Jesus Loves Me

Misti's Debut

My friend Misti did this segment on Good Morning Texas and I just had to post. She's the publisher at Modern Babies and Children in Dallas and they asked her on the show to talk about their upcoming issue, which deals with teaching children to save money and learn about money. I watched it several times and, though the content is great, just kept thinking, "she is SO cute!" Isn't she? I'm so proud of my friend!

Getting Children to Save

Spillin' the Beans

Well, I guess it's about time to spill the beans.

What beans, you ask?

Let me just tell you what beans.

The beans that make me cry every time I open the pantry and see nothing I want to eat.

The beans that require me to take naps everyday.

The beans that put our house in a state of shock and awe this time around. Very surprising beans!

The beans that almost made me want to gag when I searched for pictures of beans and saw pinto beans covering a piece of toast. Yuck!

The same beans that strike our home every 10 months.

The beans that made me cry during an episode of Hannah Montana. After that happened, I just knew it...there is absolutely no other valid reason to cry during that show.

I thought, I MUST be pregnant.

That's right, folks. I'm spilling the pregnancy beans. I am once again, preggers!

I went to the doctor on Monday and was shocked (once again) to find out that I am due July 31st. I had no idea! We found out around Christmastime so I must have been around 2 months at that point.

I remember when I found out I was pregnant with Taylor and that I was 5 weeks along, being sad that I had somehow "missed" the first 5 weeks of pregnancy. So silly! This time around, I am thrilled to be further along than I thought! Woo hoo! But then again, I think I also cried when I found out you weren't supposed to drink cokes because I had one before I knew I was pregnant. First time moms do crazy things!

This pregnancy is going to be very laidback. We may not even find out the sex, who knows!

So, 3 months along with this little one and I am already feeling the pinch in my jeans. When I get a good bump going I will post pics. Until then or the next post...

Happy Birthday, Hunny!

Happy 27th Birthday, Sweetheart!

This is the 7th birthday we've celebrated together and I can still vividly remember your 20th birthday and each one after that. I baked a cake and brought it to your dorm room. You told me you liked that cream cheese icing so I made a cake with that stuff. Some other girl made you a cake too (now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure it was Cassandra who is such a great friend of mine now!). Back then, I just thought, "Aww, man. I'm not the only one in love with this guy." But you told me mine was better and you asked me on a date shortly after.

I'm so blessed to be making memories with you everyday of my life. No other girl gets to say that (except Taylor Joy, now. And she thinks today is her birthday or at least that she gets a cake!)

I'm absolutely blessed to watch you grow in the Lord day by day and year by year. To see what he's teaching you and to see it followed through in our family. You teach us so well. You lead us with confidence and give me much peace and contentment with your leadership. What an amazing shepherd you are to our family and so many others in our church and community.

You are more than I could have ever imagined in a husband, father, best friend, leader, shepherd and lover. I love you OH-SO-MUCH, hubby of mine!

Padre in January!

Our good friends Erin and Scott got married last weekend in South Padre...I think they were excited to get away and have a destination wedding and we were ALL about it! My sis came in town to care for our sweet Beckett (since he wasn't a part of the wedding festivities) and we headed off for our 8 hour trip.

I must say, not having a baby in the car was quite pleasant. Although I did do my share of reaching back to get things for Taylor or help her with something, that's nothing compared to the arm cramps that come with reaching back for lengthy periods of time to actually HOLD a pacifier in a baby's mouth. Ouch! That hurts just thinking about it.

We were blessed to have wonderful trips, to stay in a beautiful hotel and get to be involved in one of our favorite couples' wedding festivities.

Here are some pictures of the fabuloso weekend!

Taylor's Questions

During family worship we have incorporated a book, called the Family Worship book into our time together. Although there are many great resources in the book, the main thing we use right now are a compilation of catechism-type questions aimed at children and we have been teaching Taylor Joy the answers to those questions. Hopefully the answers are not just rote and memorized, but we are trying to incorporate the answers into our daily living as well, so she's getting it all the time.

I finally got around to getting this on video. All the people who have been a part of our family worship say, "You have GOT to get that on video!" and I finally had the time and got her to cooperate.

