He Makes All Things New Again

i haven't heard this song before. it's brad paisley and sara evans- i love them both and what a song to work together on. i'll warn ya- i cried like a baby watching this with adam by my side saying "it's ok."
and it is better than ok...we are all so blessed to live so free.

Need a Smile? And Waffle Fries?

a little lighter video...

All About New Moon & TwiCon

from the entertainment tonight website:
"Twilight Convention Coming to Texas
Copyright 2008 Summit Entertainment
Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series is branching out from its Comi-Con booth and getting a convention of its own, TwiCon!
The big state of Texas is hosting the largest United States conference inspired by the wildly popular vampire series Twilight.
From July 30-August 2, Twilight aficionados will storm the Sheraton Dallas Hotel for series inspired music and fun!
Tickets go on sale for TwiCon on May 1. Click HERE to see ET's latest 'New Moon' exclusive. "

if i wasn't a mom of three and devoted wife...i'd take off to dallas for a 4 day weekend for twicon! i guess here's is where my line is drawn...well, partly because rob pattinson isn't on the schedule of cast to appear. i bet he shows up anyway though :)

and here's a new moon movie update:

ET New Moon 3
Uploaded by officialspunkransom

*sigh* so super excited! i think i'm going to read new moon again.

Happy Homemaker Monday

On my bedside table: now i'm reading 19 minutes by jodi picoult. really good book, tough subject matter. well written though. i'm about 1/2 way into it.

On my TV: yesterday we watched "the day the earth stood still" with keanu reeves. good movie- different! the ending was slightly disappointing.

On the menu for tonight: enchiladas, rice & beans. yummy!

On my To Do List: surprise-laundry! and working on my bedroom today...it's always last on my list.

New Recipe I tried last week: don't think i tried anything new.

Looking forward to: a week with nothing major going on, a park lunch date with adam, and getting caught up on things here.

Homemaking Tip for this week: i'm trying something new with laundry- wash everything on one day, then the next put it all away. that way i'm not running around doing both all day, maybe?
i'll let ya know how that goes.

Favorite Photo of the week: i couldn't pic one :) i'm so getting prints of these! i can't believe they are 4, 6, & 8!



Favorite Blog Post of the week: "he always knows best" post by sandra at diary of a sahm. moms know a lot, but He knows the greater plan...

Lesson learned the past few days: we all need a day of rest- i took an awesome nap with the kids yesterday!

On my Prayer List: my good friend's mom is having surgery today, prayers of encouragement for myself- that i'd be the best mom/wife i can be and not let little things get in the way, for Sarah B Smith as she and her family make some big choices.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses: 1 John 3 1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

The Gift of Mothering & Mother's Day Contest hosted by Julie

my good friend julie is hosting a mother's day contest on her blog! it's so sweet and the prize is a cool tile pendant from an etsy artist. for sure go check out the contest and her blog.

so my response to her blog got me thinking about motherhood in general, and my experiences. who would know all the little details of your family if you were gone? the role of a dad is so precious and important, but the gift of mothering is invaluable. there are days my kids drive me up a wall with their moments of bickering among each other, moments of selfishness, and moments of ungratefulness...but that's exactly what they are just moments. so they pass and life moves on, sometimes quicker than i'd like.

what a privilege it is for me to be the one chosen to be a mom to these 3 fabulous kids! yes, my children are my joy & my work. there's no one in the whole world who knows them as well as i do, for now anyway. someday they will each find the one god has chosen for them (and i pray for their future spouses right even now) but their childhood will be forever locked away in my heart.

ADAM:

adventurous

sweet

sensitive

TRAVIS:

dynamic

caring

humorous

CAYLEY:

empathetic

thoughtful

gentle

OneTimeBlind

found these mini videos this morning...wanted to share.
onetimeblind is the group that makes these. they are all short, but filled with truth and humor. just take a minute. kinda cool. off to finish putting laundry away...

