Diana is 2 Today!

Diana Marie is 2 Today!!!!

I can't believe it's been two years since I had my baby girl! She is the little one that changed our family from "us" as a couple to a "we" as a family! It brings tears to my eyes thinking back to that day she was born.... It was the hardest nine months for me and a very difficult pregnancy, but literally the minute she was born, I can't believe how much love filled my heart for her and how connected I felt to her, it took my breath away!

She was the best baby and amazingly independent from almost the moment she was born, she had a strong personalty from the beginning and we love our little fire cracker of toddler! We thank God for her and love her... she is a miracle!

I could go on and on with stories, but here are some words that come to mind instead:

Loving

Kind

Caring

Independent (capitol "I" :)

Strong Willed

Exuberant

Free!

Pensive

Inquisitive

Intelligent

Obsessive Compulsive

Best big sister EVER!

Helper

Initiator

And, most importantly, I already see a heart for God growing inside her. Nothing brings me more joy than to check on her at night and find she is sleeping snuggled up with her puppy and an open bible.

I love you my Didi! I don't know whether God will use your strong and independent heart to serve him oversees as a missionary, your intelligence in the work force to serve as His voice, or your kind heart to be a stay at home mommy. Maybe you will do all things! And many more.... I'm sure of it.
I pray that no matter what, you will fulfill God's calling on your heart for your life. If you seek Him, you will Find Him. Listen to the council of your parents now as a child and always talk to God. Then, one day you will find yourself all grown up and following Him. It works, trust your mamma :)

I love you my Diana, thank you for making me a mommy. We pray for you everyday and I love you bunches!

Easter Weekend!

Last Saturday we (the four of us :) went to my family's house for Easter. Of course, Easter wasn't technically until Sunday, but I really doubt that last Sunday was the exact date in history of Christ's Resurrection. Easter Sunday is a day where we specially take time to dwell on and thank God for the ultimate sacrifice He made in sending His only son to earth to live and die for each one of us and the sacrifice Jesus made to live and die for us. He didn't have to, He wanted too! That is both a humbling and encouraging thought! So Saturday is when we celebrated Resurrection day :)

Anyway, we went and visited with my family and fellowshiped together and had a great time! Although we live only about 40 min away, it can be hard to coordinate times where we all can get together. Our family's schedule is very early compared to others, up at 4:00am in bed by 6:30pm. And at my parents house everyone wakes up later and is normally out and about by the time we eat dinner and are getting to bed! Not to mention my brother and sisters have jobs, school, ballet, dance, teaching dance, ect.... Even when we do get together it is VERY rare that we all are there at the same time. So this last Saturday was such a blessing!

We spent time talking and laughing and took a really great long walk. We all went except for my mom, she's the best. She offered to stay home with little Ellie Belly so we could walk at a faster pace and let me have the opportunity to take along my camera :)


So, the day was very chilllaxed. We all just enjoyed spending time together and watching the girls play.





Love this photo! everyone has that cool hip aunt... that's Auntie Em!


Mandy is always keeping Diana in surprise and doing something! I don't know what they are doing here, but looks like they are having fun.


Awh! Another loved photo, not just because of how happy they look, but I am in LOVE with Emily's jacket! Good thing it dosen't fit me, or else I may have to borrow it... for awhile. Then forget to return it... lol...Just Kidding! Kinda..... ;) Anyway, we all dubbed it the "Kate Middleton Jacket"



Had to include this photo of Mandy, it's cute :)


I also took just a ton of photos of jake doing parkour. I dont' really know how to describe parkour except to say that you run and jump off of all types of crazy things and attempt to land on your feet after jumping onto all other sorts of crazy things. Lol, he's pretty awesome at it and it was super fun to photograph!





I love my whole family very much and it was a great weekend. As we all remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us, I think of how blessed I am. Not only for eternity, but just for right now and today. God Bless you all!

God’s Gift of Grace

I have been desperately trying to become the wife and mother that I know God desires of me, since I have become a wife and mom. But, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to make any lasting changes.I continue to be short tempered and fault finding with those around me, I try to change, but I just can’t seem to get it right.

Well, I am very happy to say that God is moving is great ways in my life and reveling many things to me through the Holy Spirit. Im not always the best at getting my point across, but let me attempt to share because God has blessed me so much!

