Some Family Fun!

Here are a few pictures of the kids
playing together this past weekend!

(I have a lot to learn yet about my new camera,
but I'm pretty pleased to have actually uploaded
these pics after only two days.) :)

The cousins after conquering their "Mt. Everest"!


Uncles are so nice to have around!

Check me out!

And did anyone notice my rock climbing abilities?

Not sure what that look is for! :)


I think it's pretty obvious that a good time was had by all!

Mommy's New Toy

So, as soon as I had successfully added one picture to a post, Jeff found that he needed our digital camera for work, leaving me severely disadvantaged this past week! All the opportunities with the boys in the sunshine, and me with nothing digital to show for it! I don't think the boys were complaining about it, though. :)

But last night, my sweetie came through for me as he always does! He loaded us all in the truck after dinner and drove us down to Best Buy where he bought me a beautiful new digital camera! A Canon PowerShot SX100IS to be exact! I am in LOVE with it already, even though I only know how to work the on/off button at this point! It was an ordeal with the boys along, however, but that's life with preschoolers. They had fallen asleep on the way and woke up very crabby when we got there. Let's just say that we took advantage of the comfy stuffed chairs in front of a BIG screen TV for the first 15 minutes until everyone calmed down enough to proceed to the camera counter. Where I kept handing the boys peanut butter crackers and their sippy cups while daddy peppered the sales guy with all the questions. (He's better at that than I am anyway.) And the boys really are generally well behaved, just a wee bit emotional when woken up too soon.

In the end, I have a fabulous new toy that I will be annoying friends and family with for quite some time! Thank you, honey!! (Like he reads this anyway.) And as soon as you see more pictures here, you'll know that me and my new camera are becoming best friends! :)

Spring Resolutions

I don't know about you, but I have a pathetic time being enthusiastic about making and keeping New Year's resolutions. With the same grey, cold winter surroundings of January as in the previous month of December, I can't help but lack the necessary vigor for making changes. Even itty, bitty ones.

As spring has been "springing" this week, I've come to a realization. I know, I'm a little slow, but I've found that I need sunshine warming my skin, bright green grass and vibrant flowers filling my view, warm breezes blowing through open windows, and birds chirping spring melodies to jump-start my sluggish energy levels! My conclusion: I should start making my annual resolutions in April, not January!

So, I'm going to dig out that crumpled list I penned the first week of January, revise it, and plan to achieve some goals. Maybe this time, I'll actually make some headway! :)

Boys and Dogs

"What are little boys made of, made of?
What are little boys made of?
Snakes and snails, and puppy dog tails,
That's what little boys are made of."

Isn't that the truth!! At least the puppy dog part. My boys have hardly met a dog they haven't loved! This chocolate lab is Bailey, and they met her at a birthday party a few weekends ago. My sons informed me that Bailey loves them and they love her. Undoubtedly so! Naturally we needed a photo of this special new friend! Hopefully our Brittany won't catch a glimpse of it and 'woof" her jealous disapproval. :)

Pictures Coming Soon!

I do plan to embellish this blog with some personal photos. I am just experiencing a little bit of technical difficulty. I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that I don't come to conclusions quickly, and that includes learning new things like downloading our digital photos to my new laptop. I had everything figured out and running smoothly on the old desktop. But I just had to have a laptop, and now I feel as if I have been thrust back to computer kindergarten. :) Oh, there is progress, just ever so snail-paced.

My goal is to have some family photos posted by the end of this weekend. Because what is a blog really worth without the family pics!!

Simple Pleasures

There's no need for extravagance to shoot a tingle straight down my spine into my pinky toe. A simple cup of strong coffee, cream and sugar, will do just fine. Those who participate in this daily addiction remember what hooked them for life. Mine began with a Bible study my hubby and I attended as newlyweds. A close nit group of young married couples communing over God's precious word and a good cup of coffee or two.

What great times of discussion over a passage of scripture or biblical issue. Iron sharpening iron, spiritual bonding, friendships blossoming, leaning on one another in times of crisis. All while sipping a hot cup of Java! Those were the days--late night discussions and numerous pots of coffee with no worry of getting children home to bed on time.

Now I simply can't clear the morning brain fog without at least 16 ounces. (I hear these pre-menopausal years can be quite foggy! Although, come to think of it, I did enter this world with a considerable amount of "fog".)

So, even if you're not a coffee drinker, I'm sure there's another simple pleasure that conjures up great memories and happy places. My simple pleasure is attached to wonderful times that helped shape who I am today.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to morn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and time for peace."


This passage never ceases to speak to me. I've been contemplating the concept of time and the seasons of life quite often of late. Becoming a mother has generated a lot of life contemplation, come to think of it. A serious reevaluation of all notions of time, actions, cause and effect, reaping and sowing--a whole host of things that new light is shed upon by bringing children into this world.

I generally take quite a bit of TIME evaluating things before coming to any steadfast conclusions, so you will not find great theological answers here, just maybe some food for thought. :)

A Complete Thought

So, I've been contemplating entering this blogging world for some time now. Today I decided it was time to dive in and get my fingers wet, so to speak.

I've had great interest in writing all my life, as in "someday, maybe". But somewhere in the back of my mind, the prospect of actually penning words onto paper for even just myself to read might prove that I have no talent for doing such.

However, of late, the need for space to share somewhat intelligent thoughts that a toddler and preschooler would definitely not understand has arisen quite sharply. Every stay-at-home mother would understand and wholeheartedly agree.

This blog is, therefore, my solution. It will hopefully fulfill my need to write down complete thoughts, and help preserve my sanity, as well as, my knowledge of the English language beyond "I'm hungry!", "I'm poopy!", and "He took my toy!"