Budgeting

I need some input from anyone willing to share. How much do you spend on groceries every month? I feel like all of our money goes to food, and I don't know if that is normal or if I should be concerned. For a family of 3 (and a baby) what is a good grocery budget? What do you spend? What do you buy? I don't think I'm willing to eat junk just to save money. I want to eat healthy, which is fresh produce and quality meats. Please share your story with me. Thanks

We're Baaack!

After 3 weeks away, Lucas, Sydney, and I are home! We've covered lots of miles, hit a few bumps in the road (one really big one, actually), and are glad to be back home. We can't wait to reconnect with our friends and get back to church.

Please Pray

Hello friends. Please pray for our friends whose brand new baby girl has been diagnosed with having Trisomy 13, a genetic disorder. You can click on their link The Talbotts on my friends list to read more about Elliana and her family. They are dear friends of ours, and I would appreciate your joining with us in prayer for them. Thanks!

Jane Eyre

A favorite past-time of mine is soaking in a warm bath (hot baths make me itchy) and reading a good book. Before my kids were born, I might spend 2 hours in the bathtub, then the water turned too cool and I had to get out. My mother-in-law really turned me on to reading when she shared her Francine Rivers "Mark of the Lion" series with me. I would read anything by her or by Ted Dekker. This week I have been able to get back to relaxing in the tub (though not for 2 hours). After a long, hard day, I was talking to my mom (whining to her is more like it), and she suggested I take a book to the tub and relax. The only book that I hadn't read in a long time was Jane Eyre (my copy from high school). I read a passage today that blew me away, and I want to share it with you...

"What a singularly deep impression her injustice seems to have made on your heart! No ill-usage so brands its record on my feelings. Would you not be happier if you tried to forget her severity, together with the passionate emotions it excited? Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. We are, and must be, one and all, burdened with faults in this world: but the time will soon come when, I trust, we shall put them off in putting off our corruptible bodies; when debasement and sin will fall from us with this cumbrous impalpable principle of life and thought, pure as when it left the Creator to inspire the creature; whence it came it will return, perhaps again to be communicated to some being higher than man- perhaps to pass through gradations of glory, from the pale human soul to brighten to the seraph! Surely it will never, on the contrary, be suffered to degenerate from man to fiend? No, I cannot believe that: I hold another creed, which no one ever taught me, and which I seldom mention, but in which I delight, and to which I cling, for it extends hope to all;it makes eternity a rest- a mighty home-not a terror and an abyss. Besides, with this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation never too deeply disgusts me, injustice never crushed me too low; I live in calm, looking to the end."
-Helen from Jane Eyre

A Big Day

Today I celebrated my 6th anniversary with Matt. He took me to the Chophouse last night for dinner! He gets to go there from time to time with clients for work, and I am always jealous. How sweet to surprise me by taking me there for our anniversary! Today was also Mother's Day...my first as a mother of 2. My precious baby girl was dedicated to the Lord at church, and my parents came to be a part of that. It was great to spend Mother's Day with my mom and as a mom. Thank you God for the gift of my children and blessing me with such a loving husband!

What have we been up to?

Check out my babies

Thank you, Jana! Click here to see the beautiful pictures my friend Jana took on Monday.

Where has the time gone?

Well, it's been 4 quick months since my last post. I have been very busy buying and selling a new home, moving, and having a baby. I stole a quick minute to publish some pics of my precious children. Lucas loves his sister! He is an amazing big brother, and she is a very good baby. I am very blessed.

Congested???

Try rubbing Vic's Vapor Rub on the bottoms of your feet and then put socks on. I slept like a baby last night, after being up the previous night not being able to breathe. Thanks, Jenny, for the tip. Do you think it's safe for kids??

Christmas Parade

Tonight we took Lucas downtown to see the Christmas parade...what a lousy parade! We had fun though. Matt summed it up by saying there were 4 marching bands and 20 politicians. Lucas liked the lights and music and there were a lot of dogs...we had a great time as a family, and we got to share the fun with our friends Chad and Lauren.

The Grinch

Lucas has a new favorite movie...Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original). He loves hearing those Whos sing. Here he is watching that classic Christmas cartoon.

