Thursday, May 20, 2010

a great day.

Today I became "aunt" to this sweet boy.
























Weston Walter Boss, May 20, 2010
7lbs. .08oz.

My cousin Vanessa, her husband Wally and their almost 4 year old daughter Samantha welcomed this little guy this morning.

Not only that, but today I found out that I am going to be a {legit} Aunt to a baby girl this fall! My brother Alec and his wife Jennie are expecting!! WOOT!
And I've already ordered these shoes for her:

Monday, May 17, 2010

6 things to question trust in.




1. Any cell phone company. I found this photo awhile back. I love it. While I'm not so keen on the word "sucks" in this instance I'll make an exception...and I completely agree, Verizon is not to be trusted, heck what cell phone company is? Fees slapped here, there, and everywhere. It is a total rip-off, yet it'd be near impossible for me to get rid of my cell.

2. Any business that substitutes a K or Z where a Q, C , or S should be. {or change the entire spelling} Kids Korner? I don't think so. Kwik Kopy? Dream on.

3. the phrase "diet menu" at a fast food joint. As a general rule if it is fast food, it isn't good for you.

4. local meteorologists. Is it just me, but are they always wrong? I mean like they are right maybe 1% of the time. I remember when we lived in Madison, the meteorologist had a 4 degree guarantee...and he was always giving out free umbrellas because his predictions were off so much. I wonder if they finally cut him off...or if the station has part ownership of Totes umbrellas or something.
I trust the Weather Channel guys everytime...and it's not just because they wear those fancy Weather Channel jackets, but it doesn't hurt.

5. Shirt sizes. First of all EVERY STORE has different sizing. Second of all, the majority of the shirts I have bought in the last year have been size small {and sometimes even extra small}. I am what you would call, NOT small in the chest area, which is why I've pretty much have worn a medium my WHOLE life...well since I hit puberty anyway, and all of the sudden I am buying size small? Something is up because I certainly have not gotten SMALLER in that area since having children.

6. Health Insurance companies. Need I say more?

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Arizona finale. {until next time we go, because we will}

mark & grace's place. 4.25.2010
the house. It was outside of Scottsdale, and I can't tell you how AMAZING it was standing in the kitchen in the early morning, door wide open listening to the sounds outside.

4.21.2010

Just drivin. 5.22.2010
my driver. :)

going to airport. 5.22.2010
What's Up?! We are about to have some good times!

az1 034
at lunch with our friends, the Kemps.

az1 135
Justin's 29th Birthday dinner.
az1 128
Have you read this? Have you seen Food Inc? Changed our lives for the better I tell ya.

pool play. 4.24.2010

splash. 4.24.2010

a$ 4.24.2010

us. 4.25.2010
Justin in front of peak. 4.25.2010

pace out cacti 4.25.2010


lookout.  4.25.2010

sunrise. 4.26.2010
our last morning.
cacti and us. 4.25.2010

Monday, May 10, 2010

10 random things you never knew you wanted to know.

My cousin Sara triple dog-dared me to reveal some random things about myself. I'm up for the challange!


1. While I like to shop, I hate the mall.
2. I don't do seafood. I don't know if it was too many fish sticks as a kid, but I don't like anything from the sea, with the exception of tuna salad.
3. Moving to Kentucky was one of the best decisions Justin and I ever made. I never thought Kentucky { we had never been until we were MOVING into our house} would be a place I would live. It has been so good for Justin and I in so many ways.
4. I recently discovered that big carrots, peeled and cut taste MUCH better than baby carrots.
5. I break a lot of glass...like on a weekly basis. We have had to replace so many juice and wine glasses. I guess on the plus side we have had a variety of glassware.
6. My own sin, my wicked heart is being revealed to me in new ways. I am thankful though, that the Lord is teaching me as I seek his will that I can deal with my sin in a manner that is honoring to him and a reflection in his love. I'll never 'get there' {Philippians 3} but I'm thankful for all the things I am learning along the way.
7. I hate dusting. I am really bad about it, and am guilty of the quick hand swipes around objects instead of moving them.
8. Speaking of dust, I'm allergic to it, heck I am allergic to everything under the sun.
9. And speaking of those allergies, I am really bad about taking medicine to help cope with them...I just deal with it. Smart, I know.
10. Moving to London is a possibility for us. I'm not saying we are, or that we really have even thought about it, but the option is there...and I gotta say it is appealing. CHEERS!
I lead a really complex life...er, yeah.

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Happy Mother's Day!



Flowers from Justin {and boys} and a flower Maxwell made at school.

love being Mom to these boys!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mom's {and soon to be Mothers} I know!

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

school pick-up mediocre, and butt wiping....in case you were interested.

