the littles...

Just a few Littles' collages. Preslie in her Pokes shirt, loving her green gum.



This is a collage Shelby made for her own blog. She took the pics and made the collage after straightening Lulubee's hair herself. Quite the young lady, using her flat iron skills already without burning an ear off. Good times...



game time...

We go through spurts with games around here. I wish I could say we play board games nightly, but it is more like monthly. Then, we get on a kick. 





Shelby won CLUE, after I won it on my first guess!! I rock. So does she.

When Miss P is around it is really hard to play games of any sort because she usually trashes the board or cards. If we play UNO, she can usually be James or my partner and we let her put the card on the stack. Otherwise, we have to occupy her with something else or do it during nap time.

On Friday, we played first thing in the morning, even before school. Homeschooling flexibility rocks.

When facebook is worth it...

The last two weeks were hard...I mean really difficult for me. We all have hard weeks and we can all relate no matter the specifics and I didn't have anything major to be upset about...no family members in the hospital, no emergencies...just inner turmoil, sick kids, exhaustion, very little family time, hormones and the physical pain that I have become so familiar with over the years which still sneaks up on me at least once a month or so...yet life doesn't slow down so I have to keep going.

So, on Monday morning I opened up our iTunes to find the next scripture memory verse for the week and as soon as I heard it I started crying. I mean really crying, like that deep "this is the song I need to hear, the scripture I need to memorize right now, but it hurts so much, it is so bitter sweet because although I know it is true, I can't feel it in my bones right now" kind of cry...really a sob of exhaustion. I know, I know, it sounds really dramatic. It only lasted a short while and any woman with a pulse can surely relate. I am not proud of moments like this, nor are they common for me, but I do have them. I am human and until I reach heaven I am sure I will have more.

I was sobbing and praying and singing it over and over, crying out to the Lord to make it real to me for me to feel Him sustaining me.

{Of course He was already sustaining me. I was sitting at the table, able to do school with the kids, right, instead of in my bed with the covers pulled up over my head like I could have been   if He weren't ever-present.}

I just wanted to FEEL the peace that should have accompanied the scripture. As I was belting out the words with all my heart, through blurry eyes, I could see that the kids were wondering why Momma had tears streaming down her face while she was singing such a hopeful song. Then, it popped into my facebook messages with a "bloop." I heard the message come in because I was on my computer listening to the song already, and I checked it. Right at that moment. An answer to my prayer. Tangible evidence that He was with me at that moment and He wanted to reassure me through someone I hadn't spoken to in months, maybe even a few years. A mother of some of the girls we worked with when James was a Family Pastor way back in the Kansas days.

And He even used facebook to do it. I  have been contemplating disabling my facebook account for months.These are the times that make me feel like facebook might be worth it.

In the Old Testament, they used to set up a pillar or monument to remind them of the place where God had spoken to them or done a mighty work. My sharing this with my family on my blog is my way of setting up a pillar. I want to remember how He spoke to me and who He spoke through, and never forget that He cares and is always faithful to provide just what we need, even if it is just to let us know that He is involved even in the most intimate thoughts and moments, not just the big events of life.

Here is the song first and afterward, the messages that we exchanged. 

Facebook message from a friend:

Good Morning Jeanna! I just wanted to let you know how much I truly appreciate your posts! I LOVE all the christian family videos and your insight. So many of them I've shared with other young mommy's and I'm developing a 5:00pm Sunday night children's ministry program using fun videos like the one you posted this morning. You are making a difference in the life of my church and making it easier for me...THANK YOU so much and keep them coming!! This week we are starting a Parent's Playgroup...so excited to share ideas with them too! You are the light of Christ! I think God is smiling down on you! Have a wonderful Monday!

My response message:

As I type this I have been crying through that song over and over because I am in so much physical pain and it effects everything...as you know with your back problems (how is your back btw?) I feel like such a horrible mom today. i couldn't sleep last night b/c of pain. it happens at least once a month and for those few days i am grouchy and short and hard to be around. (and i homeschool) i feel like everything i try to do as a mom is undone on these days. i teach my kids one thing and i can't even practice what i preach when i am hurting. You have no idea what this message meant to me. I was crying and praying through that song and asking God to keep His promise, "to sustain me and never let me fall." I had even just texted James to pray for me and to pray that Psalm because I feel like I am going under deep waters today. THEN, Up popped your message. YOU are the light. thank you so much! check out http://www.seedsfamilyworship.net/ for some great resources for what you are doing. They are blessed to have you!!!

