j-uauxUTZSMKH1HQycvcVnvkx0bZn4JaN-hy4AAERdbodhAVd9BvkG8nTO9S_7YeQZU_Cyd/s400/IMG_6001C+(90).jpg" border="0" />Well, they both do! They have changed and grown so much in the last year. I have too. I've been stretched and I have been blessed. </div><div> </div><div>I have endured months, and I do mean MONTHS of waking up in the night over and over, 1000's of diaper changes, many sore muscles from lifting car seats and kiddos and more crazy messes than I care to remember! I've also enjoyed hundreds of slobbery kisses and snuggles and stories, and playing and laughter and blessings because of these little love-bugs!<br /><div></div><br /><div>This year has brought many changes to the people who grace these pictures. We now have TWO more babies to love! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Nera</span> has <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Arianna</span> and Jaclyn has baby Ike. Jon is in College and by golly he is going to give meat another try! Woo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Hoo</span>! :) </div><div><br /> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315866252304458706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvi-QhqA-icLYJScJ0G_ie7hyphenhyphenWBz9dfnym6QOwXcsGvtzmUmAvtGMh1rUyVxKaRrQnl6cLW6a2IKhfkqmLFgl2k_V2xD7CbdIUEoHVSndspR_VKTUP4RPRLirCFbrt0e0HLZ2pL3fWivo/s400/n1214961072_30093322_3642.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>Mammy with her four grand-babies!<br /><br /><br />Sometimes change is GOOD! </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWguP-cG6FpDCcMkWipGrcYFTpy7a1w3_0vjJMs3feD2qZYpXiLA9HQrjoKuB42OhPs_eytaOX0_-USUfjP0MmydOxyzyi55OupfwYmpXLBAsMcDOX6rKZZsHL8NEgJXNymgInLLZUnIa/s1600-h/girls+028.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315858936456224994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWguP-cG6FpDCcMkWipGrcYFTpy7a1w3_0vjJMs3feD2qZYpXiLA9HQrjoKuB42OhPs_eytaOX0_-USUfjP0MmydOxyzyi55OupfwYmpXLBAsMcDOX6rKZZsHL8NEgJXNymgInLLZUnIa/s400/girls+028.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />However... this...this NEVER changes! :)<br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-61235379060218742372009-03-09T21:45:00.005-05:002009-03-09T22:49:30.278-05:00It's Me again Margret!i'm still here. still living and loving and cooking and cleaning.... and parenting and nursing (!) and organizing and garage selling and crafting and praying and parenting and dating (my husband) and exercising (that's a new one!) and still trying to learn to balance my life and my time.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div>the last couple of weeks have been full and sweet. my family was here two weeks ago. we visited a lot and laughed and tried to get out kids to cooperate and take pictures! actually they will be back next week when THEY MOVE MY MOM & STEP DAD HERE! wow! that's a biggie. i haven't lived in the same town as my mom since i was in the fifth grade. we are excited to have her close by and anticipating some (good) adjustments in our relationship at the same time. she will be living with in walking distance from me so i know we will get to see her often. :) </div><div><br /></div><div>last week we had a garage sale and i am so glad that it is done! it was good though and i got my garage cleaned in the process and that makes me very happy! i am slowly but surely making my way through each room and organizing. a couple of months ago i was SO overwhelmed by my disorganized house that i was ready to move away and leave it all behind. thankfully, things are lookin up! i still have tub upon tub of sweet little girls clothes (and shoes and blankets, ect) that i'm really not ready to part with yet. one day... :) </div><div><br /></div><div>mom (lisa) & i went to an aerobics class one night last week and we are definitely going back tomorrow. i am NOT a coordinated person, but i was actually able to keep up and i am inspired to keep the weight loss train rolling! nursing (and chasing kiddos) have helped me a lot, but now i need to start demonstrating some self-control in the "sweets" department and start toning up! </div><div><br /></div><div>this week i am also starting the "Captivating" Bible study. i am really looking forward to being involved in this group and praying for the Lord to minister to my heart in the process. this period of lent is always a tender and pivotal time for me. this year I have my favorite lent devotional (The Christ of Easter by Calvin Miller- it is so, so good) and daniel and i are joining our church in praying for 40 days for our nation and the world. it has been very good so far and it has brought praying for the lost to the forefront of our minds and hearts again. i struggled a lot about what to "give up" for lent this year. i thought that blogging and facebook was probably the thing. i did this about three years ago and it was very good for me. i believe that this time though that a total internet fast is maybe not what i need as much as some guidelines to help me balance my time on the internet all the time. i may take a few weeks or days off, but i know that also doing some other practical things like moving the laptop from the living room will really help me in this. Lord, please keep speaking to me and making me more like You! </div><div><br /></div><div>well, i guess that about sums it up for me! the girls are doing great. grace is taking lots of steps here and there! she doesn't just take off down the hall, but she is getting more and more brave. she is an absolute delight and daniel and i are loving the fun stage that she is in! so, so sweet! (well, except for during diaper changes!)</div><div><br /></div><div>sophie is doing good too! i can see a light... :) we are having some really good days lately. we still have some tricky times and she definitely still needs a nap, but we are loving this stage too. her vocabulary is getting so big and she has the funniest expressions and faces (a lot like her daddy!), she loves to help me in the kitchen, and the thing she gets in trouble the most for is pushing her sister. :( She loves to type her name on the computer and the other day she wrote her name on our white board!!!! i was SO thrilled by this! she's a little s-t-u-b-b-o-r-n (like her momma) so she doesn't do too much "on demand," but we will keep working on it together. :) </div><div><br /></div><div>ok, i was supposed to be in bed by 10 and i still need to clean the kitchen. (sigh!) i have been loving this spring weather and getting outside with my dirt-loving kiddos and my johnny cash loving husband (a new love for dan)!