Spicy Cayenne

I really wish I could find my camera so I could show the world my fabulous kitchen. Finally, after months of talking about painting and renovating and finishing the basement, it has begun. Jason finished building our monstrosity of a garage on Tuesday. For those of you who have not seen the garage, it is HUGE! I like to refer to it as the barn, a neighbor asked Jason if he was building it for his mother-in-law to live in and the other day at lunch Tayah looked out the window and asked me, "mommy is that the garage or is that Costco?" It is ridiculously large if you ask me but, my husband is happy so I guess I'll let it go (it's taken me awhile to let go!). Anyways, once the garage was done, the task of going through the basement was upon us. What a job! Donna, you would be so proud of me. I sorted and boxed and purged and organized into the wee hours of Thursday morning and then again most of the day on Friday and it is done. Everything came up and into the barn - I mean garage :) and today Jason, my dad and Aubrey are busy working on drywalling the basement. Tomorrow my Grandpa will help with the taping which will take 3 days or so and then the fun stuff! I am in the process of making a final decision on paint colors and Tuesday I get to pick out flooring - I am one happy girl! I had picked my color (spicy cayenne) for the kitchen months ago and last night I watched it go from the little swatch I had been carrying around to up on the walls and it is gorgeous (that's gorgeous with a Brooklyn accent). It still needs another coat but I love it. Funny that deciding on the red was so easy but it's the tan that I am having such a hard time with. Seriously, is it really necessary to have a million and two shades or slight variations of one color? How is a girl to decide?! At the rate I am going the rest of the kitchen wall will look like a patch work quilt of all the different shades of tan out there!
Hopefully the camera will reappear soon, I'd also like to post some pics of Christmas. We had a great time with the kids this year and our families.
Well, that's enough slacking off for one day, back to work I must go.

People need dreams;

there's as much nourishment in 'em as food.

- Dorothy Gilman

Love that, it's just so true.

ONE

Tomorrow my baby will be one! The last year has just flown by, it's amazing to see how much changes in the course of 1 year.

Girl's Night Out

Tayah and I had great fun tonight. We headed out to Starbucks around 7:30 this evening to have a night out. She was just as excited to get out of the house as I was, we both had 2 very long days cooped up inside. We ordered our hot chocolates and rice krispie square and waited impatiently for our drinks to be made. Once our order was called I went over to claim one of the few available tables left. I then heard Tayah call out "No mommy, this table." As I turned my heart filled with pride. Tayah had somehow managed to secure the coveted seating at Starbucks, that's right, she managed to score us the comfy oversized chairs in front of the fireplace - that's my girl! She scooted up into one of the chairs and I plopped down in the other. We both sipped our drinks and every 30 seconds, between mouthfuls, Tayah would offer me bites of her "krispie" square. After about 10 minutes, Tayah grew restless and so we gathered our things and headed off to the kids department in Chapters. She had a great time looking at books and wandering around. We picked out a couple Christmas books and headed off to Safeway to pick up a few groceries. There, she was very helpful, handing me the things on my list as well as a few extras. The best part of the night was when we arrived back home, Tayah was in her jammies, a sippy cup of milk in hand. She climbed up next to me on the couch, cuddled in and in between sips of her milk said to me, "Mommy, I have lots of fun tonight."and then planted a sweet little kiss on my cheek. The whole night was filled with sweetness, I hope we'll have many more of these mother/daughter nights and that she will continue to be just as excited about them as I am.
Sweet dreams my Tayah bear, mommy loves you so much.

New Crayons

We were at a birthday party on Friday night and in Tayah's treat bag was a big box of bright new crayons. I used to love getting new crayons when I was a kid. It was so exciting to replace the broken, dulled and paper torn crayons with new, bright and pointy tipped ones. I remember spending hours organizing my crayons by color in their new box (somehow the way they came never seemed to make sense to me). It was very exciting when the boxes started coming with a built in sharpener, it was such fun to peel the paper and sharpen away regardless of whether or not the crayons needed it. The best was pulling out all the supplies, spreading yourself out on the kitchen floor and letting your imagination take you away into the colorful land of my little pony, strawberry shortcake or cabbage patch kids. It's so fun to watch Tayah now enjoying those same experiences.

Jamison's Photo Shoot

With Tayah being my first child, the collection of pictures we have of her during her first year is huge. I have several pictures to capture every milestone and then some. There is not quite the same collection of pictures for Jamison and I'm feeling a bit badly about that. So I decided before His first year is up I would start snapping away and hopefully he won't notice that the majority of the pictures we have to record the first year of his life were all taken between 11 months and his first birthday :) You can see how the first photo shoot went, I think he's on to me!

