Thankful Thursday

1. Runs (I signed up for the Dam to Dam, crazy I know)

2. Yummy healthy power bars

3. Crystal Light (my substitute for pop....day 4 so working at it)

4. Birthday parties

5. The Bible on TV (if you didn't watch I would suggest it....just brings it to life)

6. The best sister-in-law in the world - impromptu egg hunt - a fun fun idea

7. Loaner camera from my sis in law and brother (thanks a million e)

8. Date nights and babysitters

9. Shaddy asking me to tuck him in

10. Kisses from my kiddos

11. Grocery helpers

12. Clean windows

13. Grace from my hubs (whoops forgot to pay a bill)

14. Funny kidisms - shadd's latest. the boys in the car are tacktowed  (you know like tic tac toe) and the girls are a match

15. spring weather, going to park soon

16. birthday decorations - if only i had more time

17. Sage's health and development

So so much to be thankful. Make me think of this song, Every good thing by the Afters.  Love love it. 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above" James 1:17

Thank you Lord for the gifts I have been given. 

To Sage

Sage...

I love you.

So so proud of how big you are. It seems just like yesterday we were walking the halls trying to get you to come down. Little did we know you were kinda stuck up there. After waiting a bit longer than your brother and sis, you made your appearance. Daddy was so shocked at how strong you were and you kinda filled out all the clothes we brought with us so you didn't get to wear the onsies mommy made you for very long. Everyone was again shocked at the beautiful red hair. It just makes me laugh when we get stopped in the store or something. Two redheaded brown eyed boys and one little blond green eyed girl. What an amazing little mixture all three of you little ones are. God has such fun creating you I am sure.

Well you sure grew up quick and I only know it will go quicker.

Right now - you love to pick on your brother and sister, especially when they are watching a movie or we are trying to do school. You are the main distraction - tickling, tackling, pulling down pants.  You are also pretty smart. You started saying "duck" the other day and patting your head as we had been playing duck duck goose. You try really hard to put on your shoes and you love to find your belly button. You are definitely not shy. You will go to just about anyone (very uncommon for one of mine, i might add). You love your papa (poor frama doesn't seem to rate as high). You love any type of sweet, especially granola bars, banana bread and grandma darcy's cinnamon rolls.

Thankfully you are still nursing (just a few times a day) but momma sure enjoys snuggling with you. You sleep with your star blanket and a little owl grandma rene got you for Christmas every day/night. You are starting to get a little bit pickier with foods but definitely enjoy the game of throwing your milk and food off your tray. If you get in trouble you have the sweetest quiver until a full cry breaks out. You have a big soft heart. You can hold your own though in a wrestling match with Shaddy or if Ells takes something from you. You love Elmo and watching it on Frama's ipad can make you go laugh and giggle.

You are starting to say more and more words and pointing to things to tell us what you want and what you don't. You tend to tag along with the bigs most of the time but sometimes you go off on your own to explore. Typically I can find you in the bathroom (the toilet lids must be shut around here) or in the pantry (trying to remember to shut that door too). You are a busy little beaver and walking great (even backwards some)

We can't wait to celebrate your big birthday on Saturday. We treated you to a song and a little ice cream this afternoon but pretty sure you didn't notice the difference in the day. Soon you will.

We love you so so much. Thank you for letting us raise you. We are so blessed that the Lord let us have you. Praying you come to know Him personally and in Him alone rest.

Love love you Sager....
Momma and Daddy

Happy 1st Birthday Sager

A year ago today this little guy entered our lives...

He didn't come exactly how I planned but he was healthy, strong and BIG (10 lbs 9 oz, remember)


Its a little hard to believe He is officially one. The bigs picked him out a few presents yesterday. It was tough for them to think solely of him but they did narrow it down to a few things that I think Sage will really enjoy.

His actually birthday celebration is Saturday morning. A little different but we all love breakfast and its a definite excuse to get some of Grandma Darcy's cinnamon rolls, plus some Jarasma donut holes. So there will be more pictures to come but I just thought I would post a few to commemorate his big day today.

We were also supposed to have pictures taken but our photographer had to unexpectedly cancel so this mama is going to attempt them tomorrow afternoon outside. Heres to hoping the snow is all gone and we don't get too muddy.

Love love that squeezable face. Brings this mama uncontainable joy. 

Hope to post more today as the day allows but we got our windows cleaned (yeah and the guy forgot one so he's coming back so i better be upstairs to the get the door plus i could get to cleaning this house if I'm hosting a party on Saturday right. 

Little explorer

So this is what happens when the littlest decides to explore the open pantry.  One box of Cherrios.

Yep. A little shaking and whole lot of dumping.

Then the clean up crew.

