Catch up and Happy V Day!

I have been gone a long time. I know. No excuses, just doing other things with my free time;). About three weeks ago we put our house on the market to sale. We have had lots of lookers and even second lookers but no contract yet. I'm at a place of peace and rest though. The count down has started until graduation and our big move to Taos, NM. It's exciting!

This little monkey has started potty training. It has been a HUGE learning experience for me!!!! I would be lying if I did not say I am frustrated with him. I am really trying to adopt my Dad's attitude about most things "He won't go off to college still in his diaper!" We started right after Christmas. He would do great and then all of a sudden decide he wants to put his diaper back on. Then last week I decided I was tired of going back and forth, so I forced him. NO MORE DIAPERS! He is perfectly capable to go in the potty. It all just depends on the mood he is in. Therefore that has not worked like I planned either. He has done pretty well until school today. He told me "I not go potty on Mrs. Amy or Mrs. Asha potty!" And that he did. At 1:00 I picked him up and he had gone through two pair of underwear and pants and was now wearing a shirt and diaper! Not because he had accidents but all because he refused to even try on their potty. ugh!!!!!! He has a very strong head and if he doesn't want to do something it is bout near impossible to make him.:) Other than that, he is PRECIOUS!!!!!

The weather this winter has been beautiful!!! We have been outside a whole lot riding bikes, blowing bubbles and just playing with our neighbors! I love the 60's in the winter!!!!

Miller, my creative child, wanted to celebrate V Day in a special way. He came up with it all on his own. We started with heart shape pancakes for breakfast. Then we went to the store to prepare a special dinner and get ingredients to make heart shape cookies for dessert.

Dad had no idea about our surprise but He brought home me a little surprise too. They are my favorite rose ever!!!!!!

We picked flowers to go on the center of the table. Miller and Tucker drew, colored and cut out hearts to sprinkle on the table. Our dinner was topped off with two candles. It was very romantic:).

We discussed over dinner why we loved each other (again, Miller's idea).

Miller said....... "I love Daddy because he wrestles with me. I love Mommy because of the way she loves me. I love Tucker because he does a good job going pooh pooh and tee-tee in potty. And I love Mallie because she is such a sweet angel."

Tucker said "Good Job Daddy riding your bike. Miller good job riding your bike without training wheels. Mommy good job riding your bike. Mallie good job riding your pink princess riding toy." Cracked me up!!!!

Trent and I made a card for each child saying two things we loved about them.

Miller-we loved his sweet heart and joyful attitude.

Tucker- we loved his energy and contagious laugh

Mallie- we loved her big hugs and beautiful smile

At that point they had had enough loving on each other and wanted to dive into their candy!!!!!!!


So they did.............................double fisted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at me........................

Happy Birthday Jesus!

So. We mailed our letter to Santa and then the very next day got a response back. Santa replied that he was more than willing to come a couple of days early since Dad was on call Christmas morning. So Thursday night we had "pretend Christmas eve"and Friday morning the kids woke up to fun surprises.

The kids, well really just Miller and Tucker, were excited all day Thursday. Miller was so matter-of-fact all day literally telling me all the things we needed to do to get ready for Jesus's birthday. It cracked me up. At four and a half, he was trying to remain calm and collected on the outside but on the inside he was about to jump out of his body, EXCITED! Miller told us around 6 that they needed to take a bath and get ready to go to bed. WOW, seriously!? So we did. Baths, PJ's, pictures, story time, Milk and cookie cake for Santa, the easiest bedtime routine it has ever been.

After a cool, calm and collected Miller all day Thursday, at snuggle time he finally ruptured! "I can't help it! I can't help it! I'm so excited and I can't help it!" All his excitement from the day had been bottle up and then he finally let it out!


I was so excited for them but was really struggling. Struggling to even get my head lifted off the couch. "Walking Pneumonia"swept through our house. Mallie then Tucker got it and now it was my turn. This beast of a bacteria struck me Thursday afternoon and it hit hard.


Well it got the best of me. Pneumonia and pink eye took me down for about five days over the holidays and it kind of seems like a blur. I should get Trent to write this post. He was awesome during that time. Took care of me, the kids, and well really did everything!

