cupcakes and shoes

Isabel has a Princess cookbook, with fairly easy, fun recipes for kids. She has been asking to make the Cotton Candy Cupcakes. So, last week, we did! They are super simple...you just mix up your cupcakes and frosting (you can used boxed/premade even, if you wish). Then, add cotton candy on top. We did two different batches. The first one we used plain icing, and added some sprinkles. The next one we used neon food coloring with the icing...it didn't look neon AT ALL to me, but it did make a really cute, girly purple. The kids LOVED these. OK, David and I actually really liked them to...I mean, what's not to like...cupcakes, icing, cotton candy, sprinkles even!







Also, this past week, Blake got his first pair of shoes. Well, actually they are not the first pair we got for him, but they are the first pair he has worn. Joseph put them on him, and they were soooo cute. Needless to say, he kicked them off about a minute later.

And, for good measure I had to throw in these last two pictures. Blake makes this face all the time, and it reminds me of a bird. I think it looks hilarious when he does his mouth like this...Blake Birdy :)


We also finally found a bathtub seat. Who knew they were so hard to find these days...then again, maybe that was just me who had trouble. It's about like his Bumbo...he really likes it for about 10 minutes...but he's not strong enough to sit in it any longer than that. Still, I see plenty of use for BOTH of those in our future :)

Happy Birthday, boo

My second born, Joseph, turned 10 on Sunday. I'm pretty sure every parent says this on every birthday, but really, where does the time go?

When I found out we were expecting number 2, I really wanted it to be a boy. I wanted a brother for Andrew. And, truth be told, I was never good at girly stuff...hair, makeup, etc. I really thought two was going to be it for us...so two boys would suit us just fine! When I found out we were, indeed, expecting another boy, I was over the moon! I came up with the name Joseph. My grandfather, who passed away when I was little, we called him "Papa Joe". His name was actually Chalmas Lexter, so I have No clue where "Joe" came from for him, except maybe that his name was Chalmas Lexter. Haha! Anyway, I remember he used to do magic tricks for us. He would make a candy bar magically appear and give it to us before dinner, but tell us not to tell our parents (we, meaning my cousins and I). Good memories. So, Joseph kind of came from "Papa Joe". Plus, David's dad is Jose, which is the Spanish form of Joseph.

My pregnancy was pretty uneventful. Though I labor very well, my body has trouble getting started. I was induced right at my due date with Joseph. He was my only child who was born in Sulpher Springs, the rest were born in our hometown. I went there per my friend, who had a great experience with a doctor over there. He was a great doctor...a real character. When it was time to start pushing, I did...then the nurse told me to stop until the doctor got there. All I remember at that point is yelling that Joseph was coming. The nurse said not to push. I told her I wasn't pushing at all, that he was coming out on his own. Then she basically ran to me from across the room and caught Joseph...seriously. The doctor was very disappointed he missed it, but such is life...literally :)

From the time my induction was started, until he arrived, around 1:00 pm, was only a few short hours. I had a healthy, beautiful, amazing 6 lb 10 oz baby boy. I was completely thrilled that he looked more like my side of the family, since his older brother looked so much like David's side. It was only fair, right? Remember I thought two children would be it for us? Yea, well, David talked me OUT of getting my tubes tied. I "knew" I didn't want anymore children, but something in me told me to listen to David. Thank goodness, because now we have had two more children since Joseph. Insane how life works out! God ALWAYS knows best. Joseph was such a great baby...ALWAYS smiling, always happy...ALWAYS. He was an absolute joy.

He is such an amazing child. I will admit that he has been my most challenging, thus far. But, though he takes a little more energy at times, I think it's more than worth it, I think his future is going to be really bright. I think God has some prodigious things planned for my sweet Joseph. He is so smart, so creative. His thinking is different than a lot of his peers...which was hard for me at first, but then I realized what an asset that is for him. I read once that God makes each child unique to HIS plan, not ours, as parents. He has created Joseph with a purpose, and I'm so thankful God saw fit to place him in OUR family...that he thinks WE can help him get to where he needs to be. If you read my previous post, you know that I'm not so sure about my ability to do that, but I am blessed that God thinks so. Happy Birthday to my extraordinary treasure of a son...I love you to the moon and back, Boo.

