Guardian angels and the grace of God

Ever have one of those incidents with your kids that could have been a bad situation and somehow by the skin of your teeth you escaped disaster?! Rylan James is going to be my child that requires the assistance of multiple guardian angels. We were downstairs today in the basement and Morgan and Lainy were jumping on the Jump N Slide and Ry was wandering around. We have sections of the basement gated off so I wasn't too worried that he could hurt himself on anything. I was attempting to work on some financial stuff but was watching him at the same time. He wandered just out of my view and I called at him to come back. I heard him laugh and keep going so I got up and went around the corner just in time for me to see him step on the sump pump cover. It was loose....it tips ...and in slow motion I watch him fall in. Now I have no idea how deep the hole goes but he ended up straddling a pipe that was about 6 inches in. I had him by the arm in about two seconds so he just got his shoes and socks all wet. But I shudder to think about the result had I not been that close. Oh the years that came off my life!!! God sometimes gives you a "free one". Just a little reminder that these little lives are so precious and so in need of supervision. No more inattention for mama!!!

Crazy kids, crazy mama...

Okay is it just me or is winter lasting an extrordinarily long time....ok so it hasn't been that bad. I guess it's just that this is the first year I have had TWO very busy, very active kids to occupy. They are sick of being inside. Thank goodness for the one day this week when the temp was close to 60! We spent all of that day outside, didn't get one single thing done except for cleaning up the yard. Ah the bliss of being outside with no coats on!! We are back to playdo and coloring and painting and playing in boxes left over from Christmas presents. I even set up the Jump N Slide in the middle of the living room last week. Anything to keep them busy. Here are a few pictures of that and also a few of them playing in my Rubbermaid containers....

Hope for the future

Sorry that it has been so long between posts. I can't even use the excuse that we have been busy because with the terrible cold lately we have spent plenty of time at home the last few weeks. Just unmotivated to write I guess. My camera has been dead and I haven't made any attempts to revive it yet. I guess you could say that I am in that January-holidays are over-3 more months of winter-world's a mess kind of funk. But, if I look at it all with the right perspective, I have to say that there are plenty of things to be thankful for. So in the spirit of counting my blessings:

1. My kids are healthy, not struggling with illnesses or disesases
2. We are still employed
3. God is still in control and still good no matter what
4. Easter and the season of Lent is approaching with the reminders that Jesus has made a way for salvation and life eternal
5. We have family to lean on and enjoy life with
6. We have a church family to lean on and enjoy life with
7. The sun is shining today!
8. We have enough food, enough clothes, enough heat in our house
9. I am blessed to be at home with my children where I can raise them and enjoy them
10. Superbowl is coming up ( okay so I couldn't care less about the game but we are hosting a party that should be a lot of fun!)
11. We were able to rent our old house so we don't have double mortgage payments to cover.
12. Did I mention that the sun is shining?

I promise to get some pictures posted of the kids soon. They are growing so fast. Pray that all is well with you and yours as we start this new year!

Christmas Day

We got to spend a quiet Christmas Eve at home with Aunt Holly and the kids opened up their stockings and then Christmas morning they opened their gifts from us. We had a great breakfast and then spent the day until 3 playing with all the new toys!! Grandma Leasure got the kids a "50's Diner" which turned out to be the hit of the day. It came with lots of fun features and Aunt Cathi sent an apron and lots of fun food. At 3 the family all came over for soup and sandwiches and the kids opened more gifts. What a crazy, fun loud day. My children are very blessed and we are so thankful for the family that we have to celebrate with. Here are pictures of the two days. Enjoy!!

A quieter birthday for brother...

With all of the princess party excitement at our house this year, it would seem that our little boy turning one was overshadowed. Not true!! We did celebrate his birthday today. We were just a little less over-the top about it :)! A little cupcake, a toy to open and he was more than happy with his birthday celebration today. And his momma is caught up in one of those bittersweet moments of remembering --my sweet 8lb boy, born after 30 hours of labor is now over 22 lbs and walking all over the house!! How short a year is! I just know that I will blink and he will be off to school. All the more reason to enjoy each moment of him--sloppy kisses and sweet hugs, mischievious little grins and sturdy little legs. He is a blessing to be sure. We couldn't be more thankful for him. A shout out to our favorite aunt Cathi who gave up month of her life last year to come help us wait for his birth ( and a huge thanks to grandma who watched her kids) and who now fittingly shares his birthday. Happy Birthday Aunt Cathi!!! And Happy Birthday sweet Rylan James!! Love-- your mom.

PRINCESS PARTY

Morgan Paige had her very first big-girl birthday party yesterday. Six of her friends came over to celebrate with her and my, what a pink princess day it was! We started out by having the girls hunt through the house for all of their princess accessories (necklaces, rings and crowns). Once in the proper princess attire, we had them play some games and color some princess pictures. Next we had them decorate their own cupcakes with sprinkles, decorating gel, and princess toppers. Then we lit the candles and let Morgan blow them out while we sang to her. The gift-opening was hilarious with all six girls "helping" Morgan open everything. She got a remote controlled pony, a "MyLittle Pet Shop" house, a mermaid Barbie, a princess computer, a princess memory-game and a cool princess art set with big-girl scissors (note to self: remove the scissors!). That was all in addition to the huge package that her grandma got her which included a beautiful green dress and a doll. Whew! So our little four-year-old princess had a wonderfully blessed but exhausting day.

This is Aunt Holly confiscating the blog for a moment. I was also invited to the party and have to say that it was the prettiest, pink princess party on the planet! I have never seen so much pink in all my life. Morgan Paige is one loved little girl! She had 6 friends, 2 Aunt Hollys and mom and dad in attendance. Oh, and two little princes. It was a great party!

p.s. For those of you who's children returned home with face paint, my apologies. (Note: "1/2 cup of salt, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and a loofah! Scrub, scrub, scrub!")

p.s.s Purple is still the best color! :)

K.I.S.S.

The holidays are almost here and I have to say that my anxiety level doubles just thinking about it all--shopping for gifts and cooking and cleaning and hosting and rehearsing and wrapping and baking and the list goes on and on. Today, I was watching Morgan playing with her $4 container of beads and some free carpet samples from Menards and it occurred to me that the solution for my anxiety was to approach this holiday season like she approaches playing--simply. I remember my dad telling me about the KISS principle a long time ago (Keep It Simple Stupid!) and I am going to try to make that my mantra for the next few months. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy or complicated to be enjoyable. Couldn't I stand to spend a little less and scurry around a little less this season? Yes I could! Wouldn't I have more time to focus on the true meaning of it all? Yes I would! So this year I will strive to be simpler and calmer and more thoughtful in all of the chaos. I will post this as a reminder to myself to do just that!!