dental debut

can't believe its been over a year and half since this post about Ellia's first trip to the dentist... and here we go with Remae! kinda funny, but i said the exact same thing to the hygienist this time around... "Yes, I'm going to be THAT mom...so bear with me" while snapping away with my camera. Just like Ellia, Remi was a little apprehensive but a real trooper with no tears. It helped having big sis go first and get her cleaning out of the way. She definitely wasn't sure this is something she wanted to go through with, but the bribe of the sugar-free lollipop I knew was coming at the end was enough to keep cooperative. Yet another milestone that I'm just not ready for...everything just comes and goes so quickly. Soaking in every moment in joy and thankfulness is all I can do about it though! :)

I gotta say...this place is AWESOME. They are purely a pediatric office and do a tremendous job. I'd recommend to anyone who was looking for a place (Hines Little Smiles, Gahanna). 

 somehow I can see this look remaining in her repertoire for teenage years

 love the hand :)

 all smiles when it was over

annnnd the lollipops...sugar-free, of course ;)

edmonds garden calamity

well I've been putting this off because its such a travesty.... the garden survived beautifully and produced abundantly. So whats the problem?? Well..... we had two lawn treatments over the course of 2 months and about a week after the second one, we started noticing some issues with the plants. After further research and a visit from Pete's sister (who has a degree in this stuff ;) we unfortunately had to chalk it all up to a fun family project...an inedible family project. the lawn chemicals saturated the plants through the soil and we decided it just wasn't safe to eat. The many, gorgeous tomatoes were deformed, some looking more like peppers. Even though we couldn't eat any of it, we let the girls pick and dig to at least have "the experience." The last pic below is just a portion of our "first fruits." It was truly a shame, but we did get reimbursed for our losses and we're definitely up for the challenge again next year.

(I just hope this doesn't count against me in the green thumb department - after all I did keep them mostly alive and prospering till the bitter end ;)



fair fun

the girls have been bugging us for quite some time about seeing some farm animals... so every time we make a trip to the zoo, we leave with disappointed faces "there weren't any cows or pigs!" ha.
so we decided what better place to fill the farm animal craving but the fair! in full fair-style, we endured the unbearably hot, sticky, sweaty hours by filling up on sugar filled and totally nutritious dinner food, like mini donuts, hot dogs, stromboli on a stick, ice cream, roasted corn, and of course sweet tea and shaken lemonade. in the car on the way there, i was prepping the girls on all the awesomeness that is the fair and had to spark their excitement with a full description of the famous "butter cow." Ive never heard such belly laughing and carrying-on....the thought of it to them was truly hilarious :) Though it ended up not being as big of a deal as they built up in their little minds, they fully enjoyed it along with pig races, petting zoo, horse shows, mini tractor rides, and mommy and daddy's seemingly endless wallets and "sure, why not's" to treats and spectacles. because of the lines and my overly-cautious children, we didn't get to do the one thing mommy wanted to do (I'm not bitter, I promise ;), which was re-live my childhood going down the big yellow slide over and over again, but no one (but me) seemed to mind too much. all in all it was a grand success (of something I can certainly only handle once a year...if that).  although I truly wanted to make a photo documentary of all the outstanding things and people I saw, like "Most amazing thing I saw at the fair...." "Most Ridiculous thing I saw at the fair...." "Most hilarious thing I saw at the fair......" etc. etc. I was a little too distracted to complete it.... but had I been able to do it.... I can assure you, the loaded cheeseburger sandwiched between 2 KrispyKreme donuts would have ranked up there as one of the most absurd "truly-American" things I saw.
and just in case you're wondering... no, we did NOT try one..... and yes, peter would have tried one, had he not had a very responsible and loving voice in his ear telling him he wasn't 17 anymore ;)

when asked about their favorite parts:
Remae: "the BIG pigs snorting <insert multiple adorable snorting sounds> at me"
Ellia: "those funny little pigs racing around the track"

so I guess we leave having fully enjoyed the pigs...and probably looking a little more like them in the process. ;)

a matter of perspective

disclaimer: a lot of this is spouting straight from the heart and the head without much filter...so if you easily offend, check back another day.