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311399151600516274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLuM3fvMLwG6nl-GeAnBRuv4zPephVoNZsirlxLYP-ZveNJDOxjABTUQNbQNn9WHC98Exq9ZeWLhyTenE7ZVSXMrqSxFFicQ8Np_YTcRUeb-CT-u1Lnh7CPqqpDOVU5fTD3fLJ6ykzIcU/s400/IMG_837C+(14).jpg" border="0" /> God bless and good night!</div><div>jennifer</div><div><br /></div><div>(ps- i know that i need to change my background and update my blog list! hopefully i can soon!) </div></div><div>(pps- i have lots more pics to upload, but it isn't working for me tonight!) </div></div></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-13689942309390051982009-02-26T13:25:00.003-06:002009-02-26T13:34:17.962-06:00Nap time is a go!I think we finally have a good naptime routine here and it is making me SO HAPPY! It has worked 3 out of 4 days this week and a few last week so I'm thinking we are headed into a habit. I just keep Grace up a little longer, the girls and I start lunch at about 11:30, we have daddy's lunch all ready to go when he gets here. We visit some and dad eats then Dan lays down with Sophie in our room (he always gets a little nap at lunch anyway) and I nurse Grace and get her down. Then, then..... THEN I have about two hours (more or less) to myself! To clean, to read, to pay bills, to blog.<br /><br />Honestly it has made our mornings better, our afternoons better, our evenings better... our house cleaner and that makes for a happy mommy, a happy daddy and happy kiddos!<br /><br />Ok, time to make the most of this time and finish getting this house ready for company! We are so excited to have my mom, Junie, and my Aunt Debi here this weekend. Aunt Debi is coming to meet Mr. Ike and to photograph him and the rest of the fam. We are super excited! Sophie has been counting the hours to see Junie!<br /><br />Have a great day!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-75552720016495900762009-02-24T22:56:00.003-06:002009-02-24T23:23:12.753-06:00My PrincessSophie is LOVING her dance class! The week before last, Mrs. Viviana deemed that next week would be 'Princess" day and that the girls needed to dress <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">appropriately</span>. She had her son dressed in a suit and he <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">opened</span> the door for the girls. It was sweet, but I can say for Sophie that the best part was the cupcake after class! :)<br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306596836902753538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ksDGRJUUXrCbYLzQygRNJCp0GFp_hAhY82UAHafV8KRGJ3x4TBrLjJ7TbL4phlbpXfGS7BzAE0IUglMTsxr8eil26JRBvAJbkVYAb58VrK6uSCoiYejylR2JmaPJNBbVcyrOXIyZbHRL/s400/Valentine's+Day+033.JPG" border="0" /> My princess, last week.<br /><br />There were a few girls out last week with sickness, so Mrs. Viviana wanted to give them the opportunity to have a Princess party too. So... we had a repeat party this week. Sophie didn't mind!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XUy3XzmICyEhCI6GP5JUd4kp2Z3YjfcZZCSvgOIu_3HgvcLtkodn0xeauc6LuJL7MEAGPE1Lvf-2GfLPt-QsjtDC86glfZFyR9zxQ_9-sVDiVoyIedbDtalhTJqxBbl-KBNWhi61ZZFX/s1600-h/LATE+FEB+092.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306596841356280674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XUy3XzmICyEhCI6GP5JUd4kp2Z3YjfcZZCSvgOIu_3HgvcLtkodn0xeauc6LuJL7MEAGPE1Lvf-2GfLPt-QsjtDC86glfZFyR9zxQ_9-sVDiVoyIedbDtalhTJqxBbl-KBNWhi61ZZFX/s400/LATE+FEB+092.JPG" border="0" /></a> My princess this week. :)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_XtVgmiJZ5a5ZXhktIm6O2I0ZF6qO3MYou3FCDO7M4pkXBOFbKbB8PvCUsunylR6x3uooOhq9Yu4DTVNR4ZfbI30YaGBIlh-Xko36QNv1xEuiSu8i18HZgcV0Xk0x7QjX-H0zkucRpZH/s1600-h/LATE+FEB+091.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306596841913018962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_XtVgmiJZ5a5ZXhktIm6O2I0ZF6qO3MYou3FCDO7M4pkXBOFbKbB8PvCUsunylR6x3uooOhq9Yu4DTVNR4ZfbI30YaGBIlh-Xko36QNv1xEuiSu8i18HZgcV0Xk0x7QjX-H0zkucRpZH/s400/LATE+FEB+091.JPG" border="0" /></a> MISS <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CHEEESE</span>!! </div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306596848113743490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0M04xT25ofAyNO7bXMeHoeffdDG3FUSwLgDFF3DTN4gKvJIb-k1tA8Y1Ns3koOWiBRdURPp7e8QUIrk-1OObeZ7-Fo2f21Gsk5M2sAgIfyAWpe4gkbkYg8r2cskMdpTXBLfRDJ4ZP57P/s400/LATE+FEB+093.JPG" border="0" />The princesses danced together and it was TOO cute! So was the free-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">styler</span> dancing. They all get into it so much and they all have their own style and moves that are adorable!<br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306596849528820306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7WBjjGiT7riSb2C1Lt87uyzlZhDvOkbu-CzYzVC0aSzfOYl0X0AmySID2zpwknU0zM2FOutCDYNs03E0t0XfFjzOq8mRe7Ax1KjWJt7_gt2cByL6uQAY5oCWvdP4HFdaJIAVoa_139ET/s400/LATE+FEB+094.JPG" border="0" />Sophie really was a princess yesterday. We had a great day. (I sure document the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">difficult</span> ones enough, I need to remember the good days too!) She was kind, obedient and a lot of fun to be with. After nap time we made sugar cookies from scratch. Obviously she had a fun time with the sprinkles! They were yummy and they didn't last too long!<br /><br />I love you my princess, Sophie! (Whether we have a good day or not!)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-17854486837103000302009-02-24T21:49:00.008-06:002009-02-24T22:48:01.060-06:00Valentine's Day 2008 Recap! (In Pictures)I know I am behind, but I still want to document our Valentine's Day Celebration. We had a fun weekend filled with family, friends and l-o-v-e!<br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306584620571113154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUGGdJrZiuHG3lTn2g47oXXenrYbq7FsTF-oTO9epunmzHMyrMZzQnXEScYqnU8tEwoIZ7IrshVg7qKtePHzFcEMY__1Peh7qev1jaXe25pWDOllgSQ-MI7ZaF4uElXBrp5S7IE6d3UBo/s400/Valentine's+Day+051.JPG" border="0" /> A little l-o-v-e decorating<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlwU-YD86qCoGkKY79R_KLQIRHecOqXb-n3p05qRyUyRJ5Yc7a0wvfb6udpWguCtCZGVwHzL2PEXKBB4MY9UMQIW-mYfD81CZy2OmVkMfj78McEZweD3GvvlHjWJ5pEA7SerNZQxvGMoe/s1600-h/Valentine's+Day+052.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306584619592753394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlwU-YD86qCoGkKY79R_KLQIRHecOqXb-n3p05qRyUyRJ5Yc7a0wvfb6udpWguCtCZGVwHzL2PEXKBB4MY9UMQIW-mYfD81CZy2OmVkMfj78McEZweD3GvvlHjWJ5pEA7SerNZQxvGMoe/s400/Valentine's+Day+052.JPG" border="0" /></a> A little l-0-v-e crafting for the girls. I found this tutu-shirt <a href="http://www.joyshope.com/2009/02/tutu-t-shirt-tutorial.html">here</a> (love her blog!) and I knew it was just the thing to get the sewing machine back out for! I finished them on Thursday night and the girls were tickled with them. They both looked super cute when they wore them on Friday. :)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeMSxzcnal0jAbMNlSXyMIj16ax-dR6LoBr4EbXxnM2xpsXTo0PT-7LJv0AWO7o8ZMZRWYazubF4SOxikZ_DvuP-0xOA6kCskLM9liwpON2vn-8rv4WtW_NABq6fnNEHVLFdYWJgFtp1Z/s1600-h/Valentine's+Day+048.