tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885076659743568542024-03-13T22:29:07.580-07:00in utter defianceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-6024458042910748122016-01-03T20:23:00.002-08:002016-01-03T20:23:49.397-08:00digging holes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
we are back, folks.</div>
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the holidays pretty much took over our lives this year and we had fun.</div>
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now i'm aching for a nap.</div>
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because our family lives all over texas, we had an interesting time going from place to place to see everybody. we even had an extra visit with little miss during our break and we loved every minute we were able to spend with her!</div>
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we usually try to alternate thanksgiving and Christmas with the hubs' side of the family and mine.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTOOGULo3TN1UhazdhCtmQtlSVorkhVy_vnqp0MsHjKoXP4-sOfmfl92X0mzFHET-6VHelP19bdr7_mmTTdWSnS0evB6u0z7mcs5pndLzWCTd-2JrC5zUoXWbpiaHgEvSbDtklYWF54zx/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTOOGULo3TN1UhazdhCtmQtlSVorkhVy_vnqp0MsHjKoXP4-sOfmfl92X0mzFHET-6VHelP19bdr7_mmTTdWSnS0evB6u0z7mcs5pndLzWCTd-2JrC5zUoXWbpiaHgEvSbDtklYWF54zx/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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this year that didn't work out either time but hey, that's life.</div>
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when the weather was nice, we played outside as much as possible.</div>
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when the weather was awful, we played games like skip-bo and had lots of fun.</div>
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many thanks to both sides of our family for putting up with us for days on end. </div>
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we kinda take over a joint when we come to visit. </div>
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and there's always the possibility my children will literally blow up your house because they do not understand pilot lights and greatly desire to blow them out like candles which then leads to a house filling with gas but i digress.</div>
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(thanks again, family)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIRtoi_PbZTtVYnKp15Yx8FAceF-FjExy2iI63INBEGFyZjNfWiZ05P9k1Q-LlpKqLpDDWYBfBiMpdLa3yRgi6z3Po6mZmqyy1XFOWRN__sNoee1_GjMu6FdXdKvRBsWZ8tZWOV8FCFLq/s1600/IMG_1160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIRtoi_PbZTtVYnKp15Yx8FAceF-FjExy2iI63INBEGFyZjNfWiZ05P9k1Q-LlpKqLpDDWYBfBiMpdLa3yRgi6z3Po6mZmqyy1XFOWRN__sNoee1_GjMu6FdXdKvRBsWZ8tZWOV8FCFLq/s320/IMG_1160.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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the boys came up with the game above a few visits ago and i'm thinking of copyrighting it.</div>
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you can actually play it. </div>
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on cardboard.</div>
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and it makes sense.</div>
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it's amazing what an abundance of time inside without too much TV can do for a person's imagination.</div>
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way to go, gents.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PgwiZ6xRLFuVQ5xcmVYVmqPcJ1fH6s38Kyp1sXL7qdF5xuSEe4NFC7tjiQKpmjb14m3iJj6cL0e36r4rSRCt-RYwfsErxjBu_QPlxsHt-Q6ZLZrElVdZqzyIGxBxYPFnA3IIbqXAkqn6/s1600/IMG_1407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PgwiZ6xRLFuVQ5xcmVYVmqPcJ1fH6s38Kyp1sXL7qdF5xuSEe4NFC7tjiQKpmjb14m3iJj6cL0e36r4rSRCt-RYwfsErxjBu_QPlxsHt-Q6ZLZrElVdZqzyIGxBxYPFnA3IIbqXAkqn6/s320/IMG_1407.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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one of the days we had "snow." </div>
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the boys made this snow man.</div>
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it's texas and we take what we can get.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaO3kiDw9YCrnU8oOnaNRYW5fW6xeEVq2MereU3cr8TTD9giFJxVSg75CBoTCt1MIHrNfPeYfhM_xGEn-Oip5JqnKENOm8cyIACGoRnbmm67KEz_svBQ2xvZ9uMkFR8goD0qomteWDCjK/s1600/IMG_1419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaO3kiDw9YCrnU8oOnaNRYW5fW6xeEVq2MereU3cr8TTD9giFJxVSg75CBoTCt1MIHrNfPeYfhM_xGEn-Oip5JqnKENOm8cyIACGoRnbmm67KEz_svBQ2xvZ9uMkFR8goD0qomteWDCjK/s320/IMG_1419.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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now here's a story that will fascinate you.</div>
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truly, it's riveting...</div>
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the boys dug a hole.</div>
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yep.</div>
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"a hole," you say, "that's not too exciting. what was it for? what was the goal?"</div>
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well, friend, i have no answer for you.</div>
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these young gentlemen, left to their own devices in the wilderness, decided to start digging back in the summer. </div>
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and they took up the charge again this winter. </div>
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and now it's big enough to fit a dead body should we ever have the need.</div>
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after a day and a half digging, i asked them what the goal was for this extravaganza of skill and labor. </div>
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they said they were digging for gold.</div>
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we kept asking them if they were digging to china and one child, not knowing that was a common place to try to dig to, got very frustrated and said, "no! why do people keep asking us that?!"</div>
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good, good times.</div>
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it should be noted that at one point, we asked every child (including a sweet friend who came to visit) if they wanted to dig up a stump that ACTUALLY needed digging up. </div>
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no one came to our aid.</div>
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my children, digging for the heck of it. </div>
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but ask 'em to do real work, and they ignore you.</div>
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ah, parenting.</div>
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hope y'all had a lovely holiday season!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-18345833252463624822015-12-13T12:11:00.002-08:002015-12-13T12:11:27.723-08:00holiday post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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we recently had our pics done so we could send out Christmas cards for the first time in years. </div>
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the photographer was so nice. i told her when we began that i didn't want a ton of pics of us looking at the camera and smiling. i wanted fun pictures that show who we are as a family.</div>
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she obliged.</div>
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we had a great time and bribed the children with dairy queen blizzards after.</div>
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it was a win-win.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtWycXYmTj-if70VH2xyeO_fZwmJSlha4hG9fX1CPs5TIgsSUZsVLA8ALtUXNaL9elzqzIQqZoUyixtH0MR09S-5tFVgSslUnlRsCQ0ShZXzULeHKqfHMmkVK2KKjrark8V-82cUqzGff/s1600/WEB+silly+fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtWycXYmTj-if70VH2xyeO_fZwmJSlha4hG9fX1CPs5TIgsSUZsVLA8ALtUXNaL9elzqzIQqZoUyixtH0MR09S-5tFVgSslUnlRsCQ0ShZXzULeHKqfHMmkVK2KKjrark8V-82cUqzGff/s320/WEB+silly+fence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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we wanted to include a little year in review on our cards so we can catch up with people.</div>
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and vistaprint knows i'm a wordy lady, so their cards capped me at about a sentence per person. </div>
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this was a challenge.</div>
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challenge accepted.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqB28PGx9AisdqlFD1740WdR7S0ohfGVgqKoQvwfq9Xjqh4Tqaza_s5GoOdpyLunMBSzceImMqkA_T2ewSO6fWjU9Oecjbg0wk-YitMxmiIXPYgDnDha133HWas3l2BuT7z9IqxJXKOSlK/s1600/WEB+boys+by+pond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqB28PGx9AisdqlFD1740WdR7S0ohfGVgqKoQvwfq9Xjqh4Tqaza_s5GoOdpyLunMBSzceImMqkA_T2ewSO6fWjU9Oecjbg0wk-YitMxmiIXPYgDnDha133HWas3l2BuT7z9IqxJXKOSlK/s320/WEB+boys+by+pond.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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i finished up the cards and got them ordered and can't wait to send them out.</div>
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but i thought i'd share here what wouldn't fit on the card.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-fVJarCam1tKgSKrneAUfSruS2-tf17M-fkStgx0-T7dI_jaG-8gUTvjAMaWEKGz6qIOVQ_Eop2rHoA6cq-1IqsxnmnJKWFl7bZHDnWYmc0X5QWUBkok59W32xfQJOtWpBywG74NlGlJ/s1600/WEB+jump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-fVJarCam1tKgSKrneAUfSruS2-tf17M-fkStgx0-T7dI_jaG-8gUTvjAMaWEKGz6qIOVQ_Eop2rHoA6cq-1IqsxnmnJKWFl7bZHDnWYmc0X5QWUBkok59W32xfQJOtWpBywG74NlGlJ/s320/WEB+jump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2015 has been rough.</div>
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we are truly blessed and thankful.</div>
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we lost our sweet little lady when she was reunified with her dad.</div>
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we ached for months before losing her and our hearts still hurt that we don't get to spend every day with her.</div>
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some of us are still dealing with the fallout. </div>
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this has been the hardest year by far that the hubs and i have dealt with, and i'm so thankful God has grown our marriage through the trying circumstances we've experienced. </div>
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and the hard stuff has equipped us to minister to those around us better and with more compassion.</div>
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we have had more days of sleeping in and watching too much tv and being lazy.</div>
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i personally have had to adjust my expectations of how life should be.</div>
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we have had more homework and reading assignments than ever before. </div>
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and interesting dynamics have come up between our children and the people they meet and want to share life with. </div>
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we have had opportunities for growth and change.</div>
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we have dealt with these with healthy and sometimes unhealthy attitudes.</div>
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God has been patient with us as we are being conformed to His image.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPkrqLC4Oo5p2jyhpx1IJ6yc_GvTql0OpHJuGkZhp8DYNt4HCHL1lazFVjxfxmG5Yc1CP3QALFUBGzvckYOjJtjD-X9NYQvUzR1c9PhZVHUdL-DUng5a88v0LkxStWKet0bxtubAqJ0Lo/s1600/WEB+silly+on+the+steps+with+dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPkrqLC4Oo5p2jyhpx1IJ6yc_GvTql0OpHJuGkZhp8DYNt4HCHL1lazFVjxfxmG5Yc1CP3QALFUBGzvckYOjJtjD-X9NYQvUzR1c9PhZVHUdL-DUng5a88v0LkxStWKet0bxtubAqJ0Lo/s320/WEB+silly+on+the+steps+with+dad.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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i am not sure i'll have another chance to blog before the new year and i just wanted to say </div>
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that sometimes the idea of sharing in this space is daunting. </div>
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i have nothing original to say and no poetic way to say it.</div>
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i don't have hundreds of readers or book deals. </div>
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but i am thankful that i get to come here, put the words out there, and sweet, faithful friends read it and can hopefully be encouraged by the words. </div>
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--i know i am encouraged by so many of yours. </div>
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may your holidays be absolutely lovely.</div>
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--filled with twinkling lights, beautiful songs, sweet memory making, scrumptious treats, </div>
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and most of all a focus on Jesus Christ as our Savior and King.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-83416496159958574312015-10-30T10:51:00.001-07:002015-10-30T10:51:10.123-07:00children's books<br />
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our family goes to the library about once a week. now that the boys are in school all day, sometimes i'll go and pick up a bag full of books for them on my own. we keep them on a shelf in the living room where they are easily accessible.</div>
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this summer the boys tended to bring home short chapter books. --of the spongebob or goosebumps variety. i don't like either of those, but since they are put at eye-level with a bunch of bright colors, the kids are prone to get them. but we have a few rules: one, it needs to be appropriate (this varies house to house). i do not read comic books to them. they are annoying. comic books are not intended to be read aloud, so after years of not enjoying myself, i finally told them i wouldn't do it anymore but they are more than welcome to bring them home. second, we can read a book or two you like, but then it's my turn to share something i like. this opened the door for them to pick out whatever books they enjoy (they pick the same types of books over and over) and still be introduced to something new. i mean, a mom can only endure so many captain underpants or george brown class clown books before i just need someone to wear all their clothes and have a nice adventure. please. so this meeting half-way business has been good!</div>
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i'm an avid reader, but what i've noticed is that books i know are delightful tend to be books that my children don't enjoy so much.</div>
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i figured i'd share a few lovely gems that we all like. this is by no means any sort of comprehensive list of wonderful children's books, but i thought if there's one in there that you haven't read, you could give it a try! </div>
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for littler ones:</div>
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make way for ducklings (there is actually a tour in Boston related to this book)</div>
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kristina caterina and the box (out of print, but it's worth the buy on amazon)</div>
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elephant and piggy books (the boys have learned to read with feeling when they read these aloud)</div>
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the monster at the end of this book (the kids used to giggle through this)</div>
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for a little bit older:</div>
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the billy and blaze series (love the illustrations!)</div>
