Ten on Tuesday

1.  Thanks for all of the birthday and anniversary wishes!  Sometimes I get overwhelmed at all the technology these days, but it is quite nice when it comes to your birthday and you are showered with so many blessings!

2.  Preschool decisions have been made.  Now we just need to say a prayer that he gets in. 

3.  It is never good when you finally take your family back to church after staying away because of all the illness, just to get an email that one of the 2 kids he was in nursery with was admitted to the hospital with RSV.  Looks like the four of us will not be in church together until the spring!

4.  Ashton's word of the week is hello.  He will stand by the door and say hello a hundred times in a row.  It cracks me up!

5.  One of my goals for the year was to read at least one book a month.  So far it is February 4 and I have read 3 books.  It feels so good to get lost in a book.  I really should've made time for this months ago.

6.  Something I am working on this February (the month of love) is praying for Jason. A while back I pinned some ideas for monthly prayers for your husband.  I thought it was a great idea, but like everything on pinterest, I pinned it and forgot about it.  This month of" love" I wanted to do something for J since I feel like so often his needs get pushed behind the needs of the boys.  I hope that this will be a good reminder for me to not let J be second string and for him to feel covered in prayer.

7.  We didn't have any plans for Super Bowl so I made up a few easy apps for us to munch on.  Have you ever tried Saltine Toffee?  SO easy and SO good.  I recommend you give it a try.

 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/saltine-toffee-cookies/

8. One way to ruin an evening quickly = open the dryer and realize that somehow a purple, green and red crayon melted their way through your clothes for the last 45 minutes.  I am trying to save the clothes as we speak.  I am praying that this works because it was a load of all the boys jeans and I REALLY don't want to have to go buy all new pants for them.    

9.  After wiping the dryer down and then scrubbing it with a magic eraser (advice from crayola) all while fighting off a killer headache, I finally just went to bed.  Anyone have any grand ideas of how to get the pink haze off the inside of the dryer before I put more clothes in there??? 

10.  Blessing of the week:  snow.  I just love how snow makes everything so still and beautiful.

9 years!

It seems like a lifetime ago that Jason and I knelt down and sang these words to each other in front of 100 of our closest friends and family.  It was a beautiful wintery day and a beautiful song that still makes me cry the minute I hear it!  I look at the words and can hardly believe how perfect they fit the the last 9 years we have been together. Through the good times and the bad times, we have leaned on each other but we couldn't have done it without that light shining down on us. 

Lord, let Your light, light of Your face
Shine on us 

That we may be saved
That we may have life
To shine our way in the darkest night
Let your light shine on us

Lord, let your grace, grace from Your hand,
Come over us 

That we may be saved
That we may have life
To shine our way in the darkest night
Let Your grace come over us

Lord, let Your love, love with no end
Fall on us 

That we may be saved,
That we may have life
To shine our way in the darkest night
Let Your love fall on us

Let Your light shine on us

Shine on Us by Philips, Craig and Dean

1.  Eating brownies covered in cookie dough for breakfast is perfectly ok as long as it is your birthday week, right?  That is how I am justifying it anyways....

2.  When I was young, I used to think of 40 as being SO OLD.  Now that I am rounding that corner towards 40, I wonder if kids look at me and think that same thing.

3.  Grant is growing up way too fast.  It occurred to me the other day that I never actually posted his 3 year update.  Our computer was in the shop on his birthday so it kinda got pushed back and forgotten.  I plan to post it soon.  Just believe me when I say he looks like such a big boy now and I really don't like it at all!

4.  Ashton has started to say amen after his nightly prayers. And, everytime we sit down to eat and we say lets pray, he holds out his hands to us.  That little guy just melts my heart.

5.  Grant went to 3s church for the first time this week.  In 2s church he always came back telling us he learned about Jesus and that was it.  This Sunday I asked him what he learned and he said about Jesus.  I was so bummed until he shouted out,"Jesus turned water into wine."  I was thrilled that he actually paid attention and retained the info!

6.  I am sitting here typing this with my window open.  In January.  Crazy weather. 

7.  Before the warm up yesterday, we had awesome snow accumulation.  The boys and I huddled inside on Friday and made soup, drank hot cocoa and watched the big snowflakes fall.  It was what I have craved for months.  Jason and I even got out for an hour of snowshoeing on our property on Sunday.  It was beautiful and renewed my faith that the sacrifices we are making now will be worth it once we are living there.

8.  Ashton's new thing is to take his wet diapers and throw them in the trash when he is done with them.  Too bad he thinks it is funny to put them anywhere but the trash.  I found one in my mixing bowls the other day.

