Birthday Week Wrap Up

My boys turned 2, 4 & 29 this week! :) Dec. 6-12 is an insane week for us every year, but oh so fun! The best part is we get to eat cake and ice cream pretty much every day & night for a whole week and we don't have to feel guilty!

My amazing hubby's birthday is today! I love you, Ross and am the luckiest girl in the world to be married to you and get to celebrate your 29 blessed years so far on this earth!

I was looking back through my blog and found this one when Aiden and Eli were 2 and 3 mo. old.... I figured I'd up date commemorating their birthdays! We'll see how many remain the same!

Top 10 fun facts about Aiden (2 yrs old, now 4!):

1. his personality reminds me of me.- STILL!

2. he truly loves people (I have yet to see him scared of anyone or not like them)- STILL!

3. he talks with a British accent sometimes (and I didn't coax him!) UPDATE: no more british accent, sad, but he is picking up some Spanish now!

4. he never stops (talking, moving, you name it) UPDATE: add Climbing to that.

5. he loves the Bible (especially page 368) UPDATE: he loves ALL books

6. he loves to sing (and hear ME sing!)- STILL!

7. his favorite hobbies lately are playing with cars, riding his bike, and coloring. UPDATE: Painting & writing letters has trumped coloring.

8. he loves being outside (and swimming in the summer) UPDATE: Playing in SNOW!

9. he eats his veggies without complaining (unlike his father!) UPDATE: He still prefers veggies over meat, but it's harder to get him to eat it these days, he's more into bread & dessert.

10. when he will be still enough to give me a hug, it's the best!- STILL!

10 fun things about Eli (3 months old/ now 2!):

1. he came early so I didn't have to gain as much weight this pregnancy. UPDATE: he has more than caught up from being a premie, in weight, development, etc!

2. he is a chunky monkey (15 lbs already, 97th percentile!) - STILL! (weighs pretty much the same as Aiden now!) Eli is my meat eater too... prefers meat over anything else.

3. he smiles every time Aiden gets in his face- STILL! (and copies everything he does too!)

4. he has an amazing ability to projectile poop UPDATE: Thankfully we are past that stage, but he sure does love talking about poopie and bum bums now!

5. he sleeps a lot (great on long car rides) UPDATE: not so great on long car rides anymore, but does still sleep great (with the exception of this afternoon and him crying instead of napping)

6. he has blue eyes- STILL- and kept that blonde hair!!!

7. he has started to laugh UPDATE: his laugh is so infectious!

8. he is totally different than Aiden (looks and personality)- STILL!

9. he looks just like his daddy-STILL!

10. he snuggles!- STILL!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my birthday boys this week! I love you all!

I Met a MilkMan!

I don't know why this is so funny to me, but I actually met a milkman the other day! I honestly didn't know they still existed! I was babysitting for a friend in a beautiful old restored row house in DC and someone rang the door bell. When I opened the door I literally felt like I stepped back in time to 1950!

The Milkman looked exactly like this dude pictured to the left! The bottles were exactly the same, and his truck was old school! It was quite the experience! The friend I was babysitting for gets her milk, eggs and cream delivered by this dude like once a week! He just drops it off on her doorstep wether she's there or not.

So there you have it, if you ever need one, they're still out there!

Need Mommy Advice

Eli climbed out of his crib tonight. Aiden never even tried when he slept in it.... so I wanted to know- anyone have this happen? What did you do? Do I discipline him and teach him not to or does that mean it's time to move him to a big boy bed?

The boys share a room, so I'd rather keep him in the crib. They'd have to share the double bed if he left it. What would you do? He turns 2 on Sunday!!!!

Grocery Shopping in the year 2009!

Grocery shopping has gone to a whole new level.... everyone say it with me like Conan O'brien "in the year 2000...9". :)

I thought my boys went crazy over the race car carts at Publix, but after my shopping trip this morning I have to ask.... have we gone too far?

TV SHOPPING CARTS PEOPLE!

That's right. FREE. CAR CARTS. KIDS TV SHOWS. need I say more?

I almost feel like a bad mother putting my boys in there. It's a car cart, with an added bonus, a little LCD flat screen tv inside! You can choose from Dora, Handy Many, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent OSO, and more! There is even a screen for me that I can flip through recipes, see the latest sales and ads, and control the kids show. Crazy!

RIDICULOUS.

but I use it. :)

Baby Fever!

That's it.... it's official, I have baby fever! I can count on my hand the number of friends, NOT preggo right now.... yeah pretty much everyone is getting pregnant or having babies all around me.... and my boys are turning 2 & 4 in less than a month! UGH!

I cannot wait to have another baby, I love being pregnant and the whole process SO amazing to me, and shows me more of God each time.

But alas.... I must wait, lots going on in our life right now, and finances need to be in a better place before we can focus on that. Be still my heart (and womb!) :) I guess I gotta just keep telling myself {don't give in to peer pressure, don't give in to peer pressure} lol.

My Precious....

Nothing in the world is quite as precious as watching your children sleep.

1. because they are actually asleep!

2. because they look so sweet and innocent.

...melts my heart :)

Celebrating 10 Years!

November 17, 1999

I was a freshman at FSU and living the "typical" college life. I joined a sorority, lived in a dorm, was really trying to control & live my own life. I had just gotten back from a fraternity formal weekend in Destin, FL, where some sketchy things happened and that was fresh off of a trip with some sorority sisters to Orlando the weekend before, where one of them OD'd and ended up in the hospital- just after we both had taken the same things at the same time. It was all catching up to me. Reality was hitting me that I was not in control. In fact, I was losing control pretty fast.

My roommate, Kelly, (hind sight was completely placed in my life by God) and her boyfriend at the time (now hubby) kept inviting me out to their campus ministry. I blew them off every time for a party or sorority function. But this week something was different. Just coming off some crazy weekends, with reality hitting me of what could happen with my life out of control. I gave in and figured it couldn't hurt to go with them this one time (I grew up in church and youth group and all, couldn't be that different, right?!).