Some recent bloopers during family worship that make me laugh (not in the video) are when asking her how God made Adam and Eve and she said, "God made Adam's bottom and Eve from Adam!" and also blurting out that Adam and Eve wrote the Bible! Silly girl!

Enjoy the video!

Christmas Sermon

Courtesy of my hottie husband. I know it's late, but in case you're still interested in hearing from John 1:1-13.

Crafting with Appliques

Thanks to my friend Candice Sutterfield, these have been so much fun lately! I've made onesies, linen towels and the birthday banner that I posted from Beckett's party, all using appliques. Since several people have asked me how to make these, I will attempt to impart my limited knowledge here and divert you to others who are experts.

1. First, pick out some cute fabric at the store. Buy some Wonder-Under as well.

2. Read the directions on Wonder-Under and follow them by ironing the fabric to it.

3. Draw the shape/letter that you want to cut out on the Wonder-Under (with fabric on the other side) and cut it out.

4. Wonder-Under side down, iron it to the desired surface (burp rag, onesie, dish towel).

5. Then, follow these instructions to do a blanket stitch around the cutout with embroidery thread. OR you can use your sewing machine on a really tight zig-zag stitch around it. I seem to prefer the look of the embroidery thread. It just screams Anthropolgie to me and I happen to LOVE that store.

I taught this at my MOPS group and it was a great craft for sitting around and chatting while doing something productive. I hope all this makes sense and I want to see pictures if you make something cute with these instructions!

I Guess...

I guess it's about time for me to blog again.

December was wonderfully focused and filled to the BRIM with activities, company, friends and fellowship. Blogging is usually the first thing to go when times get filled with other things (I won't say "busy" because that's not necessarily the case, just FULL because we shared much of our time with others and enjoyed the time we had together as a family). So, for that, I'm sorry. No, actually I'm not. But I am sorry you kept checking my blog and nothing was ever there.

We spent a couple days in Dallas with our families and it was a beautiful time. Here are some pictures:

The kids with my parents...it actually turned out decent. Wow!

Beckett and Nanny

Sweet Taylor... (a long list of Taylor Joyisms to come...)

Cute as a button Beckett

Taylor helping Mima (Allen's mom) open her gift

Beckett and Aunt Lizzie (Allen's sis)

So, as you can see, a wonderful break for us. A wonderful time to celebrate our Savior's birth. A wonderful reminder to slow down on the silly things and meditate on the eternal things. We hope yours was amazing too!

Merry Christmas from the Duty's

All Aboard!

We did a very small party for our little one year old with trains as the theme. Here are pictures below:



I made this cute little happy birthday banner (Pottery Barn inspired) to use for this birthday and future ones too!


I sure had fun making the little train cakes! I felt like a little kid popping on all those Sprees and Hot Tamales!


Beckett with his cake: "What...you want me to eat this thing WHOLE?"


"Alright, I'll give it a try..."


SUCCESS!!!


"Can I wear this thing as a hat?"


All aboard the alphabet train!


"Mommy, I know I'm one now, but can I still have my nap?"


A video I made for Beckett's First Year of life...be forewarned...it's 11 minutes long. But every minute is sweet. I get emotional watching it, but then, I'm the mommy!

Happy 1st Birthday, Precious Boy!

Sweet Beckett,

When you were in my tummy, I had hoped you were a girl.

I didn't know what to do with boys. I knew all about ponytails and dolls and tea parties. I love PINK! I didn't want to subject a boy to that.

But, before we even found out for sure you were a boy, I knew. And I was scared.

You popped out like a football player with those big shoulders, all 9 lbs. of you

I saw that dark brown hair and those big blue eyes and wondered, "is he mine?"

But then you cuddled in next to me and made your home there.

You made your home in my heart, sweet boy, like I never imagined was possible.

From the start you made it clear, "this mommy...she's mine."

And I've loved every minute of loving on you, cuddling you, teaching you, nursing you...

I'm saddened that you are turning one, honestly.

I hope you still want to cuddle me and give me big open mouth kisses.