Inadequate...

There are days when I am completely trusting in the plan God has for me. There are others, that I feel so lost and confused, wondering what is HE thinking? For example, I love my 4 children, and I see them as gifts, as blessings, and most(or maybe "some" would be more accurate than "most" here) days things go pretty smoothly. Other days, I wonder why, how, HE thought I could handle 4 kids. How I could handle 1 kid? Handle isn't the right word. It's not that I don't want them, or anything like that, so let's not even go there. But some days, all I can focus on are the ways I have failed them. God's word tells us no one is perfect, that we are all sinners, so...I know I'm not going to be the perfect Mom...but some days I fall so incredibly short that I just don't understand why He entrusted me with 4 children. To raise. To train. To teach. To lead. To be responsible for. Proverbs 22:6 says to Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is older, he will not turn from it. How do I know if I'm training them right? I mean, when it comes down to it, if I have taught them about God, and they believe in Him and that Jesus died for them, accept His as their Savior, and live for Him...then really, what else matters? In the long run, nothing. I get that. But, I expect them to have a long, healthy life here on Earth, and I want it to be a happy time for them. I want to teach them about responsibility, serving, working hard, caring for others, patience, humbleness, and priorities. I also need to be leading by example. It's one thing if they suffer for their mistakes, but I don't want them to suffer because of my mistakes, because I led them wrong. And I know that if we were given a report card on this stuff, a lot of days I would get a big, fat "F". My dream (I kid you not) is to be a Proverbs 31 woman. The problem, is that if you found the picture of the Proverb 31 woman's heart...it would not be anything like mine. What hurts the most, what saddens me the most, is that I know I am not reaching my full potential in being the Mommy He has planned for me to be. I don't want to be inadequate, I want to be good enough, I want to know I'm doing a decent job, I want to know I'm putting all the love and energy I have into being a good mother to the children He has lent me. I have SO much work to do, I don't even know where to start. So, today I fail...but I guess there is always hope for tomorrow :) And, we won't even get into how I feel about my shortcoming's as a wife...yikes.

In the flesh

There are times, minutes, even whole days, whole weeks that I just struggle. Scratch that...because I'm pretty sure my whole life is a struggle, as far as battling my flesh. I absolutely love God, and His word tells me to love. I want to obey His commands. We are going through a Bible study right now, something like the attributes of God, and the point, basically (I think...I hope I've got the point) is that God is love. And boy, oh boy, is He much better at it than me. Maybe that's why He is God, and I am not. Sure, I have my days, when I turn the other cheek, pray for my enemies, and truly feel sorry for those who are hateful or tacky to me (or others) because I know they must not be feeling the Father's love for them to act that way, and that's just sad. But, I have many more days when I have bad thoughts, when I dream up awesome comebacks for the rude things they say, when I scheme about what I can do to "pay them back" and make them feel like outcasts. I have days, when someone tells me about their struggles and I think "If you were walking in the light" you wouldn't be having these troubles, when I know that I also have struggles and Lord help us it's not because we don't try, but because we are human and we fail...miserably...and what I should be doing is offering a listening, loving, non judgemental ear. What I should be doing is loving others like Christ loves me. My goal this "New Year" is to be less judgemental, which I think falls in line with loving one another. I pray that God fills me completely full, running over the brim with His love...so much that I can't help but bless others with that same love. I want others to look at me and say "I want what she has" as far as peace and joy goes...which can only be had by being filled with the Holy Spirit. I don't want others to see me as an angry, tacky, unhappy, resentful Christian. I'm pretty sure that's NOT the picture God wants me to pass on. So, I hope this is a life changing year for me. I know I don't have to worry about God coming through for me, He is a given, an ever-present help...it's myself, my flesh, that I have to worry about.
Maybe I should start with posting some of these verses up where I can see them daily... (I really love the Message version of His Word)

John 13:34-35
Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.


