3rd time's a charm

well. i've done it again. i have wowed someone else with my incredible blog. i'm kidding. i completely realize this blog is pretty much entirely for me & i humbly thank the few of you who decide to waste some time & read it. sweet Amanda gave me this bloggie award. Amanda is my friend from high school. she was Ms. Everything at Germantown High School, but still sweet enough to befriend the little people. she lives out in the sticks close to me but somehow we haven't gotten together yet. we keep in touch through facebook & blogs. her little Kate is a cutie patootie & she is expecting baby #2 in October. so excited for her. so, thank you Amanda for the shout out. love you!

now that i have followed the first rule of the blog award (thanking Amanda) i will tell you the next 3 rules: pass the award to 7 other bloggers, tell them they've won the award, & tell 7 things about yourself. so here i go:

i nominate the following fabulous bloggers:

* Lindsay from Just the two of us. Lindsay is my darling little sister. she is graduating college in a couple weeks with her teaching degree. she's been married for almost a year to her sweet (and by sweet i mean, get a room!) hubby. they are the mushiest little newlywed couple but so adorable. she has a witty sense of humor & i crack up at her little musings. she definitely deserves the blog love, so go check her out!

* Katie from the Kublers. Katie is my littlest sister. she is one of the busiest people i know. she's in school full time, works full time & she's newly married. she has the cutest hubby. they are incredibly perfect for each other. i love it. she is crafty & creative. she did not get that from me. i wish. she is also hilarious. really hilarious. and she doesn't even mean to be. if you know her, you know what i mean. please go read her blog, you will not regret it.

* Amanda from Your Love is Better than Life. Amanda blows me away. she is supermom. she has 3 adorable little kids. she also keeps 3 adorable little kids during the week. she finds time to post pretty much everyday & i love it. she's always keeping track of her kids lives via blogging. she loves the Lord, her hubby & her kiddos. she posts yummy recipes, challenging bible verses & encouraging words. i really appreciate her blog. you would too.

*Shannon from the Mommy Diaries. Shannon is wonderful. her blog is all about her beautiful boys. her oldest, Jackson, is hysterical. and i love to read about all of her conversations with him. she also has a funny sense of humor & i love how she writes. we went to Kirby Woods together back in the day & i honestly wish i saw her more often. she is such a good mom & she works so hard. please go read her blog. right now.

* Ashley from the Fisher family. Ashley is the one person i know right now who is in the exact same place in life as me. she has 2 beautiful little girls. her oldest, Annabelle, and Jack are one month apart in age. and her youngest, Adelyn, and Jovie are one month apart in age. so, we both have 18 month old toddlers & new babies. both Adelyn & Jovie have severe acid reflux & our toddlers are a mess! both of our hubbies are in the ministry. the only difference is that she lives in Ohio!! i know she is where the Lord wants her family but i really wish we lived close together. i miss her so much. i love to read about her sweet girls, her silly hubby & their sweet life together. she is such an encouragement to me. you would love her. go see.

* Jess from the Kenney family. Jess is the best. we grew up together & we have such a similar personality. we were best friends in high school & i really miss seeing her on a daily basis. her boys are the cutest. and she is expecting her 3rd little boy in about 8 weeks. she is one of the most fun people to be around. i love her sense of humor & her honesty. she has never been a fake person & i truly appreciate that about her. truly one of my favorite people, its a shame i don't spend more time with her. go read about her adorable family.

* Kayla from On our Way to a New Life. Kayla is one of the sweetest people i know. and so funny. she is getting married in July & i can't wait. i know she can't either. she & her fiance go to our church & they are such a help to Ben & I. our ministry couldn't survive without them. Kayla has so much conviction & she really sticks to it. i love that about her. she feels like a little sister to me & i'm so excited about the direction our ministry is going in with her & TJ. she is fairly new to blogging so i know she would appreciate the love. go help a sister out.

now i must contact these girls about their prestigious award. done.

and now the long awaited, much anticipated 7 things about myself. (you can skip this part if you want!)

1. i hate mayo. i know most of you know this but i just feel the need to express it.

2. i love to cook & try new recipes. i try to cook about 4 times a week at home.

3. my favorite TV show of all time is Friends. i bet i've seen every episode 10 times & it never gets old. absolutely hilarious. me & the hubs watch it in bed almost every night. i also really love House & LOST. great stuff.

4. i definitely am more of a salt tooth than sweet tooth. but i crave chocolate every day.