We walked to the student union, entered one of the ballrooms and there was a band playing. Sterling Brown was leading that band, and Pastor Chip Buhleur was getting ready to preach. The music had begun, and there were only a few seats open, so we had to sit right in the front row. As Sterling started singing the lyrics, he made eye contact with me, I felt like he looked right into my soul and could see all the junk I was hiding.

I fell to my knees and started BALLING. Like the not pretty kind of crying. No one had even preached a word. God spoke to me in that moment like I had never heard before. He wanted me. I think I was embarrassing Clayton because he immediately ran to get the campus minister's wife (Jen!). She took (dragged) me outside along with her baby (Clara) who was only like 4 months old.

That night I changed. I have never been the same. I am dramatic in nature, and it seems like my180 was just as dramatic. November 17, 1999 was the night I completely surrendered my life to Christ. It has been the most AMAZING 10 years of my life since then. It is so hard to believe from one little moment like that the course of my destiny was changed. I am so completely grateful for Jesus getting a hold of me, and also for friends who didn't stop trying. I am just in awe of all that God has done in my life since then, just for being willing to lay it all down to Him. It is all about Jesus.... but I must also say thank you to all my great friends (and my hubby!) that constantly keep me encouraged, accountable, and in the game.

So as tomorrow comes. I will celebrate! 10 years of being a daughter of The King!

The Crazy Thing About Kids Songs

It is unreal to me how "Kids Songs" appeal to kids! I cannot figure out why kids like to hear terrible music and singers over GREAT music and singers (ie. my/adult music). It's practically soothing to them! We have a couple of really really bad (as in annoying) kids CDs, so bad Ross can't stand them for a minute. And of course, those are the 2 that the boys MAKE us play.

It is rather amazing how they do the trick though. If we're in the car for a long time or late at night, just stick one of those CDs in, and it practically puts the boys in a trance. It's hilarious (yet annoying). :)

Luckily today I got the deal of the year! I went to Family Christian Bookstores and found a great CHRISTMAS VeggieTales CD... as I was checking out the clerk told me about a great deal they had, and only had 4 left of- I ended up with 1 VeggieTales DVD, 2 CDs, and 1 VeggieTales cookie cutter all for under $20! (great for part of the boys B-day gifts!). I was so excited. For some reason, the silly VeggieTales voice are WAY better to me than typical Kid CDs.

Do you have any recommendations of good Kid CDs? Especially worship or Scripture memory ones?

Decompression

How do YOU decompress?

Every so often "it" always piles up on me.... I feel overwhelmed, exhausted, stretched to my limit, get snappy, easily frustrated and I'm just not fun to be around. I realized this the other day, and it dawned on me... I haven't had any "time off". I try to have my quiet time each day, and that's usually enough to help me get through the day, but sometimes you need just a little bit more.

It's amazing how just a little change in scenery can change your perspective and help you decompress. I am trying to work it into our weekly schedule that Ross spends extra time with the boys alone, and I go somewhere to "decompress". It doesn't take a whole lot to have a huge effect on me. This week I just went window shopping, alone, for a few hours, got a Starbucks, journaled, and read a book. When I got home, I was like a new woman!

What does the trick for you? How do you refresh/decompress? I would love to hear some tips or ideas!

I Never Thought I'd...

be a missionary!

I grew up in church, it was a fun church, nice people and all, but "church" never grabbed my heart. It wasn't until I was in college that I saw christianity wasn't about church, but about Jesus. About knowing Him, about loving Him. I realized church should be the place of encouragement and meeting together to meet needs and worship corporately, but not the end all.

When Jesus got a hold of me, I was compelled to serve Him. I couldn't stop finding ways to know Him better through doing His Word (Philemon 6). I went on a mission trip that changed the course of my life forever. I saw how much need there was in the world. I saw how amazing the transformation can be when someone grabs hold of Jesus. It was addicting.

I had 2 experiences that confirmed ministry was for me. The first was on a retreat with college students, where someone prayed for me and told me I was called to be an evangelist (insert image of purple-haired lady sitting on a gold chair on TBN). The other was one night on the mission trip I was listening to the worship music and it was as if everything got quiet (even though it was still loud) and I heard that still small voice. It was unmistakable. I heard God say to me "this is what you are called to do for the rest of your life." As amazing as that moment was... it freaked me out!

My first thought was that I was called to live with my hair in a bun, floor-lengthed skirts, in mud huts in Africa, alone. No thank you. (I mean if Jesus appeared and told me to do that I would, but it would take that!) Those two images (purple hair and mud huts) were all I knew of missionaries. Thankfully God started changing my view. You don't have to be on TBN to be a minister, and you don't have to move to Africa (although I appreciate those who do). EVERYONE is called to minister the gospel if they are a Christian, right where they are.

I am blessed that God has provided me to be able to do it full time, with a husband with the same passion. I am blessed and honored that God would call ME to do this! I mean, I'm far from perfect, and he STILL uses me! I never thought I'd be in ministry. But I praise God for the opportunity!

I Never Thought I'd be....

A Stay At Home Mom.

I was hanging out with some other mom's the other night and an interesting question was asked "what did you do in your former life?".

We all started laughing. What a question! It wasn't derogatory at all though, it was pretty accurate... what did we do before we had kids. I mean, once the kids come, life IS way different! We went around answering and I was amazed. I sat in the presence of a mom who formerly was a NASA space simulator trainer in Houston, another who was an engineer, another who worked for a Senator, another who was a music teacher, many more, and me, who was (is) in ministry.

Since moving to DC a month ago, my role has changed a lot. Ross is primarily doing the field work of a minister, there just hasn't been much for me to do yet (I know i'll get my turn soon). My day looks extremely different than it did in Tallahassee. I realized I'm just a stay at home mom now.

JUST a stay at home mom??? I have a 2 & a 4 year old (in a month!).... it is SO different than it sounds! lol. All I can say is that I have a whole new respect for single moms, moms w/ careers, and my mom! THIS IS A FULL TIME JOB. I love all those stats on "if we paid our mom's what they work", it's so true. I'm a maid, a chef, a teacher, a wife, a friend, a mom, a chauffeur, a pastor, a seamstress, a tickle monster... and the list goes on 24/7.

