I want home to be our kids favorite place to be.

Today's activities included; riding down the stairs in pillow cases.


Ben & Jerry's for lunch. This is not the norm, but when it's cold out, you have to boost morale.




















Reading marathon in our bed at 3PM. Let's be honest, that was more for me.



















Spa time for the ladies complete with scalp massages, manicures and a pedicure only, for the thumb-sucker.

We want them to know that we love them if they never make a sport's team, never get an A in school, and never find 'success' in the world's standards. We love them solely because of Christ's love in us, and for them.

1 John 4:19- We love because He first loved us.

I don't know anything about this guy.

I know that he is a men's figure skater. Need I say more? If you're a huge fan, my apologies. I do, however, appreciate what he said here. Simple, straight forward, and pretty tough-guy, coming from a male figure skater.

Made me think.

Made me wonder about life on the 'other' side of the tracks...

Made me want to, no more than that, it felt necessary to adopt...

Made me want to show Jesus to every abused heart...

Made me thankful for life in America.

I am woman hear me roar...

Today has been hard. Up at 6 try and have my time with Jesus before everyone wakes up. 6:10am girls come out hungry and the day is rolling. Throw in some laundry, make the oatmeal, brush teeth (mine too), nurse River, unload dishwasher, load all three in the car, teach workout, drop off stuff at Goodwill, go to Library, nurse at library, load everyone back in the car with a bag of 40 books, Change a poopy diaper, read alot of Clifford and Bearenstein Bears, draw tooth fairies with the girls, make chicken noodle soup for Clairsy's runny nose, and biscuits with River in the front carrier and the girls playing outside, try to show Andy that he's still my #1, call a friend who just had a baby and promise to bring pizza, dinner is interrupted by a very hungry baby, pray for patience over, and over, and over again, for God to help me with kind responses, to enjoy, not survive, the day, and that serving isn't usually comfortable and easy.

I just watched a birth and I would do it all again. God designed me for this and that feels so good.

He knew I could handle it, so I press on with joy.

This is for all the moms, God designed us for this.

This is for all the husbands, let your wife sleep in, she's tired (=. You are extremely special too, and she doesn't know how she would make it without your support, love and nightly back rubs. Nightly back rubs lead to happy wives which leads to... Hey, hey, hey, this is a family-friendly blog, it leads to good conversations.

Quotable quotes...

brought to you by my oldest.

"When I talk kinda Jesus-y, my eyes kinda water. He's just so sweet."

Translation: She's getting His grace.

Proof is in the pudding.

You always hear moms say, "I have so many pictures of my first child..." , "My first child knew every state and capital at one year of age....", "It's just different with your second..." Behold exhibit A-The second child.

food,inc.

So glad I have a blog where I can vent-goodness knows Andy's ears can only handle so much of my world changing ideas. I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. The simple question in this documentary is, 'Where's our food coming from, and can I see the kitchen?' Simple enough, but just like other pockets of society, ie. medicine, schooling... it's about the mighty dollar. So they mass produce our food and we end up with far from God's design. So I'm going to try and implement small changes around here;
1. Buy locally as much as possible.
2. Buy organic, as much as possible.
3. Eat less meat and when we do, know the source. I haven't heard of anyone dying from lack of protein, so I think we're good here.
4. Not become a crazy environmental, hippy-dippy, but be a wise and responsible steward of God's good gifts which includes animals.

Check 'Food,Inc.' out and just try to eat a hamburger during it, I dare you.