The Battlefield

Justus had gymnastics tonight, so afterwards we were trying to figure out what we wanted for supper. We ended up spending more than needed on pizza and donuts! My sweet husband decided to drive through the battlefield and find a picnic table for us to eat at. The kids played in the creek and blew some bubble, but the most fun they had was running through the field and playing with a ball. It was great bonding time for all of us! Here are a few pictures.

Visiting the Farm

The Kids desperately needed out of the house on Wednesday, so we headed over to my sisters house for some much needed farm time! Thanks So Much For Having us Lisa, and to everyone else... Enjoy the Pictures!

Once a Month cooking

As I stood in the Pet Store Talking to our awesome Groomer, Joni, she asked me if I had ever heard of Once a Month Cooking. I said Yes. well Because I had but I really had not ever thought much about it.. Then as she told me how her and her neighbor get together once a month and cook from early in the morning until on into the evening, I started thinking and wondering just how great this could be.. It could be frugal, fun, a time saver etc.. So then I started researching. I found a few sites and this is one blog that interested me Click here. I am thinking about buying her cook book.. Please Comment and tell me your thoughts on this one... Seriously how great would it be to grab your supper out of the freezer, pop it into the oven, eat a great home made meal and then clean up would be simple!!

"Happy Spring Time To You!!"

Spring is here and my little family is bursting with energy!! And the picture above is the kids celebrating the first day of Spring! By having blueberry muffins and cheese omelet's! We sang "Happy Spring Time to You!" to the tune of "Happy Birthday!"

This time last year Justus, our 2 1/2 year old, wasn't quiet ready to go outside a lot. However this Spring he is a brand new kid!! My husband and I can not keep him inside, he wakes up ready to go outside, he wakes up begging for Dustin to get the Lawn Mower out of our building so he can at least sit on it, or to help Dustin build something (our little boy knows how to use a power screw driver), but most mornings he spends time with one of our dogs named Harley!

(Here he is on his Lawn Mower!)

Ansley, who is 4, is the Ultimate Gardener loves heading outdoors to check on her vegetable garden, and grabbing the news paper first thing. Sometimes I will find her rocking out on the front porch enjoying the air and when she is out there rocking she is usually holding our little dog Bella! Today Ansley realized that her Corn she planted was sprouting! She was so excited, and says she can't wait to eat it!

(Ansley working very hard!)

Dustin has built an awesome raised vegetable garden. (If that"s what you want to call it!) Justus helped him do that and Justus is very proud of his work! I think Dustin has found a new hobby, along with planting tree's and flowers, I think he may be really enjoying the new vegetable garden! (we have a few herbs and strawberries as well) The second he gets in from work the kids run to the door ready to greet him. He was home about 2 hours today before he ever made it inside!

(he has actually added a 3rd section to this, I need to get a picture on here!)

As for me, This is the first year I have really gotten my hands dirty! I did try to mow the yard once, but I did it to short.. long story short the grass burnt up from heat and I was told not to mow again! Dustin bought a pair of garden gloves for me about 3 years ago I was pregnant with Justus at that time and never used them... So Justus and Dustin found them out in the building and brought them to me today because I was complaining about the dirt being all in my nails a few days ago... Well they are finally Dirty!!!!

Some other Pictures:
Bella resting after rolling in some dirt!


Harley
Such a Big Boy!

Gardening with Daddy!

Buddy

That's All For Now! Enjoy the weather! Even the Rain!! We NEED it to get rid of some of this pollen!!

My AWESOME Kids!

Often times some one will see Ansley and Justus then say, Oh they are so cute, or They are so Funny, I Just Love Your Kids! And my reply has always been, Thanks, they are so Rotten, or They are a Mess.
However.. Just last week some one told me How adorable they are. And as I started to reply, My mind was thinking Oh they are a mess, but my heart and my mouth was saying "Thanks, they are Awesome!"
You see, God gave us our kids and they are his children too! The kids do drive me crazy sometimes (for example right now, they are dragging everything out that they shouldn't be and find it extremely funny!) but still they are just so awesome!
I am going to try to make it a habit from now on, when someone compliments me on the kids I will have something positive to say in return!
I really do love these two Beautiful, Awesome, Silly kids of Mine, and I thank God everyday for giving them to me!

Singing

Have you ever tried to slow down while singing Jesus Loves Me, and sing it with much more passion? Almost like Amazing Grace. Try it, it is beautiful! Such a simple song and it is awesome. I love singing it to the kids.

"Mommy, Why are you going to Sing?"

I had to share this one:

Wednesday Night after Church I helped Dustin, my husband, take the kids out to the car. Ansley wanted to ride home with me, and I had to tell her No. She asked why and I replied, "Well Ansley, I have Choir Practice tonight. I am going to go Sing." (this is new for us, I just joined the choir) So my very Clever 3 1/2 year old then said, "Mommy, Why are you going to sing?" Me: "Well, God wants me too." Ansley: "Mommy, God doesn't like to hear You sing, it is Awful." Me: (while trying not to bust out laughing) "Well Pray for me Honey!"

