An afternoon of playing in the dirt!

This was Dada on her way into school this morning. I thought it was pretty cute. She looked like a little mother today. I love the necklace and her little purse.

I'm glad that I took the time to dig for my camera today. I love this picture!!
Beth and I were able to work a little in the garden today. We wanted to get some cool season veggies in. I know, I know, we should have done this a couple weeks ago, what can I tell yah, we are busy!! :) We met at a local green house, and picked out the perfect seeds! We got sugar snap peas and green leaf lettuce. We also bought broccoli plants, and some onion bulbs. We only had the 3 younger ones since school is still in session.

We got most of the tilling done today.

We got our peas, lettuce and broccoli planted. I had to wait on Tancy for the onions. She is pretty particular about where she wants things planted! :)


The kids just played while we worked. It was a gorgeous day today!! There is rain in the for cast for this week, so I knew we better take advantage of the day while we had it.

Tancy finally got home from school and approved the progress that we made. Although she did text me on her way home and told me how scared she was about what it would look like......oh ye of little faith!! Look what she found when she got home!! Thankfully this time it wasn't on the end of a pitchfork!

My 1st Pedicure

Sat morning, my friend Heather picked me up so we could go shopping for a baby gift for Emily. On the way to Target, she surprised me by telling me that we had a 3:30 appointment for a pedicure!! Her birthday is on Wed, and Kevin had asked what she wanted for her bday, and she told him all that she wanted was a pedicure, and that she wanted to take me! Can you believe it?!

I have NEVER had a pedicure in my life, so to say that I was totally suprised and elated is an understatement.

I think that my joy comes not only in her thoughtfullness, but more in the fact that I really needed this. This week, I have had a rougher week emotionally.
On our hike on Monday, I took this picture. It was hard for me to look at b/c I felt like I didn't belong in the picture. Like I didn't belong in my family. Not because of anything they have done or said, but because I don't feel like I deserve such a wonderful family. I don't deserve these great kids, and such a wonderful husband. I was feeling fat and very unpretty. I got lost in my own thoughts and my own insecurities.

I can barely put into words what that pedicure meant and did for me. I felt loved and that someone cared for me. They took the time and money, and spent it purposely on me. Hunny knew all about it, Heather had been planning this for a couple weeks. I am overwhelmed. I was brought to tears last night thinking about the day.

There is a song called You are Good, by Point of Grace (playing first on my playlist,) It talks about God being good through many different parts of our lives, the good and the bad. In it there is a line in the song that says......when someone's hand holds me up helps me stand, You are so good.
She did that for me yesterday, she held me up and helped me to stand again.

The amazing thing is that all these thoughts and feelings were unspoken thoughts and feelings. Heather answered a prayer that wasn't even spoken. So Heather, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A night with the Wolfe's

Friday night we were once again able to get together with the Wolf'es. Dada has so been looking forward to this all week, and when she found out that she was even able to spend the night, she was even more elated!! I'm telling you, she could barely contain herself.
After dinner, we went on a walk. It was a little chilly, but it was so nice to take a walk around their beautiful property.

The girls instantly grasped arms and took off down the path. (Sorry this is so blurry, but it's the only 1 I was able to get.)

We walked down to a field where Aaron had gotten his truck stuck. He had gotten the urge to go hunting a couple nights before, not thinking about all the rain we had gotten. While he was pretty upset with himself, Lorrie and I had to walk down through the mud to see how bad it was stuck.

The kids so enjoyed the walk.

On the way back, the girls just looked so cute. They had their arms locked, heads together sharing deep secrets with each other.

We had a lovely evening. We already have plans to get together again in the coming month!

A bouquet of flowers PART 2

Tonight I went to a Pampered Chef party in support of 1 of my friends Micaela. When I got home, this was waiting for me on the counter! One of my favorite flowers is the tulip.

The thought touched my heart, and I am so thankful for her kindness to me.

2 Cor 9:6 immediately came to my mind ~ But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

This verse is coming true in almost every aspect of my life.

