Gotta love my girl

Lindsey sometimes just cracks me up. Today, I was enjoying my morning (by staying in bed under the covers) because it was absolutely freezing in my house. I was really enjoying the nice toasty covers. I hear the door open and Lindsey pops open and says "Mommy, how is your day so far?" Wow, I thought, what a way to start off the day. I usually start my day off by thinking of myself. Here my five year old is thinking first thing of me. I love that girl,even if it is only 7 a.m.

Thank you Lord for using my little girl to gently remind me that it's not about me today. Thank you for all those that have been such a blessing to me this week. I am so thankful. "I thank my God everytime I remember you"- Philippians 1:3

The Lord's Prayer according to Lindsey

Right now in our house, Lindsey is learning The Lord's Prayer- Matthew 6:9-13. I really try not to set a specific time for memory verse, we just do it in the car, or whenever we feel like it. She also is going over this at school with Mrs. Hanson. So, today Lindsey told me in her ever proud voice that she was one of two kids that know the first half. So in a way she was bragging that she knows it already and the others don't. So I tell Lindsey it doesn't matter what others do, focus on what you do. She listens, I think. In her mind she is doing good because the first half isn't due till next Friday.

We then start to recite the part she knows, here is her rendition of it,
"Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed..ed be My name."
At that point I stop her and say something like this "No, it's thy name and tell her it is not Lindsey by using (my), but God." She listens. So starts over again "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed..ed by My name."
I just look at her and tell her it's "thy" and she continues " Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread."

I am now one proud mom thinking Oh that is so great Lindsey. I sometimes can be the drama queen and get super excited.. I actually controlled myself and just gave out a big bear hug and kiss.

So then she goes to her room and I hear her talking, to herself or maybe her build-a-bears. She is repeating her memory verse and then she actually knows the next line. Keep in mind we haven't really reviewed it, so she probably learned it from the teacher. As she cheerfully said her next line I listened with such surprise, not knowing what was coming of course. In her cute, serious voice she repeats " And forgive us this day our daily yucky."

All I could think of was, yeah go girl you are so right. I love how the Lord uses that beautiful little cherub to teach me some good insights on the Word. So all today I have pondered that moment. I call it my " Mary Moment", I love those moments.. it's like God rewarding you for all the hard work you did in labor or just in raising the little people. I will most often think about that every time The Lord's Prayer is said. What a great reminder that we need to confess all that junk in our hearts, or minds and get rid of it and give it to the One who wants to remove it as far as the east is from the west.
Have you confessed your "daily yucky"?

Can books be like people

I love to read children's books, in fact I have collected them since before well.... I think I was in college. Yikes that's like umph teen years ago, well it all started with seeing the pretty covers in the hard covers.I do not like those flimsy little paperback cheapo books, but the nice good smelling hard covers with the nice protector thing on it. Anyways, I have had a love of children's books for awhile as stated and then once I joined the Mom club that gave me exclusive benefits to buy books for my kids (secretly for me too).

I rationalized it if it were pricey though because I did go to school to be a teacher so I'm sure I could use that in my classroom someday. Excuse, excuse, whatever makes you not feel guilty. Then it hit me, my children love books, it doesn't matter if they are the most popular book, the best looking book, flimsy paperback book, boardbook, itty bitty book, or even our favorite bath books, they just want to read them, not smell them as I did. Can't help but think there is a lesson in all of this.... In 1 Samuel 16:7 We see that "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at", Phew that is good as I really liked those cutsie put together books they sell at barnes n noble.. even if they weren't a quality book, they looked good from the outside, so in my head it's gotta be a good thing right? Wrong, I may be going a little deep here but I really think I have in the past I used my book mentality with people. You know trying to make friendships work with the people who look like they have it all together on the outside, yet may be a shallow and insecure on the inside.

Thank goodness the verse in goes on to say in 16:3, "Man" That's me here. "looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart". I love the word but here. We do this but God does this.. when it comes down to it .. we are not God. But when we see people through God's eyes, we are not focusing on all the outward junk in their life, just that they are a child of God and they too deserve to be loved. I know when I really see friends, acquaintances for who they really are, it changes everything. I then see clearly they don't have to be the perfect little Caldecott book with the clean glossy cover on it and I too can don't have to feel pressure to be that perfect person too.

As a young mother of two, I have learned that I love the flimsy little books, in fact they are now my favorite because we read them, we actually use them and we can mark them up and not worry because of the price tag or the pedestal I have put on it. In my world these books have sadly been people for me over the years, but with God's help I have a whole collection of books and people to love and adore. I like the balance of it all, and maybe another bookshelf!

It's Smore Time

Lindsey loving her smore she made

The neighbor girls coming over to have some yummy snacks too!


Thanks for this wonderful pic!


