Heart matters

Wow!  So I was just reading up on a friend's blog(Emily) and she made a point regarding forgiveness that I had never thought of in that way.  I think for a lot of us we look at forgiving someone as telling them that everything is forgotten like we weren't really hurt (physically, emotionally, etc).  Her point was this: 'Forgiveness does not mean it's "alright". It does not mean forgetting. Forgiveness means that I have forfeited the right to revenge (and eye for an eye), and given the power of justice back to my heavenly Father, trusting that He will make everything "alright" in the end.'  She had just read the story of Joseph (Genesis 50:18-20 mostly) where he forgives his brothers.  He didn't tell them he was going to forget all about what they did to him, but that he's leaving it in God's hands now and he's not going to get his own revenge against them.  He knew God wouldn't let harm come to him, but that his past was meant to bring him where he was now to save lives!  Amazing.  Now if only we could always remember what it truly means for us to forgive so that we can do so more.  I know I can never forget about the wrong doings that have been done to me, but I can trust that God has a good plan for my life.  Jeremiah 29:11(NKJV) "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."  I just had to share these thoughts before they got lost in my mind and hope that they get you to think about forgiveness as well and to help you see thru any bad/rough times that may be happening now or in the future.

I'll give you a quick update on my 365.

Beauty

Went shopping today for some needed groceries with Lexi and Jacob.  One of these times I will learn to not go with them near naptime or just not have them with all together!  While finishing our shopping, the fresh flowers caught my eye.  I just couldn't pass by them without buying a dozen roses (I did realize Valentine's Day is coming).  So...these roses are the ones my husband picked out, but didn't know it!  ;)

Crazy Lights

Aaron and I made a quick trip to Grand Forks tonight as part date night/tennis shoe shopping.  I was just here yesterday, but didn't want to risk trying to find shoes with L & J needing naps.  We had to make it a quick trip because of the winter storm that's rolling in...it had started raining/sleeting before we left home and we prayed the temperature would stay above freezing!  While Aaron was driving, I got to play with my camera's shutter speed and catch some crazy lights along the way!  :)  I like how they were dancing around because of the movement of our vehicle.

Winter Fun!

We've been getting some rain/wet snow last night and this morning...perfect for snowman/snowball making!  While I was making dinner, A took the girls outside to play and make a snowman.  Here's their efforts!

Love Notes

Wednesday last week was the start of a weekly volleyball night for any moms in our area and I was definitely going to go play and enjoy a night our for me.  Hailey must have thought I was going to be gone for a few days or something because she came out from her room with this little note for me.  :)

Hands of Love

Today was a snow day for Hailey.  After doing some baking this afternoon, we made some Valentine's Day decorations.  I found this idea online and thought it would be super cute for my front closet door.  These are my kids' hand prints making the shape of a heart.

