peanut trail

Wanna Come?

2010-03-25T21:45:00.002-04:00

Hey ya'll! I'm moving and would like to invite you all to join me! Spencer has been hard at work on a new website where we can blog together (or you can just read mine.....or his....whichever you want :-) You can find me HERE All my previous blog posts will show up as well as some fun new links and such. If you are already a follower it will automatically re-direct you but if you aren't I hope you will come along as well! It should be fun!

Playing Catch Up!

2010-03-24T08:58:00.002-04:00

Wow! We have had a busy, but very fun weekend and week so far! We started our weekend with a garage sale on Saturday morning.

I was so skeptical because a) I attempted a garage sale last September and it failed miserably b) I attempted a garage sale last September and it failed miserably! But I am glad to say that it went very well! We didn't even get to take pictures the day of because we were so busy! Three other families participated with me and I think that helped a lot, we had a little bit of everything. I did get to experience a few customers that were quite the deal makers, but in the end I think everyone was successful! It was so nice to get rid of some things we don't need, make some room in our closets and make some money!

Saturday afternoon my grandparents arrived for a visit! They live in Ohio but are here to visit for the week. The boys have had so much fun with their MawMaw and PawPaw! My grandma's birthday was last Thursday so Sunday night I decided to make a cake for her and Andrew to share on his birthday.

I decided to try a recipe for a fondant cake because that is what I want to make for the boys' birthday party and I have never made one before. I used THIS recipe and I think it turned out great! It was easy, cheap and fun! I have a long way to go with my fondant skills, but overall I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

Monday morning we had a special birthday breakfast for Andrew.

He liked it so much he needed seconds when MawMaw and PawPaw arrived.

Monday night we went to dinner and then came home for presents and cake!

Andrew has yet to master the skill of blowing out his candles! haha

We have still been busily working on the house and in the yard. My grandparents are wonderful gardeners and I am so glad they have been here to help me! I can't wait to share pictures when we are all done!

Happy Birthday, Andrew!

2010-03-22T07:17:00.005-04:00

Dear Andrew,
Today we celebrate your two years of life! I am so very thankful for you. You are my sweet, funny, smart, happy little boy and your Daddy and I love you so very much. It has been exciting to see you grow, change and learn new things and I can already see that you have the heart of a servant. You would rather help Mommy in the kitchen or in the yard over playing with toys any day! I am excited to see how the Lord uses you!

I pray that you will love the Lord and trust in Him to be your everything. I pray that He would help me be a better mommy to you and not just tell you to love Jesus, but to show you through the way I live my life.

You are the best big brother Joshua could have! You just love on him and play with him and he loves to laugh at you! There are so many people that just love you to pieces, you are a blessing to many!

Happy Birthday Andrew Spencer, I love you sooooo much! XOXOXOXOXO

I wrote about Andrew's actual birthday HERE!

Two Recipes and a Picky Eater

2010-03-18T10:18:00.005-04:00

Last week we had a party to go to and I was supposed to bring a "casserole." I made Delmonico Potatoes just like my Mom used to make them, they are one of my favorite things!

You will need:

8-9 baking potatoes (a few less if they are HUGE like the ones I used, I think I only used 5)
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 C milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
paprika
butter

Boil potatoes with skins on until done (the skins will start falling off when they are nice and done.)

Peel and let cool.

Shred them into a buttered 9x13 dish. (I am sure that a bag of hashbrowns would work the same and would allow you to skip over these first three steps!)

Heat the cheddar, whipping cream, milk, salt and dry mustard on the stove until smooth.

Pour cheese mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and dot with butter.

The recipe says to refrigerate overnight and remove one hour before baking, but I always skip that step and they seem to turn out fine! Bake at 325 for 1 hour uncovered.

This next "recipe" can't really be considered a full-fleged recipe. It's only two ingredients that make for a very tasty lunch.
All you need is this

and some of this

Lunch is served! It's a very sweet dressing and it really can be eaten on a salad all by itself! (If you want to get a little fancier with it I would suggest adding strawberries and pecans too!)

Now, about my picky eater. I take full responsibility for allowing this little munchkin to become quite the picky eater.

When he started eating baby food if he wrinkled his nose and turned away I just moved on to something he did like because I didn't feel up to a fight. (I was lazy! I admit it!) Well a few weeks ago I realized what a limited diet he had and knew it was time to make some changes. Also, he is almost a year old and I am ready to be done feeding baby food! So after a few miserable feeding times that could be titled, "Mommy vs. J-Man - Battle of the Wills" I am glad to say that he is becoming quite the self-fed-variety-eating baby!

We still have a ways to go before I can say "He will eat anything I put in front of him," but we are getting there!

I have it admit that it was worth the struggle for a couple days to now have a happy, eating baby! Now we just have to work on being a "tidy eater!" Haha!

Wordless Wednesday - Another House Project

2010-03-17T11:38:00.000-04:00

Busy Weekend Ya'll!

2010-03-15T08:49:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful, fun, lots-of-work-involved weekend. Friday night we had DATE NIGHT thanks to Spencer's grandparents for keeping our boys! We actually ended up having a double date with some friends at a little restaurant out on the island.

Saturday started with "panpakes" and bacon, as Andrew calls it! Spencer loves cooking on Saturday morning and Andrew is his #1 helper. Then we started another mini-home improvement job. (More on that later!)

Saturday night we were invited to go with Spencer's parents to a fundraiser for the school/daycare that is at our church. The theme was "hoe down." There was BBQ chicken, line dancing and a silent auction. I was excited to have a reason to dust off my cowboy boots!

I wanted to snap a picture before we left....Joshua did not!

I took Andrew out to learn how to line dance and he did pretty well! He was the cutest line dancer out there!

Joshua enjoyed some chocolate cake and then it was his turn to dance with Mommy!

Andrew wanted back in on the dancing and things got interesting! haha

I told Andrew that real cowboys chew on hay....

...and wear cowboy hats :-)

Daddy with the littlest cowboy!

Joshua is cutting teeth, can you tell!?!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend too!

A Closet Remodel

2010-03-10T16:13:00.005-05:00

Two weeks ago I got the itch. The itch to organize and clean out our closet. It started with pulling some old stuff out and ended with me removing the shelving, busting out the white paint and asking Spencer to price some new shelves. When we were first married I thought it would be cute to paint our closet half pink, half blue. His side, her side. When I was in Ohio for a long weekend Spencer surprised me by painting it. I enjoyed it for a few years but decided it was time to get our closet looking more uniform, organized and make the best use of the space we have. Here are a few pictures from our recent closet make-over.

Before, pink and blue, only one rack on each side with a lot of wasted space.

It's amazing how much stuff you keep in a closet! Our house looked like a bomb went off for a few days till we got it all put back.

After a fresh coat (or 3) of white paint and some new racks. It's amazing how much more organized our closet looks! (This was before all the stuff was put back of course!) I'm sure my clothes and shoes appreciate the breathing room :-)

Magic Cookie Bars

2010-03-08T14:43:00.003-05:00

You'll need:

1/2 C butter, melted

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 C semisweet chocolate chips (I used the minis)

1 1/3 C flaked coconut

1 C chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Mix your butter and graham cracker crumbs and spread in a greased 9x13 dish

Pour your sweetened condensed milk evenly over your graham crackers

Mix together the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans

Pour your chocolate chip mixture over graham crackers and press down with a fork. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with an entire gallon of milk :-)

(Make sure to let them cool before you try to cut them otherwise you will just have chocolatey goop!) ENJOY!

It's a Love Story

2010-03-06T08:15:00.005-05:00

Sunday, March 6, 2005 - I woke up to look out my window and see palm trees. I got ready for church and off we went. I didn't know anyone but the person that I came with, so I sat with her right on the front row. I'm sure people were wondering who the girl with the pastor's wife was. After service she introduced me to Steve, the student ministries pastor, who politely invited me to a bonfire later that night. I thought to myself,

"Thanks, but probably not, I would be way too uncomfortable, but then again this whole situation should have be a little bit uncomfortable."

It's amazing what you find yourself doing when you ask God to lead you.

Let me back up a minute.

Earlier that week I was a 19 year old freshman in college, living at home, working as a bank teller. I was lost but wanted desperately to be found. For the last few years of high school and most of my first year of college I had been living for myself. I had disregarded all I knew that was right and tried to do life on my own. I was in and out of bad relationships, bad friendships and making bad decisions. In January of 2005 my boyfriend at the time broke up with me, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I finally got to the point where I was tired of lying to myself. I had tried to make myself happy and had failed miserably. So I begged the Lord to take back control, and He did.

