Can you spot the difference?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I'll give you a clue-it's laying in the yard! It looks so different in the picture to me!


These were the only survivors and they only lasted an hour after the kids got a hold of them.

We have been talking about cutting down this tree for Y.E.A.R.S. Brad refuses to pay people to do anything around the house bc he can do just about anything and this was one job that made him nervous! I can't say that I blame him but I am glad it is finally done. And he doesn't get all the credit bc a guy that he works with was the one holding the chainsaw so he had the hardest job!

I almost forgot!!

The other night I was able to go shopping by myself. The whole point of my trip was to look around for things for Abigail's birthday party. I knew Dr Seuss would be hard to find and expensive but not one store I went to had anything that I could use! I made time to go to my two favorite stores to look at their clearance racks while I was out. I am liking JcP less and less now that they have changed their pricing. I did find a few things there, however, not worth showing off. =) Here is my steal from Khols:


These shirts were $1.80 each! They will fit Abby this winter but if it is anything like this past winter, she might not need them and I wouldn't complain! =)


The sweather for Abigail was also $1.80 and the leggings for Hannah were $2.80.



The black and brown sweatpants were $1.80 each and the blue ones were $2.oo, don't know why they were different...



No explaining necessary here. Another amazing trip!

Looking back...

I am a total sap when it comes to memories. I am constantly being "taken back" to the old days. Today was no different. We moved Abigail into her own room. She has been in our room since she was born. We only have 3 bedrooms so one of the kids had to loose their room to Abigail. Since Brad finished the bunk beds and Ryan's room is a tad bigger, Hannah moved into Ryan's room this week. Now Abigail and her belongings are in Hannah's room with Hannah's dresser and toy box.
When I looked at the completed "baby" room I was reminded of the first time that room was a baby room. Almost eight years ago. The walls were bright yellow with a care bear border around the top. Brad and I had been married less than two years when we brought home our new bundle of joy. We were young and in love. In love with each other and in love with that little girl, Hannah.
Now, we have a new not-so-little bundle in that room. As Brad and I stood in Abigail's new room, arms around each other, I said, "what do you think of this room being a baby room again?" "Never again" is all I could get out of him. =)
I just can't believe my baby girl is going to be 8 this fall.

4 yrs ago...

I forgot until just an hour ago that today is the 4 yr anniversary of the death if a young girl I knew.

When we moved to WV, I was getting ready to start my first year of high school. I was coming to an unfamiliar place and had no friends. A girl in the church and I had an instant connection. She was about 6 yrs younger than me so I guessit was like a sister relationship. She was a cute little girl, smart, gentle and kind hearted. Very beautiful on the outside but also on the inside. I spent a lot of time at her house, baby sat her and her older brother, spent the night a few times. She even gave me a rabbit that she didn't want that I had even after brad and I got married.

Since I was going into high school and she was only in elementary school, it didn't take long after that first summer for our friendship to fade. We were both going our separate ways.

She got saved and eventually her family left our church to attend another church. I didn't see her or speak to her in years. Then on Ryan's first bday (Dec 2007), I decide to run down to the local grocery store and buy the ingredients for a cake. She was Working there and asked whose birthday it was. "Ryan's and my dad's" were the last words I ever spoke to her. By now she was a senior in high school.
Fast forward 3 months, March 21, 2008. If was a Friday. Our church was planning to leave for our spring retreat to a state park when I received a call from mom. There was a car accident as you leave town and word was it was Sam. It was. Come to find out it was senior skip day so she wasn't in school. She went home to be with her Lord immediately.

I often wonder why God choses to do things the way he does. Why does he take some people before we think it is time for them? Why does he give some people lots of money and still others no money? Why does it seem some people never go through anything difficult while others it seems have more valleys than mountaintops?

And then I remember that he does everything for his own glory and his ways are better than ours. I am reminded that every day, every breath is a gift from God.

Sorry for any typos, Im on my phone and we all know what that means. :)

P.S. Sam's older brother has recently started attending our church regularly with his fiance.

Planning, planning, planning

Jess D, I know you are hooked after seeing that title! =)

My dear baby, Abigail, is turning one next month!! Her "day" falls the day before mine and Brad's dating anniversary (this year will be 13 years since the day we started dating!!) and two days before Brad's birthday.

I started thinking about her day at least a month ago. I decided to stick with the theme of her room and that of the baby shower....Dr. Seuss! You can never go wrong or be bored with him. So I have a list started on Pinterest and I am going to be writing things down on paper soon and I'll be shopping soon!

I did not have a big shindig for the first two kids. I really want to go all out this time, the last time. I hope I'm not an emotional wreck the whole day!!

I'm trying to focus on one quote of Dr. Seuss' that I love so much:
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

I don't even want to think about my life right now had the dr been right when he told me I would miscarry. Had he not wanted to see me back in 4 days just to check for that tiny heartbeat one more time. I know this is a sensitive subject for some who may read this post. Just know that I am still praying for you and yours as you continue to grieve.

cooking

I know, I know, two posts in one day. What has the world come to?! The older kids are outside playing, baby is sleeping, daddy is still working and supper is in the oven so I have a minute.
While cooking I was thinking about how most of my meals in the past week or so have come from Pinterest. A month ago I had only heard of the site. Now I visit it daily. I have to say that not all the recipes have been great but having new ideas is the best thing. Also, they are like real, easy, normal recipes. No ingredients I haven't heard of or can't pronounce or have to look up some part of it on the internet.
I have also got a lot of good advice for my photography. I love it!

i have learned...

I began babysitting a 12 wk old little boy from church this week. After two days with a newborn and 10 month old I have already learned several things:
Real baby=baby doll to 10 month old.
Abigail still requires a lot of attention
10 months old still classifies as a baby.
It is hard!
When one goes to sleep, the other will burst into tears and wake the first up.
They are seldom both happy at the same time.
The diaper pail fills up a lot faster.

Ackkk!

That is about how I am feeling today! The kids had their first two hour delay of the season. That was about the only good part of the day! Even tho I didn't get to sleep in--sleep in?! What is that?!--I did get to lay in bed just alittle longer. Abigail had a really bad day. Her second tooth is trying to make its appearance. She has a terrible time with her teeth. She cries all day, meds don't help her, and she refuses to sleep. So that is what I did today. Not fun. And not conducive to getting anything else done. By the time I git Ryan at 1, all the snow was gone. Then we went back out at 2:30, screaming baby in hand, and got Hannah. She had a really off day. I found a hole in her shirt from a previous scissors incident but that is another post. She had lots of trouble with her homework and was extra irritable. Abigail did manage to take a 2 hoqur nap so I did some laundry and straightening up. After much fussing, we ate, got everyone bathed, read and put them in bed just before 7. Shew! I am tired today! And brad is still working. After a day like today, Im not sure if I feel sorry for him or think he is lucky to have missed everything.