Seeds Family Worship | Planting God's Word in the Hearts of Families

www.seedsfamilyworship.net

Her message back to me:

Ok, now I am crying! When I feel like I'm being that "horrible mom" I try to remember it's because I'm under attack. You are doing God's work and therefore life is harder, pain seems greater and you feel like you are failing. I LOVE how God put you on my heart this morning! God provides! You are an amazing mom and you are providing me with resources to help and encourage other moms that sometimes feel like that horrible mommy. You are doing more of God's work than you even realize Jeanna! You are really ticking the enemy off! I LOVE THAT!!! I'm so proud of you!!!!! I will pray for healing and comfort...my back is great now, but I remember those days of loneliness and frustration. I just wanted to feel good. To provide for my family and be "normal'. HUGS sister, you are not alone!!!
"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

{I love how we have the power and privilege to answer God's call to encourage one another. We have so much more in common with each other regardless of our life circumstances than we think and so many opportunities to show others that they are not alone and that we have been there too. 

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

She had no idea what I was going through that morning, yet she shot me a quick little message that changed the direction of my whole day...maybe my whole week. Plus, not only did I feel loved by her, but by the Creator of the universe who chose to speak through her right to my heart.}

So grateful...

Caught red handed and footed...

Somebody takes her nap in Mom and Dad's room so that the other little can sleep upstairs if needed or so the others can play upstairs if she is still asleep when rest time is over.  Yesterday, she quietly got into my stuff and rubbed Tiger Balm {ouch} all over her lips and face. Today she painted her hand, foot and some of her clothes with my nail polish.

Guess we need another nap plan or to baby proof our room a little better.



Let's be mute this morning...

Shelby just had a brilliant idea. She asked, "Why don't we try to be mute all morning?"

I said, "I think that is an awesome idea!!

At least until school is over...unless you have a question, of course."

Yea for silence.  It actually only lasted a few moments with Preslie around, but it was a good idea.

Shelb is a crack up. That is her "I am going to be silent face." Yeah, right.

LuLu bee's Self Portrait

Lucy's self portrait and name.  I love it, backwards and all.



Abraham, Sarah & Isaac...

Abraham, Sarah & Isaac

By Shelby Lichtenberger

1/23/12

Abram was a Hebrew. He was a farmer and a very wealthy man. He was married to Sarai. They were old and Sarai was unable to have children.

            One day God told Abram, “Leave your country, your family and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation and bless you.” So Abram obeyed God. He promised him he will have as many children as the stars in the sky. For several years he still had no children but when he was 99 years old God again said to him I will give you a huge family.  

God renamed him Abraham which means “Father of many.” And Abraham’s wife was renamed Sarah. God appeared to Abraham when he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. When he looked up he saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them. They told him that within the year she would have a son. Sarah laughed and said “An old woman like me? Get pregnant?” Then Sarah lied. She said, I did not laugh. But God said, “Yes you did. You did laugh.”   

Later God made Sarah pregnant. She had a son and named him Isaac. The name Isaac means, “Laughter,” because Sarah said, “God has blessed me with laughter.” Isaac was the promised son. God had promised him and was faithful.

What we can learn from this story is that God never breaks his promises. Sometimes, he says, “Wait,” but you cannot stop trusting in what he says. He knows what his plans are for us and has perfect timing.

                 

We are loving The Story. Our church is reading the adult version. Shelby already had the chapter book version and we also bought the beautiful large children's book.  Her writing assignment each week is based off of the biblical figures we study that week in each of the above books, online and on video.  This was her latest paper. I hope that the truth of what she said at the end really penetrates her heart and she won't have the impatience and need to try to control her own life circumstances that I have always struggled with.  The more He works in our lives and the more times He has proven faithful, the more faith I have that His plan and timing are perfect. He first showed that to me through our own Abraham and Sarah story...through Shelby Grace herself.