1. We usually walk to pick Max up from school. As you walk {UPHILL} to the school entrance you have to walk past "the lineup"...where parents who are picking up their kid{s} by car line up for the exit system they have in place. By the time we are walking up the hill cars are packed beyond the driveway and into the street {some nuts get there at 2:15....I don't know about you but I don't want to sit in my car, all sweaty and bored for an HOUR before school lets out all so we can be the first ones outta there. I don't get it.} so basically you are on display for all these people leisurely sitting in their cars {reading, listening to music, or picking their nose while they wait} watching you walk up the hill.
So what if I change before we leave just because I feel like I'm walking on a catwalk and maybe put some lip gloss on {forget makeup...I don't wear it because I am L-A-Z-Y...you hear that I am a bum!!} just so I might be somewhat bearable to look at as I walk up that hill.
Nevermind the fact that I can't walk in a straight line or that I usually end up CARRYING Evan while pushing Liam, because he is "too tired"...I mean heck if I can haul my blubber up a hill his little legs should be able to make the short hike.
When we get up to the school, I am catching my breath like I just finished running a half-marathon {OK, fine. a full marathon} and Evan is running around in the grass because ALL OF THE SUDDEN his legs don't hurt anymore.

2.Evan uses the word "mediocre" as if it were his name. He just adds it in a sentence here and there. I finally asked him what it means.

"It means you need to drive your car."

Of course it does. DUH.

3. I'm sure you will all be pleased to hear that it has been a good while since Evan has slammed his P with the toilet seat.
HOWEVER, we have recently been teaching him to wipe his own behind and he uses half a roll...meaning I spend a good portion of each morning after his post breakfast relief unplugging a toilet. {fyi...I've been trying to pay attention to WHEN he is heading in, so I can remind him to keep the squares to a minimum.
Why not just wipe him a little longer you ask? {well maybe you don't ask, but I'm going to tell you why anyway}
The kid has NO RESERVATIONS about using a toilet with the door wide open and asking others to join him inside the bathroom, you know as to not miss anything. It must be like when your in the middle of a movie and you get up to use the bathroom and hope you don't miss anything important.
As another side note, I have also caught this child on our back porch pants around his ankles spraying our yard. {and I should add that our neighbors can see our yard VERY WELL and are outside MOST OF THE TIME}

He also has no problem, no matter who is over at our house, yelling at the top of his lungs;

"MMMOOOOOOMMMM!!! Can you wipe my butt?!!!!"

Let's just say it's happened on more than one occasion when people have been over.
So, we decided that it was about time this kid began wiping his own derriere.

Monday, May 03, 2010

No, we didn't just consume food while in AZ but...

we did also go here:

IN-N-OUT we have arrived . 4.22.2010

Our friend Chad, who has a plethora of useless knowledge in his brain, had read a book about In-In-Out and gave us an education while we were there, and the inside info. on fancy ordering.

bugers. mmm... 4.22.2010

I'm pretty sure they do not hire anyone over 30, but all the youngins we encountered were so sweet. :)

busy In-N-Out workers. 4.22.10

So yeah, we went not once but THREE times while we were there! And I'm actually not a big meat eater, but I'm pretty sure the burger got better every time.

In-N-Out wrap 4.22.2010

Thursday, April 29, 2010

SPRINKLES.

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

Sprinkles. Beverly Hills. - 4.23.2010

SprinklesDisplay

need a little cuteness? 04.23.2010


AZ.2 099

AZ.2 098
YUM.



cupcake line up 04.23.2010


Sprinkles store. 04.23.2010

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

back from cactus land.

Rio Verde, Arizona 04.22.2010

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....

Thursday, April 15, 2010

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.

4.14.2010 012

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.

Monday, April 12, 2010



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

Saturday, April 10, 2010

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."

Thursday, April 08, 2010

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?

Monday, April 05, 2010

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.

happy easter bros. 4.42010
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.
unhappy max. 4.4.2010
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.

egg cupcakes 4.4.2010
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.
soccer.4.4.2010
And the L-man couldn't have been happier to be a part of it all, and stay up until 10PM!

L-man on Easter4.4.2010
Praise be to God for sending his son to die for our sinful, selfish souls. He's is RISEN! Hallelujah!

Sunday, April 04, 2010

daffodils
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

Thursday, April 01, 2010

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.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

the weekend.

I recently {thanks to my VERY generous Father [and mother who allowed it] } came into possession of this little baby:
brokenlens 014
Last Friday night we met for the first time, and I know I need to get to know her, love her and use her to the best of her abilities. She's a beaut.
brokenlens 003
And I had this nice, well priced lens for her. A lens that I used to take pictures at my brothers wedding this weekend. Then...
brokenlens 010
she broke. I was helping Evan get dressed this morning and I hear a horrible crash in the dining room. I rush in and there stood Liam {with an " I know I did something really bad' look on his face } and there sat my lens, broken in two. The camera, remained on the table, intact.
The story does get worse though. I may have accidentally deleted EVERY LAST PICTURE I took over the weekend too.
brokenlens 005
I was being a moron and I don't even know what I did. I don't have the right size card reader to upload pictures anyway, and so Justin ordered me a new card reader last night and we will attempt to get the pictures later this week.
Regardless of all the photography mishaps, we had an amazing weekend, celebrating my oldest brothers marriage to one awesome girl.
More to come.