This little light of mine...

Greetings from Orange Beach!  I wanted to take just a minute to give a link to something we have purchased that has been working great for our children.  I read about these scripture cards on a blog that I follow (www.blueeyedbride.com) and I thought they would be great for our kids.  They are perfect!  The verses are short and are easy for the girls to memorize.... even Julianne (2).  They all start with a different letter of the alphabet.  The first one was Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times"  or as Julianne says "A friend loves at all the times... Acts 17:17"  I'm not sure why she always says Acts, but it's definitely Proverbs.  This week's verse is "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other."  Ephesians 4:32.  I'm loving that when the girls start to bicker, I just say "Ephesians 4:32"  and they say the verse... I think it's awesome!  Julianne was so proud of herself last week when she memorized that verse.  I can't even tell you how many times she's said it over and over.  It's precious.
We are really enjoying spending some family time together this week after a few really busy weeks and I'm really loving my quiet Bible study in the mornings on our balcony... listening to the waves and looking at the expanse of the ocean.  How can you not stand in awe of our Father when you look at the ocean?  It's just amazing.
Here's the link for the Scripture cards if you are interested!  I truly believe in putting God's word into our children's hearts... they repeat everything, so scripture needs to be in their warehouse of things to repeat!

Flashback Friday- Our engagment

I have totally forgotten about flashback friday for the last couple of weeks.  But today I remembered it's Friday!  :)  So, here's the story of our engagement... you got the scoop a few weeks ago about how we met, so this the rest of the story.  In may of 2002, after dating for a couple of years (with one small break because Jason didn't know what he was doing... ha!), Jason invited me on a trip to Washington (like the state... not the city).  We had a wonderful trip, drinking coffee, riding ferries, seeing flowers and such.  We took a day trip to Oregon where we went hiking.  I had wondered throughout the trip if this was going to be when he proposed.  We had, like any other serious couple, talked about marriage and I knew that was coming, so I kept thinking this was it!!  On our hike, we saw a boat-load of waterfalls.  They were just lined right up one after another in the Columbia River Gorge.  It was beautiful, but  I wasn't really enjoying it, because I was trying to make everything perfect in my head for the big moment.
Well, we got to a waterfall called "Bridal Veils."  This is it!!!  I just knew it!  I straightened out my hair... I sucked in my tummy and pushed my shoulders back.  Surely there was a camera or something somewhere, right??  We stood there for a few minutes, admiring God's handiwork (Jason, not me, I was reading my left hand to be weighed down by a new rock).  And then Jason said, "alright, you ready to go?"  I was SO mad.  I mean, really?  It's not going to happen.  He's not proposing on this trip... this would have been the place.  I'm done.

So, if you know me at all, once I'm mad it's all over.  There's not much reasoning with me... I'm totally irrational.  And this is exactly what I was feeling then.  We came to the next waterfall.  It was called  

Multnomah Falls and it's the tallest waterfall in the United States.  Well, Jason decided we were hiking to the top.  Can I just mention it was cold and rainy and I was ill as a hornet because I hadn't gotten my way?  I didn't want to climb with my arthritic self to the top of this mountain.  At all.  Well, he insisted. I acted like a complete brat all the way up.  I didn't want to go and you can't make me enjoy it.  Well, after what seemed like 124 miles of hiking and a lot of twists and turns where some fellow hikers said they gave up and started back down, we finally arrived at the top.  I was still fuming.  And tired.  And my joints ached.  And I was still not engaged.... which was the worst part.  I stood there, looking at the view that I couldn't even admit was the most gorgeous view I had ever seen.... because I was still being a brat.  And Jason, standing behind me, says, "This is the farthest we've ever been together."  I, angrily say, "uh huh."  Jason, ever the patient one, said, "You know what I want to know now?"  Me, still bratty, "How the heck we're going to get down from here!?"  I turn around, just about ready to slug him... and he's holding a tiny box with a beautiful ring in it.  "How far will you go with me now?"  

I was in a puddle.  Put that ring on my finger before you drop it through the slats in a rickety deck on the tallest waterfall in the country!  We hugged and a couple, Jason, do you remember their names?  I know her name was Susie and I want to say his was Bob, came on the scene and took pictures of us.  They also annoyingly followed us around the rest of the day.... but that's another story.  It's funny, the hike down the waterfall didn't seem nearly as bad as the hike up.  So, that was May 6, 2002 and it was truly beautiful!  I hope one day we can take our children there and stand on the little deck and talk about how far we've gone as a couple... he's my favorite person in the whole world, and I have no doubt that God hand picked him for me.  I'm glad I said yes!!!!!

Our 10th anniversary will be in January and I asked Jason if we could make the trip back to Washington, so we may be standing at the very top of this beauty in several months.  Brrr....