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alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (quotable)</div>
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i need my monster (voices are fun to do on this one)</div>
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the day the crayons quit (i laugh out loud every time. who knew crayons could be so emotional?)</div>
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virginia lee burton books (classic! and lovely illustrations)</div>
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and two novels we've enjoyed: </div>
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almost super (novel) (the boys liked it when i did the voices of the weird family members)</div>
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wonder (novel) (teaches a lot about compassion)</div>
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one of my most favorite moments EVER is the drive home from the library. the boys beg to hold and look at the books they've picked and the ride home is filled with blissful silence while all their heads are down, silently reading their new finds. it's pretty stinking amazing. truly.</div>
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enjoy your weekend!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-32013216242867969692015-10-28T18:53:00.001-07:002015-10-28T18:53:05.316-07:00easily brainwashed, coming of age stories, and dense bread<br />
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i think i might be brain-washable. truly. or at least very impressionable.</div>
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i read books or see inspiring movies and for a brief moment, i'm totally sold.</div>
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sign me up! i'm in! what are we doing again?</div>
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i've been reading the harry potter series and in between each book, i'm reading a totally different type of book. a palate cleanser, if you will.</div>
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this last book was called "little beach street bakery," and i thoroughly enjoyed it. it is not deep. it does not have some political agenda. it is simply a nice book. i find that my favorite types of books tend to be ones where people find their niche. it doesn't have to be a coming of age story, but they usually are in some sense. in this book, the woman enjoys baking bread. the book includes several recipes in the back.</div>
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well, i decided after reading a few hundred pages about a baker...to try to be a baker. just for fun.</div>
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to be honest, though, i think this new season of our lives has thrown me for a loop. having a bit of free time and not having every second tied up with cps and visits and court dates and sweet kids needing me constantly...it's made me a bit...unsure. outside forces seemed to dictate our lives for so long, it's weird and a bit unsettling to be able to decide how i think my time should be spent. apparently i'm trying to fill up that time with hobbies of fictional characters.</div>
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anyway...</div>
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i used to bake with my mom on lazy saturdays. the house would smell amazing. the kneading was fun and messy. and in the end, you had this awesome product that you made...with your bare hands!</div>
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so this weekend i baked some bread.</div>
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it was not the best bread you have ever tasted, but i enjoyed doing it.</div>
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before i started, i told my husband i wanted to do it because i was reading a book about it, and he was awesome.</div>
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he didn't laugh out loud at me wanting to try something new.</div>
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he didn't roll his eyes at the newest hobby i am taking on that will probably die out in a few weeks.</div>
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he offered to go to the store and get what i needed to start.</div>
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stand-up guy, huh! love that kid.</div>
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and i enjoyed myself.</div>
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in the end, we had two loaves of kinda dense bread. the boys were so excited.</div>
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"you made this?! how?!" (apparently i have failed them in some way because they can't believe someone can make something from scratch. surprise, kids! food doesn't have to come from containers!)</div>
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i told them i wanted to try something new.</div>
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so even if i stink at it, at least i'm trying, right?</div>
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and that's half the fun.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-29382898475936914942015-10-07T10:18:00.003-07:002015-10-07T10:18:50.165-07:00how to get all the stuff done...wait...nope that's not it<br />
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i seriously am getting nothing done, y'all.</div>
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for reals.</div>
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i started out this academic year with four kids going into school and myself only having a tiny job.</div>
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--that's what i call it. because it's tiny.</div>
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and what did i think would happen?</div>
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clean bathrooms</div>
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clean house in general</div>
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folded laundry</div>
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a tidy yard</div>
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birds would sing and butterflies would dance and all would be peaceful and well</div>
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these dreams have all been <i>ripped to shreds</i>. and i'm trying to figure out what actually matters.</div>
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does it matter that all the clothes are folded all the time?</div>
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probably not.</div>
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(it never really has...shhh... don't say anything.)</div>
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but does it matter that my rose bush is getting so large it's warping our fence that we share with a neighbor? um yeah. i should really get on that.</div>
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do y'all ever feel this way? --like the list is too long and your productivity level is too small?</div>
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and all i really want to do is drink a yummy fancy coffee and take a nap.</div>
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can i get a hallelujah!?</div>
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i keep rewriting lists and making new sets of priorities and then nothing sticks.</div>
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on paper a schedule of cleaning and kicking booty looks easy-peasy. in reality, small daily tasks add up quickly and my bigger goals get left by the wayside. i plan like one thing a day to get done so i can feel like a successful contributor of society.</div>
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--i fed the dogs today. they will live!</div>
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--i returned that thing from target from like a month ago that didn't fit you. you're welcome.</div>
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--didn't i do these dishes yesterday? you mean we use them <u>daily</u>?</div>
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these blogs where people renovate their children's bedrooms and write biographies about christian poets and lead conferences about effective prayer and are president of the PTA and look good while doing it? dang. if they make you feel bad, come sit by me. we have a play house that we half-constructed months ago with a 2x4 holding it together since we haven't put a roof on it. bam. there's productivity for you. --making things safe enough not to physically harm children until we can actually get our act together and finish a pretty simple project.</div>
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but can i find time to read the entire harry potter series in a month? yes.</div>
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or watch tv on hulu plus in my pajamas? most definitely.</div>
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--what are you trying to say?</div>
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...if by your silence you are saying that if these things were truly a priority, i would make time for them. and that the truly important things will work themselves out. and there's only 24 hours in a day. and in three men walking there surely is my teacher. and there's no "i" in team. and absence makes the heart grow fonder. and one in the hand is worth two in the bush... then i say you are wise beyond your years.</div>
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thanks for all the wisdom and i'm gonna take all that advice to heart.</div>
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--just as soon as i watch this next episode of brooklyn 99.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-12973866787445702932015-10-02T10:36:00.001-07:002015-10-07T10:02:31.998-07:00sweet reminders<br />
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tonight was cozy. pandora played the passion pit station. and i made a chicken and pepper stir-fry, affectionately referred to in our house as "amanda's chicken." (thanks, college roommate and dear friend!)</div>
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tonight a candle was lit on the table and a kid played piano (banged out random notes i should say) while i cooked in an apron, partly because i love aprons and partly because i am quite the clumsy chef. </div>
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there was screaming and some harsh words between brothers and even a child leaving in a huff to go outside and calm down. there was speech therapy and too much homework and too many tears. it was a bit crazy, i'm not gonna lie, but most days are like that here.</div>
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but i have to say it... it was lovely. </div>
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having some time in our home in the afternoon after a long week has been a sweet blessing. </div>
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having time to let a kid throw a fit and not rush off to another activity only to arrive late, to have a relaxed evening where everybody gets their reading minutes done (miracle of miracles)...this is rare. </div>
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there's really no point to this post except that as i was cooking and washing dishes and calming kids down, i was suddenly struck with how thankful i am for my blessings. </div>
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in a season where it's been easy to look at what we've lost, God sweetly reminds me of a million ways He has blessed me.</div>
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how has He blessed you?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-26391530619420619602015-09-27T09:18:00.002-07:002015-09-27T09:18:32.845-07:00lofty goals for fall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i've been thinking about those evenings when you're outside well after it gets dark. the kids are running around and yet the pace of the night is slow and easy. when funky music spills out the windows while the grill sizzles and the screen door slams with kids helping to set the table outside. </div>
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and all of a sudden it gets chilly and you need a sweater to stay comfy? </div>
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in commercials, these things happen in the summer.</div>
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in commercials, people don't live here. </div>
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something the media calls "fall" or what i call "finally tolerable weather" waits to make its appearance here until late october. but now that we're finding our groove with school, i like to start setting more realistic goals...because the ones i set at the beginning of the school year... yeah, let's not talk about it.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(instead of making new year's goals, i like to make goals according to the season on the calendar and our season of life.)</span></div>
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these are super lofty goals, people. </div>
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be dumbstruck by my loftiness.</div>
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work out and spend less...</div>
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weeks of catching up with friends after busy summers means i'm spending and eating out too much. i need to trim the fat a bit. pun intended. my work out plan never consists of running, weights, yada yada yada. it usually is made up of: eat more green things, drink less dr pepper, walk instead of take the car a few times a week. like i said...lofty. </div>
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pick flowers...</div>
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the people who lived in this house before us had some green thumbs. the yard was beautiful when we moved in, and i have tried pretty dang hard to not kill everything. so far it's going ok. the fruit of this is that we usually have some lovely things growing around our place. few things make me happier than bright colors popping out from a mason jar above my sink. </div>
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open some windows and eat outside...</div>
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my goal with this? do it as much as possible. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrc5He3Qzv-YKAP8ajU6hq6z33GjA1aSPhLR8BqwN55xnqrRTs5aKDxMxEFrqM9SiaJVu7fHhIQhQ8jwHNWXb_XuF5z2R1h5kHGE3UfYEvb4FHg_7hKklTgzRGQsil61AoRxEfrxIRmLu/s1600/DSCN0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrc5He3Qzv-YKAP8ajU6hq6z33GjA1aSPhLR8BqwN55xnqrRTs5aKDxMxEFrqM9SiaJVu7fHhIQhQ8jwHNWXb_XuF5z2R1h5kHGE3UfYEvb4FHg_7hKklTgzRGQsil61AoRxEfrxIRmLu/s200/DSCN0431.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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allow for time at home...</div>
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i really love evenings at home. and i really enjoy having people over for dinner. when i plan too many activities, we're all rushed, over-tired, and seem to enjoy everything a bit less. by making sure we spend a bit of time at home, i'm trying to ensure a certain amount of rest and relaxation.</div>
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ride my bike...</div>
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this summer i wanted a cruiser bike so badly i could hardly stand it. and then i bought one. and then i remembered that it is summer and way too stinking hot to ride it anywhere. so i've been biding my time for cooler weather when i can ride it to the boys' school or to my job. i can't wait!<br />
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what are your lofty goals for this upcoming season? </div>
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eat a caramel apple? </div>
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bake a pie? </div>
