The School Bell Rings!

Another summer is over, well at least as far as being off of school, since summer in Florida lasts FOREVER!! On Monday we sent the kids off to start their 7th and 3rd grade year!



They look thrilled don't they?? Haha!!!




Christopher and Cailin here are our prayers for you this year:

We are praying that you will stay focused on learning. That you would be a light for Jesus, so that everywhere you go you would encourage those around you and be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Praying that you will be leaders not followers and you would set good examples. We are also praying for good friends, friends that will build you up and not tear you down, friends that will last for a lifetime, and that you would be a great friend as well! That this year will be full of adventure and knowledge that will take you places!

It is going to be a GREAT year!!!

A New Chapter...

I hate change! But sometimes God uses it to stretch and bring us closer to him.

Over the past couple of weeks there have been some BIG (big for me anyway) changes in my life. I have left my part-time job of over 5 years and with that, because I worked for our church, we in turned left our church. We have spent a lot of time praying and seeking counsel over this decision, reasons for leaving aside, at the end of the day we know that God is leading us in a new direction. Not earth shattering change but enough that I feel unbalanced, no job and no church home. I have been reminded alot over these past two weeks of one of my favorite scripture verses - Jeremiah 29:11

I know God has a plan in all of this, we will pray and seek after Him for His leading and direction! So we begin a new chapter in our lives one of searching for a new church home, a place to belong, grow and serve. God is moving and I am excited to see what He has in store next!

Got Health???

It has been a CRAZY few weeks at our house! Between soccer and sickness we have not had a break.

Cailin started it out and spent a week down with a fever and cough. And unfortunately no amount of cleaning or lysol has stopped it from spreading. We thought that we were in the clear when we made it thru a week of soccer practice and tournaments without any sickness, but then spring break came and I spent the week in bed with the flu.
Thankfully I have an amazing family who took the kids otherwise they would have spent their break sitting in front of the tv! Since my brother and his family were in town they were able to spend some time with their cousins. They had sleepovers at Bec & Brians, went to the aquarium and saw winter and played mini golf with Tracy and the "boys". They probably had more fun than had I not been sick ;)
Now Henry is down! He has gotten it the worse and is in "in-home isolation" for a few days per our doctor. So I am playing the role of a single mom this week. Running ragged, not getting enough sleep and man I am EXHAUSTED!! Praying this sickness season is coming to an end because not sure how much more I can take!

Kumquats oh my!

I love going to Dade City, just an hour outside of where we live and Florida takes on a whole new view! Little rolling hills (which is so nice, since pretty much everything in Florida is FLAT!), trees, and just plain beauty. So today after soccer and voting, we headed there for the Annual Kumquat Festival!

We strolled thru the streets where all sorts of vendors lined the roads. There was everything from plants to tutus for dogs ( which Cailin and I thought was hysterical!) and also plenty of kumquat related items. I had no idea that so many things could be made from such a tiny fruit! There was wine, pie, soaps, jams, jellies and marmalade, honey and sauces oh, my! We made a stop at the tasting booth and tried a few different things and then of course we had to stop a get a slice of kumquat pie! Cailin and I were the only ones who kinda liked it. It was a cross between key lime and peach in our opinion. 

 Dade City has some beautiful architecture as well and I love to sit outside at the old courthouse and soak in the beauty of the downtown! 

And of course no time with my kids would be complete without a little of their goofiness! I love these guys!

Just an all around fun afternoon hanging out with the family and making memories!

My Word for the Year

This year I really want to work on making some changes in my life. Not major life altering ones just, growing changes. When Layla mentioned picking a word of the year it really made me stop and think. What would my word be? What do I want to do this year, to change. This year my word is....

This year I want to be intentional about what I do. I want to be more focused on my family. I tend to fill up my calendar and give them the leftovers. This year I will give them priority, and work on becoming the wife and mom I want to be

I want to be positive. Call me a pessimist, but I prefer to think I am more of a realist :) I tend to see all of the things that could go wrong and try to plan for that instead of looking at all of the things that could go right first. Sometimes I think way too much!

I want to be healthier, in my food choices and exercise (ughhhhh!)

I want to be more creative, to stop second guessing my abilities and take a step out and create! When I taught preschool, I was creative everyday. Now I struggle with the confidence that I once had

I want to strive to be the person that God wants me to be! I want to be still and more focused on my relationship with God. This past year has been a struggle in the faith department, I have questioned God ALOT and then not stopped to listen. I want to just be still and know that HE is GOD!

This year I just want to be!!!

What word would you choose?

Our Old School Tree

We went old school this year with our tree. We had already had our tree for a week with no time to decorate. So it was now or never because with our schedules leading up to Christmas we would have had a bare tree.

After church Sunday it was time, the only problem all of our Christmas balls were still at church from our Volunteer Dinner that we put on the night before. I switch my tree up a little each year anyway, but this time we had to do it with out buying anything. So we got creative!

With paper and scissors in hand I suggested paper chains and snowflakes. The kids thought I was CRAZY! :) But we went to town and created what I think is my favorite tree of all!

The kids each have there favorite ones that they made, each of them ended up making beautiful crosses!

Making memories with the kids and writing another chapter!

A New School Year

We have hit a major school milestone in our house. Christopher graduated from elementary school and is now a middle schooler!! Where has the time gone, it seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital. I joke with the kids all the time that they get no more birthdays because this time with them is going by way too fast.  At open house he was able to meet all of his teachers and get a feel for what this year will hold even before the first day. He is so smart, funny and we are so proud of who is becoming.  He was nervous about starting a new school, but I think I was more nervous than he was going into the first day.

Cailin is now a second grader and thinks she owns the world. Oh, to have the confidence she has. Every single day she goes to school with a smile on her face, not so much excited about the learning side of it as she is the social side. She is just as smart as her brother but definitely shows it in different ways.

Every new school year I worry about what they will encounter, especially this year with middle school. I worry about what kind of friends they will choose, the things they will hear and see that we know they are not ready for. Our kids have to grow up so much faster then when I was in school. But in the end I know I have to trust God with my kids and know that He has their best interest at heart. So we will continue to cover them with prayer and teach them the best we can to make wise choices.