think about such things

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me,
or seen in me- put into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9

a sweet getaway

last week we decided to escape with some friends to the mountains of colorado. it had been awhile since we had been out of town and we needed it so desperately. we had originally planned a month away to NH { actually, i was to be away with the kids for a month and justin would join us when he could}. well, with the rising gas prices and absurd airfare, we thought it best to stay close to home. i really battled with disappointment- i wanted so badly to spend the summer on the lake, but God had other plans for us and i've learned over the years not to have expectations. {as justin reminds me, that when we have expectations, we only get hurt} so, i really needed to go before the Lord and surrender MY plans for HIS plans and what would be best for our family. we're trying so hard to be better stewards and it just didn't seem right to spend all that money this year. God spoke very clearly to me and reminded me that what's important is relationships, so i set aside all the desires i had and fully committed to making it a great summer at home. however, God gave us a sweet little gift in the form of faithful friends and a home in the mountains. {more importantly, church was able to free justin for a few extra days- thank you dave!} so off we went..... here are a few highlights







thank you Lord, that you gave us this little bit of time so that we could re-focus and spend time in your creation. thank you that you love us enough to bless us even when we least expect it. thank you for relationships that are centered on you and memories that will last. i love that you know just what we need and when we need it.

how would we manage without our......

TOTES!!

this is what it takes to get a family of 5 on vacation and it's only for 4 days! as you can see we are BIG fans of the L.L. Bean and Land's End tote. what is a family to do without one of these?

this is a breakdown.....

x-large green tote- parents clothes
large navy tote-snacks and breakfast items
medium raspberry tote- mia's clothes
medium green tote- lis' clothes
medium red tote- seth's clothes and diapers
small black/blue tote- hair accessories and toiletries
mini tote- snacks for the car

last fall, i tried to get my sweet accommodating husband to take the x-large green {monogrammed} tote on his men's retreat. that was quickly shot down- he was afraid that he would be made fun of. REALLY! not only are they the easiest bag to pack and find your stuff, but they're so cute to carry and not to mention they look darling in the back of the car. i just couldn't imagine why he didn't want to take this tote.

i'm from new england and every good new englander knows that this tote is a staple in our luggage collection. i leave the large navy tote in the back of the car, so when stray items seem to pile up, i can always throw them in there and somehow, the junk from the car looks good.

we have 7 totes, and occasionally i find myself browsing the LL Bean catalog for that next tote that will somehow complete my collection. maybe it will be that insulated one for picnics- now which color to choose from?

NOTE: i just checked out the LL Bean website and they have a sale on TOTES! this is a killer deal for a must-have!

Thy Word

Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Psalm 119:89

Oh, how i love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Psalm 119:97

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105

mama got some help!

lately, i've been struggling with trying to get everything i need to get done and enjoy my time with the girls and S. however, it's been very difficult to get even the smallest of chores done around here. actually, IMPOSSIBLE... {in the 5 minutes i've sat at the computer, i've been interrupted 6 times- really} have i been lazy, unmotivated, discouraged, overwhelmed? YES, i have... i admit it, so the first thing is recognizing that i have a problem and the 2nd thing is to do something about it. a big part is that i have 3 sets of eyes starring back at me, 3 sets of hands grabbing at me, 3 sets of feet running after me, and 3 MOUTHS to feed ALL day long. it's very difficult to finish what i've started.

after a long hard look at my situation, i realized that something HAD to change. something HAD to give {as my husband so nicely puts it}. well, something did change, i found a little mamas helper, a sweet 12 year old girl who loves kids, she lives 1 mile away, and best of all she has no big summer plans.

she came over today, so that i could clean out closets and the kitchen pantry. i had 3 hours of uninterrupted time. the girls and S were having a great time and so was I!! we decided on one morning a week for her to come over and watch the kids so that i could get some projects done. {i've been feeling a little guilty this afternoon for having to pay someone to watch the kids while i clean- is there something wrong with that?}

the pantry before- don't look too closely.. yuck!

the pantry after- don't look too closely..

i was able to set aside some clothes for donation...

thank you Lord that i was able to be productive today. thank you for our little helper that was able to watch the kids, bless her. thank you for keeping them safe. i want to be better at managing my time, so that i can serve you more. help me to follow through and fill me with your spirit, so that i may better discern my priorities.

a good start to the day

i just wanted to show you all how we begin our day. it doesn't always look like this, most of the time i have a child {or 2} on my lap and i'm trying to keep them quiet. but, for some reason today, i wanted to capture this moment- to me this is a beautiful picture of our family.


thank you Heavenly Father, that you have blessed this family with a man that so desires to live according to your word. that he desires for his children to grow in the grace and knowledge of you. thank you that we can start our day going before you and committing the day to you. it's a privilege to be called your children.

sundays best

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve
what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

in God we trust

our pastor put it so perfectly here. please read.......

{ok, so the flowers aren't looking so hot}

thank you Lord, that i live in a country that was founded on you, where i can worhsip you and enjoy the freedoms that come with living here. i pray for our nation, that we might return to your truth.