Duvet Cover

It wasn't my intention ... but ... my mother-in-law took pity on me via my whiny blog and ordered that duvet cover! It came today and it looks great! Our master is well on its way to taking on the "old world sophisticated" that I dream for it to be. Thanks Sharon!

Pictures courtesy of Sass

Pounding the Pavement

Sass headed out the door this afternoon with a purse full of resumes and didn't return until she had given them all away! Please pray that the Lord will provide her a job with a positive atmosphere.

And It Was ...

A Mack Truck, Trailer, and 2 Diggers from Popeye and Olive Oyle in Arizona!!!

Since it was raining outside, Andy brought out a bin of Legos to serve as dirt


Building a plane to put on the trailer

Daddy reconnecting with his childhood obsession


Thanks so much, Mom and Dad! Albeit totally random, it made Aiden's month! He is so obsessed with playing with the trucks that I actually almost thought twice about letting him sleep with the smaller one and I have given up keeping the diggers out of the mulch around the plants in the yard. He's a boy, might as well let him enjoy his childhood! Thanks again for fostering boyhood!

Mystery Box

Upon our return home from the mall and Cheesecake Factory on Saturday, this large box was hiding on our little front porch, just out of the reach of the rain. Aiden was super stoked to open the box once he got wind that it was apparently something for him, according to the address label. "Daddy, you open it for me, Daddy?"

(And yes, he's getting a nose itch!)



SO excited that he had to climb up on the couch for a better venue

Ash

Or more affectionately known around here as "Peechoo." Don't ask - all our nicknames are random!

Me-n-my Boys

Zib

Or more affectionately known around here as "Pluribus"

Inpromptu Photoshoot

My boys in their white T's - Brotherly Love!

There's Baby Stuff Everywhere!

We have been SO blessed by caring friends who have lent us a plethora of baby gear. I am very thankful for all of it, as it makes it so nice to have safe places to put Little in every room of the house. (Except the master bedroom. NO baby gear there!) But on the other hand, there IS baby stuff everywhere!

There's the swing in the living room

Even stuffed in the coat closet

This play blanket is one of Ash's favs - it slides under the couch at night!

Mommy's Big Helper

My Big Boy has always been obsessed with the "Green Machine" . . . they go WAAAYYY back!




He's become pretty handy over time. He finds such enjoyment in cleaning up the messes under his high chair with the Green Machine. Wonder how long I can get that to last?!

Spilled Milk

Don't worry, Aiden didn't cry over this spilled milk. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. A bit too much. It will be a few more months before Aiden gets a try at a "big boy cup" again!

Couch Findings

I took a few minutes and willingly cleaned under the couch cushions. Look what I found!

This Is For Real

Life is just plain hard sometimes. When it gets that way, I run to the One I know can ultimately understand, comfort, clarify and heal: my true Love, Father and Creator. Jeremy Camp is a Christian music artist that Andy and I saw in concert the year before he became "big." His life has been anything but easy, and recently he and his wife suffered through the miscarriage of their 3rd child. Please take a minute to check out their blog of this experience at http://jeremycamp.typepad.com/jeremy/2009/08/joy-in-gods-presence.html. Jeremy and his wife are such an incredible encouragement to all of us, no matter what we are facing in life.

And when you get 5 minutes of quiet, throw on the headphones like I am and check out these videos of Jeremy's. I highly recommend the devotionals. The others are excellent as well. Please just note that adult ideas are portrayed. May the Lord bless your walk with Him through these videos. And if you are in one of those "life valleys" like I am right now, may you draw comfort in the One who desires nothing else than for you to run to Him.

Surrender Devotional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QV4qoF-FT4&feature=channel

There Will Be a Day Devotional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpBuEuagZxE

Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA7qJv2zfgo&feature=related

Lay Down My Pride - Men, you will relate to this one best
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf-rHH2seyk&feature=related

Living Vicariously Thru Grandpa Freddie and Gigi

I love dogs. I REALLY love dogs! Always have and always will. Grew up with them and up until 3 months before Aiden was born, I always had one. At this point in my life my sanity cannot take cleaning the messes of another living thing, but that does not take away from the fact that I long for a dog of my own. So right now I am living thru my grandparents and their 8 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I don't think he has a formal name yet. And I really don't care - I just want to steal him and eat him up!

Wisdom of the Day

My second cousin's wife wrote this and it hit home for me. I hope it chastens you as well. Enjoy!

As children, we always thought the days were long, sometimes way too long. When we were really young, we often had to take a nap. The question, "When?" often came from our mouths, wondering just when we were 'going to leave', 'going to eat', 'going to bed','going to play'. Seemed we had all kinds of time, as though time, itself, stood still.

Now, as adults, time seems to be getting away from us. There's never time enough to really get anything much done in a day. Takes longer to do a project. The day passes so fast, that it's not long until we are seeing the sun go down, and it seems just a few hours ago, it was coming up. We look into the mirror and we don't recognize ourselves!!!!

David was anointed by God, and the Bible says that David was a 'man after mine own heart'. [Acts 13:22] But, he wasn't a man without trouble or persecutions. Yet, he held on to God and his promises.

Today, no matter how short the time seems, we need to hold on to God and his promises, just as David did. As the saying goes, heaven is 'just around the corner'. We need to be as the five virgins who remembered to keep their lights trimmed - stay in the Word, keep our eyes open for him to split the eastern skies. He is coming back, and time for us is short.

SO.....no matter how busy we get....we have to make sure we put God first in all things....and give Him the time He deserves. I want God to say that I am a woman after His own heart....even in the midst of trouble and persecution. My time is HIS time--

How about you????

In the News

Before kids, I used to be a huge news buff - Fox News 24-7. I even framed a picture of myself in front of Fox's main broadcasting building in NYC. But 2 kids later ... by the time the boys are asleep at night I catch the last 8 minutes of House Hunters on HGTV before I hit the shower. Thankfully I subscribe to a monthly publication of the Christian Law Association which keeps me in the know of news from the judicial sector (which is all I care about in the news anyway). The following is a excerpt from The Legal Alert that I found most interesting, intriguing and inspiring.

Justice Sotomayer

Please pray for Justice Sonya Sotomayer as she begins her service on the United States Supreme Court. Although Pres. Obama appointed her because she would be "empathetic", i.e., would rule based on her feelings rather than following the law, during her confirmation hearings, Justice Sotomayer repudiated the President's view of the law and said that despite her previous statements to the contrary, she did not believe that judges should make law from the bench or issue rulings based on feelings of empathy. In fact, as she was questioned by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, at times Sotomayer sounded almost like a strict constructionist on the order of Chief Justice Roberts. It is hard to know which Justice Sotomayer will actually appear on the Supreme Court bench. Ironically, she was appointed to the Second Circuit federal court by President George H.W. Bush, who had also appointed Justice Souter, the liberal justice she will succeed. Although seemingly a solid liberal vote on many issues, liberals have good reason to wonder what her views will be on abortion and school choice. America's first Hispanic Justice and its third female Justice, Sotomayer's family sent her to a private Catholic school rather than to her neighborhood public school so that she could receive a better education.