Earlier in that first week of March I told my Mom that I wanted to get away for Spring Break. I had no one to go with, not much money and zero ideas. She mentioned her friends that lived in Florida. I was very cautious at first, these people were old friends, but we hadn't actually seen them in 16 years. The husband was a pastor and his wife a teacher, but did I really want to go a strange town and stay for a week with people I didn't even know?

She was sure they would be happy to have me. She called them up and they said, "Send her on down!" So I bought a plane ticket, packed my bags and off I went to stay with people I hardly knew in a place I had never been!

Now, back to my story. After church we went to lunch on the beach. There was great food, and great company all in the most beautiful setting!

Later that evening the family I was staying with was hosting their small group at their house, they said I was more than welcome to stay but that I would probably have a better time at the bonfire. As I was leaving for the bonfire the first couple in their small group arrived, Ron and Alecia. Alecia mentioned that two of their sons would be at the bonfire, and to look for Travis and Spencer. She also mentioned that I might want a sweater, but who packs a sweater to come to Florida? :-)

When I arrived back at the church Steve and his wife Erin were just setting up, we talked and others started to arrive. I met Travis and Spencer and made small talk, but mostly with Travis. I think Spencer maybe talked to me twice, I just assumed he was very quiet or really snobby!

Monday, March 7, 2005 I had spent the day out and about and was back at the house. I had made dinner for the family I was staying with and they were asking about my plans for the night. I told them I had no plans and they told their son he should help me find something to do. The next thing I know their son comes out of his room with the phone and hands it to me.

"It's Spencer."

"What?"

"You said you needed something to do, and I was on IM with Spencer and he said he would do something with you."

At this point my heart was racing, my hands were sweating, my face was all red and I didn't know what to do, should I talk to him...he didn't seem to like me much the night before, maybe I could just hang up on him.

I reluctantly took the phone, I mean this was the guy that hardly spoke to me the night before, how awkward would it be to be alone with him? Besides, I didn't know the guy, he could be a crazy killer!

"Hello?"

"I heard you needed something to do tonight, we could go see a movie or something."

"Um, yea, do you think a group of people would want to go with us?" (Since I don't know you and don't really want to be alone with you!!)

"Well, let me find out and I will give you a call back."

Ring ring

"Hello?"

"I talked to some people but no one could do anything."

"Ok, well I guess if you want to do something we can, maybe we can just rent a movie and bring it back here."

"Ok, see you in a bit."

At this point I was seriously on the verge of tears, I was scared, I was nervous, I was a mess. I told the son that since he got me into this mess that he was going to have to watch a movie with us once we got back from the video store!

Well Spencer arrived and we went to the movie theater and I said that there wasn't anything I really wanted to see, but renting a movie would be fine. We got our movie, went back to the house and much to my surprise he was not at all the snob or the psycho I though he was :-) I can't even tell you what movie we watched because we talked through the whole thing. At the end of the night he left me his phone number so I could call him if I needed something to do another night :-)

Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - After being out for the whole day I got back to the house to see a note taped to my door that said, "Call Spencer before 11." My heart went pitter-pat and I looked at the clock, it was 10:45pm. I immediately grabbed my phone and called my mom.

"Mom, Spencer called and wants me to call him back, what should I do?"

"Call him, honey!"

"Ok, I'll call him and call you right back."

"Hello?"

"Hi, Spencer! I had a note to call you."

"Yea, I was wondering if I could take you to dinner at the beach on Thursday night. I have ultimate frisbee that night too and you can come if you want."

"That sounds like fun, I'll see you then."

Not only did we go out on Thursday, but we went out on Wednesday and Friday too! Thursday night after dinner, ultimate frisbee and a movie we had our very first kiss. I can honestly say that night I knew that Spencer was going to be my husband. I don't know why, I just knew.

Friday came and it was time for me to go back to Ohio. It just so happened that two weeks later Spencer was coming to Indiana for his college roommates wedding and we made plans for me to meet him there and then bring him back to Ohio to meet my family. We dated from Ohio to Florida for about 5 months until I moved to Florida with my family. We were engaged on October 15, 2005 and in December of 2005 I moved into his parents house and started planning our June wedding.

On June 17, 2006 I married the man of my dreams and my best friend. I am still amazed when I think of how greatly God blessed me when he brought Spencer into my life. He is a man of character and integrity and he showed me what true love was. God used Spencer to show me that even though I had made mistakes and tried to do things on my own that He still had a plan for me and I still had value in His eyes.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

A Day In the Life - Show Us Your Life

2010-03-04T21:12:00.002-05:00

Today at Kelly's Korner the topic is "What is your typical day like?" As a mom who likes to stay on a fairly regular schedule I think it will be good to see what other families' days look like!

7:30 am - Rise and shine! Everyday the boys (and mommy!) get up at this time, we change diapers and eat breakfast. (I am not an early riser unless I have to be, some days I have to get up for a doctor's appointment or something, but otherwise I sleep in as long as I can!)

8:00 am - Daddy heads to work and it's just mommy and the boys! Between this time I get the boys dressed for the day and they play around the house. I clean up from breakfast, work on some laundry, read to the boys, etc.

9:30 - 10:30 - Joshua takes his morning nap. During this time I do my work out while Andrew watches/plays/giggles/attempts to work out too! Then I put a show on for Andrew so I can take a shower and get ready for the day.

10:30 - 12:00 - This is my window of opportunity for out-of-the-house activity. That could mean getting groceries, running errands, taking the boys to the park or just going for a walk. I try to get them out of the house everyday even if it's just for a walk.

12:00 - Lunchtime!

12:30 - 1:00 - Un-wind time, I let the boys play for a bit and then we change diapers and get ready for naps!

1:00-3:30 (sometimes 4!) - Afternoon naps. This is when I get stuff done! The very first thing I do is clean up the kitchen from lunch. I can usually hear the boys talking and giggling for about 15 minutes, so I do whatever work needs to be done in the kitchen so I don't wake them up later! During naptime I do my quiet time/Bible study and then work on whatever there is to do around the house. Fold laundry, iron, clean, work on whatever craft project I am in the middle of, plan menus, blog, make grocery lists, make phone calls, etc. I love to put a movie in and listen/watch the movie while I am working on whatever.

4:00 - Snacktime! Joshua has his afternoon bottle while Andrew has a snack (or 10!) While they are eating I start on dinner.

5:00 - 6:00 - Survival hour! Haha! Sometimes the boys are happy to play, color or read and sometimes I can hardly get a thing done! I am usually in the middle of cooking dinner and sometimes that means letting them watch tv until Daddy gets home!

6:00 - Daddy's home! By this time we are all happy to have someone else around! We eat dinner at this time as well.

6:45 - 7:00 - Bath time! Daddy usually mans bath time while I clean up the kitchen....again! I find that keeping at least the kitchen clean goes a long way in my outlook on the whole house!

7:15 - Joshua gets cereal and bedtime bottle.

7:30 - Bedtime! We say prayers, kiss clean faces and put them to bed!

8:00 - 10:30 - Alone time! Some evenings I finish whatever didn't get done during the day and sometimes I just veg out! Spencer is also very sweet about letting me run errands some evenings so I can just be alone!

Now having shared all that let me share this....life as a stay-at-home-mommy can be very unpredictable! Some days I have fussy boys that keep me from getting much done, or something unexpected happens and we have just have to adapt. It is important to have a schedule but it is just as important to be flexible. I like my boys to get outside of their routine every once in awhile without pushing their limits too much. I think that children need predictability in life to feel secure, but they also need fun and spontaneity!

Besides all the day-to-day activities there are boo boo's to fix, manners to teach, memories to make, runny noses to wipe, encouragement and discipline to be given and so much more! Some days I am so tired from the previous days that I take a little nap when the boys are sleeping! It seems like once I feel like I have it all together something changes, I am learning everyday!

Being a mom is wonderful and challenging all at the same time, the best way for me to be successful is to be organized and stick to a schedule as much as I can! If you are a new mommy the best advice I can give is to make a schedule and stick to it, but to be flexible when you need to be!

A Cruisin' We Will Go

2010-03-04T15:51:00.003-05:00

I am so excited because at the end of May we are going on vacation! Like, a REAL vacation! I go to Ohio multiple times a year to see family, and as much as I love it, I don't really consider that vacation! haha

Not only are we going on vacation, but WE = Spencer and I....no kiddos! We will be joined by my sister, Emily, my brother-in-law and both my brothers! I am very excited! (Can you tell?!)

When my mom went back to school to get her degree four years ago I told her that when she graduated we were going to take her on her very first cruise as a graduation present. This May she would have graduated from the University of Findlay with a degree in elementary education. God had bigger plans than we did. She is now living everyday in paradise with Him! When she passed away in October my siblings and I decided that we still wanted to take a vacation together this Spring.