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306584615848494434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeMSxzcnal0jAbMNlSXyMIj16ax-dR6LoBr4EbXxnM2xpsXTo0PT-7LJv0AWO7o8ZMZRWYazubF4SOxikZ_DvuP-0xOA6kCskLM9liwpON2vn-8rv4WtW_NABq6fnNEHVLFdYWJgFtp1Z/s400/Valentine's+Day+048.JPG" border="0" /></a>Also, a little l-o-v-e candy making! I found these <a href="http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/02/valentine-treats-for-your-sweets.html">here</a> and they were pretty easy to make (with Sophie & Dan's help) and they were pretty yummy. We made about 40 this year. Last week I bought a large set of V-Day sprinkles so hopefully I can make lots more next year.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXiXPVHEMYl0Ml86UZOojx8vSmUHyTgyo9bZwR-GOfD4Q5BANHWLrWREx-YFwyxWAI1udsQ0KDPcu_HMeyMmU9V3aLuzLIEVuAjaCOJKhnLi5enp3kBAj6EOyyerwz4giqhb0LnMHovZA/s1600-h/Valentine's+Day+049.JPG"></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306583640410599458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKH6W523mRFhUhgig8ZYNFR1x0vzOpvX8g5LSMdsauwjQLIU4h5ff1zJU-PULrcXPH3KHOY6JsK-Bg5mnMm99-Vez3M5iMDidxEghlGQilIuZ5yRSRLhyphenhyphen7yncGleGTtUR8QukycTTS9IRm/s400/valentines+day+006.JPG" border="0" />We started celebrating by heading to a little get together Friday morning at my friend, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jerusha's</span> house. We all had a good time visiting, playing, eating, and making cute crafts for the Daddy's.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-pKz4K-2XkFPo9qdzQpKPxm3PBMc9hy4xQDeVvlZ7pvg4KWZqDmi0Z2oDe7W5EfYDF0cjzuTqf2_ZOBo5InUD3Y7h27esdQY0aBypjH9Tc2ddWSGxyh5kRHUBvMO6ZrjnPT6Yc489YjA/s1600-h/valentines+day+001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306583644251548978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-pKz4K-2XkFPo9qdzQpKPxm3PBMc9hy4xQDeVvlZ7pvg4KWZqDmi0Z2oDe7W5EfYDF0cjzuTqf2_ZOBo5InUD3Y7h27esdQY0aBypjH9Tc2ddWSGxyh5kRHUBvMO6ZrjnPT6Yc489YjA/s400/valentines+day+001.JPG" border="0" /></a>Cheesy Gracie!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgAPxVTn77TEBumQ-htLN0ZjGVwGLC_AdA0hNNg26OT1_0XLO-G0qBE2Zfqg6A6zzq3tMhgw-MFMKNUkNBT1oRacu7DFBquT_HrwftsitlMcG1wBcAWJZqcBGQcWOfT_4pajg9rmg5d4i/s1600-h/valentines+day+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306583644067880722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgAPxVTn77TEBumQ-htLN0ZjGVwGLC_AdA0hNNg26OT1_0XLO-G0qBE2Zfqg6A6zzq3tMhgw-MFMKNUkNBT1oRacu7DFBquT_HrwftsitlMcG1wBcAWJZqcBGQcWOfT_4pajg9rmg5d4i/s400/valentines+day+003.JPG" border="0" /></a> In the afternoon, the girls and I delivered all of our Valentines to our friends and family. We spent a while at the airport visiting with lots of loved ones including Mr. Ike. This is when my camera bailed on me. :(<br /></div><div> In the evening we had the pleasure of having dinner and desert over at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MiMi</span> and Papa Don's house. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Neufelds</span> were in from Kansas and we had a great time visiting with them! It was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Muncle</span> Baby's birthday, but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">unfortunately</span> he wasn't feeling good, but we still got to hang out with Aunt Suzy! It was a wild and fun night. (As usual when all 6 of the kiddos are together!:)<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmTbbu2Jn2uRF2nifyMAPYqocuX2bZykKNSxDnA-qEfru5Sr4e4KjNLsZcN2hYXEs4QOf2YuM5BACnYTrboiTqU86kGc6FZmh1bnNDL83BUn9A-BmCF6OFcBXCy6UnLuXYRDOIWqFYodF/s1600-h/valentines+day+009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306583636119004354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmTbbu2Jn2uRF2nifyMAPYqocuX2bZykKNSxDnA-qEfru5Sr4e4KjNLsZcN2hYXEs4QOf2YuM5BACnYTrboiTqU86kGc6FZmh1bnNDL83BUn9A-BmCF6OFcBXCy6UnLuXYRDOIWqFYodF/s400/valentines+day+009.JPG" border="0" /></a>Sweet Cousins... Sophie & Holiday<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEZ8eEjGRXuE3hsn8UyR1sb5z6Q9SAe_1-g8hCwsAaC7oyXDFzLk30bP-7eMGl3fu7Lj1lu8FI3GklWP8PWsl9TzoeJ44fi1pcKfhMA6nvu2UIXC4TE3ybAB29MQyumww_76Fu36O0Uls/s1600-h/valentines+day+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306583631627423890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEZ8eEjGRXuE3hsn8UyR1sb5z6Q9SAe_1-g8hCwsAaC7oyXDFzLk30bP-7eMGl3fu7Lj1lu8FI3GklWP8PWsl9TzoeJ44fi1pcKfhMA6nvu2UIXC4TE3ybAB29MQyumww_76Fu36O0Uls/s400/valentines+day+010.JPG" border="0" /></a> The boys... Justice & Fisher<br /><br />So... this brings us to Saturday, Valentine's Day! We enjoyed a relaxing day at home. Dan let me sleep in a bit and brought us home some yummy donuts. I ran some errands, we gave each other our gifts and cards.</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306581070270134674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRL5uqKJOnWJ8JqCbOGOm1yowFNQZdRhPnDTGA2hssq6Yo6eK9-PnDjkolwuWiHhJxBsqmXVbDTeH81-tIvFxlQ_KeZiESpyqn0QNmYzzH50DOggl3rWGyGXXv7aTxwVmhyphenhyphenib_EO-1Zmnp/s400/valentines+day+016.JPG" border="0" /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306581071385980578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A_oxL423LjTVNepC7ZQZxA8RDi_VO1bsCvR8og0umN912h7YBD8t87IiwL6njH6QcJfoNzkLR2S_dJXuhujjmwmPVV3MREZGtrEQi1pdmTzKeF-QSONs7UsJ5hXrda8RcNJTy9aVXz26/s400/valentines+day+020.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> It was a great day...until we got about an hour out from going to our church's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">progressive</span> dinner! It got pretty hairy there for a little while and we finally arrived at the church in a bit of a huff! Thankfully, it all worked out and we had a wonderful time with our friends as we traveled from house to house eating and eating and eating and laughing! :)<br /><div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RemQmh9oTyRh30MaHNC6we9CfH1pVTFYqfqFwZ0bYEdY2qLGUQ653BuiDvWqf8k_9E_3Oc84VJBQqk3pOif_Xs-j9yVWBuoPbYO4GCk_mlGyM2mBlK7vu71egguOYEniOwj4AGwse1Rb/s1600-h/valentines+day+024.