Picture Update

As I said in the last post, our wonderful friends, the Bridenstine's came to visit us last week and we had such a fun and refreshing time together. We love them so much and they are so dear to us!

Here are some pictures from our time together:

Taylor Joy and Will

Ready for our double date.



Easton playing with Natalie (the Arbuckles' newest little one)


Also, here are some pictures of the fun being had in our unexpected snow on Tuesday!

Charlie Bit Me

On a lighter note, and for 28 seconds of your time, watch this hilarious video. We've been hanging out with our wonderful friends from North Carolina, The Bridenstine's, and they have exposed us to some funny videos. The kids and I are loving this one. What a refreshing time to have them spend the past few days with us. Enjoy!

Blogging

After listening to Allen's sermon last night about Deviants in Disguise, false prophets from the Sermon on the Mount, I am painfully aware that as my blog has grown from just a place to post pictures of the kids, I have more responsibility in what I am posting on here. Here's a wonderful article that I found very helpful as well.

Here's what I'm NOT doing:

I'm not advocating you to check my blog every day. I don't post everyday anyway.  It's a miracle if I can post twice a week (after all, I have 3 kids under 4 years old). Use Google Reader and check it when you can. And not to the detriment of other things.

I'm not saying I'm the final authority on anything. I'm not an expert book reviewer, crafter, cook, pastor's wife or mom. Quite the opposite, actually. I learn from so many other women, bloggers and experts on these issues and areas of life. I am so thankful for a community to learn and grow in these ways.

Here's what I am doing:

Desiring to communicate my heart to friends, family and others who are interested in our family. I don't think you are a blog-stalker if you found our blog and keep up with it. I invite whoever is interested in us and who isn't doing/thinking the above things (the NOTs) to join us as we journey through life, by God's grace.

Blogging to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." I think that includes blogging. I'd like to serve you with resources, books, quotes, any other helpful material that would be meaningful for your life. I hope it encourages you, draws you closer to God and brings glory to God.

Here's a quote from Bob Kauflin's 17-year-old daughter who started a picture blog:

"If you ever have any free time and you're wondering, "What in the world am I going to do now?" don't go to my blog. Have extended devotions, or read some good book on our Savior, or serve your family. And once you've done that, come and visit my blog."

Such wisdom in her youth! I pray these same things for you as you explore the blogosphere.

Easton on the Move

Easton has been trying for a month or so to crawl and I can't deny it any longer...

He's crawling! It is super-official!

He is the earliest of my three to crawl, coming in at 6 1/2 months. How did this happen?

Checkout the video below:

(by the way, that high-pitched squeak you hear in the background is actually Taylor Joy!)

Valentine Pops

A cute Valentine treat that the kids and I made and decorated to give to our neighbors...hope you enjoy the recipe!

Rice Crispy Valentine Pops

• 1 stick  butter or margarine
• 1 package  (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
•  Food coloring
•  6 cups  Rice Crispy cereal
  
•  12  wooden ice cream sticks
•   Flaked coconut
•   Multi-colored sprinkles
•   Semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted

Directions:

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring, if desired.

2. Add Rice Crispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using 1/2-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray divide warm cereal mixture into portions. Using buttered hands shape each portion into ball. I found that it was better to wait until it had cooled down quite a bit before trying to form the balls. And, it took forming them several times for them to stay.

4. Insert wooden stick, if desired. Decorate with coconut, multi-colored sprinkles and/or melted chocolate, if desired. Let stand until firm. Best if served the same day. We also wrapped them in cellophane and tied a ribbon around them.

5 Cities That Ruled The World

I signed up to review this book because of several thoughts that went through my head when I saw the cover and what it was about.

First, Douglas Wilson! He's a great writer and has an amazing wife who ministers to me greatly over at the Femina blog and as a recipient of her monthly Minister's Wife newsletter. He has also written highly recommended books, one such book is Persuasions that has been recommended to me recently. Second, it's a history book written by a Christian. Wow, I might actually like this.

Since Allen is a history buff and loves all things history, I often feel out of the loop when he's giving details about something I should know in depth, like say, the Alamo. I've told him this before, so this isn't news to him, but it's often hard to go to historical places with him because he loves to read every piece of writing on every wall, inspect every historical item and listen to every account that is given of said piece of history. I like to look around and see the sights. I don't want to be bound to learning every single thing. That doesn't feel much like a vacation to me.

