You know they're almost two when...

..They can climb into the tub by themselves.

And they do.

In their diaper.

Obviously we are keeping an extra close eye on this one!

It's a Labor Day Miracle!

Ok, perhaps not a real miracle...but, definitely a blessing! Do you remember a few months back I blogged about the blessing of toilet paper? Someone gave us massive amounts of toilet paper just out of the blue - and it was very timely as we were out! Well, those same people have lavished upon us again - only this time with...

Yep, count 'em... 6 boxes of name brand, sweet, and delicious cereal!
{don't mind the mess behind them} This is just such a generous blessing to us this Labor Day weekend that we are thankful to God for. I don't usually get to buy brand name cereals and we LOVE those Reeses Puffs! What a joy to know people who just love to give... and who challenge me to be giving, too. :)

And I quote...

"God gave me a mind, and I am sure He meant for me to use it."

-Kathy Peel

There's a noteable quoteable if I ever heard one! Does any else feel like some days they just run through life with the ol' gray matter on "auto pilot"?

Just a thought.

Lazy Saturday

Enjoying one of those Saturdays where everyone seems to just be letting out a long sigh from a busy week. Our house is in total choas as toys and dishes, clothes and shopping bags are tossed about here and there. It's a no cleaning, lounging on the couch, football on tv kind of day - and we like it like that. At least... for a few hours. This afternoon we'll get a gussied up to attend a wedding and then life will kick back into overdrive - but for now, the robe is still on, hair pulled back in the ponytail and the hubs is propped up in his favorite spot in his pj's. {sweet}

I'm thinking about getting back into photography. Ok, wait a minute, I'm thinking of getting INTO photography. I've always loved taking pictures, tho nothing fancy and def with no skill involved. I haven't a clue on how to use any kind of picture program on the computer or any of the terms for angles, etc. But I do love capturing beauty in a moment. Prior to Ava joining our family I used to sneak out and take "nature shots" all the time. Mind you we've always lived in a "city" so my nature shots were spiders in our bush out front, or a pinecone on the sidewalk... but still nature. A few years ago Brad was a guest speaker at Camp Bayouca in NY state. I was able to go with him and we had a great weekend ministering to some teens and spending some solitude time away from our jobs - in a more nature-ish place. One morning I woke up early and grabbed my lil' camera and just went picture happy. This morning I was looking back through them, thus the new notion to get into photography somehow. I love what I see on the other side of a camera lens!

And I don't have the skill... I just know what I like - so I find it and shoot it. But, maybe someday...somehow... I could really get into it. But for now, back to lazy Saturday.

Let's try this again...

I have been trying for TWO days to get just the right background template, layout, etc. etc..blah blah blah and I'll tell you what - there is NO more time allowed on this! :) I hope you enjoy a taste of fall on my blog now instead of just reading about it! :) Man o' Man I have so much to learn about all of this.

Happy September! My little fam and I celebrated today by sleeping in, having Cinnamon-Nutmeg pancakes for breakfast and then spending most of the mid-morning @ one of our local parks. It was a toasty 58 degrees and there could be nothing more perfect in my mind then watching my little one run around with her denim jacket on...blond hair blowing in the wind! My hubs and I had a pretty great time, too. I don't think we have swung on monkey bars or gone down slides in quite some time... it was so refreshing just to cut loose and have fun together. And it helped that NO ONE was at the park but us! {love daddy's Fridays off!}

Football season is underway, the breeze is cool and the windows are open! No offense Dean Martin, but, this is the "most wonderful time of the year!".

Yahweh

Because my husband is a youth pastor we often times get random things in the mail. Well, I suppose all of you do, but, our random things are kinda fun. We've gotten samples of mugs with music groups names on them, band pins, goop mix (sticky stuff basically), prayer rugs, etc. Apart from fun mail we also get little random "youth pastor boxes" from our local Family Christian Store full of equally random "youth" things - including tester CD's of new bands, weird t-shirts that would never sell and book teasers...you know, those kinds that have just chapter 1 then a bunch of ads.

Several months ago in one such box we got one of the break-out music cd's. I always love those. It's such a mixed bag of weird, slightly good and just... "never gonna make it" music. There was a group on there called, "Tal & Acacia" that I had never heard of but intriqued me after hearing their song, "Garbage In"... they kind have a Barlow Girl-ish, Sixpence, kind of sound, maybe a tinge sweeter? Anyway, after doing some research I came across their song "Yahweh" and it was so refreshing and encouraging to me this morning. So you just never know what will be an encouragement to you in a day, do ya?! So thankful for Yahweh!

Gaze

I want to Gaze at you

Soak

Soak in all you do

Sit so simply at your feet

Listen To your voice so sweet

And Let time Pass Away

(Chorus) As I simply Praise Yahweh

My Lord I cry Jehovah Elohim

The Lord Most High

and When my hands are raised

My Knees they fall

As I simply Praise Jehovah

Cry As I see your blood stains

Overwhelmed As I see your pain

And I'll dance, dance,

dance Because I am set free

You are my conqueror Jehovah Nissi

And Let time Pass Away

Do I believe that you're my God

That You're all I need

So Let time Pass Away

My Daddy, My Abba, My Best Friend

YAHWEH

Sept. 1, 2010

We woke up this morning to overcast skies, damp trees and grass and I think I caught a whiff of someone who was either burning leaves (already!) or possibly turned on their wood burning stove...tho I can't imagine it got THAT cold last night.

September. I love it. And this year we will be making the most of it. Afterall, we are fully moved in - this time last year we were closing/packing/moving. I went to Hobby Lobby this morning with Ava girl and we walked almost every aisle hoping to get some ideas on how to spruce up our home a bit. Autumn is my favorite and every aisle held a crazy expensive temptation. I found what I was looking for and we quickly left before I caved on the $20 plastic pumpkin! ahhh! WHO pays that?!

So, the Autumn decor is going up today. It's my own little tradition. I love putting up the red, glittery leaves above the kitchen window. My home-made harvest wreath is on the front porch door, pumpkin spice candles are burning and Mozart is playing in the background. The mood is set in my home. It's warm and comfortable... and I can't help but bubble over with Thanksgiving for another awesome year the Lord has given to us. While I know Thanksgiving is still months away... this time of the year always seems more "thanksgiving-ish" to me. Routine is back. I dunno.

The "Summer, Slow Down Bible Study" has been going well with the girls. This week we looked at choosing coaches and cheerleaders {aka: mentors and encouraging friends} and the girls open up a little more each week. It's refreshing to sit down with teen girls and hear them open up about life and their struggles and victories, fears and failures. What a challenge. And I love the groups diversity... homeschool, public school, Christian school.... newly saved, saved at childhood, maybe not saved. I'm thankful for this opportunity and eager to watch them all grow. Something dawned on me this past Monday night, and it's going to sound weird - but, these girls are just like me. They all have insecurities. They want friends but don't have the 'know how' of how to get good ones. They battle the flesh. They desire God. It just struck me that sometimes I feel so distant and far away...but it wasn't too very long ago that I was the 15 year old sitting on my youth pastors wifes' couch, feeling squirmy and awkward but so wanting that attention and guidance.

Sigh. So many thoughts today. God is good. September 1, 2010 - welcome!