Where does the time go?

It has been forever since I have posted and I can't seem to get words together this evening...so maybe just some pictures at least...

Simple blessings...

I just have so many things I'm thankful for this afternoon...can I share some of them? 

• It's cool here today, 59 right now, with a low of 49 tonight...brrr...and I couldn't be happier!
• Our house smells like barbeque that's been simmering in the crock pot all day...yum!
• My Asher was just eating his cup of yogurt and randomly decided to tell me he loves me...melts me!
• In just a few minutes Kris and Katie will be home, and all five of us will be together under one roof...I just feel better when we're all home together.
• Our beautiful little Claire is taking a really nice nap, giving me a few minutes to brew some decaf and blog a little.
• I have a candle burning...Autumn Leaves by Yankee...I just love fall scents and the flickery light of a candle burning!
• I spent the morning with good friends, drinking coffee and sharing our lives together...it always invigorates me to spend time with all of them...I am so blessed to have them.
• I paid bills this afternoon, and I'm so thankful Kris has a job...it's not glamorous, and we don't have a lot of money leftover, but we are so blessed that he has it.
• I am so thankful for my savior, Jesus, who paid the price for my sins.  I feel overwhelmed sometimes when I think about him. I am reminded that even if I was the only person on earth, he still would have suffered and died for me alone.

Piggies and our Saturday...

We put little pig tails in Claire's hair today, and OH-MY-GOODNESS...she just looked so stinking cute!  I can't belive how big she looks in this picture!  She is sitting up pretty well now, and I think she just grew up over night!

Today Kris worked, so the kids and I just hung out here at home. Asher wasn't feeling great for the first part of the day, and he still doesn't seem himself this evening, but he doesn't have a fever, so that's a blessing.  Katie and Asher did pretty well today with not fussing with each other, so we drove down to the Redbox and rented Tangled for them this afternoon.  We also stopped in at McD's to get shakes, yum!   It was a really good day, and will be even better when Daddy drives in the driveway!

The beginning of the "ber" months (as my sister says!)

Yay!  It's September 1st!  It's 100+ degrees today, but there is the hope of cooler days ahead!  I haven't been blogging so well.  We've been doing major house projects, and it's hard to find time to sit down and think about blogging.  We have the flooring in the living and dining rooms done, and our furniture came, so things are really looking nice!  We still have the floors and cabinets in the kitchen, and the hallway floors to go, but we're getting there!  I am really looking forward to lighting the first fire in the fireplace and hopefully just sitting and enjoying it! 

The kids are doing really well.  Katie just started the 6th grade!  It seems impossible that this is her last year of grade school, her last year to wear a uniform.  She looked so cute on her first day with her new shoes and bag...they are so "her"...colorful and happy and a little on the wild side.  She's really been trying to "spread her wings" and it's difficult for me sometimes, but I know she needs to be able to use her own ideas and think for herself.  She loves the Lord, of that I'm sure.

Asher is just growing so much, he talks and talks and talks!  One of his favorite things is helping me...he loves to just do whatever I'm doing.  He is such a good big brother, he truly loves Claire.  I can just see it in his eyes when he is talking to her or sees her after they have been apart.  I pray they are always this close. 

Claire is such a joy...she is just beautiful and is also growing so fast.  We took her for her 6 month check up and she weighs 22 lbs and is 27" tall!  She is our little chunky monkey!  She is almost able to sit alone, and has been trying cereal, peas, sweet potatoes, and apples.  She loved the apples the most.  She is so smiley and giggly, and we just love her. 

We feel so blessed to have our kids!  I know I've said it before, but it's amazing what God can do!

Some things I'm diggin'...

I have a new obsession, it's Pinterest!  I love it!  It's like having your favorites organized by pictures!  I have found so many happy and inspiring things there! 

I am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of this...

We have had used, worn-out furniture for years, and I am so, so, so excited to have this blessing!  We're getting the sofa and loveseat around the end of the month!  Yay!!!

I discovered a wonderful new coffee, Manatee Coffee!  I love it...so delicious!  I found it on Alice.com for a great price!  I just have it on special days, the other days are "Great Value" days!  Ha!

I also wanted to share a wall quote I found for our wall as soon as we're finished painting.  I found it here on Etsy, and I just love it!



Crazy Love.

Our little Claire is almost 6 months old!  Where has the time gone?  She is just growing so fast!  She got her first little tooth on Sunday.  She isn't quite rolling over yet, but has been kicking her little legs to try!  She tried cereal and bananas this week, and really liked it!  We brought out the high chair for her, and she seemed to really like being up high to see everything.  She is such an amazing blessing.  We are still in awe of all that God can do!  We are just so thankful for all three of our children.  Yes, they drive us crazy sometimes, but that's what parenting is all about...that crazy love thing!  I've been trying to remember to love my children the way God loves us...unconditionally! 