I hope you still let me rock you to sleep and sing your hymn, "How Great Thou Art" to you at night. Every time I sing it I am more in awe of how great and amazing our God is. Somehow looking at your face, singing that song...I become overwhelmed with His goodness. Honestly, I have to commit you to Him often. I frequently have to check my grasp to make sure it's not too tight. You have a way of sneaking into my heart and my thoughts and making me want to grasp your sweetness a little too tightly. I know you're a blessing from Him. There's no way I could have dreamed up something so precious.

I'm glad I have celebrated one year with you.

A year of amazing firsts, like smiles that light up the room, laughs that keep us rolling, smirks that steal our hearts, not to mention, rolling, crawling, sitting, talking, and taking your first steps!

What a precious year it has been. Oh, the things I have learned and the things you and your sister have taught me. I'm convinced they could fill a book! Thank you for teaching me what only you could teach me in the way that only you could.

I love you eons more today than I did a year ago and who EVER thinks that is possible staring at their little newborn?

You are a special boy, Beckett Cole.

Happy Birthday my little man.

Love,
Mommy

Vote for my Snow Bears

Precious Snow Bears

KBTX has a place to upload snow photos and, of course, I would like for you to vote for my cuties if you get a chance! Just click on the little checkbox that says, "Vote as Best"!

If you are scrolling through the pictures you may just find some additional pictures of Beckett with his first snowball as well as the youth group crazy snow fun last night. Vote for those too!

Here are some pictures from last night's fun!

Isn't that just SO Texas?

Yesterday I was sweating my pants off at a nasty 77 degrees and 100 percent humidity and today, lo and behold, we opened up the blinds to find this!



Texas has always been ridiculous about this, but really? Allen and I couldn't have been more shocked when we opened the blinds this morning after SEVERAL hours of being up and around the house.

Taylor was very excited about the snow and so we went out to see it. I couldn't handle the cold for too long.



In true Texas style I asked Allen, "Will the roads be icy?" He just laughed at me. Ah, the joys of being a Texan...

My Helper

The annual bakefest (aka Christmastime gifts and treats) has officially begun in our home. Last year I was 9 months pregnant or had a newborn, attempting to bless every last person in our neighborhood or at our church with goodies.

This year things are going to be very different. Know why? I actually have a helper. This helper isn't eating all the dough this year. Nope. She's not hanging on my legs. Nope. She HELPING! Woo hoo!

We made snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies for the youth volunteers this week and she rolled the dough in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. She made things go much quicker and I am so proud of her. I let her have a little dough and one baked cookie, and reassured her that we were making these to bless others. Usually I have to allow extra time doing something if Taylor will be "helping," but not so this time! I am thrilled!



Here are the recipes in case you're interested:

Snickerdoodles:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 C. oil
2 eggs

Mix together. Roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture and bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes. They won't look done when you pull them out. They will look doughy, but they will stiffen up. If you pull them out when they look done, they will be overdone. I'm just warning you. ;)

Chocolate Chip Cake Batter cookies:

Same as above except nix the cinnamon/sugar and add Ghiradelli chocolate chips to the mix. Mmmm...

Here is our birthday boy doing his own "cooking" in the kitchen. Plus, I just wanted an excuse to post a picture of my little cutie.

Elf Yourself

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

First Week of Advent

It's the first week of Advent. Get excited! We decorated the inside of the house this weekend after a wonderful Thanksgiving in Dallas with our families. Taylor Joy keeps saying, "Mommy, Christmas is pretty."

On another note, Advent in the Duty home started yesterday. We are doing the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Since I can't do anything the traditional way, here's how our Advent looks.

Our calendar:




Made out of toilet paper rolls, scrapbook paper, ribbons and cute extras, I made this with my own two hands with love and excitement for the Advent season. I created an advent calendar detailing relevant scriptures, activities to do together and questions to discuss during family worship time. Each day will have it's appropriate page inside of the toilet paper roll. Thanks to all who donated rolls to our cause. Know that lovely pearls of wisdom are being stored in the place where your toilet paper hung. Now that's beautiful.

