First photo shoot!

For Christmas Ted got me my first DSLR camera! Today I played around with it for the first time with Eden and Brody. I'm not looking to do this professional or anything I just want to have fun with it!  I am so excited to take many more pictures but here a are few from today.

This one is so funny.

 

He enjoyed being silly!

 



Dinner time devotionals

I have to say that my favorite time of the day is when I get to sit down at the dinner table with my family. I just love all the great conversations, silly jokes, and family time.

 

About two months ago I bought a daily devotional book for the kids and when I brought it home and started reading it I realized that it was geared towards everyone.. Obviously it was great for the kiddos but I knew Ted and I could benefit from reading it as well. That night we started a new family tradition where one of us reads the devotional of the day from the book out loud and then we talk about it as a family.

 

Seriously, it has completely changed dinner time for us. Ive always loved sitting down as a family but now having God the main focus of our nightly dinner is even better. He is working through our family to help us become closer, better ourselves, and open our eyes to how each other thinks about things. Its truly amazing.

 

Tonight was one of those nights that I believe we will remeber for the rest of our lives. The conversation at the table was so deep and hearing Devin share some of the things he thought and is doing in his life made me so stinkin proud of him! I am so thankful to God for blessing me with more then I could have ever imagined!

 

I love this new tradition we have and I hope Ted and I set a good example for our kids and someday they will pass it along to their familys.

Something fun to share

Since Ted has been working nights I've been kind of lonely at night. Tonight I decided to try out something new just for fun and to pass some time.

 

 Apparently if you write on a coffee cup with permanent marker and cook it in the oven it becomes permanent. I decided to give it a try and it actually worked. After making it I thought what cool gifts they could be. You could make one for a friend or give your kids some permanent markers and a plain coffee mug and let them make a masterpiece.

 

Write on a coffee mug with permanent marker and then cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. So simple. Have fun!

 

 

'Tis the season to be thankful

 

I love this time of year its full of family, friends, and festivities. Today, Ted asked me what the date was and for some reason it slipped my mind that its already November! Wow, time sure does go by fast. once I said November 1st it reminded me of thanksgiving and all that I have to be thankful for. I know its still a little early but I just had a urge to write it all down. 

 

 

 

 

1. I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus. Yes, this isn't something new for me but my relationship with him has definitely become stronger this year. When we moved to Bloomington we left our old church because the commute was a little longer then we liked. We continued to search for a new church for over a year and just never found one that had everything we were looking for. During our search I felt lost and a little out of touch. We had heard from numerous people to try the church across the street from our house. I don't know why it took so long, but we eventually tried it out and our first service was the Thanksgiving Eve service. During this past year Ted and I have grown so much and both made a decision to get Baptised. Such an amazing experience to share with the one you love. My relationship with Jesus is the most important thing in my life and I feel like I am truly grabbing a hold of that.

 

2. I am thankful for my Husband. Oh boy, where do I even begin. He is a man of so many wonderful qualities. He always makes sure I know I am loved by him. He works his tail off for our family and that is HUGE .. without him we wouldn't have food on the table and a roof over our head. He is an amazing father with lots of patience. He is a loving husband who has loved me unconditionally through everything pretty and ugly. He is the best listener.. I love how when I'm down and a little bit off track he can tell and always has the best advice - Sometimes he knows me better then I know myself... not all the time only sometimes haha! I am thankful for him each and everyday!

 

3. I am thankful for my kids. Where would I be without those precious boys? Honestly, I cant imagine my life without them.  I recently learned that we need to embrace the season were in and right now I am in a season of taking care of a 'want to be teenager' and a toddler. They both are in separate seasons of there life as well and I get the privilege to guide them along and experience the seasons with them. It's such an amazing feeling to watch them grow and become more independent. I am so thankful for having this opportunity and wouldn't change our fast paced life for anything.. eventually we will be in a different season of life and I want to enjoy this one while it lasts.

 

4. I am thankful for my friends and family. I put friends and family together because my family are my friends and my friends are my family!  I have amazing parents who are so supportive in our lives and always willing to help with anything we need .I have truly been blessed in this department all around! I have the best siblings who are more like best friends. I can count on anyone of them for just about anything and I have a special relationship with each one of them individually. They fill my life with so much love. All of my friends are so wonderful. I have a best friend who I have known since the 6th grade.. she is one of the godmothers to Brody and I am so thankful that she is still part of my life. I could go on and on about all the great friends I have but this year I just feel that my life have been overflowing with wonderful friends both old and new! You are all so important to me.

 

5. I am thankful for my job. I don't think its fair to even call it a job because it doesn't feel like work. Sure, I have my days where I feel tired and worn out but that comes with almost anything in life. I love having a house full of kids that feel like family. I like how I have so much love for each one of them. They make our life super fun! It's so amazing to watch my kids create relationships with the kids I watch. They truly become like family and there isn't anything better then that!

 

I am thankful for so many different things and people in my life but I only have enough time tonight to share my top five. It's such a great time of the year and I just wanted to acknowledge a few things in my life that have brought me true happiness. Bless you all.