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buy a fall-scented candle? </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-53321234735493413472015-09-21T05:19:00.003-07:002015-09-21T05:19:58.750-07:00awesome seasonal movies<br />
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as the seasons pretend to change here in south texas, i start getting ready to decorate. and i love movies that reflect the season as well.</div>
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my sister-in-law and i have discussed several movies that are just better when the season is right.</div>
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this is by no means a comprehensive list, but i thought it would be fun to share our favorite seasonal movies in case we stumble upon a great one we didn't previously know about. i'd also like to state for the record that if you find any of these movies offensive due to content, i apologize. each of these movies is listed because i, myself, have enjoyed them. you have probably watched every single one of them but sometimes i read a list like this and go, "oh my gosh! i loved that movie and haven't seen it in forever! i need to get that one!" and maybe this list will do the same for you. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiF746VbaEWHNjnaVzjYsupTaupjoGPntf4PwSTyoJv-f0fSDzRA0cFzbnDV8HiRAT4yw-oHKwpPKJjKVqDNRXtPXtv5JV6-c21ByvFi643r362yc7NwYwSCCtKDXmvqWFI87lPxSO17E4/s1600/IMG_2486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiF746VbaEWHNjnaVzjYsupTaupjoGPntf4PwSTyoJv-f0fSDzRA0cFzbnDV8HiRAT4yw-oHKwpPKJjKVqDNRXtPXtv5JV6-c21ByvFi643r362yc7NwYwSCCtKDXmvqWFI87lPxSO17E4/s320/IMG_2486.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<b>great fall movies:</b><br />
you've got mail ("bouquet of sharpened pencils")<br />
dan in real life<br />
mona lisa smile<br />
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<b>great winter movies:</b><br />
you've got mail ("the horn...the horn...it sounds so forlorn")<br />
the family stone<br />
while you were sleeping<br />
sleepless in seattle<br />
*i did not list all the famous Christmas movies on this, like "elf," "white Christmas," "muppet Christmas carol" or "home alone," because we watch those on repeat all Christmas season long.<br />
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<b>great spring movies:</b><br />
you've got mail (are you noticing a theme here? it's basically the best movie ever)<br />
under the tuscan sun<br />
calendar girls<br />
must love dogs<br />
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<b>great summer movies:</b></div>
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the way, way back</div>
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away we go (note: language and some other inappropriate stuff but there is something about the ambience of this movie that is special)</div>
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the secret life of walter mitty</div>
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my sister in law recommended "lars and the real girl" but i have not seen it yet. and i'd just like to give a shout-out to "date night," "miss pettigrew lives for a day," and "crazy stupid love" because i really enjoy those movies any old time. and i must also add that if you own "just like heaven," you are in for a real treat. the bloopers are hysterical. yes, there are some that make no sense and are kinda stupid, but then there's like two that make my sister and i laugh so hard that we cry and rewind over and over again. we're cool like that.<br />
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what are your favorite movies for every season?<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-25290223105554688492015-09-18T17:48:00.003-07:002015-10-02T10:33:57.617-07:00fearfully and wonderfully made: a child's unique giftsso <a href="http://www.ashleyannphotography.com/blog/" target="_blank">this lady right here</a> talks a lot on her blog about how each of her children is uniquely gifted. she does a lovely job of nurturing each child and <a href="http://www.ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2015/07/30/24847/" target="_blank">what they delight in</a>. i really dig it. she also uses washi tape a lot. and who doesn't love that? i mean, c'mon.<br />
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with four boys, i feel like there's not enough time for everything. with one boy i felt that way, though, so not much has changed, i guess. once upon a time, though, i read a book called "loving the little years" and in it, the author mentioned that her kids would kinda barge in to the kitchen to help cook. and she herself felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of "helpers" but the kids themselves, they are individuals...and they don't see themselves as a group. i thought this was such a simple idea but i needed the reminder. my kids are individuals. and while we do things as a group, each boy is different.<br />
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i was always a bit nervous to focus on the boys' strengths or interests too much because i didn't want to pigeon-hole them. "i'm the academic one." "i'm the athletic one." "i'm the artist."<br />
my mom was the youngest of three girls and i heard her remark more than once that one sister was really good at one thing, another sister was really good at something else. so my mom chose something altogether different so she wouldn't be compared. as the youngest of three myself, i get that.<br />
but everyone does have strengths and it's great to delve a little deeper into them. i tell the boys daily, "nobody is just one thing." we are all multi-faceted, ornately complicated people. (i don't say that last part. they would give me blank stares and say "whatever, mom" or something like that.)<br />
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so...<br />
as i was thinking more about this, a few things i've been reading lately have talked about how we are uniquely gifted, and when i reflect on how awesome my parents were (are) to really come alongside me in my various passions and encourage me in them, i thought i might need to be more intentional about my boys and their uniqueness.<br />
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gabe loves to build and invent. he loves to push himself physically. he's pretty hard core.<br />
he tells stories that last awhile. he gets pretty excited about them.</div>
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he's also the most serious of the bunch. </div>
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and he's probably the most like me. </div>
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he is really social when he needs to be, but totally an introvert at heart.</div>
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and when we feel overwhelmed, we are pretty much mirror images of each other.</div>
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judah loves to create. and dance. </div>
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he's straight up gangsta.</div>
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he recently created a hot rod out of a cardboard box, toilet paper rolls, and red tissue paper...just because.</div>
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he's also super passionate. about anything.</div>
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and everything.</div>
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he wears his feelings WAY OUT HERE and you never have to question what he thinks about stuff.</div>
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elijah is a lover, not a fighter. but if you push him, he will eventually push back.</div>
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he loves to cook.</div>
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and write.</div>
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this evening he wrote a "constitution," which to him apparently means a list of our family's traits and hobbies. </div>
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he voluntarily writes letters to family members and teachers to say nice things. </div>
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he loves connecting with people and helping. </div>
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and he LOVES babies. </div>
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asher tends to be pretty silly.</div>
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and he loves to be out in nature. </div>
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worms, horses, gardening.</div>
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he'll do it all.</div>
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at this point in time, he doesn't care a lick about school.</div>
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art or writing or reading or homework? </div>
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not his thing.</div>
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but if you need anybody to spin on their belly like a top or touch a gross bug, </div>
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he's your guy.</div>
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so i think i'm going to try to be more intentional about finding activities that give focus to each kid's talents and interests. </div>
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nothing dramatic or expensive. </div>
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we have been setting aside cardboard boxes for judah to build something fantastic with them.</div>
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i think i might get out some old pots and plant something with asher.</div>
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i've been trying to more actively listen to gabe when he tells stories.</div>
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tonight i baked cookies with elijah. partly because i wanted to encourage him and spend time with him, and partly because...i wanted cookies.</div>
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we'll have fun diving into things that challenge them and grow them.</div>
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their passions and feelings about things might change, but a person is more than what they are good at or interested in.</div>
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what i'd like to instill in my children is that we are each uniquely gifted. </div>
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we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-18779611934639813972015-09-16T15:54:00.000-07:002015-09-17T18:30:48.411-07:00september. bleh.<div>
that last post was pretty deep so i thought i'd lighten it up by complaining about the drought and heat. </div>
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sounds like fun, eh.</div>
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let's get started.</div>
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so this whole <i>summer is over but it's still gonna be 100 degrees outside</i> stuff is bogus nonsense.<br />
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i demand a recount. either we should be allowed to be in a pool all day long or it should be cardigan weather. </div>
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if i were to post pictures of things on this blog, it would be of dead and/or wilting plants. </div>
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because that's what life is like here in drought-land, usa. </div>
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everybody pretends we live in a lush landscape filled with green things, but really...let's admit it. </div>
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i live in a stinkin' <i>desert</i>.<br />
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i'm so ready for fall.</div>
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we have these great screen doors that bang shut when we close them. the hubs hates it but i love the sound. it reminds me of visiting my gramma's house growing up. and it reminds me of cool days <i>where we can actually use them</i>. </div>
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when i get passionate, i <i>overuse</i> <i>italics</i>. </div>
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right now it's too hot to leave the door open while i get the groceries out of the car. </div>
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but someday soon... (if this were a tv show, there'd be that wavy screen thing happening where we go into a daydream)</div>
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i won't have to water the yard <i>every other day</i>.</div>
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i won't sweat getting to the car.</div>
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i can wear jeans <i>without</i> wondering why i thought it would be a good idea to wear jeans.</div>
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i can read a book on the back porch and not get eaten alive by mosquitos. </div>
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i can light fall scented candles without thinking i'm a fraud and fall is a myth that doesn't exist south of the carolinas. </div>
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i am fully aware that september is one of those months that exists outside of space and time. school has started but it's still not our jam, the weather is hot so it's uncomfortable to blow off steam outside after school, fall fun activities have not started yet, and it's still light outside until 8 or so.</div>
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what's up with that?</div>
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i have no answer to this age old problem of september just being awful. except this.</div>
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october. </div>
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it's the answer to lots of the world's problems.</div>
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i'm also available for consultation regarding other world problems like world peace and what to do when the person behind you in line at the grocery store stands too close to you. </div>
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you're welcome.</div>
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*note to readers: if you love september, we can still hang out. this in no way affects how i see you as a person. as long as we pick air conditioned places to spend time together while we drink frozen fancy coffee, we can still be friends. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-55883775477661309292015-09-11T05:03:00.000-07:002015-09-11T05:03:30.312-07:00the hard stuffwhen you pray, believing with all that's inside you that God is gonna do this Mighty Thing that you have no doubt He's capable of but no idea how He'll pull it off, and then He decides to go a different way...what do you do with that?<br />
<br />
we prayed so fervently, for so long, that <a href="http://inutterdefianceoftrendy-ness.blogspot.com/2015/07/losing-little-miss.html" target="_blank">our little miss</a> would stay. that God would work a miracle and do something we could not even fathom. that it would result in this amazing testimony of how God worked this huge, daunting thing for His glory (and it just happened to make us happy, too.)<br />
and then He...didn't.<br />
<br />
i was so sure God was going to come through in a way i could understand and agree with.<br />
i kept waiting for a miracle that resulted in what i wanted, what i thought was best.<br />
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on the radio tonight, riding with my windows down in the hot texas heat of september, matt maher was talking about his song, "deliverer." he was saying something like... when we cry out to God, do we cry out from a place of fear or a place of knowing God will answer?<br />
<br />
it was convicting.<br />
after all that i've been through with God, don't i know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He is for me? -that even though things might not work out as i would hope, He is hearing me, answering me, and walking with me through all of it?<br />
