Blessing

I heard this blessing from Michael W. Smith on the radio.  I found it inspiring to remember to bless others and to pray for my family.  I hope it is meaningful to you too.

In the name of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, I bless you with all the promises of God, which are "yes" and "amen."
May the Holy Spirit make you healthy and strong in body, mind and spirit to move in expectancy.
May God's angels be with you to protect you and keep you.
Be blessed with supernatural strength to turn your eyes from foolish, worthless and evil things and to shut out the demeaning and the negative.
May God bless your ears to hear the lovely, the uplifting and encouraging.
May your mind be strong, disciplined and balanced and faith filled.
God's grace be on your home that it may be a sanctuary of rest and renewal and a haven of peace where sounds of joy and laughter grace its walls.  Where love and unconditional acceptance of one another is the constant rule.
May God give you spiritual strength to overcome the evil one and avoid temptation.
May God's grace be upon you to fulfill your dreams and your visions.
May goodness and mercy follow you all the day of your life and may the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and may His favor be upon you.

Happenings

On Friday night I threw my first surprise party... for my friend Janna.  She is the one to the right of me in the picture.  We had a seven pound chocolate cake and I appealed to her friends from past, present and future... wait... anyway, to write her a note.  

My tater tot sleeping in a chair.  Is there anything cuter than seeing your own children sleeping?

On Mother's day we took a picnic to a little lake the kids love and also watched people fish.  The kids caught their mommy and daddy in a weak moment at Aldi and we bought them little fishing poles and a fishing pole for Ben.  They have been begging to use them all day.

Snails and Helper

The kids found some snails the other day.  They were very curious about them and enjoyed watching them for a while.

Today I had the broom and dustpan out and Gwen on her own started to sweep the floor.  I decided I'd better get a picture of it.  I hope she gets lots of practice, because I sweep on a frequent basis around here.

Pasta Salad

This is a link to a pasta salad I tried this week that I will definitely try again.  We loved it.  I love to eat light and cold food when it is hot outside.  I have been wanting cold watermelon, corn salad with feta, and good tomatoes.  This pasta salad just might be a staple for a while and it's got loads of veggies.  Does it bother you that I say veggies?  Who am I even asking?  Hi Leah!

http://www.tammysrecipes.com/chicken_pasta_salad

Yard Work and Big Coffee Filter

Yesterday I taught a group of ladies how to make paper flowers.  It was a lot of fun and these ladies had character.  I saw these large coffee filters and asked who brought them.  One lady named Alice said she did and she thought they would be good for making flowers.  I agreed and asked her where she got them.  She told me she got them from a garage sale and she's been using them as popcorn bowl liners.  I thought that was genius.  The thing I'm realizing about crafty people is that they have a constant stream of ideas... and good ones!  Alice let me bring the coffee filters home to try to make something out of them. :)

Ben has been taking out our hedges in front.  After we got siding this year they were looking forlorn and we decided we'd like to have something that blooms there.  Maybe some knockout rose bushes or something.  Anyway... Ben broke a spade and a hoe while getting the roots out.  He's a hard worker and I love him!

Things that have made me smile lately

I don't care who you are... there are some days as a stay at home mom where you are looking out the window ready for your husband to be home.  You know what I mean... disciplining all day, headache, no shower... you get the picture.  Well... I had one of those this week and Ben took us to the T-Rex restaurant for dinner.  It is quite a treat and the kids loved it.  There are dinosaurs all over this place and many things to ooo and ahhh over.  In this first picture you get some of the reactions to it.  Zeke was saying in his little raspy voice "Oh MAN" and Gwen was saying "amazing".

After the restaurant we visited the fountain.  I did not want them to get all wet, but Ben encouraged me to just let them be kids... so I did.  And they had a ball.

We recently redid the kid's bathroom which included knocking down popcorn ceiling, painting, painting all woodwork and trim, new hardware, ect.

Snagged these for free from my neighbor when they didn't sell at the garage sale.

Yesterday I thought I'd let the kids paint in the bath.  This was all fine and good until I got a phone call and while I was on the phone they painted their hair, inside their ears and in their cracks.  I was... um... not impressed.

We used leftover cardboard to make a doll house.  Here they are painting it.

My herbs this year.  Dill, thyme, oregano and grapefruit mint.

Basil and some cacti.

Chives

One baby broccoli in our garden.

The caterpillars were getting into the garden and I diligently picked them off.  I think they have moved on.

I have made many clippings from our rose bush this spring.  It's lovely.

Tomatoes

My new two planters.  Now I just have to fill them with dirt and plants.

My girl.  Today I caught a glimpse of her and thought "gee whiz, you look like me!"  Honestly, she acts like me too a lot.

My boy.  He does everything Gwen does and loves telling me what "role" I'm playing.  He'll say "Gwen is mommy, you daddy, me baby. OK?"

Baby Pepper

My friend Janna sent me this photo.  She cut into a pepper and found a baby pepper!

Spring 2012

Spring has been filled with many happy times and parties and gardening and flowers... needless to say, I love spring.  I have been absent from blogging for a while... but my adoring fans have inspired me to continue.  How could I not want to share some photos and memories with you all?  

This is Zeke having a smoothie.  This day his hair was sticking up all over, he had on a crazy outfit, and I thought his purple mustache just was ADORABLE.  Lately he is obsessed with spiders and how they are creepy and dragons are also creepy and he is always on the lookout for them.  He also enjoys acting like a kitty cat and will meow appropriately when asked any question.

This is my little buddy from down the street, Luke.  He has the blondest hair you ever did see and is always on the move.  I can't hardly catch him in order to give him a kiss.  I thought he was cute trying on a pair of high heels at the garage sale I had recently.

and best of all... we were able to see Beki get married yesterday.  She was lovely and happy and the couple looked at each other so tenderly that it about made everyone cry.  (it DID make me cry)  God was honored and they are happy.  Here are the Barreth brothers.  They haven't all been together in some time. :)

Beki and Jeff.

My girl.  Gwen was supposed to be the flower girl, but alas, she was in a mood and wouldn't do it.  Ah well...

My paper bouquet as a table decoration. :)

Kids

Taco Pinata

I am hosting a pampered chef party next Friday and the theme is "fiesta". I thought it would be funny to have a pinata the shape of a taco. I know... I need to get out more. Here it is. I thought I'd fill it with hot tamale candy and maybe a gift card to a local grocery store as the grand prize.

My wonderful husband knocked down the popcorn ceiling in the kid's bathroom... so the project is started. I feel like there are always multiple things I could be doing at any given moment. Most of it revolves around dishes, laundry or discipline these days!

Easter Pictures

Here's some pictures I took this afternoon. These are some new additions on our homestead. They are raspberry bushes and I'm sorry for the huge shadow... but they look like sticks anyway right now. Maybe we'll have raspberries!


Ben built a new planter for me. This time he made it taller so that the rabbits can't get in there and eat. I think it would have to be a jack rabbit to get in there this time. So, that makes 3 planters we have to plant veggies in.

Some Easter pictures I took of the kids... the day after Easter.


Real smile...

Posed smile...

I love this photo of Gwen. She has that same look of "knowing" on her face a lot... even when she was a baby. I call it the look of intelligence.

This first one is the dress Gwen chose to wear as her Easter dress this year, but we have so many lovely choices of dresses thanks to my nieces' hand me downs that I couldn't resist having wardrobe changes for our photo shoot.