 

Also a little side note.. There is only 53 days until christmas!! I need to get shopping...

A little note for Devin

 

 

 

I saw this and it made me think of Devin and Brody. I also instantly started thinking of why this was true.

 

1. When Brody drinks his milk he always says "I'm drinking all my milk so I can get as strong as Devin."

 

2. Brody says, "when I get as big as Devin can I  _________?" (Build lego castles, ride my bike without training wheels, have sleepovers..etc.."

 

3. "Mom, can I pick up dog poop like Devin does?" (one of my favorites)

 

4. "When I get as big as Devin I am going to play soccer like he does."

 

5. "Devin gave me a hug so my owwie is all better."

 

 

 

Devin, I hope you know how special you are. Thanks for being the best Big brother. :)

 

Getting closer and closer to being a teenager...

Today is Devin's 10th Birthday.. Yes, he is out of the single digits and he couldn't be happier. We celebrated his birthday last weekend. Although there is no party today I told him that he could pick his all time favorite meal and I would make it for the family tonight.. He picked Breakfast for dinner! We have a few gifts for him after school and one other surprise. I just love birthdays!

 

Note to Devin:

Devin, where do I even begin.. there are so many great qualities about you. I love that you are a sweet, kind hearted, outgoing, competitive young man.  Yes, I can officially say young man now that your 10 years old. I have so much love for you and that will NEVER change. I have some awesome memories with you. You know one of my favorites is when we decided to take scooters down the huge hill at our old house and Daddy was laughing at us. You were so tough for being only 5 years old and you watched me go first and then you said "okay here I come" and you were flying down the hill and as I watched you get closer and closer to me your hands were wobbling and I knew you weren't going to make it. I remember a panic setting into my whole body.. I didn't know what to do. How was I going to stop you from falling?..  Then CRASH.. You fell to the ground. I ran up to you and daddy came running down the hill. I was so scared you were going to be hurt but you looked up at me with those cute blue eyes and said "I can't rub dirt on this one." You were totally fine and even asked to do it again. Anyways, the whole point to my story is that the panic that was in my stomach that day never goes away. It comes back every time I'm waiting to see you walk of the bus, every time you ride your bike, every time your at the park, every time your sad, hurt, or angry.. The feeling comes from love. I love you so much that I can't stand to see you hurt or sad. Devin, you have showed me so many great things in life but honestly one of the best things is you taught me how to be a mom.. you taught me that I no longer can think of myself first, you taught me unconditional love.. no matter what you do or say I will continue to love you more and more each day. I love that you have a heart for God, you are always so worried about hurting other peoples feelings, you are the most amazing Big brother!. I love you so much kiddo thanks for giving me the best life above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined. So, today we are going to celebrate that you have been on earth for 10 years.. but after today lets slow down on the growing.. :) Xoxo

 

 Sweet little boy.

 This was the day I dressed Devin up as a girl. Ted came home from work and saw him and got mad.. Devin and I still joke about it to Ted. There is better pictures of it.. this was the one he approved for my blog.

 Love how his personality shows in this picture.. He just climbed into bed with is aunt and uncle.

 

Agh.. He grew up way to fast.

God you are higher then any other..

I have to say that every day I am thankful for everything I have been blessed with. Today, I had an overwhelming feeling of thanks more than I normally have.  I am  overjoyed with everything in my life!

I was baking cookies for my husband and his friend for their camping trip this week. As I'm placing them on to the cooling rack I was thinking to myself about how much I truly have, how much God has blessed us with, and how amazing everyone in my life is.. especially my husband. I've had a struggle with what my true calling is and if what I'm doing day after day is what I'm supposed to be doing. Well, it hit me today!  I put the next set of cookies in the oven stopped and looked out the kitchen window to see my handsome little son standing on the swing set with a pretend phone to his ear playing who knows what.. it hit me a little harder.. I then walked into my bedroom to make sure Eden was sleeping safe and sound. As I was walking back to the kitchen my eyes filled with tears. Good tears of course!

I have more then I could have every imagined for myself at 23 years old. I have such a loving husband who loves me for every flaw and imperfection's I have.. he truly loves me through good times and bad. I have 2 handsome boys who have overflowed my life with love and have taught me so much about myself. I have the best job ever.. it showed me that I have so much more love to give. I have so many friends and family that just fill my life with love, care, and fun! What more could I want?!

 

 I truly feel like God spoke to me today at that very moment I believe more then ever that this is where I am supposed to be. It kept hitting me harder and harder as I continued to go about my morning.. these are things that I do and see day after day but it was like my eyes and heart were open to truly see it for what it is. I am blessed to have a husband to bake for, I am blessed to have kids who melt my heart when I watch them play, I am blessed to have a job that I have so much love for! I have all those things plus a loving father in heaven who continues to fill my life here on earth with blessings beyond what I could have ever imagined for myself. I completely put my trust in him.  Truly, I am counting my blessings today....