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306581065588522946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RemQmh9oTyRh30MaHNC6we9CfH1pVTFYqfqFwZ0bYEdY2qLGUQ653BuiDvWqf8k_9E_3Oc84VJBQqk3pOif_Xs-j9yVWBuoPbYO4GCk_mlGyM2mBlK7vu71egguOYEniOwj4AGwse1Rb/s400/valentines+day+024.JPG" border="0" /></a>Here we are enjoying from Fettuccine Alfredo at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Spinelli's</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQJ7Do5eHLEDVUoxCWvQXXi4P3acc9wfFarfPCaeh1cjL4x3sgcVTZRcBeSG9G3Abt-L1JjW1C7yAGd-8wJ0In62zVId4heVqNW2x1pxHTqbvsmI_pmO3irBC0LRTnGftpnHrMxVXuwe5/s1600-h/valentines+day+025.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306581065568863810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQJ7Do5eHLEDVUoxCWvQXXi4P3acc9wfFarfPCaeh1cjL4x3sgcVTZRcBeSG9G3Abt-L1JjW1C7yAGd-8wJ0In62zVId4heVqNW2x1pxHTqbvsmI_pmO3irBC0LRTnGftpnHrMxVXuwe5/s400/valentines+day+025.JPG" border="0" /></a> Here are our sweet and funny friends, Brandy & Chris.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnHE4N79WTTAmaT94EwNrtH1nxUBPzqa455A4SltoKO8kUOpxMzH7pP1zo5BOh6Gj5u9P8XkdO3qZxH9hEDyap63yU4FFvzjiiiH0hPTyXpZmU9qzpy4mWeWLN9gQuTPkBu2fN-zgo9Cc/s1600-h/valentines+day+027.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306581063885519698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnHE4N79WTTAmaT94EwNrtH1nxUBPzqa455A4SltoKO8kUOpxMzH7pP1zo5BOh6Gj5u9P8XkdO3qZxH9hEDyap63yU4FFvzjiiiH0hPTyXpZmU9qzpy4mWeWLN9gQuTPkBu2fN-zgo9Cc/s400/valentines+day+027.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div><p>And our sweet friends, Mandy & Andy who now have a brand new baby boy, Andrew! </p><p>As always, I wish I had taken more (and better) pics! We really did have a sweet celebration this year. It was definitely made sweeter by the sweet little treats for the girls by their thoughtful grandparents and great-grandparents. We are about through all the candy! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Yay</span>! It is time for a candy fast around here! :) </p>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-31930920926530299902009-02-20T13:57:00.004-06:002009-02-24T21:49:07.927-06:00Daddy's New Rig!<div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5bFBVeGXSNt8hhSirN5qEBAQdiqPwNR6qCbqyk2ydBYw1sPs2CifDn5EvZdgfECwcz3NKwq8eVKRCI2LZko4eHxBRxPDJXf_ydalldL4C-bD0EGGBHvfkDaq9wsyeaobZSzniUg8eJ60J/s1600-h/Valentine's+Day+024.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304972282692850482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5bFBVeGXSNt8hhSirN5qEBAQdiqPwNR6qCbqyk2ydBYw1sPs2CifDn5EvZdgfECwcz3NKwq8eVKRCI2LZko4eHxBRxPDJXf_ydalldL4C-bD0EGGBHvfkDaq9wsyeaobZSzniUg8eJ60J/s400/Valentine's+Day+024.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Two weeks ago we said goodbye to our little black Saturn and welcomed home a big ole white Ford F-15o! Daniel has been very gracious to drive my little car for to work and back for the past three years while we waited for the opportunity to buy another vehicle. It was a little comical to see him fold up his l-o-n-g body to get inside it. :) It was far from practical for toting around all his tools, but he took it all in stride. We were both pleasantly surprised when we finished our taxes about 4 weeks ago and saw how much we were going to get as a refund. (Thank you, Grace!) Dan started to scour the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">internet</span> for a great deal on a used truck. He felt like the Lord was going to give Him a blessing and He sure did! We still needed to sell my old car.</div><div> </div><div> The Saturn was a great car. A super cute, sporty little car that I bought on the day of my high school graduation back in 2000. (It was the bulk of my graduation gift.) I put many, many miles on her driving from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mena</span> to Tulsa, from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mena</span> to Tyler, from Tyler to Tulsa, from Tyler to Dallas, etc. It was a great car and I paid it off the summer before Dan and I married. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Unfortunately</span>, the first winter that Dan and I were married I was hit in the Saturn. What a bummer! They fixed the car, but it was never the same. It had some real issues and we knew it was going to be difficult to sell. But, the Lord provided a buyer who knew exactly what he was getting and was excited about it! Woo <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">hoo</span>! So we <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">received</span> our tax money in the morning and sold the car the same day. What a blessing! </div><div><div> </div><div>The next day we drove to Ft. Smith to look for a truck. We went to a TON of used car lots looking for the right truck. Then Dan told me about a specific truck that he had found on Craig's List. It was about an hour away in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Farmington</span>. We got online, called them and we were on our way. Dan felt more and more certain about it the closer we got. We made the owner an offer and the truck was ours! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">YAY</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">YAY</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">YAY</span>! I am so happy for Dan. There is plenty of room for us and the car seats and all of Dan's tools. I am so thankful that he has a vehicle he can be proud of and that he doesn't have to scrunch up his legs in the Saturn anymore. </div><div> </div><div>Thank you, Lord! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304972310287746258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17F5m_BLJENGi_pNY1SsKE64qbXlXnrLpgwwZ9F0yuE4Xqme2I5ZJEH4qsLiX6OA33C3ZjsiKR5lWhtM1SPgIk2mVXxOLAozdrwT7tPG_8EWcV8eJLCxU3MrPeZxpJmieVh4ChPLhycMa/s400/Valentine's+Day+022.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Here are the girls at Cheddar's (our new favorite restaurant) before we started car shopping.</div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304972271316346450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 388px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 287px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyujdki9InIVNVWox_E1Rz1gURgEDgAYa9MaTRebLX_TFEMEu6OxMWLyqHuSaEHoKYtG9AUmvpBZQepTXTbTTgwhWYySnFIhxKRk1I2W-PYm9Y6aFYL0kbp7tlrPH6FyOOnsetjFaygsNM/s400/Valentine's+Day+027.