Messy Fun

Need some good messy fun with your kids? Just keep reading...

She finally arrived: Our long awaited guest. She has been highly anticipated since early June and we love the time she spends with us, the time never being long enough. Several times we thought her flight had arrived only to be disappointed with another flight delay.

Who is this wonderful and joyful guest we are so pleased to entertain and host?

Our dear friend Autumn. (And yes I mean the season, not a person - just in case anyone was lost.)

Before Autumn came the kids and I decided to make some preparations! Because we needed everything ready when she DID arrive. And what better way to start prepping for a guest than to BAKE! Woohoo! Typically sugar cookies wait until Christmas but hitting the %50 off Fall items at Hobby Lobby my eye glanced upon a package of cute Fall Cookie Cutouts and I couldn't resist. Plus - during the course of my college class most evenings consisted of homework and I figured I owed my kids some good quality (and messy) time.

So out with the ingredients:

Recruit some help...

Since I owed them I let them do it all - from step one to step...100? (Although I did crack the eggs and ice the cookies. There had to be SOME limits to these youngin's!

My kitchen paid for it. Dearly.

I think I "cut" out ONE cookie, the rest were ALL theirs...

Candy Wonderland!!! I had three bowls of icing, 7 bowls (yes SEVEN) of sprinkles, and two dozen cookies for them to do. (By the way have you noticed that we started in daylight and by this photo it is pitch dark out?!)

I love my hubby - he graciously captured all of us on film for me!

These kids had no rules with the sprinkles.

Should I have re-thought that one?

Nope. Never. Even though that first photo in this post was the "leftover" sprinkles off the cookie trays and my table. (No not including what little was left in the bowls. And NO not including the new sugar floor my kids gave me) But all totally worth it. Have you done something messy with your kids lately?

It has come at last...

About 38 minutes ago I had the first "I want to cut my own hair" experience with one of my children. It skipped by my first child thankfully but sure enough it had to happen. Here is the 3 year old culprit:

She is showing you the hair that she cut (thankfully that was it!!) and her look explains the talkin-to she got before the photo op. And here is the beautiful lock forever lost.

And where did this thought come from? Who is to blame?? THIS FOUL CREATURE:

Yes. Who knew a Chia Pet could be so dangerous! Seriously why don't they put THAT on the warning label? (I'm not serious, in case you are wondering.)

So I warn you: BEWARE THE EFFECTS OF A CHIA PET!!

What a day

Do you ever get up and within an hour or two of JUST your morning routine you already are thinking "wow what a day..." and are so stressed that you seriously can't think straight and for that much keep things in perspective!

I had a morning like that. I woke up and my husband had a late meeting in another town so he actually had the blessing of being able to sleep in late. So I was determined to keep the kids and I quiet. Yes if you are a mother you are sitting in your chair and at that last sentence went "Oh no" in your head and half laughed because you have been there yet didn't laugh FULLY because you also have shared my pain and know it's really not funny to a mother that is IN that moment!

SO, like I said I was going to TRY to keep us quiet so he could actually sleep in and my husband completely deserved it! He has been so good to me and has spoiled me lately with taking the kids for me to attend the Beth Moore SMT Celebration, not to mention he has them every Tuesday during her bible studies from 4-10 p.m. (which includes dinner, baths and bedtime!!) He EVEN cleaned the entire house AND made a towel animal for my mom (yes like the ones you find on a cruise) and had it laying on her bed when we were coming back from the conference! Now tell me my man didn't deserve this! But yes it did NOT go as planned and I ended up gritting my teeth SO hard by the end of my morning routine I thought I could throw a baseball through a window and not care! Lol, have you ever been there?!? I KNOW I'm not alone in this. Anyways I don't need to go into details but they were the farthest thing from quiet, I was having to go in and out of my bedroom/bathroom like every 5 minutes and so thus didn't get ready on time making us a couple minutes late to my son's school that morning. We could have made it on time if I would have skipped breakfast but after my last two hours I stood in the kitchen selfishly and angry and did I mention totally in my flesh and NOT the Spirit, telling myself I deserved not to starve this morning!

We did make it to school and I remembered that Tuesdays is "Mommy and Me" time at our local Starbucks which is where they put on a Disney movie, have coloring books and books etc for the kids while you can visit with other mothers. I had asked a lady about it and she informed me no one had really been coming maybe one mom once in awhile. So I thought perfect! I will take my bills and let her play while I at least get something done and can relax with some hot green tea and not get my house messed up at the same time!

It DID help and thus I have calmed down enough to write this post yet I have had the aftermath of being so "in the flesh" this morning such as guilt and anger at myself for being so dumb this morning. My kids are 3 and 5 for pete's sake!! What do I expect out of them??? And what do we miss from God and his blessing or favor when we CHOOSE not to be in His will in that moment? Do we miss a financial breakthrough? Or perhaps blessing our husband by staying calm? Maybe even just that your face won't break out with acne because you didn't get stressed,lol!? Do I believe that God's blessing or favor leaves you because you mess up? NO! For we are redeemed and live by grace and if we repent of our sins he is able and just to forgive us. Yet do I believe that obedience is important and vital to our faith and relationship with God? Absolutely.


P.S. I want to also inform you that we have currently misplaced our Internet USB port so even though I promised you a LIST of blog posts they just so happen to not be getting done because by the time I make it to a computer to DO any posts I either 1. Don't have my pictures I need with me or 2. don't have time because I have more pressing work needing done. So know that I am TRYING to get back to regular posting but you will have to be patient with me! :) thanks!

Silent Sundays

I got my camera (early) for Christmas and here are some shots with us trying out the new telephoto lens!! In order the pics are of: our dog Menina, our dog Precious, my daughter Gracious, and my son Tyler!

I better give credit where credit is due - I took the two pictures of the dogs but my husband snapped the two of the kids! He is a great photographer too!! Good job sweetie!