Watch This!

 I hear lots of things throughout the day. The alarm clock go off, the oven pre-heat, the phone ring... but My favorite has to be  

"Watch this, Mom!" 

The weather was really nice earlier this week, so I decided to spend my day "watching this".

We had a blast.

 Clearly, this event was Lucas' favorite that day:

 He waved to every worker, mimicked the tractor beeping and excitedly told me the different names of all the tractors. I love this kid.

Hello Daddy.

 I a naughty boy. 

Why are you naughty?

Color. Walls. Marker.

Uh oh.

...Rocket Ship.

This was Lucas' phone call to his Daddy today. 

This is the new rocketship artwork that graces our wall.

 and this is the moment where I ask, 

Why would a child have a permanent marker? and Where is this child's Mother?

I was sick all afternoon. Sick because I let this happen! This madness occurred while I was coloring someone's hair. Ironic, hu? 

So there you have it. Mother and Son, creatively coloring, simultaneously.

 Somehow, I had a hard time punishing him. He was just doing what 2 year-olds do best. Explore, Create and Make Mommy Crazy.

This weekend's agenda was just changed to paint, paint.. .and paint.

This will be funny. Someday.

This actually reminds me of a story:
My older brother got into a bucket of paint while my Dad was mid-project. He placed his hands in the bucket, and one after another, stamped them all along the house. Ending where he saw his baby sister sitting on the patio, he picked up the bucket and proceeded to dump it on said sister's head. Yes, baby sister was me.

I guess we all have crazy stories. 

Just hope that this is the worst of ours. 

*crossing fingers*

2011

 We have had strange weather here. Hail that stuck to the ground like snow for at lease 3 days...

 Lucas watched the hail fall

 On New Year's we skyped with Aunt Kristi and cousins from Missouri. (she's going to love this photo!)

This was also Kristi and her family's first time "meeting" Sadie. So fun to see them all!

Happy New Year!

I got what I wanted for Christmas

For the last... hmmm I don't know how long, I've wanted more time. I want to be able to do more. I want to complete projects, or learn how to do new things. I want to go more places and experience more that life has to offer. I want to be able to RELAX.

For once, I recognize that I've been given exactly what I've wanted all these years. Time.

Like every year, this past year has had it's ups and downs. I have had countless blessings and along with them trials I never thought I'd face. Have I been given more trials than usual? I don't know - but they sure are humm-dingers. They've been different, that's for sure. Fortunately I've been given the perfect remedy for my trials. Time to get through them. Time to make myself the woman I need to be. Time to prioritize and organize myself. Each year I'm blessed with more time. (Why is it that I'm just noticing this now?) The Lord really blesses me just by letting me be here. I am blessed to be part of his work. I am incredibly blessed to have been given family to spend my time with. I have a husband who reminds me of my self worth. I have a son who smiles at me when I'm down. Day in and day out I have people surrounding me who love me and uplift me. I know some people don't have that and for that I really am sad. As crazy as it sounds, those trials I mentioned are also blessings. They're mine and no one else's. It's up to me to figure them out and conquer them. Here's to hoping we all have more ups than downs in the year to come. :)

I don't know what's in store this year, but I am really excited to SPEND my time more wisely.

This year...

• I will plan ahead and LIVE by my calendar as opposed to gasping for air at the end of each day - just to find that the coming day brings (once again) an overbooked life. (I tend to think I am super woman)

• I *mark my words* am scheduling more time for myself. Let's make that a resolution, cause it's happenin' baby! MUCH NEEDED.

• I am going to make things happen instead of waiting for them to happen to me. (on my scheduled day to make things happen, that is.) 

All three of my bullets sound identical. You might get my drift. I'm too busy.

May 2011 bring you all whatever you're hoping for. :)

MY 2011 MOTTO:

"In the midst of moments and chaos, keep stillness inside of you"