<br />
God loves you. He loves me. loves us so much He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins and for yours. He answers every prayer. He does not ignore us or get impatient with us or get sick of hearing the same requests over and over again. the answer might not be yes, but He does answer every prayer.<br />
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and something that helps to make it all more concrete in my mind is that He's working all things together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).<br />
<br />
i haven't blogged anything earth-shattering about losing little miss because, honestly, i have no idea what to say. i feel like we're just trying to find our new routine of living without a piece of our family here. even though people might say she's not technically a part of our family because that's what fostering is. i disagree. never in my life have i experienced such bonding and attachment with someone so quickly. i felt from the moment she arrived in our home over a year ago like she was such a sweet, perfect addition to our family, even though we knew what we were getting into when we signed up to foster. sometimes they stay, and sometimes they go. i mean, that's the number 1 reason i hear from people as to why they don't/can't do it. the kid might leave. i'm here to tell you, though, that you can survive it. we are capable of doing harder things than we can imagine. if God calls us, He equips us for the work. and i am thankful for the year we had with her here. even going through the pain of losing her, i would not change that year for anything. like i've said before, she is so, so very worth it.<br />
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during our time of not knowing what would happen with her court case, preparing to lose her, and dealing with the loss of her being gone, i flooded our home with praise and worship music. i prayed a ton. and i tried to speak often of our blessings. was any of this because i'm a stand-up gal who is super strong and courageous? nope. it was because i was clinging to God with all i had. i felt like our world was falling apart and knew only God could get us through.<br />
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when i sing out songs like "deliverer," i find myself yelling them at the top of my lungs. i cry them out because i am attempting to declare them as Truth at a time when my feelings might lead me to believe otherwise. i know i am His. and He is mine. and in times of loss and hurt it's easy to blame God or ask why He didn't do it the way we would like. but what i've started saying to people is, "i would have liked it to work out differently, but God is the perfect One so i'll defer to Him."<br />
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truthfully, we might not ever know why God worked things out this way. our little miss being with her biological family seems to be going well. they are being so kind to us and keeping us in the loop. they are including us and being gracious to us and truly...it is a huge blessing. we foster because we want to be there for kids who have families that can't parent. we never want to keep a child from a family who can do the parenting thing well. we do understand that little miss going back is a blessing. a family restored is beautiful, even though missing her hurts our hearts.<br />
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these last few months have been very trying. going from a place of complete and total belief that God is going to work things out in a way that i understand to a place of loss and heartache gave me a sense of whiplash. wait a minute. i thought that was going to go differently. wouldn't having it go my way give You so much glory? wouldn't it make for a great testimony, Lord?<br />
--i have found myself pleading with Him to change His mind.<br />
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but God's plans are perfect.<br />
i don't say this as a platitude to make everything magically better.<br />
no.<br />
i truly believe with all that's inside me that God's plans are perfect.<br />
i might not get it. i might not agree at first. but He's proven His faithfulness time and time again.<br />
and there are some things that we won't understand this side of heaven.<br />
sometimes things won't wrap up in a lovely, big bow.<br />
sometimes life is messy.<br />
but He can make messes beautiful.<br />
and He can mend broken hearts.<br />
He's working all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.<br />
we can cry out to Him in our moments of pure joy and pure heartache and know He will answer.<br />
may God help us to remember we are not alone. He is with us. and He is working all things for <u>good</u>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-51449258067435467222015-09-07T16:39:00.000-07:002015-09-07T16:39:00.997-07:00my favesfavorite things:<br />
1. hilarious quotes by my children.<br />
context: i was alone for several hours while the kids were at martial arts with the hubs. by the time they came back, i had been more productive in those three hours than i had all summer. when they came in, i started punching and kicking the air to celebrate my success (i'm sure everyone does this) saying, "kicking booty! (punch) taking names! (punch)" --because that's how i celebrate having mopped a floor and my son said,<br />
"my mom...kicking booty all day long...that's what my mom DOES!" and it made my heart so happy.<br />
thanks, man.<br />
<br />
2. back to school organization.<br />
--clutter into organization. it only lasts a few days around here, but it gives me such a feeling of satisfaction when i get something done (see last fave about punching the air to celebrate. what a weirdo.) so for school, we have things like a place to organize flash cards, readers, folders, and a routine which helps things to not get lost in the abyss that is our hall closet. our house is not the most tidy, but it works. and a tip for those with more than one in school: lots of times we get four of something, like school forms. and sometimes it's hard to keep up with who it belongs to or whose have i returned...so i have started putting an initial at the top corner of the page when i take it out of the folder. it helps me to keep it all straight so one kid doesn't end up turning in 4 of the same form while the others have none.<br />
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3. classic kids movies that we grew up with.<br />
now here's the deal, folks. i am in no way recommending you show these to your children. some of them have quite the adult content as well as just plain bad language. but the hubs and i spent a few hours looking online at older movies (meaning 90's movies...wow...i guess we're old) that we loved watching as kids. a few of the ones we were talking about were: mrs. doubtfire (surprisingly a lot of language in this one), 3 ninjas (the boys love it), the sandlot, rookie of the year, newsies, holes, the princess bride, honey i shrunk the kids.<br />
sometimes when i watch one of these as an adult i think, "holy cow! who let me watch this stuff?!" but as a kid i didn't think anything of it. even if you don't feel comfortable with your little ones watching these, some of them are so darn nostalgic, you might want to curl up and enjoy one for a date night.<br />
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4. jane.com<br />
(thanks hillary!)<br />
heard of this website? they have clothes and jewelry and all sorts of stuff at discounted prices. i found a skirt i absolutely love for something like 14 bucks but when i looked it up on amazon, it was 30. <u>win. </u><br />
<br />
5. extra visits with little miss.<br />
little miss is with bio dad now in a town a few hours away and when we asked him recently if we could see her for a visit outside our scheduled arrangement, he said yes! he and his friends have been so kind to us and we are so thankful for the ways they are letting us be part of her life as she grows.<br />
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6. our public library.<br />
i'm a sucker for reading lists. and the express section at the library. and i totally judge a book by its cover. does it have a lovely font and pretty colors? i'll take it. our library has probably saved me millions of dollars. we try to go there once a week. and if i am in the mood to not take four boys into a quiet place and let them pick out 75 ninjago and star wars books, i simply go online with them and let them pick out a few books to put on hold. when i get the email from the library that they are ready, i pick them up before the kids get out of school and voila, they have fun new books to read when they get home. and we haven't ended up with too many books to keep up with that were simply in their line of sight while we were there.<br />
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i have to be honest with you...i have already written the next post and it's kinda deep. so i thought i'd bookend it with lighter posts. so be prepared for that and let me know...what are a few of your favorite things?<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-52231068051403404542015-08-18T06:43:00.004-07:002015-08-18T06:43:51.574-07:00make memories, quick!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
i hate to say it, but summer's almost over. </div>
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it's true.</div>
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insert weeping and gnashing of teeth.</div>
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and a little bit of excitement that in the near future, i'll probably be able to drink a fancy coffee by myself in silence and it will be a beautiful moment of joy and jubilee.</div>
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it's at this point every summer that i look back and think, </div>
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"what did we do all summer and where has it gone?"</div>
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"did i seize the day enough?!"</div>
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"we should do some more fun stuff real quick!"</div>
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and then i yell,</div>
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"hurry up and get to the car, kids, we're gonna make a happy summer memory and you better like it!"</div>
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this summer was a hard one for us.</div>
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the hardest.</div>
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our little miss went back to bio family. </div>
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so most of the first month of summer was spent attending court dates, talking to lawyers, worrying about the future, and then preparing for her to leave. </div>
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i feel like i should probably post more about her and the loss and such but all my thoughts are half-formed and most are pretty selfish. </div>
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we love her.</div>
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we wish she was here.</div>
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the rest of the summer was, i'm not gonna lie, spent trying to keep busy enough not to sit in a dark room with sad music playing while i curled up in the fetal position. </div>
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we took a trip up to my hometown, visited my husband's family, went to a skate park with old friends, hung out at our neighborhood pool, did fireworks, played with worms, went to jujitsu, babysat, read books to earn legos (bribing is the new thing), bought a bike for myself and rode with the kids to the pool, and ate out too much. </div>
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this past weekend, the hubs took care of the kids and i headed up to east texas for a baby shower for a dear sister-in-law (i have lots and they're all pretty dear.)</div>
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it was lovely and girly and a wonderful getaway.</div>
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my sister housed my mother in law and me and we ate brownies and slept in and chatted on the front porch in the morning breeze with frapuccinos in jars and it was <u>beautiful</u>.</div>
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i could spend days and days sitting on porches and reading and chatting. </div>
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glorious.</div>
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now we have started getting up early to practice getting our rears in gear for school.</div>
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and by 8am, the boys look at me like, "why did we rush to sit here? gee, thanks, mom. this is stellar."</div>
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my kids' glances are super sarcastic. </div>
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i have absolutely no idea where they get that from.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-21265033892381435272015-08-11T11:36:00.000-07:002015-08-11T11:36:41.809-07:00prepping <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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just fyi, the pictures in this post are not current. but i found them looking through old stuff and thought, "dang, my kids are cute," and then proceeded to let you see just how cute they are. </div>
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we have been gearing up for school.</div>
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shoes bought.</div>
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backpacks purchased.</div>
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supplies being mailed to their school </div>
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(ps: who in the world thought of this idea and can i buy them an ice cream sundae!? for reals!)</div>
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life is chirping along.</div>
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we are doing some fun last minute activities before the daily grind starts back, </div>
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like going to the skate park and doing hard core stunts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHR1RUwccxUjju_73_UuX4a8mOzxLHK00uu7yf5fmz8-BHN2ohU-fKCiJ4L9YOGdVPgth5nlUWe5qOfsxFuugNeTWaSds44GLYTBmnzgUELuqbTWhnH4NJdZyQLOGyHji_Y4AHTa2L4wx5/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHR1RUwccxUjju_73_UuX4a8mOzxLHK00uu7yf5fmz8-BHN2ohU-fKCiJ4L9YOGdVPgth5nlUWe5qOfsxFuugNeTWaSds44GLYTBmnzgUELuqbTWhnH4NJdZyQLOGyHji_Y4AHTa2L4wx5/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
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going through the boys' clothes to check out what fits takes a whole day.</div>
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it's ridiculous.</div>
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and i'm always overwhelmed by it.</div>
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and they don't even have as many clothes as normal american children. </div>
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you'd think by now i'd have a system that would knock my socks off but alas, it hasn't happened yet.</div>
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so my new idea is to split them up into shifts. </div>
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two kids in the morning, two kids in the afternoon. </div>
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and maybe i won't want to burn a big pile of clothes by 3pm.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIi1Q0g6S27X1ePI3KAdmbGTBidLgk15uav5cyRiNI5l7JXxf_MFtNMciSQV8WbYvmuHelEXh5sNGv5H2pZXmY7npSlp8zsLehiSZmDeLnVYotrmoWJPVOB_TnuxFT0g90-BgMmwMbl7B/s1600/3_23_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIi1Q0g6S27X1ePI3KAdmbGTBidLgk15uav5cyRiNI5l7JXxf_MFtNMciSQV8WbYvmuHelEXh5sNGv5H2pZXmY7npSlp8zsLehiSZmDeLnVYotrmoWJPVOB_TnuxFT0g90-BgMmwMbl7B/s1600/3_23_1.jpg" /></a></div>