{We only had to wait 2 1/2 years, yet I felt like laughing when I found out I was pregnant too because doctors said it was not possible and that 2 1/2 years felt like 100.}

He is faithful and true to his promises and his timing is always perfect.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

Motherhood as a Mission Field 

{click the above link}

When you are so busy folding the mound of laundry on your bed that you miss the fact that your 2 year old decided to style her own hair with daddy's pomade while eating 3/4 of a large bowl of strawberries...and you resent that laundry because it takes so much time...and you find yourself focusing on the tasks over the toddlers, remember...motherhood is your mission.
I am not so much talking to you, my friend, but the friend in my head that distracts me with the temporary over the eternal, daily. And the days are LONG, but the years are SHORT!
WAKE UP JEANNA!

If you ever wonder if what you are doing makes a difference even though 99.9% of it goes unnoticed and unappreciated, read the article above. If you ever wonder whether or not you should put that task in front of that toddler, read it. Yes, there are tasks we must do to make our home a haven, but never trade what seems important over what is essential. The article is so great...Just read it!
 My little bro sent it to me. He is a good man.

Think about such things...

This is our scripture memory verse for the week. We are still going through our Seeds cds. Last semester we finished Seeds of Courage scriptures and now we are working on the Power of Encouragement scriptures. This scripture has always been one of my favorites and I am telling you I have needed to meditate on it this week big time. On some days, I have to take every one of my thoughts captive and try to replace them with these things.
And, I have so many of these things to think about...we all do.
Why choose to focus on the few things in our lives that don't meet the criteria in the scripture to think about, when we have so much to be grateful for, so much beauty to focus on? 
It is a conscious choice and God honors it.

I will never stop raving about Seeds Family Worship.

They have the very best scripture memory cds ever!

Here is a link with the music for worship leaders/parents who can play guitar.

And, here are my beautiful two oldest children who got up early and were trying to get as much school done before Daddy and the littles woke up as they could so they could spend his day off with him.

And here is a video that cracked us all up so bad. Look at the picture...His number one is true. Glorious.

This guy has some of the funniest videos I have ever watched.

James and I had a blimeycow marathon before bed.

Check him out on his youtube channel.

Colossians 3...meditating on it all day...

Colossians 3

Living the New Life

¹ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ² Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. ³ For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ And when Christ, who is your^[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
⁵ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶ Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.^{[b] 7} You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. ⁸ But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. ⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. ¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. ¹¹ In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,^[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,^[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Instructions for Christian Households

  Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
²⁰ Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. ²¹ Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
²² Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. ²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴ Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.^{[e] 25} But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Taken from the New Living Translation here.

Don't just tell your kids they are artists, PROVE it!

Before I even had children of my own and I was a fresh out of college student teacher, I met the most amazing family, the Varnums. They lived in my parent's neighborhood in Kansas and I would house sit, pet sit, baby sit and later spend a lot of time with their Mr. Varnum's aging father who lived with them. I fell in love with this family right away. They had such a zeal for life and were great story tellers and conversationalists. A family of artistic intellects for sure. Their home amazed me. Not for it's brand new shiny cabinets or fabulous architecture. They had an older home with so much character. Yes, it was large and sat on a nice piece of land, but there was nothing pretentious or "show roomy" about it. Every nook and cranny had something unique, interesting and meaningful to their family. In fact, much of their artwork was their own children's drawings or paintings framed on their walls. I had never seen anyone do that before. I was used to well-polished and perfectly matching art I had seen in most of my friends' parents' homes. If I ever saw a child's artwork, it was on the fridge, not framed on a wall, for goodness sakes.

They opened up a whole new world for me, long before I had children of my own. I immediately started asking for Matt and Jessica (my 12 years younger brother and sister) to give me their artwork from school and promptly framed it for my own first little house when I got married. Then, my Mom followed suit and had all of my brother's AMAZING sketches created at the age of 10 or 12 professionally framed and displayed in their formal living room. That boy can draw and he refuses to use his talent as an adult. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly shame him for robbing the world of his talent! Maybe his soon-to-be bride will be able to sweet talk him into drawing again.