9.  Anyone else totally stressed out about Preschool?  I think we have decided to wait another year since Grant won't be able to start Kindergarten until he is almost 6.  I want him to have as much fun as he can before school starts but there is so much pressure here to get your kids in school asap that it is stressing me out!

10.  Blessing of the week: more time.  I haven't mentioned it much, but we are just so thankful that J is working so close to home.  Last night we ate dinner at 5:30 (way earlier than it used to be) and then I was able to paint our dresser and put it back in its place by 8:00.  It really is amazing to me how much of a difference an hour makes.  The boys are just thrilled with their extra daddy time too!

a really long post about our vaca in the Keys...

We just got back from a week in the Florida Keys.  It was a wonderful week full of family time, memories and some warm sunny days  As we sat on the playground on our last day, J and I discussed that gone are the days where we sleep in until 10 and then go lay in a chair for the rest of the day while sipping on tropical drinks and trying to get as tan as possible.  We have now entered the days where we argue who is going to wake up at 6:30 with Ashton and then spend hours at the playground, then hours in the pool no matter how warm it is outside and then spend hours in the condo for nap time and then repeat.  Even though vacations aren't exactly relaxing anymore and I come back with barely a tan, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Our first day started off in true J and K fashion.  We woke the boys up, threw their clothes on them, and fed them breakfast in the car as we headed to the airport.  As we were standing in line at the ticket counter, Ashton threw up all over himself and the stroller.  This was no spit up, it was full blown chunks of Nutri Grain bar with the horrible pukey smell (sorry if TMI).  Of course, at the same time, the lady at the counter was practically yelling at us to go directly to the gate because our plane was leaving an hour early!  Can they really do that???  We made it through security with just enough time to change his clothes and clean the stroller at the gate.  Suddenly, my anxiety of antsy Ashton screaming the whole time on the plane changed to Ashton puking the entire 3 hours!  We had been so careful to keep the boys quarantined and away from all the illness floating around our town and now I was freaking out that our son had the stomach flu.on a plane.  Needless to say, I sat with the vomit bag in my lap the entire flight!  About 20 mins into our flight, Ashton developed a fever.  He pretty much slept the rest of the way and never threw up- thank God!  So, he was pretty sick the fist few days.  Finally, he spiked a 102.8 temp on Friday and then woke up the next morning and was fine.

poor Ashton- you can see in his face that he just doesn't feel well....

Our week was spent at the playground, the pool, feeding the fish in the lagoon and mingling at extended family get togethers.  Grant was a fish in the pool, but it took Ashton a while to get used to it.  By the end of the trip however, he was attempting to back himself into the side of the pool just as I had feared.

Grant got these fun dolphin goggles for being such a big boy on the plane!

On Saturday, we had a get together with my family at my Pop Pop's house.  This included all of my aunts, uncles, cousins and my step-grandmothers grandchildren.  It was definitely chaotic with so many people, but it was great to catch up, especially since I hadn't seen some of them in at least 9 years.

First and last trip to Grand Pop Pop's house.

we discovered that Ashton gets his good looks from my Pop Pop- hopefully I can get his baby picture and show it to you.  Everyone kept calling him Little George at the service!

The next day we had the Celebration of Life service for Pop Pop at his club in Key Largo.  It was a beautiful setting overlooking the ocean.  They had bagpipers playing Amazing Grace and had a Military Honors Presentation with lowering of the flag and firing of the cannon.  My Pop Pop sang in a group called the Reef Rogues and they sang a few songs as well.  After that, everyone headed inside the clubhouse for a reception with lots of yummy hors d'oeuvres and an open bar.  It was great to meet many of my Pop Pop's long time friends and hear the legacy he left  and impact he had on their lives. I will admit that it was kind of bittersweet for me though because I only got to spend a couple weeks a year with Pop Pop so I never got to know him in the fashion that everyone fondly remembered of him. On our way to Adelaide's (pop pop's significant other) house, I told J that I wanted a ceremony like that when I pass away.  Just take out military and insert Christian service.  I just loved the way that his life was celebrated and remembered in such a positive way.  Tears were shed, but I didn't leave with a huge despair like I do a normal church service. 

Anglers Club Key Largo

Bagpipers played Amazing Grace to start the ceremony- definitely a tear jerker!

Such a beautiful setting to say goodbye...

After the reception we went to Adelaide's house.  This was definitely a house that made your jaw drop.  I didn't want to take too many pictures, but this one I snuck in.... this is the view from the living room of the infinity pool overlooking the ocean.  If only I was lucky enough to wake up to that view everyday!