My sister and I are having a great time talking about the cruise and making plans. We both, of course are also very excited to think about the shopping that *needs* to be done! haha

I told her that I would share some pictures on here so she could see what I have gotten so far!

I found this dress at TJ Maxx in GA for $10!

This dress I ordered from Chadwick's online for $15!

This dress I purchased knowing that I have 2 weddings coming up, but thinking it would be good for the cruise too. I found it at the Dress Barn outlet for $17!

I splurged on this next dress, I got it at Ross for $40! I brought it home to show Spencer and he didn't love it. So I thought maybe my sis would want it, here you go Em, what do you think? There is a bow on the waist but it's hard to see.

So there you go. Obviously I enjoy buying dresses! I have to say that I am pretty proud that I got all 4 dresses for $82! Now that's a deal!

Birthday Bash

2010-03-02T21:46:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I celebrated the big 2-4! I share my birthday with my father-in-law and cousin-in-law! March 1st is a popular day!

Saturday we celebrated with Spencer's family. My mother-in-law made an awesome dinner, we had crabcakes for appetizers, steak, salad and potatoes for dinner and chocolate cake for dessert. Mmmm! I got cute new pajamas, flip flops and....shopping money! Woo hoo!

Here are some pictures from the night.

Yesterday, on my actual birthday I spent the day with some great friends, Erin and Jessica and their little ones, Payton and Easton. When I first came to Florida the first girl I connected with was Erin. She and her husband, Steve were friends with Spencer and Steve was the Student Ministries pastor at our church. My friendship with Erin comes so naturally, we can always just pick up where we left off. They moved away shortly after Spencer and I were married but luckily for me her parents still live in Florida and we always try to meet up when she comes for a visit! I met Jessica through Erin and she lives about halfway between me and Erin's parents, so we met at her house! These are two beautiful women and I wish we all lived closer! You can check out Erin's blog here and Jessica's blog here!

We spent the morning letting our kids play and talking about anything and everything!

Andrew and Miss Payton on their first date! Ha!

Joshua wanted in on the action!

Today my friend, Mandy took me to lunch to celebrate. I didn't get any pictures because we were wrestling 3 little monkeys the whole time! We ended up moving the party to her house because there was no way to sit and visit and keep all the boys entertained. We always chuckle at how much our lives have changed in the last couple years! She was so sweet to treat me to lunch and get me a cute new top and some pretty lip gloss!

Spencer and I have yet to really celebrate, I think we might get to go out this Friday. But he did give me a sweet card and Beth Moore's new book, So Long Insecurity. I mentioned that I wanted to read it and he picked up on my hints :-) I also got a new closet, but that's a whole other post!

I had a wonderful birthday with lots of friends and family!

Cheesecake Fantasy

2010-02-26T22:46:00.005-05:00

Have you ever been to Cold Stone Creamery? Well I have, like twice. I think "creamery" is code for, "Our ice cream is insanely expensive because we have a highly scientific way of making a stirred up sundae."

For Christmas Spencer and I got three gift cards to Cold Stone and were on a date night last week and decided to use one. Let me just take a moment to say that gift cards to restaurants are our favorite, favorite, favorite gift. Nothing beats a free date! We try so hard to make them last that we will actually have a snack before we go out to eat and then share a meal so we don't use up the gift cards so fast! ha!

So back to my story. We went to Cold Stone and for the first time in my whole life I didn't want chocolate ice cream. I would usually pick a chocolate and peanut butter concoction but on this particular night I was in the mood for something fruity. I think I was hoping that eating fruit ice cream would balance the monster burrito that we had just eaten! Spencer will almost always pick fruit over chocolate so it worked out for us to share...the smallest serving they make of course!

We picked the "Cheesecake Fantasy" creation. It was cheesecake ice cream, graham cracker pie crust, strawberries and blueberries. As we were eating we thought to ourselves, "We could make this at home!" Which leads me to the purpose of this post!

Homemade Cheesecake Fantasy

Step # 1 - Smash up some strawberries (I used frozen strawberries and smashed them with a Slap Chop!)

Step # 2 - Smash up some graham crackers (I smashed them with a wooden spoon) :)

Step # 3 - Scoop up some vanilla ice cream

Step # 4 - Nuke the ice cream to make it soft

Step # 5 - Mix it all up

Step # 6 - Split into two bowls (if you're feeling nice)

Step # 7 - Put it back in the freezer to firm

Step # 8 - Find the cutest guy around to share it with!

Step # 9 - Enjoy your very cheap, but very tasty version of homemade Cheesecake Fantasy!

*I don't think I have ever served ice cream as dessert for guests, but I think that this could be company worthy! Enjoy!

Life's a Beach

2010-02-24T20:28:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday we decided that the boys needed some fresh salt water air :-) We went to the beach and let Andrew play and run to his heart's desire. Whenever we drive to the beach I am reminded to be thankful for living in such a beautiful place!

Do you have girls?

2010-02-23T09:22:00.002-05:00

I don't have any daughters, but would love to someday! But if you already have a little girl or know a little girl that needs some cute bows and clips then go here for an awesome giveaway!

Georgia Trip in Pictures

2010-02-22T20:43:00.003-05:00

Our camera is home! I never realized how often I took pictures until I didn't have a camera. So here are some pictures from our trip!

Andrew practicing to me the next Mac Specialist!

Our first trip to Monkey Joe's

Don't let this picture fool you, Andrew couldn't quite climb the obstacle courses by himself. Therefore, mama had to help the boy out. Have you ever scaled a wall with one hand while shoving a 30 pound toddler with the other all while trying to hold your balance on slippery little blocks with socks on? Yea, it's not easy!

(Please excuse the lump in my shirt, I had to tuck my scarf in so I wouldn't strangle myself by stepping on it! ha)

Who needs big bounce houses when you can just run up and down the ramps?

Checking out the "pishies!"

Joshua LOVED these penguins, it was the hi-light of his day!

After seeing the penguins Andrew thought he needed to take some home....

On our last day in GA we went back to Monkey Joe's, Andrew knew exactly what to do.

But what's a good jump without a good fall?

"I'm ok!"

Hope you enjoyed our trip through pictures! Happy Monday!

All Over

2010-02-19T15:20:00.003-05:00

This post is going to be a little random. I have been a terrible, terrible blogger these last what, two weeks? I know that all three of you that read this blog have been worried sick over me :-)

Worry no more.

I'm back.

There are about three reasons for my absence. The first being, we were out of town! The first week of February we drove up to Georgia to be at the Grand Opening of Computer Advantage, Newnan. Spencer works with his dad, who re-located a new store in Newnan, GA. The new store is in a very fun outdoor mall where there is lots to do...unless it's 40 degrees and raining all week. Which is was. We tried to entertain ourselves at the hotel for awhile, but you can only ride the elevator and walk the halls so much before the housekeeping ladies start to get annoyed. So we discovered Monkey Joe's. It's an indoor playplace that my boys loved! It was two doors down from CA and was nice because we could let the boys play, go eat lunch and then take them back to the hotel to crash!

We also took a trip to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Andrew loved the "pishies" and Joshua cracked up at the penguins. I have so many good pictures to share but that will have to wait, which leads me to the second reason I have been absent.

Our camera is still in Georgia. I feel like a post is incomplete with no pictures, so I have hesitated to post because I didn't figure anyone cared to read my random ramblings! But, my father-in-law is returning next week and with him will return my camera and my frequent posts! I know, you can hardly wait :-)

And my last very valid excuse for not posting.....we have been sick sick sick! Last Friday when we were at a friend's house playing Joshua vomited on me....three times in a row. I was mortified because it went everywhere! I was trying to clean up and not gag, while falling all over myself apologizing to my friend. It was gross. The rest of the day he had some yucky diapers but I didn't really think of it. Well, Saturday I started to feel crummy and the next 12 hours were pure misery as the stomach bug bit me, then Andrew and finally Spencer. By Monday morning we were all feeling better except for Andrew. He has continued to have EXTREMELY yucky diapers all week long. His doctor said that it could go on for up to a week and I think we are finally starting to move on.

Since I hate a blog post with no pictures I will leave you with some pictures from the few days before our GA trip,

This is what happens when you leave your nail polish box unattended on your bathroom counter and let a 20 month old wander around.

I was a little disappointed that this is the only nail polish that broke, I got this when we were on our honeymoon and it just happened to be named after me. Oh well!

Have a wonderful weekend! I will return soon with a little more substance!

Show Us Your Life - Beauty Tips

2010-02-05T08:27:00.004-05:00

I love this topic! I have some products that I use and I love and I am excited to share them with you! I have very oily skin and somewhat dry hair, and these are the products that work for me.