 

Jesse painted that fox on Monday and we had to immediately frame it.

Do you think he wonders if we really think he is an artist or if our compliments about his work were just lip service?  He is an artist. Thankfully displaying our kids' art fits right into our eclectic decor.

Love it! Try it and see how special it makes your child feel! Plus, honestly it is so much more worth it than an expensive piece of art that matches all of your furniture. Priceless!

the parable of the insistent friend upside down...

Shelby is sick again today...101 fever, burning tummy and now, a sore throat and hurting all over, she says. I have to admit that after one or another of us being sick since Thanksgiving this Momma's patience is running thin. Then I read Ann Voskamp's post today and (as usual) heard exactly what I needed to hear. Here I had given Shelby a sippy cup of water and let her sleep in my bed, but not comforted her. Given her space to get some rest, but not tenderly cared for her. I am not gifted in that area, but that is no excuse. My Grandma Shelby was the best caregiver in the world when I was sick. Plush pallets, snack plates, reading and coloring materials, and all the TV I could watch with her at my beck and call.

"Grandma, I think warm chocolate pudding would feel really good on my throat. I think I need some chicken noodle soup with the chicken picked out, Grams. Malt-o-meal, Grandma, I need malt-o-meal with extra butter and sugar."

"Ok, honey, what else can I get you?" She made it so comfortable for me to be home sick that I have to admit I faked it quite a bit just so I could stay home with her and watch soap operas and be pampered. Who wouldn't, given the option? My mom was a single mom and stuck between a rock and a hard place knowing my grandma would call me in sick and not wanting to be the bad guy that forced me to go to school, so she allowed it. That must have been so hard for her.

Somewhere between the grandma Shelby treatment and the sippy cup of water in my bed, there is a happy medium where we can and should tend to those we love without pampering them. We check to make sure they are really sick and when they are, we treat them extra tenderly. We show them they are special and that our schedules are so much less important than their sweet little souls. We slow the clock and give them the attention they need. I think that is what Ann's post was saying. I needed to read it today.

It is ironic that I have always had sweet people in my life who go out of their way to take care of me even when I don't ask. I had my doting grandma when I was young and as an adult, God has sent special friends into my life who are insistent...persistent about helping us when we are sick or in need. I had an amazing handful of friends in Kansas who would do just about anything for me. When I was blessed to live close to my Momma, she took care of us.
Like I said, I am not gifted at doing the same. I have asked friends time and again why they want to be my friend because I feel like I don't do a great job of being a good friend. I haven't exactly honed my friend skills yet. It doesn't always come naturally to me or even occur to me how to meet other's needs, yet I do try in my own meager way and still, God blesses me more than abundantly with people who insist on helping our family. He knows we won't usually ask, so he sends them to us as a free gift of his grace, mercy and provision. Remember these peeps? And these? We haven't been able to repay either of them and have probably had many missed opportunities. They expect no repayment but we still need to pray for God to reveal opportunities for us to serve them.

It is funny how I feel like the parable of the insistent friend is being played out upside down in my life. It is ironic that I happened to have this story on display in our main room in my Tomie DePaola Parables of Jesus children's book. I love his illustrations.
Many children's book illustrations serve as art in our home. Notice Captain Kangaroo below.

In the parable, a friend comes asking for help at midnight and is turned away, but his persistence gets his friend's attention and he finally helps him. It is the parable Jesus tells right after he tells us how to pray and I know it relates to our relationship with God, but it can also be applied to earthly relationships. In our case, we aren't begging for help and being turned away, we have a few friends who insist on blessing us even when we say we don't need help. These people are amazing.

They are gifts from God.

One of them, I met right away when we moved here and we immediately connected because we both have chronic health conditions and know the feeling of being avoided because of it. She moved outside of town recently, but before she did, she'd pop in randomly and brighten our day with a random gift, good conversation or invitation to go garage saling. Last week she showed up with groceries she insisted we take. She was at Aldi and asked if I needed anything because she was going to stop by and see me while she was in town. I said that 2 soy milks would be awesome. Instead she dropped off a load. I was blown away.