I Feel it Coming On

SUMMER! yes, it will be here before we know it and i have to start making plans to keep the kids busy. cayley has golf & reading camp stuff, each have a week with my parents in SA, & swim lessons. this summer i am adding the library into our routine! i'm really looking forward to that. now that i have 2 reading kids :)
mid morning park play times before it gets too hot and the houston children's museum are on my list to do as well. poor julie has to remember my first and only trip to the children's museum! what a crazy day!!! but the kids are older now, so praying that there will be a much better trip in store for us. oh, and we have never done any of the fun stuff at the crosby community center. this might be the year to start!
i'm sure a trip to SA will be in the works sometime during the time out of school and to the beach too, but i have to come up with some back yard fun stuff too. bubble and sidewalk chalk are a must. afternoons running in the sprinkler-anyone else do that when they were little? we sure did!

You Were Made to Fill a Purpose...

More Beautiful You

Artist: Jonny Diaz

Album: Stand For You

"Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine

Says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn't straight her body isn't fake

And she's always felt overweight

Well little girl fourteen I wish that you could see

That beauty is within your heart

And you were made with such care your skin your body your hair

Are perfect just the way you are

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don't buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty-one the things that you've already done

Anything to get ahead

And you say you've got a man but he's got another plan

Only wants what you will do instead

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come

You starve yourself to play the part

But I can promise you there's a man whose love is true

And he'll treat you like the jewel that you are

So turn around you're not too far
To back away be who you are

To change your path go another way

It's not too late you can be saved

If you feel depressed with past regrets

The shameful nights hope to forgets

Can disappear they can all be washed away

By the one who's strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears

And change the way you look at this big world

He will take your dark distorted view

And with his light he will show you truth

And again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl"

has anyone heard this song on KSBJ? that one line hits me so hard and the first verse is amazingly written. we really have to encourage our daughters that they are made perfectly in His image and there's no one else in the whole world like them. life is hard enough already- there's so many expectations and "hoops".

home has to be a safe place to vent and be encouraged. i love my children with all i am and pray that they feel like they can share thier frustrations and joys with me everyday. and most days they do. :) the best reward is the extra little squeeze and i love ya at the end of the day.

Cayley Turns 8

i loved the way the cake turned out! she did too :)

me and my sister in law liz. it was so great to see her and my brother this weekend.


raylee swinging away!

adam- no words necessary...

trav being silly

me and my girl with her twilight cake!



it was wonderful to spend some time with raylee!

what a great balloon there lindsey!



cayley opening gifts: thank you uncle bobby, auntie liz & raylee for the gift card!

pretty green spring dress from uncle pete! thank you- she loves it!

build a bear workshop game from grandpa robert & grandma linda!

super cool cooking mama ds game!!! she has already played it and is working on new dishes! thank you grandpa fred, grandma lori, patrick & ben!!!

cayley in her new dress, shoes and necklace from lindsey & troy.



ok- get it "forks" as in "forks, washington" lol

thanks for indulging me family!!!

4 kids + 4 Adults= Fun Night at the Astros Game

thank goodness the rain slowed down saturday evening. this was such a fun time with my kids, one of my nieces, and our friends!

Perfection is My Enemy....

the video isn't that great, but cayley and i love this song! i love the line "but you've already won the battle and you've got great plans for me".
happy saturday! enjoy being YOU!

Filling in the Blanks Friday

my surprise anniversary dinner was wonderful! i really had no idea where he was taking me, and the part of town was questionable, lol! we ended up at brady's landing on the houston ship channel. beautiful resturant in the middle of no where! it was quiet and candlelit. perfect. tim did a super job! xoxo

last weekend tim got hooked on guitar hero and rock band! yikes! so we had a couple of "band sessions" during the week. cayley loved being on vocals and trav loved dancing. patrick is super awesome at the guitar and showed us all up :) it was fun.

ok this is for you heather: taco dip recipe

what you'll need-

shredded cheese

1 cup sour cream

8oz cream cheese

1 can refried beans

either a couple tablespoons of salsa or taco seasoning

first put a layer of beans on the bottom of your baking dish & preheat oven to 400

mix together sour cream, cream cheese, and seasoning

layer the mixture on the beans and top with cheese to cover

bake for 15-20 minutes till cheese is how ya like it and grab some chips!

dig in! this was shared with me by my friend lindsey- thanks girl!

