Summer days........

This is one of those days when I am just trying to relax and enjoy the day and relish this time when the weather is perfect-low 80's with a slight breeze. We had craziness today as some of Brent's friends from Chicago were visiting and they stopped by so the 5 kids could play together for a few hours and the adults could visit. Talk about children chaos, but OH did they have fun....They have 3 children under the age of 4??!! Yes-that is correct. I got to hold the baby Sam which is always a treat but Caleb was completely jealous as I expected. They rode around and around our yard in the Jeep, and played in the sandbox, and then hit some golf balls, and then on to the bedrooms for dress up fun for Halle and Emily, on to the basement to build a fort and more....WOW! I am exhausted and need to get some work done. Not to mention I was up at 5:30am to go on my walk. I am sticking to this walking habit. It was the perfect morning for a walk and I am so glad that I am doing this consisitently. I am yawning as I type, so maybe I should work on going to bed prior to 11pm at night so I get just a few more hours of sleep! :) I am attaching a picture of our freshly painted house-I think it looks gorgeous, and some of our new flowers and garden, we already have carrots and beans coming up-Yeah!

The tiny graduate

Boy, how the time flies and I cannot believe that we are nearly to the end of May. Along with the close of this month came the end of the first year of preschool for Halle, and a graduation ceremony and celebration.{a first in our household} I signed up to help put on the graduation hats for Halle's class and to bring some refreshments. I will tell you that I had no intention of being emotional at this event and even laughed at the idea of a ceremony for a preschooler, but I found myself becoming slightly emotional at the thought of my little girl leaving this small, and comfortable environment called preschool and entering the world of kindergarten and all the things that come with school pressures, learning, friendships. I suddenly wanted to enjoy this day with her and not think about the month of August and the start of what lies ahead for her and I in Kindergarten. Let us just enjoy the day God gave us with each other today for tomorrow will worry about itself. I am looking forward to the Summer days ahead and the memories we will make and the moments we will enjoy together. I was so proud of my little graduate as she sang her heart out but didn't really do the motions-she was a little nervous. She was near the end receiving her diploma but waited quietly and patiently for her turn. When they called her name she did exactly as she was supposed to and went up to receive her award. No smiles or messing around for Halle just serious-and get down to business. She then received lots of sweet gifts from both of her grandparents and from our friends and lots of congratulatory hugs and smiles from friends and family at the school. Afterwards, we took her to dinner where she told us that she loved her graduation and cannot wait for her next one. Brent said he can surely wait for that. I agree. She was in a silly mood and making faces at her brother and playing with him. I think she will miss Preschool this summer more than she thinks. But for now we are just going to enjoy today and the possibilities it brings :) The scripture in my thoughts and prayer today is Matthew 6:24-34 and it says....
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31"So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Enjoy today!!

Oh, the sunshine....

Yes, the sunshine is out and feels as if it plans to stay out. We have had the best weather for the last 4 days and boy does it feel good. The kids have been outside constantly and have not even asked to watch a cartoon or look at a Veggie Tale when they become bored with their toys or the scene indoors. They have been digging in the sandbox, I did have to splurge on some new sand and water toys since Caleb is now old enough and certainly not willing to share one shovel and pail with his big sister all of the time. They have been digging in the dirt attempting to help plant our garden-YES that is correct we did successfully plant our garden- so no more jokes about how nice I have grown weeds and how green and healthy that space looks overridden with dandelions, stickers and other assorted varieties. Make way for cucumbers, carrots, radishes, squash, zucchini, pumpkins, beans, and some small watermelons. We all pitched in to work tirelessly in our yard, garden, and as usual planted loads of bright, cheery flowers to brighten up the patio. (I lent my camera out to my dad last week so I have no pictures of the beauty.) Today we washed windows outside because the house if finally finished being painted on the exterior and it looks magnificent. For those of you who have seen the house, the garage door never looked better and the entire house is stunning. We are now looking forward to the last couple days of school this week and a Preschool graduation complete with caps and tassles on Thursday, swim lessons, dance, Vacation Bible School, travel-Renee I am coming to visit next month to see little Elijah, and for Halle lots of days at the park followed by popsicles on the porch. Bring on the summer!
I have also recently started working out again by walking each morning at 6:30am. I am so proud of myself for just doing something since having the kids has made it tought to stick to a routine. I just want to start to get back into shape again and this has been so great already-this is the 2nd or 3rd week and I have gone every morning except Sundays. Heres hoping to keep this going. Hope you are all having a great Sunny and beautiful week!