I love being a mom, and it is quite the experience and it's extremely special being a stay at home mom! I feel completely blessed to be in the postion that I am able to do this! I never thought I'd be a stay at home mom, but now that I am, I can't imagine not getting this opportunity!

I Never Thought I'd be....

a housewife.


When I was growing up I never really wanted to be a housewife. I wanted to be a career woman, work the 9-5.... infact, I loved Dolly Parton when I was little and that song (not so much now though, haha). I had my mind set on being a TV anchor woman. From the time I was a tot and got the TV anchor Barbie (yes they make those). I played with that doll and the TV set for HOURS on end. I even was in journalism in high shcool and went to college specifically to study mass media!

God had a different plan. See, after He radically got a hold of my heart 1/2 way through my freshman year of college my desires started to change. The idea of fame and a paycheck just didn't seem as glamorous anymore. Knowing God and serving Him is what lit me up after that point. After feeling called to missions (that is a whole nother story), I changed my major, and started pursuing that. Then God knocked me up side the head w/ a man. I wasn't expecting that. I didn't go to college to get my MRS. degree. I wasn't one of those girls. (met many of them though and laughed at that). Funny that is pretty much what I turned out to be. lol.

When Ross and I started dating and knew we would both go into ministry, I realized my career was gonna look WAY different than expected. Before we had kids I worked, in ministry. I didn't stay home all day and cook and clean, I was working side by side w/ Ross on our mission field (the college campus). But naturally, being married (and now having kids) I had a role to play. I became a housewife.

I am proud to say, I am NOT a desperate Housewife. I love it. I LOVE IT! It is an HONOR and privileged to get to "work from home". Not only do I get to do what I love and was created for (ministry to others), but I get to minister to my husband and kids! I get to disciple my boys! I get to support and encourage and allow my man to do GREAT things for the Kingdom! I am a housewife, at 28 years old, and I am not ashamed!

Never thought I'd.....

....use my kids to ward off bad guys. :)

That sounds strange, I know... but living in a big city now, and there are some shady people sometimes, especially when you ride the mass transit. One thing friends here tell me is that if you go in a shady area, just act like you are supposed to be there and you know what you're doing and most people won't bother you.

Good thing for me, Aiden & Eli aren't intimidated by anyone. No matter how shady or scary someone may be, they will still talk to them. I hope this is a gift they never loose! Like the other day, a shady lady started talking our ear off as we waited for the Metro. Aiden started asking her questions and being nice to her, and I could tell her wall started coming down. The conversation actually went so long that she ended up asking us if she could live at our house. lol. (Ross let her know about a rescue mission in DC as an alternative).

At the grocery store the other day, Eli asked EVERY person that walked by for a hug. (luckily no one really understood him, so we avoided the Swine Flu), but it surly got everyone to smile and say hi.

All that to say.... if you act friendly, so will they. Making eye contact and a smile go a long way, no matter a shady person or not. I find around here, it goes further than you think.... if you're kind to someone, they won't want to mug you. :)

The Magic Potion

Tonight I have discovered what will make my boys happy, energetic, and silly.... without bad side effects! HOT CHOCOLATE!

The boys woke up from their nap (meaning Eli, because Aiden refuses them again) pretty grumpy today. So I fed them some Hot Chocolate. I've never actually given them it before, but Aiden got a taste at a friends house last week, and I decided we're in a great season to partake.

It was the Magic Potion! They got so Happy and fun it was unbelievable! When Ross got home from work and we ate dinner they were cracking us up. Ross even asked if I gave them speed or something, haha. I mean, they've never been effected by anything like this!

Am I a bad mom if I use this to my advantage now? Slip them a little Hot Chocolate when I need them in good moods and fun? hmmmmmmmmmm. :)

I liken it to what coffee does for me. This could be bad. lol

Theme Park Kids

I have come to realize after being to several theme parks this summer (all of which were awesome hook-ups & super fun!) that we offically have Theme Park Kids.

For some reason, which I am very thankful for, when we go to theme parks with our boys they become different kids. They are happy, they don't cry, they are patient in line, they have never ending energy and appetites! They wake up early and stay up late and don't have to take naps. When does THAT ever happen? Who ARE these kids?

I really understand why they say Disney is a magical place.... I think that's true of all theme parks (so far, I hope I'm not jinks-ing us!). I even said to a friend the other day that I wish I could go every day with the boys, because I guess I'm just not as entertaining and fun at home. :)

If you wanna see Aiden's Disney perspective click here.

Perspective

Ever been praying for something and it feels like your prayers are just hitting the ceiling and God doesn't hear them? Yeah, i've been in one of those seasons. It's hard to stay consistently in faith when that happens.

Today God gave me a picture of what He's doing in times like those. I was listening to that old school Life House song that says "How can I be with you and not be moved by you" and it goes on to say "You're all I need, You're all I want, You're everything..."

I saw this really dark stage and there was a spotlight on a man in white (representing God) and me wearing a dark dress. It was like one of those dances where the man is behind me and without touching me leads my movements (for anyone who was at Campus Harvest back in 2003 you remember that Jim Monroe dance that made everyone cry? kind of like that). Each movement the man behind me made would cause my arms, feet and body to gracefully move with him, even though I couldn't see him.

I was dancing and the man (God) was leading me, He kept taking a step and I felt like he was far away and the spotlight would go with him, leaving me in the dark, I couldnt reach Him (as if I couldn't hear/feel God), but all along He was just leading me. Each time I would follow, and get back in the spotlight with Him.

It's like Prov. 16:9 & 3:5-6. God has ordered my steps. I just need to, by faith, step along with Him, let him LEAD me. It turns out to be a BEAUTIFUL dance. I have no idea where it's leading, in this dance (song, season of life) but I will follow because God makes those steps BEAUTIFUL and GRACEFUL and in WORSHIP to Him.

