Wordless Wednesday {Make-up anyone???}

I think she is rockin' the pink eye shadow!!

(I know, I know...
This post is supposed to be 'wordless'!)

Sunday Snapshot {Avery's Birthday!}

Yep, I know it is Monday....
I had every intention of posting yesterday....
But somehow, Yesterday got the best of me!






Avery's 4th birthday was on Saturday!!
All week long she was excited to celebrate her 'Happy Birthday'.
Every time we mentioned that her birthday was in a few days she would do a little skip and say 'wooo-hooo'!
She is so stinkin' cute!

We practiced asking how old she was going to be on her 'Happy Birthday'.
She responded with the appropriate amount of fingers.
Then she reaffirmed how old 'Shea-dell' is....

Avery:  "Shea-dell five??? "
Shea:  Yes, Avery I am five!  I will ALWAYS be older than you!"
(Thanks Shea for that added but unnecessary info!)

Then she wanted to know how old Momma is....
(Yikes!)
How about if I save that conversation for another post....entitled something like...."Older {Momma} but, Wiser.....(hopefully)"

I asked her what she wanted for her birthday....
Avery only wanted balloons and a 'Happy Birthday' cake!
How sweet is that???


Here are her balloons....

And her cake....

She did receive some of these.....

Earlier in the day, for a special birthday treat, I took all three girls to our local clay studio to paint some pottery....

Avery thoroughly enjoyed her little self......

Actually, we all had a great time....

Happy Birthday my darling girl!!!

Breakfast at our house.....

The Littles and I have an unusual breakfast routine at our house....

The unusual part is that we (or should I say, they) partake in two breakfasts Monday through Friday.

The reason for this....ummmmm.....hearty eating schedule revolves around the timing of Shea's preschool.

She needs to be at school by 11:40am.  That means we need to leave home by 11:25am.  Her 'day' ends at 2:15pm.  The timing of this school day kind of creates an eating dilemma....well, at least for me!
However, it also gave me some unexpected devotional time....


Shea wakes up at around 6:30 am.
Avery saunters out of bed at around 7ish...
(This is when Shea & I some one on one time.)

After Avery gets up, we begin the ritual of the morning:

First Breakfast!!!
(Yes, they like to have something in their hair first thing in the morning!)

First Breakfast can be a variety of things:
Frozen yogurt sticks
Fruit
Crackers & cheese
Dry cereal
Bagels




Its gotta be food that you can eat without sitting at the table....

Its gotta be food that won't be a distraction from watching a few cartoons....
(just a few)

















Wow, look at that zombie-like concentration.....

However, this is when I get to have some time with the Lord via Bible devotion!!! Yeah!!!


What an unexpected surprise!!!
What a great use of time!!!

I believe this is called Serendipity! Kind of....

Serendipity: the faculty of finding valuable things or agreeable things not sought for

I mean, I am always seeking  God and always seeking ways to be close to Him...
I guess, I just never thought of using this time, while the Littles are eating their first breakfast and actively engaged in {educational} cartoon viewing...(ummm, what else would a former teacher allow her children to watch, really???)

Actually, I know this time has been orchestrated by the Lord...
He knows how despearately I need to have some time with Him...

To be filled with His Presence...
His Peace....
His Grace & Love!!!

Only He can equip me for the day...

Oh, how I value this time with Him!!!

It is an unexpected Gift...
This time with Him in the morning....
And maybe I wasn't actively seeking it...
But He is always actively seeking me!!!



Oh, by the way, Second Breakfast is served at around 10:00am.
Second Breakfast is always Ramen Noodles. Always!!!!!


Then we are on our way to school by 11:25 (hopefully)...
With a snack in hand....

I am so blessed!!!

(I must admit, Serendipity is one of my favorite words...I know I am sounding sort of geeky at the moment...
But, I am glad that I was able to use that word today!!!)

