Wednesday, July 11, 2012

beach boys

Jacob 4 & 1/2  and Ben 2 & 1/2


missin the little days

Jacob 10 & 1/2 and Ben 8 & 1/2

lovin the bigger days too

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

beach boys

morning back tickles
toes in the sand
granny & poppy
lazy river
late night swims
crab legs 
aquarium
nose in a few books
sleeping in
19th floor
perfect fire work viewing
morning walks
apples to apples
sunblock galore
dunkin donut dates
lots of cuddles
miss martha
hot hot sand

karen kingsbury
turtle man
pajama wearing
ice cream sandwiches
shuffle board
dolphins




Friday, May 18, 2012

Five Friday Favs

listening to 4 school age boys
play & SING LOUD 
ring around the rosey
with the 3 year old
outside in the cul de sac

* * * * * 

surprise guests for dinner
we eat simple around here
pancakes, bacon, & fruit 
for all!

* * * * * 

sweet mini conversation w/ b
b: "Mom, say 'hey there cutie'."
me: "hey there cutie!"
b: "What's up gorgeous?"
yep, he melted me!

* * * * * 

sweet thought teacher appreciation gifts
crayon crafts, flowers, gift cards, creative
~ generous ~

* * * * * 

windows open all week


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

spring time

* * * celebrating * * * 




* * * crafting * * * 





 * * * gifting * * * 



* * * decorating * * *





 * * * treats * * * 


* * * picture taking * * * 




* * * car washing * * * 





here's hoping they'll return for car washing fun this weekend
as the yellow polka dots reappeared!

Happy Spring!

Monday, April 16, 2012

while taking the boys pictures
after church Easter


i noticed BOTH of their zippers were down!!
o dear
i have NO idea how long they went around like this
i just hope it happened after church!

Friday, April 6, 2012

five friday favs


* * * * * 

c25k
yes i'm trying
again

* * * * * 





* * * * *

finger nail polish
my fav is essie
just wish it wasn't so expensive
the $3 coupon made it a steal

* * * * *

nightly uno games on my bed with the boys
uno, then devotions, then up to bed they go!
precious time

Friday, March 16, 2012

an answer to my "whys"

i'm learning a lot these days about struggles, pain, joy, exchange, God's love & more

let me start first with the confusion i have in finding a church to plant, worship, grow, serve, etc. in.  i LOVE LOVE LOVE Hope however we just haven't found our niche.  i've taken the boys to a few other churches that i really like, we have friends at each one, and they each have choices for myself & the boys.
then i come back to hope.  i think that is truly where we need to dig our feet . . . doing it is hard.

timely that i returned to hope last week for the series "empty"

 . . . . . . . . . .

i've found my self asking "why" a lot over the past 2 years.  why would God allow my man to leave our marriage.  why am i without my best friend, Godly husband, ministry partner, etc.

i've loved the points the Lord has brought to my attention through the sermons these past 2 weeks.

* God's present in our sufferings. Job
* it's up to me to how to respond to these sufferings 1 Peter 1:7
* knowing the fellowship of His sufferings Phil 3:10
* every place of suffering is a place of exchange ~ if we are close to him isaiah 53:5
* my pain could make me a better friend to Jesus!  NEVER have i thought of it like this. (LOVE THIS ONE!)
* beauty has nothing to do with what i look like but who I am
* He who has not suffered, what does he know?


and the biggie that struck me ~

"The losses I've experienced 
may be the most powerful tools 
Jesus uses to make me beautiful"

i no longer need an answer to all my "whys".  instead i pray that i choose to rest in the ways God can use the mess & bless it.  i like that answer way better than blaming Satan.

five friday favs


whole house smells april fresh
and it's all thanks to a birthday gift
that ben & i just couldn't get enough sniffs of

* * * * * 

amazon.com

* * * * * 

target clearance
sweet sarah gave me an adorable little yellow note pad
i was tickled when i found a stash of them on the end cap 
perfect for "sunshine care packages"

* * * * * 

i thought the soft wallet was my favorite
then i received the timeless wallet

* * * * * 

i have curtains in my bedroom!!
and a few holes needing patching!


Saturday, March 10, 2012

five friday funks . . . and favs!

funks first
only 3

yesterday i got to sub in the 5th grade
during a tornado warning
all good until the students in the class i was in had to
cover their heads with a text book
on the floor
in the BOYS BATHROOM

* * * * * 

forgetting about the pile of 4 day old
wet snow clothes

* * * * * 

the smell of the trees blooming in the front yard
it stinks

* * * * * 

favs

being introduced to estate sales
i love thrifting & junking
but i'd never been estate sale hoppin
i found some treasures too
a $2 cake dome like my granny's

* * * * * 

starting the school week with 
a snow day
off from school that really wasn't a true snow day
but a fun laid back day at home

* * * * * 

then ending it with amazing outside fun
the boys' backpacks didn't even make it inside until dark
kickball, capture the flag, hide & seek, basketball
i even got to join in the kickball game
kids from all over the neighborhood were over to play

* * * * * 

having the windows open
pollen hasn't invade . . . yet

* * * * * 

the smell of clean laundry

Friday, March 2, 2012

five friday favs

commercial makes me SMILE big


* * * * * 

looking forward to some fun dessert
thanks to these valentine coupons

* * * * * 

i LOVE my birthday
i can't even count how many times it was celebrated this year
even.more.fun!

