The Art Institute

Emma and Baby Grace...isn't she an adorable Momma?
Thoroughly enjoying smores!

Emma and I making smores...somehow we slaved away while the boys enjoyed the fruits of our labor...teehee!

I think he has too many marshmallows in that cute mouth

My cuties in the museum

Here we are!

Daddy and Emma

Today we visited the Art Institute and had such a wonderful time! We truly are blessed by our family and we always have such a great time together. It amazes me how funny our children are. We have such well behaved children, it always amazes me!

We also ate at a restaurant which served smores you could make at the table and had a great time! Afterwards we did a bit of shopping where Emma took Baby Grace with her...so cute!

All in all it was a wonderful day of beginning cultural experiences for the children. While at the museum we discussed which colors make us feel happy and the textures of the paintings...how Vangogh used a skinny brush and monet used a lot of oil paint and it looks very chunky...who knows if they wull ever use this info but at least I will know it is in their cute little brains somewhere!

Where the Heck is the Other Shoe?

Do you do this? Do you just wait for the other shoe to drop so to speak? I have a problem with being conststantly anxious. I know I have spoken about this before. But right now things are going really well. I KNOW God wants me home. Money keeps magically appearing. Things keep falling into place and every night when we kneel for prayer time I find myself in tears when thanking God for everything...seriously there is so much I don't even know what to say to the Big Guy. But in the back of my mind there is this part of me saying "enjoy it while it lasts..."

I guess my question is what the heck is up with that? I think it is a definite trust issue with God that I think "yeah things are great now but He can't possibly keep it up. I don't deserve THAT much." But here's the thing: I don't deserve one bit of it. Not one bit. Nothing. Nada. Zip. That is what Grace is all about. I screw up but somehow out of the ashes God picks me up, brushes me off and sends me back into the game...and He blesses me on top of forgiving me. Wow.

Does anyone else just kind of wait for things to go sour or am I the only one in the boat?

I ask this because I am still working on being super happy and joyful. And it is definitely working I must say. I don't feel so much like a maid anymore when I do things with a song in my step. Nicholas has definitely shown appreciation and randomly hugs me and thanks me for being me. I love that man so much!

Well goodnight!

The Real Me

Yep, this is me...LindsayAnn.

I'm a dork. Totally and unappreciated.

I am a constant worrier. If there is nothing to worry about I will make something up.

I've decided I do not like people who think they are better than me because they hit the gym more than me. All that means is you probably have some type of fungal problem on your hands.

I still wonder what in the world my husband sees in me.

I am striving to be joyful about everything and happy and fun...which in turn means I am no longer worrying.

I have the funniest children you've ever seen.

I love playing the Game of Life over and over and over and over

I will creep you on Facebook...just know it.

I make to-do lists of how to tackle my to-do list.

I love the Lord and am in complete awe, speechless, no words to make, about this fantastic life God has given me.

My one addiction...hazelnut coffee creamer.

Sushi is something I yanked my husband over into and I think he's loving it too. Banana Republic is what he got me hooked on...whose was more expensive?

Spring is for lovers...totally for us.

Enjoy Sunday...it is the LORDS DAY! :)

So...

What do you think of my new look? I guess I should say updated look. I LOVE my header of the mom doing everything because 1) I have a rob that exact color, and 2) that is just me, I don't know it just is. But I thought it was a little bland and I was just getting tired of it. I was looking for a background, fully aware that I was going to have to ditch my header in order to do that. But when I uploaded the new do I was pleasantly surprised that it let me keep my multiple personalities up top! The best of both worlds if you ask me! Hooray, I am one happy lady! :)

Nick Made My Life

Nick told me today to listen to this song because it was about me. As he put it "I was driving and heard this song and thought, Hey! This is about my Lindsay Ann". He is just so sweet and I guess I never even thought he thought of me when he heard a song. I just love him so much and listening to this song by Jack Johnson brought tears to my eyes that he feels so strongly about me. Ah, he really does still give me butterflies! Ah. Here is the song:

I've got an Angel
She doesn't wear any wings
She wears a heart that can melt my own
She wears a smile that can make me wanna sing
She gives me presents
With her presence alone
She gives me everything I could wish for
She gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home

She could make angels
I've seen it with my own eyes
You gotta be careful when you've got good love
Cause the angels will just keep on multiplying

But you're so busy changing the world
Just one smile can change all of mine
We share the same soul
We share the same soul

(I left out the ooh's, sorry Jack)

Friday

You know, when you don't work Friday's don't really feel like Fridays at all. I just left the supermarket and told the cashier to have a great weekend, only to find myself wondering...it is the weekend right? Is it only Tuesday? No we had two days of preschool so yes, yes it is Friday.

