Beautiful Chaos

Over the years I have drifted in and out of blog writing.  I've used it to vent frustrations, brag about my kids, to write down things I'd like to remember but know I will forget otherwise and at times to share the things God has put on my heart.  I'm not sure what direction my writing will take this time, and I've decided that instead of trying to focus this blog in one direction, I will follow where my heart is leading on any given day.  So if you choose to follow my blog, you might want to be prepared for a bit of everything. Hope you enjoy the ride! Here is what life looks like right now.  Today I have not left the couch if I could help it.  I am 19 weeks pregnant and have a horrible cold.  The boys watched too much tv this morning, and all I've really done today is make sure they have food to eat, changed a few diapers, picked up Grace from school, stopped at the store for more tissues, and watched a couple old episodes of Grey's Anatomy on my lap...

I think it's been at least a year since I posted on this blog, but there is so much on my mind lately that I feel the need to revisit this old blog, dust off the cobwebs, and begin again. God has been challenging me lately as only He can. Stretching my world views, changing my heart toward the lost, lonely, needy people of this world, my world. I'm reading two challenging books right now, by two amazing women. The first I'm almost finished with (and it's a good thing since it's due back at the library!). It's called Kisses from Katie , by Katie Davis. You can find her blog here: http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2012/03/april-2011-sometimes-my-16-passenger.html She is amazing. She left behind a comfy life here in America and moved to Uganda, adopted 14 girls and started a non profit to help meet the needs of those around her living in desperate poverty, sickness and disgusting living conditions. The thing that God is pressing into my heart right now ...

Inspired by this blog over here, I have decided to once again join in on her "Not me! Monday!" posting. She posts "Are you feeling guilty for pretending to be asleep in the morning so your husband will get up and feed the baby? Overcome with shame because upon some guests' arrival, you stuffed your dirty laundry into an empty drawer? Well don't be! Not Me! Monday was born out of my desire to admit some of my imperfections and reveal a few moments I'd rather forget. You may find it therapeutic to join in and do the same thing!" So here's my own Not me! Monday! post for you all to enjoy and laugh at me for. I don't have much to post about, because I definitely did not leave my laundry piling up, dishes overflowing in the sink, and the kitchen floor badly in need of sweeping in favor of sitting in bed and watching a movie last night. And I'm certainly not ignoring it all STILL in favor of sitting on my butt in front of the computer right now....

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Covet: Queen of Hearts Give-A-Way Continued.....

Sew Liberated Book GIVEAWAY!!!!

So a couple of weeks ago I downloaded a trial version of Adobe's Lightroom. Now every chance I get I sit at my computer drooling over what it can do editing my pictures. SO amazing, let me just tell you. So when I went to one of my favorite blogs and realized she was having a giveaway for a free copy of this $300 program I was extremely excited. Head on over there yourself for a copy to win!

Little Mave Bloomer GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

If you click the button above, you will be brought to a great blog that I frequently read. Right now they are having fabulous giveaways for Christmas! The latest I saw was an amazing collection of 30 Veggie Tale DVD's valued at over $500! Crazy, huh? So go on over there and check it out! Then enter to win!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama . You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. This week I most certainly did not go out at 10 pm to buy footless tights the night before my cousins wedding. I am always much more prepared than that. I also did not completely forget to buy them a card or gift. At least I remembered my bible so I could do the reading that of course I had practiced ahead of time, you know, the the car on the way to the wedding. And I certainly would never feed my children cheese and apples for lunch because we really did not have anything else in the house. And I would never feed them Annie's mac and cheese 3 times in a week and justify it by saying that it's "organic" and therefore it must be healthy. And I would never lie and tell my daughter that that package of cookies on the table? Well, it's empty. Just don't pick it up and shake it. Oh, that...

So as always it's been a while since I posted last. Always happens. I am just not good at this whole "blog" thing. Let's see. September was a relatively big month. Chris started back at Seminary for the year, which is great, and crazy busy. We're settling into the routine though. And after this year? Only 3 or 4 years to go! It is just our norm for a while, and that is okay, because that's where God wants him, and therefore wants us. I'm okay with that. On September 20th, my little brother Joshua got married to his beautiful bride, Taylor Goodin. The newest Mrs. Parker. They had the most gorgeous outdoor wedding at her family's home in Bolton, CT. The ceremony was right on a lake, and the reception was under a tent. The weather was beautiful, the food was great, the people were awesome, and the dancing was fun. Sam really went crazy out there on the dance floor, as well as Grace and all her cousins. They all had a blast. Grace asks a f...