* * * * * 

my new warm cozy soft blanket
i even passed on my former favorite 
warm cozy soft blanket to j

* * * * * 

i've said it before as a fav 
BUT
the lovely gals
wonderful friends
amazing team of ladies i work with
and families who are represented by each child at our pre k
are a big FAVORITE this week
we love our job teaching littles,
enjoy a celebration & have a lot of fun together,
love the children & their familes
& this week we discovered another strength
we can come together in crisis
it's been solid to pray for her family with our nrpre-k family
with each update, each request, each glimmer of hope
we've cried, worshiped, prayed, squealed with joy

Saturday, February 25, 2012

five friday favs

never ever heard of this stuff
have you?
a little pre k friend gave to me for valentines day
ben & i have enjoyed using it
on our hands & feet

* * * * * 

if you haven't had gelati celesti 
RED VELVET ice cream
you really need to drop by there
for those of you that know me well,
it is EVEN better than my long time favorite
PUMPKIN
well gelati celeste pumpkin now is in close 2nd 
to the delish, smooth, & creamy RED VELVET

* * * * * 

lunch time salads are much easier
with Gladware Salad & dressing pop in containers
so glad jennifer showed me them

* * * * *

love this song

* * * * *

the new ring tones
my little b put on my phone
to celebrate my big ole b-day

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

Fantastic February Fun . . .

. . . with friends



the boys both have good girl friends
so we thought it would be fun to invite them both over at the same time
after the initial invitation
more & more were invited the day of



baking with all these kiddos
was fun chaos!


i can't wait for us to do it again


HEADBANDS
1 of our favorite games
if you don't have it
get it!


that's right ben,
make yourself comfortable


. . . with family


i've NEVER been a real fan of valentines day
but that doesn't mean i shouldn't make it special for my boys


so we had some of their favorites,
baked spaghetti * chocolate covered strawberries * sparkling grape juice

and a new yummy dessert
we HIGHLY recommend it

surely we'll have more fun to finish out the month

Thursday, February 16, 2012

i couldn't have said it better myself

and i sure can't sing it better

these words are so close to where i am right now


i love how the Lord showed up to me 
through a friend this week
right when i need Him most

But as for me, I trust in you, 
O Lord, I say
"You are my God."
My times are in your hand.
Psalm 31:14-15

Friday, February 3, 2012

just HAD to re-post

the other night we were all reminiscing "hey mom, remember the video you took of ben and all his girlfriends?"

oh dear jacob, boy do i!!

if you haven't seen it, you really might want to!  haha.  i've watched over & over just sitting here.  oh i miss those little days!!  it's funny sb commented on how huge he was then and now i'm looking back thinking aww . . . what a baby.  i really miss when they were little.  thankful that they're big, healthy, & strong.  well you get it!





http://reginaskammer.blogspot.com/2008/09/lucky-7.html

Monday, January 23, 2012

Hello Monday

hello a better understanding of 1 peter chapter 1
         a better understanding of sufferings



hello tummy bug & yuckies

hello chocolate chip cookies ~ some crunchy some soft
         and a good cover up for the "sick" smell



hello return home jammer day

hello project 1 completion

hello week of testing

hello joy & lisa

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012

all over the place

* boys' basketball was better today, still intense but cooler calmer parents, wish jm could coach both boys teams but that would be a lot!  one of the coaches was rather rough in my opinion ~ it's the Y!!

*  this post, this gal, her family, makes me smile, makes me cry, reminds me of hope.  love their promise & re-promises to God & one another, as their children watched.  what a gift!

*  the last week, i've really had a hunch to hunker down & focus on some challenging words in 1 peter ~

      "be holy, because I am holy"

i did say challenging!

* just now getting around to using the chika chika boom boom activity bag that i made over the summer. i can't find where i got the print out of the tree & alphabet.  if you happen to know, please tell me so i can give credit.



*  i've had fun making more since.  the snowy day, laura numeroff's books, etc.  love making reading fun for the kiddos.  i put objects that relate to the story in a bag along with counting, sorting, phonics, matching games & props they can retell the story with.  i'm on a roll!

* it's cold . . . maybe a night to bake something warm & cozy.  chocolate chip cookies, cake balls?  decisions decisions!  maybe even some of that tasty cinnamon tea