Birthday Evening Fun

We celebrated Carlee's birthday this evening together as a family and went to TGI Fridays. We went here on Carlee's 1st Birthday, but for some reason I don't think she remembered. haha... Here she is finishing up her ice cream. All the staff came out to sing to her and she clapped with them and loved the attention. She was very polite and said, "thank you," to our waitress for the song and ice cream. (for some reason these pictures did not load in the same order I arranged them... oh well)We went to Chuck-E-Cheese for some entertainment and fun. Carlee loved the carousel and the bumble bee game. She is starting to not care so much for the Barney ride (her used-to-be favorite ride), however she did ride it once. Zachary did not care for any moving rides.

Carlee used her tickets to get a pirate costume (hat, patch and hook). She's not as girly as you may think. Daddy hit the jackpot on one of the games and got 69 tickets so Carlee could get her prize.

The more I look at this picture the more I see how much we look alike. I love it! God is so cool!

Here she is about to indulge herself. She shared her ice cream with the whole family. Carlee is such a sweetheart! That purple bag on the table is her newest gift from the Frette's. It's a little dog, which she named Puffy and it fits inside the shiny purple purse. Carlee insisted on bringing it with her everywhere tonight. She was such a doll caring it around.... looked like a big girl!

Carlee you are a wonderful daughter! You make our family so much fun. You make us laugh all the time by your funny personality. I love the funny dance you do (your tummy roll and booty shake). You know just the right moments to interject something funny. I love you and I love your heart. You have a heart that is so tender and sensitive. You can't stand to be in trouble, so you always try to obey the best you can. You are really improving on obeying the first time mommy and daddy asks. Sometimes we don't even have to ask because you already know the right thing to do. Having a little brother has only made you stronger and more caring. I know deep down inside you love Zachary so much, but it is hard sharing the room with him because ya'll are so totally opposite. I believe that God will use both of you to help each other grow more and more like Jesus. You will one day be the best of friends for sure. I love the way you are learning to shine Jesus to this lost world. You use your manners and are very polite and look people in the face (even adults) when talking to them. Everybody is your friend even if you just met them. You care so much about the people around us (which is an answer to mommy's prayer before you were born). You are so special! God has some great things in store for you. I pray you begin to understand His love for you and walk fully in that love everyday. Happy 4th Birthday sweet girl!

Carlee's Party

Carlee had a great birthday party today at Bear Branch Park! It was nice and hot today, but a whole lot of fun. She dressed in her butterfly wings and floated around the park. All of her friends from church came as well as her Nana, Grammy and Pawpaw. I made some butterfly cupcakes for everyone and loved watching all the kids get a little messy. It was a wonderful afternoon and feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends to celebrate with. Thank you all for coming and sharing this special day with Carlee.

