My April Snow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

OH these are pretty!!!

My April Snow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Preschool Pics...

Ok, so I forgot to tell you all this in my last post, but Miss Heather (Wyatte's preschool teacher) has a website that she puts pics of the preschool class on, along with some short notes about what is going on. If any of you family would like to be able to see those pictures let me know and she will send you an invite to see the page. It is private right now, so that is why if you went to click on the pics of his first day of school you couldn't see them bigger... So let me know if you would like to see them!

Long time (still) no see

So I still don’t have a camera, trying to be patient and not covet the cameras that I see.  Trying not to be disappointed that I missed Wyatte’s first day of preschool.  Or Aubrie jumping off the dock.  Or Nevaeh playing dress up, here at home and with friends.  Such is life.  I think partly I am trying to pay more attention to what is going on around me so that I can remember instead of looking back and seeing the pictures.

Anywho, Wyatte is in his second week of preschool and LOVES it!  He seems so grown up all of a sudden.  He told me today that he knows all the letters, and proceeded to sing me the song.  Previously he would say H, R, K, K and other letters in the wrong order.  He also totally got the concept of right and left, and understands that one is different from the other.  Such a big boy I have!  Tomorrow marks the first night of Cubbies and I know that he is super excited for that to start. 

Nevaeh has had lots of play dates lately because there is a group of us that is getting ready to sing a special in church next month and since one of the moms’ piano is in her basement with the toys we go there and the kids play and we sing.  Works great!  On Monday there were 6 moms and 13 kids.  There were 5 missing (in school) and one on the way.  So 19 kids between 6 of us!  All 6 1/2 and under!!!  So Nevaeh had tons of fun playing with all the other kids, along with Aubrie!  Nevaeh gets to do Cubbies this year too!  She is pretty excited too, so hopefully she does good!  She is really ready for preschool too and if we had the money I would send her to Miss Heather too, but right now we just don’t have it.  Later in the school year I might enroll her, but for right now, I am just going to try to spend some extra time with her while Wyatte is in school.  We are going to do Story Time at the library each Monday, and have our Growing Together class each Friday so that is some extra attention that Wyatte won’t get.  I am trying to find someone who will watch Aubrie during story time so that I can focus on Nevaeh, but haven’t found anyone yet… 

Aubrie is getting pretty big too!  She started jumping off the dock today when we went swimming.  She would run down the dock to wear I was standing and say go, then lean out to me and wait until I grabbed her!  It was super cute!  She loves the water, and is a daredevil.  She toppled a couple of times, but did great keeping her head up and I WAS right there to help her up right away.  She has a floaty that she can sit in but she doesn’t really like that because she can’t “play” in the water as much.  She is also ready to start potty training.  She tells me “poop butt” and either needs to go, or has already gone.  She hates to have a wet or poopy diaper which makes it easier to do this.  We have started putting her on the potty chair some, but with all the running around we are doing right now it is pretty hard to keep consistent.  I am not pushing her at all if she is poopy we change it, and if she says she has to go we try.  She doesn’t usually go, but we are getting her ready!  Aubrie will go to the nursery on Wednesday nights during Awanas because I am going to be helping with the paper work part of it.  I can’t listen to the kids say verses or do anything else with kids because we aren’t members yet.  To do anything with kids in the church you have to be a member and pass a background check.  Both of which aren’t going to be a problem, just haven’t made the commitment yet.  We have the papers, just need to do the steps.  So pray for us as we embark on that.

Singing has always been in my heart, and I have missed doing specials and worship.  God speaks to me though music and I love to share that with others, and haven’t felt right doing it lately.   Our small group did a Beth Moore Bible Study called Believing God.  One of the weeks homework was to ask God for a specific verse to use in prayer over a specific person or problem.  I did that, and asked God for a promise.  A song that he would give my heart so that I new he was going to give back to me.  As I was asking, “Everything to me” by Avalon played on the music station that I was listening to on TV.  A few other things happened and I knew he had answered me.  Well to make this long story a little longer… on the 4th of July we had a Watson church service and Ann sang a song called Hosanna, by Brooke Fraser (of Hillsong) and it dug deep in my heart and never let go.  I bought music and got the group together and we are singing it next month at church.  God has totally blessed me with a wonderful support group of Godly woman, most of whom are music!  How totally awesome!!!  I am also praying about joining a worship team once a month.  Plus working on a couple of other special songs!  So when God blesses, He really BLESSES!!!!

John still isn’t working on the pipeline, he did join the union.  But is still waiting for the call to start.  We heard through the grape vine that they might stop until frost hits because they are in the swamp/wetlands so much…  So that kinda stinks, but God blessed us with wonderful friends who thought of us when asked if they knew anyone who needed work.  There is a green house in town that also does landscaping and the owners go to our church, and their son and his wife are part of our young marrieds group and we both have girls the same age.  (Aubrie and Hannah are 2 months apart, and Nevaeh and Taylor are about the same, not totally sure of the dates though…) Back to my story…  John Clark (the son) talked to John Hoard (my hubby) in church a couple weeks ago asking him if he was interested in working for Bloomers for a while.  So John has been blessed with pretty steady work for the last 2 1/2 weeks through them.  So much nicer than unemployment…

I think this is a long enough post right now, so enjoy that and I will hopefully get some form of pictures up at some point in the future.  God Bless!!!