Oh You have to love kids!

Bed Time Story with Ansley

Every Time I lay sit down to read Ansley a Story she wants to know who wrote the book. Tonight's Book was Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton. So she asked "who wrote this?" and I replied "Rob Scotton" Immediately she said "Scott Rotten???? That's Silly!" She is so funny.. Anyway it is a super cute book and we love it.. Thank You Ariel for buying it for us!!

Check it Out

There is a new page on the side bar called 'kiddo's" check it out!

I Praise You Because I Am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.

I hear the verse, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) almost every single day. It is a song on a CD and DVD that the kids have. But never has it sunk in like it has today.
Today I attended a Ladies Brunch at church, the guest speaker was Shari Braendel. Her Testimony she gave was heart felt, and she is just a very amazing woman! She is very to the point about being modest and how to dress modest and what looks great and what does not with your body type/skin tone. (well that is her job after all!)
One thing she said was to stop looking in the mirror and pointing out the bad things especially if you have a daughter who hears you say things like "I'm Fat" and then someone tells your daughter how pretty she is and that she looks just like her Momma.. Chances are your daughter just might start thinking she is fat as well...
Ladies God made you, so STOP picking at his work! Right now I am "over weight" and I need to do something about it, but this doesn't make me ugly and I vowel from now on to never ever say bad things about myself when I look into the mirror... I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE! She does have a few websites one is her own and one is a site she contributes to, so be sure and check them out!
http://www.sharibraendel.com/
http://www.sharibraendel.com/speakers_blog.html this one is her Blog!!
http://www.proverbs31.org/index.php

By the way: Happy Mothers Day!

Your Hands with Lyrics JJ Heller

I Love this song, Your Hands, by J.J. Heller, when it come on the radio I turn it up and just start singing! I am sure Ansley will know all the words soon!! (I'm downloading it off itunes so she will hear it often!) Enjoy it!

Homemade Book Marks

I have been talking with my friend Aimee, (you know the girl over at "homespun threads" and "on the lap") we are talking about what to include in some up coming give aways over at http://onthelap.blogspot.com/ and one of things mentioned was bookmarks. Then my mind started turning and I wondered if I could come up with a creative way to make a book mark for myself. And here is how I did it! (Excuse the "non-perfectness" I am new at the whole sewing thing and have only had one class! But I think i am doing okay for starters especially since I didn't even know how to thread a sewing machine before now!)


Okay so first dis-assemble a Kleenex box.

see these piece's cut them off they will be your templates and the support of your book mark

now you should have 4 of those and then finish trimming the box up like shown below

use one of the templates to trace out six more. You should have 10 total now




Then trace out the template on some fabric and cut it. Make sure to leave your self enough room to sew it up.
Once you are ready to begin sewing be sure to keep the fabric turned backwards so you can turn it right side in once you are finished, and making sure to not sew the top up!
Once the fabric is sewn up and turned right side in. Insert the cardboard support and fold the fabric into the book mark.
Now you can sew around the whole book mark making sure it is all closed up.



So Here is the finished product! I am sure there is a much easier and neater way to do this but for now I am happy with how it all turned out!

Prom Hair, Alterations, Pictures and A Craft!! Really who Knew I could do these things all in one day!

My husbands Cousin, Selena, had her Senior Prom tonight.. She asked me last week if I could do her hair for prom and then some pictures.. Of Course I said yes and I had No idea how I was going to do her hair and the weather was not looking very promising for pretty pictures. Then My Mother In Law needed some help with the dress, I ended up sewing the bottom layer of the dress! (Thanks to some sewing lessons from my friend Aimee @ homespunthreads this was made possible) Then I cut a ton of tulle! To My surprise it all turned out well. I finally got her hair complete and used a new braiding technique I had previously learned from another blog. As we started to head out I realized she had no makeup.. SO of course I fixed that real quickly as well! Then later I took an old picture and frame apart. Spray painted the Frame Black and Covered the cardboard from the picture with some batting and fabric added some ribbon and created a new "picture" frame! My House isn't clean but I do feel accomplished today! SO YAY! Oh and I am about to head over to "on the lap" and post on a children's book. So when you get a chance head over there and become a follower read a few post and stay up to date! PS there are some pretty good giveaways @ on the lap (and you can find a link to that page at the top of this page!) coming up but you need to be a follower to enter!

The Prom Pictures!




The Craft Projects!


* I was about to send this frame and the picture that was in it to the Goodwill and then decided I could use it for something different.. It is not perfect but I like it! Oh and the "button in the middle is a Magnet I pulled off the fridge and covered with the same material..



And this is a Magnet board I also cover in some fabric I had.. I like it much better now than before!