Today is the day

I feel this way a lot, but seldom take the time to put it into words, so I am taking the time today.
My heart is full of love for my family, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness, love, and joy. I am so blessed to have three healthy, bright, loving and creative children. They make me smile. They make me cry. They make me laugh. They ask me tough questions. They keep me on my knees in prayer. They make me a better person.

And my dear husband is so solid, so consistent, so funny, so honest and truly my bestest friend. He loves our kids. He listens to me with love. He loves me. I am so thankful we are at this point in life and I look forward to each new day.

Our God is real. He is faithful to us and to His word. He answers our prayers. He cares. He cares for my kids, even more than I do. He loves my neighbors, my friends, even my enemies. He created us all. He is not mean and judgmental. His love never fails. He has a plan for me, for Justin, for Cameron, for Jalen, for Miah. His plans are good. I am thankful.

This is Only a Test

Please October Come!

I am so ready for a new month. For many reasons... lots of change is on the way for me. This is my last week of work at Peakfast. A part of me is very sad to be done there, but most of me is very excited for this next season of my life! I have total peace about quitting my job as a fitness instructor and I am anxious to focus some of my time and energy with Five Star. Now as always, my number #1 is my family and home life, but the few extra hours I have each week will be used to help Justin at the Five Star office.
October is also usually my favorite month, weather wise. I love the cool, breezy, sunny weather. The trees start to change colors, the flip-flops get put away, the sweatshirts find there way out, and I start doing some Christmas shopping.(Actually did a tiny bit yesterday)
The school year is now in full swing. This week the boys are auditioning for the school play... not sure how that will go, but an adventure it will be. I am amazed at how much homework they both have. Today we spent about 2 hours doing school projects, which, yes, they have 1 week to complete, but it is so much easier to do the whole project at the same time than to do 15 minutes a day for the whole week!
The next 4 weekends are quite full, so please keep us in your prayers, Justin will be working/away from home much more than normal this month. All for great reasons, but we will still miss him all the same!

My ramblings.....

Well, we had a great week. Many Ups, not really any downs. I am totally loving this fall/summer weather. It is my favorite!
Reading the book "The Penny" by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford. It's novel and I am enjoying it.
Tonight we had a family night. Also celebrating some good news! So I did something that we really "never" do, I ordered Pizza! No pork of course, we got it with grilled chicken and extra sauce! So Good! Also picked up a movie from the Library, 101 Dalmatians.
I just found out that Justin has to work tomorrow, so now I need to adjust my weekend thoughts and keep a good attitude :).
Sunday we have a Birthday party for my nephew. Jordan is turning 4 years old and I am looking forward to celebrating!
I had lunch at the school today! So fun to see the boys in their school world. (And so glad that they want me to be there!)
Lots to work on with my little Miah. She is starting to believe that she really is the Queen of the World! Being the youngest and the only girl, we have to be really careful about not spoiling her or letting her think 'more highly of herself, than she ought'. She really is a sweetheart, but this little roll the eyes and say "whatever" attitude ain't working with me or Daddy.
Cameron is reading like crazy! He has a love for it, and he is great at it! I am a little surprised, seeing as I home-schooled him 1/2 of last year and I was quite worried that he may be behind in school. He is definitely not behind at all! (I also credit his 3 wonderful years at the Montessori School.)
Jalen loves school, but his favorite part, he says, is lunch! He is learning to read, although with him it depends a lot on how tired he is or not. After school he is pretty tuckered out, so he struggles to read these tiny little books, but when he reads on the weekends or after dinner (if he's not too tired) than he does better.
We adjusted our morning routine to get up earlier. Waking the boys up at 6:30am, gets us out the door at 7:30am great! Much more relaxed and fun. (My boys love getting to school early, they want to be the first kids there.)
I have a special trip next week, going to see some wonderful old friends that I haven't seen in way too many years! Can't wait!
Well, that's all for now, leave me a comment, let me know what's up in your life!