The Family posing around the fire, I was pretty proud we got it started, the wood was kinda wet. It worked out well as the kids were so excited to make them.

Drew stay back buddie!

Drew didn't like the smores, he just wanted the graham cracker

All smiles from these girls... this was Lindsey's 2nd one

I love how daddy captured Drew's cuteness in this picture. He is quite the charmer when he wants to be. He loves seeing himself now in the digital camera. In fact, his new thing now is to take pictures of his toys and then look at them on the camera.

Painting with Yogurt!

I am trying something new here Mommy.

I gave Drew 2 bowls of yogurt, one pink and blue.. the only kind I had, I told him to start to paint and he didn't know what to do because I told him he could eat it. I think he found it strange that it tasted good and yet I told him to paint with it!

Now I am painting with a chubby little brush, I love it!


"Yeah I did it"- Drew

I know now every time I give the kids yogurts, Drew will want a bowl to put it in! It was fun to do some fun things with him.. i think I was on a roll today as we had Kindermusic also at our house. Lindsey and I took a class once when she was little and I remember all the fun stuff they taught us, so today we got out all the music instruments and the kindermusic CD and played. I like this day.. it was productive and fun.

Wednesday making a big cookie

On Wednesdays I watch the Ralph kids, Here is my Lindsey licking the cookie dough off her fingers. Brandon is carefully putting M&M's on the big cookie!

All four kids on 2 chairs.. the little ones want to see what the big kids are doing
Felicia justs wants to be a cutie to the camera

I like this one... Lindsey is looking at the cookie and is proud and Brandon is still working. Too bad they didn't get to enjoy the cookie.. we made it for Kids Rock at church. Next time kiddos!

Doing dishes in style

I want to be like mommy and wear pretty gloves to wash dishes


Water is fun, and even more fun with bubbles

Okay I just love this cheesy, chubby little grin
Gotta love a boy who is in touch with his femine side!

Cy/Hawk party 2008

Tammy and Tara

Tammy, Me, Heather

Mark and Mom

Tara and Heather on the dance floor awaiting the band

This is the band my father-in-law hired out of Des Moines for his party at his house
we had around 200 people at this party.. my father-in-law is quite the entertainer. He planned this party 1 year ago, the celebration was just because... well once a year in the state of Iowa the two rivals play each other.. Hawks and cyclones. Our family is for the hawks.. I just married into this.. I wasn't a fan before. Anyways, Roger (my father- in-law) built a patio for the band but due to all the crazy weather rain... like 72 hrs straight, we had to have the band in his garage. We had fun listening to them, I had fun watching people. We had great food and fun with family and friends. I wasn't the big fan of the port a potties he had outside his house. One was for the hawk fans and the other for the cyclones fans. The only way u could use the indoor plumbing was if you were over 60 or expecting. I pretended to be pregnant so I could use the indoor bathroom, plus i am family. Roger always seems to have some type of party or planning some type of an event. I am hoping he will plan girlz nite out again 2009! If you missed the 6 course dinner this year.. you won't miss it if he does it again. I know I have had my doctor ask if she could come because she heard it was divine.

Drew u are 2 big!

Drew loves to climb in the chair and watch Thomas

I love this one.. it captures what i get to see everyday... orneriness.

What a great week this has been, I really have had a great week. I've seen and feel like I have done a lot. I started a journal this week, not online but old fashioned binder. I'm already excited to see where this new journey for me is going to go. It's going to be an adventure and I am ready. I am learning and growing and it's only been since Monday.
I started something else this week also... swimming again. Okay, so i overdid it for my first time back in the pool since well the Olympics, even then i was just watching the pool. I am loving lap swim, they have these organized workouts that would take you all day if u complete the entire sheet. I've decided change is good. The only negative about lap swim is i leave the pool and for the rest of the day i have these circles around my eyes from my goggles.

Interview with myself

Okay I think I am the only person who has strange thoughts/ daydreams..
Well, today as Drew was napping I was preparing myself for an interview, not a real job, not one that i applied for, or even a job I can do right now. I was sitting at a table trying to answer the first question these made up people gave me.. the question was " Tell me about yourself", I really stumbled through the question as so much of my life right now is my children, my faith and church and what i like to do. Anyways, It was kinda scary to think about that. I guess a better judge for my made up interviewers would be some of my closest friends. What would they say about me or what my passions are.
Anyways.. I really am normal. I think.

Feed the Geese Day!

This one looks like it's about to hiss at me

Drew loves to feed the Ducks

Drew and I decided to go down by Mississippi and chase them..