Weekend in Jamestown

This past weekend we were able to spend 3 days in Jamestown with my mom and Jeff.  It was a good weekend away!  Aaron had Saturday and Sunday off and was able to take Monday as well, so we were able to see Jason & Robyn Sunday evening and Monday.  Hailey had Monday off from school because of MLK day.
So life was going along normally while getting ready to leave until we got into the van.  I had started it and brought it up by the house to pack and let it warm up.  We were about to leave when I seen the battery light was on.  Find out that it usually means the alternater is out or going out!  Great...just what we needed before heading out for a weekend.  We decided to try to get to Fargo where we'd be able to get a new part and work on it at Lance & Gretchen's garage.  We got to the parts store where they tested it and it was working fine.  I had to shut the van off while we were there and when I started it again, the light was off and stayed off!!  We drove the whole way to Fargo (45min) driving 65 with no heat, no radio, dim interior lights, praying that we'd make it and then find out it wasn't the alternater.  Thankfully, it wasn't -45 outside!
Thinking this was the end of our troubles, we filled up the gas tank and continued on our trip to Jamestown.  That wasn't the end of it...we kept hearing what sounded like a flat or low tire.  Stopped and checked all 4, but they were fine.  We kept going and the noise kept getting louder.  Drove 65 and just kept an ear out to hear if there would be any changes in that sound.  At one point it got louder, so we pulled off again and still couldn't tell why it was making that noise!  We did narrow it down to the rear driver's side tire.  The whole time, I kept praying we'd make it to Jamestown safely and then Jeff would be able to figure out what was going on.  We finally got there and I was SO relieved!!  One of the most stressful road trips I have ever had.  The only thing that helped keep my sane was we would text Mom the name of the exit we would pass.  This was in part to keep her updated on where we were, but also keep our minds off all the different possiblities of what could be happening or could happen.  It was rather funny, because we'd say the more unfamiliar of the towns or what the road signs up on the exit would say (i.e. the town of Cuba). :)  So, the next morning, Jeff goes out to check out the van and what was causing that awful noise.  The rear tire was barely holding on by 3 of the 5 lugnuts (the other 2 had fallen off)!  Praise God for protecting our family and keeping that wheel on the van!!!  The only "extra" damage done to the van was the antilock brake sensor was damaged so now it makes a buzzing sound when you slow down to about 10mph, but it's still drivable and I can handle that being the only "bad" sound.
The rest of the weekend was much more enjoyable!  Saturday was spent just hanging out at the house.  We played some mean games of aggravation.  Hailey has a blast playing that game and Lexi's catching on pretty well!  Sunday we went to Red and Pat's (my aunt and uncle) in Binford for dinner and meeting up with Jason and Robyn.  They had flown in from Maryland so didn't have a car and had to rely on relatives to get to each meeting place.  We had our Christmas with them and then headed back to Jamestown where we got to drive thru a little bit of fog, but nothing bad.  Monday morning was spent playing more Aggravation.  We stopped in at Mom's work and then we headed for home.  It was quite foggy, but not too bad for visibility.  Drove the speed limit to Fargo and then slowed down to about 65 from Fargo to home because it was dark and there was some freezing on the roads as we got closer to home.  The trees were beautiful on our trip home and the next morning.  I'll post a few pictures of the frost I took Tuesday morning.
Last night, I was able to go play volleyball with some other ladies from around the area.  It was a blast!  I haven't played for quite a while, so was a bit rusty at first.  My knees aren't the happiest with me this morning being they got bumped a couple times on the floor, but they'll get over it!  My arms are the most sore, but it was worth it!  Looking forward to next Wednesday night!!
I'm also going to include my 365 Project pictures from the 15th - 20th as I haven't updated this since then.

Fire & Ice

I was actually awake enough this morning to think about taking a picture while waiting for the school bus to pick up Hailey.  I stopped to look out the window and seen the orange sunrise thru the frost on the window and it looked really neat.

Storytime

Lexi is really getting into books again lately.  While at my mom's this past weekend, I caught this scene where Lexi was stiing on my mom's lap while she was reading a book to her.  I had this in color, but really like the silhouettes better when I changed it to B&W.

Priceless!

We had a big family dinner over the weekend to celebrate Christmas/New Year's/Whatever else with my brother and sister-in-law who were back from Maryland for a visit.  After we opened gifts, I was able to snap this photo of my Grandpa looking at my 6 yr old's magnetic dress-up dolls toy.  Priceless!

Natural Beauty

Last night the fog started to roll in.  It hung around all day today which made the 2-hour drive home interesting.  My description of the weather would have been "100% chance of foggy with patches of clear"  :)  The wonderful thing about the fog during the winter is the beautiful frost covered trees!  This was a pine tree across the street from my mom's place.  The trees alonside the interstae were covered even more and very pretty!

Winter Wonderland

One of many photos of the frost today!

"Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better." ~Andre Gide

Bath Time!

I'm glad my children all like their bath time...makes cleaning 3 of them a whole lot easier!

Now for the rest of the frost pictures!

Thinking...

I was doing some thinking while washing the dishes a few days ago. I think I've realized part of the reason for not liking living out in the country...especially in the winter. I find that when I don't have the option of getting out of the house/off the farm, I start to go stir crazy and then my mind just starts to wander which can be not a good thing for me. I tend to get really melancholy and need to get out to get myself out of that mind-set. During the winter is definitely when I "catch" myself doing this the most. When living in town, I'd have the option of walking to a friend's house if the driveway and streets weren't plowed yet, but out here it's too far to walk to a friend's house in the winter with little children. So, please pray for me regarding this when you think of it.

