Thankful for Siblings........

Growing up I had sisters and brothers around me all the time.... I remember Christmas's at our house being so packed from all the family and extended family due to marriages and grandkids.....

I have 5 sisters and 2 brothers! :-) So i'm one of 8 siblings! :-) My dad and mom were both married before and had 2 children each from their marriages and then they married each other and had 4 children.

Here are some pics of us all. :-)

Family picture from when I was about 4 or 5 years old.. :-) Kim, Karen, Kelly, Krista, Kassie and Josh.. :-) Then my mom and dad of course!

My oldest 2 siblings Jenny and John

Me and my little brother Joshua (he and I were best buds growing up!)

My wedding. My side of the family group picture.... I managed to find something for every sibling to do in my wedding... how great it was to have all my siblings/nieces/nephews etc... there with me on that special day!

Christmas this year with some of my siblings and 2 of my nieces (ya.. we're a bit crazy!)












My siblings are my best friends... and honestly I think they are the truest friends. They care about you and what your going through even if they are going through something as well. They always see the best in you no matter what, and you can always count on them for encouragment and good advice when needed! Sometimes other friends can get caught up with their own lives, or things that might be coming between you... but siblings are for life! I hope each and every one of my siblings know how much I love them and treasure them!!!!

My Movie Monday.... :-)

Whew! It's still monday.... it may be 10:43 at night but it's still monday and I can post my movie monday! :-) :-)

This one was going around facebook and is absolutely adorable. It shows us how excited we should be to talk to God and how much we should praise him when he answers! I can't help but think as parents how joyful it is when we get to hear our children praising God, but it must be even more joyful for our Heavenly Father to hear.

A children's sermon.....

This was written in early 2009, actually it was my first blog EVER! :-) Yesterdays little incident with Jonathan made me recall Samuel doing something worse when he was a little over 2 years old.... so here is the blog I wrote back then... ENJOY!

A children's sermon.... speaks to me as well..

When a dear friend of mine started her own blog, I thought "what a neat idea".... to be able to write how you are feeling, what you are dealing with and knowing that maybe, just maybe it could inspire or impact someone else's life.

My husband did our children's story at church yesterday and it was such a great message, I thought i'd share it, only from my perspective. You see last week while my older son Joseph was in pre-school, it was just me and my 2 year old Samuel at home. I went into the other room and maybe about 10 minutes later I hear a little knock on the door and a sweet little voice that said "mommy i colored". Immediately my heart started racing as I opened the door and saw this cute little boy covered in something. I still didn't know what, and so I asked him "what did you do"..... he pouted a little now realizing he had done something he wasn't supposed to do. I said "where is it... where is what you used?" He said "in there".

As I walked into our living room I started seeing marks everywhere, on our carpet, the walls, picture frames......and then I saw what was used. An orange Sharpie permanent marker!!! I got upset of course, but then realized this is a child that I love. I chose to forgive him and started trying to think of how to clean up what he had done. Friends of mine told me to try the magic eraser, so off to the store we went. You know what? It worked! On almost everything this little magic eraser started erasing the marks. The point my husband made was that in John 1:9 it says "If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."

The comparison my husband made was just like that "magic eraser" erased my little boys mistakes, God is waiting and willing to forgive us and erase our sins as well. In a way my son Samuel has given me a reminder every day of what God does for me. He forgives me, and not only forgives me, but erases my sin never to be seen again. WOW!

One of those moments I'm trying to enjoy.... :-)

Remember how in yesterdays blog I shared how I clean a million cheerios off the floor.... well Jonathan wanted to keep me true to my word, so this morning I was sitting at the computer and I heard a paper rattle... I turned around to find him with a box of chocolate cheerios.... But before I could even say NOOOOO... it was too late.....

I did clean it up with a smile :-) lol.....

Goodbye Highchair.....

My youngest...Jonathan, soon to be 2 in April has reached a new milestone in our house... moving from the highchair to our family table. I know there are parents out there who have always had the little seats that attach to a chair at the table, but for us we always used the highchair. In fact the highchair we have, all 3 of my boys have used. Well... after the past few weeks of jonathan not only climbing out of the chair but also figuring out how to take the tray off (with food on it!) my husband and I decided it was time to move him to the table. We bought a cute little booster chair that attaches to a normal chair with a working seatbelt (our highchair didn't have a seatbelt anymore) and best part... a tray (should we need it) that he can't get off by himself.

It does make me a little sad though... my baby... isn't a baby anymore... he's growing up. As I put the highchair out in the garage and looked at the big empty space in the kitchen where it used to sit.....it does make you reflect a little bit... I mean pretty soon he'll be moving to a big boy bed.... among other things soon to follow...it really makes me want to stop and enjoy these moments.... although I must say it's hard to enjoy cleaning up yogurt and a million cheerios off the floor every day... :-)

Goodbye highchair!! I'm not sure if we'll see you again or not... only time will tell... ;-)

Fall of 2009 (he was born April of 2009)

February 2010

January 2011 :-)



Now his new seat at the table with us.... (see our lovely playroom behind him, it's supposed to be a living room... maybe someday it will to be!) :-)

We probably won't leave the tray on the seat, but he was so excited he kept trying to put it on there.. :-)

I just said NO!!!! :-)

Today I attended my son's kindergarten wedding of letters "Q" and "U". It was one of the most adorable things I've ever seen... and so creative. They even had cupcakes afterwards with juice for all the wedding attendees and the wedding party.

It really was soooo adorable. As I was watching I could smell the sugar from the cupcakes. I didn't take a picture so here's a picture of a delicious cupcake... I know it's cruel isn't it! :-) I felt like I was on an episode of The Biggest Loser... surrounded by something that is so tempting and something that before you started your weight loss journey you wouldn't have hesitated eating.

I knew it would be tempting afterwards and so I had to set my resolve. Sometimes I'll talk myself into taking a "bite" and then scarfing down the whole thing and then since I gave in, I figure it would be ok to have another one. Today I was able to say NO! That is such a big moment for me! I even had to unwrap and touch 2 of them as I gave them to my 4 year old in attendance with me.

I'm almost finished with Julie Hadden's book "Fat Chance" and it is changing me. Along with my bible study I'm doing called Thin Within, the combination is proving a good choice for me.

I must give the glory to God though for these strong moments. He is the one that gives us the strength in everything we do, and for me... today... saying no to that delicous cupcake was a huge success!

Don't worry though.... as I get stronger.... I will let myself have one of those every once in a while....who can live without cupcakes!!??? :-)...

Light up the sky........

I meant to do this yesterday for my old "Movie Monday".... but alas... it was one of those days... :-) So please allow me to share this little video today... This is an incredible song and video. It's worth the watch I promise!

I shared this with one of my sisters when her husband had been laid off from his job....and as I watch this video I see times in my own life... when things just seemed so hopeless... but with Christ there is ALWAYS Hope!

Everyone can relate to someone in the video....