so many sweet babies

 

 

I just had to show how much the Lord has blessed our first, newly married couples, small group. We have grown so much and all of our new members are blessings from HIM. We aren’t all together anymore. With moving, job changes, new churches, multiplying and the Lord calling us all in different directions our group looks much different now. But we all know that no matter what we have a special place in our hearts for each other.  I hope you enjoy seeing some pictures of our babies growing up over the last 3 years.

I just love this picture. These precious babies started the new generation.

2009

2010

this picture cracks me up :)

 

2011

 

 2011 new members :)

with friends Katie, Julianne and Sandahlyn

 

2012

 

In this picture we are missing so many other babies from precious friends, but you get the gist. I love every single baby and all of their mommas! We are all blessed!

our beach trip

This post is a thousand pictures with little words

We had a great time at the beach this year. We were so blessed for this to be our 2nd beach trip this summer and we are so grateful to my dad and Rhonda for taking us this time. Harris LOVES the sand and water and I think at one time he was in the ocean for over an hour. I could not have asked for better weather and the kids were SO good. They always surprise me on trips. It was really good to just relax for a little bit even though for parents traveling with children really isn’t relaxing, but they let me relax as much as possible. Also, it helps to have a great Auntie that loves to help a momma out with the kiddos. ;)

Here are some pictures for our memory.

  

 

 

 

It is IMPOSSIBLE for us to take a normal family photo. Impossible.

things i am loving right now…

 

e.l.f. Makeup:

If you haven’t discovered e.l.f. at Target ( I am pretty sure at other stores too). Then you are in for a treat. All of their makeup products are around $6 and under, but mostly all of them are $1-$3. I believe the large bronzer and blush compact that I have, was $3 but that is an AMAZING price for makeup. I LOVE to try new colors and new makeup all the time which isn’t very good if you are trying to be frugal. But with these you can pretty much get as many different colors as you want and still not pay the price you would pay for a department store brand makeup. I think it is smart to go expensive on the main things then go cheap on the simple things like blush, bronzer, eye pencils and stuff like that. I use MAC for powder and foundation but do not like to pay over $20 for a blush especially when I get tired of things really easily. Elf allows me to try on colors that I normally wouldn’t try.

Hair Ties:

 

Hair ties are seriously the smartest thing ever. If you are a stay at home mom like me and are always wearing your hair up, these hair ties at least make you feel a little bit better about not washing your hair for the 3rd day in a row ;). They come in very cute colors and the best part is you can wear them on your wrist and they look like a bracelet instead of a hair rubber band. These above are great colors but here are some new fall colors out too. If you are interested in getting some go here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeByMargaretElise

Caldrea Products:

I love good smelling stuff for the home, especially if it is from natural and plant derived ingredients. My sweet, sister in law gave this to me and it is wonderful! It is their all purpose cleaner and it is in concentrate form so it lasts FOREVER! You are supposed to add only 4 tablespoons of this to a spray water bottle and add water to it. It cleans really good and your whole house smells good every time you use it. Great for those stop by guests and you haven’t had time to light candles or deep clean :). You can also find it at Target but she got this one from TJ MAXX. I have had it for several months and it has lasted this long.

 

Sunflower seeds: 

I crave salty, bad for me stuff, all day long and especially at night. When I have a bad craving for a whole tub of popcorn or a bag of chips ;) I have started eating maybe a tablespoon of these sunflower seeds and my cravings go away. It is the perfect amount of salty snack that I need but I don’t over indulge in these. I love my salty snacks!

 

My berry colander:

I am always washing strawberries, grapes and small fruit like that for the kiddos, but always hate to get out the large colander and get it dirty for such a small amount of fruit. I told my mom this and she told me to get a berry colander. I know this isn’t a major discovery but when we were at TJ Maxx we picked me up one for $3.99 and I feel as though it has already changed my life (dramatic much?). Why didn’t I get one earlier? 

I think I am done for now. I have our beach post coming up and Harris’ birthday coming up too. I am so behind!

letter to my 3 year old

Harris,
I know that you may feel as though all I do is tell you no, or get on to you during the day, but I promise I see all the good you do and I can tell you have a good heart. Your daddy and I sometimes lie awake at night and just talk about all the sweet, kind and thoughtful things you do. I know I need to get better about letting you know the good I see instead of focusing on correcting your wrong behavior. Please forgive me for this.  Honey, I see when Ruthie is starting to get upset and you go to her and say “It’s okay baby, Harris is here”.

Or when I get hurt on something and you run to get me a band aid. I saw when you picked up that piece of trash off the floor and ran it to the garbage can then sweetly told Ruthie you didn't want her to choke on it. I hear when you are role playing with your toys and you say yes mam and you use please and thank you when talking to them. I hear you sing Jesus Loves Me when you can't fall asleep in your bed. When you get in trouble and you sweetly say under your breath “I’m sorry mommy”. How you give me patience and grace when I can’t attend to your need at that exact moment because I am doing something with your sister. How you kiss your sister for no reason.

When we are going to the grocery store and out of the blue you will tell me "Mommy I am going to be patient in the store". I love how you watch your daddy so closely and I can see deep down that you want to be just like him. You will go in his closet and get one of his ties and a pair of his shoes and come to me and kiss me and Ruthie and tell us that you are going to work. Honey, I see all of these things and sometimes I praise you for them and sometimes I don’t. I know I probably focus more on the negative during the day and for that please forgive me. I do only discipline you because I love you but I also want to show you that I see your precious heart everyday. And although our hearts are sinful I see where Jesus is trying to draw you to Him. Sweetheart, we have a long road ahead and sometimes I fear the unknown. I fear whether or not something will happen to you or me or your daddy or sister.  I fear whether or not you will choose the right path or choose to rebel. In all this fear I have to remember that as much as I love you that our Savior loves you infinitely more. I can honestly not even fathom His love for you. He knows and made every hair on your head. He yearns for you to be His and for you to choose the best, which his Him.
Harris that is my deepest desire for you, to fall in love with the One that created you and created your sweet spirit for His glory. Mommy can only love you so much, can only teach you and show you so many things. But we will fail you daily. I want you to be in the arms of the One that knows exactly what you need and has your eternity at heart. He is the One you need.  

but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15, 16 ESV)

Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7 ESV)

My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof,
for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11, 12 ESV)

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4 ESV)

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:7, 11 ESV)

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1: 27-28

Son, please forgive me where I fail. I am not even close to being perfect and I know that so many times I am not as patient or as loving as I should be with you. I am so sorry and I am striving daily to rely of the Lord to parent you. I want you to know that do not put your trust in men (or mommy) because we will fail you. Hopefully one day you will put your trust in Him and you will feel the peace that only He can give you. I love you my first born and I praise God for entrusting you to us. I hope you had a great 3rd birthday and I can not wait to celebrate many more together.