A Clear Conscience

Who knew that the day after our bible study addressing having a clear conscience, I would be tested...and FAIL!
Let me start by painting a picture of my ordeal at Target this morning...While shopping with Lucas and having a buggy full of merchandise, my little guy poops. I have no diapers or wipes in my bag (a result of my laid-back mommyness that so often bites me in the butt). No problem, though, because I'm at Target and near the baby aisle. So I pick up a box of diapers and a small bag of wipes (to purchase) and proceed to the dressing room to change my little man. I ask the lady at the counter if I could change him in the family room, and she says "have you purchased that?" "No, but I will after I change his diaper and finish shopping." "No you can't do that until you buy it first." "Mam, I have no diapers in my purse, and he has pooped, please may I change him now." She says fine, but while I am changing Lucas, she calls her manager to the back. When I'm finished she makes me wait to be escorted to the front to make my purchase. I said "This is ridiculous, I'm not even finished shopping." At this point I felt like a thief and didn't hide how angry I was. When the manager finally came back five minutes later, so takes the diapers to escort me to the front. I explained that I wasn't finished shopping and didn't want to make 2 purchases. I had to convinced her to take them to the front for me while I finished shopping. I am still very upset with the way the situation was handled. I truly felt like they thought I was a sneaky thief trying to get away with something...
HOWEVER, the point of my story is to say that regardless of the situation I should not have treated the dressing room lady so rudely. She was just doing her job (although I wish she were more sympathetic to a mom with no diapers). So after carrying a guilty conscience all afternoon, I followed the advice of Nancy Leigh and more importantly of God's word, and I called the lady and apologized for being so rude to her. She was grateful and we ended our conversation in a friendly way. I do feel better having apologized...thank you bible study girls for helping me to know that I needed to seek forgiveness and keep my conscience clear.

And Sadie was her Name-O

While in Orlando, Matt and I named our new baby girl. Sadie (we're still deciding on her middle name). We named her while we were shopping in Downtown Disney. As soon as we decided that Sadie would be her name, Matt ran off to the store and bought her her first stuffed animal...a pink Disney Princess bear. So sweet! I have finally started to feel her move, and it's the most amazing feeling. Lucas knows his baby sister is in my belly. He'll even kiss my belly to kiss his sister :) Sadie is one lucky girl to have such a great big brother! Let me know what yall think of her name...

My 1st Trip to Disney

Lucas and I shared a special event this past week...it was our first trip to Disney World (Matt's already been). We had a very special time with some good friends. Lucas was a champ. We kept him out all day, and he never got fussy. He would nap in his stroller, and he walked a lot when he was awake. Even though the parks were fun, my favorite times were watching Lucas play in the fountains at the pool and taking a family nap on Friday on the couch bed watching the Lion King. Here are some pics.

Sugar and Spice

I found out this week that there is a little girl growing in my belly. A girl! I don't know how I feel about this. Before Lucas I always imagined myself with a daughter to play babies with and dress up together, but since Lucas I can only imagine throwing balls and dirt and food and anything else he can get in his hands. I know that this new baby is going to complete our family and will bring so much joy and love. I just need to alter my thinking and adjust to the pinkness of the situation. I went to Babies R Us and couldn't help but be drawn to the dinosaurs and trucks. It's gonna take me a while to warm up to pink princesses and butterflies. I know Lucas is going to be an amazing big brother and Matt couldn't be happier about his little girl. Maybe when we come up with a name it will feel more real to me. If you have any suggestions, I'm open. I have a lots of little boy names, but none for girls.

Good Lookin'

26 years OLD!!!

Last Saturday I celebrated my 26th birthday! I know to many people this is young...but it sure seems old to me! I still feel like a little girl playing house, only with a real husband and a real baby.
I had a great day with my family. We started with a big breakfast and spent the morning at the mall. We had our last set of family pictures taken while it is still just the 3 of us. It's really hard for me to imagine adding a new member to our family. I hear that is a normal feeling when you're having your second child. I have no doubt that we will love this new little one just as much as L (but it's hard to imagine).
After the mall, Matt planted a beautiful pink crate myrtle in my front flower bed. And then we enjoyed a scrumptious meal at Miyabi's with some good friends. A great day!
I'm really lucky that my birthday always falls around Labor Day because we're always able to see family. All of Matt's fam came over Monday to have a bbq. We love hanging with them and L loved seeing his new baby cousin.
It's hard to believe by my next birthday I'll be a mom of two! I know it is going to be an amazing year!

Taken with Dwight's camera phone at Miyabi's

Pleased with Parkside

L went for his 18 month check up today at Parkside where my friend Lauren is a nurse. My 30 pound baby got his shots and a hearing test since he's not a big talker. He passed the test with flying colors (I guess he'll talk when he has something to say). We were real pleased with the time and attention we were given. I am excited to have found this new doctor. Thanks Lauren!

Turner Niles

Matt is a "blood uncle" now. At least that's what he calls it. Matt's younger brother and his wife had their baby boy this week...Turner Niles. He's a doll! Lucas is now the older cousin, 18 months and 1 day to be exact. And Turner will be the older cousin in about 6 months when our new baby is born!

"tick-tock", "ball", "uh-oh", and "mama"

L has had a breakthrough...he's gone from maybe one word (we couldn't tell for sure) to definitely four! I love hearing my son talk to me! I can't wait to hear what he has to say next!