Just keep dancing (going) and God WILL LEAD. His steps are beautiful and full of Grace. Praise God!

DUI???

It's not what you think. I do drive under the influence; not of any substance, but of a 3 year old!!!

My 3 year old is waaaaaaaaay too into cars and racing... it's starting to effect ME! When we drive now it is like he is narrating my passing, speeding, and driving skills, like an announcer at the Daytona 500! It's quite funny, and at first I would just laugh at him. But I am starting to be influenced by it!

For instance, yesterday we drove 4 hrs south to go stay with my parents. He continually would look ahead and see a car and say "Mom, look at that jeep! I know you can pass it, You can do it! Go fast fast fast!" and what do you know? I would set that goal and meet it too. LOL.

It's getting out of hand. When we are at stop lights he says "when the light turns green I want you to GO GO GO and beat that motorcycle!"..... I would ignore it our just laugh it off in the beginning, but I am catching myself actually doing what he says! AHHHH! I must stop. On the good side, he is very encouraging as I drive! :)

Pack-N-Play Time!!!

Pack-N-Play Time has become a household favorite recently! I discovered this trick when Aiden was under 2, but didn't do it consistently enough, but it is a life saver if you do schedule it in! Eli is now a champ at pack-n-play time and even asking for it!

What is pack-n-play time? Like I said, a life saver (or sanity saver, i'd say!). It's a great way to get your kid to learn how to entertain themselves and play all by themselves without needing someone to constantly play with them. I love my boys, I love playing with them, but this is a critical skill I think they (and I) need to have for all of our sanity!

I started as early as 10 months with Aiden because that is when he got mobile. Start out about 5-10 min, put them in another room (out of sight) with their favorite toys (add a different one to the mix every day so they don't get bored), and I like to turn music on so they don't hear me and want out. Then I set the timer and see how long they can last! My goal is to work it to 20-30 min where they get undistracted playpin time, and sometimes 2x's a day.

Doing it w/ 2 boys now is so great because I can get good focus time with Aiden to work on school works, and do stuff that Eli isn't big enough to do yet. It's also a great way to keep him happy while I'm cooking instead of just plopping him infront of the tv.

For Eli the first couple of days were rough. Meaning, he cried and screamed the WHOLE time he was in there (10 min.) for 3 straight days. But I kept being consistent and when I was about to give up I decided to try one more day. That 4th day he cried for 2 min. and ended up deciding it was more fun to actually be quite and play... he lasted 20 min! We do it about every day now and when I say "Eli it's time for playpin time!" he yells "YAY! Playpin Time!" and runs to find his favorite toys, throws them in and waits next to the pack-n-play! lol. He's up to 30 minutes right now 1x a day. I only do it 2x's if Ross isn't home while I have to get dinner going.

Just wanted to share a tip with you if it's needed. Let me know if you try it and if it works for you! Remember, it takes a few days of being consistent to get them to realize it's not punishment and it's FUN TIME! Just keep trying! Once they outgrow the pack-n-play you can move it to "room time".

That's What Friends Are For....

Typing out this story reminded me of this one:

When I was in college living with my bff, Kelly, I was always the one killing bugs and stuff. I don't know how or why I ended up being the one that did it, but it seemed inevitable that I was the one called on to kill a spider or roach or something.

Well, one night I was sleeping soundly. Kelly lived in the room across the hall from me. She had to wake up real early, like dark out early, that semester for an internship she had. She woke up and stepped out her room to go to the bathroom and stopped dead in her tracks because a huge roach was crawling on the floor infront of her room into the bathroom (where she was headed). So she decides not to jump over it, or kill it or trap it or anything, no.... she decides to go back in her room, shut the door and CALL ME ON HER CELL PHONE. lol.

Meanwhile, I was sleeping peacefully in the dark in my room and I hear my phone ring. I see it's Kelly calling and I was so confused and immediately worried because she was supposed to be in her room, so I thought. She whispers on the phone "Amy, don't be mad at me, but I am stuck in my room. There is a huge roach infront of my door, and I can't get out."

WOW..... I hang up the phone, and the good friend I am, instead of just turning over and pulling the covers over my head, I open my door and kill the roach for her.

It wasn't so funny at the time for me (I was rather annoyed, haha)... but looking back, it's one hilarious memory, one that we still laugh about to this day.... I miss those days sometimes.... then I realize, she was just training ground for my hubby. LOL (you can see if you clicked on that link above, why).

The Things I Never Thought I'd Do....

Today was one of them...

you can read Aiden's rendition here: www.smallkidbigstories.wordpress.com or hear my version:

My friend Jessica was over for lunch, we were enjoying our conversation when we were so rudely interrupted by Aiden screaming from the bathroom. He went all my himself (which I'm really enjoying these days), and did both. I was unaware he brought his favorite car, Lightning McQueen with him. He dropped the car in the dirty toilet! Thank God he didn't flush, can't imagine what would have happened. But I had to somehow get him out. Now I'm the hero. WOW.

I think i'll continue this blog topic with future stories, I got a handful of Things I Never Thought I'd Do.... :) Stay tuned...

My Son... the blogger!?!

That's right, you heard it here.... my 3 year old son has a BLOG! too young you say? bah humbug!

Check it out here Small Kid, Big Stories (www.smallkidbigstories.wordpress.com)

We're using the blog to record our upcoming adventures as we move to a big city and experience a new chapter/book in our lives. We're also hoping to use it as a good way to keep our friends and family in touch with what the boys are doing on a regular basis since most of them won't get to see them much this year (we invite ANYONE AND EVERYONE to come visit!!) .

Who knows what this could turn into... you know, that movie Juile and Julia that just came out STARTED as a BLOG! Maybe Aiden and Eli could be famous one day through their silly stories. :)

Desperation

When I find myself in moments of desperation, it's always interesting to see what God pulls out of me. Here's my thought for today, as we are in a desperate time to see our house sell or rent out. We need to be moving up to Washington DC in about 2 weeks and it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel with our house & finances being taken care of.