1. For everyday face washing I use Equate Deep Cleanse Daily face wash. Fancy, I know. Spencer and I both use it and it costs about $2.50 a bottle. (Sorry for the bad picture!)

2. To wash my face I use the Clarisonic Mia skin care brush. This was one of the biggest splurges of my life. I have been using it for about 4 months and I love it. When I get ready in the morning I like my face to feel really clean before I put my makeup on and this does that for me!

3. When I have a blemish I love Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish stick. If I feel a blemish coming I apply this stuff about every 20 minutes through the day and it will dry it right up!

4. Just this week I went and bought my first ever MAC makeup. I have fallen in love with their Studio Finish concealer, it covers my dark eye circles and makes me look like I've gotten 12 hours of sleep!

5. For color I use Milani eye liner and mineral blush. I have only ever found this brand at CVS. I have been fairly happy with this brand, although I feel like I have to use a lot of blush to get the color I want. Once I'm out of my current colors, I might splurge on MAC colors!

6. For my lips I like Victorias Secret Beauty Rush Lip gloss, it's inexpensive so I carry one in the car, in my purse and in my makeup bag!

7. For my hair I have to use a root lifter. I use Big Sexy Hair Root Pump. Let's just say that I've got "Skinny Thin hair" and this stuff makes it a little more manageable. I spray it on my roots and dry my hair with a round brush and it helps my hair not look quite so pathetic.

8. After I dry my "Skinny Thin hair" and tease it to death I use my favorite hair product, Tresemme Ultra Fine Mist hairspray. I spray my hair A LOT to get it to stay they way I want. My routine goes something like this, tease, spray, comb, straighten, spray, tease, spray, spray, comb, spray, spray, spray! Using this hairspray I can do all that and it won't be sticky or wet. Trust me, it's good stuff!

Well there you have it for my beauty products. I like to think that all the items I listed are fairly affordable but work as good as anything else out there! If I had one tip to share I think it would be to always wash your face and remove makeup before bed! I use eye makeup remover to get my mascara and eyeliner off every night. I don't have a 12 step program for facial cleansing or makeup application but with two boys running/crawling around I have time to do this every morning.

As I shared last week with the fashion tips, I love to shop. I love to be "in style." I love to wear makeup and spray my hair. But more than anything I hope that people see past my teased hair and mascaraed lashed to see that I love the Lord and I rely on Him for true beauty.

Proverbs 31:30 - Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

I'm Leaving...

2010-02-02T22:07:00.005-05:00

in a red mini-van! Tomorrow I am leaving with my MIL and two little boys on a road trip to GA to join my husband and FIL! I am so excited to reunite with my man but I am very apprehensive about the drive. It is an 8 hour trip, although I am sure it will take us a little longer. We took Andrew on a road trip when he was 6 months old, but we left at bedtime and he slept for 12 hours through the night. This time we are leaving first thing in the morning, so hopes of sleepy boys are probably unrealistic!

Part of me wants to chicken out and not go for fear of a terrible trip! Joshua is still facing backwards in his car seat which could prove to be problematic! (I seriously considered purchasing earplugs)

Prayers for safe travels, alertness, our sanity and happy boys would be appreciated!

I will let everyone know *if* when we arrive!

*Please keep the Jackson family in your prayers tonight, Joe, the dad was taken to the hospital and was believed to have a stroke. I am close friends with his daughters and I am sure that they would appreciate your prayers on their behalf.

2/4 Update : We made it safe and sound! It was an 8 hour drive and we made it in 9, not too bad with little ones! Both boys were wonderful travelers, the Lord protected us and blessed us!

Sweet Memory

2010-02-01T23:41:00.004-05:00

I stumbled across this picture today, hadn't seen it in awhile and it just brought back some sweet memories

Show Us Your Life - Fashion Tips

2010-01-29T23:53:00.006-05:00

I didn't think I had anything to share today, but then I remembered this

Yes, I was voted Best Dressed my senior year of high school, certainly that must make me a certified guru...right? Think again. Since having children I feel like I am clinging to whatever smidgen of "style" I have left. I no longer have the money or the time to pour over style magazines, so here are the "tips" I have used to get me through the transitions of pregnancy, motherhood and the in-betweens!

1. LAYER - If something is too low-cut, too short, or just too plain then layer it with a tank top or lace-trimmed cami for a little versatility. I layer everything; tee-shirts, button-ups, sweaters, cardigans, everything.

2. Own a jean jacket - Let me preface this by saying I do NOT wear my jean jacket with JEANS. I have 3 jean jackets, I wear them over dresses, with skirts, with bermuda shorts, it's the perfect way to keep warm and still be cute.

3. If you like something, try it - I am all about trying something trendy. I wore (fake) Uggs with mini-skirts, ponchos and flowers in my hair in high school because that was what I saw in the magazines....and I totally got made fun of, but I didn't care because I liked it!

4. Own something girly - There are times when you want to feel dressed up in jeans and it's always good to have a sparkly, frilly, metallic or flirty top to dress up a plain pair of jeans.

5. Accessories, accessories, accessories - As a mommy there are days that I just do not want to wear anything but shorts and a tank top, but you can bet that I will at least have a big ol' pair of dangly earrings on. In the winter I will wear a solid color tee with a scarf to make it more exciting. Accessories are the best way to take an outfit from one trend period to another. I love fashion jewelry because you can find it cheap, which is great because in two weeks it will be out of style anyways ;-)

6. Sport a bright smile - Any outfit looks better with pearly whites! (Yes, I realize I sound like a commercial right now!) I started using Crest White Strips in high school and one box made a HUGE difference, I still use about one box a year. Remember, you're never fully dressed without a SMILE! (Insert cheesy grin here)

For you, Sister!

2010-01-25T20:14:00.003-05:00

This is my beautiful sister, Emily.

She lives in Ohio, is mommy to my sweet niece and nephew and blogs here! This post is for her, but since I know you all are dying to know, I will share the story with you as well :)

Spencer and I had a date night on Friday night and after dinner we went to the mall for a bit. I got a Macy's gift card for Christmas but have been saving it to do some shopping for our vacation this Summer. After looking around for a little bit I found this

Yes, it is a one-piece with shorts. (I think it's called a romper but I'm not 100% sure!) I was very skeptical at first but after trying it on thought it could be a very cute bathing suit cover-up. It cost less than $10 so I figured it was worth it. I immediately called Emily to tell her about my purchase. When I told her what it was I think she laughed at me! I don't know if these are in style but I was hoping that someone could give me the thumbs up or down that way I know whether to rock it or return it!

Show Us Your Life - Where you shop

2010-01-22T11:00:00.004-05:00

I love to shop. I love to find a deal even more. The most expensive garment I have ever purchased was my wedding dress and I got it 50% off! I feel like I'm splurging if I spend $20 on a top. I'm not even kidding, I'm soooo cheap! When I go into a store I go straight to the clearance section, then if I have time I will browse the rest of the store.

Having said that I love to shop at Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Ross. I go to those places because *most* everything is already cheap and then if you get it on the clearance rack it's an even better deal! But I also love hunting for deals at department stores.

I love going to Macy's and shopping their clearance. I really like the INC brand that they carry, but woo hoo is it pricey. So I always look at their clearance when they have an extra 50% off.

Another favorite department store is Kohl's. I grew up shopping at Kohl's, but when I moved to Florida there were none to be found! Thankfully we just got one about 20 minutes away and I have really enjoyed being able to shop there again.

Kohls is aways having awesome sales and it makes everything very reasonably priced and they are wonderful about returns and exchanges. I also find some of my favorite jewelry at Kohls.

They also carry great kids clothes, from cheap play clothes, to Carter's to Chaps. I love Kohl's! haha

Happy Shopping!

No One Like My Mimi

2010-01-21T14:06:00.005-05:00

Today I was going through some old pictures and I stumbled across a picture from Andrew's first birthday that I hadn't paid much attention to before. In the picture I am serving Andrew his smash cake and I assume we were all singing "Happy Birthday" to him but the only other person you can see is my Mom. She is looking at Andrew with the biggest smile and he is looking right back at her.

When my sister found out she was expecting the first grand-baby of the family we had such a fun time picking names for my Mom. I jokingly sent an email with all of the funniest nicknames for "Grandma" that I could think of, including "Dumpa" which was one of my personal favorites :) Anyways, we all settled on "Mimi" and I think it was a perfect fit.

Mimi loved her grandbabies more than anything. There are few pictures where her lips aren't smooshed on their faces! Whenever we were together I knew she would jump at every chance to change diapers, feed bottles, comfort fussy babies and carry the carseat. She would parade them around all day showing them off to anyone who would stop long enough to hear her brag. My mom loved her grandbabies just as much as she loved her own babies and I hope someday my kids can say the same things about me!