Sing..... Sing a Song..... Sing out loud.....

I sometimes find it very difficult to blog. I've always had a harder time expressing how I'm feeling or making the words that come out of my mouth make sense to anyone other myself. The past couple of months have been very busy and there were many days that I was left overwhelmed or completely exhausted. The thought of compiling my thoughts and emotions into words and sentences was more than my tired little head could handle. The last few months felt as though I was on auto pilot, just going through the motions that were required to get through one more day. I don't' know exactly what happened or when it happened. I don't think it was any one thing but more a combination of things. But that last few weeks I have felt alive again.

Maybe it's because Jason and I are getting along so much better, we enjoy being in each others space. That's not to say that we don't still annoy each other at times or have our disagreements but we have been able to talk things out and fix things before they snowball out of control. The other week he said to me that he felt like we were dating again, and that he couldn't wait to get home to see the kids and I. That made my heart so full, I felt like it could burst. He has been kinder, more supportive and involved these past weeks and it is really an answer to prayer. This time of year is so hard for him, he always gets so down and pushes everyone away. He's had a few of those moments but so far he has been able to recognize it and try and work it out. Yesterday he told me that he had a really good feeling about this Christmas, and was actually looking forward to it. I pray it will be a good Christmas.

Maybe it's because I am no longer nursing Jamison. I am so thankful that I am able to nurse my children, that my body is able to provide enough nourishment for my baby is really an incredible gift. But, I was so tired. Nursing takes so much out of a mom and since weaning Jamison I have had more energy. My hormones seemed to have leveled out, I feel like myself again.

Maybe it's because I have been able to involve myself in the things that I truly love. Baking with friends, decorating the church, buying gifts for my children, hosting a table for the church's ladies Christmas tea, creating a cozy, festive atmosphere in my home, spending time and creating rich memories with my family and friends. The list goes on an on.

Maybe it's the amount of times during the course of a day that my children make me laugh. Even now as I type, Tayah is cracking me up. I am being decorated with bright shiny star stickers and each one is placed very deliberately with extreme care, all the while commentating each move she makes. Suddenly the decorating stops as she exclaims "Oh no Sweetheart! you're taking all my stickers. You can't have all of dem, you can have 1,2,4. Dat be okay?" And very quickly she strips me of the bright shiny stars, well all except 1,2 and 4.

Maybe it's the increased awareness of myself, the things I do and why I do them. I have been more comfortable in my own skin, more confident in my skills, talents and gifts and less preoccupied with the things I don't do well. It's okay that I fumble my words, that I turn beet red when I am put on the spot. It's okay that I am not the smartest, the most beautiful, the skinniest or most athletic. It's even okay that I am not the best at the things I am good at. It's not about being the best, it's about using the the skills that I have acquired, enjoying the talents I have been blessed with and embracing the gifts that I have been given. I don't care as much about what everyone else thinks of me. I am finding myself more concerned with fulfilling the plan that God has for my life. There is great contentment and peace in that.

Maybe it is the increased time I have spent talking to God. Prayer is powerful. It moves mountains. It changes lives. I know it has changed mine.

I used to sing all the time. My parents had to enforce a no singing rule at meal time in order to keep the peace among my siblings and I (apparently my singing wasn't as beautiful to their ears as it was to mine!). Music has always been a huge part of my life, it cheers me up, energizes me, calms me, inspires me, moves me. For some reason, music no longer seemed to have that effect on me anymore. I had lost my song. I don't remember when exactly it came back but the song in my heart has returned. Once again it has become necessary to sing constantly about absolutely everything(in the comfort of my own home or vehicle). It brings a smile to my face as I now listen to Tayah sing her song. Everything is sung. As I sit and observe her play, it's like watching and listening to a musical, beautifully written and composed. I hope that music always has a place in our home, that my children always have a song to sing and that we will all find beauty in hearing each others song - even if it's sung at the dinner table :)

