SPRINKLES.

I've wanted to go for years, and finally, while in AZ, we did.











YUM.

back from cactus land.

Justin and I just got back from Arizona. We sure missed our boys, but it was so great to have a getaway. It was gorgeous. I couldn't stop commenting on how it felt like a whole new world down there, and in many ways it was. It was so beautiful, and this shot on a rainy afternoon {where it rained everywhere else besides on us} I just love.

More to come....

freshly cut

This morning {while Liam napped and Evan rode his bike in the cul-de-sac} I mowed the lawn, and it felt good.



While I mowed the lawn I thought about these things:
{in no particular order}

-how white my legs are
-how I worry too much about my body and need to be more pro-active about NOT caring so much
-a husband that I love with all my heart. He can make me laugh like none other.
-the fact that I know he loves me, even though I really am a stinker sometimes. He gets me, and I get him. I love the connection we have. Truly a gift from God.
-the fact that we have three kids.
-the fact that I've only read one book {from cover to cover} this year. {GASP}
-thankful that I have a lawn to mow.
-DANG! I won an i-pad!
-what the heck that song was that I had memorized and LOVED in high school. It is a pretty random song, but by a girl and I CANNOT REMEMBER IT FOR THE LIFE OF ME.
-that I NEED to get out and about and practice shooting {with a camera that is}
-how good I have it.
-the conversation I had with my cousin a few weeks ago, about how I want to daily, hourly be thinking about Jesus. Mediating on him, enjoying him, and in turn I hope, that I might be more loving, compassionate, and kind.

It was a good morning to mow the lawn.

"... the worst possible heritage to leave with children: high spiritual pretensions and low performance."
— D.A. Carson

so much more than an I-pad

{photo credit:rescuebabiesnow.org}

After the disaster in Haiti Justin and I {like so many others} wanted to help in some way. After some searching we decided to donate to Compassion International. An organization whose mission I could stand behind, an organization that I've only heard good things about was the choice for us.
Fast forward to yesterday.

I joined Mckmama in her Child Survival challenge by making a donation to Compassion International, thinking there is no way in a million years I'd win but I wanted to help too.

This morning,I got an excited call from a friend.
" I know I shouldn't be envious, but you won the I-pad from Mckmama!!!"
"Excuse me?! I what?!" I was screaming at her in the middle of the parking lot. I'm sure people thought I was insane. I found Justin, got on his phone immediately to check her blog...and sure enough, there were our names saying we had won.
awesome.
You know what was even more AWESOME? The fact that the faithful readers of Mckmama's blog donated over $30,000!!!That is more than some people make in a year. INCREDIBLE! It makes me so happy that so many mothers in a far different place from us will be abundantly blessed as they struggle to make it though each day!
A HUGE reality check for this girl. It is SO easy to forget how good we really have it and this organization and cause to help was a great reminder of that to me.
Praise the Lord for all the money donated! Praise him for his grace to us each day! I pray that I will be reminded of this grace, think of him and his goodness poured unto my selfish soul as I seek to honor and bring him glory.

A big THANK YOU to MckMama for thinking this great idea up , that brought us all together to bring some help to {taken from the site directly} "...Compassion’s Child Survival Program helps developing world mothers and babies in their most vulnerable times, offering practical care and extending God’s love. By joining with Compassion, you’re giving them the best chance at life."

a few things to note.

1. I've officially decided I like fall better than spring. Don't get me wrong, I love the warm weather after a rough winter, it is always much appreciated. However, I have one big beef with spring.
The bugs.
Sure, I know I should appreciate bugs for all they are worth, and they are an amazing part of nature, and so on but guess what? I hate them. ALL of them.
If I see it in or around my home, I kill it. None of this capture and let it back out in the wild nonsense...it might think it can come back.
We've killed three wasps in our house already this year. I LOATHE wasps. They are big, loud and downright scary. And they STING, and it hurts. I am scared of them. I scream and get immediate goosebumps when I see one near me.
In fact, I am so mad about them this year that I dreamt about them last night. It was horrible.
So, FALL it is. The bugs are going bye-bye and there is nothing like seeing the leaves change.


2. In a few weeks Just and I are taking a trip.
ALONE.
We are both excited, and nervous. I know the kids will be fine, but if you are a parent, well, you know. I also know that they will probably be all well behaved, do what they are told, and ask for spinach and green beans for dinner.
Regardless, it will be nice to have a break. To have adult conversations for a whole day. No butts to be wiped and no laundry to think about getting done.
I'm sure I will miss it.
However, I think we are one of those couples who don't talk about their kids the whole time they are away from them.
When we have our date nights we don't really so I hope we can have some good adult conversations while we are there.
It's gonna be great.