Romans 12:9-10
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.


Galatians 5:13-15
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?


Hebrew 10:24-25
So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching

1 John 4:11-12
My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

Hodge podge

Ok, so this picture is a tad late...we were making Christmas cookies and Isabel looked so cute in her new apron :)

Again, I LOATHE being IN the picture...but I love my sweet boy...who is now four months, so I thought I should share this, too...He is growing so well and is doing great. Although being a first time Mom is a fabulous feeling, I must say, there is something really neat about NOT being a first time Mom (as in you've already had children). It seems like with each child I get a little more laid back, a little more comfortable, a little more confident, and honestly just a little better of a mother. I guess it's the kind of thing where you live, you learn...I got to try lots of things out on the other three kids...so lucky Blake! Of course, I am still terribly far from being an expert. I don't think I could have enough children in my lifetime to make me an expert, though ;)


Anyway, life is good. Not a whole lot going on...which is a good thing, right?! I can't believe we are halfway through the school year. My oldest will be starting high school and getting a learner's permit for driving later this year. Ummmm....Crazy!
My friend Amber, has a new blog, which I will add the link to my list soon. She posted a Maple Hot Chocolate recipe, and while my kids didn't care for it a whole lot (I guess they can keep the watery hot chocolate drink from a package haha) I absolutely loved it! In fact, I've made it twice already!
My sister is due with her third child in early March, and I'm busy working on shower stuff for the end of this month. I'm so glad Blake is going to have a little boy cousin his age. My cousins were my first best friends!
Have a good rest of your week, everyone!

Just a random thought...

Ok. I was sitting here thinking about something and decided to post. It has to do with Christmas. I, like many other Christians, think Christmas is too "hyped up" as far as gifts and other things go...the material aspect is out of control. Even though David and I talk to our kids a lot about the true meaning of Christmas, Christ's birth, etc...we are also guilty of getting caught up in the hype of everything else. It's so hard because it's EVERYWHERE...everywhere you go the material side of Christmas is shoved in your face. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming anyone else for going overboard on the wrong things at Christmas, I'm just saying it's easy to do so. Now, I love Christmas...I love it, so I'm not trying to be negative...I'm really not. But, every year I think I'm going to do "better" as far as sticking to the true reason to celebrate Christmas and have it be more Christ centered and less gift, part, etc centered. Every year I fail. Miserably.
So, as I sit here thinking, and idea came to mind. What if we had Christmas in July and December. What if we did gifts/presents in July...and in December made it solely about Christ? Or even the opposite? Gifts in Dec. and more spiritually focused in July? I think July would be easier for gifts because it's Summer, and well...I don't know that's just what I think. I mean, if we split it up, would it defeat the purpose because it's still doing "gifts for Christmas" at one point? I'm not sure...I am just thinking I really, really, want our next Christmas to be more true to the real reason for celebrating. I guess the first thing I should do is spend some time in prayer about my idea...but again, just wanted to share my random thoughts about it. Have a blessed day, all :)

We are gonna need wet wipes....

We are sitting in the living room, Blake in his bouncer seat.
Joseph walks up to him and turns up his nose, "WHAT is that putrid smell?!!!"
I told him that maybe he had a dirty diaper, just to leave him alone.
I get up to go change him and Isabel comes in and sees what's going on...I noticed Joseph was putting Blake carefully on the couch. So I'm waiting to see what they are going to do. Isabel says, "Ok, now undo his diaper realllllllly slow so I can get a good look and see if he pooped. We are gonna need wet wipes, I can tell." So, They undo his diaper and immediately, both Isabel and Joseph take off running and screaming like wild banshees.
Just a few of their comments...
It's everyyyywherrrrre
It Stinkkkkkssss
That's Disgussstinggggg
Ewwww Nasssty
He went in his paaaaaaants
AGHHHHH Poooooop

Why do I find this hilarious? Maybe I'm the only one, but...my blog and I'll post if I want to :) I love my life!

P.S. It really WAS everywhere!