Pipe cleaner flowers...

I am so blessed to be a mother for the past 5 plus years and of course I have the greatest mother of all time! Combine these few things-a five year old singing, her mother, and her mother's mother, some pipe cleaners, potpourri, ribbons, beads, finger foods and tea and we call it a memorable fun time. My mom and I were honored to be able to attend a Mother's Day tea last Friday at Halle's school where they sang us lots of cute little songs about Mothers, hugs and kisses (so cute) and then we got to go to different centers to do fun crafts with them. We made a basket filled with potpourri decorated with ribbons, pipe cleaner flowers, and fun beaded bracelets. This is completely what my mom is great at, and, of course Halle loves to participate in all of thes things-she is quite artistic these days:) I enjoyed being there and was beaming with pride at my sweet little girl up there singing and watching with joy as my mom and Halle collaberated to make some cute crafts. I was the proud recipient of one very creative and cute pipe cleaner flower. It looks the way it does thanks to the creativity of my mom. By the way mom, you are one of the most beautiful, thoughtful, creative, and intelligent people I know. I love you so much and thank you for the wonderful mother that you are to me, and all of the sacrifices that you made on my behalf over the years. I am forever grateful to my savior for giving me a mother like you:)

Good clean fun!

I know what you are thinking that I am blogging alot but I guess this is easy to become addicted to. I am having fun sharing some photos and stories so I can remember them.

Let me just say that I am having a great time enjoying the warmer weather and the wonderful scenery of spring. I love the crab apple trees and the green grass and the tulips blooming all over my yard! This has also been fun to see the kids outside playing. The first thing Caleb wants to do in the morning is head right out the door to play with dirt, rocks, or sticks that he finds randomly scattered outside. He is hardly swayed to make his way inside to eat or take a nap. Brent also enjoys working in the yard to maintain his newer landscape projects or just work to make his grass the greenest on our street. He really loves having a yard-who would have thought?? It seems as if at some point every evening we are outside doing something. Heidi-the kids love the basketball hoop that we are borrowing from you-thanks! They have spent endless hours chasing the balls and clapping for missed or even made baskets! :) The other night I snapped some photos of Caleb riding in the wheel barrow that I thought were sweet and suddenly captured his outdoor boyish personality that we are seeing evolving in him each day. He is truly all boy-dirt and all. Hope that you are able to get outside and enjoy God's beauty today or really soon.

my blue balloon

I wanted to share quickly some pictures of Caleb and Halle from our trip to a meeting in the Springs a couple of days ago. We can take our children to work and we do just that alot of the time. Brent had a meeting first and then I played outside with the kids and their balloons-Halle's popped right away-until it was my turn to go into the facility and meet with my contact. We are blessed to work with and around our kids and working for ourselves has provided so much flexibility to be with our kids more of the time. It is not taken for granted at any time. We had such a great time running all over in the parking lot with our balloons. Hope you are having a great day!

My first blog

I am excited to be a part of the blogging life. I hope to document some things this way because it will be easier than doing it by hand.

I wanted to share some cute photos of our sweet ones from the church nursery the other day. They both love to play insturments so much! I hope that they will be musical someday. I love that they love music and church and are huge worshippers. Halle has always loved to dance and sing!! Today I was reading Exodus 15:2 and it says that "The Lord is my strength and my song: He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him. I love that verse because he is my strength, song and salvation. I love to sing and praise just as much as my children. We need to be reminded to dance and sing before the Lord just like our innocent children that are unashamed! Hope you have a blessed day and a reason to dance and worship the Lord...