8 Years

Mike and I celebrated our 8th anniversary on Tuesday. We can't really figure out were the time went, we figure it has something to do with having four kids..Go figure! Although this year has had its share of up and downs we can only seem to remember the good. We have plans to take a little weekend away after our house sells but as for now we were able to break away for dinner. I thank the Lord for my husband someone who has taught me more lessons than I can count. He is an amazing man of God and provider for our family. I am one lucky wife.

Pictures Finally

Heres some pictures of the new house and the kids first day of school. They are so cute! Oh and the house is nice to. :)

Back to School

So you couldn't get me to blog about the new house but..I will be letting you in on the first day of school. Pictures to come! Well it was off to school this morning. Alexis was the first up around 7:30, 15 minutes before the alarm clock went off..which I made her get into my bed until then :) then up and getting into the cute outfit that was laid out the night before..hope I can continue that!? Oh did I mention Seth was already up and watching TV down stairs..That boy is a morning person. :( anyway..A little russle and bussle in the house as everyone else realizes its time for the first day of school which means they can wear the clothes they haven't been able to touch till now. Clothes on in a matter of moments and then to the task of teeth, hair and breakfast which should I mention I went shopping the day before and got a bunch of stuff I can just pop in the toaster or microwave to cook..hey I have 3 kids going to school now and its all about sleeping until the longest possible moment for me!..So back to business..then we had time to kill(yah that wont happen to often!)..tried to get the kids to just relax for a little while so I could get dressed and take some first day of school pictures. Take the pictures load everyone into the car and off we go..Get out of the car and the bell rings, I think it is the 5 minute warning bell so we get to the class room and the door is locked.."weird" I'm thinking..the teacher comes to the door and ushers Alexis in..everyone else is sitting nicely and ready to learn, yah were late..the first day..I think school starts at 8:45 when it starts at 8:40..well back in the car and back home where I get pulled over..(another story for another time) and I spend the next 3 hours hearing.."Is it time yet?" "when are we leaving"...Um did I not mention the twins have 1/2 day kindergarten in the afternoon. Try to keep these kids ocupided for 3 hours while they are in there first day of school I want to impress the teachers outfit..Yah right...Finally for me it was time to go..I left 1/2 hour early this time!!:) Or maybe it was 45 minutes early..What?... I didn't want to be late this time! So we wait in the car till dad shows up to see Faith and Seth off to school. At last quite time..Nope..The baby chooses to cry nonstop while I run to the church offices..Then insists that I hold her..Ok who's running this show here?.never mind..I think I know. So it will take awhile to get into the pace of the new morning routines and afternoon melt downs, errands, housework(bigger house more work!) and....Quite time? Oh yah, I did want to actually exercise in that time too..good thing they don't have homework yet..
So my life looks and appears to be easy but I just take it in stride well..3 kids in school is a big jump from 1. Right Julia? So thats my day in a nut shell. Now its off to finding the kids who have quitely snuck out the back door to go play with there friends..after being told time to come in..and it off to making dinner, lunches, laying out the clothes for tomorrow,finishing the load of laundry in the dryer,taking baths putting the kids down to bed which I will be doing for about an hour..then taking a moment to get myself ready for bed..and making sure I at least say "hi" to my husband who somewere in this jumble came home from work.
I'm sure most of you can realate to this kind of day! (not the dinner part for Jess :) omg that was too funny! had to say it..sorry..
So hope to read your storys!

Just thought I would tell everyone that my camera is done so I will write more and post pictures soon!

Jessica's Birthday

Happy Birthday Jess !














So the funny thing about this picture is this will be the only time my belly will be smaller than theirs! Rightfully So!Thanks Mary and Karon for laughing with me!

Fun with Fuynins

You can still be cute and play with your food! When I told the girls the chips should be put on their ears like earrings, they didn't believe me. I told them "of course they should because they're called FUN yins and you are supposed to have fun with them".Just a fun reminder never to take life to seriously or you may miss these great moments!

Running?!?

So I have taken Jess up on the whole running thing, she says it works so... I wanted to say today has marked the completion of my second week running daily and eating right. Maybe it doesn't seem like a lot but you try going from no running to everyday for 2 weeks. So I'm taking it slow I run in increments..Walk 2 min then run 3 walk 2 run 3...So on..For a total of 30minutes. So next week I will try walk 1 min run 4 then eventually I will be running the whole time.It's a way you can work into the whole workout without already being super woman. I'm sure glad I have the treadmill at home so I can sweat and nobody can see, unlike Jess I'm not cute when I sweat. I'm still looking for a workout buddy..I guess after the whole sweat thing nobody will take me up on the offer,hum..maybe I should ahve left that comment for the end? Oh Well! My goal is to be in some type of swimming suit by August for the twins birthday. I can do it right??Just keep it up!!

Drano

Well my brother and his wife are having a baby. So I had them do the drano test to see if we could find out ahead of time what the baby is. Well her test showed Brown-Boy...Today she found out she is having a Girl. Sorry drano fans it didn't work this time. I'm so happy for them! It only figures they will be having a girl, girls dominate in both our families. Congratulations to my bother and sister in law, you guys will be great parents!

