Merry Christmas

Hey everyone. If you want to view my last blog, click on View full size and then view full screen. I found this site after reading my latest scrapbook magazine and I love it! If you like to scrap, check it out. I'm not really a digital scrapbooker but this is fun and easy and makes it easy to share photos with friends and family! I'm hooked!

Merry Christmas!

Yes, it's been a long time....again!

Sorry guys, with birthdays and Thanksgiving and upcoming holidays I have been so busy! Ben's bday was in Sept and then Levi's in Oct followed by Sara's in Nov and then Thanksgiving. In between there we had a family reunion, a trip to the coast and many trips to town. (town is at least 2 1/2 hours away depending on which "town" we got to.) And now Sam's bday is coming tomorrow and I really should be deciding what kind of cake I will be making instead of playing on here! Oh the guilt! Ok, I'm over it. So, I have many picture memories to share with you but not enough time to let them download. After Sam's bday I promise to get some posted. I love and miss everyone! Have safe and happy holidays! Remember that all this is about Jesus and what He did for us!

Finally! We got to visit home!

The boys and I took a cross state trip this last week to the Coast! It had been over 2 years since I had been there and Sam had not gotten to experience sand ever! So, through some major convincing of my husband and a wonderful friend who let us stay with them, we got to go. Norman did not get to come and it would have been more fun with him, but we still had fun!


Well, I was going to post some pictures but I am having some difficulties doing that! The weather was typical October weather for the coast but we ventured out to the beach anyways. Sam loved it. He was going 150 miles per hour the whole time! I'm sure he was wondering why I had never brought him to this big huge playground before! Levi found a whole sand dollar, very cool! I don't think I have ever found a whole perfect one before! Benjamin was so funny! He was in shorts but that did not stop him from venturing into the water! And then I couldn't keep him out! The looks on their faces the first time the waves came in farther than before was so funny! I think they were in shock! So I yelled "Run! Run!" and all three of them started running back in. Then it was a game. Sam was so cute! He ran from those waves as if his life depended on it! All in all we had a great trip. We stayed with a friend that I had lost contact with and it was fun getting to know her family. I don't think she will ever get rid of us now! So it was too cold so I did not get to feel the sand between my toes but I did get to let the salt air blow on my face and I had an awesome time watching my boys enjoy the beach, my home. No matter how long I am away, it will always be my home. Funny how the ocean does that to you.

Wow! 5 already!

My son Benjamin just turned 5 last month! I can't believe it! It feels like we just brought him home to the hospital. Well, he got a lot of cool toys but best of all he got an awesome birthday cake. I do have to admit that I was the best mommy in the whole world for making this cake for him. It did turn out cool!! Happy Birthday Benjamin! I love you little buddy!

Prayer Request

I just wanted to share what's going on with me right now. I could really use some prayer. I recieved Levi's homeschool curriculum in the mail yesterday and am very overwhelmed. I know I can do this. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This is the first year we have gone through a company and I know it's going to be great but there was soooooo much there. 12 books for him to complete this year! Like I said, I am overwhelmed! I know I just need to sit down and get organized but wow! Any ways, I covet your prayers. Oh, and the potty training thing isn't going as well as it started out. Maybe Sam won't be potty trained before 2! But we are still plugging along at it, hoping everything just "clicks" for him. Thank you for your prayer!

Our 8th Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday, September 9th, was Norman and my 8th wedding anniversary! It was a perfect night! We chose to stay home but a friend of ours took the boys for the night! Our first night with out kiddos in three years! So I had the table set very romantically with candles and everything. I made Fettucinni Alfredo with chicken and broccoli, garlic bread and for dessert I made an outstanding Lemon Cheesecake with sourcream lemon topping and drizzled with blackberry-lemon sauce. The food was amazing as was the company if I do say so myself! Anyways, after eight years of marriage I can honestly say I am more in love with my hubby than ever! He is by best friend and confidant! I can never imagine being with anyone else!

I love you, Baby!!

Kindred Spirits

Tonight something happened that does not happen to a lot of people. One of my friends from high school called me. I found her on Facebook and gave her my number. It was awesome. It was like we just picked up where we left off 12 years ago! I love it when that happens. I now have 4 friends that I consider my kindred spirits. We can be apart for years but you would never know it when you see us together. What a blessing! How good God is to give us friends like this! Jalyssa brought a little bit of sunshine into my evening. It was so good to get caught up on her life and fill her in on mine. What a joy!

Potty trained before he's 2?