Wyatte's first day of preschool

Click here to view these pictures larger

Here is a picture from Wyatte's first day of preschool. Since I don't have a camera right now, I was waiting for Miss Heather to put some up on the school website that she made. I finally remembered to look there and she had put some up! So here are a couple.

I have been really neglecting this blog lately and I am sorry. Since I don't have a camer I haven't felt like just putting our life on here in words. John has been working for a gardening/landscaping company the last couple of weeks and starts with the pipeline on Monday. So hopefully once we have a steady stream of income coming in I can get a new camera. John did promise that I could with his first paycheck after we get all our bills caught up. So hopefully soon you will all be back into the swing of our life!!!

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Click here to view these pictures larger

Here is a picture of Wyatte's first day of preschool. He is in a class with 6 other boys, and 2 girls! He really enjoys going, and I have enjoyed the morning that I am down to 2 children!

Craft Challenge thru Blue Eyed Blessings!!!

I added a craft challenge button on my right side bar, click it to see the details. Not sure what I am going to do yet, but thought I would try. Good times! Not really into halloween decorating, but fall decorating I am all about! So wish me luck, if you have any idea's let me know!!!

I am re posting this as part of the "get your craft on" fun! Hope some of you that haven't seen it enjoy some of the pics!
There is another post about the party prep here, enjoy!!!

Here is what the cake looked like (after Nevaeh stuck her fingers in it!) It was pretty easy, besides the mess! (see below…) John had done the dishes before I started the cake and fondant, I used every dish in there!!!

I made my own fondant. Tried the stuff in the stores for previous cakes, and it was gross. This you can actually eat, doesn’t taste like rotten fish. It was pretty easy, melted marshmellows, a couple drops of water, and powdered sugar. Tinted one batch green and wanted the other one more a fuchsia, but couldn’t get the color right, so it ended up pure purple… Still ok!!! I did one rectangle cake, and two rounds. The round cakes were really cool when we cut into them. The rectangle one did too, but you got each color in the rounds!!! Nevaeh partially ready for her party! She was modeling the skirts that I made for the girls as party favors. Aubrie showing off her skirt! I made it with some of the “mistake” cuts that I made! The older boys headed outside to make tops, while the younger kids made candy necklaces! Tinkerbell is a tinker fairy and tinker’s love to build things!!! I got the kits at Walmart, and they were ok. Might have been a little too old for the 3 year olds, but they still had fun! All the boys outside working! My dad does this type of top when he spins. Just a dowel cut and one end sharpened to a point, then a circle cut with a hole in the middle. You decorate the wood circle with markers and then put the two together and wa-la(s/p) a fun toy!!! (I used a tutorial from Grosgrain for the skirts, and also blogged about making them here.) All the girls in the skirts that I made for them! They were pretty excited to get them! Nevaeh (july), Karis (june), Emily (july), Bekah (august), Selah (october), and Taylor (september I think). All turn three this year! There are two boys too that will turn three sometime before december, but I don’t know their birth months either… Watching Tinkerbell on the TV.

Nevaeh opening her presents. She quadrupled her “girly” toys in one day! Thanks guys she loves the gifts!!! (above a tinkerbell flutter toy, below a few suckers and a matching game and also a crown pillow. She has taken the crown pillow everywhere with her!!!) This is what the cake looked like decorated. The green fondant got too dry and ripped, so I had to try to figure out how to fix it…so the cake wasn’t the most beautiful, but it was super cute anyways!!! Under “Nevaeh” was a huge rip and the resulting horrible fix it job!!! There are blades of grass and purple “rock” like things around the cake. Hanging out while we wait for lunch to be done cooking. This made us all laugh, reminded us of a wedding dress picture! With the whole skirt lifted up behind her!!! Aubrie enjoying lunch. She was nibbling off of Nevaeh’s plate Our cloudy day turned beautiful and we got to head out side for cake! Here is a shot of the round cake! Doesn’t it look awesome! Thanks Mikki for sharing your cake!!! My brothers came out to help, here is Paul pulling some girls in the wagon.

One of the boys that will turn 3 this summer! The aftermath!

Nevaeh showing off one of the presents that she got. She wants to wear these shoes all the time! I think someone started something that I am not ready for!!!

All in all it was a great day, fun for everyone I think. I have to say that I am glad I am done planning parties for a while. Wyatte’s birthday isn’t until December!!!

Another link to a giveaway!!!

Love September Favorite Skirt Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The skirt looks like fun, and while I am not "into" sewing right now, heaven only knows how long that will last. Maybe this will get me back into the swing of things!!!

Unredeemed by Selah

Here is a song that was shared by Angie Smith, wife of Todd Smith in Selah (He is the one in the rust colored shirt that sings in this video) a while back.  She got permission to share it for a few days, and since then I have been waiting for the CD.  I got it in the mail today and really wanted to share the song with you all.  Really listen to the words, they are amazing.