I know my boys won't remember her, but someday I'll be able to tell them what a wonderful person their Mimi was, how much she loved the Lord, what a hard worker she was, I'll teach them all the things she taught me and how she loved them more than anything on earth!

Baby Shower Bliss

2010-01-21T09:28:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I hosted a baby shower for a first-time mommy-to-be from our church. It was my first time to host something all on my own!

It was a very simple brunch shower. The menu consisted of Sausage Egg Casserole, muffins, Cool Fruit Salad, cake, punch and water! We ended up having a bunch of extra food but they made great left-overs for my family!

The mommy-to-be is expecting a boy and isn't a fan of baby blue so the colors I chose were black and lime green. I wanted it to look "pretty" without being "girly." I incorporated the black and green everywhere I could, from the invitations right down to the cake. I decorated the tables with tulle that I bought here, it was so much cheaper than getting it at a fabric store! My mother-in-law let me borrow vases and tablecloths, so that cost me $0 and I used 2 bunches of baby's breath that I bought at a wholesaler in town for $8 a bunch. Our Pastor's wife also let me borrow her beautiful drink dispensers for the water and punch.

I didn't play any games, we just spent time talking and watching the mommy-to-be open her gifts! I made a diaper cake that I also ended up using as a decoration for the gift table. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Tuesday's Ten

2010-01-19T13:46:00.003-05:00

This week it's "Ten Things I Can't live Without" from Brit's blog!

1. Burt's Bees Spot Treatment, when I get a pesky blemish I just apply this ALL DAY LONG and "poof! it's gone :-)

2. Cheese, I realize this sounds so silly but if I could live on one food alone (not including candy/chocolate) it would be cheese!

3. These Guys

4. This Guy

5. My Savior, without Him I would have nothing!

6. Malls, enough said!

7. Sunshine, living in Ohio I remember how depressing the winter's can be when the sun doesn't shine for days on end. I am thankful that we get to see the sun everyday in Florida!

8. Flip flops, I wear 'em basically everyday in the Sunshine State!

9. Music, I love singing to my boys, Worshipping at church or even just the radio in the car. I love the way music can make you feel!

10. Scrubbing Bubbles, in my bathrooms, in my sink, on my counters, I think I use this stuff five times a day!

What can't you live without?

Weekend in Pictures

2010-01-17T21:24:00.002-05:00

We have had a full but fun weekend. Some of the hi-lights included a baby shower (more on that later) the park, church, McDonald's ice cream and naps for everyone! I figured that instead of my ramblings you would enjoy some pictures :-) Hope you all had a great weekend as well!

There IS hope in Your name

2010-01-14T20:45:00.005-05:00

UPDATE: Please visit my friend's blog here to read some tangible ways you can the people of Haiti.

This evening I have so many things on my mind. I am thinking about the people in Haiti, and how in the midst of their chaos and despair, that my life is going on as normal.

Spencer is gone for the evening working late and I was reading a few blogs after putting the boys to bed and I just seemed to stumble on blog after blog of hurting people. Parents who lost a child to cancer, a new dad who lost his spouse, a young couple who lost twins late in pregnancy.

As I went to the kitchen to clean up from the day's meals I found myself trying to pray for all of these things and not knowing what to say. In all of these scenarios the loss has already taken place. The spouse and children are already with Jesus, the earthquake has already taken place and the damage has been done. How do I pray for these people who now have to go on trying to live after a major crisis?

A song came to mind. This song was very powerful for me when my mom was sick, we would sing it during worship on Sunday morning and I couldn't help but cry. As I listened to it and cried out to the Lord I realized that the people of Haiti and these families who have suffered great loss can't undo what has happened. But God can still save them. He can offer them hope for healing.

As I cleaned the kitchen and could not find the words to pray I sang this instead. This is my prayer for the people of Haiti and for the others that are hurting.

(I don't know how to post the video on my page, so please follow this link.)

Andrew in the Kitchen

2010-01-12T12:47:00.003-05:00

Monday was a busy busy day around here. Joshua had his 9 month well visit and during the visit the doctor asked if I had gotten their flu shots yet. I told him that the day I brought them in to get it done they were sick and couldn't have it. So we decided that if both boys looked healthy we would just give them the shot while we were there. Joshua looked great, but when he looked in Andrew's ears he saw a bunch of thick fluid. He said that either meant he was just starting an infection or just getting over one. So he gives me a prescription for an antibiotic to give him for 5 days, tells us to come back in 10 days and if both boys check out then we will give them the shot.

By the time we left the doctors office and ran a few other errands both boys were spent. They were ready to go home, eat and take a nap. Well I decided to push the limits and take them to Publix so I could get the prescription filled. I told Andrew that if he was a good boy I would get him a treat.

While we were waiting on the prescription we did a little grocery shopping and muffins were on sale buy one, get one free. I am hosting a baby shower brunch this weekend and decided to pick up a few boxes. Andrew grabbed a box of chocolate chip muffins and kept saying "cookie, cookie!" I decided that since he was so excited about it and thought it was a cookie, that a muffin could serve as his "treat."

When we got home I went way out on a limb and decided to let him help me make the muffins. Let me just say that Andrew's favorite thing to do it to help. He will seriously unload all of the groceries from the shopping cart onto the belt, help me put them in the trunk and then carry them in when we get home (all with a little assistance, of course) But if you tell him that he is going to be your "helper" he gets so excited. You can imagine how excited he was to help me bake!

He dumped the bag of muffin mix into the bowl, added the water and oil. I did the eggs. He helped me hold the beater, then he helped me scoop the mix into the pan. He loved it.

Here are a few pictures from our baking adventures.

He waited patiently while they were baking.

J-Man enjoyed an apple

But I think Andrew's favorite was taste testing his "cookies."

I had so much fun spending that time with Andrew, it just made me think of all the fun times that are to come doing special activities with both boys. Sunday night, before our little baking adventure, I was going through boxes in our closet and came across this poem that my Grandma had given to me on my first Mother's Day.

Growing, Grown, Gone

One of these days you'll shout, "Why don't you kids grow up and act your age"...and they will. Or, "You guys get outside and find something to do, and don't slam the door."...and they won't.

You'll straighten up the boys' room neat and tidy...bumper stickers discarded...spread tucked and smooth...toys displayed on the shelves....and you'll say loudly, "Now, I want it to stay this way!"...and it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing and you'll say, "Now, there's a meal for company!"...and you'll eat it alone. You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone, no dancing around, no pantomime, no demolition crews...SILENCE! Do you hear?"...and you'll have it.

No more plastic tablecloth stained with spaghetti. No more bedspreads to protect the sofa from damp bottoms. No more gates to stumble over at the top of the basement steps. No more playpens to arrange the room around.

No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more sand on the sheets or Popeye movies in the bathroom. No more iron-on patches; wet, knotted shoe strings; tight boots; or rubber bands for pony tails.

Imagine, having a lipstick with a point on it! No more babysitter for New Year's Eve. Doing laundry only once a week. Seeing a steak that isn't ground. Having your teeth cleaned without a baby on your lap. No PTA meetings...no carpools...no blaring radios...no one washing her hair at 11 o'clock at night....having your own roll of scotch tape.

Think about it. No more Christmas presents made out of toothpicks and paste. No more sloppy oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. No giggles in the dark. No knees to heal, no responsibility. Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up?....and silence echoing..."I did!"

I am so guilty of taking my job as "Mommy" for granted. The days can be long, alone time is infrequent and the messes are many! But I am thankful for little reminders, like this poem to enjoy this season of life, and to never, ever wish it away.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

2010-01-11T20:44:00.005-05:00

Who doesn't love Mickey Mouse? Andrew loves him, we had a Mickey Mouse ornament hanging on our Christmas tree and every time he saw it he would exclaim, "micket mush!" Well the following story is not exactly about the cute and friendly cartoon character that resides at Disney World.

Yesterday was a wonderful Sunday. We had a great time of worship at church followed by a big lunch to honor our senior pastor and his family for their ten year anniversary of leadership at our church. When we got home the boys were exhausted and so we laid them down for a nap and I started cleaning.

As I was walking out of our bedroom to go switch the laundry I watched in horror as a little white mouse scurried from under our china cabinet into the kitchen and under the fridge. My heart stopped and my hands flew up to my face. I could hardly get the words out to Spencer, "OH MY WORD, THERE IS A MOUSE!"

He jumped up and asked me where it went. He peeked around the corner and saw it sitting on the baby safety gate that we keep between the fridge and wall. He ran out to the garage to grab garden gloves while I kept watch to make sure he didn't run out. When Spencer came back in the mouse had moved to behind the fridge. So I equipped myself with a pair of cleaning gloves and a cup in case he ran my way when Spencer pulled the fridge out.