Tomorrow is a new day

Every day is full of opportunity and a chance to do things differently than the day before. We get to start fresh each day. These were my thoughts as I woke up this morning and these are my thoughts as I am getting ready to end my day. I was very optimistic about how my day would unfold. Today was a new day and I was ready to tackle it, I had great plans and for once they didn't include the long list of chores that are always badly in need of being completed. My plan was to really concentrate on spending quality time with Tayah. Maybe do a craft, involve her in making lunch, maybe make some cookies or go for walk. None of these things happened. Today was not a good day. Jamison cried most of the time he was awake and although Tayah's day went pretty smoothly, her evening was horrible. She wouldn't leave Jamison alone, constantly pestering the poor boy. She was sent up to her room for some quiet time and while in there she stripped and peed on her comforter. She was so wound up tonight, she bounced non stop, I ended up breaking down and through my tears put her to bed early. This afternoon and evening I felt defeated, frustrated and overwhelmed. This parenting thing is tough and lately I have been afraid that I don't have what it takes. So much is invested and so much is at stake. I love my children more than words can express, I have never loved so deeply or so unconditionally. They are my life and right now, I am their life. The responsiblity I have in caring for them and raising them to be healthy, happy adults at times takes my breath away. It is terrifying. It is an increadible honour and precious gift and I pray that I will do it right.
Tomorrow will come quickly and when it does, it will have just as much opportunity as today did. Hopefully tomorrow will turn out differently than today.

My little girly girl

On Fire

My grandparents are back in town and so, as usual, we all congregate over at my Aunt Lynda's for the duration of their visit. We have been having a really good time, I love spending time with family, it's definitely on my list of favorite things to do. Tayah has loved being included with the "big" girls, and has thoroughly enjoyed playing dress up and house with the girls. G.G(great grandma) bought Tayah a little tinkerbell costume, too cute! She pranced all over the house showing it off.
Often when my Grandma comes out we all attempt to tackle some sort of task. We've done everything from baking to sewing (well Grandma sews, we pick out the fabric and the patterns) to scrapbooking. Today we made Salsa. My Aunt and Grandma have done this many times but it was a first for me. My Grandpa loves to garden and every year he harvests a huge tomato crop. He brought out a portion of this crop and with it we made 20 jars of salsa and about 10 jars of stewed tomatoes. It was fun, I love learning from Grandma and she has so much fun teaching us. But let me caution any of you who are contemplating tackling a task such as salsa making. WEAR RUBBER GLOVES! It was my job to chop and process the veggies. I thought I was pretty careful with chopping up the jalapeno and green chili peppers. I didn't handle them too much and I made sure I washed my hands often. Well, what I didn't realize was that the same towel I was wiping my hands on every 30 seconds was the same towel I had used to mop up the tomato/pepper mixture that had spilled out of the food processor. I couldn't figure out why my hands were burning, yes tomatoes are acidic but should it burn that badly? It was then that it dawned on me...the towel. I was in so much pain, my hands felt like they were on fire and it lasted for about 6 hours. I tried everything, I googled jalapeno pepper burns and surprisingly many people have had this happen to them(that in itself was somewhat comforting!). I found many suggestions for how to ease my pain. I soaked my hands in milk, in oatmeal, in vinegar, in tea, I scrubbed them with coffee grinds and washed them repeatedly with dish soap. I also coated them with solarcaine followed by calamine lotion. Nothing. Absolutely no relief. Apparently this type of burn is an actual chemical burn and there is really no way to get rid of it, it needs to work itself out of your skin. I spent most of the afternoon with my hands either wrapped in cold towels or held under running cold water, feeling completely ridiculous and looking like quite the drama queen. For the record, it was no act, the pain was very real. Thankfully the salsa turned out very well, I wouldn't say that it was all worth it, but at least I didn't go through all of that only to come out of it with horrid salsa. Will I make salsa again next year? Quite possibly, but not without my rubber gloves!

Ridiculous excitement

I feel like a little kid, I am so excited it's ridiculous! I'm not sure that I will ever find sleep tonight, my mind has a tendency to race all night long anytime something exciting awaits me in the morning. Tomorrow I am going camping with the fam to Mara Lake for the long weekend. The forecast is calling for weather in the 30's and mainly sunny, it's gonna be fabulous! I know, it does sound fun but really is it that big of deal to lose sleep over? Well, we haven't really been anywhere this summer, we did a trip to Vancouver in the spring and a weekend camping trip to Paddy's Flats but other than that we've been at home and I have been itching to get away, particularly to a great BC lake. My kids love to be outside and splashing around in the water, they're going to have a blast. And it will be so great to have Mom, Dad, Rachelle and Aubrey with us. The plan for the weekend is to sit back, relax, enjoy the water, soak up the sun and keep our eyes open for our future cabin/condo. Dad would like to have a cabin at one of the soyuesse lakes within the next couple of years. The idea is that Jason & I and Jeff would go in on it with him and mom. I absolutely love that idea and the thought of being able to one day spend the majority of my summers at the lake makes me want to do a little dance!
If I am this excited about a little camping trip just imagine what I'll be like the night before Jason and I leave for Mexico, YIKES! Heather called tonight and I haven't talked to her all week, normally I would have a lot to say but I couldn't seem to pull all my relevant thoughts together quick enough to contribute anything to the conversation. Sorry Heath! I've been packing all day, I should be done but I can't seem to concentrate on anything. I think I am experiencing temporary ADD....