Claire in her high chair for the first time!

A happy-wrinkled-nose-laugh!

Faithful and True...

On February 5th, 2007, I wrote and prayed a desperate prayer to the Lord.  I begged him to have mercy on me, to give us another child (we had been waiting 6+ years), and to help me be able to stay at home with Katie and another baby if we had one.  I pleaded for him to give us this, I was devastated that particular day, just in complete mourning over the loss of our miscarried baby, and loss of Zac.  Can I just tell you that the Lord is so incredibly faithful?!?!  He keeps his promises, and he comes to us and answers our prayers!  For some reason this morning, I am just in complete awe of the three lives that are still snuggled in their blankets, sleeping so comfortably, because they didn't have to go to daycare today!  The Lord is so kind and generous!  I begged for one more child, just one more, and he gave me two!  I begged to be a stay at home mom, and here I am...exactly where I want to be!  I am so thankful and feel so incredibly blessed!  Lord, I praise you, I thank you, I love you!

It's been a little warm around here...but we're still so blessed!

Whew...it has been just TOO hot in Southeast Kansas!  We've been in the 100's for more days than I can count, and there aren't any days on the 10 day forecast below 98 degrees or even a chance of rain!  It's a good time to be a lizard or desert animal or something!  We've been mostly just staying inside, keeping cool! 

Asher and I went out a few times this past week to water the plants, but I knew it was too hot when even *he* was willing to come inside to the air conditioning! He loves being outside.  His favorite thing to do is drive his trucks in the dirt...he comes in filthy, but he's a boy!  He looks just as sweet with dirt from head to toe as he does when he steps out of the bathtub! He did enjoy being in the water a little bit a couple of weeks ago.  I couldn't find our little pool, so I filled up a storage tote for him to splash in!  Thank you Rubbermaid for a tote tough enough to handle our boy!

Katie spent this last week at Youth Camp in Oklahoma.  Most of the kids from school go to this camp, so she knows a lot of people there.  She had a good time, but was so tired that she slept most of the day today to catch up.  I think the heat and uncomfortable bunks has made her appreciate her own bed!  She's heading out this next week for Missouri for Nazarene Children's camp!  She's excited about swimming, canoing and archery, and of course being with her friends from our church!

Claire has been a trooper through the heat.  We've been in and out of the car quite a bit with a few car trips, and she has not fussed or complained at all!  She's growing and changing so much.  She is just full of smiles and "talks" so much!  She loves Katie and Asher, and just smiles when she sees them.  Honestly, I am still in complete awe of her.  I know it's been 5 months since she was born, and I knew 7 months before that she was coming, but sometimes I still cannot believe we have her.  She is just so beautiful and amazing. We feel so incredibly blessed to have her.  Kris and I just look at her in her crib by our bed and smile at each other, we both know that she is a special gift.

Our friends Brian and Erin and their new baby, Eli Timothy on July13th! He is precious!  We went to visit them at the hospital, and it was a special moment to see both dad's who are such close friends there with their little boys!  Unfortunately Asher was being a little handful during our visit, and we didn't get a picture of the four of them together.

Even though the temperatures are hot now, I can rest in the fact that my favoirte season is coming up, and before I know it I will have a 3 1/2 year old, an 11 1/2 year old and an 8th month old baby!  Lord, please help me not to wish away these hot days of summer, help me enjoy each little moment with my family (even though it's stinkin' hot!)  I love you, Lord, and I praise you for all of your blessings!

Hi! I'm just trying out the "blog this" feature from Picasa!

Welcoming Baby Shelton and Introducing a new Mr. and Mrs!

My good friend Charisse and her sweet fiance, Mike, are getting married this weekend!  I am so excited for them!  They started coming to our church a while back, and we have just become really close friends, I love her so much!  Their marriage is such a testimony and example.  They have been together for a while, and have children together, but since growing in their walk with Christ, they have decided to get married for spiritual reasons.  I just admire that so much!  Their big day is Saturday, and I just can't wait!

We're having my friend, Erin's baby shower this Sunday afternoon.  Erin and her husband Brian have a sweet daugther, Abby, who will be in kindergarten this year.  They had been praying for a baby, and in less than a month their prayers will be answered with a sweet baby boy!  I wanted to share a diaper bassinet I made.  I got the tutorial here and it was just so cute and easy to make!  I think I want to make one for every single baby that comes along!