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we are praying for the upcoming school year.</div>
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one of the boys had a really hard 2nd grade year and now it's time for another to take their turn. </div>
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so we are praying it goes more smoothly this time around.</div>
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and we are praying that God would pair up our children with teachers who care and invest in the lives of the kiddos in their classes.</div>
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for the boys so far, there were some fantastic teachers and some that were a bit lacking.</div>
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we have loved getting to partner with awesome teachers to help our kids succeed. </div>
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before we moved to this town, a neighbor friend of mine said that before school starts they have a fancy dinner. they pray together and eat on good china and make it a fun deal. i have since stolen her great idea and we usually do something sort of like that.</div>
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i love it because it starts the school year out with our focus on Christ in a fun and kind of fancy way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFPViyYWaufe9jadfDtDFg26caCHDUi31ngziQao-XPDZ8x7ptz-FyvmYgesovINzWJYKxVRg88vYsEOPkGB47QWJL8C3GrKYjMJlNIiCnr3FOnMkuTBM18sC3Z_FLyAMZfxDEJ-qyIxI/s1600/12_20_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFPViyYWaufe9jadfDtDFg26caCHDUi31ngziQao-XPDZ8x7ptz-FyvmYgesovINzWJYKxVRg88vYsEOPkGB47QWJL8C3GrKYjMJlNIiCnr3FOnMkuTBM18sC3Z_FLyAMZfxDEJ-qyIxI/s1600/12_20_3.jpg" /></a></div>
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our youngest starts full time kindergarten so that will mean that i will do life differently during the day. </div>
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i'm looking forward to this new season and hopeful about the opportunities i'll have to try out some new things. </div>
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as the heat of the summer climbs higher and higher, school prep has begun, and we are still dealing with the loss of our little miss, i'm trying to find things to look forward to and here's what i've got so far:</div>
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cooler weather (Lord, may it be!)</div>
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state fair of texas (coming soon! wahoo fried foods)</div>
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the smell of school supplies (a bouquet of sharpened pencils, anyone?)</div>
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more structure (we have really let it hang loose around here this summer)</div>
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yard work (i know it's weird, but we are really behind on it and our yard looks like an enchanted forest and not the good kind. --more like an evil kind where skunks wait to assault you and squirrels eat your cats.)</div>
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are you ready for school?</div>
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want to come clean my house for me and go through my children's clothes with them?</div>
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help a sista out. </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-53830839042375415282015-07-30T14:20:00.001-07:002015-07-30T14:20:45.572-07:00getting away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i think sometimes the reason i don't blog is because i put pressure on myself to have something to say.</div>
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and it takes awhile. </div>
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so i'm trying something different.</div>
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i'm going to try to get this post done in less than fifteen minutes.</div>
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bam.</div>
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after losing little miss, i let the hubs know i needed to get away for awhile. so we planned a trip. the kids and i went up to visit my hometown and the hubs came up the last weekend we were there for some fun family time where he didn't have to miss too much work.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9thCIZ2P-J1dgDUt0hMdjRy0sXN5k6ONWLXi4lZLo__mSjRMwZVULv1Qt8rWdqs7vTzA_ByQKBKD56GxJGLVe7WhQ6FI6oMMfYti2hvheG0xX5JW13tpfaoJNFHPonBQU28N8YXOFcFR1/s1600/IMG_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9thCIZ2P-J1dgDUt0hMdjRy0sXN5k6ONWLXi4lZLo__mSjRMwZVULv1Qt8rWdqs7vTzA_ByQKBKD56GxJGLVe7WhQ6FI6oMMfYti2hvheG0xX5JW13tpfaoJNFHPonBQU28N8YXOFcFR1/s320/IMG_0218.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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so part of the trip was going to our family farm.</div>
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friends came to visit and my sister hosted us at her house (she's wonderful) and the boys were terrified of snakes and it was lots of fun.</div>
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above is judah's excited face. i can't remember why we were excited but it happens a lot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrlkKl6pIfji_RyIGiCzN0icaFIreJE9sQypU-qzVmMhSjRo05lai-KYQwPXJuS_H8vBkAALzy8mEK9Iz8ah6WdQ__PVN-AM5UfiIDo0CjyOvYpcW8GJavlaSyKiZfO-cP0qLUch33LiE/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrlkKl6pIfji_RyIGiCzN0icaFIreJE9sQypU-qzVmMhSjRo05lai-KYQwPXJuS_H8vBkAALzy8mEK9Iz8ah6WdQ__PVN-AM5UfiIDo0CjyOvYpcW8GJavlaSyKiZfO-cP0qLUch33LiE/s320/IMG_0220.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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elijah spent his time putting sticks in the fire and eating too many s'mores. </div>
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the boys decided to spend most of their time hole digging and worm finding and fire building and marshmallow roasting and it's pretty much the best. </div>
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at one point, the children took off their clothes to bathe and the skin that had been covered in clothes was a totally different color due to all the dirt that had gotten all over them. </div>
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nasty.</div>
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and awesome. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68KbXqOyOxPC8EthSjf6dMlJnI_S0GZ0tEc1FzZCDsieUN21Fc7co7FY9HBAn8PTnbW6SLCtQxuUdP8wKmwLFsK_xw8Y_O2gDUyASMqVSn2DJeIeQnxXClJlLDk87a1d_2ZkH5ntAqSwl/s1600/IMG_0227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68KbXqOyOxPC8EthSjf6dMlJnI_S0GZ0tEc1FzZCDsieUN21Fc7co7FY9HBAn8PTnbW6SLCtQxuUdP8wKmwLFsK_xw8Y_O2gDUyASMqVSn2DJeIeQnxXClJlLDk87a1d_2ZkH5ntAqSwl/s320/IMG_0227.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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something that always interests me is how my children entertain themselves when they are not at our home. at my parents' house they used cardboard to create a "game." they even cut out small pieces of paper to move around as game pieces. it was awesome. i am so proud. </div>
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this one was called "martial law." </div>
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we've already trademarked it so don't even try to steal our winning idea, people.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjE9MNkoZ1uBXHE4UFOfhtxEwnAHrYe9ZDaTZWl-T1hV972C3wBWxWz8pzIrIs4cGoj00NmWUbXKLsYdARJPC7q-Y7dOgF7DQNYCB40GPvaXvWuKpjMfyWfYECuphFuvKmfT8P0FNq5wA4/s1600/IMG_0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjE9MNkoZ1uBXHE4UFOfhtxEwnAHrYe9ZDaTZWl-T1hV972C3wBWxWz8pzIrIs4cGoj00NmWUbXKLsYdARJPC7q-Y7dOgF7DQNYCB40GPvaXvWuKpjMfyWfYECuphFuvKmfT8P0FNq5wA4/s320/IMG_0248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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the boys played outside so much and i thought to myself, "self, why don't you read a bit while they entertain themselves?" the answer? because cuties are all around and they were very distracting. how can you read when a kid with a soccer ball wants to hang out with you and ask you questions? </div>
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the answer: you can't.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fq-sLf35bnAJgDC764tqHwLh0FNj-NXij-8bwR1FJvqr1ltV3WjCMglZfPybvw2w8tOgDdaShh9blFPzrFiYKWs2LhyvqGMUN0W9Kr1ce8f3OS3BCwGY23puJ8XvmwEFXbUvEEba_3Mj/s1600/IMG_0254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fq-sLf35bnAJgDC764tqHwLh0FNj-NXij-8bwR1FJvqr1ltV3WjCMglZfPybvw2w8tOgDdaShh9blFPzrFiYKWs2LhyvqGMUN0W9Kr1ce8f3OS3BCwGY23puJ8XvmwEFXbUvEEba_3Mj/s320/IMG_0254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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the secret to this guy's heart is gum.</div>
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it's the first question he asks any grandparent or aunt or uncle. </div>
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he might love you, but he loves gum more.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6q4nyg-f949h8N5I7sKYwoFWdYSn5sN7G7F3O_D75wQF9VCner00v_OcLIj_xJWssl7W0jU38_cpX__2f50ScG7jvksj2zq621ZKTijNO1PLqv_0YwPyhzKquf5Ap_Q6R18lOj12HHIJ/s1600/IMG_9960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6q4nyg-f949h8N5I7sKYwoFWdYSn5sN7G7F3O_D75wQF9VCner00v_OcLIj_xJWssl7W0jU38_cpX__2f50ScG7jvksj2zq621ZKTijNO1PLqv_0YwPyhzKquf5Ap_Q6R18lOj12HHIJ/s320/IMG_9960.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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this dude. he's getting ready to go into the fourth grade. can you believe it? it's weird. i feel 25. but apparently i'm not. </div>
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grandma gave us these sumo bumper boppers. </div>
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you're supposed to wear one and run into another person. they're pretty fun. </div>
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and if my boys like anything, it's physically assaulting others. </div>
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--i mean playing rough. ahem.</div>
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so we have been trying to make the best of a hard situation with our sweet girl gone.</div>
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a blessing: we have a special arrangement where we get to go visit her quarterly for a few hours. this is a huge gift and we are so thankful for it. </div>
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so once again, when i spend time thinking about all God has given us, we can still be sad and hurting, but we know He cares for us. we know He's got this gigantic plan and we get to be a part of it. </div>
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-it might not be the way we would have preferred and it might be painful, but He is with us and His plan is never for us to try to do it alone. </div>
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so be encouraged, people. </div>
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God is for you.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-61722722515178345432015-07-21T13:46:00.000-07:002015-07-21T13:46:08.877-07:00losing little missif someone had asked me what it would be like to lose our little miss, to give her back to her bio family, to pack up all her things and eventually return home to a house without her laugh and bouncy hair, i would have said that it wasn't possible. i would have assumed that losing her would mean the world would stop turning and we would all huddle in a dark room and cry. in the year we fostered little miss, she completely transformed our lives. and then...she went back home.<br />
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we had hoped we would get to adopt her. we had hoped we would get to keep her and her bio brother (our son) together. we had hoped...<br />
but sometimes life doesn't work out the way we hope.<br />
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we foster because we are passionate about kids. we know every child deserves a family.<br />
each one of our children comes from a different place and has a different story.<br />
little miss has a bio family that has worked hard to prove they can take care of her.<br />
so we made her a scrapbook and wrote sweet letters of encouragement and hugged her tight and cried a lot.<br />
i tell friends i have empty arm syndrome. i miss her so much there are times i physically ache. our family prays for her and talks a lot about the sweet things we have seen her do. there are a lot of things we will never know about and we have to ask God for peace so we can keep going.<br />
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so in order to cope with the loss that we knew was a possibility but had been told would work out differently, we have been with lots of family. we have traveled. we have kept busy enough not to wallow but not so busy we totally forget we are still struggling and sad. we are doing things as a family that would be hard to do with a baby and try to make a hard situation a little better. i light candles while i cook and put flowers from our yard in jars and try to think of times when life wasn't quite this hard and our hearts didn't ache this much. i yearn for a time in our future where life might feel light and even, dare i say it, breezy. i cannot imagine a time like that coming. but i hope for it anyway because i know to everything there is a season.<br />
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sometimes i wonder if losing her has ruined me as an advocate. we always tell people to do the hard thing. will fostering at times be painful? will it be hard? will you at times want to give up? could they leave and your arms and home would be empty? should you do it anyway? <u>yes.</u> why? because the system being broken and grown adults in positions of authority over you acting like children might suck, but the kids deserve people who care and will fight for them. and i've decided that while i may not be the cheeriest speaker anymore, i can still stand in a room full of people and tell them to do this hard thing because kids like little miss have an opportunity to be safe and healthy in foster homes because people do what is inconvenient and hard. and these beautiful children, they are worth it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-27817125133745887652015-06-17T10:49:00.002-07:002015-06-17T10:54:36.632-07:00summer simplicity what?! two posts in one week? that's ludicrous!<br />
peeps, i have been reading so many great summer blog posts that i wanted to share.<br />
--so basically i have nothing original to say but wanted to share the worldly wisdom of the internet.<br />
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<a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/2015/06/camp-mom/" target="_blank">this one about summer </a>is so good. it's not just this entry. it's all her entries. she's such an encouraging writer. and i love that she's broken down her summer lists into categories. i'm taking her list of things for mom and implementing it at our house.<br />
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also, reading:<br />
at our house, reading can be an issue because we have so many young readers. for each one to read to me for 20 minutes....that adds up to like a gajillion minutes and ain't nobody got time for that. i took <a href="http://theartofsimple.net/summer-reading-for-7-9-year-olds/" target="_blank">all the books she listed for her 7-year-old reader</a> and put them on a wish list at our local library. that way, when we are ready for another recommended book, we can just check a box online and wait to go pick it up! the way we are doing it at our house is the oldest boy reads for 20 minutes to himself (he'll be doing chapter books) and i read the same book on my own time, thus making me able to ask him questions about what he's reading. and we get to share an experience, which is always nice. and i've created the list for him, which means i shouldn't have to read too many books about zombies or superheroes. one can only take so much, people. and on his own time he can read whatever he wants. the younger boys are reading me a book a day. at the end of the summer, if they've read a certain number of days, they all get to buy a big lego set together. i just made that up. it could change.<br />
