Blogs

I was asked recently what some of my favorite blogs are so I thought I'd share here so others can be encouraged by these other bloggers. I follow many personal friends' blogs too but I'm not going to list them here. I'll put the blogs into different categories so you know what the topic of the blog is. I use Google Reader to follow these blogs so that I don't have to go to each blog to check if it's updated. I highly recommend using google reader! Also, know that I don't read every single post on these blogs. If the topic peeks my interest and I have time to read it then I will but often I just hit 'mark as read' and move on. Sometimes I love reading blogs and other times it's not helpful...it just ebbs and flows! I'm regularly adding new blogs to my list and deleting blogs that I don't find myself reading a lot. It's always changing. Hope this is helpful to you. What blogs do you follow that you've found edifying? I would love to hear. Share the love...

Theological

CBMW Gender Blog
The Resurgence
Boundless Line
Desiring God blog
9 Marks Blog
Crossway Blog
The Gospel Coalition

Deals/Savings/Coupons

Freebies 4 Mom
Coupon Cravings
Money Saving Mom
Southern Savers


Mom/Wife/Womanhood Encouragement
girltalk
Femina
Women Living Well
Comfy in the Kitchen
Grace Full Mama
Radical Womanhood
The Better Mom
Time-Warp Wife
A Holy Experience
Biblical Homemaking
The Pioneer Woman
diy home sweet home
Holy Spirit-led Homeschooling
Unlocking Femininity

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day we had a "fancy" dinner party at home. We brought out the fine china and crystal and I told the kids to dress up for the party. I let them pick out their own out outfits. Here is Lydia who came as a ballerina:) (please notice the shoes which are, of course, on backwards!)

Here is Bryn in her red dress (I'm pretty sure Carson picked out her dress for her)

My little stud muffin man:) He did this all by himself and came to the party so grown up and mature! I was impressed!

My Valentine and me!

My littlest valentine went to bed before the party....

standing up...no hands!

ambiance!!!!

some crazy (chocolate high) faces after dessert!

I'm so thankful for my valentines this Valentine's Day. Oh, and I presented to my family these coupon cards with fun little coupons to be redeemed in the future. It was a fun and free gift for them (just may cost me later). And yep, today Carson & Bryn are using the "no chores for one day" and all 3 are using the "afternoon at the ice cream shop." So to 3 Spoons after lunch!

Dance Recital

Yesterday the girls had their dance recital. It was so cute! Ashley did a great job teaching the class and the girls really loved it! Because the recital was at the church many of the staff came over to watch the recital so it was fun for the girls to have an audience. They were all so cute, they could have just stood on stage and been adorable.

Sweet Daddy brought roses and chocolates for his girls (including me!!!) and a chocolate treat for Carson too:)

Bryn & Lydia with Ashley

Joint Party!

Last Saturday we met the Finley family for pizza for a joint birthday party for Nathan and Spencer. They are 1 week a part. It's hard to believe they are 1! It was fun to celebrate together and watch them dig in to their cupcakes. Sweet boys! What a blessing they are! We hope they grow up being good buddies;)

cute couple potential (don't tell them I said that!)

Basketball

Carson just finished up his basketball season on Saturday. He did a great job and improved a lot in his basketball skill. We enjoyed watching him on Saturday mornings and cheering him on! Here are a few pictures from his last game. Go Carson!

20 Questions for Lydia - age 3

1. What is your favorite color? green
2. What is your favorite toy? my dog play toy
3. What is your favorite fruit? grapes
4. What is your favorite TV show? I don't know...Diego
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? grapes
6. What is your favorite outfit? this outfit that I'm wearing (jeans with a long sleeve shirt)
7. What is your favorite game? Sorry
8. What is your favorite snack? gum
9. What is your favorite animal? monkey
10. What is your favorite song? Joy to the World
11. What is your favorite book? um...um...I don't know
12. Who is your best friend? Reese
13. What is your favorite cereal? fruit kind
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? ride bikes
15. What is your favorite drink? Sprite
16. What is your favorite holiday? my birthday
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? my bear
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? um...um...chicken and bread and um...and I don't know
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a Momma

Lydia had just woken up from her nap when I did this with her so she was in a little bit of a "mood." Oh, sweet Lydi!

20 Questions for Carson - age 7

Here are Carson's answers. I have to admit it was hard not to question a couple of his answers but I did not allow myself to dispute...I wrote exactly what he said;)

1. What is your favorite color? orange
2. What is your favorite toy? Finn McMissile
3. What is your favorite fruit? plum
4. What is your favorite TV show? Star Wars
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni & Cheese
6. What is your favorite outfit? that blue one with the shirt that says Gap with the blue pants
7. What is your favorite game? Bingo
8. What is your favorite snack? plum
9. What is your favorite animal? Cheetah
10. What is your favorite song? Dynamite
11. What is your favorite book? Boxcar Children
12. Who is your best friend? Will
13. What is your favorite cereal? Captain Crunch
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? hunt
15. What is your favorite drink? orange crush
16. What is your favorite holiday? Easter
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? nothing
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Pastor or Police Officer

Love that kid!

20 Questions for Bryn - age 5

I saw this recently and thought it was a sweet idea. The idea is to ask these 20 questions every year (starting at age 3) on your child's birthday and then see how their answers change over the years. I couldn't wait until next December so I started today with Bryn. It was so fun and her answers so reveal her personality. I hope to remember to do this over the years.

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and Purple
2. What is your favorite toy? Puppies
3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples...I mean bananas
4. What is your favorite TV show? Jake and the Neverland Pirates
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and Cheese
6. What is your favorite outfit? My favorite outfit is dresses
7. What is your favorite game? playing on Mommy's ipod...I mean playing Bingo
8. What is your favorite snack? um...it is bananas
9. What is your favorite animal? um..it is a horse
10. What is your favorite song? Jingle Bells
11. What is your favorite book? Grandma and the Pirates
12. Who is your best friend? not cousin? could it be a cousin? Ainsley
13. What is your favorite cereal? the colorful cheerio one
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play with bikes
15. What is your favorite drink? grape drink
16. What is your favorite holiday? like Christmas?...Christmas! you know why Mama...because it means you can make snow things, and snow balls, ya know?
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? I don't do that...nothing
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? um....blueberry muffins and banana
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Macaroni & Cheese and Corn dog
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a Mommy

Happy Birthday Spencer!

It's hard to believe our baby boy is already a year old! Where did the time go!? He is just precious in every way and we are incredibly thankful for his life and this year we've had him in our family. He is a sweet boy and has such a sweet demeanor. It was fun to celebrate his life at the lake with family and then at home with just our family too. He did not know what to think about the singing and the candle but he sure did love his sweet treats!

Lydia's First Haircut

Last night I took the plunge and cut my baby girl's hair! It was really long but I didn't want to lose the baby curls. I took off a couple of inches and she did so good sitting still like a big girl. I love it! Even this morning it looks so much healthier and thicker and still has good curls:)

This is the "after" picture (at the bottom is the "before" picture...sorry not in order)

I promised her an ice cream treat after the haircut.

the "before" pic