Wordless Wednesday {My first}

(BTW, this is hard for me...
To be 'wordless'...
As you can see, I have already failed..... )

Spring Has Sprung - part 2

Hopscotch & Bubbles....

It's hard to believe we are still experiencing unseasonably 'warm' weather....

We are lovin' it!!!!!

I tried to teach the Littles how to play hopscotch....

They decided to 'play' their own way....

"Hmmmm, Let's see....

That is a long way to ten!"

"I'll just throw the rock....

It doesn't matter where it lands...."

"Wooo-hooo, this is fun!"

 "Now, I need to get back to number one"

 In the meantime....

 Here comes Avery......

 

 (Thankfully no collision occurred!)

(Heck, I don't even think Avery had a rock....she was just jumping!)

Shea decided it was time for some bubble blowing.....

(I just couldn't get any decent pictures of Avery blowing bubbles....maybe next time....)

Overall, this past week has been beautiful....

And, this week's forecast looks promising as well!!!!

Maybe Spring is really here????

(I really hope I don't regret typing that sentence...)

A Day of Prayer for Lucy

I remember hearing about this little girl's desperate situation months ago....

She NEEDS a family...
She NEEDS urgent medical care...

I just read about her again at 1001 Tears yesterday.
Amy has come up with a fantastic way to help this darling little girl....

How does 24 hours of prayer sound???!!!
Sounds pretty good, doesn't it??

I know many of us would love to be her forever family...
And I know that many of us are thinking.....HOW LORD, HOW????

I guess, let's just let Him work out the details....
He loves Lucy, oh, how He loves her!!!

Let's do this....Let's get on our knees for Lucy!!!

The prayer vigil begins tomorrow....
Hop on over to 1001 Tears and commit to an hour of prayer....
One hour of your time for Lucy!!!!

You will be blessed!!!!

("Has Spring Sprung?" part 2 has been bumped....until tomorrow!)

Has Spring Sprung?????? (part 1)

Up here in 'The Land of Cheese' or 'Packerland'.....(call it what ya like...I guess it depends on if you are a 'food' person or 'football' person.....)  the weather has been down right beautiful!!! I am not sure if this is just a mean, little tease or if Spring has arrived??????  I'm not sure if I should start 'switching out our clothes'..you know, the long, laborious job of sorting through the winter stuff, and then hauling out the spring stuff....then taking clothes to the re-sale shop...the best part is the shopping for new clothes....kind of.....oh yeah, I have two littles to drag around take with me shopping...ummm, not too much fun....anyway, I digress......


So, has Spring Sprung???? I don't know???? Will we get one more blast of winter???? Who knows????


However, I do know that the past few days have been warm enough to play outside. When it is in the 50's... in March.... in Northern Wisconsin....YOU GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!!!!!

We have done a scattering of things....trying to make up for all the months inside....


Riding bikes etc.
Playing with balls
Just plain old running
Posing for Mom (hee-hee)
Chalk drawings
Hopscotch
Blowing Bubbles

Oh, and a little fighting....maybe I should say 'a little attitude'....you'll see....

The typical - "Let's pose for Mom" pictures....

"Hold on Mom, let me fix my hair..."

"There, that's better."

"Can we just play now????"

Weren't those lovely??? (insert sarcasm)
Now on to some 'non-posing' pictures'....well kind of....and a little drama....

"Mom, the sun is in our eyes, we just want to draw!"

"What's my sister drawing?"

(Just assuming what Avery might be thinking...)

(This is when 'our fun' took a nasty turn....)

"Shea-dell, what doing?"

"I am drawing a picture of Mom."

Duh, Avery, don't you know anything?"

" That not Momma!"

(Thanks for noticing, Avery!"

(Someone got a little miffed....So, she packed up her chalk....

....and pedaled away.)

 "Big sisters....
They think they are sooooooooo cool!"
(Again, only guessing -by her actions- what she might be thinking!)

Tomorrow, I bring you...part 2....
'Hopscotch & Bubbles'!!!

Gotta love the spring weather!!!!!