New friends & New dessert

Sunday night we went to some friends house for dinner.  They had their 3 younger grandchildren come over while we were there to play with the girls.  They are all close in age and just had lots of fun together.  It's always nice making new friends and especially when you are new in town.  We had a good time of food and  fellowship.

Poor girl was getting sleepy!

A big mess to prove they had a big time!



As we were leaving I said it's so cold out here (and it was).  Dan said oh you haven't seen anything yet, this isn't cold!!!  If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that I would be rich.  People laugh when we walk outside and say it's cold.  Of course we laugh when they think it's "real" humid and hot!!!  Most people say I really hope ya'll (well technically they say you guys, not ya'll) adjust/like the winters here.  We've heard that alot too.  I'm getting more nervous as the freezing cold and snow approach.  I'm hoping I will be pleasantly surprised and Love it!

I saw a dessert on another blog I follow and it was gluten free, so I thought I would give it a try.  I made them without telling Craig they were GF and he loved them.  That has happened several times now since my grocery shopping trip this week of doing many things GF. 

This is the 2nd batch I've made and they are almost gone and I only had 2!!!  They are No Bake Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies and they are good!

Feeding the ducks

On Saturday while at some friends house the girls fed some ducks.  They had a little pond outside their place and lots of ducks.  The girls had a good time.  Abby tried letting one eat out of her hand, and she jumped when it did.  It was funny.  Anna Claire wouldn't get too close, but she like throwing some bread to them.

Blessings/Miracles

EVERY child is a blessing, a miracle.  We have 3 of them and are SO very grateful.  May we be better parents each and every day.  I pray they truly see the love of Jesus in us in our words, attitudes, behaviors, dealings with others, and in our desire to serve our Savior always and forever.  Thank you Lord for these three precious children you have entrusted us with while on this earth.

May we never take them for granted and may we always point them to You!

Gluten Free

I'm planning on putting our family on a gluten free diet.  Since having children I have had some stomach issues.  Nothing bad, but irritating.  After having AC I started having some upper abdomen issues and the Dr. put me on a med that helps, but I still have some issues with it from time to time.  I hate taking medicine and I think going gluten free will help.  I've read that it also helps with headaches.  I've had migraines since I was 14, so any help in that area will be great.  They've gotten better over the years, but if I can help prevent them by diet change, I'm all about it.  I've done some research and will do much more.  If anyone knows of any good websites, blogs, recipes, ideas, or any advice/help, I'll take it!!!  I'm on a mission and I plan to stay determined and motivated about it!  Thanks:)

Thank You

Very grateful for Craig who sees and cares for my need to get away for a few hours by myself and for making it possible for me to do so.  One day last week, I believe Wednesday or Thursday, he said I think you need some time off.  I said, oh yes that would be so nice.  So Friday morning, he got up and got ready for work and took Anna Claire with him to the office.  Friday is his off day, but since we started school he works half the day.  School went by more quickly that day.  I love, love, love having AC here, please don't misunderstand, it's just that she is 2 and needs me alot. 

When they got home, I fixed them all something for lunch and then I headed out to lunch with a friend to Panera Bread (which I love and no one else in my family does).  We had a good time.  Then I went to a nearby town and did some consigning and some store browsing.  It was a really nice afternoon.

Thank you Craig for being such a caring husband and wonderful Daddy!

Before they left Friday morning.  That's the only pic I took that day!

Celebrating...

Kyndal yesterday was lots of fun!  We always let them pick out what they want to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  So we started off the day with Daddy making her sunny side up eggs, and I made cinnamon toast.

Abby made her a birthday banner a few weeks ago and had it hiding under her bed.



After breakfast, we had to run a couple of errands for children's ministry and then we came back home for sub sandwiches for lunch.  We also had cupcakes and ice cream.

She wanted money for her birthday, because she is saving up to buy an Ipad.  She has a ways to go, but she is pretty determined right now to keep saving until she has enough.

We were all laughing because she normally checks the card for money before reading it!!



After lunch we went to some friends house for a little while.  The girls fed some ducks (another post) and enjoyed some snacks.  Then we headed to the park for some fun.

For dinner, Kyndal wanted Breakfast Casserole.  Our first time to have this was at Aunt Lindy's about a year ago, and Kyndal LOVES it and requests it often, so it was no surprise that's what she would want for her birthday dinner.  She ate lots of it too.

It was a great day and we are so blessed to have celebrated 7 wonderful years with you Kyndal.  We hope to spend many, many more years celebrating you!