Here's my thought today: God brings us to moments of desperation so that we can begin to praise Him and be thankful for what He is doing. Without moments of desperation we become so self sufficient and it's easy to leave God out of the equation. Being in this moment of desperation, I am thankful because it only leaves room for God to do something miraculous and supernatural, where only He can be glorified, and we can trust Him more. Praise God, shouldn't we be asking for more of that? Now we GET to see God move and work a miracle!

It's a New Season...

Well, a lot of you know already, words been spreading....we're moving from Tallahassee to Washington DC for a year long internship at a church there! We're very excited.... yet sad to leave our "home" of 10 years! You can read all the details here, at my hubby's blog.

If you wouldn't mind praying with us we have a list of prayer requests lately:

- Our house needs to sell within 6 weeks. We'd rather not rent it out, but we might be forced to do that. We need guidance and a miracle because we can't afford a mortgage and a rent payment and we have to be there Sept. 1!

- A smooth transition for our family, esp. the boys, to be able to settle in quickly and adjust well to moving.

- To get everything out of the internship and our time in DC for that year.

- For God to open doors and give us a location to plant a church when the internship is done, along with a team of people and the finances!

Thanks so much!! I'll be reporting soon on here what miracles God is going to do to get us there! :)

Life is a Highway....

besides it being my 3 yr olds favorite song (thanks, CARS) that has been my theme song for this past month! We have put a lot of miles on the car!

We just drove up and back from Washington, DC for the Every Nation North American Conference (the ministry we work for, NAC09 was AMAZING by the way) and back down to pick up our boys from my parents (can't thank them enough for watching them for a week!) and now over to Panama City for a few weeks to meet with our ministry partners.... and in a few more weeks back down to Tampa to meet with more! It's a whirl-wind Summer to put it lightly!

So much time on the road has got me thinking. Highway driving is SOOOOOOOOO much better than back roads, and more gas efficient. Our 14-16 hour drive up and back from DC to Tampa felt WAY faster than our 6 hr drive from Tampa to Panama City. Why? because we were on the interstate the whole way to and from DC, and were on back roads the whole way from Tampa to PC. (plus we had 2 kids w/ us on that leg)

So my contemplation is: How do you stay on the Highways of life? In other words, staying the course, and not getting detoured by small towns and stop lights. We listened to some sermons in the car on these trips and I heard a great one by Pastor Andy Stanley where he talks about our Direction determining our Destiny rather than our Intentions determining our destiny. Your intentions DO NOT determine your destination. You may have the best of intentions, but it is your direction that will determine your destination. For example: If you intend on having a great marriage, but are spending more hours at work with your secretary than on dates/at home with your wife what direction are you heading in?

We must be intentional on the direction we are going in if we want to arrive at that particular destination. If I want to go to Harvard Law school one day, I shouldn't just have really high hopes I make it, and be taking a scuba class and watching Legally Blonde.... I need to be actually taking the classes, studying, immersing myself in law, applying to the program to get there.

Where do your dreams want to take you? What has God spoken to you in your heart? What is a destination you look forward to? What are you doing to get there? Are you just having good intentions or are you heading in that direction?

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Happy Father's Day Ross!
This is an older picture of my amazing Hubby and the boys, but it's one of my favorites. I am so honored and proud to be married to this awesome man. He loves God. He loves Me. He loves our boys. He loves our family & friends. I LOVE HIM!

There is not enough I could say to do justice to this man for what he does for our family, they way he loves us, and cares for us. We don't deserve him, but I am so thankful and grateful God has placed us together.

I just had to give a shout out to the most incredible man on earth! :) I love you, Happy Father's Day!



I must also give major props and love to MY DAD! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! You set the bar, thank you! I love you!

The BEST Free Magazine!

If you haven't yet, you must...

Sign up for this FREE magazine! My bff, Kelly, introduced me to it's glory. It's the Kraft Food & Family Magazine. You can sign up for free at www.kraftfoods.com

It is full of recipes and tips for cooking that are all, I mean ALL yummy! Stephanie (my housemate) and I get giddy when we get one in the mail every season! I use recipes in it atleast 2 times a week, minimum... they are just so easy and always taste good!

My disclaimer.... it takes awhile for the initial magazine to arrive after you sign up. So prepare to wait 6-12 months to receive it. But it is WORTH the wait, I promise! :)

p.s. those cupcakes pictured there are to die for.... i ate 4 large ones in one sitting they were so good. no kidding. (regretted it a few hours later though, haha)

KONG is King!

I have found it; the best dog toy yet! It is called the KONG. Our beloved Bichon, Porter, is a great dog, But he has a whining problem (ever since we had kids). I think it's cause he gets bored & doesn't get the attention from Ross and I like he used to, although the boys play with him SO much.

I read an article about these dog toys called KONGs and figured I'd try it out. It has worked! You stuff some treats inside the rubber toy and it takes him over an hour to try to get it out. It not only keeps him busy but it bounces & rolls all around so he's moving too (not just laying around like he usually does).

Porter never ceases to amaze me. Every toy we have gotten him from simple plastic/ rubber balls to knots, and stuff he chews through and eats the entire thing. (I have a nasty story I'll share another time if the mood strikes me, having to do with a dog toy he ate.) So the Kong is great, it's the most durable dog toy yet.

So if you have a dog, you gotta try this toy- it will totally make them happy!

Proud Sistah :)

I just have to brag on my brother, now Dr. J. Matt Hoch!!! He completed his Doctorate yesterday after many long, hard years in school up in NY! Even though I am his sister he is making me call him Dr. Matt now. :)

I'm so proud of him on many levels... one being that I know I will never pursue any more degrees so I can live vicariously though him in that, and say at least there was one smart one in our family. haha. On the other levels seeing his hard work, persistence, and endurance in a hard program was inspiring!