HIRED

So we finally we have some good news.. Mike was hired as a part time elementary children pastor/director. We are really excited and know that our time has come to roll up our sleeves and step into this direction again. This is a true testament to when you know you have been called in ministry and set backs come,you stick to it, keep the course, trust God and it will happen. Not when we think were ready, but when God knows we are. I thought many years ago I was ready to do this, be along Mikes side and work in the ministry, but looking back I had a lot of growing up to do, so we..I.. Learned.. I grew.. And the Lord was faithful just as we were. I think now this is the season we'll start to see a harvest in our lives..We aren't there yet we have some BIG challenges ahead of us financially and I'm sure spiritually but I'm ready to begin to claim VICTORY in our family. This is just the beginning!

So who did she learn this from?? Not ME..

Baby Dressed Up

Party Time

So the reason I haven't posted in a while was I was busy planning a very important party! I'm going to put the before and after party pic's below and you can take a look!





I want to Thank Julia for all your help with everything, your the best, I'm glad you were beside me!
Christine: Your the best, give you a job and it's done! Thank You! Olaf,man after the long days you pull at work you came and took orders from me! Thank you for pulling off my vision!Mike and Mom, thank you for all your help both nights, couldn't do it without you! My husband, thank you for still being married to me after all the freek outs! It's always is worth it in the end! Thank You for being my vision and helping me make this one come to pass..ps I don't think anyone will notice that their tress are missing from there back yard??

This went well...

I found that writing my thoughs out instead of just putting up pictures had its share of reviews.. so I think that maybe I'll write somemore...I never knew that being who God created you to be could sometimes be so hard. To take the road less traveled. To do what God is calling you to do, verses the easy way. As families struggle to make day to day choices and then choices that may effect our families direction, I challenge you as Jess has,to have a mission statement and run all things through that. Something in Steves message that stands out is...God doesn't change His mind on the calling He has for your life... When the going gets tough and we want to throw our hands up and get out of dodge, the Lord doesn't then say.."Hey you know this is too tough for you, let me change what I have created you for and the destiny I have for your life.." Yah right! The Lord remains steadfast as He has instructed us to do. This is then the "testing of our faith" for after our faith has been tested, it is only then, we can see the glories work of His hands!

Thoughts

I know this is strange an unlike me but I thought I would just write about a few things on my mind.. So I was thinking about something pastor said on Sunday and came up with this question..maybe some of you have a good answer.."How do you go towards what you want, without seeking after the things you don't have?". Now I know this sounds like it is a easy answer but I just find that it isn't THAT easy. I mean you want to move forward in your life and move into a new stage, right. Well you also don't want to get so focused on the things you don't have that you then loose sight of the great thing that are in front of you. I guess its about balance and finding a good middle ground. That's what I have been thinking about the last day.
Also my old friend who is still dear to my heart is moving away and I have been thinking about trying to talk to her one more time before she goes. I feel like I want to tell her I'll be there for her when she is ready and the Lord loves her but I know she already knows that. Maybe it's just closer I seek? So what do you say to someone who has closed the book on you but you feel like there is still so much unsaid for yourself? I think I will write something in a card and send it..
On a happy note when God closes the door on one thing He sure does open another. I have been so blessed to find new friends to share life together. I see even now that the Lord is bring new people into my life everyday..It's one of those things that once you put forward even the littlest effort God meets you.

Easter

Easter Sunday was beautiful! The pictures don't do justice for the way everything looked! I was proud. More than that I was proud being able to sing next to people I admire. What a honor to be able to serve with people who's hearts seeks after God! Thank You to all of you Karen S, Jess, Andrea and everyone else you worked so hard!! Karen K Thank You for all your hard work in making the Easter Kids Choir look and sound so good!

In my family we all know it is a special shout out to my grandma who passed away so early in life, olives on our fingers! Better make sure your kids do it too Nate!

Cute kids in special Easter Dresses and digs! Thanks Grandma C.




The Hunt is ON!!
This is how we all felt when the day was over!

Family Pictures

So Here they are our family pictures for 2006. I'm not sure what Seth thought we were doing at the park? He must have figured we were there to catch bugs..In his mouth..Every picture of the boy was a mad face or wide open for the bugs to fly in..So when you have a family of 4 kids make sure you have lots of time and lots of film this first picture isn't the best of me and faith but it is cute..

I like this photo of Mike and I. We were able to snap a good one in between yelling at the kids to stay away from the lake.





Seth is handsome in the pictures with mom..I wouldn't have it any other way!


Here is a good example of the mouth open thing!

I don't know why baby didn't want to climb up on the rail?
Yep, sometimes you just have to get what you can and just wing it when you can't!

My Baby is growing up!

My sweet baby is not much of a baby anymore..Thought I would attempt to post these pictures last time I tried and failed 3 times!

My children are truly the loves of my life.(yes my husband too)

My Love Bugs

I have been wanting to do a wall of family photo's and so I finally started to take some of the kids to put up. Here are some of the winners!





Don't go crazy Hope is not in these pictures! She was sleeping when we took them and Mike was busy. You know with a little one you need as many sets of hands you can get to snap a great photo..so she will be a soon addition to the wall of glory!