Grace
God has given me a better understanding of the meaning of the word grace and it’s application in my life. I know that through grace we are saved and that through works we will never reach Heaven. It’s impossible to reach heaven through works, so God gives us grace and forgives our sins so that we may dwell with Him. But He has shown me that Grace is much more than just forgiveness and acceptance into heaven. Grace is an ever present help that He uses to meet us where we are at and then transform us.

We need God’s grace to transform our lives, we can’t do it alone! Now I know that I can’t change on my own, but somehow my prayers always seem to revolve around myself anyways. Example, “Lord, help ME to be kinder to my husband and give ME the strength to do Your will. I have faith that You will help ME to be kinder. Thank you Lord, Amen”

Now I know now that we really can do absolutely, ABSOULTELY Nothing ourselves and absolutely anything good in our lives is completely 100% Christ. Simple as that. Although I have been praying and asking God for help, I still have depending on MY faith that God would make ME be kinder. But I see that thinking is wrong. I have come to realize that God can’t make me kinder, but I can let God work His kindness though me with Grace. It’s not me being kind, it’s God’s grace and kindness in me and through me. Not me.

I also realize now that I was putting far to much faith in my faith. I thought simply having faith that God would change me, would change me. But that’s only half of it. Half is having faith that God can work through you and the other half is receiving that grace (Or God’s help to come and meet us where we are at and make the change within us) It’s through faith that I receive God’s grace to change me, not my faith will change me.

It’s like faith is the straw. We are at one end and God’s grace is at the other end. The straw itself can do nothing for us. It doesn’t matter how big or long that straw is, it by itself is just a empty straw. But once God’s grace comes through that straw, then we receive His help. It doesn’t matter how big OUR faith is, it’s a matter of accepting His grace through that straw. Once I started to realize that faith is simply a channel and not power itself, a bible verse came to mind that really hit me:

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Mathew 17:20

I used to think that verse meant that Faith is so powerful, that we need the tiniest bit and we can do great things for God, but now I see it differently. It’s the other way around. God is so powerful, that it doesn’t matter if we have the littlest faith of any human on the earth… we can move mountains with Him! We can’t move mountains with our faith, it’s our little bit of faith that let’s God do His thing and move those mountains!!!

I really hope this all makes sense, it is an amazing new revelation to me and the Holy Spirit has reveled to me how to pray. Since I have learned more about Grace, I know have prayed more like:

“Dear God, I know I am nothing and have no good in me, any goodness and strength is all You. That is why I humbly ask that You fill me with Your grace so I might shine of Your love. Dear Lord, I am asking in faith that You will give me the grace I need to show Your love.
Amen”

Praying this way has transformed my life. For the last year I have beyond frustrated myself asking God to “change me” Now, I simply pray and humbly ask through the little faith that I have, that God’s grace would work in me. I challenge you to do the same and see what God does in your life. You, like me, will be amazed!

Sweetness!

So, I had a craving for cookies the other day but didn't have eggs, well after some time on the Internet I found something much better. How does this sound for a sweet craving indulgence...

PARTY TIME EGG LESS CAKE BATTER COOKIE DOUGH CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES!

Yes!!! Sweet happiness!

So, I made these the other day and they were AWESOME! I found some general recipes and changed them up a bit. If anyone wants it (it's amazing! Did I say that already? ;) Here it is...

Recipe of Awesomeness:

Yields: about 1 1/2-2 cups cookie dough (aprox)

3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 (plus some extra Tablespoons :) cup yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sprinkles
2-8 tablespoons water

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale yellow. Mix in salt, flour, cake mix, sprinkles, and vanilla. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each, until you reach cookie dough consistency. Roll into little 1 inch balls and stick in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Melt a bag of chocolate chips in a double boiler, roll each ball in the chocolate, then let cool!

Make sure to invite someone over then so you don't eat them all by yourself. I had my sister Mandy over, we had them with coffee and may I say, it was awesome!!!!

I also found another great recipe, but more for later I guess :) I have far exceeded both my coffee and sugar quota...

Oh My....

And this is why you never leave the bathroom door open...




There she goes, fleeing the scene of the crime!

Another Sweet Quite Morning :)

After reading my Bible this morning, I still had some time before the girls got up so I decided to blog. That didn't happen because I got caught up on the Internet, which happens far oftener than I would like to admit. But that's ok, it was very peaceful this morning just having some time to myself and  my coffee.