Ok, I am so excited! Sam went potty in the toilet 3 times today! We only used 2 diapers today! Wowee! I am so stoked! He is only 20 months old....is there any hope that he will get this down before he's 2? I promised I wasn't going to share any details but I can't help myself. The first time he went potty he got a steady stream and was so proud of himself. Now imagine him sitting backwards on the toilet the second time he used the potty and he was only able to get dribbles out. He kept pushing out dribbles and then saying " oh, maaaaaan!" every time! Seriously! It was so stinking funny! Ok, that's the only details you get!

Anyways my hubby is away so I'm staying up late so I can fall into bed in exaustion. I can never sleep any other way when he is gone. Christie, how do you do it? You are a strong woman and I envy you, lady! I'm going to start praying for you when I go to bed at night. Alright, exaustion is setting in. We had a full day of playing with pigs so I am pretty tired. Did you know that their squeal is pretty outrageous? Ok, I'm done....for reals!......goodnight!

More on Grace...my word for the year

"What is Grace?" taken from the NIV Mom's Devotional Bible

Charis, the Greek word for "grace" is one of the most difficult Greek words to translate into English. Words like favor, beauty, thankfulness, gratitude, delight, kindness and benefit are all derived from the root that gives us the word grace. If we have a tough time translating the word, it's no wonder we struggle to comprehend the concept of Grace. Digging through scripture, we can come up with a picture of grace. Grace is always tied to the heart and character of God. In Deuteronomy we're told that God drove out Israel's enemies not because Israel deserved his intervention, but because He chose by grace to fulfill His word to His nation. In Isaiah we see that God longed to demonstrate His grace to a disobedient nation. In Jeremiah God underlined His grace by promising to bring Israel back from captivity.

Grace is God's character demonstrated in undeserved love. In fact, grace is God. It is His character illustrated in our lives with the scrawled signature of a cross.

Wow! This is an excellent definition of grace! I can't imagine having the word grace describe my character. Words like favor, beauty, thankfulness, gratitude, delight, kindness, and benefit. These are what we should be striving for in our every day routines. We were made in the likeness of God. That means we should be striving to have a character like His and grace is His character. Wow, that's all I can say.

A few of my favorite things

My scrapbooking table...obviously I don't spend much time here! I bought these slip ons for Norman but I think I use them more! They are great for slipping on to go outside and feed the animals or get food out of the freezer, love them!
AHHHHH, my morning tea and cup....can't start the day without them!
I would not be sane without these magical little tablets!
The next three pics hang in my bedroom. We got the pics as a gift from a friend for our wedding. The clock I found at Ross a couple of years ago. I love Ross!


I got this photo collage frame at Costco recently! It holds 16 4x6 pictures, how easy is that?
I can see this wall when I sit on my couch...I can sit there and look at these pictures forever. Ok, I know Sam's baby pic is missing so it's kinda off center but the frame that it was in broke so we have the pic somewhere, I just can't find it to put in the new frame! The story of my life! Not being able to find things!

Oh my goodness, my favorite appliances! Electric tea kettle is used everymorning to heat up water for my tea, and my new favorite thing...smoothie maker! I love this thing! Now instead of reaching for candy or sweets when I want something sweet, I make smoothies! I make them everyday right now! Love it!

This goes without saying, it should have been first on my list! I loooooove my camera and I looooove taking pics. But if you know me, you know that already!
We got this clock for our wedding and it's kind of funny why it is one of my favorite things. I love the look on people's faces the first time they hear this go off at the hour and they are trying to figure out what is making the chiming noise. Hilarious!
Fridge art by Levi Soyster. One of my favorite things from my little artist.
Ok, my wedding band and engagement ring. Love them....still. After 8 years....amazing, huh?

I stole this idea from Christie. I needed something fun and out of the ordinary to do this morning and when I was looking at blogs I remembered this idea from Christie. Enjoy! These are a few of my favorite things around the house. Ok, more than just a few here but I can't do anything in moderation! How can I not include all of these? Ok, a few things that I didn't add pics of. God is one of my favorite things....how could I put up a pic of God when I can't see Him? My Bible is one of my favorite things...just forgot and I'm almost done so I'm not going to go back and take a pic. And my family...lots of pics of them interspersed(spelling) so I didn't add individuals of them. Thanks for checking out my rambling. Maybe you know a little more about me now!

Randomness of 2008

Big blue eyes, Sammy































Silly Levi, always making silly faces for the camera




































This is one of my favorite pics of Sam




Another one of my fav's of Sam






























Noelle being "crafty" at vbs


































Noelle playing games at vbs


The boys piled on Norman

My two cowboy amigos









































Be afraid......



































My handsome boy














































Levi playing at vbs































Don't ask......