Kyndal's 7th Birthday

Today is our precious middle "little's" birthday.  This child is absolutely precious.  She has such a fun personality.  Kyndal we love SO SO SO very much always and forever!

Happy 7th Birthday sweet Kyndal Beth

Flashback:  Kyndal's 6th Birthday!!!

Ramblings

I'm really tired today.  Just thought you should know.

I started reading the book Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst last night.  I've only read the introduction and already convicted.  I read her book Unglued a couple of weeks ago.  It was really good too.

I really, really, really, r.e.a.l.l.y need to exercise and eat better.  I'm so not motivated, but I've got to get that way quickly.

I can't spell correctly today, thank goodness for spell check.

After grocery shopping the other day, we met Craig for lunch at Taco Bell/KFC.

They sat at the table next to ours.

Then we went to another store and there was a "hehe" (according to AC), so they took a ride.

Anna Claire would hardly move on the thing, it was so funny.  She loved it and Abby is way to big for it!

We went to the Senior Saints Lunch yesterday at the church.  You get that special privilege when you are married to the preacher!!!  It was lots of fun.  They always have some sort of game or challenge, so we had to build a bridge out of newspaper, one side of a file folder, and tape that had to hold as many filled soda cans as possible.  My group didn't win, but we did manage to hold four cans.  An all ladies group won.  It was lots of fun.

The preacher man hard at work!!!

Her group held more cans than ours, so afterwards she said haha we beat ya'll!!!

Thanks to Mrs. Maria she was entertained by coloring!

Last night, the fam watched The Grace Card, it is such a really great movie.  We had some cookies to go along with movie night.

I have tons of laundry to do.

We had to pull out our long sleeves and pants.  It's getting cool around here.  I always keep Abby and Kyndal's clothes after each season to pass down, so we went through all of those.  Now I have to wash them all.  They all had to have some new things too, especially Abby since there is no one to pass down to her, so I'm washing all of those too.

I am filling in as teacher tonight for the E3 Kids, and I need to go finish getting ready for it.

Happy rest of the week to everyone!:)

Open House

We had an open house today to welcome our church members to our home.  We want them to know our home is always open to them at anytime!  We had some light refreshments and drinks to serve.  We had it from 2-6 with people signed up to come each hour.  We don't have a ton of parking so we had to break it up that way.  It was a beautiful day and it felt great outside, so another day of open windows!!!  I'm loving this open window weather here in the North.  That's not something you get much of in the South.  Several of the members were able to make it and we just had a great time getting to know them even more and enjoying some sweet fellowship.  I will say that once everyone left and we cleaned up, this clan is super duper tired and I'm hoping my kiddos will sleep a little later in the morning!!!  Thankful for another great Sunday!

Silly girls before church

Sweet little hostesses (wow that picture is dark)

These pics were before we got smart and did them as a big group!!!

Associate Pastor and his sweet wife! 

We didn't even get everyone's picture that came during this hour, pooey!

Sweet Senior Saints



Sweet Saturday

Last night, Craig and I had a date for the first time in months.  It was very nice to get out for a couple of hours.  Thank you to the sweet friends who kept our girls. 

Today, the girls and I cleaned like crazy people.  We are having an open house here tomorrow for our church members and so we did some serious cleaning.  The girls of course were a big help and they were rewarded well.  They received double their allowance and ice cream from Moo's.

Craig went on a hike with some friends from church and was sending me pics throughout the hike.  Absolutely beautiful.  We are all gonna go on a small hike at the end of the month.  The girls, maybe even me, couldn't have handled today's hike.  It was about 5 miles.  Craig's clothes were drenched when he got home and the weather was so cool today too.

It has been a beautiful day here.  We cleaned with all the windows open.  It felt wonderful.

I was waiting for the mailman to come because I was expecting a book to come.  Once I checked the mail and came back in, Kyndal said did I get anything.  I said no.  She said that mailman is going to have some serious consequences if he doesn't bring me some birthday money!!  That girl is a hoot!!

We had to make a short stop by Wal-Mart to get 2 items.  The Super Center just opened so they had different vendors around the store.  The goldfish folks were at the door where we went in so the girls got a pack of goldfish and Abby and AC took their picture with the goldfish guy.  Kyndal wasn't interested.

We just found this great place last night and they are about to close for the winter.  Probably a good thing in my case!!!



We will have a busy day tomorrow, but we are looking forward to it.

I'm about to go watch October Baby now.  Oh, and I highly recommend watching Faith like Potatoe's and The Grace Card.  Awesome movies and messages!