Let Go, & Let God.

Sometimes you just need a reminder.

Much love to all my friends! <3

Fun in the September Sun

what he did:

what I did:

it lasted 30 minutes. 45 tops.
because pregnant ladies get real roasty toasty super fast.
and it was so hot. my kindle & phone were lava hot by the end of it.

it was fun while it lasted.

From Our Family to Yours

Step By Step

I've been thinking a lot lately as Benjamin has been changing so fast and so much here recently... learning new things and doing new things. It's exciting to see him grow and learn and take new steps toward being a "big boy". But it's also kind of sad to me because he's my baby and he's not going to be a baby always. He'll always be my baby, but one day he's going to be able to zip up his pants on his own and tie his own shoes. Yesterday he pee-peed on the potty so we're going to start potty learning here soon, and it's a big step.



I keep thinking back to an e-mail that my dad had sent me at the beginning of the year:

With a holiday week full of blessings and family close by a memorable thing happened … Benjamin took his first steps! It was an exciting time for me but both Kristen and Melanie found it sad. The two even shed tears over the event. 340 days after his birth he took his first steps alone and tears of sadness came. I asked why and they said that he is growing up – he’ll never be that young again. True, but it must be a time of celebration! That’s the way it should be! A healthy person should be walking (or close to it) at his age.

What Kristen didn’t see was that 340 days before this she took a step too. And this step was definitely a cause of celebration! Benjamin’s birth was looked forward to for many months before and with this birth she began her life with a new title of “Mom”. What a blessing!

527days prior to Benjamin’s birth Kristen took a step that Melanie was taking in another 4 days: marriage. Kristen and Carl started their life together after leaving their parent’s home; Steven and Melanie would be soon as well. That’s the way it should be.

Today, as I watched Melanie and Steven drive off on my wife’s birthday, I thought about this step they had taken. All these steps and no one really knows where life will take them. But that’s the way it should be!

We know that the way of man is not in himself (Jeremiah 10:23) so we are to rely on our heavenly Father through His word to guide us. His word is to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). As a parent this is what I want most from our “children” and their families. If their first steps are illuminated by God’s Word, and they hold fast to this until their last step, I know where their path leads!

Time goes by quickly, it truly is a vapor (James 4:14).

As I watched Steven’s truck drive off with his new bride I fought the urge to be sad. This was a step they were taking together and it was with God … that’s the way it should be! I’ll be happy but I won’t like it … after all, they’re making my bride and I take a step too!
… on the other hand, Benjamin’s birthday will be celebrated in 17 days … another step!

So here's to steps! Here's to the excitement of learning new things and experiencing new joys {and inevitably, tears}!



Here's to another step... and another... and another...

Beware.

Very reliable resources {Benjamin and Mariah} have informed me that this penguin, which came in a Happy Meal, is quite terrifying to 15 month olds.



Right now, we are at my parents' house. Benjamin and I will be away with my parents visiting my grandparents this weekend. It's going to be very nice to be stress-free {or, as stress-free as I can be, as I will be playing single parent again} for once. It's been a rough few weeks around here. God is taking care of us, though, and I'm very thankful for my parents, who are willing to lug us out to South Carolina along with them. I'm very excited. Oh, and this guy...



will not be coming. However, these beauties...



oh yeah, they're coming. Cookies and Cream cupcakes... I'll post the recipe when I get home.

Anyway, tomorrow there will be one more blog post, and then I won't be posting until probably Monday's "Far Above Rubies" post {Proverbs 31:13, by the way!}. But I will be taking photos!

Take care, y'all, and watch out for the evil penguins...

What I Love on a Stormy Saturday...

.sleeping in

.the relaxing rain

.staying home

.napping with Benjamin

.my new embroidery book



.feeling stress melt away

.a phone conversation with my mom

.praying for those in Yazoo City, MS, which got struck by a tornado today

.knowing that tomorrow is the Lord's Day

hot tea.

This week has been so relaxing, but I suppose this vacation is coming to a close and tomorrow we will be headed back home. I am sad to see it come to this close, but I am so eager to see my husband! I miss him so much! Tomorrow we {my mom, Benjamin, and myself} are going antiquing {SO excited}, and then we are meeting Hubby for dinner halfway home. I'm rather tired of being a single parent so I'll be glad for that to end!

But like I said, this week has been relaxing. I drank hot tea.



And it was fabulous.

I took over 600 a lot of pictures this week. Yeah, you can say I'm enjoying my new camera pretty well.

When I get home, I'm going to continue to relax as much as possible, but I've got work to do and I'm going to dive right in. I've come to certain conclusions and made certain decisions and I'm ready to make things happen. I know I'm being pretty vague, but that sort of explanation {if it can be called an explanation} is what will have to do for now!

Yeah, this week of relaxation is coming to an end, but I'm ready to be home with my hubby and baby.



Maybe I'll drink some hot tea at home.

Maybe.

Whatcha got cookin'?

So, what did you have for dinner last night? Want to know what I had? I had this:



Want to know how to make it? Well you're in luck! Head on over to my brand spankin' new recipe blog: Hey Good Lookin'! It's shiny and still has that new-blog smell, so head on over and show it some love!

Do you have a recipe blog? I'd love to see it and add it to my blog roll over there! Or, if you don't have one of your own, do you have any that you really love?

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday! I am about to head into the kitchen to make a cake for our dinner party tomorrow night! Keep an eye on that recipe blog! My cake will surely be seen over there!

a Busy Day

Benjamin took a nap yesterday, and apparently I should have as well. He ran around non-stop for about twenty minutes straight. Seriously.





That must have been one good nap!

Marvelous Things on a Monday

Mondays aren't always my favorite days. It's a day to jump-start my week of chores and trying to get things done. I don't like doing my chores most of the time. But I've gotten to the point where I will force myself to do them whether I like it or not. I stare myself down with that now look who's boss gleam in my eyes and then the defiant me will kind of quiver there for a moment, and crumble into the pile of clean laundry that is in dire need of folding. It happens, eventually. It happened three times today.

One thing that gets me through a Monday is thinking about wonderful, marvelous things to cheer me up and keep me going.

Today, I was thinking about ... cupcakes.

Yes. Cupcakes.


Photos from Flickr

Yum, yum, yum.

Guess what I'm going to be baking tomorrow?

Our Best Friend, Mariah

Our Best Friend Mariah is



so cute



so silly



so sweet



so smart



so precious.

I have ...

a very talented husband,

Don't you think?

Here's your moose ...

Hey, Peyton,







Benjamin heard you were looking for a moose; He found one!

*This post is obviously dedicated to my {new irl} friend, Peyton. He's been looking for his "moose". :)

And I'm obviously avoiding the subject of 'Birthday Party', but there will be a detailed post "soon", I promise! (When is soon? - hehe)

Hope you all have a wonderful week!