Miller came into our bed around 6 the next morning. We made him snuggle with us for about fifteen minutes before we went and woke Mallie and Tucker up. They were so precious and thankful to see how generous Santa was for Jesus's birthday.

They each received the three things they asked Santa for and some stocking goodies. Miller- Cars race track, astronaut costume, and leapster explorer games. Tucker- bike with helmet, Auburn Tiger pillow pet and big box of legos, Mallie- baby high chair, stroller with baby, and princess riding toy.

Mallie wasn't as much into the presents as she was into the Happy Birthday Jesus cake. Get that baby girl some cake!!!!!!!!

Ahhh, much better!!!

We traveled on Sunday to Montgomery and then to Auburn to visit family. And since this Momma was mostly out of it until Wednesday she never once even thought about a camera. And I'm so sad that I have not ONE SINGLE PICTURE from those places. It was a precious time none the less spent with family!

I hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas!

So I figured it would be hard for me to blog 25 WHOLE DAYS in a row! It was impossible actually. Last Thursday little Mallie got sick and was sick all weekend. Soooo While we were inside and at home alot I decided to try to push Tucker to potty train!
He is so proud of "mine big boy underwear" but not so interested in telling us when he needs to use the potty.:( I think Mommy was ready before he was.

On another note...................We knew this year would come at some point, Trent being on call Christmas day, but we have managed to avoid it until now. We just can't celebrate Jesus's birthday without Daddy!!! So we have come up with a plan.

Miller and Tucker added their special touch with writing (compliments of Miller) and drawings(compliments of Tucker).

Now that hopefully Santa will visit our house early, I have lots to get ready for him to come. We are still doing our calendar and the kids are loving it. However, I will probably not blog about them everyday due to time.

Merry Christmas!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy spirit." (Romans 15:12-14)

Jesus was obedient

"And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminals death on the cross." (Philippians 2:8)

(Tucker loves to put Mallie's bows in his hair)

" But I (Jesus) do nothing without consulting the Father." (John 5:30)


"I don't speak out of my own authority. The Father who sent me gave me his own instructions as to what I should say." (John 12:49)

" Because one person disobeyed God (Adam), many people became sinners. But because one person (Jesus) obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight." (Romans 5:19)

"Even though Jesus was God's son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8)

Do these look like obedient faces? It was nice to be able to teach them this morning that even JESUS was obedient to his heavenly father. Tucker tilted his head and grinned and said "May I pease have mine Chocowate?" Miller (my thinker) said "Mommy do you have to obey? Who do you obey?" "Well I obey God, Miller." Miller quickly came back "Does God spank you when you don't obey?"

My children (whether they know it or not) always have a way of humbling me and reminding me who I really want to be. I want to obey God just as Jesus did. I want to consult my heavenly Father before all my decisions too. I want the words I speak to be not of my own authority but the very words of God. Wouldn't that be awesome?! Wouldn't the world be a much better place if we all did that?!

Jesus is LOVE

"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love." John 15:9
"I command you to love each other just as I have loved you." John 15:12
"Greater love has no man than this that he lay his life down for his friends." John 15:13
I often wonder what God told Jesus before he came to earth? I like to imagine the converstation. He obviously gave him the commandment of Love. I think the short of it went something like this...............

Jesus, I love these people so much. I created them to be my friends and bring pleasure to me. They just don't get it though. I want you to go to earth, as me, and show them how to love. Show them MY love. Teach them how to love. And when your time is up on earth, you will show them the ultimate love. You will literally lay down your life for them. Not just for one but for all, so that I can forever have fellowship with them.

I think Jesus probably simply responded without fear or hesitation "Ok. If that is what it takes, I'll do it for them. Because I love them."

That is real LOVE. How many people would you give your life up for? Honestly, I would probably do it for just a handful of people. Thank you Jesus that you did not choose just a handful but you chose to die for everyone!

The Candy Cane

We took a break from the calendar over the weekend as we were out of town celebrating Christmas with family, but today we learned about the Candy Cane.........



A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness for Jesus, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and sinless nature of Jesus. The hardness of the candy was used to to symbolize the Solid Rock, the Foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God.

The candy maker made this candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It also represents the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which he reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs, who like all sheep have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the flogging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ at the cross so we could have the promise of eternal life.