3. Justin and I were up late last night watching {don't ask me why} "Hoarding:Buried Alive" on TLC and let me tell you what. I learned that I am, indeed, married to a HOARDER!

HOWEVER, I am the complete OPPOSITE of a hoarder. I don't hang unto anything. Look if you have something you love but it is not in any use {take a picture of it and put it in an album}. I am not all about hanging unto things, at all. I get it from my Dad.

About 4 years ago or so, {I think as we were getting ready to move} I was going through our closet and making a pile to go to goodwill. Justin had some seriously outdated and not to mention UGLY things that I didn't even know existed that had to go.
Fast forward a bit, it was spring and Justin had just deemed it short worthy weather {which I'm not a big shorts fan} and was going through his shorts when I hear;

"Oh. My. Gosh. Where are my jean shorts?"

Need I really say more?
I will.
These "shorts" were more like male Capri's and were a size in which you could park an RV in....and my husband is not a large man.
Tall yes. Wide waisted, no.
They were gross, ugly and had to go. I still hear about those shorts to this day.
If I can't take it any longer I just get rid of it. I don't tell him, because it will take him years to notice it's even gone and he will throw a fit because I want to get rid of his 1994 Tommy Hilfiger purple {although he claims it's blue} sweater that he hasn't worn since 1999.
There are a number of other things I have threatened to toss, like his old notebooks and PILES of school work from freshman year of college. He and I both know he will NEVER look at them again. I'm still working on getting rid that stuff.


4. Last fall, I ran a 5k, in the POURING rain. It was awful. I had worn a bright yellow GAP "raincoat" to the race. By time my friend Jamie and I had parked the car and walked to the race site I was soaked.
She on the other hand was dry as could be.
I tossed that yellow Gap crap. I mean rain coats aren't exactly worn for style, I mean it is nice to look stylish in a raincoat, which was my intent with this coat, but apparently it was made for style alone...it was a BRIGHT YELLOW SLICKER!
So, I bought a Northface rain jacket soon after.
Today I had to walk Max to school as my car is getting new tires and Justin leaves for work at a sickening hour, so the boys were covered and given umbrellas and we got to school and back dry...minus my jeans.
So all that to say, that the Northface coat was
worth, EVERY. SINGLE. PENNY.
They must make rain pants?

post Easter.

Being that my 'good' camera is currently out of order as we wait for a memory card reader to come to try and retrieve the pictures I lost, so I didn't take a whole lot of pictures. Plus I missed the kids singing as I was in the nursery....where else? {I guess that is part of the job when nursery director}. Another family video taped it though, so I asked them to e-mail it too me. It is always sweet when the kids get up front and sing praises to the Lord.


The morning started off well, considering, and we were well on our way to church when Max lost it. I don't even remember what set him off but he was crying and I said forget the pictures but snapped one last one to document his tears for no reason on this day.

After church though, everybody was eager to get home and enjoy the BEAUTIFUL day we had.
Max, Evan and Justin headed outside while Liam napped,and I began preparations for our Lupper. Max and Ev. brought in some 'flowers'. It's so sweet that they always pick them, and they do it a lot...needless to say we have no weeds in our lawn!

I also attempted easter egg cupcakes...and I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. I'm no artist, but the kids all got a kick out of these, and they were pretty tasty too as I used Sprinkles cupcake mix.


We had friends over for dinner and dessert, and it was a grand time. We are so blessed to have so many incredible friends in our church body, where we really truly love one another and to celebrate the living Savior together was so great.

And the L-man couldn't have been happier to be a part of it all, and stay up until 10PM!

Praise be to God for sending his son to die for our sinful, selfish souls. He's is RISEN! Hallelujah!

Easter Song {by Keith Green--click song title to hear it. It's a wonderful song I grew up with}

Here the bells ringing
They’re singing that you can be born again
Here the bells ringing
They’re singing christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said he has risen, just as he said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That jesus christ is no longer dead

Joy to the word, he has risen, hallelujah
He’s risen, hallelujah
He’s risen, hallelujah

IKEA.

Nothing brings me greater joy {OK slight exaggeration} than watching someone struggle with an IKEA cart.
The boys and I were sitting in the cafe having a snack over looking the parking lot and I watched this guy struggle, I mean STRUGGLE to get to his car with his cart.
It was an incredible thing to watch. I wish I would've had my flip.

Those things are IMPOSSIBLE to push...apparently it is like a 4-wheel drive cart. I don't get it.

However...this guy might be on to some new olympic event.