I was also thinking I wish I could add scents to my blog. Wouldn't that be the coolest? You could visit a blog and be like, "Oh, I love this blog! It smells like strawberries!" Of course backgrounds, colors, music and photos are all great. But, seriously, think about it. Blog scents! I think I would pick something like Tahitian Vanilla... Just something to think about I guess :)

Just for fun :)

I was just playing around on the computer looking through some photos and just wanted to share. Gotta love baby photos!

Crazy Normal!

So, is there ever a normal day when you have little ones??? Our days are pretty structured, but inside each of those days a million and one different things go on! Nothing major, just everyday craziness. But from what I gather, that never really ends :)

I was in the kitchen trying to get some dishes done when I heard the babies giggling.. oh it was cute! I peaked in there and saw that Didi had dumped all the puffs out all over the floor and they were practically swimming in them. I was going to pick them up right away, but they looked like they were having so much fun I just let them be. Well, that and I wanted to finish the dishes :) But I mean.. just look at that face! How could you Deny anything to someone who looked that happy?!



Diana used hubby's tooth brush in the toilet, again. She knows that's a no no! I really don't know what the draw is, I mean, all she has to do is let me know she wants to clean out the toilet and I would be happy to show her where the toilet cleaning brush is and how to use it... just kidding! Umm, kind of ;)

During snack time today Diana also dumped a handful of cheddar cheese on Ellie's head, which made Ellie cry out into a burst of overactive tears. I mean, I guess no one likes cheese dumped over their head, but must you cry about it? Ellie does like to cry though... and whimper. It's adorable most of the time. But the littlest things do set her off. Like, if she is crawling towards me and Diana runs into my arms before she gets to me, she just flat out collapses in a little heap on the floor and bursts into tears. Aawwhh! I then quickly scoop her in my arms and give her lots of kisses, which I think is her goal :)

Of course, I then do something for Diana or she'll feel left out. Of course, she dosen't cry. She picks a more subtle planned out approach for attention. Something like emptying out the dresser of all the folded clothes or picking buttons off the remote. Two very sure ways of getting attention :)




Thus, much of my day is giving both babies lots 'a lovin! Toddlers and crusing babies are kinda known for keeping you busy and on your toes :)

Adorable!

I just wanted to share a photo of the cutest little notebook I got at Target Friday...isn't it darling?! I went shopping with my mom this past Friday and normally I walk right past the dollar section with hardly even a glance(I have a hard time resisting adorable unnecessary items for a dollar :)but she wanted to stop and have a look so I did too. I'm so glad we did!

In addition to a few adorable spring things she got for the girls, I got the notebook and just love it! I love cute things and I love sparkly things so, naturally, I love my little notebook. Of course, I would think you would be hard pressed to find a sparkly thing that isn't cute :)

Yeah for Spring! Boo for Cold :P

Arg. It’s still winter. Well, it feels like it anyway! It’s early April and there is still snow on the ground, that’s just depressing. Maybe it would not be so bad if the kids were just a bit older, but it’s hard to take babies out in the freezing cold, so we have been cooped up inside waiting for the spring. Spring, please come!

Oh well, it will be here and I hate complaining. Anyway, a few days ago the girls and I were going stir crazy, it was driving us mad being inside. Well, Ellie still is at the age where she doesn’t mind, but poor Didi! Every morning almost the first thing she asks is “We go bye bye?” So I finally said yes! We will go bye bye!







I have been wanting to take them to a great park we have here in Port Washington called “possibility playground” Diana went a little last year but she was too young to really “get” the whole playground thing.
So, that’s where we went!






It wasn’t exactly the best day for a park, but there really hasn’t been a good day since lest year, so we bundled up and went out anyway! It was 8:30am, had just finished raining and maybe 45*. We were the only ones there, go figure. :) We were there almost a half hour. Ellie was all bundled up all nice and cozy in the stroller and I pretty much let Diana run till she was so red and flushed that we had to go. I also forgot her gloves, so I didn’t want her out to long.




It was Diana’s first time on a tire swing, she loved it! Im surprised she stayed on it so long, that metal chain was freezing, poor little toddler fingers! I think she would have stayed on it all day if I let her, but I felt horrible about her hands not being warm. Plus, I wanted her to just run back and forth as much as possible hoping it would entice her to take a nap later in the day. That plan worked. Neither her or Ellie are used to being outside, so even just a little time helped them both take really great long naps. Praise the Lord!