Keepin' it real

I know how blogs work.  I tell everyone the great side of what I'm doing.  I leave out the coffee grounds I spilled on the floor this morning and the four letter word that may or may not have followed.  I leave out the fact that on some days the house looks like toys r us threw up in it.  I leave out the finger prints that are always on the glass or the fact that there's almost always something in every toilet of my house that nobody seems to think is worth flushing.  I leave out that I'm wearing the same t-shirt I wore yesterday... and last night to sleep in.  And, yes, I did even leave the house in it again today.  Shameful.  I lose my patience.  A lot.  I yell far more than I want to.  I need a good hour of time by myself everyday and when I don't get it, I act like a total moron.
I get so tired of questions.  So. Tired.  My children seem to think they know all the rules of the road.  And sometimes I just don't want to explain to a 4 year old why I can turn even though the light's red.  Why do you care!?  Just sit in your booster seat and sing or something.  This morning we heard on the radio that a tree was down on some random cross streets that I'd never heard of.  Lucy has asked me no less than 5,482 times today where that tree is.  Are we going to see it?  Is it down that street?  Is it still there?  I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT TREE IS!!!!!   I said it nicely, too.  The first 14 times and the last 12 times it was not very nice.  Not. At. All.
We went to Target today and not only did I have to explain that, yes, I said we were going to the grocery store and yes, I realize this is Target, but they also have groceries, so it counts.  Yes it does.  Yes it does.  Shut up shut up shut up!!!  In Target I must have told Lucy 50 times to stay by me so I don't run over her feet.  I don't know how that child manages to walk UNDER the basket, but I promise she does.  I ran over her 4 times today.  4 TIMES!!!!  Learn your lesson, little one!  When you put your feet under the basket, it hurts your feet!!!!  grrrrrr......
Lucy has started really pestering Julianne.  It's not all Lucy's fault, of course.  Julianne has a super-hot temper.  It's that red hair, I tell you.  But she goes from 0-60 fast.  Lucy knows that.  Sometimes it's just too tempting to her to make Juli mad.  And it's super annoying to me.  I hate to hear screaming.  And that's exactly what Julianne does.  She screams.  Loudly.  Usually it's just because Lucy has said something to push her buttons.  On purpose.  Why???  I just said to my children, "Go upstairs.  I don't want to hear your voice right now."  parenting fail.  I can't help it.  I need a time out.
I hope I can get it together here soon.  I have to.  This attitude isn't an option.
Please don't judge.  I am so very thankful for my children.  I really am.  But just like spending a lot of time with anyone.  They start to get on my nerves after a little while.
There.  Today the blog's ugly.  You got the real deal.  No sugar-coating.  No acting like everything is rosy.  Sometimes my life is downright nasty.  Sometimes I'm a major fail as a mom.  And I'm sorry for not being real all the time.  Oh.... and I hired someone to clean my house again.  Because a couple of weeks ago Jason "suggested" that the shower needed to be cleaned.  Yep... you're right.  It does.  I should have done that like 2 weeks ago.  That's gross.  I'll get right on it.  Anything else you want to know the truth about while I'm here in confessional?  Anyone?  :)

The transition to the big girl bed

This past week, we've been potty training Julianne.  She's been doing pretty well for awhile, but last week, we decided to get rid of the pull-ups.  She's doing great during the day and wearing a pull-up to bed.  How can we work on night training her if she can't get out of her bed to go potty?  With my older girls, we night trained them at the same time as they potty trained.  We set up a little potty right next to their bed since sometimes they were intimidated by having to get up and leave the room.  So, if the potty is right there by the bed, they were more comfortable getting up and using the potty.  She's doing great!!  We have had very few accidents this week.  I'm pretty much doing the reminding... constantly.... so I'm ready for her to start letting me know when she needs to go.  I'm tired of being trained! :)
On to the transition to the big girl bed...  with Adelaide and Lucy we moved them straight from their crib to a twin bed.  And they were both much younger than Julianne is when we moved them.  But it was because there was another baby that needed the crib.  With Julianne, we've just left her in the crib longer because, well, why not??   We had a plan for Julianne to move into the room with Lucy.
Wait... this requires some background information.  Awhile back, we moved Adelaide and Lucy into the room together (Lucy was  about 2.5) and they shared a room with two twin beds.  This worked out okay... except Lucy wakes up at  before the crack of dawn.  Really... this morning I heard her around 5:20.  And she's really up.  Like clothes on, bed made up.  She knows that she's not allowed to come out of her room until 7:00.  And she follows that rule.  Normally.  But she's still awake... with all the lights on in her room.  So, we moved Adelaide into the guest room when she started school this past year so that she can sleep a little better without her wake up call from her sister.
Therefore, Lucy had a room to herself.  The plan was for Julianne to move in with her, but for all the same reasons listed above, Lucy will likely always have a room to herself. ha!!
Jason has always been opposed to a toddler bed.  What's the point if they aren't going to be in it for very long??  Just move her into the big bed.  Well, I put up a mayday post on facebook looking for a toddler bed that someone was getting rid of... and what do you know!?  Someone had one that matched Juli's existing furniture.  Voila!   The crib mattress fits the toddler bed, so her sheets are still a perfect fit, but her bumper and dust ruffle don't work anymore.   Mama wanted to make Julianne a new blanket that matched her room.  I had bought some extra fabric that matched her bedding awhile back to make a shower curtain for her bathroom..... so I pulled it out and found some cute coordinating fabric for the back of the blanket on sale at Hancock fabrics.  It was less than $10!!!  So, this morning, I measured it all out and just sewed it up into a square.  I could have used batting, but she's not going to use it as an actual cover-up blanket... she already has a blanket she loves... it's just to make the bed look fabulous.  If you are thinking of making a blanket for your toddler, all you need is fabric (two pieces, either the same fabric or coordinating pieces) measureing 38x52.  Put wrong sides together and stitch along all four sides leaving a 5 inch gap to turn right side out.  Push the corners out and iron well.  Turn the ends under as well as you can and sew the gap closed.
Tadah!  Your blanket's done... and your toddler is thrilled.

