Highlights

So - someone must have been praying - OK - it was me (wink) and I think I'm gonna get to post some photos. These are just some highlights of the last couple of weeks (in which I have been sick . . . AGAIN!) So not much has happened, but we did have some beautiful days and were able to go to the park. The kids have spent a lot of time drawing and Oliver's been working on cruising around the couchesLast Sunday we ALL woke up sick. Chills and aches and fevers. I ended up with a bronchial infection (AGAIN - who's not surprised!) Ezra hd high fevers for 3 1/2 days. Aurelia and Oli recovered the quickest. Jason called in sick to church and took Monday off, but miserably had to work Tuesday thru Thursday and took Friday off too (I'm so glad he did!!) Overall, we weathered it well and I really appreciat those of you who offered to help and who called to check in on us! Thanks!! So - this next week looks a lot brighter as we're (mostly) feeling better and hopefully my computer will keep working so I can post some other fun photos this upcoming week.
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Here's Oli working the guitar with dada!

Oli loves to find smallish things and carry them around in his mouth. Aurelia and Ezra (as you may remember) always had their binkies in, so I didn't have to worry about choking or swallowing so much, but this kid loves to find a small wooden bead, block, or car and just hang out with it in his mouth. He's more than happy to (from a distance) pull it out and show it to me (with a HUGE smile!) and then return it to his mouth before I can say "HEY!" (he LOVES that!) This is what he's doing in the photo. I tried to take one of him showing me the item, but he's quick!!Aurelia is still a fantastic gymnist and can do a perfect cartwheel now and loves to hang and swing like a monkey.

Oliver will bang on anything that looks or sounds like a drum (even Jason's head works for him!)

Ezra's still really into trains. But has been doing a lot of drawing lately too. I'm going to post a picture that he just drew this morning, but not until tomorrow. . . tune in next time :)

Sick and Tired

I can't post any photos, still. My PC is acting up. I guess it's time to get a new one . . . so I'm going to post a little acronym that I came up with the other night while I was praying and thinking about things and it is this:

F.A.C.T.

This acronym has to do with forgiveness - something that is almost always on my mind. For some reason I really deal with anger and have to do a lot of forgiving. Often it's the same people over and over again. Sometimes I'm surprised when I realize that I'm angry at someone (as I did when this acronym came to me.) So far, it's been helpful, so I hope it helps you too.

F = Forgive the person or people who have wronged you (this is a choice, not a feeling)
A = Accept that they may not be aware of how they've hurt you, and that they probably won't change. Accept them for who they are, faults and all.
C = Change the way that you act, react, and interact with this person. Be the bigger gal, so to speak, and make the decision that their behavior won't affect your behavior toward them. Act in love.
T= Thank God for helping you to forgive and move on in love. Thank Him for forgiving you. Thank Him for loving you. Thank Him for freeing you. Thank God - period.

This has helped me because there are some people in my life who just keep hurting me because I have wanted to expect more from them than they are really even capable of giving. But, I can give more. I can love more. I can find my worth and fulfillment in my relationship with Christ and through Christ and hopefully - in time - so will they.

Anywho. If you're looking for pictures of the kids, then pray for my computer to work or buy me a new one ;)

10 years and counting!

Happy Anniversary to me!! Yep - we've made it ten years today! I can't post a photo because I left my camera at my auntie's house. We've already had a busy day - Jason had the day off so we headed to Aunt B's NEW house (congrats!!) to check it out and measure up her windows for some blinds, then we took the kids to Chuck E Cheese's and visited with some frieds while the kids all played. Now we're hanging out, and tonight we'll head back to the church for the Week of Prayer meeting. Yep.

So, it's been 10 years. Sometimes it feels like it's been 10 months, other times 100 years!! We've certainly had our share of crazy rough times, but I've always known that it was Jason God had in store for me. He's really my complement in so many ways. He's steady where I'm flighty. He's calm where I'm crazy. He's logical where I'm emotional. He's impatient where I'm patient. He's serious where I'm fun-loving. He's . . . I don't know, but what I do know is that I love him and he loves me and that's all that really counts when it gets down and dirty. We've made three beautiful children together. We both still love to just hang out, eat Mexican food, and watch a good movie. And thankfully, he doesn't expect me to be a perfect wife, housekeeper, or cook. He just wants me to be a happy wife.

So, thank YOU, God for putting us together, keeping us together and giving us a future together. I love you! Amen!

Camera Creativity

Aurelia received a digital camera for Christmas and has had a ball taking 81 photos, uploading the said photos and repeating . . .every two minutes. This camera doesn't take very sophisticated photos so the effects of her view point added to the camera's limited capablities creates some really awesome art. Here's just a small (and I mean VERY SMALL) sampling of the fruits of her photographic endeavors.

Two Year Olds

NEVER leave your two year old alone in the bath tub. This I discovered recently when I returned after a few minutes away from Ezra. He had filled th tub with this potty-training cheerios (for aiming at) and was eating them. Gross!!

SNUGGLES are the best when the Oedipus complex is alive and well in your young son. Ezra "needed" some snuggles to get to sleep yesterday and this is how he wanted them. He layed on his back with his arm out. My head was to go kind of on his chest (without crushing him!!) and my arm was to reach over his body and hold his hand. I love this kid.

LAUGHTER apparently can get one out of any situation. Especially when mommy's a pushover.

CHICKEN DINOS are a complete meal any time of day. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner would be wonderful if they included chicken Dinosaurs, String Cheese (cut up) and "Fruity" Snacks. What food groups do these fall under??

CHRISTMAS is not over until your two year old says so. The tree is still up and the lights are still on. Shall we begin a count-down???

Happy New Year!