Galatians 6:7b ~ for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Prov 18:24a ~ a man that hath friends must shew himself friendly,

I have been blessed with some great friends. Thank you for this kind gesture tonight!! :)

A bouquet of flowers

Yesterday, Elisa was able to come over after school and play with Dada for a while before we left for church.
I went to check on them and I found Dada being the maid. She was scrubbing the table with sandy, dirty water!! :) I really had to fight being upset b/c it was almost time to leave for church and she was playing in dirty water!! Then I saw how cute they looked and I decided to grab my camera instead of yelling. They were just playing after all, they didn't MEAN to be naughty.....right!?!

They each had a bouquet of flowers picked. They also picked grass and had a tablecloth of grass for the picnic table. Again, I had to refrain from yelling, I mean, they were picking MY flowers, out of MY flowers beds!! (Can you see the Lily of the Valley!?! You should smell them!!) They were having such a grand ol' time!! How could I be mad?

Did you ever pick a bouquet of dandelions for your Mother, thinking they were the prettiest things ever?! Thinking that she was the best mother ever, and deserved the most beautiful FLOWER?!?!



It was so cute to see their IMAGINATIONS at work. So many times I have felt like kids these days don't use their imaginations! I feel like they just don't know how to play anymore. So I LoVe to see my kids playing. Even if they are messing up my flowers, and pulling out our grass! At least they are playing and not cooped up in doors watching tv, or playing video games!!


I TOTALLY ADORE this picture. I love the look on Dada's face.



I'm really noticing a difference in their personalities lately. Elisa is definitely more domineering, and Dada just wants to keep the peace.
These girls are so special, I know that I have said it before, but I am so glad that they have each other. I wonder what they will be like when they get older.

A HiKe in the WoOdS

Tonight, Hunny and I took the kids on a hike at a local park. It was a nice day out, and I have just wanted to spend some time outside. It's great jeans and sweatshirt weather here!!

Hunny and Brother walked on ahead of Dada and I. They were laughing and talking about who knows what......Probably Indians!! :)

Dada wanted to wear her trusty cowboy boots. It was really muddy in spots tonight, and she wanted to tromp through the mud, but didn't want to get her pants wet, so she put her pant legs into her boots and off she went!!

There were some beautiful flowers already blooming.

We had to pick some for a bouquet for our table. They are currently sitting in a basket on my table. :)

I absolutely LoVe this picture of Dada. I think it is 1 of my all time favorites.

Brother was more interested in walking with Dad, then getting his picture taken with Mom!!

We walked through the trails, to a different park where there are a ton of horses. The kids were so excited to feed them hay. I think next time we go, we will have to pack some carrots and apples.
The hay barn was open tonight, and the kids wanted to go exploring. As soon as Brother saw the tractors he forgot all about the ceiling high hay stacks.
The horses were so friendly tonight.
Dada was all about the pictures.

Brother and Hunny found a great pine tree to climb. Dada wanted to climb it but I was a chicken and thought she would slip and fall with her cowboy boots on. The tree was huge, and they got quite high before they climbed back down.




We really had a nice time tonight as a family. Hunny and I both commented about how we have to do that again. It was just so nice to go "get lost" in the woods.

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I had some ripe bananas, so when we got home, I threw together some Banana Walnut Bread......my FaVoRiTe!! It is now smelling so good. It is almost done, and I cannot wait to spread some butter on it, eat a slice.


Banana Walnut Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t cinnamon ( I never measure this, I usually just pour it, I like the taste!!)
1 egg
1 c mashed bananas - about 3
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c oil
1/2 c walnuts

Grease bread pan

In med bowl ~ combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and a pinch of salt

In another bowl ~ combine the egg, bananas, sugar and oil.

Combine the banana mixture with the flour mixture till moistened. Fold in nuts.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 min.

Enjoy!!

Selfishness

The Lord is the only one who can change a heart from one of selfishness, to one of generosity. And I found, that the more I let God make my heart gentle and generous, the happier I became, and full of peace. It's entirely an ATTITUDE thing.... I could give STUFF with a stinky attitude all day long, however, it's the heart that counts, as always.
This became "my verse" this weekend: "Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured unto you again." Luke 6:38
And, this one. "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6


This was taken from my internet friend Shanda this afternoon. Something that I fight on a daily basis is selfishness. Withholding my time from my family. It is the 1 thing that Hunny can't stand about me. He wants my time.

While it's a struggle for me to give freely of myself, I know that with God's help, I can change that. When I read this today, it spoke volumes to my soul.