A Story of Healing

For the last few days Greg has been really sick. He has had some sort of stomach bug that has caused him to be in the bathroom every 10 minutes. On Tuesday he came home from work with a tempature of 99.6' F and then it spiked to 102' F that evening. Wednesday he spent most of the day in the bathroom. He tried to rest as much as possible and did not eat much. Wednesday night I was up with Zachary a few times and was needing help to get him back to sleep. After complaining about it to Greg, he got up to help me. Before going to Zachary's room Greg went to the bathroom got lightheaded and fainted. He hit the door hinge on the way down bloodying his nose and gashing his forehead (making a terrible sound). At that point I flew out of bed and called his name to see if he was ok. I knew he had fainted because in times past when he gets dehydrated he tends to pass out. Greg was not responding to me and I could not get in the bathroom to see him because the door was shut and he was leaning up against it (our bathroom in extremely tiny). At that point I am in massive on my knees prayer crying out to God to help my husband. Greg then starts to breathe heavy and realizes what just happened. He then begins to sit back up on the toilet and then passes out again this time hitting the other side of his head against the floor. I am beside myself at this point and really starting to get worried. I still can not get in the bathroom, but manage to open the door to see him knocked unconscious (scary sight). I am in tears and asking God to strengthen him and help him regain consciousness. A minute went by and Greg begins to wake up and come back into motion. I then tell him that I am calling 911. I had all ready talked to Greg's mom to make sure that was the best thing (I just wanted to make sure I was not being over-dramatic). So the ambulance shows up at our door around 3:45 am and 8 men are standing there asking if I called 911. "Umm, yes sir.... my husband has passout in the bathroom," I say. "Is there any blood involved," the ER replies. "Yes, he is bleeding on his face from falling," I say. Then they head to the room to ask him several questions about his life. Greg answers all of them correctly. He is ok, but has low-blood pressure (89/59) and needs to go to the ER. At this point Greg's parents are on their way to our house to take care of the kids. I tell Greg that I love him and will see him soon, as he is being carted out on a streacher to the ambulance. I remember thinking "this is crazy, but I trust you, Lord" Randle and Ed show up about 10 minutes later and Randle and I leave for the hospital. While in the ER, Greg received a CT scan, one x-ray, an EKG, an IV with 2 bags of fluid, blood was taken, and 2 perscriptions were given. Three hours later we are on our way home (7:00am) and we are thanking God for a good report. Yesterday, Greg spent most of the day in the bathroom with an upset stomach and in a lot of pain. He felt worse. Carlee was not doing so hot either with some of the same stuff. In the meantime, my mom comes out to help for the morning with Zachary so I can go to the store and get the antibiotics and whatever else Greg needs. Greg's parents came back over last night to help out while I went to our parenting class (which ended up getting canceled b/c of low attendance due to illness). Greg slept better last night and only got up twice. We prayed before we went to sleep and came up with a plan if Greg felt faint. This morning he was able to eat some cereal and has not had any stomach pain.
Thank you friends and families for your support in prayer. It has been incredible. Greg and I have been blessed by all those who love us. Praise Jesus for His healing power!
Yesterday, was all about God's strength at work in me and my family. He is the reason we got through the day. I knew it was not going to be easy but ever since I complained about Zachary waking up in the middle of the night and that being the reason Greg got out of bed in the first place I have realized that complaining does not do a thing of good. I know it is crazy to have to go through all of that, but I thank God He did what He did to get me and my family to where we need to be in Him. God allowed it to happen and I am ok with it. My attitude through this has been nothing but praise and thanksgiving. That is a huge step forward for me. Hallelujah!! I have been at a crossroads with my flesh and spirit lately and this experience has showed me that my spirit is willing and can live in purity even in a difficult situations. He wants all of me and is after my heart and God will not stop doing what He is doing until He gets wholehearted pure devotion. I am thankful I have obeyed and thankful that God in His great mercy has conquered the sickness and brought healing to my husband and healing to my mouth. He is so GOOD and He is my GOOD!! Thank you Jesus!

Our Sweethearts

This is my new favorite shot of Carlee.
Zachary's favorite thing to do these days.

I tried to get one of them together in their cute Valentine's clothes, but Zachary was not going for it. Carlee is just plain confused on why Zachary won't smile. Too funny!

Carlee made her daddy a special homemade Valentine with her hand print. She wrote "I love you daddy" on the inside all by herself. Greg loved it!

Now, Zachary is happy. He is in the car on the way to Grammy and Pawpaw's for a fun evening. We had steak, watched Fireproof, and let the kids stay up and have fun.

Zachary stayed up way past his bedtime and could have fallen asleep right on Pawpaw's chest (the perfect spot). I love how much he loves his Pawpaw. They have such a sweet bond.

Thanks Ed and Randle for a great evening. I loved the chocolate covered strawberries and wine. Ya'll are so sweet!

Friends

How these two have grown to become the sweetest of friends. Ella and Carlee played so well together yesterday at the house. They stopped by to deliver our goat's milk and stayed awhile to visit. I treasure the time I get to spend with Lisa and hope our girls grow to realize just how important a good friend can be.
Where has the time gone?

