Camp in New Mexico

We r here in NM for HS camp! The people who run this place love kids
as you can see. Weston is having story time with the volunteers
before bed. We love Mamma Bette & Papa Billy! Below Gabe made friends
with the coffee shop lady...& so did mommy :) Yay Caffeine- life saver!

Sneaky Penne Pasta Puttanesca

Weston used to be such a big eater and as he is getting older he just doesn't eat much anymore, so I am constantly trying to find ways to pack as much nutrition into one bite as I can :)

I made this the other night and it was a hit!

All I did was combine cooked brown rice penne pasta with a jar of Puttanesca sauce ( a yummy tangy sauce with olives and capers!) as well as diced cooked carrots and butternut squash. I layered the mixture in a baking dish with some mozzarella cheese and baked it at 350F for about 30 minutes. Yum!

The Boys

Last month we had the great joy of having my whole family here! My sister came into town with Ryder- what a cutie, as well as my parents! I decided that we should throw a little 1st birthday party for him since I need to be his favorite Auntie :) & his birthday was right around the corner. We had so much fun and the boys were super cute together. It was also fun to see my parents with all their grandsons !

A sweet moment of Grace

Most kids usually don't enjoy going down for a nap, especially when you are two and there are new birthday toys in the house to play with...And you think your baby brother gets to stay up and hang with mom! We are talking about Weston. hint hint :) Today was especially hard and shortly after putting him down he began to throw a tantrum screaming that brother needed to go to bed too. The tantrum at nap time has become more and more frequent causing me to scratch my head at the best method to help him through this...Gratefully the Bible gives us many tools as a parent to deal with sin issues, as tantrums are, and I chose the method of giving grace today. In Proverbs it says that a gentle answer turns away wrath and today it was true.

I waited for about 5 minutes and the screaming continued to escalate. I entered the room and Weston clearly new he was in trouble. We have defined for him that it is ok for him to be sad but it is not ok to be screaming in sheer anger and he knows the difference... shown by his guilty conscience :)

I asked him if he would like me to sing him a song. Between sobs he said yes and laid down. I stroked his hair and sang three stanzas of "Amazing Grace" while also praying the words of the song for him. He just laid there and closed his eyes and went right to sleep with not another peep. Amazing. Within three minutes he went from a screaming madman to a sweetly sleeping baby :)

I pray that someday the words of the song would soothe his soul drawing him closer to Christ as the sweet melody soothed his emotions today, giving him a picture of the grace that we have received as Christians. When we were lost in our own ways, throwing our own sort of tantrums, God came down and sang to us a sweet melody of Grace by dying on the cross and rising again for us when we really deserved punishment. But He took our punishment for us- Amazing Grace!

" Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see."

8 months

This little sweetie has grown so much over the past couple months and is becoming quite playful. He has also sprouted to very cute bottom teeth and has fun blowing spit bubbles :) He now eats 3 "meals" a day and I have enjoyed making baby food again. I pray that as he grows up his tender and sweet spirit will make him soft towards the Gospel at an early age and that his life will bring glory to God and bless others!

Big Garage Sale Tomorrow! 7-noon

Sent from my iPhone

Thankful

For the simple beauty of fresh flowers & sweet new friends to set them
out for! This is the fourth or fifth Thursday that Highschool staff
ladies have come over just to spend time together. Today the kids
played in Westons new pool from Pappa & had a ball! Love the sound of
little ones in the yard- pure joy!

Celebrate the 4th with sweet n salty icecream sundaes!

Vanilla bean ice cream with candied nuts, ripe fresh banana slices &
decadent salted caramel sauce from Trader Joes... To die for!!!! ( or
you could salt your own caramel sauce by heating it and stirring in a
dash of sea salt- delish!)

Happy 4th!

Weston is 2!

Can't believe this peanut of a baby is already 2! We r celebrating
tomorrow with a fun little ball party- he loves balls! What a joy he
is & how time has flown...happy birthday baby

Gettin ready for Bubs 2nd bday!