Well of course, as Spencer was taking his stance, out scurries Mickey, along the cupboards and behind the oven.

GREAT.

So once again we brace ourselves and Spencer pulls out the stove. No Mickey. But there is a big hole where the electrical cord runs and so we assume he is behind the wall. We decide that I would go to my in-laws house to get a trap while Spencer kept watch (I was not going to be left alone with Mickey while Spencer went to get the trap!)

When I returned Spencer informs me that Mickey had in fact been behind the cupboards but had peeked his head out once. So he had rigged a trap with a tennis ball tube and bread to try and lure him out. Mickey had popped out once to nibble on the bread but slipped back in when Spencer tried to grab the tube. So we ended up setting up the old fashioned trap with peanut butter and sunflower seeds and waited for the SNAP.

By this time the boys were up from their naps and we continued on with our afternoon. I continued cleaning and the boys played and I just kept waiting...waiting...waiting to hear that Mickey had in fact met his fate.

About 2 hours after setting the trap Spencer was in our room playing with the boys and I went into the living room to check facebook. Out of the corner of my eye I see something cross in front of our bedroom door and go behind the china cabinet. Now, of course I assume it's not Mickey, I mean there's no way he could have escaped our trap and made it all the way back through the house without us seeing him! Right? But just in case, I yelled at Spencer and he came a runnin! He says to me, "You're hallucinating, but I'll check anyways."

He grabs his flashlight and sure enough, perched on the electrical cord behind the china cabinet sat Mickey with his beady red eyes shining right at me. I immediately close our door and shove a blanket under it so it wouldn't run in our room with the boys. Spencer grabs a mini trash can and I shine the light behind the cabinet. We waited as he slowly, slowly, s-l-o-w-l-y moved towards Spencer's end of the cabinet. I would say, "Here he comes. Ok, wait. No he's moving back. Ok here he goes. Ok, do you see him? Ok...ready...wait for it. OK GO!" and finally through the crack of the china cabinet I see Spencer lunge and slam the trashcan down on Mickey. YES! VICTORY IS OURS!

Spencer lifted up the trashcan enough to see Mickey's tail and make sure we got the little booger. Then we sat there looking at each other like, "Ok, now what?" I ran and got a thin piece of cardboard and we wiggled it under the trashcan and flipped it over. Spencer took him out to the garage and Mickey finally met his fate. Now, before you go calling PETA on me let me just say that this was no field mouse, if he had been we *might* have just let him go. But he was pure white and looked like something you would get at a pet store. We are pretty sure that a girl down the street has snakes for pets (gross, I know) but we assume that Mickey was a pet or food for a pet. I figured that since he made it into my house once, he could do it again and you can bet your boots I was not going to take that chance!

Mickey had a proper burial in our side yard and is now resting peacefully.

RIP Mickey Mouse 1-10-2010

Matchy Matchy

2010-01-10T14:36:00.003-05:00

If you are new to my blog and are appalled by the fact that my header and background don't match, please come back sometime tomorrow....my dear husband is working on making me a new header :-)

UPDATE: Please notice my new, custom header created by my wonderful husband! Thanks babe!

Our Trip in Pictures

2010-01-09T18:25:00.005-05:00

Here is a picture-full post of the rest of our time in Ohio. We spent the week playing games, taking naps, giving baths, cooking, playing in the snow, eating, changing diapers and doing breathing treatments! We had a wonderful time!

Show Us Your Life - New Year Resolutions

2010-01-07T21:06:00.005-05:00

It's the start of a new year and Kelly's Korner is helping us share our resolutions!

#1. Read to my boys from their new Bible daily. We asked for it for Christmas because I want the boys to learn the stories and get as excited about reading their Bible as they do about reading Itsy Bitsy Spider!

#2. Entertain more - I have been making excuses for far too long about why we don't invite people over. I say things like, "our kitchen is too small, the boys make it hard to talk, I'll do it when we get a bigger house..." But I believe that God has called me to use what He has already equipped me with to serve Him.

#3. Continue in an exercise routine. At the end of November I started using the 30 Day Shred. I had gotten to a point where I was disgusted with the way I felt about myself, but also knew that no one could change that but me! I have felt great since starting and am going to be diligent to continue!

#4. Randomly bless others - Last year my family and I were blessed by people who brought meals, wrote us notes, gave us gift cards to the grocery store; I realized how a small blessing could make your whole day. I want to bless other people by offering to babysit so they can have a date, take dinner so they don't have to cook, or just write an encouraging note to tell them they are loved and appreciated.

#5. Get away for a night with my husband - I just want to give my husband some undivided attention that every marriage needs!

#6. Create and organized prayer system - Sometimes I get very overwhelmed by prayer requests because I feel like I need to pray for every prayer request every day. I need to come up with some sort of written, organized prayer system so I can pray more effectively!

#7. Add some new dinners to my menus - I feel like I rotate the same 8-10 meals every 2 weeks. I get bored of cooking the same things and I am pretty sure that Spencer gets bored eating the same things! I need to spice things up!

#8. Master coupon clipping/smart shopping - let me start by saying that I don't really WANT to do this....but I know I SHOULD. Spencer works hard to provide and I should do my part to stretch what he provides for us!

#9. Contentment & appreciation - I have come to realize that we are never promised a tomorrow, another baby or a picture perfect life and so I want to be content where I am, appreciate my many blessings and praise God no matter what comes my way!

#10. Get a new blog layout - I have been asking Spencer to make me a new background, so I hope to have one before too long!

Have a blessed 2010!

Christmas Happenings

2010-01-07T09:23:00.004-05:00

Is it too late for a Christmas Post? No? Ok, good!

On the 22nd we celebrated Christmas with Spencer's family in Florida. We had the annual fondue dinner, fondue is probably one of my favorite traditions with Spencer's family. Then we exchanged gifts. Poor Andrew was so tired and not feeling himself that day, so Taylor did most of his unwrapping for him! Spencer got a white backdrop that he has been wanting for taking pictures, the boys got lots of toys, we got a new suitcase and I got a giftcard to MAC!

On Christmas Eve we woke up at 3:45 am and headed to the airport to fly to Ohio. We made it there by 9:00 and had the whole day to spend with family. That evening we went to my Aunt's house and had Christmas with all of my Mom's family. Andrew loved playing with my Aunt's dog, Ollie. He followed him around all night giving him toys and kisses! I think that my vow to never ever ever ever get a dog might just have to be broken someday!

We stayed with my sister and her family for the week so we woke up Christmas morning and had gifts from Santa with her family and my brothers. Wait, let me rephrase that, my children woke up around 7:15, had breakfast and then around 8:30 we decided to wake Joel and Caroline up to open gifts because they were still sawing logs! Haha!

I think the highlight gift of the day was Spencer's big gift. He got a new lens for his camera from my Dad and myself that he was not expecting at all. I wish I had taken a picture of him opening it! I got a Vera Bradley wallet and the first (and only) season of Kings on dvd.

We ended the night with an early bedtime for the kids while the adults played Things. It is a hilarious game that I would highly recommend, but only if you are playing with people that aren't too serious! We had a wonderful Christmas!

The Year in Review

2010-01-06T09:02:00.007-05:00

For me and many of those close to me 2009 was a year of heartbreak, lost loved ones, babies that we never got to hold, lost jobs, financial distress, lost homes and grim diagnosis. But there were also moments of great joy, the cry of a new baby, graduation parties, baby's firsts', new brothers and sisters in Christ and celebrating lives that were well-lived and rewarded with an eternity with our Creator.

I want to take this time to look back at 2009 so I can set goals and move forward in 2010.

January - We were blessed to have my Mom, sister, nephew and niece come and visit for a week. We had a very crowded house, but made special memories! The one funny thing that stands out in my mind was when Emily and I decided it would be a good idea to take a trip to the Brandon Mall. We have always been get up and go people, especially when it comes to shopping :-) Mom was too weak to walk but was willing to ride in a wheelchair, so off we went. Emily pushed Mom in her wheelchair, and I pushed Joel and Andrew in a double stroller, carried Caroline in a chest carrier and was 7 months pregnant! I wish we had a picture, because I am sure we were quite a sight!

February - We found out that my Mom's brain tumor did not respond to chemo or radiation and we discontinued treatment and she became a Hospice patient. I had my first contractions with Joshua and we spent days at the beach with cousins!

March - I celebrated my 23rd birthday, we celebrated Andrew's first year of life, we celebrated what would be my Mom's last birthday and we welcomed a 7lb 1oz Joshua Stephen into our family! Spencer's Grandma Blunden went to be with the Lord.

April - My Mom, brothers and grandparents came to Florida and we had Andrew's first birthday party. Spencer celebrated the big 30. We went to Andrew's second and Joshua's first parade.

