Fireman Josh!

Yesterday our sweet friends invited us to the Fire Station to celebrate Owen's 3rd birthday!  We had a great time and the kids loved it.  The firemen were so awesome, letting the kids try on their suits and even giving us a ride in the engine.  What a fun day!!

May not be the most clear picture, but his expression is priceless!

Things I love...

This morning was just one of those mornings.  Nothing bad happened, nothing out of the ordinary, but I just couldn't get motivated.  I had done my normal morning routine and even got some extra time to spend finishing my bible study before the kids got up.  So, as I trudged through the morning I just wasn't sure what I needed to get that extra kick in the pants energy I needed.  I got all the kids in the tub and turned on some worship music, hoping that a little more time with the Lord and without the kids would help.  I got busy on the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, still in a bit of a fog, got the kids out of the tub, felt a little stirring in my soul, yet still a little foggy.  Made tea for everyone (because that is what we do every morning as we head down to do school!), and all of a sudden, I realized what I needed more than anything...
I was listening to Jesus Culture on Pandora and something in me just broke.  There I stood, in the kitchen, kids looking at me, hands up in the air, tears in my eyes, singing and praising Jesus.  I needed more of JESUS this morning and He met me in the kitchen.  The song ended and I just felt a peace inside.  I felt the ability to go and do the rest of my day, I felt that little kick in the pants that I needed and I felt Jesus, sweet Jesus loving me right where I am.

So, the day continues and I am feeling good, things are going fine.  I put Joshua down for his rest, the house is so quiet and words just come to mind, so I write...

I love that when I turn on the computer, pictures of people I love come on the screen.
I love that some of those pictures are taken by my kiddos.
I love that one of those pictures is just little Abby Freeman's eyes and freckles.
I love that my house smells like the candle my husband bought me, that he remembered I liked it and went back to the store to get it for me.
I love that I can talk for 30+ minutes to a friend about coats, mom wounds, and what we are eating for lunch.
I love that I am excited that my hubby is coming home a little early tonight so we can run errands together as a family.
I love that I love my husband.
I love that when I look at my children I see a little of me, a little of him, and a lot of them in each one.
I love that there was a beautiful snow yesterday and the sun shone bright and warm today.
I love that the birds come each morning to our window to see if we refilled our feeders.
I love my big red dog who loves the word walk.
I love that each new day is a new beginning.
I love that I am still learning who I am and learning to love that girl.
I love that Jesus meets me in the kitchen.

Quotables...

It has been so long since I have written and the other day I sat down and looked at some old posts.  They made me smile and think how much my kids have grown and changed.  It was fun to go down memory lane.  So, today as I was putting Joshua to bed and he had plenty to say, I thought it was time to write down some of those things - the things that make me smile and make me remember how quickly they change.  There will come a day when they won't tell me everything they are thinking (it does happen already around here).  Not that writing them down with still the clock, but it will be fun and perhaps soothing to the soul in those moments when not much is being said, to stop, look back and smile!

J to Mom (after reading a street sweeper book at rest time) - "You remind me of an elephant because you know so much and elephants are really smart.  Elephants are kind of like street sweepers because they pick up things with their trunk and put them in their mouth.  But they don't pick up trash and dirt like a street sweeper does."

J to Mom (another day at rest time) - "I do like restin'.  I like restin' with you mom.  But I do like restin' with Jesus.  I believe in Jesus mom." (Melt My Heart!)

J to the family after reading the Bible story book at dinner - "I know a really good Bible story.  It has a guy with a strange name in it.  His name is Tooty.  Here is the story... There was a guy named Tooty who rode his camel and he tooted. The End" (nice one, thanks?!)

S to Mom - "I had a funny feeling inside my heart and I just felt like I need to pray for someone" How awesome is that, that already Sarah is recognizing Jesus speaks to her and will prompt her to pray!

I know there have been many more funny, touching, silly, sweet things said around here.  It would be impossible to write them all down, but here are a few and here's to being young and speaking your mind!

Catching up!

So much for staying on top of the blog and trying to write more often!  Perhaps that will be a good winter thing to do.  We have been super busy this summer.  We have had lots of fun and enjoyed it all!  Here are quite a bit of posts catching up on the last few months.  Hope you are enjoying summer as much as we are!

A week in Paradise...

Well, perhaps it isn't paradise, but it is a great place to spend time.  Each summer one of my besties Trish, and I, pack up our kids and head to Del Norte to visit the Freemans.  This year Becky and her crew joined us for the week too.  It is rather exhausting and is a week spent making meals, cleaning them up, making more meals, cleaning more dishes, getting millions (okay just 11) kids ready for bed and then starting it all over again!  But, besides that part, it is wonderful and truly a bit of paradise because we are together with friends, not just any, but amazing friends that challenge, bless, laugh, and love you through anything.  The kids thoroughly enjoy it as well and can't seem to get enough of each other.  We love you Freeman's and thank you SO much for letting us invade your life for a week each summer!!

Where else do you look out the window in the morning and see a bunch of cows stopping the traffic on the hwy?  Well, here in Del Norte you can!  We all went out in our pj's to watch the cowboys move their cows!  

The day at the Rio Grande!  The Freeman's live with in walking distance of the river so 

we always enjoy a day of play there.

Did I mention that I love spending the days chatting with these ladies?!

 20 miles away from their house, there was a huge forest fire.  On Thursday night we went and helped a friend of the Freeman's pack up their house since they were going to be evacuated.  Pretty scary!  Thankfully, they were able to move back into their house a few weeks later.

My traveling buddy!  Love you Trish!!

Father's Day

I think my kiddos have the best dad in the world...really I do!  He is very present when he is here, he loves to interact with his kids.  He is patient, kind, silly, and fun.  He is an amazing teacher.  I love how he teaches the kids things so that they understand life and can then work through things that might be difficult.  He is an example of our heavenly father and for that I am so thankful.  Nate, you bless us beyond words, thank you for being an amazing father to our children, there is no one I would rather share life with!

The card we made daddy!  

VBS

We had a great week at VBS this year.  We brought a few friends along and enjoyed the week together!
Each day there was a different theme...

Red Shirt day

Hat day

I helped out two of the days so I wore the old family heirloom hat!

Pajama day

Crazy Hair day

Water day

It was a fun week and I think the kids even learned a thing or two!