A Grand Evening

Tonight the girls came over for dinner. It was Grand. We always have such a great time, reminiscing of the past (I make it sound like we're 50 years old!), sharing new stories, teasing each other, encouraging each other and best of all loving each other. The laughter is wonderful, once we start there is no telling when we will stop. We need to do it more often, but unfortunately life seems to pull us all in so many different directions that it is at times impossible for us all to be in the same place at the same time. So you can imagine how much we enjoy each others company when we have the opportunity, it is a gift that I treasure.

I am so thankful, that although so much has changed over the past decade we are still apart of each others lives. We don't always agree with each other, we at times infuriate one another but we still somehow find away to get past it. We are all so different and yet we have such a close bond. Our friendship is not the same as it was in high school but then neither are we as individuals and I would have to say that is a good thing. It is so grand to have friends that allow you to go through your stuff, make your own decisions - good or bad, and continue to love and support you no matter the outcome. Those are true friends.

A Beautiful Day

Today was wonderful. I was able to spend the day with some of my favorite people, what can be better that?! Erin came home from Korea for a little visit and so today was spent with her, Heather and the kids. We drove out to a picture perfect destination that Erin had discovered years ago, it was beautiful. The original plan was to pick up lunch, then drive out to this hidden spot for a picnic and a swim. Well the weather wasn't very cooperative with that plan so we compromised. We did have a picnic but we had it in the van, it took a bit of maneuvering but we all ended up with very satisfied tummies. And, we finished up just in time for the clouds to part and allow us a few moments to enjoy the beauty that hid a few yards behind the barbed wire fence and a sign that read "NO TRESSPASSING". I have some lovely video footage of Erin attempting to climb over that fence in her skirt! It's so good to have that girl home, even if it's only for a short visit.
It did my heart good to be surrounded by such beauty, not just in the landscape but also in the presence of such dear friends. Thanks girls for such a beautiful day.

Jamison, Sweet Son of Mine

These pictures were all taken this spring

My Sweet Tayah Bear

these pictures were all taken in the spring of this year

Somwhere Under the Piles of Dirty Laundry, I'm Still Here!

Okay, so I know it's been like forever since I've blogged, my apologies. Life has been very busy these last couple months and at times, totally overwhelming. My kiddies are wonderful but a handful. Tayah is constantly on the go and Jamison is now attempting to keep up with his big sis. My house is a disaster and there are so many days that I feel like I just can't get it together. A messy house sends me over the edge, I find it so hard to function in the chaos. I become impatient and frazzled and my poor kids take the brunt of it. But despite my desire for some sense of order I just can't seem to obtain it. I have got to figure out a way, for my own sanity. Thankfully tomorrow is a new day and I will have another go at it, hopefully progress will be made.

On a brighter note, I figured out the whole picture thing (a new computer helps :) . I've added some pictures to some of my previous blogs.

And the day came when the risk it took

to remain tight inside the bud

was more painful than the risk it took to blossom

Anais Nin

The Bigger Picture

Lord, give me Your perspective today and for my future. Bless me with the ability to understand the bigger picture and to distinguish the valuable from the unimportant.

-Stormie Omartian

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8

Perspective, it really makes a world of difference when you've got it but it's the gettin it that can sometimes be the problem. I can have such a hard time seeing anything outside of the situation I am in, it is so difficult for me to see the bigger picture and I often end up immersing myself in whatever it is that I am trying to get out of. The more time I spend focusing on the stress of the moment, the more worked up I become. Perspective is not even a word in my vocabulary at that point but every now and then I will send up a prayer in exasperation. I am so thankful that the Lord is faithful to his promises. My stresses or problems of the day don't magically disappear but He does give me His perspective and peace and suddenly things don't seem quite so bad.