On Monday we took the boys to Theater of the Sea for a fun excursion and to give my parents a little reprieve.  Grant loved the dolphin show and Ashton loved taking me on walks through all the mangroves.
It was the hottest day we were there so the boys cooled off with a dip (in their clothes!) in the lagoon.

Tuesday we spent the day relaxing at the condo and then had a wonderful dinner at Alabama Jacks with the extended family.  If you are ever in Key Largo, you must go there.  It is a dive bar right outside the toll plaza- best conch fritters ever!

this boy loved the tire swing!

being silly in the pool with daddy...

Wednesday we had to head back up north to an airport hotel so we could catch an early flight out on Thursday.  And just like that, our vacation was over.  We are sad to be back to freezing temps, but happy with all the memories we made together in Key Largo. 

  

Ten on Tuesday

1.  Packing 4 people into 1 and 1/2 suitcases is proving to be a challenge that I might not win!

2.  Ashton's new word this week is apple.  Every time the fridge is open he runs inside it and points to the oranges and says,"apple".  Even if it is an orange, it is pretty cute to hear.

3.  Grantism of the week:  When I asked him what he wanted to pray for, he replied," Hudson and poop."  He knows that word is forbidden and has been really good at not saying it.  I truly believe he only said it because he knew he could get away with it since it was something he was praying for.  Stinker.

4.  Cute Grantism from a couple weeks ago that I don't want to forget:  We were at my mom's house and she is really good at following you around and cleaning up after you even if you are still actively playing.  Grant dropped his blankie so my mom picked it up and folded it.  Grant turned around and said," hey, I didn't leave my bankie like that.  Who put it in a square?"  We laughed so hard!

5.  Ashton's teeth seem to be a little confused.  I got a look in his mouth the other day as he was throwing a fit and noticed that his molar was popping through the skin and bleeding.  Ooops.  No wonder he was not sleeping well last week.  Wonder when he will actually get teeth in the front of his mouth...

6. Raise your hand if you ever did the Cindy Crawford workout?  I may be aging myself a lot here.

7.  I liked this quote from a recent book I read, "Happiness is a risk.  If you are not a little scared, then you are not doing it right."  Sarah Addison Allen

8.  Anyone want to go see Les Mis with me?  I know there is no chance I will ever get Jason there!  It was the first musical I ever saw and I have been in love with it ever since.

9. Grants favorite food right now is tilapia- who would have guessed!  Ashtons favorite is green beans.  Feeling pretty good about their healthy food intake right now!  Just wait till next week when they will only eat hot dogs....
 
10. Blessing of the week:  Family Night- I love, love, love cuddling up at home on a Friday night in our jammies playing Chutes and Ladders and Ants in the Pants with Grant.  It seems so silly, but these are such precious moments to me.

Ten on Tuesday

1.  Step one of my 2013 cleanse- Give.  Jason and I always like to support local charities with financial gifts, but we rarely find time to give of ourselves.  I was listening to a radio show the other day and they were talking about how financial gifts definitely help change lives, but giving of your time will actually help change your heart.  So, today I am helping to serve meals at our local Rescue Mission with the moms group that I am a part of.  My hope is that we can instill a heart for giving in our boys.

2.  Step two- Give Away.  I read on a friends blog that she is committed to giving away one thing a day for a month.  I loved that idea, but I have changed it up a bit.  For lent, I have decided instead of giving up one thing for 40 days, I will give away 40 things.  That sweater that I always pass over in the closet because it doesn't fit right, that baby bouncer that I have been clinging onto for memory sake, those maternity clothes that I have been meaning to get rid of....all those things will find new homes.

3.  The other day, Grant built this tower.  I asked him what it was and he said it was a Menorah.  He then proceeded to tell me that he was going to light a candle each day.  I always wanted to make sure that we were open with our boys about world religions, I just didn't realize it was going to happen at the age of 3!

4. Ashton is in awe of turning light switches on and off.  Unfortunately, we have one in our bathroom by the potty.  So, Ashton's new fun activity is climbing on top of the potty and turning the light switch on and off.  I guess it is just not enough to lock the potty these days, now we have to just close the door all together. 

5.  Have you ever played blocks with 2 one year olds?  If you need a good laugh, you should try it sometime.  I can't even get 3 blocks on top of each other before 4 little hands are fighting to be the first to knock that tower over.

6.  Grant brought a horse to me the other day and asked if I would play barn with him.  I started galloping my horse and he started attacking mine screaming,"lets fight."  Ugh.... I have no idea how to play with boys. 