May - The boys and I spent most of this month in Ohio. Andrew started walking this month, and My mom was placed in a hospital bed at my Grandparent's house because she could no longer walk. We were all able to attend Matthew's last and Nicholas' first Cabaret with FFE. Matthew graduated from Findlay High School, we were all there to watch and also had a big ol' party to celebrate!

June - Spencer and I celebrated 3 years of marriage! We painted in the inside of our garage and tried to stay cool! Spencer broke his pinky finger while playing kickball and had to have full-blown surgery to get it fixed.

July - Joshua and I went to Ohio to visit and help with my Mom and we watched the fireworks in my Grandparents back yard just like I did every single year growing up. Andrew got spoiled staying with Grandmom for the week while I was away!

August - Jay, Em, Joel, Caroline, Matthew and Nicholas all came for a visit. Joshua was dedicated to the Lord. We hosted a baby shower for my cousin and welcomed her new daughter, Ava Lynne into our family. I returned to Ohio with Joshua to help with my Mom.

September - I started my blog! This was also my first attempt at my own garage sale that failed miserably!

October - At the beginning of the month I travelled with my Mother-in-law and the boys to Indiana to visit my sister-in-law. We had a wonderful visit with cousins, aunts and experiencing a true Fall! We went from Indiana to Ohio and were able to be with my Mom. On October 16 my Mom went to be with the Lord. We celebrated her life on earth and found peace knowing she was with the Lord. We had a birthday party for my sweet niece, Caroline Grace who turned 1 year old and got to dress up for Halloween at the Zoo with our cousins, Isaac, Joel and Caroline.

November - Spencer and I went to Gainesville to see Tim Tebow play in his last home game where the Gators beat the Seminoles! We also celebrated Thanksgiving in Florida followed by our annual outdoor Christmas movie.

December - Spencer had follow-up surgery to have the plates and screws in his pinky removed. I shopped for and made some Christmas gifts. We attended Christmas parties. Travelled to Ohio and spent a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas day with my family. We thanked God for the highs and lows of the past year and welcomed 2010 with sparkling grape juice!

For some 2009 was a year of abundant blessings, for some it was filled with sorrow and pain, for me it was both. But I know that through it all God was and is sovereign and I hope that my life was a testimony of my faith in Him. May God bless you and your families in 2010!

Just for Fun

2010-01-05T14:20:00.004-05:00

Today I am joining Brit for Tuesday's ten! Today is a list of your top ten pet peeves.

1. Dark roots ~ I love having blonde hair, but it is a lot of work to keep it up! I am thinking of getting back to my roots a little bit with the start of the New Year.

2. Snotty noses ~ I love my boys, but I hate when they have runny noses!

3. When movies don't end the way I want ~ I hate when I watch a love story and wait til the very end to see the couple get together and then BAM the movie is over!

4. Meanness ~ I hate seeing people who are mean to others in order to lift themselves up.

5. Clutter ~ I can be a little crazy when it comes to cleaning (Spencer would second that!) But I can only live in clutter for so long before I go crazy cleaning like the Tazmanian Devil!

6. People who smoke around children ~ I don't like smoking at all, but when I see someone smoking around a child/baby/pregnant woman I about go crazy!

7. Baby bangs ~ I am sporting one serious hairline of baby bangs right now and I can not wait for them to grow out!

8. One uppers ~ you know when you are telling a story and someone always has to "one up you" with a story of their own, yea, that's annoying!

9. Improper English ~ don't get me wrong, I am in no way a perfect when it comes to grammar, but I think people should know how to use their, there, they're, you're, your, to, two and too!

10. Barely used diapers ~ if you've ever had a newborn you know what I mean! You change a diaper and 2 seconds later they've messed the one you just put them in!

Go on over to Dave and Brit plus One to add YOUR own list :-)

We did it!

2010-01-04T22:41:00.004-05:00

We did in fact make it to Ohio, have a white Christmas and make it safely back! I have so many things to share, but am not yet organized enough to do so!

We had a wonderful week with our Ohio cousins, aunts and uncles. Santa even knew to come to Joel and Caroline's house to find the boys :-)

Today is a very important day because my sweet nephew turned 3 years old! I never knew how much I would love being an aunt, but I just love this boy so much. We have such a fun relationship and it melts my heart when he tells his mommy "I'm gonna to go see Indsey in Fiorda," as he's packing his Buzz Lightyear backpack! I love you Joel Dewey and I am thankful for your life!

I'll be home for Christmas!

2009-12-20T07:28:00.004-05:00

We are getting ready to head to Ohio next week for Christmas with my family! The boys heard we're supposed to have a white Christmas, but they're not really sure what that means, hopefully they'll both get to see their first snow instead of just rain!

Psalm 13

2009-12-17T09:06:00.004-05:00

Psalm 13:1-6 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemies will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

I was reading this scripture yesterday and I thought of my Mom. I think this was her prayer. When mom received her diagnosis just over a year ago she had been traveling a difficult road for 8 years and she was weary. She went from being a homemaker, mother and wife to being forced into making a living for her children and trying to get an education so she would be able to support herself once her children were grown.

Over those 8 years there were moments of great blessings for my Mom. My sister and I both got married, we both had our first children, my brothers were involved in a show choir that she absolutely loved. But, I think that those moments were clouded by her circumstances. She was busy with school and that took time away from doing some of the things she wished she could with her children. She didn't have the means to provide for weddings, or to make trips to visit as much as she wished she could. Many times she would feel inadequate in her school work and she would say to me "Satan really has ahold of me right now."

Even in times when my Mom was discouraged, weary, weak and sad she was able to give thanks to the Lord. She clung to Him for hope. She knew that He would not forsake her and she continued to give to others that were in need and pray for those who were weak and weary.

The thing that really stayed with me from this scripture is the hope it gives. God promises us unfailing love (verse 5) has has given us the gift of salvation (verse 5), and no matter what he is good to us (verse 6).

There are people in life that you meet and you hear their story and think, "Can't they get a break? They have dealt with so much" and there are those people that seem to be overtaken by evil time and time and time again. Life on this earth is so far from perfect, we are plagued by divorce, illness, poverty, dishonesty, heartbreak and fear. But if we trust in the Lord, just as my Mom did, we are sure to receive our prize. God's promises are real, and at the end of our journey's on this earth our suffering and heartache will be gone forever if we have placed our faith in the Lord!

Psalm 14:7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come our of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

My how things have changed!

2009-12-15T21:14:00.005-05:00

Christmas 2006 - Our first year as a married couple

Christmas 2007 - Our second year of marriage, baby #1 on the way

Christmas 2008 - Our third Christmas together, a sweet boy in our arms and another one on the way

Christmas 2009 - Four Christmas' together and two beautiful boys added to the picture

I am thankful for God's many blessings, the gift of our two beautiful boys and the gift of His son!

Sugar, Sugar

2009-12-14T21:47:00.003-05:00

Last week my in-laws hosted a Christmas party for the pastoral staff at our church and my mother-in-law made a Blue Cheese Chop Salad like the one at Outback. One of the ingredients is candied pecans and oh my were they so good! So I decided to make some to snack on.

You'll need

1 egg white

1 T water

2 bags pecan halves (16 oz)

1 C white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat the eggs and water until fluffy

Mix together the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Coat pecans in the egg mixture

Toss in sugar until coated

Grease a cookie sheet and spread pecans into a single layer. Bake at 250 for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat my weight in candied pecans!

*I actually didn't use all the sugar mixture, so use as much or as little as you like!

Good Cents?

2009-12-12T08:10:00.003-05:00

Yesterday both boys ran out of diapers at the same time. I really don't like having to re-stock both sizes of diapers at once. I guess I think that if I do it at different times it costs less :-) Andrew has always worn Huggies and Joshua wears Luvs. I just like the way each brand fits each boy. But yesterday I decided that I should try a store brand instead. When Andrew was a baby I tried the Walmart brand, they were so bad I don't think I even finished the package! But I have heard good things about the Target brand. So off we went to Target, I had even written down how much I pay per diaper of the other brands so I could compare and see if the savings was even worth it.

Well I did the math before I bought them and the name brand diapers cost $0.24 per diaper and the Up and Up's cost $0.17 per diaper, so on one box of diapers I would save $6. I thought that was a pretty good savings. So back home we went with our new diapers.

I get home, open the package and pull out a stack of each diaper for each boy. For those of you who have not diapered a baby in a long time most diapers have a number on them somewhere to indicate the size. Well...these don't. Not only do they not have a number, but they are the exact same pattern, blue and green polka dots.