10 Little Things...

10 Little Things I love about my children:
1. When Asher says, "Mama, I need you"...so sweet...melts me.
2. The way Katie's fingernails are painted pink, blue and green with silver on top, she did it herself, and it's just creative and colorful.
3. The way that Claire slips that precious thumb of hers in her mouth when she's really sleepy.
4.  Asher saying, "I wuv you Mama"...again...melts me.
5.  Katie's beautiful hair...just gorgeous colors in the sunlight.
6.  Claire's sweet smiles, she just has no idea that every person in our family craves them.
7.  How Asher's face lit up when giving Kris his father's day present this evening...so happy and completely glowing!
8.  Katie's desire to help people, especially strangers, she has such a gift to know what people need.
9.  How it feels to just hold Claire close and breathe in the miracle of her.
10.  Seeing how much these three love each other, they really truly do.

Summertime...

...and the living is easy busy!  We've been so busy this summer so far.  Katie is playing softball, and had three games last week!  She's doing a great job, and still learning about the game!  We have really enjoyed going out to the ballpark in the evening for her games...just wouldn't seem like summer without it!

I've been able to spend some time with friends and I have enjoyed this so much.  We have a little group of younger-ish moms at church who spend time with each other.  We all have kiddos and share so many things in common.  I think my favorite thing about spending time with these girls is that we just feel comfortable sharing everything... our pasts, our present, and we look into the future together as well!  It's really nice! We had Charisse's Bachelorette Breakfast this past Friday, and her Bridal Shower on Sunday afternoon.  They were both nice, and it was such an honor to have these for her!  I am just so very thankful for her!  God blessed me so much when he brought her to our church family!

Emmalee, Me, Kim, Charisse (feeding Miss Claire), and Sabrina

Claire is growing so fast.  She is just a joy, full of beautiful smiles and sweetness!  All of us just adore her!  We couldn't imagine life without her if we tried, it just feels like she's been with us forever.  We took a few pictures of her in her little hat, and I just loved this one with her beautiful blue eyes!

We were getting ready to head to the lake for a little beach trip, the kids were all in their swimsuits (even Claire!) They were excited to go, but I think we all decided to save our swimming for the pool next time...the beach was not pretty (or sanitary! Ha!) 

Sometimes I still get goosebumps and truly, truly can't believe how blessed we are to have three children!  Some days are harder than others, and when they are all three crying at once, I just feel like joining in, but they are still such an incredible blessing.  It is such a privilege to be their mama.  I feel blessed.



Lately...

Lately I've been worrying about our finances.  That is part of the reason I haven't blogged.  I have been just too busy worrying, and trying to figure out ways to make money for our family.  We had a garage sale.  I sold a lot of things I didn't really want to sell.  I have tried selling clothing and scrapbooking items on Ebay, only to have undercharged for shipping, therefore losing money (Ugh.)  I have been reading and listening to tutorials about extreme couponing (Double Ugh.)  I have been looking on Etsy to see if there is anything that I can make and sell.  I have listed our bedroom furniture on Craigslist.  I have been praying for Kris to have the desire to sell his boat.  I have been thinking about part time and full time jobs.  I have been thinking about things around our home that I can sell.  I've been completely obsessed with finding money.  Now that I've listed these all out, I feel even more silly.  Is making a few extra dollars more important than having a relationship with Jesus?  Does our checkbook being balanced and being secure in that compare to being completely secure in Jesus?  Is spending hours trying to "find money" by rearranging our budget and refiguring our bills a dozen times worth not spending that time being a Mama to my precious children or a Wife to my husband or even more importantly reading the Bible? 

As I was scrubbing the kitchen floor tonight, my mind completely preoccupied with having some "control" over *something* (the kitchen floor's cleanliness) I realized that the Lord has really been working on me lately about the control stuff and the perfection stuff and the finance stuff.  I wonder if those are three things he would like to cleanse and free me from if I would allow him?  As I was thinking about this and scrubbing away, the Lord reminded me of the passage about worrying and His provision:
Matthew 6:25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Lord, Thank you for you, for your sacrifice, for your son's death for my salvation.  Thank you for my beautiful children, thank you for everything you've given me.  Lord, I want to pray right now for you to free me from my worry, from my control issues, and from my lack of faith.  Please, Lord, just cleanse me.  I love you, Lord.  I pray all of these things in Your Precious Name, Amen.

Complete Sweetness.

Lately I've been having trouble comprehending this amazing gift...Claire has started smiling and I can't help but think of the quote, "It is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God love us" Charles Dickens.  There is something about this baby, something so wonderful...she is just beautiful and precious.  Sometimes I just put my face against her sweet hair, breathe her in, and feel an incredible sense of love and awe.  We are so thankful for her. Thank you, Lord, for this baby.

Eleven Years Old!

