A Princess Party

Last month we were invited to our niece, Kassidy's princess party. All invited were to come dressed as a prince or princess.  Some how the princes at our house decided to go as knights/mighty warriors.  Preparing for this party was a lot of fun and provided some good family knight night activities.  

I've been wanting to try freezer paper stenciling for a long time.  It was a blast!   I ended up doing it myself instead of having the boys help because their project with Jeremy was much more appealing...

These swords are dangerous!  They are made of wood, they have screw and saws were used to make them.  Sadly I don't have a better picture of the finished project.  I was too scared.

The Princess and her cake -my sister-in-law knows how to do a party!

Callie, in her tutu playing at the make up table -she loved it!  See the mirror in the back?  All the girls thought this was great.   I wish I had more pictures. 

The littlest princess at the party -our beautiful new niece Breille Faith.   She is a doll! 

The day of the party our family was blessed by a friend with tickets to Dutch Wonderland -what a place!!  We had a blast.  It was a very full day and I'm blaming that on the reason Jeremy and I showed up in jeans and t-shirts to the princess party. :)  I must say that a lot of the adults were dressed for the part!

Generations

Several weeks ago we invited a neighbor in for homemade ice cream.  It didn't work out so at the last minute we invited my grandparents and my aunt and uncle.  What a great evening!  Sometimes last minute plans are the best.  

I love these picture of Callie with her great-grandma Esther.  

Great-Aunt Audrey reading to the boys.

A different time, but same great-grandparents.

Keeping it real

If I know you are coming to my house I will clean it for you least you think I don't clean.  And truth be told, generally speaking, most of the time, the stuff in this house is some what in place at the end of the day.  However, there are certain moments in the day when life happens all of a sudden and unplanned or the people just don't keep up.  Here is a picture to show what I mean.  Kind of reminds me of those pictures in my kids magazines that say "How many things are wrong with this picture?"

1. Me trying to hang up some herbs to dry.
2. Husband things this is a great time to grab the camera.
3. Huge box of Ben and Jerry's that Jeremy found for $5.99.  Yes, this is wrong, in a good sort of way.
4. Why didn't I at least close the dishwasher door before moving to the next task.  Fly lady and Marcia Ramsland would be so unimpressed with me.
5. Someone didn't edited this photo before posting it on her blog.
6. Secondly, I wonder why she even posted this picture in the first place.
7. This is life and I'm living it.  

In other news, I made Pioneer Woman's jalapeno poppers one night for Jeremy.  Lovely, and I mean amazingly lovely.  

Thankful

A friend recently introduced me to this blog.  Check out Ann's blog.  Tonight was the first chance I had to check it out.  I only looked at the site for a few minutes, but I will be back.  Thankfulness is so important and yet often hard to find in our home.  So I am going to combine my need to blog with my need to be thankful.  Here are a few things I am thankful for tonight:

-Friends and family
-A friend blessed us with tickets to Dutch Wonderland. Her family wasn't going to be able to use them so she gave them to us.  We took the kids last Saturday.  Wow, what a place!  The kids loved it and we were so humbly blessed to be able to spend a day together as a family because of the generosity of a friend.  I forgot to take our smaller point and shoot camera and we decided after we were there that taking the D90 along and letting it sit in a stroller while we took rides might not be a great idea.  So, I'm thankful for the memories in my heart.
-Last year for pastor appreciation month some friends gave us a gift card and offered to watch our children while we went on a date.  Would you believe it has taken us a whole year to make it happen!!  Pathetic!  We went on our date this past Wednesday evening.  I'm thankful for great friends who know how hard it is to raise children and nurture a marriage at the same time.
-Thankful that even though we drove a  mini van on our date and I found a pacifier in my purse I still know I'm married to the man God planned for me.
-I'm thankful for two dates in one week! We don't get to "date" much, but this week Jeremy and I went out twice.  A couple from church saw the movie "Courageous" several weeks ago.  They were so impressed with the movie that Friday night the babysat for any couples that wanted to go see the movie.  What an amazing movie.
-I'm thankful for emotions that let me feel other's pain and joy
-I'm thankful for the fall camping trip we did this weekend.  I'm also thankful for a warm house. (yes, those two belong together!)  More on the camping trip later.
-I'm thankful for my children...

Pinterest

I've recently become addicted to aware of Pinterest.  So many cool things.  Just for the record I've found some not so cool stuff too. :(  Anyway here is what I've come here to say:

I shall soon start two knew boards.  They shall be be called:

WHY?
 &
YES, BUT

Hello? Do you hear what I'm saying?  

She is Clothed in Strength and Dignity.

This girl is full of charm.  I love her smile and her giggles will bring out the sun on a cloudy day.  I am continually amazed at how much she mimics me.  If I'm working at the counter she's pushing a chair over to "help".  If I'm doing dishes she is right there, on a chair beside me making a mess.  If I'm baking she's there, trying to eat anything I'm working with stirring and mixing whatever she can get close too.  I pulled out the kitchen aid this morning and she immediately tried to attach one of  beaters.  

If I'm folding clothes, she's folding clothes. Tonight she asked for fingernail polish.  No, she didn't really ask since she still doesn't say many words, but she motioned to her hands and feet and then pointed to the drawer and I knew what she wanted.  (and I wonder why the girl doesn't talk!) Now she has bright pink toes and finger nails with a few smears on her feet and hands.

She's girl, and I like that about her.  Very much.

Tonight I was exercising and she was right there beside me in her diaper and wearing a pink bow in her hair. She was dancing and trying to do the moves.  I thought it was cute.  Then I remembered:

More is CAUGHT than TAUGHT

and then I was sober because I realized that this beautiful little girl is watching and listening to everything I say and do.  It won't be long before she will understand "I need to lose some weight" or "I don't have anything to wear that fits!"  She'll learn so much from the tone of my voice, the missing smile on my face.  She'll know what my "real" is and she'll probably mimic it.  

I recently read Beth Moore's book So Long Insecurity.  I am determined to keep fighting the battle of insecurity because a little someone is watching me.  She sure is precious and she has a beautiful smile and my would you look at the style potential!  

I love you Miss Callie! 

Note the footballs on her gloves. :)  

This is a typical first morning look.  The nuk, the bear,  the messy hair, and yes even the smile. Part of the reason she's smiling on this picture is because her big brother got her up and he of course allowed her to bring the nuk and bear out to the living room instead of making her put it back in her crib.  

Mothering and the need to remember

Some days I just kind stink at being a mom.  To say I hope I'm not alone would imply that I hope other mothers out there aren't doing a great job of mothering each and every day.  I don't mean that when I say "I hope I'm not alone".

If you're reading this blog you know I love my family.  It's just been one of those day. Enough said.

Sometimes on days like this it's good for me to remember the good moments and remind myself that I do somethings right and tomorrow is another new day with no mistakes in it.  (enter emotionally charge music of Anne of Green Gables -I'm feeling better already)

One of the things on our "summer to do list" was a picnic at our local state park.  It was a beautiful evening.  The kids loved it and Jeremy and I did too.  There's just something about sitting by a stream (or in a stream) and listening to the water and the trees that just feels right and relieves stress.  Yes, this is a good memory of a time when I did something good with my family and they loved it.  Yes, I will remember this day...

Picnic -simple for sure.  

Boys

Callie's trying to throw stones like Jeremy.  Can you see the boys in the background?  

Daddy's girl

These are some of the pictures from our evening.  What you don't see is the wet, soaking children, with big smiles.  Or the river Jeremy rerouted, or that happy feeling in my heart.

Tomorrow I shall get up and start again.