God’s Amazing Grace

I'm not going to lie. The past two days have been an emotional roller coaster for me. I can’t explain right now, but I will explain more on a later date. But anyhoo, when I get to feeling down I sit back and think of all I have and all that God has blessed me with.

I have such a wonderful family. Seven years ago I never could have imagined in a million years how much God was going to bless me. I am so thankful that He placed my husband in my life. It is amazing to be able to share my life with my best friend. Even though we have had our ups and downs, I know that he is there for me no matter what life throws at us. And I know you do not know him at all, but he is truly the most amazing person. I could not imagine my life without him in it.

Then God blessed me with not one… but TWO precious little monsters. They have the ability to make me mad/sad/annoyed/feel loved all at the same time. Everyday with them is a new adventure. Sometimes I still look at them and can’t believe that they are mine.

God gave me a life I feel like I did/do not deserve. When it comes to glorifying God I fall short every time. I will be doing so good, and then somehow I will slip and fall. I can just see Him shaking His head. Even though he knows exactly when I am going to fall every time. It is discouraging to me more than it is anything. I want to glorify God more than anything. I want my strangers to be able to look at me and say ‘that woman there… she loves the Lord!’. I want my kids to see it in my actions and my husband to see it in my heart.

I am a work in progress and I know that no matter what happens that God is in control. He has a plan for me. I just have to be open my heart enough and follow him. God is good!

I am where I am at today because of His ultimate sacrifice and God’s amazing grace.

Road Trippin’ West

Today the boys and I road tripped it west to take Michael some parts and have lunch at the small town café. And yes, this town is smaller than Mayberry! Plus, it’s probably one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. I wish I would have taken a picture of it, but Michael gets a little embarrassed sometimes when I whip out the camera and start taking pictures of my food. Poor guy, doesn’t know it is going to happen a lot more now that I have a pretty new camera bag to haul all my gear around in. Since I’m usually in a rush to get there and back and today I was not, I decided to take advantage of it and drive home on small highway instead of the interstate and play around with my camera a bit.

Here was the beautiful morning that we woke up to. I know it does not look that pretty here, but it was so much prettier in person. 

I don’t think I am ever going to get a good picture of this kid. I pull out the camera and he has to start making goofy faces. Every time! Never fails.

I love it! You can see forever. Plus the sunrises and sunsets are so beautiful. So much better than seeing the bright lights of a city.

Some of our beautiful West Texas scenery. I am not sure if anyone actually lives in this town, but I love all the small town charm that it has.

My little man was mad at me because I would not let him eat my twizzlers, which happen to be my second favorite road trip food, the first being deer jerky of course. Maybe next time he will eat his lunch.

Ready for a Slow Down

These days life has gotten way to busy. Which will be obvious when you see my Photo Friday Challenge picture. It seems like we are always running from one side of town to the other and from place to place. I am ready for a slow down.

I know life will never totally slow down, but I want to slow it down enough that we can enjoy the small things.

Things like… all four of us sitting down at the table for a meal or picking fresh vegetable from the garden while the kids play. And not be too exhausted at the end of the day to play cops and robbers with them.

Most importantly, I want to slow life down enough that I get to enjoy my kids while they are still small. There will come a day that they won’t be so small.

I don’t want to miss a minute of their precious lives.

I want to make my own jam and have a homemade meal on the table {almost} every night. I would really like to learn how to make homemade pie crust! Finish my house so we can move to a smaller, slower paced town. All of the things I have been dreaming about.

It’s time!

My blog will be going through a transformation too. It is going to reflect me and my life way more than it has. I am ready to be me and show y’all who that is.

Here are my precious boys today in the backyard. It amazes me how something as simple as mud can entertain these two for several hours.

Photo Friday Week 12: Planning

It’s Photo Friday at Trina’s Blog again!