Happy Anniversary to Us

today is our 9 year anniversary! it seems like yesterday we were planning our wedding, and now we have come so far. blessed is the only word i can use to describe our marriage. sure we have had our ups and downs- each in its extreme even, but we always make life work- our life. i can't imagine not having tim as my other half. we can finish each others stories, make each other laugh when life is challenging, and just be together.

I promise to love you forever — every single day of forever.

we are headed out to dinner somewhere tonight- i have no clue! there's nothing i could want more. my bracelet was enough, but then he bought me a "new" to me mini van last week. it was an upgrade, drives great and we paid cash. i have no need for a newer car- means bigger payment, lol. he reminds me of his late grandpa that way :)

well, i'm off to go order cayley's bday cake, stop by the kindergarten, then home to straighten up and get ready for this evening. i'm so taking my camera.

this is by far not a run of the mill wednesday...

Happy Homemaker Monday

On my bedside table:

i'm reading "the mermaid chair" - heather recommended it to me, but i haven't gotten as far into it as i'd like. this week hopefully will slow down a little compared to last week- and i can catch up.

On my TV:
tonight- not much. have to go grocery shopping. we try and go once every 2 weeks, so i have to finish up my list and menu today!

On the menu for tonight:
my goodness! i have no idea. umm, chicken something maybe in the slow cooker. like i said- i have to go grocery shopping. i get real creative on days like these.

On my To Do List:
lists, laundry, keeping the kids busy today. maybe i'll take them to mcdonald's for an ice cream later.

New Recipe I tried last week:

omg! i made the cake from heart to heart. it's called hawaiian wedding cake, but we changed it to hawaiian birthday cake for cayley! i'll upload pics soon! i also drizzled it with some extra chocolate :)

In the craft basket:
tomorrow i have to finish tim's anniverary surprise! can't do it while the kids are home today.

Looking forward to:
lots of things this week- fun things! our 9th anniversary is on wednesday, twilight movie night on friday, and cayley's family birthday party on sunday- and my brother bobby and his family are coming too!

Homemaking Tip for this week:
can't think of anything to share off the top of my head this morning...that tired.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other): read mary beth chapman's easter blog. she's so inspiring just by being herself and sharing her daily joys & struggles.

Favorite photo from last week:

cayley and i preparing the turkey for eater lunch! tim makes an awesme deep fried turkey and it' snow requested for family holiday get togethers :)

Lesson learned the past few days:
sometimes your children need a warden. that's me with adam now that he has learned to open windows and run outside without me.

On my Prayer List:
prayers of continued years of blessings in our marriage, that angels keep on surrounding my children and keeping them safe, for my friends faceing big decisions and unknown struggles.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”- Romans 3:23-24

doesn't get any more real than that. if you haven't read "the shack" this is a major theme. what an amazing love....

Run of the Mill Wednesday

on the agenda for today: get laundry going- or else, lol. i have so much to do to get ready for this weekend and the next. this weekend we are having an small Easter party with family and friends, then the following weekend more partying for cayley's 8th birthday! my little girl wants a twilight party...hummm, where could she have come up with that idea??? :) obviously it won't be overboard with the theme- it's still a little bit more pg-13 than i'd like her to be interested in.
for the easter party- i love this egg place card/flower holder idea by sandra lee.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7267528
and for cayley's birthday- still working on it, but i have some great ideas for the table and cake :) i can't believe she's turing 8!
so for today- laundry, brainstorming more party ideas, making grocery lists and menus.
this is my wednesday...

Twilight New Moon Movie and Twilight Movie

Look After My Heart...

my mail just came!!!! and my amazing anniversary bracelet is here!!! it's so perfect and the maker did a great job of packaging- beautifully placed in a red gift box, business cards, and card with a pic of Edward & Bella along with description of the piece of jewelery. she's on ebay as "sogirlyvintage" and her website should be up and running soon she says at www.bittenanddazzled.com

love it :)

Spring Break 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Twilight Mania Continues

tim just bought me this gorgeous bracelet i found on ebay!!! perfect isn't it! really excited to get it in the mail- i'll take more pics when it ocmes in. thanks for indulging me all :) thank you sweetie! what a great anniversary gift...