If you want to check out Angie’s blog, you can do so by going to bringtherain.blogspot.com.  She has a great story, if you look back far enough, and lots going on that is current.

Kookles Nursing Cover GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Kookles Nursing Cover GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I have a friend who had something like this with her last baby and it looked so much easier than a blanket! I would totally use one if/when we get pregnant again!

Rollerblading

So a while back Heidi B mentioned at our Bible Study that there was a Inline Marathon in Duluth in Sept.  She thought it would be great for us to do it.  We all got excited, and started making plans.  John and I dug out his old rollerblades, we met at the trail.  And I only made it about 2 1/2 miles!!!  I went with two others that first time and they went about 3 1/2 or 4 miles.  Then I didn’t go out again for about 10 days.  I went 1.9 miles Tuesday, 3.1 miles Wednesday and then met them for our second go round.  I went about 4 Thursday, and they went about 5. 

Then my whole family got sick and I worked overnights and afternoons and didn’t go out.  So tonight (even though I worked an overnight last night) I went out because we are meeting again in a couple of days and Heidi wants to do like 11 or more miles………  And I did 3.1 miles again tonight.  I was going to do both my routes and get 5 miles in, but it got dark REALLY FAST!!!  So I only got part of the skate in.  Hopefully tomorrow I can do the whole 5 (or more) but we will see. 

I am not super worried about the time or how far I go.  What I am more concerned with right now it the fact that I am getting out and I am exercising.  I have quite a bit of weight to lose to get back to a healthy weight, and this is a start.  What is really nice is that I actually enjoy rollerblading.  I might get VERY tired, and weak by the end, and not know how to stop very well, and am scared of falling but I really enjoy getting out there and feeling the wind in my hair, and listening to the praise and worship pouring into my ears.  God is totally amazing when I am too winded to talk over Him!!!  He is amazing all the time, but…  You know what I mean right!?!?! 

So right now I am looking for a good way to keep track of how far I have gone, and what days I did it, and how long it took me.  Just to have a record.  Right now I can remember the times I have gone out and how far, and so forth and so on….  But would like something that I can look back on.  So if anyone has anything that they use to keep track let me know.  I found a couple on Google Documents, but they aren’t quite what I want.  So I am going to keep looking. 

Keep asking me about the rollerblading so that I have some accountability!!!

Not quite sure what to name this post…

Phil (my oldest younger brother) moved to Maine a couple of weeks ago.  The week before he left Wyatte got sick on Monday, Nevaeh got sick on Thursday, Aubrie got sick on Friday, I got sick on Saturday; and we had a going away supper Saturday night.  So being the wonderful sister that I am I took all my family to the party, even being sick.  I told everyone to stay away from us, but as you can see above that only lasted part of the night.  Mom wanted a picture of all four of us kids, and the boys complied.  It isn’t the greatest picture of us, but hey at least we are all there right!  The sad thing is Phil and Kirk got sick.  Made for an interesting drive to Maine for Phil. 

 

For those of you that haven’t met my family before I am the oldest of the kids, Philip is four years younger than me and is seen in the picture below checking out his new iPhone.  This is my dad, Stan.  (my parents are divorced, but live in the same town)

This is my baby brother, Kirk.  He is eleven years younger than me.  Wyatte is eleven years younger than Kirk.  Kinda fun!  He is the one the kids see the most because he still lives at home with my mom.  Paul is the one in the picture with a beard.  He is the middle brother, and is 8 years younger than me.  He was going to school in Duluth, but in now transferring to ICC for this semester.

 

Anyways, back to the post….  oh wait, I haven’t really felt like blogging lately so I don’t really have anything to say……

Update on Wyatte.

Just thought I would let you know, since a few of you commented on Wyatte and the turtle.  Wyatte seems to be back to normal!  He spent one (late) afternoon, all night and the next day (until about noon) puking.  But the rest of yesterday and all day today he has been fine.  No puking here!  I will make a call to the doctors office tomorrow to see if we need to do anything else, but I think he is ok.  I didn’t really think about it until I was posting the pictures and got to wondering if that could have been what made him sick. 

I hadn’t blogged for a while and really felt like starting there, so apparently God knows what he is doing!  Getting the pic up there and reminding me what could be making him sick…

Oh well, hopefully he is all better!!!

New side bar button.

One of my “cousins” (we share an aunt but on different sides of the family) had a baby that was “born to the angels” last month.  She had as normal a pregnancy as you can have, but when her contractions got close enough to head to the hospital they got some news that no mother or father want to hear.  Avalon had gone to be with Jesus.  Today she posted a picture and a link on facebook that I had to share with you guys.  I was bawling while looking at the pictures, and if you read Christian’s Story (it is a link on the right hand side of the website) be prepared with a box of tissues.  Here is the pictures that Shelby posted

and here is the website that she linked to.  Please check it out.  Heart wrenching it is.  You can also click on the button on the right hand side bar if you would like, it should take you to the website as well.