5. i love musicals. newsies and the music man are my faves.

6. i could spend hours in Hobby Lobby dreaming up a million projects to work on but i never see them out. its so hard to find time to craft with 2 kids under 2!

7. my favorite color is red. i'm always drawn to it in stores. i'm hoping to find some cute red fabric for Jovie's bedding.

thats it friends. all done. feel free to follow all the rules or you can just list the 7 things about yourself. i always love reading those!! have a happy weekend!

Jovie Claire @ 3 months!

sweet Jovie girl, you are 3 months old today! that is so crazy to me. in some ways, i feel like i've always had you but in others it seems like we just left the hospital. funny how time flies even faster with the second baby. please don't grow up too fast.

i love the little stage you are in now. you are just so adorable. everyone always comments on how alert you are all the time. you are always cooing & smiling. you love to kick your legs & wave your arms all over the place. you enjoy sitting in your swing & napping or looking at the mobile. you have just started sitting in your bumbo seat & for about 15 minutes at a time, you really enjoy it. you look like such a big girl in it!

bath time is still your very favorite time of day. you constantly kick & squirm in your tub. you almost go completely underwater b/c you can't sit still. you just get so excited & its so cute. we love to give you a bath.

you are sleeping beautifully through the night. Praise the Lord! you go down between 9 & 10 at night & sleep until 6-7 the next morning. then you wake to eat & after that you go back to sleep for about 2 more hours. bless you child, bless you. we are still working on your naps. you like to wake up after about 45 minutes to an hour. sometimes you go back to sleep & sometimes you don't. you are pretty unpredictable that way. you do nap in your swing about once a day. i'll take what i can get at this point. you are still in your bassinet in our room & you probably will be until the summer b/c we only have one crib & Jack isn't quite ready to move out yet!

we are still battling your reflux. dad gum it. you are still taking 15mg of Prevacid each day. i have to jump through hoops to prepare your medicine b/c the OTC version is MUCH cheaper than the prescription. ($25 vs $165) i have to cut the capsule in half, then divide up the little pellets in half, then try to get one of the halves into a very small portion of apple juice, then suck them up into a syringe & then get them in your mouth. to say its annoying & complicated is a major understatement. but you need it & helps you, so i will do anything. you spit up halfway through a nap & i believe thats what wakes you up. i've learned to have a burp cloth handy at all times. i'm getting used to living in your spit up. we're praying that it passes in the next 3 months. we hate to see you hurt.

you are a mommy's girl. your favorite place is propped up on my shoulder (like i'm burping you). you could sit that way for hours. i love that you love me so much. so sweet. but it does make it a little difficult when i'm trying to wrangle Jack during the day. i've learned to do most things with one hand. however, you do love that dada. he loves to sing to you & you just smile & get so excited. i love to watch you interact with him. you are blessed with a precious daddy & i can't wait to watch you wrap yourself around his finger. he's very protective of you already. you & Jack are getting along beautifully. he just loves you so much & you love to watch him move around the room. i'm so excited for you 2 to grow up together. i love you both so much.

you are my favorite little girl in the world. i wouldn't trade all the hard times for anything b/c you are teaching me so much. the Lord has already used you in big ways in our family & we are so thankful for you. you are a precious gift & i hope you always know that.

happy 3 months jellybean, i love you deeply!

Jack @ 18 Months!!!

little boy, you are 18 months old. good grief.

i feel like i repeat myself every month when i describe how much fun you are & how much i love you. but i just don't know of many new ways to talk about how wonderful you are to me. i just love to watch you grow & learn each month. you fascinate me, you are so determined but sweet spirited. i hope you realize, even at this young age, how much we love you & how much we LOVE being your parents. you are such a joy.

new things you've learned or done this past month:

*you can now sign the word "more" & you understand when to use it. i'm so proud.

* you can point to your head, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, hands, feet & tummy.

* you say "ball" pretty clearly

* you love to organize things. in the shower, you line up all the cups, bottles of shampoo & soap. you also love to put things where you think they go!

* you love to "help" me unload the dishwasher, cook & fold laundry. i love that you want to be with me all the time & so involved in what i'm doing. it blesses my heart.

* you go to your highchair & point when you are hungry & you bring us your cup when you want something to drink. you also walk to the door & beat on it when you want to go outside.

* you hate diaper changes!