Our newest friends have brought us chicken soup when we are sick, brought over a full spread to feed us all, and wrapped us in love since we met them.  Today, I told my friend that Shelby wouldn't be at dance so we wouldn't be able to walk together and she dropped the stuff below off on our back porch without us even asking. So incredibly thoughtful. So humbling.

It is also humbling because {moment of truth...get ready to judge me} I had just been feeling sorry for myself because I have felt like really only people who are new to Enid have showed any interest in being our friends. There is only one couple from Enid who has invited us over since we moved here. Make that two, kind of, because another sweet couple took us out to dinner. Our kids have been invited to things, but we haven't. Still, me feeling sorry for myself is ridiculous because we do have friends. Just thinking about the 3 families above, not counting our newest friends who just moved here, we are so blessed. We are making more friends all the time.

Most of them are new to Enid, but who cares?

Some people live their entire lives unnoticed. We have been given the gift of real friendship. Transparent, unconditional, selfless friendship. May I truly be grateful for that! AND, even more, may I reciprocate! I want a servant's heart. Sometimes I feel like I have one and others I feel like the most selfish woman on the planet. Maybe we all do...I want to be an insistent friend though. Not insistent that others help us, but insistent that we help them, even when they try to refuse. Enid is a small town and people are very private. we have offered to help others in several situations and been turned down. Maybe we need to be more insistent, just like our wonderful friends have. Just like Jesus is. Even when we try to refuse Him, He presses is and covers us with His love.

Let us be more like Him.

Someone's getting new glasses...

So yeah, anyone who knows and loves us knows that Miss Shelby Grace, beautiful princess that she is, wears the coolest glasses ever and when she isn't wearing her glasses one of her eyes crosses.
She is extremely far sighted and her muscle control is effected by it. It is hereditary and she has an aunt and cousin with the same eye issue. She had surgery at 2 and again at 4 to snip the muscle and fix the issue, but whether the surgery works or not depends greatly on how quickly your body repairs muscle. Since she also inherited her mother's quickly repairing muscles the surgeries did not work completely. They improved her muscle control enough that as long as she is wearing glasses, her eyes are straight, but they didn't fix the crossing.

{I also had surgery on my bladder that didn't work b/c it repaired itself so quickly & I can lift weights for a week and look like a body builder. Annoying, but healthy. I want to look feminine.}

She is such a confident girl that it doesn't seem to bother her. We have had numerous conversations about how to respond to the constant questioning that usually only happens while swimming, because she can't wear her glasses. She handles it with grace and humor and so far, at 9 years old, it hasn't been an issue.  I think it also helps that they make cute glasses for kids now-a-days. The glasses we got today aren't her absolute favorites, but what our insurance would pay for. We will look for a back up pair too. She is opting for the "geeky" look as the sales lady called it, which I {of course} L.O.V.E.  I am wanting new glasses myself.  We will post pics when she gets them.

I had her take these photos today because we were looking on Zennie optical's website where you can upload a pic and try frames on yourself. We have learned a trick for pics without glasses. If she closes her eyes and I snap the pic right when she opens them, they are straight. She is so beautiful with and without glasses. I mean, I am biased, of course, but come on...she is the best mix of innocent, hip, trendy, beautiful, pure and non-self consumed right now. I hope she stays this way, even if it will be hard to be humble with her new cool glasses. ; )

who says?

they actually enjoy cleaning at that age, so why not let them?

these two can spend hours together playing dress up and making up plays.
here, shelby is showing her how to dress up barbies on the computer.

Who says you can't live outside of the box or color outside of the lines?

pop on over here today for my little guest post...

my post

on this beautiful blog

matching vests...and thoughts on this blogger's mind

What is the first thing you notice about the above picture?

Don't think, just answer.

If you are a Grandma, it is the boy's bare feet when it is obviously freezing outside.

 If you are a parent of young children, you may not have even noticed that,

only that he and his dog have matching vests.

Alarming and ridiculous, yes. Planned, no. 