As I close out the first week of staying home I must say that I am having a great time...despite Emma's severe case of Seperation Anxiety, Calvin tipping his chair back and landing on the back of his head, and Nick's schedule getting all goofed up, I am having a wonderful time. I love knowing that I am getting things done and that I have plenty of time to put the mending aside and say, yes I will chase you around the house.

Also today Nick and I took Cal to Target to do some shopping while Emma was at Preschool. We loaded up on simple things we needed and Nick was all for getting the biggest container of toilet paper they make so I don't have to worry about it. As we were loading things in the car I got choked up for what must have been the millionth time.

Look at our lives! Look at our lives compared to two months ago! God has blessed us beyond measure. He has made all of my dreams come true, and oh my goodness, I just can't help but say, What A Mighty God We Serve! I fall on my knees, knowing that EVERYTHING we have comes from Him. And look at what He has chosen to give us.

Wow...

Our Day Yesterday

Yesterday we had a very nice day despite waking up at 4 am! I caught the children having quiet time together on the landing reading. Emma practiced with her guitar while Cal practiced the Eukele, and then Auntie Bean gave us Cal's Birthday present so after Daddy put it together they got busy working! I love them so much. Today I took Emma to preschool and picked her up and this was the first time I was ever able to do that. I know it seems like a simple thing but I am so grateful that I will be able to be the one who can do that from now on!

Drowning Fast

Why didn't someone shoot me when I thought I would be able to get so much done around the house being a Housewife? Today was definitely one for the records. It started with Emma getting into bed with me at 4 am, simultaneously waking up her brother. She then announced..."is there anything to do? I'm not tired at all." No! Go to bed!

This morning we had library school in which I arrived way too early. Errr. Then we met Bean and Mom for lunch and we were late. Then we went shopping and Cal discovered how exhilarating it is to punch me while I try to push the cart. Then we got home from shopping at 3 only to have 2 awake kids cry that I dare try to put them down for a nap.

Now we are having the screaming match that has become routine with Emma every night. She wants to be held, she doesn't want her mom to leave the room, etc. etc. So Nick has yelled, and spanked her, and I have done the same. Does anyone else have any advice? Am I a terrible mother that I am not coddling her? On one hand I think "well she's only 3" and then on the other hand I think "good grief, grow up, you're 3!" So I continue on with Mom guilt, bleary eyed from lack of sleep.

Our house looks like some type of intercity tornado stormed through. There is ham and bean soup cooked onto our stove and Nick is watching skating on tv. My head feels like it is going to explode with all of this! Errrr!

Cal's First Haircut

Saturday we took Cal to get his first haircut. For the most part he was awesome. All of the guys at the Barbershop kept commenting on how great he was doing. And he now looks like such a daper little man, I just can't believe it! I just love him so much but in moments like these it saddens me that he is growing up so quickly! So goodbye baby look and hello little boy look!

Day 1 of Being a Home Maker

In an effort to keep myself completely organized, I thought I would plan out my meals and post them on here so ya'll can keep me accountable. And plus then you'll know when you want to stop in for dinner! ;) Here goes:
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday: Creamed Ham and Asparagus on Toast
Wednesday: Taco night
Thursday: Ham and Beans with Jalapeno Cornbread
Friday: Spaghetti and Meatballs with garlic bread and salad
Saturday: Steak, Baked Potatoes, and Buttered Peas
Sunday: Panko crusted Chicken with Butter Noodles and Green Beans

Things here are going well so far. The children were impossible this weekend which certainly took a toll on Nicholas and myself. But so far, so good. I woke up at about 4:30 to exercise, have some quiet time with God and get ready before the chidren awoke.

That is it for now...have a wonderful day in the Lord! :)

The Children

Here are a couple of pictures from every day life with the children. Calvin is playing with Imaginext and Emma is in her robe after a bath. They seem to be having so much fun these days. Cal and Emma seem to be getting along well except for the fact that Calvin has become a boy who is definitely in his Terrible Two's! Ahhh! Hair pulling, hitting, kicking, biting, smacking, rubbing tuna on his sister, he does all of those things and more!