One of my releases has been photograhy. It's so nice to get creative and look for things to shoot. The 365 Project I'm participating in is a wonderful outlet for that! I get to take a photo every day and then share that with a whole community of people! I know it's been a few day since I posted last, but I think that's what I'll be doing in regards to my 365 Project so that it doesn't get so full of just that. :)

We're all 5 heading to my mom's in Jamestown this weekend. Aaron has this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off so we're getting off the farm and visiting family. Jason and Robyn are going to be home from Maryland this weekend/week so we'll get to see them Sunday night and Monday! Haven't told the kids yet, so they'll get a nice surprise when J & R get to Mom's. :) Pictures will be posted after the trip, but until them, here's my last 3 days of 365 Project.

Taco Pie - 1/12/10

Tonight we enjoyed Taco Pie for dinner. The meat is flavored with taco seasoning and the crust on top is Bisquick and cheese. We like to add the normal toppings for tacos and some extra shredded cheese. We even got our oldest to eat lettuce tonight!! I wish she wasn't so picky about her food, but she has gotten a lot better over the last couple years since going to school. :)

Playing in the Snow - 1/13/10

Today was a beautiful day! Temps were around 30*F and the sun was shining. Hailey LOVES to play outside and usually stays out there for quite a while when she gets off the bus after school. I went out for a late-afternoon walk to get a picture of the sunset, but couldn't resist snapping this picture of Hailey playing in the snow. She told me she was building "steps" next to the tree to help her climb up into the tree during the winter!

Pretty Toes! - 1/14/10

Today has been an interesting day! It started with Jacob thinking he should wake up at 5:52am. Thankfully, he was okay with me just tucking him back in and leaving the lights off! He was up earlier that normal today after that, too, which meant an earlier naptime. After he fell asleep, I pampered Lexi by painting her toenails in hot pink! :) She was quite excited being it's been a while since we last did this.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and get to enjoy the lovely winter weather we have forecasted for this next week! Look for something special in each day!

Warmer weather is coming!

Our weather forecast for this week is very positive! We might even get to 30 degrees on Wednesday!!! I might actually get Lexi & Jacob dressed up and go for a walk/play in the snow...we'll see. :)

While sitting down for lunch today, Lexi and Jacob decided to be pirates and give Aaron and I the "pirate eye" along with an "Arrgh!" It was quite entertaining watching them try to close just one eye. I made a quick collage of a few pictures I snapped of them making their pirate eyes.

This has been my favorite type of photo of the kids that I try to get every year. We missed it last year, so figured I'd get it done yesterday while they were all matching and wearing non-patterened tops. This particular shot (out of about 15) has Lexi and Jacob laughing because Hailey said something silly. It isn't the best shot out of the many I took, but I love the joy in their little faces. :)

Remember eating snow when you were little?

So a friend of mine brought in a couple bowls of snow a few days ago for her kids and said they had a blast playing in it without freezing in the subzero temp outside. I decided to surprise my 3 with that as well and today was the day. I have to gear myself up for things like this as extra mess isn't something I care to deal with or deal with all that well. Keep in mind, I, by no means, keep my house super clean and neat (I'd like to at some point). So, with Aaron home early from work, we brought in a dish pan full of the fluffy, white stuff. The kids were excited and not sure what to do right away since this was a first for us. They quickly started throwing it at each other, eating it, and trying to build a tiny snowman which proved to be unsuccessful due to the kind of snow. The pictures following are from our snow play. The one of Lexi eating the snow is my 365 Project photo of the day. Remember doing that? :)

The 3 of them getting into the snow

Hailey

Jacob - "It's good!"

