{a time away}

it's been forever, or at least it feels like forever, since jeff and i have gotten away together. no kids, no schedule...just each other. i have to say that it almost didn't happen considering we were headed to south lake tahoe on the day of a huge winter storm. all week we considered canceling the trip but it was non-refundable and so, the day of, we got up the nerve ( i shouldn't say "we" because i had no nerve it was all jeff) and headed up the hill. it was definitly not a short drive. 5 hours later (normally a 2 hour drive at the most) we made it to south lake tahoe! we enjoyed every moment we had together. we had a beautiful room that overlooked heavenly valley ski resort and we bundled up and enjoyed our walks around town. it was definitely fridgid weather outside so we made sure to carry a nice hot starbucks where ever we went!

huge hail as we were leaving sacramento

and the snow begins

beautiful tahoe....view from our room

jeff trying to throw a snowball at me

on our stroll around town

the great poser

it's cold!

our friend...starbucks

keeping my hands warm

the pond inside our hotel

sideways picture of jeff! this is inside our hotel lookin down into the atruim

our only pic together! i love this man

{Nana and Papa come for a visit}

it has definitely been a transition being away from nana and papa. the kids were so use to seeing them every single day when we lived in AZ and now we have to be patient and wait for them to visit! they came out at the end of january and we had such a great time seeing them again! we love you nana and papa...and we look foward to your next visit! below are a few pics...

on our way to airport...my sweet baby girl!

papa and ethan

peyton and nana with peyton's new dolly!

so cute! we love you nana and papa!

{My little Cubby Bear}

it only took 4 weeks.....4 weeks of trying to get peyton into the classroom. she's painfully shy...to say the least...yes my loud, boisterious,goofy, joyful,stubborn,persistant,sweet, kind, caring, full of energy little girl is painfully shy!! but this week i put her in and walked away. yep,i walked away as my little 3 year old screamed her little heart out! it's an awful feeling! but i also knew that the only hard part for peyton is letting go...once in, she enjoys every moment! so knowing that, i walked away from my little girl screaming...and it only lasted a few seconds!! i looked thru the window and there she was quiet! I'm so glad I walked away because she had the best night ever! and she participated in everything. she made friends, she said 4 little verses to her leader, she got her cubby vest and her book.....when i walked over to her class she came running out with a huge smile on her face saying.. "mommy i had a happy heart and friends!"  praising the Lord for His goodness! i love how the Lord always perfectly orchestrates a little glimmer of the fruit of your labor...keeps me mindful of the promises in God's word..."Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galations 6:9. i am so very thankful for these times! the Lord always knows when you need a little encouragement! below are a couple of pictures of my little cubby bear!

I can't believe my baby girl is in cubbies!

she was running around like crazy during game time
so please excuse the hair!

she loves her new book!

{Playing Catch Up}

we have been home (California) for about a month now and it really feels like we never left! except for the fact that there are still boxes living among my house, we have nothing on the walls, kids are still......adjusting......to put it kindly, and i have yet to see many of my dear sweet friends. i really don't know where the last month went! i think that we have been so excited to be home that the days have all become a blur. we are back in our cozy little home, as if never gone, and we jumped right back into the youth group at church, as if we've always been. now that Christmas has past and the new year is upon us...i have a lot of catching up to do! so i thought i would start by sharing a few pictures from our month...thanksgiving to now! enjoy...

Daddy's little man!

We love you Nana!

Playing at the park after Thanksgiving dinner.

AWWWWWWW

Hugs for Papa!

All smiles

Playtime

Saying goodbye to Uncle Jason and Auntie Pearl!

Finding his "button"...belly button that is!

Ligths at the zoo! If there's one thing that Peyton enjoyed the most
this year, it was all the christmas lights!

Being silly with daddy!

we finally picked out our christmas tree..1 1/2 weeks before christmas

Awwwww....they are so sweet.....sometimes!

my little monkey

Peyton loved making christmas cookies....

Ethan loved watching them bake...i don't think they could bake fast enough!

Christmas Eve

I love my little girlie!

trying hard for a family photo...classic!

love of my life!

This boy loves his slippers!!

{Mom, this ones for you!}

although i really should not be on the computer because i have numerous things that i need to do, i wanted to post a sweet pic of my kids! mainly for my mom! she's missing us since we've left arizona. we love you Nana...this pics for you!

lovin' on eachother!

{It's been a while}

so i know that it's been a while since i posted anything on our blog but it's for good reason.
we just made our big move back to california and unfortunatly i haven't had much to time to get on the computer. seeing as we all got the stomach flu once we arrived and we have a house full of boxes...it might be a little while longer till we are up and running again. but i promise it will happen...talk to ya soon!

{Never a dull moment}

"But as for me I shall sing of your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness." Psalm 59:16-17

i feel as though in the last few days the Lord has gently reminded me that my children are gift from Him, that they are ultimatly His and they are given to me as a stewardship to train and teach them in His ways.  the commitment that we made before Him, to dedicate our children to Him, was not merely words but an acknowledgment that our children are His possession and that His will and plan for there lives is perfect and meant to bring Him all the glory. 

how did He gently remind me? (and I use the term gently because I know that circumstances could be far worse but the Lord chooses to pour out His grace instead!)  well, this week He used my sweet little boy to remind me! i posted earlier this week about our  humerous ER visit...one of our firsts....later in the week, last evening actually, He gently reminded me again that my little boy is fearfully and wonderfully made and that he knows the numbers of hairs on his head...and cares for him....

Ethan, being a typical boy, was running around the house (as if he had not been sick earlier in the week...he actually had no fever and was back to normal) he ran into the kitchen and slipped. he landed on his bottom first and than hit his head on the tile floor. not any harder than he would normally hit his head...he began screaming, mostly because it startled him! my mom ran in to pick him up and calm him down. he was doing one of those cries where they can't catch their breath. i went over to him to comfort him and before I could, I watched as his little eyes began to roll back and his body began to tighten up!! He started to have a seizure! My mom quickly layed him on the floor on his side and I ( with my heart sinking) quickly dialed 911. Before I even gave the operator any information he had come out of the seizure and was crying and wimpering....I never in all my life felt relief and joy in hearing my little boy cry like I did at that moment.  The paramedics arrived, checked him out and all looked good. They said that he had a rapid spike in temperature which causes the body to have a febrile (don't know if that's spelled right) seizure which is the bodies natural response to a temperature jumping so fast! They said we could keep him home and just to monitor him for signs of anything that was out of the ordinary and if so to bring him in. He was happy and himself the rest of the night. I of course was on pins and needles all night doing everything to keep my baby from crying just in case it would happen again! And of course when I layed down for the night I praised the Lord for protecting my sweet little boy and asked for peace so that I wouldn't worry all night long....and as always our faithful Father answered my prayers and in the morning I realized I had slept more soundly that night than I had in the last few!  And again I say:

"But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the MORNING, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.  Psalm 59:16-17