ever have someone use or explain a verse, one that you feel you know like the back of your hand, or have at least heard over and over, and the Spirit reveals it to you in a whole new way?
I've had this happen to me often in my walk with Jesus and am so thankful each and every time... its like tasting a sweet morsel and fills you right up.
I often struggle with fear of life's possibilities... something bad could happen to my girls or to Peter, tragedy could strike at any moment in so many different ways, and would I be able to handle it? I am ashamed to admit how often thoughts similar to these run through me. Somehow in my self-absorbed nature, I get a warped feeling that I somehow have a little bit of control over the things that might happen to me.... crazy thoughts like "well just as soon as I ask for a dose of patience, feeling that I need it to grow and mature, God will answer it by giving me a new child, with disabilities and will truly teach me how to be patient.... so maybe if I hold back a little on the whole 'I'm all in Lord', then I'll escape some possible hurts and challenges." I know these thoughts are a little over the edge...but just being brutally honest.
and its not just that, not just the severe error that feeling somehow something I do or don't do or hold back on or let go of will control the circumstances I face... but it also leads straight down a path of "its all about me", even if not intentional, the self-indulgent thinking that the Lord revolves all things around what would best teach me a lesson is a powerful misstep.
Someone mentioned the verse "and at times we are as sheep, led to the slaughter for his name's sake" resounded powerfully in my heart and the light bulb went on. Though nothing changed in the way things work, something changed in my PERSPECTIVE of the way things work, and it made all the difference. To live IS Christ. Its all about Him. Everything happens to bring about the best possible display of Glory unto Him. So whatever happens to me, despite the severity in my eyes, He chose it to happen because at the end of it all, it is what MUST happen to bring Him the MOST glory. So although He truly "works all things for the good of those who love Him" and takes the time to discipline, train, love and mold me, the bottom line is...its all about His glory.
Somehow in my mind, grasping that simple switch in perspective, allows me to truly believe and trust that this is not a performance-based relationship...even though logically I knew it all along, I can grasp with my heart that nothing I feel, do, vocalize, etc. changes the outcome of what He has already determined for His glory. I can rest assured that I can't say or do something in a way that causes Him to bestow torturous circumstances to occur for the sake of a lesson learned. I can truly look at everything that happens, with honest joy that somehow, in His divine plan, this (whatever it happens to be) given circumstance is being used to bring about the highest glory upon Him who is deserving of it all. And what an honor to be a part of that work.

I read this brief portion of an article that summarized my thoughts well:

Generally, the shepherds of Israel were zealous in caring for their sheep. They protected them from danger; led them into green pastures, and beside still waters. They nursed them when bruised or sick. But the final purpose of all this care was that the shepherd would lead his sheep to the slaughter when it suited his purpose. And even so it is with us, for the destination of those whom our Shepherd leads in the paths of righteousness, is death.“Take up your cross and follow me,” said the Master. Taking up a cross symbolizes walking on the road to death. And this is just what it means to follow Jesus. He is our Good Shepherd, but previously he walked in the very same path in which he is now leading us. He was “brought as a lamb to the slaughter,” and we are now following in his steps. Not only do we remain in the narrow way by hearkening to his voice, but we need also to trace his steps, and walk in them.

We should not expect, then, that the paths of righteousness are always paths of pleasantness. True, we have the joy of the Lord while walking in this narrow way. But often the way is difficult. From start to finish, it is a way of sacrifice so complete that it ends in death. Jesus was afflicted and suffered, and he finally died upon the cross. We cannot expect that the narrow way will be easier for us than it was for our Master. But we can endure all things if we keep the thought before us that the way in which we are being led is “for his name’s sake.”

So once again the Spirit has satisfied my sweet-tooth with the delight of Him and has "taken my thoughts captive"...taken hold of something that was reeling in my head, easily headed straight for disastrous thinking,  and turned it into a source of exceptional joy, purpose and excitement............ again.


And my journey of an exchanged life, a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-dependant life, continues.

mantle makeover

Another home project checked off the list! Originally we planned to sand down and repaint our mantle, but the dental and ribbed molding just loomed over us and it remained on the "to-do." I believe it probably would have stayed there until I had a VERY brave and VERY free day :)

BUT pete and my dad went to this Habitat for Humanity sale and they happened to have boxes upon boxes of beautiful mantles... lets just say it was quite worth the low price. So out with the old and in with the new! :)

oh and p.s. the "old" one is in perfect shape if anyone wants to buy it :) http://columbus.craigslist.org/hsh/3145679839.html

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

gotta say.... I really enjoy these 1-evening projects :)

Patio project reveal

Patio project is now complete!!! :)

We all agreed afterwards that out of alll the home projects we've done in the last 7 years of marriage, this was by far the most work we've done, in the shortest period of time, making such a big difference.... and boy was it hard work or what!

I was supposed to be training for my first 5k over the last 2 months and that was put on hold for evening upon evening upon weekend upon weekend of what felt like running a marathon but was merely manual labor in the brutal heat! we hauled away close to 14 truck loads of dirt & rocks, hauled in about 10 loads of gravel and 3 loads of sand, and that was just the half of it. we added the arch at the top to have a good view of the sunset... and that's just what we have. the biggest change was probably the stairs & hand railing. We are so happy with the results and especially happy with the $ saved having done all the work ourselves (definitely worth all those sore muscles and completely-out-of-running-shape-with-1-week-before-race fitness slump)

So as usual... this isn't really much of a before & after, but more of a during & after reveal :)

Here goes..... DURING:

Drumroll please.......................AFTER:

Taa da! :)

heres to many enjoyable family and friend times on this new space!

p.s. don't think this means its time for a break on the house project front - next up & coming soon.... new family room mantle! :)