Our Weekend!

Well thank the Lord that he has been working on my attitude about being so busy--you know, how it isn't a bad thing to busy--because we are just one busy little family!! This weekend we headed down to Matt's hometown for a visit. You know how there are times in your marriage where you just fall deeper in love with them? Like seeing your husband love your children. Or watching him grow in the Lord. Or when he just does something crazy sweet out of the blue just to show that he cares. Well--watching how thoughtful and caring Matt is to his MamMa did that for me this weekend. She has been in the hospital and is now at a rehabilitation center. So, of course, we went down to see her. Matt has been so upset because we couldn't go sooner.

She seems to do better on days when she sees the grandkids--so the man has been on a mission to let her see her grandkids and great grandkids!! He knew we were going to go see her so he stopped by her house and got her photos and a photo book that has pictures of everyone in the family so that she could see them any time she wanted. (Awwwwwwe--how sweet is he?)

The kids got around her and we all looked at the photo book together. I know she enjoyed the book but she was LOVING cuddling with Reid.

Then she mentioned wanting to eat lunch so Matt (and Bert) decided that they could get her in and out of the car so that she could get out of the rehabilitation center for a little while. (Thank the Lord because that place could get depressing fast.)

So we went to McCalister's.

And some more family met us there to eat with her too! I am so blessed to have such a loving, caring, and thoughtful husband who cares for his MamMa like that! Now...enough of the mushy!

Miss Lilly is officially a princess! DeDe had a crown and some jewelry for her when we got there and she was sporting it!

She has Reid's crown on in this picture, her jewelry, her purse, and my shoes. She was saying, "Bye! See you later!"

The royalty didn't go to her head. She was able to stay grounded enough to vacuum up the breakfast mess.

Seriously-she actually vacuumed. I have one of these little vacuums at the house and I am going to let her go to town. She loved it! She cried when we put it away. How much better would cleaning the house be if I wanted to do it that bad??

Sunday we went to church, had lunch with the family, and the kids had some popsicles for dessert.

Lilly wore her pretty jewelry to church. (c:

Oh and her sweet cousin Ray brought her some flowers! How precious is that?? Thanks Ray!

The weather was nice so we got to play a little outside too which Reid really enjoyed! Good weekend--good times!!

Few Word Friday

This is Lilly in the bathroom. She was reading the Target Ad before I went and got my camera.

Never know what I am going to find and where I am going to find it.

Sweet boy--love his precious face (and his precious self)!

Ring around the Rosie--Lilly LOVES it--calls it "ring posie". Wants to play it all the time. Tonight, after the 100th time, I told her we had played enough so she went and got her stuffed bunny and made it play. Ha! Happy Friday!

This Is The Stuff You Use

Okay so Grandparents please forgive me because there are no pictures to post tonight. I am working on it but I just don't have any to put on here. Sorry. Tonight is just one of those spontaneous from the heart posts! Okay--so these song lyrics are so much better when you can just belt them out but I heard this song the other day and really listened to the words and just thought--yes--so true!

Francesca Battistelli - This Is The Stuff Lyrics:
"I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Oh Oh Oh

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

Oh Oh Oh Oh
This is the stuff You use"

Isn't that true?? It is the little things in life that can just totally distract us from how blessed we are?? That can just cause our attitudes to turn bad? How sad is it that I can actually say that losing my keys and running behind can totally stop me from reflecting Jesus? This song just describes where I am at right now--break me of impatience, conquer my frustrations, change the things in me that divide my heart!! I can't say that I enjoy things like losing my keys or Lilly going through a "phase" where she tests the boundaries BUT I can say that I am learning to appreciate them as opportunities for God to show me areas that I still need to grow in or just opportunities to reflect him in a time where I don't necessarily want to. That is all. That was just on my mind and heart and wanted to share it! (: Grandparents--pictures tomorrow--promise!

