planting seeds

I've been on the lookout for a few quality cds to play around the house while I am doing this whole bringing up Lauren thing. I know there are a ton of children's cds out there. Some are great and in the words of one of my friends, "some make you want to jab pencils in your ears." I've been asking anyone who will listen for ideas and another friend suggested Seeds Family Worship cd's. I am hooked! Each song on the 5 cds they have is a bible verse from the NIV put to contemporary worship music - no reason to get out the pencils! You can go here to view their website for more information on the group and how they got started or to see what cds they offer. I haven't called around town to see if any of the Christian bookstores carry the series, but I do know they are all on iTunes for download. I am sharing a couple of their songs I found on youtube so let me know what you think!!!


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chillin'

We had a wonderful time at the lake this weekend. It has long been our family's tradition to head to the lake for the 4th. Shawn and I didn't make it last year as I was about ready to pop and our doctor gave us the no traveling orders. Honestly I was relieved by those...I did not want to go into labor in the middle of nowhere and besides that I was just sooo uncomfortable! This year we packed up Lauren and a few bags car full of stuff and headed to the water. The sun was out long enough over the weekend to give me a wicked sunburn...it is quite possible that I did not lather myself up well enough with sunscreen. In my quest for "some sun" I often forget that I burn rather easily. Neither here nor there. Shawn and I tubed a lot. In fact, my elbows are raw and the muscles in my back, neck, and arms hurt so bad I winced and asked Shawn if he might please help a lady out of the car after we'd been sitting idle in the car on the way home. I mean come on, isn't picking up your stiff muscled wife and carrying her into the house the gentleman-like thing to do? Lauren loved the lake, too. She doesn't seem to mind her life jacket too much even thought it looks so very uncomfortable.

I would love to show you pictures but my camera somehow mysteriously got wet last weekend after a pool party and it is way dead. Like so dead that we are going tomorrow to purchase us a brand spanking new digital camera. Any ideas/suggestions? Perhaps one that is waterproof?!?!

After a month or so of crazy busyness Lauren and I are going to work hard on chillin' this week. Honestly, her routine is so off from just being gone so much and I am sort of a homebody who feels all out of sorts when I haven't been home. There are things I'd like to do around the house and I'm looking forward to not feeling like I have to go do something. So - if I say no this week, please understand it is NOT you. I just really need to re-evalutate where I am spending my time (and money when I start spending time away from home) and working on getting back in to a routine. I am actually looking forward to it!

Loves!

blog makeover

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why don't I?

Just this evening I witnessed one of those moments in the everyday where God whispers something gently on your heart. I'm sure they happen more often than not, it's just that I rarely pay attention.

I was making dinner and Shawn and Lauren were playing in the living room. I peeked around the corner to see what little game they were involved in. It was beautiful and it was convicting... Shall I explain? You see, Shawn was rolling this little ball to Lauren. He would cheer her on to roll it back to him. Only, when she tried to roll the ball it never made it past her tiny fingertips. She couldn't let go. There she was with her arms outstretched to her father, holding on to some small thing she desperately wanted to let go of but couldn't. How many times in my life do I hold on to that one small thing? I am desperate to rid myself of it, but so afraid or nervous or just plain attached to it that I cannot fully give it to my Father. He is there. He is waiting. He is cheering me on to just let go already. So why don't I?

because they say it better...

Tonight Shawn is playing poker and I am taking some time for myself. I should be in bed, but instead I found a few great reads that I'd like to share with you.

This post brought tears to my eyes as I was reminded how very much I love my Savior and yet, how little I proclaim it.

This post... this post by the same blogger made me weep. If you are a nursing mama be prepared for the ugly cry. I am still not recovered.

When I read this post on journaling, I was convicted of how I use my journaling time. Am I growing? Am I being real?

If you are looking for great reads for the summer, this post by my friend, Tara, is wonderful. A true lover of literature, this girl knows her books.

Finally, this post is about saying yes in parenting. Definitely food for thought.

you know you're a mom when . . .

your living room bookshelf now looks like this:

she's very musical, you know

shake,

shake,

shake,

shake ya booty


shaka, shaka, shaka, shake!

Lauren LOVES the radio. She turns up the volume and dances to whatever song comes on. Yesterday I was cleaning her room and she was playing with her radio and I kid you not - she turned it to a station that was playing "St. Patrick's Day" by John Mayer! She turned the sound up and danced and danced...and so did her mama! This is a girl with some mighty fine music taste and some suh-weet moves.