* you run when i say "Jack, lets change clothes!" you want us to chase you all the time

* you run to the bathroom when we say "shower" or "bath"

* you love to listen to your music in the car. we have 2 cd's of kids songs & you just love them.

* you love to try & use an adult drinking cup. you understand the concept but sometimes they are too heavy for you!

* you try to give Jovie her paci when she is fussy

* you LOVE the tv show Yo Gabba Gabba. you get so excited when it comes on & it really holds your attention well

you are almost done cutting those 4 molars & man has that been a rough road for you. the bottom 2 are completely in & the top 2 are just about done. but they have made you cranky, frustrated, clingy & you hurt a lot. i hate it for you but i love the extra cuddles! you have definitely shown your independence & determination. you are stubborn & strong-willed but you have a very tender heart. sometimes, when we tell you no, you try to argue by grunting or just generally ignoring us & doing what you want. but, you are learning. you are very eager to please us & you always give love & affection.

you love Jovie so much. you are always kissing on her feet, hands, head & face. you constantly want to sit by her & whenever she cries, you make sure i know it! you are such a sweet big brother!

you are in a size 4 diaper & you wear 12-18 month clothes. (except for The Children's Place clothing, you wear a 6-9 month size in shirts there & a 12 month in pants! i think their clothes run huge!) you are in a size 5 shoe. you still love to have something to drink & your appetite has dropped off a little bit b/c of your teething. you take your lovie & sock monkey with you to bed every night. a ball is still your favorite toy & you love anything that makes noise. you love animals & when we make animal noises for you. your favorite place is outside. you would be out there all day long if you could. you are a true boy.

18 month stats:

weight: 23 lbs 6 oz

height: 30 1/2 inches

head: 42 cm

(you are in the 25% in each category)

happy 18 months, my love. you are an incredible joy & i love you more than you will ever know.

Overwhelmed & Overjoyed

that is how i feel about being a mom. this past week has been especially tiring for me. Jovie is at a growth spurt where she wants to nurse every 2 hours during the day & Jack is cutting his molars so he's been hurting, fussy & extra clingy to me. i am just crawling in bed at night feeling completely physically exhausted. i've only been able to squeeze in 1 nap in the past 4 weeks & i'm feeling it. my body is craving a nap but its just not possible right now. it seems like one of my kids are up, all day. i did have them napping at the same time (on most days) but that has been thrown by Jack's teething & Jovie's crazy reflux.

Jovie's GI doctor & her pedi said that for right now (until her reflux gets better) that she needs to be demand fed so that she can get as many calories as possible to help her gain weight. so, basically, if she nurses & then spits up a ton i have to nurse her again. we have to make sure that enough milk is staying down to help her gain the weight. she's also getting 1 bottle of formula per day to help her out. she is sleeping through the night & i'm incredibly thankful for that. but nap times are really rough for her. she just keeps waking up b/c she spits up or b/c she's hurting so much. so this makes trying to do anything around my house almost impossible. my house always looks so messy. i feel like i clean our kitchen/living room 100 times per day. but i'm trying to remember that i have an 18 month old & a 3 month old & that i shouldn't be so hard on myself.

ever since i've had Jovie, i've been so hard on myself. i just always struggle with trying to do it all. i want (or feel the need) to keep a clean home, raise my sweet babies, cook my hubby a good dinner, do laundry & run all my errands in a perfect manner. i get so frustrated when i feel like i'm not doing a good job at running my home. i always wonder "do other women, with kids, struggle as much as i do?" i mean, i'm not sure if you know this, but the good Lord only gave us 2 hands!! sometimes i wonder why He didn't give me 4 or 5 b/c i could sure use them!!! i find myself apologizing to Ben when the kitchen is a mess, dinner is late or the laundry has piled up. he always laughs & shrugs it off. bless him. BUT i am learning. the Lord has/is faithful at pruning away the silliness of my attitudes. i will never be able to do it all myself & i need to be ok with that. i am so dependent upon Him. and i also have a wonderful husband who is such a help to me. he never complains about the cleanliness of our home, the fussiness of our kids, or the lateness of our dinner! what a man. his momma taught him well!

i am learning that its ok to go to bed with a messy house. i need sleep & energy more than i need a completely tidy home. i want my kids to look back & remember me spending more time with them than scrubbing bathrooms. one day, i believe i'll long for all of Jack's little messes in the living room or Jovie's burp cloths strung all over the house. they will be all grown up & my house can be perfectly clean then.

i have had some wonderful moments this week too. there have been many times that Jack has crawled up next to me & cuddled as i nurse Jovie. He has run up to me, countless times, with a huge grin on his face & planted a wet sloppy kiss on my face. sweet Jovie has smiled & cooed at me every single day. and she loves to be rocked while Ben or I sing to her before she drifts off to sleep. these precious moments with my kids are the Lord's sweet way of reminding me to not worry so much over the "things" of life but to enjoy the people He has blessed me with. i constantly find myself thanking the Lord for His goodness in my life. Ben & my children are completely worth the exhaustion & weariness. it will only last for a season. i want to remember these days & be encouraged & thankful.