Way to go bro! Anyone looking for a mad scientist to hire out there, my bro is the best in his field in studying Ecology & Evolution in Marine Biology... his disertation was on Barnacle penis' and reproduction (made for some hilarious conversation starters!). :) Here's a pic of THE Dr. Matt & of the celebration cake Olivia, his girlfriend, made for him... very creative & well done!

Confessions of a Shoplifter

Oh Goodness, I really did it today. In my whole life I have never shoplifted.... today was a first.

OOPS!

So here's the story. My 3 yr old and I made a quick run to Wal-Mart to pick up some goods and hand soap. He was really into the hand soap smell so he was holding it while I went to the self-check out line. I got all done paying and bagging and was headed out the door.

I walked through the sliding doors and headed to the parking lot and looked down. There was the hand soap. Immediately I thought "aww man, I'm gonna have to turn around and wait in the mile long customer service line to pay for that"....then it went straight to "nah, it's only $1, Wal-Mart won't miss $1."

WHAT?! What in the world made that my first thought? So I continued on to the car. (with the thought floating in the back of my mind that there was a security guard headed behind me about to club me over the head because I just "casually shoplifted" $1 hand soap.)

I loaded the car up and buckled Aiden in and was backing out of my parking spot. No sooner did I start backing out that I started feeling what you call CONVICTION. My heart started beating so bad, a mental war started raging in my head. You can say it was your classic angel/devil on your shoulder thing.

I pulled down the aisle and I seriously felt like I could have a heart attack by the conviction of not turning around to pay for that. All the while I was reasoning in my head "it's only $1, not worth the 10 min. to go stand in line and pay". But then I clearly heard God say “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Which is from Luke 16:10.

WOW! I immediately turned around.

It was funny when I walked back in, 2 Wal-Mart ladies were at the door to help people with returns get the little stickers, and they were like "excuse me mam, are you returning that?" I had to explain that we walked out with it in the cart and I forgot to pay for it.... needless to say they and my cashier all looked at me like I was crazy to not just walk away with.

It not only turned into a valuable lesson for Aiden, but for me most of all! What was going on in me to try to cut corners like that, laziness!? Wow, it humbled me. It brought to reality how easy it really is to cut corners and hide sin, and try to get away from it. I also realize if I give that a little foothold it will become a snowball effect and my heart would get hardened to the voice of God and conviction. Which, least to say, puts the fear of God in me!

Have you ever found yourself trying to cut corners?

"Haha, I Am Funny!"

Today was a very Bittersweet day for me.... Sweet in that it was the Awards day for the last day of school for Aiden at Mom's Morning Out at our church (it's a 2 day a week preschool). Bitter in the fact that it was the last day of school, this year... and for Aiden in MMO. boo!

So I am just so proud of my boy- he won the award "The Best Comedian". It just made my day! Sometimes you wonder, do other people see what I see in my kid... and I'm so thankful for the amazing teachers at that school, they do see his humor! :) He asked me what comedian meant and I told him it meant he was funny, and he said "Yeah, haha, I AM funny!".

Seriously, that school has blessed me beyond measure... it has been amazing watching Aiden learn, develop and grow there. I am so sad it's time for him to move on..... it makes me really look forward to the future and more school days.

Have you ever won any awards in school? The only one that comes to my memory was my senior year of high school I won one... it's shallow so I won't even mention it here. lol but I did get ONE! hahaha

Rebel

I feel like "I'm In Rebellion" lately! (note that is the title track on this CD). So we like to be culturally diverse in our family, especially when it comes to music. The hottest CD in our family right now (besides the new Israel CD!) is the latest LaCrae Rebel CD.

Here's the reason I'm rebelling. It all started one day a few weeks ago when the boys were both in bad moods. We were on our way to the park, and the weather was beautiful outside. I usually turn the music up when they start getting fussy to hopefully distract them enough and get them listening to music. Well, this CD happen to be in and so I cranked it up and the car was thumping....

All of a sudden I realized there was a big buzzing bug in the car so I rolled down the windows to get it to fly out, all the wind made the boys start laughing hysterically so I kept them down... therefore I had to turn the music up louder.

I wasn't even thinking of how this looked.... we pulled up to a stop light with THUMPING music and the windows down and 2 little white boys and 1 white mama in the car... looked over at the car next to me and saw a rather small car full of rather large brothas next to me- all I can say is they got quite a laugh from us. :) Eli was in the back waving his arms in the air and Aiden was trying to copy what he was hearing. (I must get this on video soon!) When LaCrae starts rapping really fast (on track #2) Aiden thinks it sounds like he's screaming and rubbing his arm across his mouth. And I was just entertaining it all.

... so it's become a tradition now with me and my 2 boys to blast this CD and drive around town with the windows down. This has now become one of the highlights of a car drive through Tally.... if you see us on the road, make sure you watch for a show!

So Simply

It amazes me how when reading our kids Bible with them every night, I end up getting revelation! We read a story every night in their kiddie Bible and pretty much every night I get something out of it. I have even found myself referring to it when I'm talking with people and in Discipleship moments! haha.

I love this version, it has great pictures to keep the kids interested and it makes the Word so simple that it allows for God to speak the deep truths. When the new year began we started reading the Bible from cover to cover, and it's also pretty amazing to me that we just happen to be on the stories that coordinate with THIS very weekend- Good Friday & Easter! We started when Aiden was about 18 months old, and I'm excited for both boys to get into the stories together. It's also been fun watching Ross get into the story telling part (acting it out and all!) Who said I was the dramatic one of the family?!

So, if you find it hard to read your own Bible (you know, the ones without pictures) maybe you should pick up a kids one! lol (note: I do read my own bible every day too, this isn't considered my quality time with Jesus alone, haha).

Pup Pup

This post is for all the dog lovers out there....

Our beloved Bichon Frise Porter (Porterhouse Tank Middleton) is turning 5* years old this April 28th and it boggles my mind that after 5 years of being groomed he has "issues" when he gets home. We have been to several different groomers and he has about the same reaction everytime.... but thankfully since we've been to our new Vet, South Monroe Animal Hospital, he has been WAY better.