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also, this is a great post with a <a href="http://modernmrsdarcy.com/2015-summer-reading-guide/" target="_blank">summer reading list for adults</a>. and they are fun, unusual ways to categorize them. i have now wish-listed and reserved several at our local library.<br />
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once upon a time, but i can't seem to find it, ashley ann posted about <a href="http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/" target="_blank">coloring books for grown-ups</a>. so on a weekend getaway with the hubs i bought one from barnes and noble for $8. i love it. with the stressors going on in our life right now, i feel like i have no creative juices to do anything fun. but this is kind of a soothing, mindless activity. plus, to my surprise, my children congregate around me when i color and sure enough, within a few minutes they have pulled up chairs and are coloring in their own books. parallel play is fun.<br />
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for us, this summer is going to entail lots of short quick trips, reading, having friends over, going to our local pool and our local library, and doing as many free things that are air conditioned as possible because we live in the hottest place on earth...i mean, we live in south texas. so far, we have found some balance between doing fun things and getting things done. the boys are earning some new privileges and trying some new things on their own. my attempt at summer simplicity is to try to eat at home as much as possible and to only plan <u>at most</u> one fun thing a day. either mornings or afternoons i'm trying to be home. it's been pretty wonderful.<br />
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hope y'all are enjoying your summer!<br />
go eat some watermelon.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-30629959421926678692015-06-15T09:15:00.002-07:002015-06-15T09:15:47.712-07:00nostrils, cheese boxes, and blessings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
summer has begun here. </div>
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and if you ignore the current challenges of our foster care situation, summer has been wonderful so far.</div>
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you know...all 2 weeks of it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIynVtTzklzLGeJ3jV4BQUnwdJ69Ia3pyREZvHVWbwEiws4jQGFkpsBYkqH_uT8gH0v2pdgtjhyphenhyphengBc5rkzsiyzk9sVxhuTaP_OI8PNoIr8jojwkQrodZ2S4ymSDMdjb_jzuz-xBGUuwQf/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIynVtTzklzLGeJ3jV4BQUnwdJ69Ia3pyREZvHVWbwEiws4jQGFkpsBYkqH_uT8gH0v2pdgtjhyphenhyphengBc5rkzsiyzk9sVxhuTaP_OI8PNoIr8jojwkQrodZ2S4ymSDMdjb_jzuz-xBGUuwQf/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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my dad gave me some old processed cheese boxes. i seriously have them all over the house. ones with pencils, ones with succulents, one for our salt and pepper shakers. </div>
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it looks like i might have a problem, but that's ok. </div>
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the last few months have been filled with traveling for our foster daughter, little miss, and doing school stuff for the boys.</div>
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with asher spending last school year in a small private school, i was volunteering there almost every week. and not because i'm a great mom who devotes her time to education, nope, it's because i was required. </div>
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i'm kinda a slacker when not asked to be otherwise.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-8aT-X8qylZ76V-DBwTl2iRL7oirBXEryQVEUzviGzyFCuU26eVB53dM0kQuMPfTZz0t9LqK5CsUozc1faLjagqoIrJiqzLfG_UNlVhggc_wSkbgs9pj3oaf0f_UhmhJVESrXgkh_t41/s1600/IMG_9603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-8aT-X8qylZ76V-DBwTl2iRL7oirBXEryQVEUzviGzyFCuU26eVB53dM0kQuMPfTZz0t9LqK5CsUozc1faLjagqoIrJiqzLfG_UNlVhggc_wSkbgs9pj3oaf0f_UhmhJVESrXgkh_t41/s320/IMG_9603.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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judah has many talents, one of them being that he can suck his upper lip into his nose. </div>
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*talent*</div>
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my sister visited in may and we took her to a museum and out to eat at a place that has milkshakes so good you could lick the glass. </div>
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and maybe we did.</div>
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we loved having her here. </div>
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certain aspects of our life have been "unpleasant" lately. and when i used that word to describe our situation, my friend laughed and said that was one of the biggest understatements she had heard.</div>
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it really has been so rough. but we are pressing on because what God has called us to do, He will see us through. i didn't mean to rhyme there. </div>
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I've been spending a TON of time in psalms. </div>
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they comfort my soul when everything around me feels like pure chaos.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61xVi7D2qND_asJ_Tn4lSAnAWW6QBQMm-cfrURRH5x5jiUTFqiH7d_Z9zbqSATnXipHZQKgxcCHw2C5Ic5d-aDx956_bX42NR67EJmQ3moFxhyphenhyphenzcgOFc-Fb0bwKQqHrf7H_HvdqhAU6_c/s1600/IMG_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61xVi7D2qND_asJ_Tn4lSAnAWW6QBQMm-cfrURRH5x5jiUTFqiH7d_Z9zbqSATnXipHZQKgxcCHw2C5Ic5d-aDx956_bX42NR67EJmQ3moFxhyphenhyphenzcgOFc-Fb0bwKQqHrf7H_HvdqhAU6_c/s320/IMG_0030.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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because of our "turmoil," we have been spending a bunch of time with our extended family due to logistics.</div>
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my mother in law is truly the most fantastic mother in law to grace this earth. </div>
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she even lets us eat cherries, which we all love. and which makes it feel a bit more summery even though we are kinda bogged down with other things. </div>
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as we struggle through our current situation, i have also been seeing all the wonderful gifts God has given us. </div>
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cherries are one of them.</div>
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family is another.</div>
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and His grace sustaining us.</div>
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see? even in the hard stuff, the sucky stuff, the want-to-give-up stuff, God's blessings are still here.</div>
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may we have eyes to see them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wy_nWaLMOwHKI-LuGWoIR42-2cZp5Zs61MgdTzwScutcMQN6_rSoMv8JHoN6sPr5pPoGiN8l3GyCr8dMg8RSH0mlh0KAyk-gMLX2YbMQUGS2tJ42mcSCOoSuWOHT2heZ52JOtoCy9UBL/s1600/IMG_9957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wy_nWaLMOwHKI-LuGWoIR42-2cZp5Zs61MgdTzwScutcMQN6_rSoMv8JHoN6sPr5pPoGiN8l3GyCr8dMg8RSH0mlh0KAyk-gMLX2YbMQUGS2tJ42mcSCOoSuWOHT2heZ52JOtoCy9UBL/s320/IMG_9957.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-77003480221685730802015-04-05T18:00:00.001-07:002015-04-05T18:00:14.427-07:00soothing the soul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
life has been a bit insane lately.</div>
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there's some unpleasant things going on around here but we shall persevere.</div>
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and since i can't speak in specifics but didn't want to paint life as all rosy all the time, i'll give you some encouragement. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwp1GYGL6H2hC5D69TAvNdJEoxKSgf6KU19xhnC6l2KxNxPho2_47kls1nITkDadhkUx4lulRI9Ac9vQlbhFdKH88u_-QwpvwndYmHXFvbK7jWk70lbfyPevo5f2fjnHaUdvZzE7jk0zxT/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwp1GYGL6H2hC5D69TAvNdJEoxKSgf6KU19xhnC6l2KxNxPho2_47kls1nITkDadhkUx4lulRI9Ac9vQlbhFdKH88u_-QwpvwndYmHXFvbK7jWk70lbfyPevo5f2fjnHaUdvZzE7jk0zxT/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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i am trying very hard to spend consistent time with the Lord. </div>
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the picture above is where i sit when i'm alone with Him.</div>
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a friend gave me some great advice regarding our current life situation:</div>
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don't get stirred up in the crazy of it all. spend time being still in the Lord. </div>
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--it has soothed my soul.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfexExAgANgjWmSEr5Lv-yh3GMm_I65jxSvz4Hpxvu5IKHV2RAPjKmDytVO_iPxIWah-yEhC8DuLZ0zTCtQGU9PFSMHCnUWUSagO-kNawzh7Wohf157sJC9GoNAFThuGnSuuTFfJSgf4aH/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfexExAgANgjWmSEr5Lv-yh3GMm_I65jxSvz4Hpxvu5IKHV2RAPjKmDytVO_iPxIWah-yEhC8DuLZ0zTCtQGU9PFSMHCnUWUSagO-kNawzh7Wohf157sJC9GoNAFThuGnSuuTFfJSgf4aH/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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another thing good for the soul?</div>
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family time.</div>
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and chess games and obstacle races and eating a potato as big as your face.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVhyphenhypheneGe0e58qb-Ib3az-bPvUvSTnpH1j-BVfnfVKK8TZeChl6ixuHP8HpYMLR9W1VG5imXbHUPZD4T4AZKWknvOViuQn4uaLVhf89BQO7exNlaqhZlVoSvylkOz5Dx1rPqr8NZiKP-qCS/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVhyphenhypheneGe0e58qb-Ib3az-bPvUvSTnpH1j-BVfnfVKK8TZeChl6ixuHP8HpYMLR9W1VG5imXbHUPZD4T4AZKWknvOViuQn4uaLVhf89BQO7exNlaqhZlVoSvylkOz5Dx1rPqr8NZiKP-qCS/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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and little boys becoming bigger boys.</div>
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another birthday came and went. </div>
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he's such a big dude.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDrJLAFkzjUDi58s-BQIjiEM67tJg9-WQkfKz3ReA7mwi35m2E2Ra-O_UIaYjyf2lyiTTYoEw_YZXkZ8FhK7RnsN00_aL6AN0o4dftLXnb8ntKiKGmA9cNjOSDyNGusVY5KwqhSRXIYM-/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDrJLAFkzjUDi58s-BQIjiEM67tJg9-WQkfKz3ReA7mwi35m2E2Ra-O_UIaYjyf2lyiTTYoEw_YZXkZ8FhK7RnsN00_aL6AN0o4dftLXnb8ntKiKGmA9cNjOSDyNGusVY5KwqhSRXIYM-/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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in trying to simplify some things out of necessity, i have not scheduled anything other than helping out at the kids' schools and house-related tasks.</div>
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it's been nice having things be a little simpler, especially when life around us is a bit out of control. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRsXfsNDzHnY36wXyrSKjkjx9x6_4nYFJWMeWjgIGfb7mGl50dQ8Q4hmCRnCR6RWGefr1HdsdcrJ1IFYGS8E5q7uEYfNf0e8139gDUBB0FGikO-0KqJTdCYsizgtdeW6Iu1KpiqygKPzw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRsXfsNDzHnY36wXyrSKjkjx9x6_4nYFJWMeWjgIGfb7mGl50dQ8Q4hmCRnCR6RWGefr1HdsdcrJ1IFYGS8E5q7uEYfNf0e8139gDUBB0FGikO-0KqJTdCYsizgtdeW6Iu1KpiqygKPzw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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i know we all have our crazy times.</div>
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times we wish weren't happening.</div>
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times we would prefer to be doing something else.</div>
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but it was so beautiful and wonderful this weekend to be with my family, slow down, work hard (the boys and i raked leaves and worked our tails off!), and then enjoy our Risen Savior.</div>
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in the chaos or pain or suffering or irritation or anger, </div>
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we can be joyful </div>
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because</div>
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Christ is Risen.</div>
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He is Risen Indeed!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-32691479469819729782015-03-18T11:14:00.002-07:002015-03-18T11:14:59.169-07:00march madness: our way <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
march madness means a different thing around here.</div>
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it's the season where we have four out of five kids' birthdays, two gotcha days (anniversaries of adoption) and this year we have more out of town court stuff with our foster kiddo, little miss.</div>
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once february ends, you just keep your head down and plow through, trying not to forget a momentous occasion...like...this guy...</div>
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turning NINE.</div>
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what happened? </div>
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when did he get so old?</div>
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and lose so many teeth?</div>
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and stop wanting to hug me in public?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPxf2R0cgy7xi41IUelZPHBjzgISqBgldCMTqvadKgZGccp-jqKadGJuf0UC88bLJ-aATfOZKev-XEcHZYkuK0fgpobqMtAeksmr7lgqRmyfG1H9tJRkw-PhD9-rYGlR20n9B6io5INjz/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPxf2R0cgy7xi41IUelZPHBjzgISqBgldCMTqvadKgZGccp-jqKadGJuf0UC88bLJ-aATfOZKev-XEcHZYkuK0fgpobqMtAeksmr7lgqRmyfG1H9tJRkw-PhD9-rYGlR20n9B6io5INjz/s1600/photo+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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i have to brag about this guy.</div>
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he is quite a thinker and takes his time doing mundane tasks because he's daydreaming about who knows what...usually a cool new invention. </div>
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BUT we got an email yesterday from his teacher saying that he recently took some tests and did amazing, staying on task, finishing on time, and he got a great grade.</div>
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the great grade part is nice and all, but we are THRILLED he finished on time and did his best. </div>
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*he's a pretty big deal*</div>
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and then a few weeks later, this little dude...</div>
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(look at his wee stumpy legs!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhmRiLPEFZvLGNswKOJlnu81PLPIsBhuq1xuOxfsHJyfA6IbiX4h93RJIUPReuPNU0kGT5CAmpBGPA7BSkbaetRA9lp7cwU9ktZcMYIQYJR5vbLz-p2lgsSggmWGJNzb2G_w0DBiZOBh6/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhmRiLPEFZvLGNswKOJlnu81PLPIsBhuq1xuOxfsHJyfA6IbiX4h93RJIUPReuPNU0kGT5CAmpBGPA7BSkbaetRA9lp7cwU9ktZcMYIQYJR5vbLz-p2lgsSggmWGJNzb2G_w0DBiZOBh6/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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turned SEVEN!</div>
