My Bucket List

I've seen a few blogs that have posted this and I find it interesting to read what other people's goals are. So here's my list of things I'd like to accomplish before I kick the bucket.

1. Ride in a hot air balloon.
2. Go to the Mediterranean, sail along the coast, visit the countries and eat the food.
3. Learn a foreign language- I'm thinking German.
4. Go on a short term mission trip.
5. Ride a camel.
6. Fill a whole room with books. (LOL, just kidding, that one is just to get a reaction from V)
7. Cruise to Alaska- see whales.
8. Own a pet skunk.
9. Visit all 50 States- I've gone to 27.
10. Learn to crochet. I've been taught but I forgot. I wanna learn it and remember it.
11. Go to the top of the Empire State Building. I've been in the building but it was raining so they wouldn't let us go up. Bummer.
12. Learn to play golf. Yeah, I know it's the most boring sport, but I'd like to try it.
13. Try a really bizarre food like on Bizarre foods with Andrew Zimmern. Brussels Spouts don't count. Either does seafood (although it should).
14. Memorize the book of Psalms.
15. See something truly unique and rare.
16. Go to the Holy Land and really walk where Jesus walked.
17. Read at least one classic. I admit, I've never actually gotten all the way through one.
18. Plant a blueberry orchard and keep it alive and bearing fruit.
19. Ride in a race car. I wanna go really, really fast!
20. Learn to drive a stick shift and not severely damage the car in the process. Sadly, I've done that.
21. Chase down a tornado.
22. Become proficient in sign language.
23. Overcome a fear.
24. Learn to ballroom dance.
25. Learn to play the piano.

Pic Of The Day

Good Friday!

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

A couple of verses I've been pondering this season.

Cute & Cuddly

Lydia having fun with her bears.

She LOVES bears.

Hope you had a beary good day!

Look What I Won!

I don't win things often. But sometimes I do and this time I won something really cool!
I won this book by Kristin Billerbeck. *Happy Dance*

I just happen to LOVE Kristin Billerbeck books.
She's the ultimate in "lets hide from the world for awhile and not think" books.
I like that in an author.
There's not much "depth" to it if you think in terms of some books but sometimes I don't want depth. I want to read a sweet story that I can walk away from with a smile. She always provides that.
I was really excited about her new book coming out but thought I would have to wait a long time to read it. I didn't think I'd win a copy! I randomly entered the drawing on her blog thinking there's no way but it never hurts.
To enter you were to leave a comment telling a story about your spouse and the first thing they did that really made you believe they loved you. I told my story and a few days later the book was mine! It had nothing to do with the story I told, although it was a very sweet story about our first Thanksgiving together. The winner was chosen randomly by her daughter supposedly, but I'm so glad I chose to enter on a whim. Whims pay.
How cool is that, ya'll?!
The book was wonderful. I think I actually liked it more than some of the others I have read by her.
It's total chick-lit. And I totally love it.
Thank you, Kristin Billerbeck!

What Does My Day Hold?

LAUNDRY

It is the chore that never ends

Yes, it goes on and on my friend.

Some women start to sort it all

Not knowing it won't end

And they'll continue doing it forever just because...

(repeat for the rest of your life)

Optional second verse:

It is the chore that never ends

Yes, it goes on and on my friend.

The piles keep on getting bigger

They never really go away

And they'll continue growing tall

Until your dying day...

(repeat until your dying day)

Sung to the tune of

"It Is The Song That Never Ends"



Song could also be applied to dishes.

Hold On

This is the tree in our front yard.

Sad, barren and bleak.


It's a very pretty red maple when in bloom. The leaves are so vibrant.


But sometime around November, the leaves one by one fall away. They get blown by the wind. They get pelted by the rain. They get heavy with the burden of the first snow. They die. And then they fall. They just can't hold on.


But look closely.

See there?

One little leaf.

It has held on.

Through wind, cold, snow, rain and storm. Through all of winters icy blast. It alone has held its grasp.

It has been shaken, blown, weighed down, seen others fall.

Yet still it remains.

Time and time again this winter I have looked at that leaf and been reminded of the similarities between that leaf and the Christian life.

Sometimes we are shaken to the core. We get blown around, weighed down. We see far too many fall.

But still we hold on.

We grab hold of Christ and we weather the storm.

It's not easy.

Satan will throw at us way more than winter threw at that leaf.

But we hold fast.

Why? Because we know that winter doesn't last.

Soon Jesus will calm winter's icy storm.

And the promise of life renewed and beautiful is an assured hope that keeps us in it's grasp when we have almost fallen away.

In the promises of Christ we stand against all the storm can send our way because we know there's life, beautiful new life, ahead.

For us not just in this life, but in the life to come.

Spaghetti Face

Lydia living up to her Italian name.

And loving it.