Awesome moon pic

































Sam's first taste of lime and my awesome Benny Benners




Benjamin being crafty at vbs
Be very afraid













































Noelle and Ben's favorite part of vbs....the dancing































My handsome Superman and Bob the Builder gone bad!



























































Levi the Super Hero, give me a break

the winters are long here!




Super Hero Sam

Sam hugs
















Wow, can you imagine that this is only a few of the pics I had to choose from? This year has been crazy. This summer has been crazy! But God is good and faithful. Jehovah Jirah, our Provider actually means that God looks ahead of time to prepare for our needs, even before they happen. God has been so good to us this year. I can't believe how many times we can't explain how we made it through the month on paper but yet again, God provided. Amazing! Our life is so exciting! Our God is so exciting! Anyways, I can go on and on. Lots of fun stuff planned for the rest of the summer and hopefully I will be better at getting pictures posted. I hope you enjoyed the pics!

I'm walkin' on Sunshine!

Literally! It has been so sunny here I am almost begging for a little rain storm! How I wish I was walking on Agate Beach with no shoes on, the sand squishing in between my toes and the wind blowing ocean mist on my face. Hmmm, must be time for a visit home! Anyways, It has been so busy here. Since my last post I have started an excercise program, Organized and pulled off a 4 day VBS (with a huge amount of help from a lot of people, I would not have been able to do it alone), taken several trips to Bend, had my niece here visiting for a week and a half, and had an all church picnic. And oh, so much more! I can't believe how busy this summer has been. We haven't even been camping yet! Hopefully, we will get to do that in a couple of weeks. I just thought I would update everyone, if I get adventurous I will post some pictures soon. It just kinda stinks because I have to make all my pictures smaller before posting them. Oh well, you guys are worth it!

I'm a slacker, I know!

#1Cute view of me and my boys, #2 Silly Sammy #3 Me!



#1 Silly Jamie and Benny Benners #2 Jamie and Levi #3 Lovin' on Sammy



#1 Me with silly Levi and silly Benny Benners #2 Jamie and the whole gang!


Ok, I've been majorly slacking lately in the blog area. Sorry! Life's been soooooo busy! Anyways, I read this really good book that I thought I would share with all of you. Ok, seriously probably only two people read this but that's ok! It is called "Created to be his help meet" by Debi Pearl. I highly recommend this to any wife, young or old, it doesn't matter. I had a good marriage before reading this book but it is 500% better now. Debi does a great job of exlaining scripture and why things are suppose to be the way they are suppose to be. She also gives you three categories of men and not only explains how they think, she tells you how certain things that you say or do makes them feel! And why they react the way they do. Great book. Awesome. Life changing! I could totally do a commercial for this book!! Ok, I'm done. So here are just a few fun pictures of the family. Oh, yeah! The book only cost $12.00 if you go to their website http://www.nogreaterjoy.com/ Ok, now I'm really done!!







My word for the year was "grace" I am finding myself using it a lot more now in my marriage. Some things just DON'T Matter, you know? Why do we make such a big deal out of every small thing? Life is so much better when we show grace on a day to day basis. Thank you Jesus for giving us your grace and loving us so much. Help us to extend that to others as willingly as you do to us.

Wow, it's been a long time

Pretty Sceenery




These horses were so funny.

Pretty horse wondering where all the cows were going.
Get back with the herd!

The whole herd. 98 head of cattle.

These white cows wanted to know where we were going, too.


Benjamin

Silly Levi

Lambs we saw on the way.

One of my favorite pics of the whole herd.

Some cows were onery. The wanted to eat that grass!



Getting started.

Herding them out.

Luxie on her 6x6. She owns the cows.

What happens when a semi wants by? Don't worry, the cows will move.
Self portrait! :)




Okay, you know I'm busy when I don't even have the time to post a blog. It has been forever! A lot has happened since my last post. Like for instance, I turned 30 on April 13th! I debated having a pre-midlife crisis but decided against it. It was a great day! Probably my best birthday yet! My husband did a surprisingly wonderful job considering how he has done in the past. Anyways, all in all it was a good day. I don't really feel any different, though. Just sad that my 20's are gone. Those were the best years of my life so far.




And I got to be apart of a one of a kind cattle drive. We took a friend of mine's cattle about 10 miles in about 7 hours. It's amazing what kind of work it is to complete this. We had 3 four wheelers, 1 6x6 and 1 person on horseback. It is perferred to have more people on horseback but it didn't work out that way this time. A horse can go a lot of places that a four wheeler cannot. So, our horseback girl worked hard that day! I hope you enjoy the pics. They are all rear shots because I was in the flasher truck bringing up the rear. The boys were with me and they did great! Especially for being in the truck all day.


Anyways, I will try to update this thing more often. Maybe life will slow down a little but so far it does not look like that's going to happen anytime soon!