Our Week In Pictures

Monday was Matt's Birthday! Happy Birthday handsome!! We are so blessed to have you in our lives!!! MoMo and Papa Ray were in town and volunteered to watch our sweet little ones so we could have a little date night!

So Matt and I went to a local italian place and ate more food than any two people should in one meal. It was really good! It was nice to have a dinner without worrying about cutting up the kid's food or rushing through just in case one starts to have a melt down and we need to leave. Don't get me wrong--I love those dinners with our little cuties too, but every once in a while a meal without them is nice too. Plus, they had a blast with MoMo and Papa Ray!

They had pizza and cupcakes!

Matt has wanted family pictures on our hall wall for a while now. So, with his birthday and all, I spent Tuesday afternoon putting pictures in the frames and hanging them on the wall. We LOVE how they turned out.

Since we have started hosting a small group in our home we decided to (finally) redecorate our living room. Again, we LOVE it. Wednesday night was our first small group and we had a great turn out and are so excited to have these couples in our lives!

Wednesday was spent cleaning house and running back and forth to the hospital any chance I had so I could meet this sweet little thing! Emerson Kate was 8 lbs 5 ounces and just perfect! Congratulations Syd and Tom! I think we all already love her!!

Thursday afternoon Lilly went in our closet and saw these shoes and got really excited and said, "I like these shoes!!" and then walked around the house in them all night long. So funny!

My sweet friend Amanda sent us some of the cutest little ice packs in the mail and Lilly and Reid think they are the best things ever (they are pretty awesome!). They are always getting into the freezer to get their "ice". Doesn't she look absolutely pitiful in this picture?? She is not hurt at all.

Friday we had play group (no pictures-boo) and then after naps the kids had a bath and got into jammies to get ready for Friday Night Out. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my church for this marriage ministry???? I do!! So much!! Anyway, Lisa, I included this picture so you know that we care about our dental hygiene. (:

Captain Adorable! Yes, he is.

He even has a cape!

Our little angel. I fixed her hair and she said, "I need bow". Love my girly girl! Matt and I went to dinner with our friends Chris and Jenna to Shogun. It was yummy and we loved hanging out with them and just talking and laughing--such fun friends!

Today the weather is ah-mazing so we went to the park and had a little picnic.

I can't not laugh at this picture. This boy melts the heart!

Choo-Choo!

Please note the cowgirl boots.

Had to go down on the tummy too! Oh, and yes, they are still in last nights jammies. I have no excuse.

I can't believe my BABY has the motor skills to climb this ladder!

She is saying, "I did it!" Great week! Hope you are having a great weekend and enjoying some nice weather too!

The last of the snow days...

Okay so Matt had to go back to work last Friday and we were still pretty much snowed in. I knew before the week started that if we were going to get the snow they were forecasting--I needed to make the snow days fun because we had been inside for a while. Especially Friday....because it was our fourth day not leaving the house. I set a goal at the beginning of the week to make our snow days FUN instead of just trying to survive them...to enjoy them. So here is my last stitch efforts before we got out of the house. More floor time. I can't take any credit for this....Lilly did this on her own. Such a big girl!

I moved the dining room table out of the kitchen and brought in our water table filled with snow. I wasn't bundling the kids up to go out and play. It was cold. I didn't want to be outside.

They scooped it up with their cups and pitchers. They dumped it out and made the little wheel go round and round. Like a record, baby. (:

They just put their hands in it and felt it.

And they dumped it on the floor. Lilly also used it as a cooler for her sippee cup.

They ate some.

And then as it melted into water on the floor, Lilly went and got a wash cloth (when really, in all honesty, it was a towel's job) and with every drop of water she cleaned up she would sigh loudly and say, "Oh bubby!" like she had no part in the mess.

We had a little obstacle course with the dining room chairs in the living room. The kids loved going across and under them. In case you are wondering, I didn't try that out...pretty sure I would've gotten stuck.

Then with the rug and dining room table, we created a fort where we read books and played with some toys.

We had fun! Mission accomplished!