Thankful Thursday

thursday once again...love love this day. gives me something to look forward to for an otherwise pretty plain uneventful day in our little abode

1. my momma
2. creativity (even if an idea totally flops)
3. march madness - shadd had a few questions on what a bracket was and a pool? i guess the whole pool idea was much more exciting when he thought it was a swimming pool. the whole piece of paper thing was kinda crappy
4. extra income - $25 bucks for a few questions, yes please
5. God prying my heart to love Him more and more
6. breaking down the barriers of love
7. phone calls with my sis
8. sickness is almost gone
9. the sun is shining
10. new recipes
11. the basket game - makes for productive fun
12. garage sale season is approaching
13. spring cleaning
14. free printables
15. my hubs going to bat for us
16. morning workouts - thank to the hubs for this one too


"my little children let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth" 1 john 3:18

How are we showing the truth (to love like Jesus) by our deeds and not just in our words. i mean we all say the right things but are we really showing the love of Jesus to those around us who aren't like us in fact those who are very very different than us. Because that is who Jesus showed love to: the drunkards, the prostitutes, the unchurched, the sinners, the evil doers.

The Pharisees preached love with words but failed to act.

Lord teach me to act in love towards others. Not just profess it with my words.

One last time this year

Look at this little muchkin. He enjoyed the snow this year, especially Ells throwing snowballs at him. Just produced one continuous stream of laughter. Pure Joy.

Hard to admit but next year the little guy will be sporting boots. He tried this last time but he's still just a tad top heavy and those short legs haven't quite adjusted to the bumpy ground terrain.

Winter Blues

So being without a camera really stinks. I'm on hold sending it in hoping that one of these nights I will gear up the energy to head into Christian Photo and have them take a look just in case, fingers crossed, that its something really simple that they can fix. Probably not. But maybe worth the trip.

Even with the time change, I still have trouble gearing up to head into DM after D returns home. Maybe its because I haven't been feeling the greatest - stinkin cold and sore throat or maybe its just winter blues. This momma is ready for spring.

None the less...trying to get ready for a big 1st birthday party in a couple weeks, march madness starts on Thursday (whoop whoop) and of course Easter.

We are doing the resurrection eggs this year and I am pumped. So are the kids. I got an idea of pinterest but of course tweaking it to fit us plus a few more crafts of course. So hopefully more pictures to come of how that all goes down.

Plus since we are sick - at least coughing terribly we are trying to stay busy right here. So indoor bowling, movies, race tracks, pillow fights, you name it we might try it. The snow out my door is enough to cause me to nap each afternoon.

So there you have it...trying to keep sanity when we can't really escape it.

So sorry if you follow me on instagram. Same photos. I guess I could actually grab my phone and upload direct but well I'm a little too lazy for that.

Thankful Thursday

I totally have a day/night to my own today. Not literally as I had all three kiddos all day from dawn till dusk and again tomorrow as my hubby enjoys the night in KC watching the Big 12 tourney but still a night to just chill and get caught up on some much needed stuff that seems to be hard to tackle when the hubs is upstairs wanting to hang out.

So thankful thursday....

Have I ever said how great these are to read even a few weeks back. Someday I think I will really cherish this little weekly reminder of all the small blessings I get to consider and rehash each week.

1. adoption
2. old friends, catching up never gets old
3. snuggling newborns - I got to hold 3 today. I guess the advantage of taking a few meals to fellow mommas
4. my nieces
5. Sager's funny noises - grunting, rumbling, roaring
6. Ells successful week on the potty - so far no accidents.
7. Shadd's detailed instructions - definitely numero uno around here
8. ISU victory, squeaked it out
9. extra breast milk - got to donate to friend's new little one
10. amazon prime - i will miss it after this 30 day trial (i think we get a package each day)
11. library books
12. spring weather - sweatshirts today. wahoo!

Our bible verse this week... Matthew 5:16

"Let your light shine before men so that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven"

Praying that the light of Jesus shines so radiantly in us that all may see that it is Him that we live for and therefore others will seek to know and glorify Him too. I love that verse.

The Latest

So the blog is taking a backseat as my camera is not working. boo. my dad took a couple photos of sage's dedication a couple weeks ago and when i pulled them up they were black. i tried to take a few more only to find that they were black also. i guess its a common problem at least via the internet but that means i gotta send my trusty ole nikon to the manufacturer for a fix. fingers crossed as i am literally a month out of warranty that it doesn't cost too much.

Hence only photos from my phone.

Here is the latest from instagram...

Shadd requested we bring him back a turtle from Florida. So we did. This little guy grows in the water to a pretty large size. I think he went from the front to the back of the bowl when he was full grown. No after pic. The kids loved seeing him grow. He shrunk back to size and he is now an experiment for our friend Ro. 

I don't know if I mentioned. But Ells got her haircut. No. Not me cutting her bangs. The full blown trim treatment. And I don't know why I waited so long. She still has the curl. Whew. And it looks so so much healthier. 

We've been watching a ton of movies lately. Maybe we can get back to reality once this snow disappears for good. We now have Mulan thanks to DVR. 

Oh the joys of teaching your kids new tricks. 