As you know, Francie Lou got a bad granny haircut and she is freezing her tushie off when she goes walking with Jeka and me every morning whist you all are still nestled snug in your beds. So, now that she is practically bald, she needs a coat. Jeka happened to buy this vest {with a hood} for Baxter and it was too small...BUT, alas, it fits Miss Francie, so she is warm on our frigid walks. AND, the best part is that it matches Jesse's vest. So AWE-some!

You may remember that I said "Goodbye" for January and told you I'd be back in February, and yet here I am. Sometimes I just need a short break from technology to check myself before I wreck myself. I want to be an intentional wife and mom and when the computer sucks me in with all of its magnetic force, I may be in the same room with my family, but I am not fully present.

I get extremely irritated when I see parents out and about with their kids and they totally don't notice that their child is trying to interact with them b/c they are updating their facebook status or texting or playing some game. I also get irritated when I see adults hand their phones over to their kids constantly to "entertain" them so they can keep them busy and out of "trouble." Yes, we let our kids play games, but we try to do it rarely, because we want them to grow up knowing how to behave and communicate with others without a phone or video game in their hand. So, I took a break for that reason, because I realized that I was doing the very thing that I get irritated with other parents for...Maybe I was doing it in my living room with my kids snuggled into my side, but my mind was elsewhere.  I am never going to get these moments back, so I was determined to make a fresh start. Not only that, but  I am doing the very thing I am trying to teach them not to do. Most behaviors are "caught, not taught," and they are gonna catch it from me, and grow up zombies attached to a phone/video game or computer if I am not careful.  If we are this connected now to technology, it is scary to think of what our world will look like when our kids are adults.

It didn't take me a full month to learn what I needed to learn about myself and so much more. {I made it 10 days} One thing I learned immediately without my blog or facebook in my life is that I had been actually thinking in blog posts. We'd be in the middle of a fun activity or straight up family time and I'd interrupt it to go get my camera and blog about it...cutting many precious moments short, because I wanted to blog about them before I forgot. Short term memory is not a strength of mine. It hit me like a ton of bricks because I would be in the middle of something and feel a strong pull to go blog about it but because I couldn't, I had resolved not to, I didn't. It happened over and over every day at first. It almost felt like an addiction I was breaking.

I know there are people who just read that and are judging me for it, especially non-bloggers. Bloggers know the feeling of thinking in blog posts just like writers think in stories or musicians hear a chord and want to run pick up their guitar and make it into a song. So, here I am, admitting I am far from perfect. I have struggles just like the rest of you and I am willing to humiliate myself if what I share resonates with even one person who might have the same struggle and not have recognized it yet. One of my missions in life is to share my story because it is God's story. I have bright amazing moments I am proud of and ugly, wish I could hide moments, but God uses them all to mold and shape me into who He wants me to be. For that I am truly thankful. Romans 8:28

As I close, I have a 2 year old climbing on me saying, "Book, Mommy, Book." These are the moments I do not want to miss. Yes, I will still blog, but I am going to be so much more intentional about being fully present with my family and friends and unplug!

tub time, yo gabba gabba...

Jeka bought the girls some Yo Gabba Gabba tub toys for Christmas. They are a hit. I don't think I have posted pics of the upstairs bathroom updates yet because it still needs a new sink and cabinet, but we painted the walls and the claw foot tub and put down new tile.  It is looking better, at least.

I know a lot of people have a real problem with Yo Gabba Gabba, but I can't understand why. We love it around here. Yes, it is a little bizarre, but the kids love it and once they love something it is hard not to like it.  Our favorite is the one where Jack Black guest stars. We laugh until we cry while he dances.

Around here, Daddy is DJ Lance Rock, Momma is Brobee, Shelby is Muno, Jesse is Plex, Lucy is Tootie and Preslie is Foofa. Don't even try to switch characters or there might be a brawl.

Loving it.

And here are the glorious tack-i-licious bubble frame pictures we got at a flea market in Grove.

They fit with the claw-foot tub quite nicely. I love them!

We will have to do an overall reveal when it is complete. Step by step, people. We are busy. This is the busiest time of the year for the OAC and we are meeting ourselves coming and going. Good times, but busy times. My body is starting to scream at me, "Slow Down!"

guess who got a camera for Christmas...

