While eating lunch today

Gwen: "Mommy, I know what is inside this Lasagna. It's meat."

Me: Yep. You're right.

Gwen: Meat comes from animals. . .

Except for frogs and snakes. . . .

Frogs and snakes are just made from Goo.

Me: {Laughing}

Wings

This is my attempt to get a picture of Beckham's new "wings." Whenever his hair flips out like this on the sides it reminds me so much of my little brother. I love that. David was for sure the cutest baby I had ever seen, up until I had my own. On the other hand, Beckham has had the most perfect, soft, always in the right place hair since he was born, and the flippy fringes make me a tiny bit sad because they mean an impending hair cut. I had to laugh because my smiley pictures turned into crying ones as Beckham desperately wanted to push all of the buttons on my camera. Buttons are his new obsession, and he has a tender heart. Sweet, handsome boy. Here he is with his wings.

January 13, 1981

Is the day I was born. Which means today is my 30th birthday. Its a good feeling. Last year when I turned 29, I felt a mild panic in the back of my mind as I realized I would be turning 30 next. I guess over the last year, I have come to love the idea of turning 30. Why I am excited to be 30. 1. I look forward to the wisdom I see in women I know who are in their 30's. 2. Physically, I feel great. I love the place I am at with my kids, my marriage, my life. My 30's are my new prime =0). 3. I decided that I am going to spend the rest of my life thinking how young I used to be, so instead of wasting my youth, I'm going to enjoy how young I am and feel young right now =0). Also, I really love my birthday. I take it very seriously. This one has proven to be a GREAT one. I'm in a great mood. I was greeted with lots of great happy birthday hugs from my sweet girls, my cherub baby, and my wonderful husband. I took the kids over to play group, and then really enjoyed lunch with my girlfriends. I am looking forward to a night out with BR that was completely planned by him. I told him I don't care what we do, all I want is for him to plan it completely. I'm excited whatever it is. So here I am. 30 years old. Happy Birthday to me.

[This is where I should be inserting a picture of myself....I'm postponing that to a future date =0).]

Snow Shovel Baseball, Snow Painting and Other Snow Festivities

More pictures from New Years day at Nana and Puga's.

Also, not pictured

Snow forts on either side of the road. Built by Brad and Gary. Purpose- Ambushing cars with Snow balls as they drive past. We were in the house with the kids long before they tired out of playing =0).

Entry | January 7, 2011|

If you have been reading my blog for a while now, you have probably figured that it is my journal. As a warning, this is one of those posts.

I don't know if everyone is this way, but as I am going about my day, doing whatever it is that I am doing, my mind is constantly going. Planning this, planning that, figuring out if I do this, then what will happen down the road, replaying events, imagining projects I want to do. I am convinced that this is both a curse and a blessing. A few weeks ago, I was going about my day as I had a passing thought. One of a thousand. "There are times when I want to clear my mind of thoughts I don't want to dwell on. I have been taught my entire life that if you want to get rid of bad thoughts, learn the words to a hymn, and sing the hymn to replace the negative thoughts with uplifting ones. I don't have a specific hymn that I sing, I want to pick a hymn and use it as well as this method." Since it was a thought, it didn't come in exact sentence form. Because if it did, it would have taken up much more of my time. It came as more of a concept all at once. It was fleeting.

About a week later, I woke up with a hymn playing over and over in my head. I always wake up with a song in my head. Always a different song. I have concluded that the song I am singing when I wake up has a source- Whatever song is playing on Brad's alarm when it goes off about 45 minutes earlier. For years, it has always been a country song. This was the first time it had ever been a hymn. As I became cognisent of this hymn I was singing, I remembered my fleeting thought from the week before. Is it possible that this is an answer to a prayer that I never actually prayed. A conversation, I thought the original thought, and God commented back with the follow up thought. Yes. I am so grateful for the blessings I receive and the way they help me navigate through life. The hymn that I was singing- "Sweet hour of Prayer."

This is what made me think of this experience. Last week, as I told my mom, I was in a funk. Starting Monday, I woke up feeling weird. It wasn't my environment. The kids were home, and my life was organized to the point that I was able to enjoy having them. They were getting along great, and helping me out a ton. We were having lots of quality time together, but still, I felt weird. It was an internal, hormonal perhaps, weird funk. I couldn't quite shake it. I kept trying. Gradually, I felt better and better. Even this morning I could tell I wasn't quite myself. Then, I decided to say another prayer. I found myself talking to God, telling him about things and what I was thinking. I asked for a few specific helps. And when I got up, I felt better. Back to myself. Ready for my day. Then, I remembered that hymn.

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!

That calls me from a world of care,

And bids me at my Father's throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief,

And oft escaped the tempter's snare

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

I have found recently that my prayers are answered so freely. My take home lesson is this. The Lord answers my prayers. I can pray for what I need, and then let it go. Not worry about it anymore, turn it over to the Lord and have faith it will be taken care of. (After I have done my part.) Also, Prayer is a form of relief. Use it!

SO, I'm off to enjoy being myself =0).

Looking forward to. . . | January 2011 |

• Getting our life back into a routine. Oh how I love a routine.
• Organizing closets, cupboards, kids clothes, toys, hopefully everything. Lots of organizing.
• Learning how to cook a few great meals. I don't really enjoy using my time to cook or think about cooking. Thus my cooking is mediocre. I'm feeling motivated to upgrade my cooking skills (a small upgrade).
• Brad and I using our evenings watching lots of Fringe.
• Turning 30!
• Finding time to finish some creative projects. And feeling excited about it!
• Spending more after school time focused on my kids.
• Playing in the snow!

They couldn't get enough

• New Years day at Nana and Puga's
• 40+ degrees and plenty of sledding/building/snowball making snow
• Wild and crazy sledding
• No crying, only giggling