WARNING: This is an official rant!

I am annoyed. It is 11:00pm and my son is STILL not asleep. I am tired from not having a single moment to rest today and I am irritable because it is so freaking hot and to top it all off my husband is sleeping on the couch! My teeth are barred, it's a good thing it's late and there is no chance of some unsuspecting visitor dropping in. I would hate for anybody to lose their head for no good reason other than that I am in growly mood. My mood continues to sour as I listen to the cries of Jamison coming from the monitor which is sitting about 3ft from the couch, grrrr!

This is when a girl really needs her chocolate and I have none. Grrrr!

I tried to escape the noise by sitting on the deck, all I could hear was someone else's baby crying from one house and from another, a child screaming. Add to that a bug continually buzzing in my ear, double grrrr!

Did I mention that I don't have any chocolate? Grrrr!

Here's hoping that tomorrow is a better day, for my sake and for yours ;)

From Diapers to Panties........We hope!

Today is the day. The day to say good-bye to diapers and hello to panties. Okay, so maybe we won't say adios to diapers quite yet, but hopefully today begins our journey to the end of them. The potty was purchased many months ago when I was pregnant and disillusioned. I thought I could have Tayah trained before I gave birth to our second child, let's keep in mind that Tayah was only 22 months when Jamison was born, I really wasn't thinking to clearly. At least Tayah has had the time to get well acquainted with her potty. She actually became very excited when I told her she could run around without a diaper or pants on as long as she went on the potty when she had to go. Now it is very likely that it was the idea of running around half naked that excited her and not the potty but we'll just try and ignore that thought. I'm thinking that tomorrow we will go with wearing a sun dress, I went out to water the plants and out comes bare bottomed Tayah ready to help, I sent her back in the house to put on her shorts. Something must have got lost in translation because she quickly returned wearing rubber boots and no shorts. I gotta give the girl some credit though, we are always telling her she needs to put her shoes on before she can come outside, she usually doesn't have to worry about the shorts :)
Well, isn't this just perfect timing?! I was just about to write about how successful this whole potty training thing is going when I heard a little voice say "I'm peeing". Thankfully it happened on the kitchen floor and all that was required was some paper towel and a lysol wipe. I know, I know, expect that this will happen again and next time I may not be so lucky. We are prepared, along with a drawer full of new princess panties, a stack of reward treats in the cupboard, we also have a lifetime supply of paper towel in the basement, as well as carpet cleaner and lysol wipes which are ready and waiting to go into battle. Let the fun begin!

Whew! It's over, the weekend that is. It was a great weekend but a very busy one. My Grandparents came into town on Wednesday and so from Thursday thru to Saturday most of my time was spent with them. It's always exciting when Grandpa and Grandma come for a visit, even at the age of 27. One of my favorite things to do with them is to sit and listen to their many stories. Stories of growing up, stories of past jobs they have had, stories of family, funny stories that make you laugh so hard you can hardly catch your breath and stories of heart break that nearly bring you to tears. Many of the stories I have heard before but every now and then a new tidbit of information is added to the collection. I take great delight in learning something new about my Grandparents, they have loved unconditionally, achieved much, overcome many hardships and endured great loss.

I have many memories of going to Grandpa and Grandma's' house. My siblings, cousins and I would spend hours in the play room entertaining ourselves. Usually we played "house" or "school" but every now and then we would get creative. My cousin and I became entrepreneurs at the age of 11 as we opened "Cousin to Cousin Employment Agency". We had a very large and elite clientele which included Mariah Carey, Deborah Gibson, Paula Abdul, and of course our husbands, Donnie Walhberg and Jordan Knight as well as the rest of the members of New Kids on the Block. We always took a lunch break at noon, at which time we were served a delicious meal of cheese toast and dill pickles followed by a cookie from Grandma's cookie jar. It is still one of my favorites and every time I am back in Saskatoon I put in my request for cheese toast. No one can make it like Grandma can and it just tastes better on one of Grandma's dishes, served alongside a beverage in a blue, yellow or green kids tupperware cup. How great it is to have such a wonderful memory that can be relived every time I savour a bite of cheese toast!

My Grandmother is a wonderful lady; she is warm, caring, generous, loves to laugh, dependable, everything a grandmother should be. She bakes, she sews, she knits and crochets, she gardens, she has a little lap dog that has become her baby. She is a nurturer. I have always known this about my Grandma and have always felt close to her.