Our wreath:




Honestly, I just plain didn't like any of the Advent wreaths that I saw. So, I bought this wreath at Michael's and the candleholder as well (for the Christ candle) and then placed them all snugly inside. I decided to buy battery-operated candles for the candles so that Taylor Joy can help "light" them and so that we can leave them on all day.

Here are some scriptures to consider this week, the Prophecy Week:

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Psalm 62:5-6
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be moved. (KJV)

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...

Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

Isaiah 40:31
Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Isaiah 11:1-2
Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

John 15:4
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Jeremiah 23:5-6
"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD,
"When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.

"In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The LORD our righteousness.'"

Ephesians 1:9-12
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Malachi 3:1
"Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 42:1, 5-6
Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold
My chosen one in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the nations.

Thus says God the LORD,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and its offspring,
Who gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it,

"I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness,
I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the nations. (NASB)

Isaiah 60:1-3,19-22
"Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

And, our Advent Cheatsheet:

Symbolism of the Advent Wreath

• The four candles represent the 4,000 years prior to Christ's coming and the four weeks of Advent.

• The unlighted candles represent the dark ages before Christ's coming.

• The lighted candles represent Christ, the Light of the World. Each week we light one more candle and that represents the idea that the coming of Christ is closer.

• The circular form of the wreath symbolizes that God has no beginning and no end.

• The green of the boughs indicates hope--just as the green of spring indicates new life.

• The word Advent means the coming of promise.

Advent Conspiracy

We're down with this. Are you???



I wanted to blog about this now because in actuality, it may take some preparation on your part. It's not as simple as running into the mall for a few hours and coming out with gifts for everyone on your list. It might take some work.

I don't have to do much shopping, but I have some preparation, much working with my hands (and getting the kids involved "helping") so that our Christmas might be meaningful this year, especially at a time when a 2 1/2 year old is actually "getting it." She's at a point where she understands what it's all about.

I'm undertaking a project of making an Advent Calendar so that in the 24 days leading up to Christmas we are taking focused time everyday to talk about the meaning of Christmas, the events that led up to that historical day and talking about how those things can have meaning to us today. I'm also including things that we can do to prepare for Christmas together, such as: bake cookies, deliver them to neighbors as a family, plan a Christmas neighborhood social to meet more neighbors and build a closer relationship with others, make gifts together, go on a Christmas hayride as a family, choose gifts from the Samaritan's Purse catalog together, buy shoes for kids in need and much more! I am excited that the month of December will be focused, NOT frazzled, planned, NOT full of last minute scurrying through the mall, and meaningful, purposeful, focused on Christ.

Will you join our family in making the most of Christ's birthday this year?

Cutesy Badge Album

I recently came across this idea to make a mini scrapbook out of name badges. My best friend from elementary school all the way through high school just had a birthday and I made a mini album for her, thinking it might be an inexpensive, but special gift.

Here's what I did: designed the inserts in Photoshop with cute digital scrapbooking kits that I found online. I put in cute pictures of us from college, as well as more recent ones of our little ones. The great thing is that I can definitely reuse the templates that I made, so although it did take some time to make them, I can use them again and it should take much less time. Each badge is 3.25" by 2.5", so I just designed each template to be that size, emailed the final inserts to Copy Corner and had them print them, cut them out and put them inside the little badges. Voila!

You could definitely print these on your home printer if it prints high quality. Ours happens to be out of ink right now.

I decided to add some ribbons for decoration after attaching the badges together with those little metal rings that open and close.

This could make a really cute Christmas gift for someone you love!

I want to see pictures if you decide to make this!

Pandora

Cody and Chelsea told me about Pandora Radio and I just had to share it because it's AWESOME! You can just type in your favorite song or artist and it cooks up a station especially to match those types of artists and songs that you like. Then, if you want to add some variety you can continue to add artists and songs that you like AND let them know which songs you like and dislike to make it just perfectly to your liking.

I am REALLY enjoying this. It's like they are in my head and know just what I want to hear. Crazy! I don't know the logistics of it all, but I love it! Listening to it on my computer and my iTouch is delightful and it gives me some exposure to songs I may want to buy. Oh, and it's free!

Here is the website and here is the Pandora application to download to your iPhone or iTouch.

Enjoy!