So this is how we fixed the problem

I have yet to come to a conclusion on the quality of the diapers, like if they hold pee pee and poopy! But I do know, that if I am going to insist on saving some pennies, then I will be spending lots of time numbering diapers myself. Or maybe I will just call Target and ask them to fix the problem!

Check, check, check

2009-12-10T23:03:00.005-05:00

As I look at my calendar I have realized that in two weeks we will be in Ohio for Christmas! Wow! With that said, I am trying very hard to get ahead so that I can just enjoy family time over the next few weeks. I do have a lot of my shopping done, today I ordered my final online gifts and purchased my last stocking gift. I ordered, picked up, addressed and stamped all of our Christmas cards. I also put the finishing touches on the Christmas shirts for my family. I love days when I get stuff checked off my lists....but getting some things done means neglecting other things....like my kitchen....

But it was worth it to get these done...

and these....

Don't worry though, dinner managed to get made, eaten, the kitchen cleaned and the floor mopped. Needless to say...I'm off to bed!

Florida vs FSU

2009-12-01T22:02:00.005-05:00

Saturday, November 29 Spencer and I had the opportunity to join 90,905 other fans at The Swamp for Tim Tebow's last home game. It was so much fun! We played in-state rivals, Florida State, and I am glad to say that we beat them 37-10!

The whole drive up and the whole time we were there, I just kept thinking how exciting game day is. Thinking of all the fans with all their team gear, tailgate equipment and fans trying to get last minute tickets...there's just something really electrifying about being in the stadium cheering on your team.

If you look close you will see Tim Tebow taking the field for the last time at his home stadium.

I don't think I can say enough about Tim Tebow and what an awesome example we think he is for young people, his teammates and all Florida fans. He has such integrity and character. He gives God the glory for his success and uses his popularity as a platform to share his faith.

Tebow is known for his eyeblack and many fans sported some in honor of his last game. Our whole group jumped on the bandwagon! We were able to enjoy the game with some wonderful company, Spencer's brother, Travis and his g/f Claire (next to us) as well as Spencer's awesome cousin Sarah and her hubby Kevin! (below us)

I know that there has been some controversy over the scriptures that Tebow writes on his eyeblack every week, but I think it is an awesome way for him to share his faith and get people into the Word. On January 8, 2009, for the National Championship Game, he wrote John 3:16, which reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." That day there were 94 million searches on Google for John 3:16.....94 MILLION!!! It was the number one search on Google that day. I don't know about you, but that is what I call spreading the good news! This website lists all of the scriptures that he has used so far this season.

We were so thankful to Spencer's parents for keeping our boys so we could get away for the whole day and to Travis and Claire for getting us awesome tickets to a great game!

"I said it's great...to be....a Florida Gator!"

Thankful

2009-11-25T15:22:00.003-05:00

I am so blessed. I couldn't even begin to list everything and everyone I have to be thankful for. The Lord has blessed me greatly and I am so very thankful!

Monday Night Basketball

2009-11-23T19:33:00.004-05:00

After dinner and bath time the boys played a little "baket ba".

A team photo

Joshua was too busy climbing Mommy to participate in the team photo

Happy Monday!

The way to their hearts

2009-11-23T19:27:00.002-05:00

My boys love their food. There's nothing like a little snack after a Sunday afternoon nap. Joshua even got in on the action!

Missing Mom

2009-11-16T22:23:00.003-05:00

Today marks the one month anniversary since my Mom went to be with the Lord. I have had her on my heart a lot lately. This week Spencer and his dad are out of town on business so I decided to stay with my mother-in-law so we could keep each other company. Whenever my mom came to visit after we had the boys she would stay at my in-laws. This week I am staying in the room that she always stayed in. She loved coming to Florida and staying at the Blunden's, she always said that she got the best sleep in this bed. I was thinking back to the last time she was here. It was April of this year, I had just had Joshua. One night I was with her in her room helping her get ready for bed and she just sat there and told me how embarrassed she was of the scar on her head and how she missed her hair. I still remember how she looked and how she smelled.

Two nights last week I had the same dream twice. I was in the church lobby and I turned around and my mom was there. I was like she was just there visiting like she used to. She looked so beautiful, she had hair, she was all dressed like she used to dress and she was just glowing. I ran to her and hugged her....and you know what I could really feel her hug. It was like God was letting me feel her again in my dream. Of course I woke up very emotional, but now I think it wasn't meant to be sad or scary...just a sweet hug from my mom. Feeling her arms around me and smelling her perfume. Just like she used to be.

Sunday morning at church we had the most amazing time of worship. I love love love worship on Sunday mornings, I just love singing praises to the Lord. The one thing I kept wondering was what Mom must be experiencing. She is spending her days singing praises in the presence of the King. How awesome. I miss her like crazy....but my sorrow will only last for the night....joy comes in the morning!

The end of a chapter

2009-11-04T20:18:00.004-05:00

Tonight is a monumental night in the Blunden household. Spencer and I were playing with the boys on our bed and I got a side view of Andrew's teeth. I thought to myself "He's getting little buck teeth." So I looked at Spencer and asked, "should we pitch the binky tonight?"

Now don't get me wrong, it is not strictly for vanity that I thought he should lose the bink. Although good dental genes are not in his favor.

About 4 months ago I decided that I was going to wean Andrew from his binky. So for about 2 days I took it away at naps. He cried, and he cried and he cried some more. Then at bedtime I would give him the binky. I guess I thought I could break him from it at naps and then once he got used to that I would take it away at bedtime....brilliant, I know. Well after a few days I realized that I needed to be consistent one way or another....so I gave in and just let him have the thing back.

Andrew is by no means a "binky addict." Since he was 8 months old he has only used it at night and naptime. With that being said, I had the best intentions to break him of it before now. But then we were out of town, he was cutting molars, blah blah blah. I kept finding reasons to not take it away. When I decided to break him of his binky habit I wanted to make sure that we were going to be home, in a familiar surrounding and give him plenty of other "constants" so that when we took one away, he wouldn't completely fall apart.

Well tonight Daddy took Andrew into his room, he got his binky out of his crib and Daddy walked him into the kitchen and told him it was time to say "bye bye" to the binky. (Andrew says "bye bye" to everyone and everything when it is time to leave someone or something.) Andrew placed it in the trash, waved to it, walked to his room, we said prayers and laid him in his bed.

First I heard him talking. Then I heard him whimpering. Then came the coughing, the gasping for breath, the "MOMMY!!!! DADDY!" We took him a drink of water, prayed for Jesus to comfort him and laid him back down. We did this twice. I am glad to say that we put him to bed at 8:00 and it is now 8:31 and completely silent.

I told Spencer, "I didn't think about him having his last nap with his binky. But we can't make him stay a baby forever." The way I look at it, I could let him have it for another six months....a year, two years....but it would only be harder for him to give it up, so in the long run I am doing him a favor....right? :-)

All you need is love

2009-11-03T16:25:00.003-05:00

Today I am praying for my boys....that they will be each others' best friend! I love when I go in to get Andrew up from his nap and he pats his bed asking me to put Joshua in with him so he can play. I love when we say night-time prayers and Andrew puts his arm around Joshua's shoulders. Andrew is the big brother I prayed he would be and Joshua is his #1 fan!

*Please note, things around here are not always peaches and cream. I do not want to come across as being "so perfect" Yes, there are times that Andrew would rather not share his toys with Joshua or give him hugs and kisses. But that is why I pray for them, because I know that only God can make us all better sons/daughters/parents/children. I know how much my Mom prayed for me and I am doing my best to remember to pray for my children!

One of those days

2009-11-02T21:29:00.004-05:00

Today was one of those days that everyone said I would have. Since my Mom passed away I have been doing well, I haven't moped around crying all the time or anything like that. But today was just a bad day. I think the best way to describe how I have been feeling is....lonely. Really lonely.

I love staying home with my boys, but most days that means that I in fact....stay home. All day. With zero adult interaction. I used to talk to my Mom every single day. There was never a day that went by when we didn't talk. She cared about every little detail of my life and of my baby's life (Andrew was the only one around before she got sick.) If he did something silly or funny or if he accomplished something new I knew I could call her and she would care, think it was cute or celebrate with me. I don't have that anymore. My Mom was my best friend.

If you are a young woman reading this then you can likely relate. I hear many people talk about having a new baby and how their mom's come to stay with them for weeks and help them out. Or how people have mothers that live close that baby-sit so they can get away with their husbands. I know everyone has unique circumstances, but if you have a mom that is close or just a phone call away, make sure to tell her how much you love and appreciate her.

Today has been rough, but I am sure that tomorrow will be better. Someday down the road I am sure I will have another one of these "funky" days. For now I will just pray that the Lord will comfort me and maybe bring some people into my life, into my sister's life, into my brother's lives to make the "everyday stuff" not so lonely.