Lexi eating the snow

Reminder of Warmer Weather

I'm not one to complain about the weather. We all know it's cold here in the winter and it doesn't help to complain about it! After having a few days and nights with actual temps being -20F with wind chills making it feel like -40+, this floral decoration of a butterfly was a welcome reminder of warmer weather to come. Happy to report that the forecast has our temps above zero next week--we're going to be in a heat wave for ND! This is also my photo for day #8 in my 365 Project. :)



The following photos are from this evening. Jacob had been sitting in the recliner in the living room saying his puppy was wet. I joked around with Jacob saying that his puppy should have gone potty on the potty chair! We've been potty training Jacob, so when he says he's wet it means he's had an accident. I know what you're thinking...but, no, he didn't have an accident and try to blame it on his puppy. :) Also, he didn't take his puppy to the bathroom to have him go potty (although that would have been really funny). He went to his room and then came running back out to the living room, "My puppy has to stay in my room! Come see!" So I walked back there to see what Jacob had been up to. He took his push-behind-car and blocked the doorway with it and had his puppy laying on its back over the heat vent in the floor. :) "He's drying." He then proceeded to offer me something...probably a puppy snack or bone (imaginary).



He then moved the puppy and "dried" his own hair on the vent. My kids are easily entertained!

Photo #7 of 365 Project

You know how you always feel so peaceful when you watch a tiny baby sleep. Well, today I felt that as I snuck in to my daughter's room to take a picture of her during naptime for my photo of the day for 365 Project. She looked so peaceful and relaxed that the rest of my afternoon was that way! I still feel that every time I look at this photo. Enjoy!

Peaceful

Photo #6 for 365 Project

My project was started on the day before, but wasn't completed and photographed until after midnight so it became my photo for today. :)

Puzzle

I've been having the desire to do some puzzles for a few days. While at the store on Tuesday, I found a couple puzzles that appealed to me. One was of Ely Cathedral in Cambrigeshire and the other was of the inside of a grand piano (neat angle). Last night I completed the grand piano puzzle just after midnight and then did the cathedral one this afternoon/evening. Which one should I do next? :)

365 Project - January 5, 2010

Bible study was today. It was good to get back to it after not having it during school Christmas break. We watched a video by Louis Giglio called "How Great is Our God". Amazing video! If you can't get a copy of this video, at least look up the word "laminin" on Google. Laminin is what holds our cells together; keeps our bodies together! The photos of it will blow you away. We truly do serve an amazing God! Why do we continue to try to put him in a box when all we have to do it look around ourselves to see that it's impossible for us to do that!?! I'll post a couple pictures of laminin so you can start to get an idea of how cool this video is.

This is an actual magnified image of a strand of laminin...it looks just like the diagrams! This is what keeps us together!!!

Just had to share that. Now on to our normal life, my 365 Project photo came tonight at dinner. :)Photo of the day for January 5, 2010:

Dinner of Champions

Tonight was our "Dinner of Champions" of Cocoa Puffs. Our kids LOVE it when they get to have cereal for dinner and I LOVE not having to think too much on what to make them. :) Simple, quick, and no complaining that they don't like it = perfect.

365 Project

I have recently found out about a really neat project...the 365 Project! This is where you take a photo a day for a complete year and post the pictures either on their website or your own blog. I started my journey on this project on January 1, 2010 to chronicle our life for this year. I'm excited to look back on this year's project next year at this time to see what happened in our lives. To catch you up on my posts for the first 4 days, the following is the pictures and my thoughts regarding the day. Hope you've all had a wonderful New Year's celebration!

Ready to Go!

Happy New Year 2010! Today is the official start of my 365 Project. The kids and I are heading to my mom's to celebrate our Christmas which was delayed due to a blizzard. Our bags are packed and ready to go...now just to get the kids and myself bundled up and out the door!

Christmas Traditions

Christmas? Yes, Christmas. Our Christmas Day celebration was rescheduled for today due to the huge blizzard that blanketed the Midwest with almost 2 feet of snow. This photo is of my Grandpa reading the Christmas story from Luke 2. Since childhood, he has always been the one to read it. The only exceptions have been in the last few yeards after Grandma passed away...he just couldn't keep himself composed enough to read the story. It was nice to hear him this year and not have any tears; just happy memories.

Mustache!

There's nothing like getting the last little bit of ice-cream out of the cup! My son had a lovely ice-cream mustache after "drinking" the last bit of melted yumminess from the cup. I love that boy!

Bedtime...or at least it's supposed to be!

Our 2 year old son has figured out how to extend his bedtime out...he starts being super cute! Tonight was showing us how he can spin, tackling daddy, and then being a super hero. So, this photo is showing the time that he should have gone to bed, but now it's 30 minutes later and we're just getting him there along with little whining! :)