His typical routine after a grooming/ vet visit is sleeping in his cage for about a week, no eating, hardly going outside to pee or anything, and when he does emerge from his cage (bed) he runs and sits immediately as if he has been violated. It's so sad to watch.... yet amusing at the same time (since it's consistent after every visit). I feel bad for him, but after 5 yrs I wonder, is this normal?

Fortunately since he's been to this new vet, it's only lasted about 2 days instead of 7. :) Does your dog act weird after a vet/grooming visit?

* Thanks to Kelly catching it, Porter is turning 5, not 4- oops! :)

Baby Boys

This blog entry is 2 fold....

1. My Baby Boy, Eli, Has OFFICIALLY started walking!!! It was friday night at 7:38pm and my mom and I were in the boy's bedroom reading to them. We weren't even paying attention and as we sat across the room, Eli crawled over to his crib and stood up. He pulled out his puppy stuffed animal and started saying "puppy! puppy!" and walked like 6 steps over to us holding his puppy. My mom and I were so focused on the book we only saw it out of the corner of our eye, but then I realized what was happening and I yelled "HE's WALKING!" and my mom says "OH MY GOSH! I thought I saw that, but it didn't click... " haha. He was so proud! He did it over and over again... and has now kept it up for days! YAY! Only took 16 months! lol

2. For all you wives out there: Ever notice how when your husband gets a cold, or sick in any way, they immediately revert to acting like they are 3 years old? It just amazes me. I know I have heard this same thing from many of my friends. It's so funny to me, and can tend to grate on my nerves, depending on the severity (or lack there of) the sickness. My hubby gets a cough and all of a sudden it's like Zoolander "{cough, cough} I've got the black lung..."

I love my hubby (baby boy #2 in this blog), in sickness and in health... note to self though, when I get sick, I will milk it for all it's worth now too. :)

We WIN!

I've had the Israel song "We Win" in my head all week.... probably because I heard a great mini-message last Saturday night from the great Pastor John Rohr that had to do with that.

There have been so many times that I just want to throw in the towel and quit. On many things..... too many for me to list here, but something just keeps me in the game. That something is the Hope I have in God.

I know a lot of my friends have been going through some tough things lately (myself included), and I just wanted to leave you with this thought. Don't give up. With Jesus- We Win! WE WILL WIN! He conquered death, with Him ALL things are possible. Whatever you are going through, just remember, it's WORTH the fight. We will see victory. We have been promised that.

Read Is. 61:1-3

There is a verse in there that says "He sent me...to put on a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair..." I heard this from the wonderful Lynette Lewis once "Praise is a garment I must CHOOSE to wear & it WILL begin to fit". So even when you feel like giving up, put on that garment of praise and it will begin to fit you, then we can see VICTORY.

A Green Favorite!

I've always loved Publix, and I know there are many of you out there that share my admiration for that great place, where shopping is a pleasure. Hey, even my 3 yr old asks to go there every time we pass by! (not to mention he gets a free cookie from the bakery)

I haven't bought into the whole going green thing to the extreme in all areas of my life, but I'm not all against it, I just use wisdom and try to conserve where I can. It seems like getting those reusable bags at shopping places is all the rage lately, and frankly I was annoyed by it at first... just seemed like another "thing" to buy, that they were plugging to get you to spend more $$, so I wasn't going to give in.

Until.... I got a free Publix reusable shopping bag. I think they converted me! I love it! It is WAY better, stronger, larger, and quality, than paper or plastic. I will now proudly bring my bag into the store, and to other places- it's super convenient and practical (and useful on car trips!). So I encourage you... get a reusable bag and go Green! And hey, it just might turn out good for the environment. :)

Walkie Walkie

So Eli turns 15 months old in 3 days and is just the sweetest baby ever! He is actually cuddly, and I love that! He is so different from Aiden, which blows me away... yet they do have some similarities (maybe i'll do a chart of them in the next post).

Aiden was walking BY 10 months old... he is an eager beaver, dramatic, and very independent (and defintely leans towards my personality). Where as Eli so far has shown the opposite (and leans towards Ross' personality) laid back, chill and content. I can tell so bad that he just wants to keep up with Aiden (esp. at the park)... but the kid won't walk yet! He does cruise on furniture and can hold my hand to walk... but he just won't stand alone or take that first step (he's turned it into a game now to fall into us when trying, haha). All of his pants have holes in the knees now because they weren't made for crawlers at this size, lol!

So many people keep saying, you'll be wishing he was crawling still once he starts walking... but so far I cannot say I feel that way. I end up having to carry him everywhere, and he fights it cause he thinks he can just get down and walk, and the kid is getting heavy! lol.

I'm not complaining, just sharing my thoughts. :) I'm just so blessed by two healthy and happy boys... and i'm excited for the day they start running together!

Shame on Him!

I was watching the Today Show the other day and the hosts were outside talking and they were showing people's signs that were standing there. One of them said"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Honey!" So Matt Lauer asked the man where his wife was and how long they were married. And this was his reply:

"We've been married 37 years and I forgot our anniversary yesterday so she made me come out here since 5:30am and hold this sign to show everyone I am a fool until the show is over. Happy Anniversary Baby, I love you."

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH! I saw that and started laughing out loud! (he actually had a good attitude when he said it) Matt Lauer's response was funny too: "oh man, that is bad... Martha Stewart is on in a little while, I'll bring you some of her crafts after the show so you can bring it home to your wife." LOL!

What is so funny about that is he had to stand out there in the cold for HOURS (cause that show is so long!) trying to make up for his whoops moment! LOL.

What's the worst thing you have forgotten, how did you make up for it?

What's Next or What's Now

I was listening to Hillsongs today and there is a line in one of the songs I love "I wanna be where you are..." I was thinking about that for a while and realized I keep saying that, but am I really doing that?

What I mean is... I want to be where God is. Not living in the past (dwelling on past issues/junk), or living in the future (constantly thinking of what is next for me). But to be HERE. Present in God's presence.