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Here I am behind the wheel! :) </div><div> </div></div></div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304972248229973362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBh0JoTl0YcA381g1GPErUSuZObqMBlpnHYZbKayWrEmKlRQRD6NS71gh_aw4Jww0jQSFy4HpbcHSCAPJEp98OdF0Vzso3m6moYOosfTmtnxI5XscV6svXp83kHMRKnKZYwoy5V_00K_Za/s400/Valentine's+Day+028.JPG" border="0" />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-68404861842001665532009-02-18T17:05:00.003-06:002009-02-18T17:21:51.723-06:00the dashI'm a little down this afternoon. It has been a long day. Yesterday, I noticed that something had been draining out of one of Grace's ears. I had seen it the day before and thought it was just ear wax. Anyway when it came back I realized she might have an ear infection. S<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">he</span> hasn't ever had one before and I thought that the other symptoms she had were from teething. I took her to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">dr</span>. today and she does have an infection in both ears. Poor baby. I had a very difficult morning with Sophie today and there is nothing that drains me faster than a huge fit. I willed myself (by the Grace of God) to not get angry with her, but instead to love on her as I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">disciplining</span> her, but she would not calm down.<br /><br />This afternoon Daniel and I went to a funeral for his 91 yr old aunt. She was a sweet lady. A spunky woman and I have no doubt that she is in Heaven with Jesus. Her funeral was at the church that I grew up in. I seem to only go there for funerals lately and it always makes me sentimental. I started thinking about how I want my funeral to be, about how neither of us have life insurance and we both have no plan if something were to happen. When we left I talked to Dan a little about it. I told him I wanted all fresh flowers at my funeral. He looked at me like I was crazy because I never talk about stuff like that at all. I don't know why, but for some reason I am really emotional today. I read a little more about <a href="http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/">sweet baby Cora</a> this afternoon and my heart broke for her family once again. Her chubby cheeks and sweet disposition remind me of Grace.<br /><br />I so want to live a life of joy and love and self-sacrifice. I get so caught up in the flurry and the messes and running to and fro. I want to invest my life. I want it to count. I want my family to know that I love them. I want to teach my girls to look outside of themselves and their wants and to love Jesus and to let Him love through them. I want to care for the poor and most of all to lay up treasures in Heaven. This life is all we see and know right now, but in reality it is a fleeting moment. A simple dash.<br /><br />God give me an eternal perspective.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-17266728290724409422009-02-17T21:57:00.001-06:002009-02-17T22:00:26.396-06:00Mr. Bean<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPIbe45OKRcdXaI3hSBC5tCz06-EDh-iOpioepRhMuFfxbftEybKHR_uKWgznwPu8YZ-s5Sd9xH5Nv4ZxGAZiDcEE07-PnWxFGUV0sU6I8oIWP6HdjcBRPDCan2QlbKqWs_spDGGUazw8/s1600-h/mr+bean.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303982165416482114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPIbe45OKRcdXaI3hSBC5tCz06-EDh-iOpioepRhMuFfxbftEybKHR_uKWgznwPu8YZ-s5Sd9xH5Nv4ZxGAZiDcEE07-PnWxFGUV0sU6I8oIWP6HdjcBRPDCan2QlbKqWs_spDGGUazw8/s400/mr+bean.bmp" border="0" /></a> Pappy poses as Mr. Bean wearing Grace's hat.<br /><br /></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-17131900931113613792009-02-16T23:46:00.002-06:002009-02-16T23:51:04.784-06:0030 Things About Me (I couldn't stop at 25!)I'm sure you've seen these...it's a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">facebook</span> phenomenon! :) Random facts about myself have been swirling around in my head for weeks now. :)<br /><br />1- I love to swim. (Mainly underwater with my eyes open.)<br />2- Dr. Pepper will always be my #1 drink. I love it from an ice cold can. Sweet tea comes in as a close second.<br />3- I am completely <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">un</span>-coordinated. This makes me very <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">un</span>-athletic! I am decent at snow-skiing and water skiing which is pretty cool.<br />4- So far I have traveled to three continents... North America (including Central America), Europe and Africa.<br />5- I love cross-cultural missions and I pray that me & my family will be able to serve overseas again in the future.<br />6- I am thankful for the Grace of God and the Love of Jesus every day. It is scary to think of where I know I would be with out Him.<br />7- I really enjoy cooking.<br />8- And decorating.<br />9- And crafting. :)<br />10- Falling in love with one of my good friends, Daniel totally took me by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">surprise</span>, but our love has blessed me every day for the past seven and a half years.<br />11- Two little brown headed girls have stolen my heart! They fill me with so much joy and awe!12- Parenting is by far the most challenging endeavor I have ever experienced. (Maybe it's Sophie? ;)<br />13- I am brown-eyed red head with a semi-olive <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">completion</span>. The cool thing is I can tan.<br />14- I am pretty much a turbo nursing mama. I have been pregnant or nursing for the past FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT! :)<br />15- I love school and learning. I prefer to learn by lecture and note-taking. If I hear it and write it down it's in there!<br />16- I doodle constantly. If I have paper I write about what I am talking about/listening to or I just write invisibly with my finger.<br />17- I love "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">chinese</span> soup." It's this soup that comes from the "Chinese" store that is very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">similar</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ramen</span>, but has an additional oil flavoring that goes in it that is spicy and yummy!<br />18- I use the word "yummy" often. Pretty much all Mexican food and home-cooked food by either of my moms would be classified as "yummy!"<br />19- I love my family SO VERY MUCH! Each.and.every.one.of.them (natural and through marriage)! I cherish spending time with my parents and siblings more and more every year.<br />20- I have to copy Jaclyn because it's true... I love and admire my grandmothers SO much. I cherish the time I have with them and the special relationships that they have with my daughters.<br />21- I have developed Gestational Diabetes with both of my pregnancies and sometimes I fear Type II Diabetes. However, not enough to cut out sweets!<br />22- I am addicted to blogging. (Is there some kind of AA for this kind of thing?)<br />23- I am by nature a Messy. I am married to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cleanie</span>. We're working through it!