Still so precious and adorable. Ella and Carlee may your friendship be fun and blessed every time you get together. I pray you two will be able to hold one accountable in the days to come and strive to be all the Lord has called you to be. May you, "Love each other at all times." Prov. 17:17 and extend grace to each other when you fail.

Bad Haircut

I promise to never cut my sons hair again. The razor got away from me and now Zachary's hair is almost gone. Greg said,"he is borderline cancer patient." Not good. I'm slightly embarrassed and felt like crying yesterday after it happened. Then my friend Lisa reminded me that it will grow back and at least he's not 7 going to school. If I mess up, it's probably a good time to do it. I really didn't even want to blog about it. Now, you all have fair warning before you see him. He'll probably be wearing a hat from now on, if he'll keep it on. We already got a few bad looks when we went to the grocery store last night. Oh well! Sorry son, but you are still adorable and the most precious boy.

Greg did even it all out when he got home. Carlee said, "he looks just like daddy," right after I made the shortest cut.

Famliy Date

Carlee's just a tad excited

How is it that they have the same expression on their face.

This past Saturday, we joined Greg's old college roommate and family for a nice dinner downtown. We went to a place called El Tiempo and it was the most delicious Mexican food I have ever had. The funny thing is we took pictures before we left the house, but forgot to bring the camera to the restaurant. haha... We loved spending time with the Pape family. The kids did surprisingly great. I was preparing Carlee before we got there to use her manners and Carlee responds, "Mom, I'm practically an expert." We laughed. She is getting these lines from movies and what's funny is that she knows when to use them. Carlee loved going out to eat. When we got home she said, "Ok, now what restaurant are we going to?" She's a hoot. I know us girls can really enjoy a night out.

Protection in Action

God is our protector. He is the one who watches over us and keeps us safe. He is our refuge and our rock. I thank you Lord for your safe hand on my daughter today!!

Every night before Carlee goes to sleep, I pray for God to protect her and keep her safe. Well, today we got to see His protection in action. I allowed Carlee to ride her bike on our path behind our house. Little did I realize that she would come face to face with a moving truck. Just as Carlee rounded the curve of the path (just out of sight) I hear a screaking sound on someones brakes. A lawn truck was rounding the corner at the same time. Fortunately, nothing happened and Carlee is fine. I approached the Hispanic man driving the truck and told him he needed to slow down. He apologized and went on down the path, this time a lot slower. These trucks are always going past our house and normally flying by going at least 20 mph. It freaks me out every time because they go so fast and I am always so grateful that we are not outside at those moments when they pass because it seems that no one is paying attention. I probably shouldn't let Carlee ride her bike back there, but I know there is a rule that says no motorized vehciles are allowed on the paths. I called Park Recreations and made them aware of this almost collision and will be talking to the director of operations later on today.
Carlee got to see God's hand of protection and how God keeps us safe. She has been asking questions these days about where God is and I'm thankful she experienced Him today in a very real way. I know we hate to see these things happen and things could have been worse, but God is in control and I have to trust Him and His sovereignty.
I am praise Jesus for protecting my sweet girl. God only knows your mind can wonder during times like these, but I am going to stay focused on what He did and how thankful I am because of what a great God I have. It's funny because just a few minutes earlier I had a thought about how I don't trust other people (especially the people I don't know) and then the Holy Spirit reminded me my trust is in the Lord and He is the one who I can hope in. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always close to those He loves. He is faithful and true. I love you Lord!!

Kitchen Cleanser

Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Essential oil (lemon or lime)

What else you'll need:
A plastic flip-top shaker (the Kraft Parmesan cheese container)

How to make:
Fill the shaker half full with baking soda. Add 15 to 20 drops of pure essential oil lemon or lime oil. Stir. Fill the shaker to the top with more baking soda. Put the lid on the shaker and shake it.