Our beautiful Katie turned 11 on Tuesday!  It's so hard to believe that she is 11...seems impossible!  We celebrated Katie's birthday by going to El Pueblito to have dinner!  We had a lot of fun, and she loved the birthday sopapillas and everyone had fun trying on the giant sombrero!  Happy Birthday Sweet Pea!  We love you so much!

Two Months Old!

Our little Claire turned 2 months old on Monday!  We visited the doctor, and she weighs 13 pounds and 14 ounces and is 23 inches long!  She's doing great, still a little night owl, but we couldn't love her more!  She is precious and amazing!  Katie had a program at school Monday evening, so we snapped some family pictures on our way out the door.  Katie did a great job, and Asher and Claire were both so good during the program. 

They're holding up two fingers because little Claire is 2 months old!

Our family of five...we are so incredibly blessed!

Three years old!

Our sweet Asher is 3 today!  So hard to believe that the time has gone by so fast.  He is so big, 41 inches tall and weighs 45 pounds!  He uses complete full sentences all of the time, but sometimes his words are still hard to understand.  He doesn't use his binky anymore, but we're still working on potty training.  He really doesn't have too much interest in it, but everyone says it just "clicks" with boys and you just have to be patient.  He's such a ham, always being silly to make us smile.  We love you so much sweet Asher boy!  Happy Birthday!

Make A Wish!

Asher and Evan!

Good Morning, Sunshine!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, coffee is brewed and yummy...and Miss Claire woke up HAPPY this morning!  She woke up cooing and gurgling and talking...such sweet sounds.  Yesterday in church she gave Miss Helen a real smile, and has been giving us some little hints of smiles all weekend.  She's been sleeping a little better, but still waking up at least twice during the night to nurse.  I treasure that quiet time with her, though, so the giant bags under my eyes are ok with me.  I will have the rest of my life to try out different eye creams, but I won't be able to go back to these newborn times with her again.  I have to remind myself of how blessed I am.

See?  I seriously need some under eye cream (and an eyebrow wax, haircut, dentist appointment, and to put on some make-up for heaven's sake)...but look at this sweet baby!

We had a good weekend.  Kris took our pastor's son turkey hunting on Saturday morning, and they harvested 2 jakes-it was his first time hunting and they had a really good time.  Our church had a youth revival this weekend, so Kris took Katie to that each evening.  Kris felt like Pastor Chap ministered to the adults just as much as the youth.  I was able to take Asher and Claire out for a few walks in the double stroller that we borrowed.  It was so good to get outside!  Yesterday we worked in the back yard for a little while after church.  Katie learned how to mow, and let me tell you...our yard might not be the straightest cut with her doing it, but she was really eager to learn!

Safety First!  Eye and ear protection-check!

I have been reading about the fruits of the spirit in Galatians...just trying to really concentrate on letting the Holy Spirit take over my life and heart.  I know I need to work on all of the virtues, but the ones that I really struggle with are patience, gentleness and self control.  Kris and I have been really having trouble in disciplining Katie...I need to remember the root word of discipline, disciple...which means to teach.  We're just having trouble being gentle and having self-control (not going crazy when she's really being defiant).  I know it's the "tween" years that are starting to creep in, and I know that we just need to be patient with her and keep on loving her.  Parenting is hard work, but I know it's worth it. 

See?  Totally worth it!

five piles of laundry...

There are five piles of folded laundry on my dining room table...and I am so thankful.  I just feel incredibly blessed this morning.  It's amazing to me what God can do.  Just 3 years ago we were waiting on Baby Asher to be born at this time of year.  I never imagined in my wildest dreams that we would have another baby after him...it's amazing...Claire is amazing...Katie is amazing...Asher is amazing.  Even though there are difficult moments, and sometimes when I feel like I can't take another minute, and nights when I barely sleep, I still feel so lucky.  I never dreamed that I would be able to be a stay at home mom, to just be privileged to take care of my family full time.  I was thinking of that a couple of nights ago.  I remember trying to think of excuses to reschedule appointments and take a little extra time off to spend at home when I was working.  I just wanted to be home, to hold Katie and Asher, to catch up on dishes, to do something crafty, to fold laundry...and now I have five piles!

happenings...

My kids!

Jeepin' with Zack!

Napping in the sun!

Life with a tiny one...

This past month has been a blur...Claire's first month with us has gone by so quickly.  She is such a blessing.  The kids just adore her, and Daddy and I are completely smitten.  It's amazing to feel so much love in our hearts for another one!  She is such a good baby.  She doesn't fuss except when she's hungry.  She's eating well (100% nursing--yay!), pooping well (LOL), but sleeping...well...she has had her days and nights mixed up, but she's sleeping about 3 hours at a time at night now!  She's just beautiful and amazing!  I am still working on the post with her birth story, hope to get that in here soon.  Here are some pictures of our sweet girl!