Errr! I am the mother of two children who apparently need some strong discipline right now. But you know what? Iwouldn't trade it for the world! I love them and we are having so much fun together!

A Day

I am working until noon today and then I am going to have the day to myself! I am going to be going to the mall to return some shoes and do a little shoping for the children. After that I am going to go to Target to hopefully purchase an Easter dress and some yummy sushi for lunch. I will eat said lunch at home while I let the dog out to do her thing. After that I will be going to the outlet mall to try to find some shoes for myself, some cute Valentine's Boxers for the love of my life, and possibly some easter outfits for the children.

How can I do this you ask? Because I have the best in-laws in the world (mother and father that is...I don't know about the rest of you yet! j/k :) ) They are taking the kids today. Nick is picking them up after work and will eat dinner down there, thus meaning that I have a day to myself and I also do not have to make dinner. Woot, woot!

I am so super excited because quite frankly, I just need a day! I need time to myself. And if I am super productive I will come home from errands and shopping and have time to get cleaning done so I can enjoy the weekend with the children. Hooray!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and are relaxed and refreshed come Monday!

Thrilling Thursday!

Well we have made it to Thursday! Isn't God just amazing? Every day should be viewed as a gift.

This morning those little blessings of mine were awake at 4 am. I must admit that when it feels like the middle of the night and everyone is awake, it is very difficult for me to treat my little blessings, like, well, little blessings. But when I left for work they were still awake, and they were happy. Happy little ones is all a Mommy can ask for.

Nicholas is hard at work today too. I was thinking of that last night. A few months ago I would have given anything for him to be back to work, and then when he is I feel lonely and sad that he's not there. What in the world is wrong with me? Why am I always so discontent about everything? Take this weekend for an example. Nicholas has worked all weekend and of course I am busy making plans. He thinks he may have an opportunity to work overtime this weekend which he must do to provide for us (that is our plan at least!). No sooner do I hear this then I am upset and sad that we can't do the things we were talking about. Seriously, what is wrong with me?

So here is what I am doing. I am going to change. I know, shocking, right?

I am going to be joyful and happy in all things! That is something I want my children to pick up and those are traits I want them to carry with them all through life. Plus the Bible tells us to be joyful! How can I talk about how God has so richly blessed us and how AWESOME He is if I am down in the dumps about everything?

1 Thessalonians 5:15-17 tells us:

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
Be joyful always; pray continually;"

And so this will be my new life. How can I be grumpy or mad or sad if I am making it a point to be happy and joyful?

Will you jump on the joyful train with me? Will you make that promise to always try to find the good in every situation? To be happy when your old self probably wouldn't have been?

Love Them!

Here's the latest picture of our absolutely adorable children...don't you just want to eat their faces off? They are just so cute! I love them so much and I am so lucky to be their Mommy! They don't want anyone but me to be their Mommy and that is an amazing feeling!

How are things going on your end? Things here are going well. I was really proud of myself because I got my to-do list done yesterday! I am trying to make our home office upstairs on the third floor rather than where it is now which is in our guest room. So I think I have that almost all put together which is nice. I am excited about it because it is light and cute and cheery. I think I will be really happy up there. I am also excited with how it is set up that I have a somewhat L-Shaped set up with a desk that holds everything on one side with the printer and everything else, and on the other side is a big table for my workspace. I like that I can do officey kind of stuff on it or scrapbooking, gift wrapping, organizing, and what not. That was what I wanted was a big space I could do anything on and then have somewhere to put the stuff away and have the space clear again.

Laundry I have decided is an on-going process. I think I may have lost the battle. But I got some done and some folding done which to me is progress.

I got everyone called I needed to and the children and I had a lot of fun yesterday.

Today Emma is going with her Grandma down to her house and I think they are going to be doing a little bit of scrapbooking! How fun does that sound? Cal and I will have time alone together and I am hoping he will take a good nap for me (please note that I am not counting on this. at all. )

Have a good day!

Tuesday

In case you have lost track I now have to go to work only 8 more times! How exciting is that? We are slllloooowwwwllllyyyy closing in on the end of the week and before we know it I will be in the last week of working! The children are still getting up every morning between 4:30 and 5:00, crying that I am leaving. That makes for some very sleepy children and a very guilt-ridden Mommy. I cannot wait for that cycle to end. My little darlings need their rest.