Day to Remember

Today I enjoyed my three little blessings.
I have about 520 Sundays left with Cameron at home, about 572 with Jalen still living at home, and about 700 Sundays left with Miah still under 18.
I want to make the most of those special days. Sundays are typically family days in most homes. It is in ours. Making memories is something Justin and I talk about often. We want to be intentional about it! It is not always easy, life seems to take over so often. There is always something to be done around the house or at the office.
So today, I decided, I will not waste this beautiful Sunday. We are going to make memories! It really was a great day, everyone got along and enjoyed each other! I am thankful and looking forward to making every day count!
These pictures seem to capture much of the day, except for the frisbee catching, rock climbing, and swimming!

60 minutes with out kids- What would you do?

I get to ask myself this question every now and then... and the crazy thing is that I have a hundred things to do, BUT, it is really hard to decide what is the most IMPORTANT thing at the moment and the thing that I can't do some other time with the kids. Sometimes I don't really do anything... I spend the whole time thinking..."What should I do?"
My list looks something like this:
1. Go run 3 miles
2. Sit in the sun
3. Read a good 'fun' book
4. Take a shower and actually wash my hair too!
5. Vacuum the basement
6. Scrub my bathtub and clean my bathroom (Haven't done this in almost a year)
7. Grocery Shop or misc. shopping
8. organize photos and put in photo books (I haven't done this in about 3 years)
9. call a friend and just talk
10. take a nap

Well there is my top ten! What about you... if you had 60 minutes (unexpected) that you had no responsibilities/ no job / no kido's to look after. What would you do?

My Favorite Chapter the Past Couple Weeks

Psalm 25 (New International Version)

¹^a]">[a] To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

² in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

³ No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

⁶ Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

¹¹ For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

¹² Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

¹³ He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.

¹⁴ The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.

¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.

¹⁸ Look upon my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.

¹⁹ See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me!

²⁰ Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

²¹ May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!

Is Life Hard?

Miah and I were having a snack today and listening to the radio (Family life radio).
Miah says, "Mom, is life hard?" I say, "What do you mean?" Miah says, "The song on the radio says life is hard." I say, "Well, it can be hard... without Jesus" Miah says, "So the person singing the song doesn't know Jesus?" I say, "Well, I don't know about that, I think sometimes even when we know Jesus we sometimes forget to lean on him and trust him." She says, "Yeah cause Jesus sees everything and we can always talk to him, like he can see right through the ceiling of our house right now. And he can see in the radio and he hears the person on the radio."

Amazing to me the things our little ones are thinking about, and the phrases they hear in a song that gets them thinking.

My Shining Star!

Cameron started 2nd grade a couple weeks ago. He is turning 8 years old next month! And he is growing into a sweet young man. He is shining in so many ways!
He is working so hard at his school work, doing a great job in math, reading and writing! And a huge plus is that he is enjoying school!

On Tuesday this week, Cameron received a Shine Award at school. Yes, oh yes, we are pretty proud of our little boy!

Shine on Cameron!!!!

"You are the light of the world... let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Family Update

Hey all! Been awhile, since I could blog, so much going on.... Mainly - School is back and very intense for the first 2 1/2 weeks! I have written at least 8 different checks to the school in the past couple weeks, and signed my name, filled out numerous forms and read tons of papers and emails, all about school-related stuff! It's a full time job! I am finally feeling in the grove of this school routine, up at 6am, kids up at 6:45am, breakfast, vitamins, teeth cleaned, dressed, last minute gathering of stuff, changing clothes again (this weather has been crazy- freezing in morning- but hot by recess!) So, out the door at 7:30am (that's the goal)- so 7:39am leaving the drive-way!

We are back on the 20 minutes a day of reading with Cameron and Jalen! Cameron has homework every night, but thankfully, it goes pretty fast.

Anyways... things here going good! Thankfully we have great teachers! Off to a good start!

Yeah- we have a 3 day weekend! I need it!