<br />24- My sisters hold a very special place in my heart. I have a blood sister, a step-sister, an adopted sister, an "almost" sister, and two sisters-in-law. They are all sisters of my heart.<br />25- I am an introvert and I pretty much stink at making friends.<br />26- I would do anything in the world for my little brother. What can I say, "He wears me down!"<br />27- I could listen to Sara Groves every day.<br />28- Spending one on one time with Daniel is my favorite thing ever! I love our acronyms and inside jokes and goofiness and our love!<br />29- When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher, a politician, a fashion designer, a missionary, a counselor, a teacher, a mom, an interior designer, an event planner...in that order. If I could find a way to incorporate them all I'd go for it! :)<br />30- So far I have never received a speeding ticket. (KNOCK ON WOOD!) :)<br /><br />Thanks for hanging with me and thanks for being my friends!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-62732863500088645232009-02-05T20:22:00.010-06:002009-02-06T08:28:43.296-06:00Miss Gracie B.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299513612682693138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVHNSrPi5kNKpDMq4UqIeS-kvYGpmLzmhqrXTUYzNlLgtg5Dzfkza9OX0pMmzNP-ZkT7fbVW-GKdYwzU9ko-e-dL7m2AtTgNL7ceKWzw0Sq5ejTfXrfcBZCPfpUhePz5fMCeTpRsqzgaU/s400/jaclynbirth083.jpg" border="0" /><br />I just put Gracie down to sleep a few minutes ago. We've started the "cry it out method." Cry it out = no fun! Thankfully, tonight the crying has already stopped. This sweet little one thinks that she doesn't need much sleep lately. Her naps have been a little hit and miss lately. No naps or short naps also = no fun. I think (hope, pray) that we will get settled in a new sleep routine soon. It would be ideal if she would be on the sleep schedule as Sophie that way she would have one longer nap each day and they would be at the same time so I could have some downtime/work-time/craft-time too. We shall see!<br /><br />(Can I just insert here that I am quite ready to wean Miss Grace. I have now been pregnant or nursing since January of 2005. Four years. I think my body (and mind) is ready to rest for a while. However, I also don't want to short-change Grace. I've read that children still need sucking time into their second year. Sophie didn't wean until she was 21 months old. I was pregnant with Grace, very sick and had to wean her. Grace has no pacifier and isn't a thumb sucker. Apparently, I am the pacifier! I am trying to cut back her nursing to morning, naptimes and at night. And I am offering her a sippy cup with water or juice often. I am ready to be able to go away for a couple of days with Dan and I am SO ready to consistently sleep through the night and wake up in the morning not hanging off the bed with her in my spot. :) I love my girls so much and I want to be the best mom to them and I really need some wisdom... any advice??)<br /><br />Sophie is sleeping at her sweet, sweet great-grandparents house tonight. I'm sure she is having the time of her life. I always did! In a few minutes I am off to finish cleaning/organizing the play room. It has been an all day affair! I really wanted to do this one afternoon when I was all alone and just hammer it out. But, that hasn't happened or if it has recently I have needed to do other things. Anyway, this morning I just bit the bullet and decided we would get it done today. It has been a long day and there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm about to put on some good ole Andy Stanley preaching and get it knocked out. (Dan is out working on Aurora, our Saturn. Hopefully it won't be ours much longer!)<br /><br />I'll leave you with some cute pics of Grace that <a href="http://www.thehudsonsrock.com/">Kori</a> captured at the hospital during my sister's 2 day labor & delivery of Mr. Ike. Grace did really well! She is really starting to come into her own lately. Dan & I thought she was a really docile and mild-mannered girl (didn't she have to be since her sis is WILD CHILD, Sophie?? :), but this little one has a "personbality" of her own! She is a climber (we caught on top of an end-table the other night), and a bee-bopping dancer. It is too cute! Unfortunately, she is also a hitter. She thinks it is very fun to pop people in the face. Well, either a kiss (more like a lick) or a pop. She got a little out of hand this evening and she got disciplined. Her pouty face was the cutest little sad face. :(<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299515534053395458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e0EsdipaLCThMuX6aokNtJ1OZkZ7naOWupNdTIfYKqgNjfODkdsPTJfTySWJUpXw_6DswsltxguojfYnvA__tjT5cBXYrBoD_l19NzXWO2RupkK3W7TYKHO55lu0n4swjzW0bv2ZRm8d/s400/jaclynbirth062.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Grace with Pappy, Mammy and Pappy's wonderful cell phone!<br /></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_iXIIqwtvUKlpE28CwfaV0oBbQkmerYhoQsVt-dj9LB5Nz-VfOtGYc4kXGxpdZ314glQIf9awRTjoEHWjEgA2-EsNV_PRpf8M6l_97sXhD6cZeJmvTC5fHHqKNn4LOuqiubuFU5FpB9w7/s1600-h/jaclynbirth050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299515522530606402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_iXIIqwtvUKlpE28CwfaV0oBbQkmerYhoQsVt-dj9LB5Nz-VfOtGYc4kXGxpdZ314glQIf9awRTjoEHWjEgA2-EsNV_PRpf8M6l_97sXhD6cZeJmvTC5fHHqKNn4LOuqiubuFU5FpB9w7/s400/jaclynbirth050.jpg" border="0" /></a> With Sweet Ma Ma Ma<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEo98L7XfKzUyGwyq1b_LnAYgrGOU8ZtjpHZg_J7wvUzMPriZxMYzy2nCf_vAUnzDIuib1seBd4453rQRGApGQmoCvNB25-hSXEknuoNwmoyA89sl8g47btQocbVqqZXRF89azB8b1N-y/s1600-h/jaclynbirth047.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299515513650904706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEo98L7XfKzUyGwyq1b_LnAYgrGOU8ZtjpHZg_J7wvUzMPriZxMYzy2nCf_vAUnzDIuib1seBd4453rQRGApGQmoCvNB25-hSXEknuoNwmoyA89sl8g47btQocbVqqZXRF89azB8b1N-y/s400/jaclynbirth047.jpg" border="0" /></a> With Aunt Jac. (Jac was w-a-l-k-i-n-g!)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjui1WRqIAGjhHbIpNKmwf99mwwPqy9HdcLWTbyNZrzLWBFTC6jN17YsCLuYV2hlx0nbI-Trm7NkE9fCelPGdbK2FVvH7kPA-R0LI0WMSYVLwDVjA2IZ9YWhzXzsNTWxMht3MeggFxSnwPg/s1600-h/jaclynbirth044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299515509369655890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjui1WRqIAGjhHbIpNKmwf99mwwPqy9HdcLWTbyNZrzLWBFTC6jN17YsCLuYV2hlx0nbI-Trm7NkE9fCelPGdbK2FVvH7kPA-R0LI0WMSYVLwDVjA2IZ9YWhzXzsNTWxMht3MeggFxSnwPg/s400/jaclynbirth044.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtQla8Ovoc4S2zKaWN-VUWzgWvHorjRjTU-wPlOAFBs2k3Q8UtgX1o4GKM4YOulhd8eBWZ11tYo_wSocl-xTRFlJdi8O5aclbdGSs580OGm-fOjkiYE419U4AQSbYfcugjKjgtRxwMykK/s1600-h/jaclynbirth082.