Soon the Seasons Change!

I don't know about you, but I am very, very excited about fall this year! I can't wait for the Brown County Fair, Neiderman Family Farms pumpkin patch and hot chocolate on the hayride!! I can't wait for pictures with Charlie and Daddy and watching Charlie in their little petting zoo! I just can't wait! I want to enjoy the rest of the summer, the dog days, the heat and haze- and maybe get a few more laps around the swimming pool- but then, I crave roasted marshmallows and the fall colors- for the smells of my Autumn Leaves candle from Slatekin and Co...and the the smells of an apple pie recipe from Wisconsin that I've been dying to make! Mmmmmm! The older I get, the more and more I yearn for fall! Here's a picture of fall last year! My little boy does not fit in this outfit anymore, his hair has lightened up and gone curly, he has teeth, he can run and walk and throw rocks. He's my big boy! And maybe that's why I like fall- things seem to slow down a bit. You take more time to sit around and chat with friends and family and visit each other. That's why I've always loved the Christmas song "Dashing through the snow" because it's about visiting grandma and it makes me envision togetherness, warmth from the cold, the smell of a fireplace and sweaters, sled rides and "It's a Wonderful Life" repeats...

And just in time for the wonderfulness of fall- my other little one will arrive! Poor thing! I didn't even mention how much that little bundle coming to us this fall makes me crazy with joy! Another reason I am going to LOVE fall this year! Beginning each day with breakfast and snuggles and ending each day with a late night snack and snuggles...I just am so blessed!!!!! SO very thankful for this blessing! God was so gracious to give us children! So gracious to give us kicks in our belly and coo's and baby babbles...what precious joy to have children!!! I do not take it for granted; I don't take it lightly that I am able to have children as there are many women who can not. Life is such a precious, precious gift. Savor it. Live it. Love it. Because like the Bible says, "Life is but a vapour that appeareth for a short time and vanisheth away..." Like the breath you take, it's here one minute and gone the next.

The Simple Things...

Here is a picture of Jeff and Charlie playing with Jeff's old cars from when he was a kid! After a long day of work Daddy still has energy to play with his boy! My husband is so great!! He is so good to me and he is truly my soul mate! I am so thankful to God that He brought me into Jeff's life and I know Jeff would say the same. As I type this blog my not-so-little-boy is sleeping in his new big boy bed for the first time! The family I nannied for in college has passed down their toddler bed to Charlie! You should see how he's sleeping! :o) Of course Daddy put it together for him last night.

And as I sit here thinking of Charlie I think of Jeff, slaving away at work! In the heat. In the non-breathing uniform he's wearing...wondering if I packed him enough lunch for today and what I should make for dinner! Jeff did mention a bike ride or walk later this evening when it cools off! We haven't done that in a while! Charlie should like that!! So now I'm thinking of a little picnic snack to take along!

Well, there are many things I need to get done today- so I'm off! Have a great day!!! :)

Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!

The blessings in my life are many, the troubles are so few
I'm thankful for my Lord who guides me daily through
Who gave me ones to love and ones to love me, too
So I can simply say, Dear Lord, how I thank You!"

These past few weeks have seemed to go by so quickly. From planning a baby shower, to ordering engagement pictures, going to church, household chores, cooking for the family and taking care of a little sick boy- I don't feel as though I have had the privilege of taking time to enjoy rest. Our pastor has started a new series entitled "Balancing work and rest". It was an eye opener for me, to not just flop on the end at the end of the day and zonk out till morning, but to take a peaceful time and enjoy the rest...and that is a hard thing to do sometimes even though we really need to.

I tried to get many things on my list accomplished yesterday only to be upset that I didn't get everything done- I want today to be a completely relaxed day of nothing much to do. But I realize that with so many things to do there's no possible way to just sit here. Although, right now I am on this blog, I'm still being bothered by the dishes from lunch that need washing, a sick baby boy upstairs trying to get his much needed sleep (poor guy!) and thinking about my husband and how I missed his call this morning and still haven't heard from him...ughhh....many things on my mind...but what about God?

What about Him should be on my mind and heart right now? Shouldn't I meditate on Him day and night instead of all these "things"? So, one task at a time- one minute at a time- and at the end of the day I should be well pleased at all I have done. I know I need to spend some time playing cars with Charlie this afternoon. He hugs me like he hasn't seen me in weeks. I really should take advantage of his "cuddliness" at the moment.

Ok, so I'm off. I'm off to take a break, finish some pictures for a friend of mine and the little girl she has fostered these past 2 months and see what will happen the rest of the day. The Baby is kicking me at the moment. And for the first time Jeff says last night, "the baby is kicking." Yep! I feel it all the time, but he felt it kick him this time! :D For a little while left the three of us lay in bed...in November it will just be the two of us again...hmmmm....life is so good!

My Sister Sarah's Baby Shower!

Saturday was my sister's baby shower! It was "Tropical Paradise"
We had such a fun time! The food was great- we had: a fruit tray of tropical fruits and fruit dip, Fruit punch with Sprite and frozen berries, spinach dip with a rye bread bowl, taco salad (not tropical was still was very good!) and I made the cake and cupcakes! The cake was a beach scene with crushed graham crackers as the sand! I iced little binki's and swim trunks on teddy grahams and put them with Airhead towels, life saver floats, sweet tart star fish, sweedish fish, tropical flower suckers that I popped off the stems and lots of icing!! We played a game called "hello, My name is..." where you write down on name tags a baby item, such as bottle, diapers, binki, blanket etc...and that is the guests new name. Anyone calling the other person by their real name loses their bracelet to that person: the person with the most bracelets at the end wins! It's a take off the "can't say baby or you lose your clothes pin" game. It was really hard to not call someone by their real name! :P Sarah got lots of wonderful gifts such as: pack and play, glider, changing table with mat and mat cover, diapers, wipies, clothes, bibs, wash cloths, towels, soap, lotion, diaper bag, baby bed, baby bedding (from babybeddingzone.com!) a baby bed mattress, stroller, swing, baby wedge for sleeping, carseat, bottles...the only big thing she needs is a monitor and bottle warmer! The other odds and ends things she can just pick up before the baby arrives. Her name is Lillian (Lillie) Gabrielle Matthews!

Boating at Caeser's Creek

We went boating last Saturday and met a new lady named Victoria, her husband Christian and her are violinists and singers as well. They just released a new CD entitled New Beginnings. The boating experience is one we'll not soon forget- some exciting moments and a couple scary moments...but all in all it was a good day!