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--complete with fake smiles for every picture i take.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0aZ-nu4-MGGCAHyqOMxTFJXtSAx2OG_ePIIw5EQbUyCKBcMfhbZ-TqhvOyZQHxLVbiu75tFNUEOk5xnoifEWAKA5EMoHLOnw-p_Dq0GuTtvWNFX4CbZbV2UlSkOsbTgxPHgofBKW9G5V/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0aZ-nu4-MGGCAHyqOMxTFJXtSAx2OG_ePIIw5EQbUyCKBcMfhbZ-TqhvOyZQHxLVbiu75tFNUEOk5xnoifEWAKA5EMoHLOnw-p_Dq0GuTtvWNFX4CbZbV2UlSkOsbTgxPHgofBKW9G5V/s1600/photo+4.JPG" /></a></div>
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he is such a sweet heart. he's a passionate dude, our resident theologian, and quite the blooming artist. </div>
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he started out the school year almost making himself sick about doing things perfectly and now is rocking it out with reading and math! wahoo victory!</div>
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over the next several weeks, we are getting to see a lot of our extended family and i'm trying to get lots of stuff done so i can just enjoy them. </div>
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my dream is to sit outside with our wonderful fam, look at the blooming plants, eat dinner on the porch, and turn on twinkle lights outside.</div>
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and i think i'll just leave the "productivity" to someone else.** </div>
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twinkle lights and good conversation are a heck of a lot more fun.</div>
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**as i say this, i'm making yet another mental to-do list of stuff. </div>
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maybe a bit of productivity and a bit of fun? </div>
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that mythical "middle ground/everything in moderation" people talk about?</div>
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does that exist?</div>
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enjoy your march madness!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-52101071055388776382015-03-14T17:40:00.001-07:002015-03-14T17:40:38.364-07:00a whole booty-load of photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
i just figured you wanted to see every picture i've taken since the last post. </div>
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so prepare thyself.</div>
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my wonderful sis came into town. </div>
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we celebrate when she visits.</div>
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so we headed off to a family fun day.</div>
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--complete with getting to use aunt sissy's big fat camera. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8teMPN3fBwktoyRj2xkcMavV8H2VI2NTPFZYAGFuL7J0d01LtDdVWKJCRfJhErbsi4uUNnZxvN5We24TmLSuVYXUw2vuxU4QuVDUs5zs7GbDcBnJIBwp9A9TqAc21ChYMvYV0hXOhP29/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8teMPN3fBwktoyRj2xkcMavV8H2VI2NTPFZYAGFuL7J0d01LtDdVWKJCRfJhErbsi4uUNnZxvN5We24TmLSuVYXUw2vuxU4QuVDUs5zs7GbDcBnJIBwp9A9TqAc21ChYMvYV0hXOhP29/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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these boys felt like a big deal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlma6XvCQWHqLbT56DoSx-FBC_DsRmuK8QuxQ6Zp4MwIzr8ta4y7YD8HM5gR4P7vFLDExw3hz3qqwuO1GF-wJuIFckEQ1Nq9L0GKkTiCdk2dF0uKOJEzzyO02-EnbPx0hZ9deO3Ntp1-J/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlma6XvCQWHqLbT56DoSx-FBC_DsRmuK8QuxQ6Zp4MwIzr8ta4y7YD8HM5gR4P7vFLDExw3hz3qqwuO1GF-wJuIFckEQ1Nq9L0GKkTiCdk2dF0uKOJEzzyO02-EnbPx0hZ9deO3Ntp1-J/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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the weather here in texas has been the norm...you know...79 one day, 35 the next.</div>
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one day, the temp dropped 10 degrees in one hour.</div>
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a fire and book were absolutely wonderful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT4DyD-xh7wGW3RZAwhiGpDJZ_s0UVaM7iIFC8BS8Z1H1gVxFxmnyWacE1Wj6lsg0VxNyWsI7V1MtPpGeZgXl_r7O67n9VPLt5oyDB9dpjN73LhOkS22JdmsQnlVgMRJNUH-bEihmQ1T_/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT4DyD-xh7wGW3RZAwhiGpDJZ_s0UVaM7iIFC8BS8Z1H1gVxFxmnyWacE1Wj6lsg0VxNyWsI7V1MtPpGeZgXl_r7O67n9VPLt5oyDB9dpjN73LhOkS22JdmsQnlVgMRJNUH-bEihmQ1T_/s1600/photo+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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i got to take asher and his school friends on a field trip to a local landmark.</div>
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we had a great time.</div>
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i know i'm a weirdo, but i tear up a little every time i get to go do school things with my kiddos.</div>
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i know.</div>
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--the blessing of getting to be a part of stuff like this is not lost on me. </div>
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i am so thankful.</div>
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so i cry a bit.</div>
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don't judge me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIbV5bfguOVWpXseFrmii41G95GDapZWnPZfuEVTc7UUywld18cnK8Dtu_ViW0EfQeD2eR-sReOkT2Bdv0VBOaJjwyGswB6PCQvAajSXe803DAkIsJh0OfDsbVZuBTuUBw0dqz2JG_MwM/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIbV5bfguOVWpXseFrmii41G95GDapZWnPZfuEVTc7UUywld18cnK8Dtu_ViW0EfQeD2eR-sReOkT2Bdv0VBOaJjwyGswB6PCQvAajSXe803DAkIsJh0OfDsbVZuBTuUBw0dqz2JG_MwM/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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gabe turned 9...NINE. </div>
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so i'm an old lady and he's growing too fast.</div>
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we took the kiddos to a fun trampoline park.</div>
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the kids had a blast!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRrTBthvrplyPigiC-JZJQzuYrQZuycUUslYVyvZQJdGvmXtgBBenTZ3DkA1WToXgHh06B7zsCTmwAXmZiHtSqQBd6k8E7AJJUkroc1Mb2HVYaLz1YjZti-9xUNf-3nMQvQJXtzw6-vTw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRrTBthvrplyPigiC-JZJQzuYrQZuycUUslYVyvZQJdGvmXtgBBenTZ3DkA1WToXgHh06B7zsCTmwAXmZiHtSqQBd6k8E7AJJUkroc1Mb2HVYaLz1YjZti-9xUNf-3nMQvQJXtzw6-vTw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA28qtkbD6kceVWxbOgqX9kC76eCzjO4Qnr-ZAre1ND-E2x6fCKkCOKYaG1LVyvOaWu70CUVo9QhLAadYZoQfslEh_B_z2mVoGwRsg8ZYZDVeSkxZ9Lr3V8j9MV-cvW71bXao0tJKATn5J/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA28qtkbD6kceVWxbOgqX9kC76eCzjO4Qnr-ZAre1ND-E2x6fCKkCOKYaG1LVyvOaWu70CUVo9QhLAadYZoQfslEh_B_z2mVoGwRsg8ZYZDVeSkxZ9Lr3V8j9MV-cvW71bXao0tJKATn5J/s1600/photo+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKewX1g8esIZzHg0fSTRLDyA7mcjfQyG_0OJBJXGZwW6yW0Plet7CV-MN9UUhyh-_Q-SxlvpMSb394QkpxpyF9nTO7sxkVNTJcUUUuXFr38Fuex6m2iq721QEWXtGZSZ_0lQDBQn7Yra_B/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKewX1g8esIZzHg0fSTRLDyA7mcjfQyG_0OJBJXGZwW6yW0Plet7CV-MN9UUhyh-_Q-SxlvpMSb394QkpxpyF9nTO7sxkVNTJcUUUuXFr38Fuex6m2iq721QEWXtGZSZ_0lQDBQn7Yra_B/s1600/photo+4.JPG" /></a></div>
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and i'm not sure if i've told you but the hubs is so stinkin' obsessed with jiujitsu, it's crazy.</div>
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here he is doing yet another move on one of our children.</div>
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and you can see how into it judah is. </div>
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jiujitsu again, dad? really?</div>
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--and he keeps eating his ice cream cone.</div>
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(no children were hurt in the making of this photo)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQReNIn2uVrin3pgk6WxrYWjq1OudOIDnVhSEXIMIGElbLkf_zYEchjeUcntl-97W0k8vVGOHXGVXlCSoxm0Ipsb7aavh1rX-1VOetia2rLy_a2AQxEI6ioEqUbwOvKYjUCtrPkc3V7jKV/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQReNIn2uVrin3pgk6WxrYWjq1OudOIDnVhSEXIMIGElbLkf_zYEchjeUcntl-97W0k8vVGOHXGVXlCSoxm0Ipsb7aavh1rX-1VOetia2rLy_a2AQxEI6ioEqUbwOvKYjUCtrPkc3V7jKV/s1600/photo+5.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bpt6aZ11pWiWFu01ac8PBjL7yEQC2BE1bLrVA_JNS4E914VQRN-uFJ-QGG6v7wwLoq2mRvouNCCRSvQZe_thFit5QFjs3307Z0cxs5sn1-Te3Mgy0Otuieg_bMwhy_SVS_vExpze3kST/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Bpt6aZ11pWiWFu01ac8PBjL7yEQC2BE1bLrVA_JNS4E914VQRN-uFJ-QGG6v7wwLoq2mRvouNCCRSvQZe_thFit5QFjs3307Z0cxs5sn1-Te3Mgy0Otuieg_bMwhy_SVS_vExpze3kST/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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baskin robbins has a flavor of the month. and february is the best kind.</div>
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love potion 31.</div>
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it ROCKS my face off.</div>
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so naturally we went weekly.</div>
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(BR, if you want to supply me with ice cream for writing this awesome review, just tell me. i'll take it.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAhyphenhyphen7haHS3RbNeSwSTXvs_pgooPDLDHNaIdj-juo4YqYXsbiU_UgNh40ycdW0daajeDLPLug4JYk-mt6ivXP50sJDBuXkRVjv_kturgJS9nivyyfGJhrwcHxezi7sqP1s3-H0Mmm8cUFF/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAhyphenhyphen7haHS3RbNeSwSTXvs_pgooPDLDHNaIdj-juo4YqYXsbiU_UgNh40ycdW0daajeDLPLug4JYk-mt6ivXP50sJDBuXkRVjv_kturgJS9nivyyfGJhrwcHxezi7sqP1s3-H0Mmm8cUFF/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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*yum*</div>
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little miss had a court date and such recently. she's from out of town so we went to stay with family.</div>
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the boys learned how to play chess during our visit and have been fans ever since.</div>
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the weather was terrible so we had tons of time to play games.</div>
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it was a blast!</div>
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we're almost done with all my pictures. hang in there.</div>
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i grew these flowers in my yard. and i feel like i've got mad skills.</div>
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and by "grew them in my yard," i mean that they grew there because they were planted by the previous owners and i get to pick them and smell them and it's wonderful.</div>
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in addition to being really into board games lately, the boys have also been developing their tree climbing skills. and so now if you look thru my phone, i have at least 10 pictures of each child climbing. </div>
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so there you go. </div>
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i'm not fancy enough to have a theme for this post or anything...</div>
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it's how i roll.</div>
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now that spring is here in texas, i get to take more pictures of pretty, green things and that usually inspires writing.</div>
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maybe i'll post again before summer. </div>
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much love to y'all!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-23758883851492738032015-02-06T07:56:00.000-08:002015-02-06T07:56:14.496-08:00Christmas donkeys, obstacle courses, and talent <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRlbz8AsApK63aoGzKLLvkJRiFPRbp0iYJ4FyMdLv2ZbN5s_Yv597XVLA2_uAlCioVELmuv3Lb2sNApPn9iY8Faz_t5Cs7oycIhpO63jnMIMO0YSbwRRLFAZIBCw4e4rrfYJZQSrUYpvy/s1600/donkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRlbz8AsApK63aoGzKLLvkJRiFPRbp0iYJ4FyMdLv2ZbN5s_Yv597XVLA2_uAlCioVELmuv3Lb2sNApPn9iY8Faz_t5Cs7oycIhpO63jnMIMO0YSbwRRLFAZIBCw4e4rrfYJZQSrUYpvy/s1600/donkey.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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asher was donny the donkey in the school play:</div>
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"donny the donkey."</div>
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yep. </div>
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my son was the lead in the school play.</div>
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i think it's because he actually had no lines and the teacher knew i had five kids. </div>
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running lines during Christmas season?</div>
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ain't nobody got time for that.</div>
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so above you see the cutest, most precious donkey ever. </div>
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and he did amazing. </div>
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he's quite the comedian. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCX46S7at0KF_NT_SXC9Zmxh1RVwQzTbZeesHoaIXulCqWLkQCvh4X67wiugIOAbyK6Ijz-tAw4am3U8zn972hg9-M4KX0VR5dEQHGX89CHqsBOwNkh92-6VIkk-WjdkRt8Ro8DskBOmM/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCX46S7at0KF_NT_SXC9Zmxh1RVwQzTbZeesHoaIXulCqWLkQCvh4X67wiugIOAbyK6Ijz-tAw4am3U8zn972hg9-M4KX0VR5dEQHGX89CHqsBOwNkh92-6VIkk-WjdkRt8Ro8DskBOmM/s1600/photo+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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i know these pics look like they're posing for cute pictures. BUT in reality, my sons are practicing obstacle course type stuff outside all the time in preparation for their upcoming obstacle race in march.</div>
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they are stoked about it. they are running it with the hubs and maybe even grandpa and an uncle. it's a fun way to see family and do something new and exciting. </div>
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they already have a traverse rope and a pull-up bar in the back yard.</div>
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they also want tarzan rope swings. </div>
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i am excited they like being active but momma likes her beautiful yard. </div>
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maybe we'll find a compromise somewhere.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6_5um0ay0GPCM2_uZDXl9O7VLS7LjlD5wKaZ3jPUlPgxgiZeDWbRo72lgQLp8-yvADQvN9M6_LvBFm52tvtanF1gZ1zR9C_HprAcWILdLC-K3tGhbqgdd-4AtsH2XSUuH4YDRZN1g9YG/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6_5um0ay0GPCM2_uZDXl9O7VLS7LjlD5wKaZ3jPUlPgxgiZeDWbRo72lgQLp8-yvADQvN9M6_LvBFm52tvtanF1gZ1zR9C_HprAcWILdLC-K3tGhbqgdd-4AtsH2XSUuH4YDRZN1g9YG/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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we have been inundated with sickness and activities and church events and crafting projects...</div>
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the list never seems to end. </div>
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this time of year is usually a bit slower. holidays are over, but spring stuff hasn't begun yet.</div>
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not so this year.</div>
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asher's at a kinder program that does a new activity every day, has a field trip once a month, has class parties, and makes a huge igloo out of milk jugs we get to collect. </div>
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-not to mention the 100th day of school, bringing in pringles cans for star gazers, and beginning readers and spelling tests. </div>
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it's a bit overwhelming. </div>
