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!