My ballard design knock-off. Total cost maybe $1 because I had everything else.  Otherwise if you found an old cork board cheap - maybe $5. Retail at $69 or $79.

My easy new wreath. Can't tell but made out of yellow striped fabric I got last year from Walmart by the bolt for $1 a yard.

The joy of having a sledding hill - a little one but nonetheless a hill in your backyard. Equals playtime in the snow during Sage's morning nap. 

And of course. Must have hot cocoa with curly straws for after sledding treat. Pss...I think we had more fun drinking out of mom's fancy cups than the sledding.

Thankful Thursday

So I started a new book..."The pressure's off" by Dr. Larry Crabb for our new tuesday study. So far I can't put it down. I read the whole assignment and had to stop (one I can't read ahead and remember and two I have about 20 questions to answer in the workbook for study in two weeks due to spring break).

Anyways. Talk about telling me like it is. Its kinda tough to explain but if you feel like sometime you just go through the motions to go thru the motions. Well this might be a good read for you.  It will definitely alter your view on Christianity and how we have been fooled to live the "christian" life with unreasonable, unattainable expectations that were never placed there by God but by us and the schemes of the evil one.

Lets just say I'm diving in and hoping it will change my perspective of how I view my relationship with the Almighty and therefore every other thing I do here on this earth.

So Thankful Thursday

1. Shaddy's tender heart - I thank the Lord for prompting him and opening his eyes to the gospel

We had a great conversation yesterday during school. We were reading the Jesus storybook Bible (highly recommend). The story was Pentecost (where the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in Jesus's disciples). I mentioned that Daddy and Mommy have the Holy Spirit living within them too. Of course, He chimmed in that the Holy Spirit lives in his heart too. I asked him if he knew what the meant and we discussed the point of Jesus's (the Rescurer) death as a penalty for our sin. He nodded in agreement and then we went on into discussing that he is a sinner - He agreed and gave me some examples of his sin.

I am just in awe of how simple grace is yet we make it so much more. Its a child like faith. One that Shaddy may not fully understand but I believe he has a desire to know the Lord. To know about Him and about His word and the power it holds. I can only thank the Lord for working in his heart to prompt him to love and grow to know the Lord more and more.

Thank you Lord for that. What an amazing free gift of grace - you lavish on us. The much undeserved.

2. Being 20 minutes away from Winterset
3. Shopping trips with my momma
4. The fun grandma makes. Like going thru the carwash not once but twice. Two separate cars though
5. The possibiliity of friends moving our way. A town is the place to be
6. Missionaries around the world
7. New Books
8. Sage's new growling sound
9. All the new games we create - thank you winter
10. Ells seems to have less and less accidents


I want to be thankful for the good and the bad. I want my perspective to be eternal and not to ever reflect that something I have done has been the cause and therefore effect of anything I have done. Its not because of what I do that causes the Lord's blessing. He chooses to bless me because he loves me. But he life happens, sin happens and it isn't because He loves me less but ultimately that there is an eternal plan for whatever life brings my way. It won't always be pretty and most of the time its really really ugly - but I am made perfect in Him and that is the glory of it all. Praise the Lord.

Projects

So who says there aren't projects when you move to a new house. Well they are crazy. I have a laundry list about a mile long and this weather makes it hard to accomplish most of them. One because it is so much easier to sit for hours and watch Downton Abbey. Side note - we have watched all three seasons now in order. It only took us about a week and a half. Maybe that explains D's sickness. Probably way too tired from pulling late nights. Oh well. Totally worth it.

Anyways...I started working on a gallery wall in the basement. I have lots of furniture that needs repainting and reupholstered but this was a simple project that I could at least get started. I used only old frames I already had laying around. Spray painting white. I'm thinking about incorporating some color but we have yellow going on upstairs so was leaning towards turquoise and orange in the basement. Thoughts?

Here is a little teaser. I'm patiently waiting some spring garage sales and JB in April to complete the look with some fun junky letters and a few more crazy vintage frames. Then to find some great photos of my kiddos to adorn the area.

I thought this little pic was somewhat comical. A little fun bean bag action. Best scrap user gift ever if you have some leftover scraps of fabric. My kids play with ours all the time. 

Of course, I need to get going on Ells bedroom. I have all the fabric for the window seat cover, the curtains, and little rocking chair I scored for $1 at a sale and all the pillows a girl must have adorning her big girl bedroom.

I'm chipping away at the mudroom. I just need to find the right fabric to cover the bins for our shoes. I did make a pretty sweet ballard design knock off pin board though (i will try to remember to get the pic off my phone)

Slowly the house is starting to take shape. However not a quick as my little brain would like. But its tough to make it look like a home when you want it to evolve with you. And that my friends takes time. 

P.S. Just posting to suffice those of you who want to know what I'm up to...uhm Erin, this post is for you. 

What time is it?

Early early morning (like prior to 6 somedays) this is where you might find our big ones...

Thank you technology!