Catch up!!!!!

This month has been crazy and I haven't posted many pictures, so here's the past few weeks in photos.

 On May 1, Scentsy Family launched a new company called Velata.  It's chocolate fondue that's melted with a light bulb!  It's delicious.  This is Lucy trying it out for the first time.  She approved.

 We were invited to a super fun birthday party at a Gymnastics place... the girls had a blast.

 Juli on the balance "bean" her favorite.

 Lucy in the pit of foam blocks (her favorite).

 Julianne is potty training... and learning to put on her own underpants... there is a learning curve. :)

 We had field day this morning at Adelaide's school.  The kids had a blast, but mom's really tired.

 The good ol' egg and spoon game... with a wooden egg (good choice).

 Me and my soon to be first grader. *tear*

 We also had the kindergarten end of the year party... this is the luau relay.

 That's major concentration on her craft (she gets that from her daddy... the concentration, not the crafts).

She has perfected her limbo form!

Like I said the last month has been crazy, but so much fun.  Julianne is sleeping in her big girl bed as we speak (I hope).  I didn't take a picture of her tonight because I was afraid to rock the boat.  Maybe after a successful night we'll try for a photo op in the morning.  I'm so ready for summer I can taste it.  Remind me of that in a couple of weeks. :)  I miss my Adelaide though... all day at school is too long.  

7 An experimental mutiny against excess

This book is what has my feathers all ruffled.  It's what I said would turn your whole world upside down. It is amazing.  I had a friend (or a sister of a friend, as it were) that blogged some about her experience with this book and I faithfully read about it, but that was about as far as I took it.  Hmm... that's interesting... for her.  But not me.  typical.  And then another friend was reading it at a Girl Scout meeting last week and I realized it was the same book.  Okay... maybe I should listen.  I downloaded it on my kindle this week and I read half the book in one day.  It's captivating.... and humiliating.  I mean, the book isn't, but the way I felt about my careless, out of sight, out of mind attitude to the poor and wasteful life I've been living is humiliating... to put it lightly.
We give to our church... and other "worthy" charities, we take food to the sick and all that... but are we paying attention to the people we pass on the street that are hungry?  I don't.  They make me sad... but I keep on doing whatever I'm doing.  It's pathetic.
In the book, Jen Hatmaker (find her on facebook, you won't regret it) and her husband have started a church in Austin, TX.  They decide, together, to start a fast on 7 different areas in their lives.  Food (not entirely, but they limit their intake for a month to 7 different foods), media, spending, waste, clothing, stuff... and something else that I can't remember now since I haven't gotten to it in the book.  It's amazing the number of things that have us under their control... that aren't worthy.  It's amazing the things we fill our time with that doesn't matter.  Why!?  What are we here for?  I've been accused before of being crunchy (Lauren, I'm looking at you.. hehe!), but this book says (paraphrase b/c I don't want to go flip through my kindle to find the quote) stop thinking about this as being a tree-hugger and start thinking of it as being a good steward of what the Lord has given us.  It's also this book that has caused me to check out a book at the library called Compost, the natural way to make food for your garden.  I'm in trouble.
But for reals... it will make you think differently about the things that have "a-hold" of you as we say in sweet home Alabama.  Read it... you won't regret it.

I'm linking up at Women Living Well, the authors of the daily Bible study I'm participating in.  I don't have time for a blog post right now, but I thought the above quote was worth reading this morning. Blessings to you all.  Be ready, I'm reading a book that will turn your life upside down (in a good way) and I feel like it's about to turn my life upside down too.  I'll be ready with a big blog post on that soon. :)