My Grandfather is a great man but I never really felt as though I connected with him. I was always proud of him and loved him deeply but, I must admit that I was always a bit timid around him. My Grandpa is not one to express his emotions, he's not the type to say I love you or envelop a child in a big warm hug and I think I interpreted all of this as him not being interested. This weekend I witnessed something different. It was so heartwarming to watch Grandpa interact with my kids. He lights up when he sees them and takes great delight in the cute, and at times ridiculous, little things that come out of Tayah's mouth. The greatest moment I had this weekend was when my Grandpa came over to Jamison when he started fuss. He took him out of my arms and went over to the window where the two of them sat for quite awhile, taking in all that was going on outside. I could hear my Grandpa talking to him, I'm sure pointing out different things, and every now and then I would see Jamison look up at his Papa and their eyes would meet, it was a beautiful sight. But it was when my Grandpa started to sing to Jamison that I began to see him in a different light. I recognized the songs as songs he used to sing to me when I was younger and it was then that I realized my Grandpa felt, and still feels, the same way about me and all his grandkids as he does Jamison. I always knew he loved us but this weekend I saw it expressed and it is picture that I will never forget.

Life Through The Eyes Of A Babe

Imagine if every day held a new experience, a gift ready to be unwrapped. My son is six months old and each morning he wakes up ready to explore the world around him. He finds great excitement in the smallest of things and it is incredible to observe. Today he made a new friend, his whole body wriggled with excitement at the sight of this little girl, he couldn't wait to get his hands on her! Yesterday he discovered my brother's kitten, his big blue eyes never left her as she scampered around the living room. Sunday he discovered the flowers on Grandma's deck. He was in awe. He just sat there staring, his eyes becoming bigger by the second as he took in their brilliant color and design. Then he went for it, his arms began to flutter as he awkwardly reached for a petal all the while babbling in anticipation. The delight he felt once that flower was in his chubby little hands was expressed by the giggles that bubbled out of him, it was a sweet moment. To see a babe discover their world makes one realize just how much we take for granted. How many times have I walked out the door and never taken the time to marvel at the beautiful flowers growing in my garden or taken delight in watching a kitten clumsily pounce on anything and everything that gets in its path. It is so easy to let each day pass without enjoying the little gifts it has to offer, it really is a shame. When did life get so busy? When did checking off the to do list become more important than taking a moment to rest and stand in awe of the beauty that surrounds us? Hmmm, I think it's time to slow down a little and follow my sons lead, he may be on to something.

Someone is watching me, someone is copying my every move, I am being followed and my words are being repeated. Sounds scary doesn't it? I am sitting here observing Tayah play and it is a wee bit frightening. She is essentially reinacting how I go about doing things throughout my day. Everything, from gathering the baby and her purse as she is on her way out the door to an imaganary friends house, I hear a "see you later guys" and she is off. She then quickly reimerges as she remember she doesn't have her keys and throughout the house you can hear her calling out "where's my keys? have you seen my keys? where my keys goes? This is looking and sounding way too familiar! Next I watch as she disciplines her baby, "look at me, look at me, baby look at me, look at me. You better listen, you hear me, better listen baby, look at me. You go to yer room." I am quite relieved to hear her say all this in a calm voice because quite honestly, she doesn't always hear it in such a calm voice. Talk about someone keeping you accountable! I am suddenly feeling very overwhelmed at the huge responsibility of raising a child. Perfection is unattainable, I am bound to mess up and to me, that is a scary realization. I hope and pray that my children grow up to be happy well rounded adults and that I am able to teach them and instill in them good morals and values. I hope that I am able to model for them what it is like to have grace and compassion for others and also how to forgive others when they have wronged you. I have a feeling that I will be coming to them on many occassions to ask for their forgiveness, I think I may have to start practicing humility as well :)

This is my favorite time of day, the kids are asleep in their beds, the to do list has been attempted ( would love to say completed but that would be an out right lie) and the house is quiet. Ahhhhhh. It is the time of day when I have a moment completely to myself, it's too late for the phone to ring, too early for Jamison to wake for a night feeding, nothing but silence. It is bliss.
It was a busy day today, out of the house by 9:00am for a breakfast meeting. I know, to most 9:00 is not early, but when you have a two year old, a six month old and yourself to get out the door, the morning starts out quite early and with a fair amount of chaos I might add. If it were not so late I would elaborate, but it is, and this momma is a tired one, it won't be long until the silence is replaced by the pitter patter of little feet.
Sweet Dreams