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but when you see the culmination of their space unit is a kid who can sing about planets and wear this adorable space suit he made, it makes it seem worthwhile.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5jvN011Nog_NzgiJtwB4xWeRS2lDvHyr2nFgBMm7ZdczlOwvNOK-DW-jvtpCwkIrJczYxmD830Z5ayHrW9l4L1HxZeglquUyGTueq8gmuAaF3cr_J4jEZ2Rat7RVLXWX0HOLxPifQPdg/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5jvN011Nog_NzgiJtwB4xWeRS2lDvHyr2nFgBMm7ZdczlOwvNOK-DW-jvtpCwkIrJczYxmD830Z5ayHrW9l4L1HxZeglquUyGTueq8gmuAaF3cr_J4jEZ2Rat7RVLXWX0HOLxPifQPdg/s1600/photo+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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gabe was part of a team at school where they built rube goldberg machines. </div>
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you know, cause and effect. a marble drops down a ramp, hits dominoes, they hit a car, the car hits the balloon, and the balloon pops. </div>
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it's an after school program that has been going on for 10 weeks and gabe has enjoyed it so much.</div>
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so this week his school had a science night. </div>
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he got to show off what he and the team have been working on.</div>
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i'm tellin' yah, guys, he lit up like a Christmas tree.</div>
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he LOVED it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigevxVNrlgXAR5VutA-6MS5spdvgfNyf78QU7eUuYGus8p7Amm-iKA1GuQ9Y17BjpSuSZOIKoG0L0GV_yKM2wDzoGwGPe60Aaw_WIHZE-RqyZTWT7ftpGYCFp4Oyj1JmOoZciRdzOWoq5Y/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigevxVNrlgXAR5VutA-6MS5spdvgfNyf78QU7eUuYGus8p7Amm-iKA1GuQ9Y17BjpSuSZOIKoG0L0GV_yKM2wDzoGwGPe60Aaw_WIHZE-RqyZTWT7ftpGYCFp4Oyj1JmOoZciRdzOWoq5Y/s1600/photo+4.JPG" /></a></div>
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at one point he was the only kid left demonstrating and all the other kids from the team had left. </div>
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he was kind of a one-man-show. </div>
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it's so great to see the boys' passions and talents and how different they are. </div>
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judah loving art, elijah loving to write, gabe loving science, and asher loving puzzles.</div>
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we tell them they can do anything.</div>
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and it's exciting to see how they carry that out.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-39053783387938765072015-02-04T14:25:00.000-08:002015-02-04T14:25:15.268-08:00organizing my timerecently a blog i read posted this about organization and i found <a href="http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2015/01/tips-tricks-organizing-home-management/" target="_blank">all of these links to be helpful</a>.<br />
i really enjoy organizing and getting tips from others, but i find it's such a personal thing based on how your household runs. you have to take the stuff you find helpful and add in your own stuff, too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2013/02/daily-cleaning-101-step-7-your-schedule.html" target="_blank">this link about time management</a> was so helpful! it's part of a series you should totally check out. i used her ideas to schedule my day. she also has free printables which i didn't use but they look cute and useful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK49P9PnQrv6L5LFQZh0dkKbVNg3idHpXlPhJ7MbJF1wMF5fbHL3Ierp_bkHJjRPiNO2EasdvEVrb13Pv2Up6qZGNqnqkKWn6BtFOLbEJ3g0wPK25PtKwkbM8ArXGVq6JyasdA-6rTcFFS/s1600/faves10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK49P9PnQrv6L5LFQZh0dkKbVNg3idHpXlPhJ7MbJF1wMF5fbHL3Ierp_bkHJjRPiNO2EasdvEVrb13Pv2Up6qZGNqnqkKWn6BtFOLbEJ3g0wPK25PtKwkbM8ArXGVq6JyasdA-6rTcFFS/s1600/faves10.jpg" /></a></div>
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since reading that, i've typed up a schedule and put it in a page protector on my desk so it's extra durable but also accessible.<br />
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i've only done this new routine for a week or so but i'm finding it to be easy to manage.<br />
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daily tasks:<br />
morning:<br />
1. make bed<br />
2. start laundry<br />
--older kids to school---<br />
3. quiet time/ bible study<br />
4. fold laundry if needed (see my previous post about kids helping)<br />
5. dishwasher: empty or load or both<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnqVKmGyZcItUxlLYt-_InqRVlXqCJRVPOAkcvbaE2nRaw4HneUW4mmDg6E4wF6znPgGdz1pW0Q9WdfdYkX9qWMUW_dONaLfTJs6oZst89oadim7cDPWqaq_T3EYTGEoCI7EtfwHYfyit/s1600/flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnqVKmGyZcItUxlLYt-_InqRVlXqCJRVPOAkcvbaE2nRaw4HneUW4mmDg6E4wF6znPgGdz1pW0Q9WdfdYkX9qWMUW_dONaLfTJs6oZst89oadim7cDPWqaq_T3EYTGEoCI7EtfwHYfyit/s1600/flowers.jpg" /></a></div>
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now don't judge me on the next part. i am not a clean freak. i just do what i can so i'm not totally embarrassed by my home.<br />
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1x/week:<br />
groceries<br />
dust<br />
toilets<br />
clean out fridge<br />
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2x/week:<br />
vacuum upstairs and down<br />
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1x/month: (i said don't judge)<br />
mop<br />
showers/bathtubs<br />
shop at costco<br />
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evening:<br />
1. load dishwasher<br />
2. clean sink<br />
3. wipe down counters<br />
4. wipe down table cloth or put on new one<br />
5. defrost meat for next day in fridge<br />
6. boys' chores<br />
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i've also been taking about 10-15 minutes each evening to make my next day's to-do list and set out clothes for myself for the morning. around here, mornings can be uncertain and rough based on the amount of sleep we all had or lack there of. i've noticed anything i can do to make the morning run smoother has a huge impact on how the day goes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuC3Niqv-psgl98eJkg6nyunqvdCqqpWRpoSqCzWPoXXif25iK_1H96QckCmU_pWBaqTOdYHENUxcDBdoGL42pY0C7RoqgyYYIxk_ZoUbWMsM9G-3qw5cclU9uEU9EydFVclu5LJLFe1k/s1600/picture+plus+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuC3Niqv-psgl98eJkg6nyunqvdCqqpWRpoSqCzWPoXXif25iK_1H96QckCmU_pWBaqTOdYHENUxcDBdoGL42pY0C7RoqgyYYIxk_ZoUbWMsM9G-3qw5cclU9uEU9EydFVclu5LJLFe1k/s1600/picture+plus+flowers.jpg" /></a></div>
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and this concludes my organizational skills. also, do you like the random photos of flowers throughout this post? i couldn't find any photos relating to organization and i thought, hey, flowers make things feel clean and pretty, right?<br />
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today, in the midst of being unorganized and stretched too thin for a few weeks, i am diffusing jasmine oil and listening to acoustic guitar music so i can trick my brain into relaxing. i guess the study i've been doing on sabbath hasn't taken hold yet.<br />
happy organizing, peeps!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-7916024057169572592015-02-02T18:46:00.002-08:002015-02-02T18:46:22.875-08:00kids as helpers<br />
so i mentioned in my last post that i have started a new sort of schedule thing to help me organize my day and help get the kids involved more around the house.<br />
we've always given the boys responsibilities but as they grow, they need more. i want them to be active helpers in keeping the household running. things like, "what are you making us for dinner?" and "where are my clean clothes?" send me over the edge. so i'm putting the ball in their court as much as i can.<br />
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our boys are 8, 6, 6, and 5 (a tiny 5, which makes it hard to be a helper when he can't reach things).<br />
in our family, we have days of the week assigned to different people. gabe, the oldest, has mondays, which means he does his laundry that day, picks which way we do discipleship time, prays at meals, showers first, gets to pick the book we read together as a family, etc.<br />
so i've sorted the chores into four categories and each kiddo does a set based on what day it is.<br />
this sounds confusing. i'll just show you:<br />
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but a not-so-quick side note:<br />
laundry. this will change your life. i decided back in september that i was wasting so much time folding the boys' clothes when they just shove them in their dressers. also, the boys would fight over whose clothes were whose. AND i would wash the clothes, dry them, fold them, divvy them up for each kid, and put them at the base of the stairs for the boys to put away and they had the AUDACITY to complain about the work.<br />
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um...no, sirs.<br />
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so i bought them each a dirty clothes hamper, had them label them with their names, and instituted this new method of laundry.<br />
it has saved me so much time and i don't resent laundry so much. so here you go.<br />
on their day of the week, one boy will take off their sheets, blankets, and pillowcases and bring them downstairs first thing in the morning before school (little tiny 5 year old gets help from a brother because the sheets are heavier than he is). i wash and dry them during the day, and after school the boy gets them from the dryer and takes them upstairs. i make their beds, but they put their clothes away.<br />
"do they fold them?" --you may ask. probably not. the boys take care of their dressers how they please. some like folding their clothes so their space is more organized, others shove the clothes in every nook and cranny. the only rules are: no clothes on the floor and no complaining that you can't find what you need. they have more ownership of their space in their rooms. i don't oversee it. i figure we all have a way we like our own space to be, and this lets them figure out how they like their space. it's been so freeing. then on fridays i do the baby's laundry and my husband's and mine. it's wonderful.<br />
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ok, back to chores:<br />
here's what our chore chart thingy looks like:<br />
kid 1: laundry put away, clear table after dinner, wipe down bathroom counter and clear it of junk<br />
kid 2. take out recycling, help me with dinner, straighten the game room<br />
kid 3: take out compost bin, vacuum under table (little handheld vacuum that stays in kitchen), straighten bedrooms (they share rooms so it's only 2 to straighten)<br />
kid 4: take out trash from cans in each room if needed/take out kitchen trash, feed the dogs, straighten game room if it's extra messy or straighten the craft room<br />
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---so on monday, gabe is kid 1, judah is kid 2, elijah is kid 3, and asher is kid 4...it follows birth order. on tuesday, the line moves up and judah is number 1, elijah is number 2, etc.<br />
it rotates, which helps the kids not get sick of stuff. it's been a bit challenging keeping it all straight. even with it written down, the hubs and i seriously ask each other which kid does what like 7 times each night. so i have big plans to have a friend make me a beautiful chart complete with days of the week and a cute pic of each kid so it's easier to manage.<br />
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we usually do our chores after dinner and before showers because after that it's just crazy time with reading and logging books and such. doing all this with a baby to feed and put to bed in addition to my own after dinner chores has been challenging but we're finding our groove.<br />
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i'll post more on how i'm organizing my time soon.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-488507665974356854.post-63543405154679103672015-02-02T08:52:00.002-08:002015-02-02T08:52:56.226-08:00a few of my favorite thingshi friends.<br />
it's been a bit busy around here. science fair projects, oh joy of my life. super bowl parties for our life group, seriously a hugely wonderful time with new friends. cold weather one day and then nice weather the next which pushes us outside to run around and enjoy it for too long and then the rush to finish school stuff before bedtime. too few hours in the day to get it all done.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0aAYRsmLjJba_JvF57dC5Ldg3c0E3pMT3gXOqHDcuOEdY_ZvjDKwhtYMztKbbURLmM_sh4n6PFr-eHIXEA30NR8wCNSHUF7WI6FsbP-EQbhyphenhyphenrGdw_QFp3DuDxbjssjT6cmEmUeZW7YxD/s1600/sick+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0aAYRsmLjJba_JvF57dC5Ldg3c0E3pMT3gXOqHDcuOEdY_ZvjDKwhtYMztKbbURLmM_sh4n6PFr-eHIXEA30NR8wCNSHUF7WI6FsbP-EQbhyphenhyphenrGdw_QFp3DuDxbjssjT6cmEmUeZW7YxD/s1600/sick+flowers.jpg" /></a><br />
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but i thought i would share with you a few of my favorite things. things that make a day just a bit lovelier.<br />
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1. flowers from my sister when we were all sick with the flu: it was awful, but like i always say (and so does meg ryan) "daisies are the friendliest flower."my sister sent these to me to cheer me up and who doesn't feel happier with lovely bright flowers to remind you that the sickness won't last forever.<br />
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2. a new bible study, breathe, by priscilla shirer: it's all about creating a sabbath. i'm only on the first week but am enjoying the time dedicated to how to practically do this in day-to-day life. as a mom of 5, rest sounds pretty amazing.<br />
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3. my lemon tree, full of lovely smelling buds: we call it lulu the lemon tree and sometimes we sing to her to get her to bloom. last year we had....guess how many...ONE lemon. this year we are hoping for a bountiful harvest. haha. we shall see, folks. no matter how many lemons she gives, she smells amazing.<br />
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4. little miss and her new toothy grin and crinkly nose: so our little lady has 6 teeth now and let me just tell you, she's even more adorable. didn't think it was possible, but it happened. she's growing so fast. she's such a tough, sweet, feisty gal. i enjoy her so much. even when she decides that she wants to communicate by screaming in restaurants. she's a precious blessing. maybe not to those sitting near us, but we're pretty fond of her.<br />
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5. the boys. they are stinking hilarious! the things they are saying and doing crack me up. yes there are moments, whole days sometimes, where they drive me nuts and i struggle to be kind and patient, and i put them in separate rooms so i don't have to listen to the ridiculous fighting about legos and taking turns and who stole whose toy. but there are moments where i just have to stop and enjoy how funny and smart and clever they are. and sometimes how sneaky they are. i'm learning not every moment is a teaching moment. sometimes you just gotta laugh and shake your head. otherwise you'll go crazy.<br />
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5. a new plan/schedule for cleaning: i can't remember where i found it. it was a link on a blog i read. but it gave great organizational tips. so i've set up a schedule (a loose one) with tasks to target morning, afternoon, and evening. along with chores for the boys to do. each one has three each evening. and although the boys are feeling a bit overwhelmed by their new responsibilities, i think it's going well.<br />
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i've been writing in a thankfulness journal for several years now. and when life seems to get me bogged down and i can't seem to figure out what of the many tasks need to happen next, it's helpful to stop and think of the things i'm thankful for. some of my favorite things.<br />
that should be on my to-do list everyday. stop and list things i'm thankful for.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2