7.  My new addiction... Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.  I could really go for one right now...

8.  My favorite new Christmas song this year that I just can't stop listening to even though I know it is past Christmas- Halleluiah by Barlow Girl.  Awesome song- check it out...


  



9.  Please share any traveling with toddler tips that you have.  I am starting to get hives thinking about antsy Ashton on a plane for 3 hours!


10.  Blessing of the week: Out of the blue the other day, a good friend offered to watch the boys for me so I could run errands, enjoy me time, etc.... !  Running errands without the hassle of dragging the boys in and out of the car was awesome!  I think I went to 6 stores!  I also spent a long time searching through the clearance section at Target- something I never get to do when the boys are with me because time is limited before they start to freak out.  I always think J preps them before we go shopping just so I get what I need and get out before I can find extra things to buy.  Anyways, this was an amazing gift that my friend gave to me and I will not ever forget it!!!

12 to 13

The boys and I have been enjoying some down time at my parents house in IN for the last few days.  It has been wonderful to take some time to relax a bit and enjoy some quality time with the grandparents.  Jason joined us here for our exciting NYE celebration at home.  Ashton went to bed at 7 and Grant made it to 11 before he asked to go to sleep! I about passed out standing up at 12:30.  Our NYE celebrating has definitely changed over the years, but I wouldn't have it any other way!  Here is my annual summary of our year in pictures...

January

 Ashton got baptized

February

Grant's first time on skis!

March

 enjoying the unseasonably warm temps with hike through our property

April

  my two easter bunnies

 May

We packed up and moved out of our house... and YES, I did keep these meds.  They are resting comfortably in the drawer in our fridge until I can let go. 

  Tulip Time

 June

Swimming lessons for Grant 

 and my favorite pic of these two beautiful boys!

July

honored Brooke and Alexcyn on their 4th birthday

August

Annual trip to the cottage with J's family

September

Fabulous family trip to the zoo

October

Grant turns 3

Ashton turns 1

Our little dalmatians on Halloween

November

in everything we give thanks...

December

 It finally snowed!!!

 Ashton was a pro at opening presents this year

he must have learned from Grant! 

2012

2012 was definitely a year of change for us.  We sold our house of 10 years and moved into a family rental home.  Having our future be so up in the air is something I have to pray for daily because I am a planner that likes to have all my ducks in a row!

I still struggle with comparing myself to others- especially as I long for our dream home.  At this point, I unfortunately think this will always be something I struggle with.  If anyone has a devotional that they would recommend on this subject, please let me know!

I took a photography class in the fall.  It happened to be a really busy time in our lives so I don't feel that I got as much out of it as I should have, but I did learn a few basics.  I will however not be a professional photographer anytime soon, but at least I know what my camera is capable of when it is not on AUTO.

I finally got a chance to sing in a choir at church- something I had wanted to do for a long time.

I bought a sewing machine with some birthday money and made curtains for our house.  My goal for 2013 is to learn how to sew something other than a straight line.

We went to the zoo, the park, the farmers market every Wednesday morning, the splash pad, we played in the fallen leaves and had our first snowball fight last week.


2013

This year, my goal is to let go.  I need to let go of comparing myself to others because I know I will never be that super mom that sews her own clothes while also making delicious homemade organic meals in my spotlessly clean home decorated with all of my completed pinterest projects and  full of children who never whine and always say please and thank you without being told.  All while being showered by 6 am, hair done, make up on and never wearing anything but stylish clothes (aka not comfy pants and a sweat shirt!)

I need to let go of clutter in my life.  I am a huge pack rat so this one will be tough.  I have already started going through my clothes and getting rid of stuff from like 10 years ago that I was SURE I would wear again.

This year will be 5 years since our girls were born.  I am doing fine, but I know I still need to let go of all those what ifs.  I see little girls dressed up at Christmas and I think what if my girls were here.  I see pics of the daddy daughter dance and I think what if Jason could take Brooke and Alexcyn.  I hear stories of trips to the American Girl store and I think what if I could be there to see the look of utter amazement when they walk in those doors.

I will focus on letting go of the longing I have for the new mini van, the dream house and the perfect wardrobe and instead I will talk to Grant and Ashton about being grateful that we have a roof over our head, a car in our driveway and clothes on our bodies.

After all, letting go is what being a Christian is all about, right?  Sometimes I need reminders...

Ezekiel 36:25-27
"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart'"


I pray that you all had a safe and happy new year celebration and I hope you are all blessed with your hearts desires in 2013!