The last week has been a whirwind. A good whirlwind, though. Chris and I both had last week off, so we spent a couple of days painting the playroom (top half blue, bottom half green, with the intention of painting a jungle scene on one wall at some point in the future). The room came out great, but I forgot to take a picture of it, and now there is a child napping in there who I refuse to disturb. You'll just have to wait for pictures. :) Early in the week, we got the news that the person who had taken over Chris's job at Klingberg when he left last October was not returning this fall. Chris's old boss contacted him, and asked him to apply, which is what we've been hoping for all along. The principle of the school unofficially welcomed him back last Tuesday, which was a great note to start off our vacation to New Hampshire on. We left Wednesday, spent the day traveling with frequent stops (our children hate the car), and made it up to Jon and Jama Colegrove's house ...

This morning I needed to get to the grocery store before the boys I watch got dropped off for the day. This meant I needed to head out pretty early, and Grace and I didn't really eat a great breakfast, so I decided to stop at Dunkin' Donuts and get a bagel to share and of course some coffee for me. :) As soon as Grace saw Dunkin' Donuts she exclaims, "Look! It's the donut's house!!!" haha.

Really quick, there is a fabulous giveaway going on over at a website I visit often called 5 minutes for mom. You can go enter it here: http://www.5minutesformom.com/6697/win-a-chicexecs-babes-in-summerland-gift-basket/

Grace often says really cute things, and most of the time I don't remember them later. So I need a place where I can put them down so I don't forgot the cute things that she says. Like the way she used to call Sam "Sayam," or the way she calls the refrigerator the "elevator." She often adds syllables to words making them far longer than they really are. When we were at Tusen Takk a few weeks ago someone asked if Sam was her brother and she said, "No, that's mommies!" She also looked at the canoe paddle on the way and said, "That's a big spoon!" As time goes on I hope to remember to update this with new things that she says. Time goes so quickly, and before I know it she's going to be off to school, then off to college, then off.... Oh, I can't even go there.

I regularly read a blog by a wonderful woman who posts every Monday with her list of NOT ME! Mommy moments. Here's the blurb from the beginning of her post: "Are you feeling guilty for pretending not to notice as your child sucked toothpaste out of the tube? Feel like a slouch for wearing your husband's big, baggy t-shirts all day? We'll don't! Not Me! Monday was born out of my desire to admit some of my imperfections and reveal a few moments I'd rather forget. You may find it therapeutic to join in and do the same thing! " So for the past few weeks I've wanted to join in the fun and post about my own Not Me! mommy moments. Only I always forget them, or maybe I just try to forget them as the week goes by. So this week I've decided I might as well sit down and try to remember some of these moments to share with you all. Such as... I definitely did not give Grace cereal and milk on Saturday morning only to have my loving husband point out to me l...

We had a fabulous weekend at Tusen Takk! What a great place to get away from the world for a while. No cell phones, TV, internet to distract. Just good friends, campfires, s'mores, fishing, canoeing, eating, laughing, playing games, eating, and more eating. We had some amazing chinese food thanks to Cliff's wife Michelle (who is from China), and also some incredible burgers thanks to Maria. It was just a really good time with really good friends, and we left feeling very blessed. And very possibly a little less crazy. And for some reason this is only allowing me to add one picture. So enjoy the picture of Grace in the great big adirondak chair while I figure this out... maybe a separate post...

I wonder why it is that I don't post more often? It's not that I have nothing to post about, I do. I guess it's just that I wonder who cares anyway? Who even reads this anymore? (um... I guess nobody since I don't post? haha) Okay, so who would read this if I post should be the question. It seems every time I post I end up playing catch up. Let's catch you all up on my life for the past oh... 6 months? I don't even know how long it's been. Let's begin with the children. Since they take up oh, 90% of my time and energy, that's a good place to start. Grace is 2 1/2. More accurately, she is 32 months old. And she is not a baby anymore. Oh sure, she still wants her cuddles every now and then, she still wants me to sing to her at bedtime, and yes, she is still in diapers. (more on that issue later...maybe) But she is for the most part, a beautiful, independent little girl who is simply blossoming before my eyes. I am blessed every day to...