Sunbeams

We have the morning sun streaming into our kitchen, it's so beautiful and warm on a wintery morning. I love how it played on Kate's hair as she was playing...so I wanted to remember it, forever (like all the other moments...ahhh! How am I ever going to keep this up??hee hee)

Give your toddler a bowl of beans, water and utensils and sit back and practice your photography...she cooks, I shoot. Everybody's happy!

I really liked this series...all photos untouched original.
Click photo for more.

If I coulda I woulda

If I could've video taped what I saw today at my girl's naptime, I would have....

Kate had emptied one of the stuffed animal baskets, one by one, into Savannah's crib, to SJ's squealing delight! She was thrilled to have this massive rain of soft animals pour upon her...

but if you know us well, you know that we take discipline very seriously in this home, because the Lord does as well. We want our girls to know that we keep our word. Unfortunately for Kate, I had already told her to take a nap, and this, was not napping.

Parenting really is the rigorous training of oneself to follow through. Yes, you do train your children, but HA!! It is the self discipline, day to day, that astounds me. You mean, I actually have to get up off my dufff and reinforce my words...?? Yes, or my children will not respect me.

And oh, the facets of that discipline. I was sad that Kate had disobeyed, but I found the fact that they were amusing one another very amusing indeed, to myself. "Lord, how do I handle this one?" I uttered, before I went for the wooden spoon. I mean, they are playing together, I rationalized. But, alas, they were not napping.

After I got over the "cuteness" of their newfound friendly play...I thought, naptime could become a difficulty if I don't nip this in the bud. So nip I did.

Now...silence.

God doesn't take our disobedience lightly either. If He did, then we would not respect His authority over our lives. He deals with sin and yet, He offers grace. I am so glad we have the perfect parent to look to in uncertainty. Amen??

God speaks...

...to us so many different ways...if we are listening.

This morning as I sat down to do my bible reading, Kate came up to me and said, "Jesus' ciples" (translation, Jesus' disciples). I just mindlessly said, "yes, the bible tells us about Jesus' disciples doesn't it?"

As I was kept reading, it quickly became evident that the lesson was on the calling of Jesus' 12 disciples and how they left everything they knew to follow Him. The more I read the more excited I got, as I knew the Lord was near! I asked Michael at lunch if he had read the story of Jesus calling his disciples to hear lately in the children's bible..."no, not lately" Well, I haven' t either!

Ok...I think I was supposed to learn about the disciples today.

My Newest little Valentine

Look at this little lovey dovey...she's my newest valentine....

click on picture for more Valentines day pics...

To cut my hair or not to cut my hair

I thought long and hard before I picked up a pair of scissors and began to trim my hair in front of my 2 year old. "This just can't be a good idea" I thought to myself. Especially since I gave her a pair of shears for Christmas.

I decided that the fact that I cut my hair will remain a best kept secret of mommy's for now.

It shall go on the "things to do without a toddler around" list.

The blue

My little bro just called, out of the blue.
I like that.

Ain't he a looker?

Not only that...he's got a heart of gold for the Lord!! Go CJ, you rock little bro.