So for those reasons, I snatched up this book. I am sad to say that I was pretty disappointed. Although Doug's writing skills are top-notch and his historical knowledge seems to be unsurpassed, I wouldn't recommend this book for several reasons.

First, it failed to hold my attention. I really wanted to like it and to get some background on these cities, I wanted to be enamored with the way it was written and the history that is behind these cities. The way it was written is very educational and far from relate-able. I felt like I was reading a textbook and that I was in the secondary course needing a better background for what I was reading about.

Second, it seemed to me that the way the information was presented, as to a student from a professor, it would be more beneficial and more complete to read up on these cities in a history book that included the entire history of the city.

I value the intention of this book, which is telling the story of how 5 cities, Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London and New York have shaped the course of global history. I enjoyed reading about Jerusalem since it is so relevant to what I read on an everyday basis, the Bible. I loved it when he tied in background or historical information that helped me to understand the background of scripture better, and thus aid me in my Bible study.

I appreciated the Epilogue as it tied together all the loose ends of these cities in relation to scripture and the future heavenly city. He says that the prince of that city, Jesus, is Immanuel, God with us. He's not distant, not far-removed, but right here with us. Wilson says that the kingdom of God works "quietly, over the course of many generations...His power has been working, and His work will be accomplished." He closes with a scripture (prophecy) about the future city that believers can look forward to in Heaven one day.

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
       a feast of rich food for all peoples,
       a banquet of aged wine—
       the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain he will destroy
       the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
       the sheet that covers all nations;

He will swallow up death forever.
       The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
       from all faces;
       he will remove the disgrace of his people
       from all the earth.
       The LORD has spoken.

In that day they will say,
       "Surely this is our God;
       we trusted in him, and he saved us.
       This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
       let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

Isaiah 25:6-9


I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my horizons beyond the usual that you would see on my bookshelf: Shopping for Time, Feminine Appeal, Gospel Powered Parenting, Discipline of Grace, etc. It was beneficial for me personally to open up my mind to history and learning in an educational way that I haven't done for the past 5 years.



(This is a review through Thomas Nelson's Book Sneeze program.)

Heart Headbands

My hip friend, Stephanie, came to church on Sunday night with a totally cute headband in her hair. It looked make-able. I asked her if she made it. Nope. It was the ribbon from an Anthropologie package! It was ribbon with circles of felt threaded onto it. So cute!

I thought it might be fun to make a headband with hearts since Valentine's Day is coming up. Here's what I came up with.

Grab a few old wool sweaters that you don't wear anymore (or that shrunk up in the wash). Wash and dry them on hot. (or go pick up quality felt from the store!)

Cut out a cardstock heart, like the little one I made. It can be smaller or bigger than mine, just depending on preference.

Use a fabric marker to trace the heart (on the wrong side of the sweater) and cut out a few hearts.

Now grab some ribbon and elastic. Measure your head using the ribbon and pull the ribbon around your head (like as tight as you would want a headband) and leave 2-3 inches for elastic. Either fold over or burn the edges of your ribbon and sew back and forth a few times to secure ONE edge.

Fold over hearts and carefully cut two slits in each heart...one towards the top and one towards the bottom. The ribbon should be able to slip through here without being bunched up.

Now, slide your cutie hearts onto your ribbon how you would like them and sew up the other side.

The final product!

Tree of Thanks Placemats

After November's Tree of Thanks, where each family member wrote something they were thankful for each day during the month (we missed several), I decided I wanted to remember the things that we said.

Result?

Thanksgiving placemats!

Because of all the Advent festivities, these just got laminated (here in February) and ready to pull out next November. I photoshopped pictures of all of us with our name and a caption that says, "is thankful for..." and pasted all of the coordinating thankful leaves onto a piece of poster board. Then, off to get laminated, of course.

I think they turned out really cute and I think I might start making placemats for many different holidays throughout the year. You could definitely do something like this for Valentine's Day with the valentines that each family member received and maybe a quote, "Taylor Joy is loved..." and reasons why we love each family member written on scrapbook paper hearts.

More Valentine's fun to come...

Kids' Concert

Ever since Beckett's birthday when he received his guitars and Christmas when they received their microphones, there have been a plethora of concerts taking place right inside of our house! It has been precious to watch.

And for the record, they have no idea what High School Musical even is.