After preschool, I got roped into feeding the ducks. I casually told drew before his 2 year old class that we may go feed the ducks. He has a great memory already, he remembered when i picked him up from school. I asked him after school (which is one day a week for 2 hrs)if he wanted to go home and eat, that's when his sharp memory kicked in. "Duck food" he remembered and said we had to get duck food... so we went to Walgreen's and bought cookies for the ducks. This was his first experience outside of the van, usually he only feeds them from his car seat. How fun it was.. we then had fun chasing them back to the river.

Red Day!

Red Day Fun!

Savannah, Lindsey, Jasmine

Red Day was Tuesday this week. Lindsey wore her Red Hot Shirt from the daddy daughter dance. Lindsey brought mini red fruit roll ups to share with the class, her favorite red book Fox in Socks Doctor Seuss, and of course her build-a- bear with a red fancy dress on!

Soccer Mom

Okay I am a soccer Mom again this Fall, I'm no Sara Palin but I do try to be a good little family manager. Lindsey started soccer today in Hamilton, Illinois. We had the choice to go to daddy's game or go to soccer practice and DQ afterwards. Which to u think my kids picked.

So we picked soccer and DQ of course. We found 2 free coupons from Lindsey's birthday for the ice cream so that worked out perfect. I feel kinda bad not going to the game but drew has an ear infection and you know what it's sometimes just not fun doing the whole taking kids everywhere and making sure they don't get taken, hurt, oh they have to have snacks, drinks and make sure you go to the potty or change diapers all by myself mode. That is why I elected to not stress myself out with going everywhere and doing it all by going to the high school football game.

Ah I feel better.. thank you blog for allowing me to mom vent.

Trying to pose a 2 Year old

Drew was so exited to watch a backhoe move dirt


Okay stay still so mommy can take your picture


My little guy really is funny


I told drew to go play in the flowers and he loved it!



Drew and I love to go down to the riverfront and feed the ducks.. today we feed them but I didn't take any pictures because those geese are mean, they hiss at you. So we feed them with the van doors open, then went to the bridge and played and I took pictures here!

I am ready for what's next

Okay I am so ready for Fall. I want to make chili that is spicy and go to the pumpkin patch and all the fun Fall festivities. I look forward to the cool weather.. jeans, sweatshirts and letting the kids run and jump in leaves. Although, I think my whole life I'm looking forward to what's next.
Let me expand on that thought.. we do that at dinner. Let's just say you go to friends house for a dinner ( no pressure heather). Well, you eat your dinner and you always look forward to what's next that you saved you fork for. Well of course, it's dessert. Life is kinda like that for me right now, yet I don't want it to just pass me by either.
What's next for us right now is Lindsey in Kindergarten, getting in a routine and realizing you can't go back to the long days at home or preschool. I always like to reminisce on the past, yet look forward to the future.

I'm not as bad as my husband, Chad. He always loves to get together with his classmates and talk about the class of 89' (ouch chad) and how they won state champs in 88 in baseball. It's funny because they make no memories presently together..they only have their past. That brings me to my favorite quote by Rick Warren " your past does not determine your future" In his book Purpose Driven Life, he really makes that clear that you are not a product of your past. How refreshing!
I don't know why it's hard for me to say by to Summer and Fall. I love to say bye to Winter and Spring. I think it's fun to look forward to fun things, that's kinda what God intends for us. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"- 2Peter 3:18
Change in my view is usually growth in some area of my life, it's not always fun, their is sometimes a pruning of the branches to remove some bad growth or the refining process in the hot fire.

I am trying.. day by day looking for guidance and looking forward to what's next.

Labor Day Weekend Fun!

We Went to the chief football game Friday with Emma and the Campbell Crew

Here are my kids sitting still for a brief moment at the game. I love untraditional pics!

We are at the Labor Day parade.. waiting for candy.. Drew is eating goldfish

Morgan, Lindsey, Drew, Emma & Colin had lots of fun at the parade and I think Morgans mom and my mom had fun getting candy with the kids more than the kids did!

Well it was way hot at the parade, thankyou for Wal-mart for handing out pop... it was cold and yummy and free!

We had such a busy weekend, with Chad's game Friday, I can actually take two kids to the game that walk and handle it. Last year Mr. Drew was not real mobile yet, he would just sit and not really move, not because he couldn't walk it's just he wasn't really curious about the whole stands, and that you could move about. This year is different, and once again I am trying to keep my sanity.. I am crazy. Saturday we went to friends for dinner, Sunday Church and Lindsey and I went camping in my mom's camper. That is if you call it camping, we only watched a barbie movie in it and went to sleep, we did roast marshmallows and made a smore. Lindsey was so funny as she first wanted to eat something healthy before the junk... so we went to hy-vee and bought some peaches and nectarines and had one they a smore. Her dad was proud! That takes us to Monday... parade, cookout and swimming at grandma and pa's. I know there are about 100 other things I could elaborate on but I am the queen of run on sentences and going on and on. So for now I will say goodbye!