:)

Scream, Cry, Stomp My Feet

Snow, Snow go away, Come again.....next winter.
Alright Ya'll. I've done well this year haven't I? I haven't complained too much about the cold (the oh so bitter cold), the snow, the time stuck inside, the coats, the hats, the gloves, the wind, the ice, the sleet, the gray days....(shall I go on?)
But it's APRIL!!!!!!! And I'm done being nice. I'm done with winter. I'm done holding in the ever strengthing urge to let loose a scream of ENOUGH ALREADY. Frankly I'm just done, done, done, DONE!
The calendar says Spring. The flowers poking out of the ground say spring. The birds flying all over the place tweet spring. But Michigan forgot.
Tonight while we lay shivering under our blankets we are supposed to get up to 5 inches of snow and sleet.
WWWWWHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
I'm sorry. I know that's not very adult of me. But I just can't take it no more.
I'm so tired of cold and snow. I really am about ready to cry over it. All joking aside.
I thought last time might be it. I thought when the flowers started peeping up that was surely it. But NOOOOO!!!!!!!
More cold, more bundling up, more cold wind hitting me in the face with it's icy blast.
I'm moving to the desert.

To help me "think Spring" I'm borrowing a Spring questionaire from another blog. Maybe it'll help warm me up and help me to remember no matter how long (how very very long) winter may be, spring will come. I hope.

SPRING
1. What does Spring mean to you?
The world coming to life again and showing off God's handiwork in a glorious display. And very importantly....warmth!!!!!!
2. What do you like most about spring?
the absence of cold and the wonderous moment I can banish coats and all bulky clothing from my sight.
Sun, Rain, thunderstorms, flowers, green grass.
Standing outside just soaking up the sun= pure bliss.
3. What are the best ways Spring fills up your senses?
See- leaves on trees, what a wonderful sight after so many months of looking at pointy, gnarly, dead loooking branches.
Hear- Birds waking me up in the morning
Taste- The beginning of fruit season
Smell- The smell of rain
Feel- The soft green grass on my bare feet
4. What Spring activities do you enjoy?
Anything that gets me outside. Going on a walk, picnics, going the park.
5. What flowers are you planting?
Lilies, lots of lilies. And tomato plants (okay, not a flower but that's what I'll be planting).
6. Spring cleaning? No. I'll be outside. I'm not staying in the house to clean! Are you crazy?
7. Shoes, sandles or bare feet?
All of the above. Love cute sandles! But nothing beats bare feet in the grass.
8. How do you celebrate the coming of Spring?
A great big happy dance. I'm all practiced up. Waiting.
9. Today is a Spring day. Describe it.
Okay just rub it in. It's cold, it's nasty, it's gray, it's fixin to snow. (I need a hug!)
10. Share a picture that says Spring to you.

Our Family In Shoes

These shoes

recently got retired.

I was sad.

These were the first pair of shoes Lydia had that she

wore all the time.

She learned to walk in these shoes.

She wore them everywhere.

They were really the only pair she wore.

But she grew.

And now they don't fit.

So I had to buy her new shoes.

They just don't look the same.

I will miss those cute little pink sparkly shoes.

Ha Ha

Thought this was funny. :)

I'm Back In The Bloggy World- I Promise

March is gone and now so is part of April. Is it just me or is 2011 becoming the fastest year in history?
So where have I been?
Here at home. Living life.
With as much attention as I paid to this blog in March one might think I have an on-the-go toddler at my house keeping me busy. Ding Ding Ding! You got it!
But that really isn't the only reason March went by without even so much as a nod to the bloggy world.
It has more to do with no motivation. No motivation to sit down and organize my rather random thoughts into intelligible sentences. That seemed like way too much work at the end of the day when all I wanted was my bed. Yeah, it's been a month like that.
Add to the never ending to-do list a baby girl that was literally sick all of March and you have a tired mommy.
Lydia, it seems, is just like her momma and has allergies. That's the official diagnosis from the people with a degree so I'm going with that. Poor baby girl. She's a trooper but didn't sleep well (and as a result, neither did I) for lack of easy breathing. Snot don't let much air through.
She is now on a low dose of allergy meds and it seems to be helping. She doesn't snore anymore and sleeps through the night again without me going in at least once to hold her upright for awhile so she can breathe. She also has the added benefit of not being labeled a snot nosed kid anymore.
I do believe the poor child inherited all my bad genes. She'll thank me for that one day.
But the good thing in March was that V's parents came to visit. That was a huge blessing. It was like a nice refreshing break. I loved it and V loved it but I think Lydia loved it most. She got TONS of attention and came to realize that she is the most loved kid in the world.
The only thing about people coming to visit is they go home. Boy does a house feel empty and a little too quiet when it's been so full for 2 weeks. It took me awhile to readjust. I wondered around moping for a few days. It again solidified for me the desire to be close to family.
But eventually it's back to life and the normal routine of things picks back up.
Darn.
But in nutshell that was my March.
April, so far, has been allergy free and life as we know it.
So with that, I'm back at this here blog and ready to move on.
Did ya miss me?