My birthday!

The night of my birthday, my dear sweet friend Elizabeth watched all three of the kids (you read that right, all three). We went to dinner, Starbucks and a movie! Then on Sunday evening when I got home from the ladies get together at church I was surprised with brownies from the cutest sweetest family ever. Oh I wish I had a picture. Nothing was cuter than Chase holding the baby with one hand and the video camera with the other and the kids huge smile. All three of the kids made me a giant card with their hand prints and Brenna made streamers out of painters tape. Fast forward to yesterday and Elizabeth brought me the most beautiful necklace!

Trying new recipes..

This pasta salad was super yummy and the kids gobbled it down. The pic is pretty much explanatory. I just cut everything up the same size and mixed it with the cooked pasta, then poured half the bottle of dressing on top, mixed it up and refrigerated it. The sausage is precooked so I didn't even have to cook that and it makes a ton. This was a lunch and dinner. I love a big easy meal! I made this one up myself, but have been googling some healthy recipes to change things up a bit. I swear I gained five lbs my birthday weekend.

I bought a new lense......sort of.....Sigma 30 mm 1.4

Who doesn't love a good cry baby face?

Coffee time! 

Taylor loves his dsi and Brenna loves her popsicle creation.

Every night I put a glass of water on my bedside table, because I get thirsty in the middle of the night and every morning Liam goes to it and drinks the rest or some and spills the rest.

Still his favorite food!

On to the lens review.





I bought this lens for it's low light capabilities and it's mid-point price range. I read tons of reviews on it and knew that some people had mis-focus issues and some did not. I decided to take my chances and see if I got a good copy. I didn't......it was slow focus and mis-focus. Now many people say that you can send it in and get it calibrated, but it can take a few tries and I'm just not willing to do that so I sent it back. On top of all the focus issues it was way soft wide open. It didn't show sharpness until it was stopped down to f2 and the focus was still an issue....so bye, bye Sigma! A couple of the pics above were taken with dialed down, bounced flash but that defeats the purpose of why I bought the lens. And a couple are available light. Out of all the pics I got from this lens I kept maybe 5% if that.

My blurb book is here!!

I'm so excited about my book! Blurb did a great job!

On his birthday....

 Poor baby

 I love his hair!

 So sweet.

 Bath time makes everyone feel better.

He was sick.....like really yucky cold kind of sick. So we chilled and took a blue bath and played.
At one year he's walking and talking a little (mama, dada, bye bye, and nite nite) he nods his head for yes and gives lots of love. He's more excited by the presence of big brother and sister than anyone else and he loves to go outside! We are cherishing every minute of this little guy. Just the other day Brenna said "Liam you brought so much joy to our lives". No joke, I have the most precious kiddo's.

Happy Birthday Nella.......Thank you Lord for giving us a heart for unexpected blessings!

Click  to donate!
Read Nella's birth story here.

Rain......we miss you!!

I love my family!!!

Tomorrow is the big 1!

 He loves to raid the snack cabinet!!

 Running past mommy while she takes pics so he doesn't get his billionth cracker taken from him.

 He just gets these little animals, throws them on the floor, then he takes the little farm and walks around pushing the button to listen to the song.

 He's going to be a sneaky one..

He pulled all that junk out, then drug the mixer around.

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

So I was perusing some blogs last night and stumbled across one I had brushed over before. The blog is called the journey. Now I found myself reading and reading and not wanting to stop. I wanted to live vicariously through her. I loved her walk, I loved that she is really serving painstakingly, I admired her and was a little envious of her joy.....there is great joy in partnering with God! While I thought it was amazing, the thought of picking up my own cross and going way out of my comfort zone freaked me out. I continued to look at pictures and read stories...my heart broke for those people. I said to God as a mocker as an unbeliever would, why Lord do you let them live that way? Why do people and babies have to starve?

This morning when I was praying and reading the word, the Lord simply answered me.......because of you, because my children aren't taking care of them. We are here to be his hands and feet and so often excuse inconvenient acts of service for all sorts of reasons that don't amount to a hill of beans where God is concerned. I'm not pointing fingers really, I'm just as guilty as the next "Christian". Don't get me wrong I serve, but not far beyond my comfort zone. If there is a need then we are all called! This I pray for my new year is to take up my cross...His mercies are new every morning!


How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Little party......Big celebration!!

We had so much fun with this little party!! I have done big parties for the past seven years and have loved them all but it was so nice to have a small party. Liam loved his wagon and was a real gentleman when it came time to eat his cake. Now we have just a few more days and our baby will be one. Where does the time go?

Save the drama fo yo momma.......oh crap that's me!

I told Brenna to go get a brush and her hair stuff so I could do her hair for the day. So I start doing her hair and was going to put it in some cute little pig-tales......not so fast! She was like " I don't like pig-tales", so I said "well why don't you wait and see what they look like first and then decide?" She persisted and said she didn't like the way it felt so I took them out and gave her a simple bump, and thought we were good to go. She gets this look on her face like she is miserable and I ask her what's wrong and she tells me nothing.....yeah right! So as her attitude worsened I pressed on and come to find out she was upset because I didn't give her pig-tales!!! Seriously??!! I said to her "you told me you don't like pig-tales", she said no I didn't, I just didn't like the way it felt at first......I argued for a min and then I was just done!! If this is what 7 is like then what in heavens name will I do when she is 17? I guess I will just have to look into those big green eyes and dish out an extra measure of grace.

Happy New Year!

 Ebeth rang in the new year with us, so she got to see the early birds get their worm and get straight to playing. Glad she is used to it.....she has one that likes to wake up at the butt crack of dawn as well ; )

 Getting her banana waffle on!

 Serious!

 Getting his dsi on......typical. He calls his dsi his Christmas miracle, I will have to work on this!

Good grief, could he be any more precious?