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299514147127413666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtQla8Ovoc4S2zKaWN-VUWzgWvHorjRjTU-wPlOAFBs2k3Q8UtgX1o4GKM4YOulhd8eBWZ11tYo_wSocl-xTRFlJdi8O5aclbdGSs580OGm-fOjkiYE419U4AQSbYfcugjKjgtRxwMykK/s400/jaclynbirth082.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Hanging out with Aunt Britt in Jaclyn's room.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgoyw2ycmM0m14h0JKarV4GRKhsMlljxMhKOCHcTAMe3qUh2MgbWDQLsHwxQtlbvY1O6nw5M-n4SCqa71NR31dWu2UOR-xZtL_4WbYRy6XuVUk7-P9WA5-0hfJKO1iZEWyCJyFLZ4rZp-/s1600-h/jaclynbirth085.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299513616993613938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgoyw2ycmM0m14h0JKarV4GRKhsMlljxMhKOCHcTAMe3qUh2MgbWDQLsHwxQtlbvY1O6nw5M-n4SCqa71NR31dWu2UOR-xZtL_4WbYRy6XuVUk7-P9WA5-0hfJKO1iZEWyCJyFLZ4rZp-/s400/jaclynbirth085.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIq627HhXDAz5lcrnNwheUFUbhRx4CFpllwVX3lNXDOD_DBLtdn06QE35DNdbrgwV2LMPPjvdq7D_dMiKgmE2s3tfyGlfT04q8ru4JQ2ezEBUgun8vYJlK1fRFDgfHJOrf2Fq2_VyphAX/s1600-h/jaclynbirth084.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299513617969906386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIq627HhXDAz5lcrnNwheUFUbhRx4CFpllwVX3lNXDOD_DBLtdn06QE35DNdbrgwV2LMPPjvdq7D_dMiKgmE2s3tfyGlfT04q8ru4JQ2ezEBUgun8vYJlK1fRFDgfHJOrf2Fq2_VyphAX/s400/jaclynbirth084.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299513619380023506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExMmXtcYp453KPTPdJG2QAXqHMaiqEgH5zoymVr_03Wa1Nz5PO4cqZ-h1JJKz57NO4Y5jin4CCNIVU-KdqlUOICzb3OARJvDnqJCmmL-jfLoG-t8AxgZImvrNlRz409a5py4yNTvddzwy/s400/jaclynbirth101.jpg" border="0" /><br />Sleepy Grace the next morning. This toy is one of her favorite birthday gifts.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299514143929204370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YTSbvNjzlCx68RPaEHG5HYA-LXw-CVmHhWlDXR_l3LkkvUwkly4ddguKCExtUdi9LhkZrGZXhU4qn8_TTSZWYzFbpKiuy6HTVOClbIPgyQkU9N_SVlOkP07ot-e92tVbVItE0EotO4Ff/s400/jaclynbirth106.jpg" border="0" /> With Mommy </div><div><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-29305942768520836112009-02-04T09:17:00.000-06:002009-02-04T09:17:00.973-06:00Psalm 103Psalm 103<br />A David Psalm<br /><br />O my soul, bless God.<br /><em>From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name</em>!<br /> <br /><strong>O my soul, bless God, don't forget a single blessing!</strong> <br />He forgives your sins—every one. <br />He heals your diseases—every one. <br />He redeems you from hell—saves your life! <br />He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown. <br /><em>He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal</em>. <br />He renews your youth—you're always young in his presence. <br /><br /><em>God makes everything come out right</em>; <br />he puts victims back on their feet. <br /><br />He showed Moses how he went about his work, <br />opened up his plans to all Israel. <br /><br />God is sheer mercy and grace; <br />not easily angered, <em>he's rich in love. </em><br /><em> </em><br />He doesn't endlessly nag and scold, <br />nor hold grudges forever. <br /><br />He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, <br />nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.<br /> <br />As high as heaven is over the earth, <br />so strong is his love to those who fear him. <br /><br />And as far as sunrise is from sunset, <br />he has separated us from our sins. <br /><br /><em>As parents feel for their children, </em><br /><em>God feels for those who fear him</em>. <br /><br />He knows us inside and out, <br />keeps in mind that we're made of mud. <br /><br />Men and women don't live very long; <br />like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, <br />But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly, <br />leaving nothing to show they were here. <br /><br />God's love, though, is ever and always, <br />eternally present to all who fear him, <br />Making everything right for them and their children <br />as they follow his Covenant ways <br />and remember to do whatever he said.<br /><br />God has set his throne in heaven; <br />he rules over us all. He's the King! <br /> <br />So bless God, you angels, <br />ready and able to fly at his bidding, <br />quick to hear and do what he says. <br /> <br />Bless God, all you armies of angels, <br />alert to respond to whatever he wills. <br /><br />Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are— <br />everything and everyone made by God.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And <strong>you</strong>, O my soul, bless God!</span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-28023221652352740412009-02-03T17:15:00.004-06:002009-02-03T21:16:05.400-06:00Two Week MenuThis morning the girls and I braved <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Walmart</span> to stock up on groceries. I know might sound bad, but I don't normally take the girls grocery shopping alone. Either I go when they are with grandparents or we all go as a family or even sometimes Dan goes. I have had some fear about taking them to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Walmart</span> alone. I'm trying to get rid of some faulty thinking like... I can't do much in town with both girls or... I can't clean very well with both girls. There is some truth to both of these thoughts. But, at the same time I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (I know that can sound so trite, but it is TRUE!) He has given me these girls as a gift and this is where I am in life. I realize that this time of having small kids at home is only a short season and I want to embrace it and enjoy it. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Soooo</span>, we went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Walmart</span>. We had a few incidents! It was a long hour and a half, but the girls did pretty good. At the end Sophie opened a container of sliced mushrooms and Grace made a good snack out of them. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">EWW</span>! :)<br /><br />The great part of a long shopping trip is the benefit of having lots of stuff to eat and being able to have a good game plan on meals for the next couple of weeks. I thought I'd share a few of the recipes.<br /><br />I bought stuff for<br />*<a href="http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/12/beef-enchiladas.html"><strong>Beef Enchiladas</strong></a> - we had these tonight with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">spanish</span> rice, sour cream & mixed veggies for the girls. They were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">surprisingly</span> good!