I get so caught up on what's next for me lately that I realize I can easily neglect what is now for me.
It's always about going back to the basics: Seeking His Kingdom First, Then things will be added.

Lord, give me your eyes, ears and heart for where I am now so I can make the most of every opportunity.

Wrapping up #2

I know this is probably one of the strangest (not to mention grossest) blog title yet.... but I couldn't leave what few faithful blog readers I have, without resolve to Aiden's pooping adventures. :)

We have SUCCESS! Unfortunately I can't tell you any secrets to how we got Aiden to finally do #2 in the potty every time, apart from it being a miracle from Jesus. haha.

On his 3rd bday he voluntarily went, but then we went a couple weeks until he did it again. I stayed consistent (which is so key!) to talk to him about going on the potty and making him try before naptime and bedtime. He still wouldn't go again.

Warning: the story below is kind of gross-
That all changed when our family came down with a stomach bug. Aiden got it the worst, and to my amazement, Eli has an immune system of steele and never got it! But over Christmas, Ross, myself and Aiden had about 2 weeks of off and on stomach issues (i'll spare you the details, but yes, both ends).

We were down at my parent's house and Aiden got #3 (the runs, sorry!) he was going like every 10 min. and obviously that would get his skin pretty irritated from the diaper so my mom (Thanks Marmee!) offered to him to go on the potty to help his bum bum not be so sore. He acutally took the bait and did it! So after going like this for like 24 hrs he got it down (repetition is key)!!

We celebrated big time and he kept it up even until now! So my advice to all you parents who are trying to potty train, or will be one day- use the stomach bug in your favor! haha. I laugh now that maybe that is why God gave us all the stomach bug over Christmas, to get Aiden #2 potty trianed!!

So hopefully this will be my final post on anything potty training. But you never know with 2 boys, there will probably be some funny stories to come.

Playing Catch Up on Products I Like

I haven't had a new entry for this label in a while, so here are 2 of my recent favorites:

Skippy came out with a new All Natural Peanut Butter! I LOVE IT! I got hooked on the all natural PB (thanks to Jen) and couldn't bring myself to buy any of the name brands w/ hydrogenated oil and other junk in it anymore. And now that Skippy came out with this one, I have to hold myself back from eating it by the spoonful! I love that it doesn't separate. This one is MMM Good!

And another thing I can't get enough of... Clementine's! If you have never had these small oranges, you GOTTA try them! They are super easy to peel, seedless, always juicy, and just the right serving size! My brother introduced me to them a few years ago and everytime I see them, I have to get them. At Publix lately they have had cratefuls on sale for only $4.99 for a ton of them! Aiden even loves to peel them himself... I think he could eat like 10 a day!

Simplifying My Life

There are just WAY too many ways to complicate life these days. Way too many ways to get caught up in the busyness, hustle and unimportant things that distract our finances and time... things that can be better spent elsewhere. Along with my resolution theme going on in my blog lately I think this is one way God is calling me to assess my life in... simplifying.

There are many ways I am accomplishing this goal... in little ways- keeping up with dishes, laundry, implementing a cleaning schedule, making a daily schedule for myself and the boys, picking and choosing the real valuable and fruitful things in my life over the time-taking, mundane, etc. So in another way to attempt to simplify our lives, my husband and I decided to sell our house.

We only built it and moved in a little over 2 years ago, so it was not an easy decision. We love this house and picked out every detail thinking long term with it. There are multiple reasons we decided this would be the wise thing to do, I won't bother you with the details, but ultimately we believe this will simplify our lives even more so that we can spend more important time and finances in more important areas right now. There will always be a chance to build a great home in the future... but we need to make sure we are being wise in our present to be able to do those great things in the future.

Anywho, the reason I write this blog is 2 fold: please be praying with us to sell this house quickly and to actually be able to make some money off it to pay off debt. AND to challenge you, where is God calling you to simplify?

Discipline...ouch

Discipline has been on the forefront of my mind lately... not just because I have a 1 yr old and 3 yr old, but because I feel like I am facing a real season of walking in discipline myself. I heard this quote from a Pastor I truly respect. 

"Don't be exhausted simply because you are undisciplined." - Pastor Jim Laffoon

It's ok to be exhausted from other reasons, working hard, etc... but to find yourself exhausted simply because you weren't disciplined to do things such as work out, use time management, being lazy, etc is not excusable. 

I like to read a Proverbs a day (to keep foolishness away, har har) and today I came across Prov. 5:21-23, summarized says "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths...He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly." Wow... I have a lot of analyzing my use of time to do. I don't want to be a fool. 

It's a new year, and a great time to evaluate how disciplined I am, or are not, and start to change some things. What are your thoughts?

In The Year 2009....

{must sing the Late Night with Conan Obrian way} :)

It's that time of year again, where we make the New Years Resolutions.... here is what I reslove to work on:

1. Keeping my New Years Resolutions, haha

2. Discipline (My hubby and I are in the same boat with this one, maybe we can spur each other on and actually keep to it then!) in the 4 areas: physically- eat right and work out; mentally- expanding my brain and my children's brain w/ reading and learning, emotionally- see #3, and putting effort into communication and romance in my marriage (coming on 6 years in 17 days!!!) and spiritually- consistant QTs! Not quite times, QUALITY TIME w/ Jesus.

3. Work on my initial reactions. I admittedly have a frustration/anger/stressing problem. These tend to be my first reactions to my situations. I DO NOT want to default to these emotions anymore.

4. Going Deep. I want to make a concerted effort to get deeper in my relationships, stop the surface stuff and connect with friends/ family/ God. 

5. Stop being Mediocre. If I'm gonna Blog, I want to be a great Blogger; If I'm gonna cook, I wanna be an excellent cook; If I'm gonna be a mom, I want to be a great mom; If I'm gonna be a wife, I want to set the bar; If I'm gonna be a follower of Christ, I want it to bring transformation...

That is just the top of the list, I have many more goals and prayers in my heart for this year... I think New Years is the perfect time to re-evaluate where you are and where you want to go. What is in your heart?