Emma is also having a hard time going to sleep. Last night she cried herself to sleep and when I asked her what was wrong the poor dear said "I'm just so sad you have to go to work tomorrow". That is such a hard thing to hear. To know that I am the reason my poor Angel's heart is breaking.

I only work until 10 today which is super exciting for me because I have a to-do list that is about a mile long waiting for me at home. Nothing that HAS to be done, just things I am wanting to concentrate on. What are you working on today?

Here's my list:
Return telephone call from my Grandma
Call the ladies for the Valentine's Day party
Laundry
Clean 3rd floor and get tidy!
workout during naptime!

Have a great day!

YAWN

So I am at work and am so bored. Did I mention I only have to go to work 9 more times? How exciting is that? We are in the single digits!

I thought I would just use this blog entry to just randomly write about whatever comes to mind. Its my blog so I can do that!

We had such a great weekend! I truly in love with my husband! He is such an amazing man who actually loves me and wants me to be happy. I don't think there is anything better than having someone like that in your life. This weekend we went out with friends and we all had such an amazing time. Nick makes everyone laugh and I feel so blessed to be his wife when I can look around the table and everyone is laughing so hard they can't breathe because of something he said. I am just so stinkin' lucky! He honestly still give me butterflies and we have been married for almost seven years.

I am thinking of painting my dressing room with red and pink stripes. Do you think that would look too much like the inside of a circus tent?

Our remodel in the living room has starte and oh my goodness how excited I am to see the finished product! It is just going to look amazing! Nick has patched some of the areas in the walls and then this next weekend we are drywalling some areas. After that it will be a matter of sanding and then we can paint! I think I am going with a sage green for the entire room except for the alcove where the tv and fireplace are. In there I think I am going to make it a darker green. Don't worry...I'll take pictures to show you our progress!

I usually am not one of those people who gets tired of winter but I AM SO TIRED OF WINTER!

My son is the most handsome little boy. I want to eat his face off.

Alright, I think that's it for now.

Winding Down

Well as the kids are well aware, I only go to work 9 more times! How exciting is that? Things here are going well. We FINALLY got Nick's first paycheck this last Friday and once again were shown how truly great is our God! We should be just fine! Yahoo! I have noticed lately that one of my huge stressors lately has been money. I am always worried if we will have enough, are we contributing enough into savings? Retirement? College funds? Ugh, sometimes the stress can be overwhelming. So I am going to try to let it go.

When I want something I think of if I REALLY need it. Most of the time the answer is no. I was at TJ Maxx and saw Mrs. Meyers in the baby scent. I wanted it...bad. Do I need more cleaning products? That would be a huge n to the o. So I passed. Old Navy had huge clearance on sweaters. Do I need more sweaters? N to the o again! So I passed and it felt invigorating!

I did need new sneakers. So I made sure to not just run out and buy the first pair I wanted. I reseached what I wanted and then I searched and searched for the best price. I actually found the best price for my new New Balance 720's to be on NewBalance.com! Just a tip! I would have guessed the best price would have been on some deep discount website or at a bargain bin type of store, not the company's website but alas I was wrong so I am so, so happy that I tried all venues.

When researching I have been thinking on Proverbs 31. Verse 11 tells us that the noble wife's husband has full confidence in her. I want Nick to have full confidence in me and to know that I make the best decisions. Verse 16 tells us that "she considers a field and buys it"...okay I know I am not investing in real estate or anything but I guess my thinking here is that whatever decisions deal with our money...I need to be prayerfully considering them and making good investments...not just throwing money away.

Another thing I have been doing to help me not to be so stressed about money is to avoid things that make me feel like we don't have any money. What am I talking about? Well for one example, jewelry ads that come in the mail around this time. All those things do is to make me want things I don't need and that we can't afford. They also tend to make me a little mad at old-what's-his-face, who happens to not really be the jewelry giving guy. And you know what? I am okay with that (as of right now!). Another thing that makes me covet is when I web surf...gap, vickie's...they call my name. And before long I have convinced myself that I need ALL of this stuff...and when I can't have it I get upset and look around uncontentedly at what I do have. That's not what God calls us to do.

So as I wind down working I am also hoping to wind down my attachment to consumerism. I think I will always secretly want a new Coach Bag, or new Choos, but I am hoping to squelch those things and be able to focus on what really matters...my precious darlings I get to take care of and my amazing husband who (with God's help of course!) is making that happen!