<br />*<a href="http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/12/poppyseed-chicken.html"><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Poppyseed</span> Chicken</strong></a>- we LOVE this! We usually it with Jasmine Rice (love, love, love), fresh bread, and sometimes salad and another veggie... usually green beans (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">soph's</span> favorite!)<br />* <strong>Aunt B's Pizza</strong>- YUMMY! I have been craving this for months. It consists of bread dough for the crust, pizza sauce, green <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">chilis</span>, sausage, black olives, and sliced mushrooms. Delicious!<br />*<strong>Little Cheddar Meatloaves</strong>- I got this recipe from my sis-in-law, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Jerusha</span> when Dan and I got married. It is the first meatloaf I ever tried and I actually really like it. I'll post the recipe soon. We serve this with mashed potatoes, rolls, and another veggie.<br />*<strong>Broccoli Quiche</strong>- So good, healthy and this can go for a lunch or a dinner. We'll probably have this for lunch tomorrow. :)<br />*<strong>Mom's Easy Chili</strong>- This is so simple, fast and good. You just brown the meat (2 lbs), add a packet of Williams Chili Seasonings and then add a large can of Tomato juice and let it simmer together. I have another fabulous chili recipe from my mother in law but it makes about 25-30 servings and a little bit of time. I like this easy one when I am short on time.<br />*<strong>Lasagna</strong>- Frozen! It's good stuff. :)<br />*<strong>Grilled </strong><a href="http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/03/grilled-pork-tenderloin.html"><strong>Pork Tenderloin</strong></a>- This a new recipe, but it looks really good. We love pork roast. So tender and good!<br />*<strong>Macaroni Grill Chicken Alfredo with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Linguine</span></strong>- This is a box meal that you add chicken to. Mom (Lisa) has tried one of these so I thought it would be good for something easy and different. We love Macaroni Grill!<br /><br />When we add in some of our normal lunch meals... sandwiches, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">spaghetti</span> (easy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">prego</span>), egg salad, can soups I think we'll be set for a couple of weeks. Well, we'll probably eat out a time or two, especially since next week is Valentine's Day! :)<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Bon</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Appetit</span>!<br /><br />*Special thanks to <a href="http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/">Kelly</a> for posting such <a href="http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/">delicious recipes</a>. We are still praying for sweet Harper and are so thankful to the Lord that she is doing so well!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-46467656858537006282009-02-02T22:00:00.001-06:002009-02-02T22:02:18.790-06:00Enough Said...Cleaning the house while the kids are growing is like shoveling snow while its still snowing.Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1291301479694711382.post-85569253642896668742009-02-01T21:55:00.003-06:002009-02-01T22:27:27.349-06:00My January LovesI hope to continue this list of things I love about my housemates each month of this year. This was inspired by a great blogger, <a href="http://kristyglass.blogspot.com/">Kristy Glass</a>.<br /><br /><strong><em>Daniel-</em></strong><br />Encouraging me and my crafting endeavors and buying my a wonderful cabinet for all my supplies.<br />Assembling the above gift!<br />Being so sweet about my birthday... insisting that I needed a large birthday hat and for the beautiful roses.<br />Your excitement over our imminent tax return<br />Your obsession with finding a used truck for yourself. The way you peruse Craigs list and ebay and auto trader!<br />For taking such good care of Sophie (along with your Mom) when I went to Ft. Smith with Jaclyn and for coming up there to get us.<br />For being such a great handyman...fixing stuff at Jaclyns & making our cool laundry set up<br />For taking care of the girls so I could go to a baby shower<br />For taking BOTH girls grocery shopping so I could get some work done.<br />Your dedication to God, home, work, church at all times.<br /><br /><strong><em>Sophie-</em></strong><br />I love watching you in your dance class. You know just how dancers sit!<br />Being so outgoing and cheerful in class!<br />For loving Ike so much<br />Watching you interact with Junie & Maddie.<br />For being "the perfect child" when you spent the day out of town with your family<br />For being a great sport about me & Grace's birthday<br />For reminding me to "smile" (melts my heart!)<br />Your newest drawings of faces... two dots for eyes a dot for nose a dot for mouth and two dots for cheeks. too cute!<br />for saying "i promise" such as "i promise i won't get in your craft stuff mom!" :)<br />Watching you paint clouds with your little apron on<br />Saying, "I not feeling really good right now." Because of your stomach "crabs"<br />How you love to say "tender"<br />You new names for everything in our home... all your friends<br />Watching you dance with Jaclyn's dress form that you named, Emma<br /><br /><strong><em>Gracie B-</em></strong><br />Watching you take your birthday in! You loved when we sang to you!<br />Watching you dig into your birthday cake. Yummy!<br />You're working on drinking from sippy cups. Good job!<br />The day I caught you in the hot chocolate and you had a chocolate mustache a beard!<br />Being so good and cute during the LONG wait at the hospital. Letting Jason H. walk you to sleep in the stroller.<br />Wanting to eat little babies up!<br />Trying to eat with a spoon for the first time. Messy! :)<br />Watching you realize that Sophie is somewhere and you aren't (like with Pappy) and you crying big alligator tears. (broke my heart)<br />Hearing about your perfect day when you got to go with grandma all by yourself, your delight, loving your long walks outside<br />Nap strikes... I don't love this, but it happens, huh...<br />Watching you get more and more brave in the walking, standing dept. You stand all by yourself and then slowly let yourself back down.<br />Constantly taking your hair bows out and then trying to put them back in.<br />Your disdain for shoes and socks no matter what time it is!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509001080921475912noreply@blogger.com1