I am like a machine when it comes to planning things out, but when it comes to actually getting the majority of them done… that’s a different story. To help me with planning my week I have: my actual planner, the calendar on my iPhone and a miniature spiral notebook. It may seem a little overboard to some, but for me it works. Most people don’t understand how busy a stay at home mom can get. The one advantage my iPhone has is that I can set alarms to help remind me of appointments. I still revert back to my good ol’ trusty planner. At the end of the day it won’t crash, short out or accidentally delete my appointments.

Next Week: Fools

Happy Things

The Little Kitchen That Could

It’s no secret that I want to sell our house move to a smaller town. But for now I will have to love my house. Before we sell though, I will have to completely redo my house. I have the want to, I just seem to start on one room, finish it halfway and move on to a new one. That is not working for anymore. I need to complete the ones I have already started before I move on to any new ones. I know you have all seen pictures of my kitchen, but just in case you have not here are a few to help you see what I am working with.

I know exactly what I want to do.

I can close my eyes and see it so clearly.

Everything from the white farmhouse sink to the smell of a fresh baked peach pie.

Maybe even have white cabinets?!

I will be able to hear the kids playing in the backyard while I cook dinner.

I can see us all sitting around the table enjoying a family meal.

Defiantly lighter colored walls…

I would love to have an old screen door to put up between the kitchen and the {tiny} laundry room.

Defiantly a table running along the wall where the microwave now is to hold little nick nacks.

I want my kitchen to be a space that is inviting and cheerful. Someplace that we can sit and eat breakfast as a family on Saturday mornings. Where the kids can stand on a stool and help me cook, a place where they can drop eggs on the floor. I want a kitchen that we can make memories in!

{The Old Painted Cottage}


{The Pioneer Woman’s Kitchen}

Photo Friday Week 11: Spring

I feel horrible that I missed last Friday’s Photo Friday, but I am making it up this week. I hope that Trina can forgive me :) You need to head over to her fabulous blog and check out all of the wonderful spring photos for this week’s Photo Friday.

My picture this week is of Tyler drinking from the sprinkler in his underwear and yellow boots!

We know that it is spring because the mesquites are bloomin’ and I’m getting my backyard ready for sod…

Here are the boys muddy feet…

And of course my special blond hair green eyed girl!

Next Week: Planning

I {Heart} My New Camera Bag

I have been wanting a new camera bag since I first got my camera back in June. Originally I purchased one from Epiphanie, but decided to cancel my order since they would not even ship out until April {but will eventually get one}. So, I headed over to Jo Totes and fell in love with the teal Rose tote. But sadly, they were sold out as well. So I checked back every so often and they were going to be in stock! I {im} patiently waited for them to go on sale and bought one first thing.

Then the hardest part came… waiting for it to be delivered!

But yesterday, when I was least expecting it, the doorbell rang.

And there was! The mailman with a box in his hands that read ‘A Very Special Delivery’. I couldn’t wait to tear her open, but first I had to photograph my journey. Plus, what super cute bag doesn’t deserve it’s own photo shoot?

Here is my very special delivery…

Here she is all put together and customized. I am beyond excited that my camera has a new cozy home.

Photo Friday Week 9: Vegetables

Come on in folks! It’s Photo Friday at Trina’s Blog again.

Trina, you are the best and I thank you for hosting this every week!

This week the subject is vegetables.

Who doesn’t love a helping of sautéed… or grilled… or fried asparagus?!

Next week: Underneath

Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 5!

Every other week I look forward to Siesta Scripture time over at the LPM blog with Beth.

I dig deep and try to find a verse that is helps me through the obstacles that I face at that current time.

This week was a particularly hard week for me. On top of our scare with Tyler, this week I struggled with doubts about my faith. I was ashamed of my thoughts and even more ashamed to talk to anyone about it. But I mustered up the courage to talk to my sweet husband about it, which is not something I would have done in the past. And I’m glad I did! He didn’t think I was crazy or weird. He let me know that it is okay to have doubts from time and that God does not love me any less. Even though I was afraid that he would.

After the encouraging words from the man I love, I am back on track and I know that the devil was just trying to attack me. I gave him the boot, and now I am back to praising the God!

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‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed.’

Isaiah 54:10

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