How to use:
Sprinkle lightly on counters, sinks or tub, then wipe with damp sponge. Rinse well. Baking soda is a grease cutter, natural deodorizer, and a mild abrasive that will not scratch. Use on flat surfaces that need to be cleaned or any pot and pan that needs to be scrubbed (except aluminum).

All-Purpose Household Cleaner

Ingredients:
Borax (laundry detergent aisle)
liquid soap (vegetable oil-based- Castile, ex. Dr. Bronner's; you can get this in the health area at the grocery store or buy from Frontier Herbs) or liquid detergent (Palmolive)
white distilled vinegar (Heinz's works best)
Purified water
Essential oil (lemon, peppermint, lavender or tea tree)

What else you'll need:
16 oz. squirt bottle (Wal-mart has them in the cleaning aisle for $ .98)

How to make: Mix 2 tbsp. of vinegar with 1 tsp. borax. Fill the rest of the bottle with hot purified water. Shake until the borax is dissolved. Add 1/4 cup liquid soap or 1/8 cup liquid detergent last. To scent, add 10 to 15 drops of an essential oil.

How to use: Spray and wipe. Use it as you would any other all purpose cleaner. Use it on your walls, refrigerator, drawers, shelves, tile, shower, toilets, trash cans (for a deodorizer)

Did you know....

....that baking soda cleans almost anything. I have been on a health kick lately and am trying to find new ways for our family to be and stay healthy without it being so costly. It seems like everything organic or good for you cost a lot of money. Like everything in my life it is just the next area for me to trust God in. I know He wants to reveal Himself to me when I go shopping and cause be to praise Him because something organic might be on sale (like our Organic milk the other day was $2.00, normally $6.00). Praise Jesus!! Recently I learned that the air we breathe inside our home is more toxic than the outside air. This makes a lot of sense because of all the chemicals we use to clean our house. I normally get sick every time I clean because of these chemicals. So I was talking to my neighbor the other day and she gave me this book called, "Clean House, Clean Planet" by Karen Logan (totally a God-thing) and through this book I am getting ideas on how to make my own cleaning products. It provides all the information I need to clean my house for pennies a day in a safe and nontoxic way. I'm so pumped to know that it will not cost a lot to be healthy. Praise Jesus!! All I need are squirt bottles, funnels, baking soda, white vinegar, borax, purified water, liquid soap, club soda, lemon juice, salt and essential oils. There are great recipes in the book for all the cleaning I will do. Today I cleaned the mirrors and windows with club soda. It only cost me $.64 (instead of $4.50 or so for Windex). Whoopee!! Then I cleaned the bathroom counters and sinks with baking soda (about $2.00 for a 2 lbs. box, but I only used a few sprinkles). I sprinkled a little on a wet sponge cleaned the area and wet the sponge again to get the grime off, then wiped clean. I don't have to worry about the kids putting their mouths on the counters anymore!! I used baking soda in my oven with a little water to get it damp, left it over night to soak and wiped it all clean in the morning. I'm so glad I did not have to leave the house because of the chemicals I was going to be breathing in. Yippee! I always have trouble cleaning my white stove top because of all the burnt dripping from food, but not anymore. Baking soda and water set for a few minutes, scrub a little and it's gone. I'm a believer!! This works so well and I am worry-free because my kids can now be around me when I clean and actually help out. It's a great thing!! You should try it, you might be surprised how easy it can be.
If you have any tips on healthy living, please share a comment. Thanks!
Also, if you have never heard of essential oils just click on the "Young Living" link in my inspiring links column and let your mind be enlightened. We diffused some over the weekend to get rid of Zachary's cough and rubbed some on his body and his cough was gone in four days (it was one of those coughs that could have lasted for weeks). I used some to get rid of a sore throat and within seconds my throat was not sore anymore. I'm telling you these oils work!