Simple Starfish giveaway!

I recently won another giveaway from Simple Starfish, and I wanted to tell all of you about another opportunity to win a necklace from them as well.  Do you have a word of inspiration for 2012?  Well if you do and would like to have a necklace with that word on it to remind you everyday for some inspiration, visit their blog HERE to enter :)
Happy Tuesday!

Project 365-week 3

I had a successful week photographing, mostly because of Alyssah's birthday :)  I hope some of you are doing this project as well!

day 15: Mark fell asleep watching tv last Sunday afternoon in this weird position!

day 16: Taking some pretty pictures of my pretty girl :)

day 17: Playtime before bed!

day 18:  Treat bags for A's 1st birthday party

day 19:  The night before A's 1st birthday.  I hung this banner for her big day and it's been up for her b-day weekend :)

day 19: Eating breakfast on her big day.  Happy 1st birthday to my sweet princess!

day 21: The day of her party :)  She was kind of still asleep in this picture.  She took a really good nap before  our visitors arrived!

One Year!

I can hardly believe a year ago today my sweet baby girl entered my life.  She has been a blessing since day 1, and I'm sure she will continue to bless my life for many years to come.  She is silly, smart, beautiful, energetic, a wonderful sleeper and eater, daring, snugly, petite, loving, and most of all-mine!  I'm beyond thankful for her little life.  Although life got instantly crazier with 2 kiddos to take care of and love, she made the transition so easy.  I feel so complete and grateful for her entering my world.  I have loved doing girly things with her and cannot wait to do the big girl stuff like tea parties, dance classes, weekend shopping trips, mani/pedis, etc.  I hope she always knows that she has a friend in me, and we are close friends.  Thank you Lord for giving me a daughter to have on this earth.  I pray I will raise her to be a Godly woman, a virtuous woman. I pray that she will live for you and make a big impact in your Kingdom.

Alyssah's stats/facts right now at 12 months:
-She is in size 4 diapers.
-She is wearing a size 3 shoe, but will be in a 4 very soon.
-She's wearing mostly 12 months clothes.  Some of her 9 months things still fit, but are getting too short ;)
-We have been transitioning to whole milk this week.  I'm doing half formula, half milk.  She's starting to like regular milk a little more.  She has to get used to it being cold, and I think she'll be fine.
-She is crawling like a mad lady, pulling up on any and everything, but not walking yet.  She will free stand for a few seconds then she just plops back down.  I know she's so close!
-She is completely on solid foods.  Right now she loves any and all cereal, bananas, green beans, turkey, applesauce, rice, and Ritz crackers.
-She loves to talk.  She can clearly say bye, hey, dada, mama, uh-oh, and we are working on baby and love you :)
-She loves to dance and clap her hands.  I really hope she wants to take dance.  I wish I had taken ballet or something like that growing up.
-She has 10 teeth I believe.  She has been cutting them in 2's and 4's :/ Cranky baby some days, but with every right to be!
I think that's about everything...but I'm sure I left out something.

Here are a few recent pictures.  I will do a separate post of her 1 year pictures later this weekend.  We have a big party planned for our little princess.  Stay tuned for that post as well.  Happy Friday :)

Forever Reign

We sang this song at church this past Sunday, and I've had it in my head since then!  Just thought I would share :)  Happy Thursday!  It's almost the weekend and my girl's 1st birthday! Stay tuned for birthday details.  Have a blessed day!
Forever Reign
You are good, You are goodWhen there's nothing good in meYou are love, You are loveOn display for all to seeYou are light, You are lightWhen the darkness closes inYou are hope, You are hopeYou have covered all my sin
You are peace, You are peaceWhen my fear is cripplingYou are true, You are trueEven in my wanderingYou are joy, You are joyYou're the reason that I singYou are life, You are life,In You death has lost its sting
Oh, I'm running to Your arms,I'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign

You are more, You are moreThan my words will ever sayYou are Lord, You are LordAll creation will proclaimYou are here, You are hereIn Your presence I'm made wholeYou are God, You are GodOf all else I'm letting go
Oh, I'm running to Your armsI'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to Your embraceLight of the world forever reign
My heart will singno other NameJesus, Jesus
Oh, I'm running to Your armsI'm running to Your armsThe riches of Your loveWill always be enoughNothing compares to your embraceLight of the world forever reign

Project 365-week 2

Well week 2 was a bit of a struggle for me, but I got it done.  I would remember a little late that I hadn't taken a picture for the day, hence some sleepy pics of the kiddos ;)  They are still worthy of being my pictures for the day!  They are so sweet when they are sleeping ;)

Day 8: Sleeping beauty

Day 9:  I'm reading through Psalms right now and it's definitely uplifting.  Thank goodness David decided to write down some of his dark days.  It's a great reminder that although we go through struggles, God is always close by!

Day 10:  Smiling even though she caught the stomach bug at school :(  Her 1st sickness since she was born.

Day 11:  And day 2 of the bug-She went through a lot of laundry this week!

Day 12:  Also the eve before Mark caught the dreaded stomach bug.  Squeaky clean babies!

Day 13:  Mark had to leave school early b/c he was throwing up so I decided to work on some decor for Alyssah's party next weekend.

Day 14:  Have you ever seen a sweeter boy?!

Day 14 bonus:  Mark said A had a scratch on her face and needed a "dan-daid".  There wasn't anything on her face though ;)

Project 365-week 1

I am attempting to do Project 365 this year.  Basically it's your whole year in pictures.  You take one picture a day to document something from that day.  I really hope I can keep this up; it's such a neat idea :)  I'm going to be posting the pictures by weeks.  I figured it would be easy to keep myself organized that way.  Here goes...

Day 1-Happy New Year!

Day 2-My sweet boy!

Day 3- Mark's "puppy".  He actually left him unattended at Wal-mart on this day.  He said "I think puppy is lonely."  He was quickly recovered ;)

Day 4- I'm constantly faced with messes like these, but I'm also so blessed to have precious little ones who make these kind of messes :)

Day 5- My new haircut.  Also-Mark took this one ;)  He's getting pretty good!

Day 6- A night with my girls!  Sweet Alyssah with my sweet Kristin.  Love her :)

Day 7- A day of shopping with my girl!  It was so fun!  I look forward to many, many shopping days with her :)

Stay tuned for next week's pictures.  I hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful New Year holiday.  I know we did.  I have a lot of blogging to do about Christmas, and have cute, recent pictures of the kids to share.  For now, I want to share a few thoughts from day 1 in my prayer journal.  Each day has verse(s) and a little devo along with space to write down specific prayer requests, etc.  Todays verses are Psalms 139:23-24.  It made me smile when I read it b/c it is absolutely perfect and describes a specific prayer of mine lately.  What an awesome Creator!  He always shows us the way ;)

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  NIV

What an awesome verse to start the new year off with?! 

This is from the devotional reading:
"Wherever I go, whatever the challenge, I pray that You will be there, guiding me completely.
...O Lord, be near, surrounding me continually with Your love."

There is nothing too big for my God, and I know His love is unfailing and faithful.  I pray that you all have a blessed New Year and that Jesus will be Lord of your lives and hearts!