Shelby got a camera from Noni and she is going crazy with it.  I promised her I'd upload some of her favorites to the family blog. Here they are.



The close-up of my Grandpa's neighbor's dog is Shelby's favorite. She is a budding artist and practicing using all of the different settings on her little Nikon Power Shot.

All of these were on her camera too and since I majorly failed to take pics on Christmas,

I am thankful she captured a few. 

routines, hair and such...

Francie is regressing in the potty training department, so we are trying to be more diligent in remembering to take her out. Since much arguing ensues especially when it is subzero outside, we created this chart. After one person takes her out, they move the magnet to the next name so we always know whose turn it is. Got the idea from Emily, but she uses it for tuck-in-time. Genius.

This pic of Francie is self-explanatory. I don't even recognize this dog with a face.  We won't be taking her back to the "Pet Salon" where we took her. We asked for a few inches to be take off everywhere, and our puppy now looks like a little old lady doggie.

You know me, I have to document everything. I love our special grinder the Mice gave us and our sweet 14 cup coffee pot I got on clearance at Lowes.  Each night before we go to bed, both have to be filled and ready to go in the morning. I don't grind the beans at night like most people do, because the minute you grind the beans, it starts to become more acidic and my bladder can't handle the acid.  The other routine that has to taken care of each night in order for the next day to go smoothly is the dishwasher has to be filled and run so we can empty it first thing. As of now, we pretty much fill 1 dishwasher a day unless we have company. That is as much as I want to have to load and empty, so I am thankful. However, I am even more thankful when we have guests and they are worth the extra effort. (Actually, we usually use paper plates for the kids when we have guests, so we still only have one load. Sorry, trees.)

When I put Preslie's hair in a high side pony tail the kids always say she looks like Deb from Napoleon Dynamite. With her somber expression in the side pics she kind of does. James and I are so excited that Napoleon Dynamite will soon be a cartoon series! 

because new year's resolutions are made to be broken...

Once, I had a friend...well, I still do, but we don't work 12 hours a day together and hold one another accountable anymore and haven't for like 9 years. But, when I worked with that friend, we would make resolutions each New Year and keep them.  They were challenges, new ways to discipline our spirits and we succeeded every year. I can tell you it is a great feeling to make a resolution and keep it for an entire year, especially for someone who has never played sports and achieved sports pinnacles...it feels good, strong, willpower is something else. But, God is so much more than willpower, He is Holy Spirit power and I have found that sometimes my ideas of willpower are my own ideas and not His. So, as I resolved to read more, God sent more people into my life to start and grow relationships with. Maybe he wanted me to get off my pc so I could interact with people, and not read more, who knows? I am still reading more, but more importantly, I am connecting with peeps...my kids, my friends, new friends and new acquaintances.  I just have more time and I love it.

Though, I do miss my blog and moments like these I "need" to record.  Like this first moment...The first time Preslie cut her own hair. Yes, new parents, every kid (even yours) cuts his or her hair at some point. Jesse did it in a craft aisle in a store once and I had a complete stranger tell me, "Um, your son is cutting his hair, while I was looking for art supplies. Proud moment.

(p.s. i love her belly in this shot. absolutely

L to the ove it. How much longer will she have a baby belly?)

So, fortunately, Miss P hasn't had a haircut and still owns the baby mullet, so no one can tell she cut it, but she did. Kinda proud, not gonna lie.

As for lulubee, she has been scratching her molluscum and everyone we meet freaks out that she has chicken pox...she doesn't, and she is starting to get paranoid. I think it is the Scentsy buddy Santa brought her b/c they were tiny white dots until froggy showed up. NOW she is irritated and clawing at her face. So, we are putting medicine on it twice a day and hoping it clears up before Matt and Kristin's wedding. The sad part is that people are so bold in their questioning and they don't realize that she is 4 and can understand what they are saying. She keeps asking her daddy if she is still beautiful even with her "pimples" as she calls them. It breaks my heart. She is beautiful.

SO beautiful, dots or not!