Thank you, Lord for my family. help me to remember i serve them first.

a few pics from this month:

my children are way too cute!

My Eastery Birthday

i love when my birthday falls on Easter. so fun. Easter is ALL about our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. but i enjoyed having my 27th birthday fall on the same day. plus, i got to spend my birthday with all of our family, since we were getting together anyway.

after digging into Easter baskets, we started out the day at church. great service with sweet people. then we headed off to my parent's house for a nice lunch & great family time. after lunch, Jovie took a little snooze on her boppy while the rest of us played outside with Jack. we attempted a family picture of the 4 of us & turned out decent. not my fave, but not the worst. you take what you can get with 2 kids under 18 months!!!

later that afternoon we headed to Ben's parents house for supper. we grilled out hamburgers & hot dogs. Ben's brother, Tripp, recently got engaged to a sweet girl named Cris. she has 2 cutie pie little boys, KJ & Bear. (obviously nicknames). so it was really fun to have them with us this year. we're looking forward to their wedding on July 3, in FL!!! we relaxed, snapped some pics of the kiddos & let Jack run crazy outside.

we headed home a little bit early & crashed. we had a busy day but it was lots of fun. another Easter with Jack was so special & Jovie Claire's first Easter turned out to be so precious.

here are some pics from our Easter:

i loved stuffing baskets for them!

and Jack loved digging into it!

i can't believe that i have 2 kids this Easter.

my lemonade ice cream cake with strawberry topping birthday/Easter cake! it was delish.

my girl rocking her Easter nap.

my beautiful Easter baby.

my attempt at getting an Easter pic of them together. (no this wasn't Jack's Easter outfit, but he was in & out of it so fast it was hard to get a picture of him!)

some sweet Easter loving

running of his lunch on the golf course!

Happy Easter everyone! hope you had as blessed a day as we did!

Easter Egg Hunting

(i know i'm slightly behind on posting this, but i've been a little busy!)

Jack participated in his very first Easter egg hunt on April 3. and it was adorable. i was a little worried that he wouldn't understand but he picked up on the concept immediately. but that's because he's a genius. no really. anywho. our church hosted the hunt & Jack had a great time looking for those plastic eggs, he even opened them up to see what goodies were inside. he was even 1 of 2 kids to find a "prize egg" which contained a crisp $5 bill. told you he was a genius.

here are a few pics of our fun day. beware of the cuteness! (he is getting way too big!)

the field between our house & the church. AKA the hunt site

jack & dada all ready to go

and he's off! (how cute is this picture?!)

the first egg Jack found. i was a little excited.

gathering up those eggs. he was a pro.

looking abroad for more eggs

off to find the rest of them!

we had such a fun day. i just love my sweet boy & all his little milestones. so precious.

Sweet Jovie Girl

this little girl is such a blessing. i can't believe how much i love her! she is the sweetest baby & we are so thankful for her!

p.s. i'm pretty sure she's the cutest baby ever.

Little Drummer Boy

but i don't think thats a title he is embracing. he was walking backwards & fell right in his toy drum. he absolutely couldn't get out & i absolutely couldn't quit laughing. i had to grab my camera before helping my poor neglected boy. he might be scarred for life but i sure got a much needed & very good laugh out of this. oh the joys of parenthood.....

Psalm 86

i still have to go back & do my Easter/birthday post. and i will as soon as i find my camera cord. ugh.

but i am meditating on this passage tonight. i have had a rough week. i've been impatient, selfish, frustrated, irritated, exhausted & weary. i don't know why. i think its just a combination of Jovie having so much trouble with acid reflux & Jack just running around like crazy. my children are a joy & a blessing. and i have been frustrated with my job as their mom. i just feel like i keep falling short. i desperately need the Lord for grace as their mommy. the Lord gave me this chapter in Psalms tonight & i am so thankful. His word is refreshing & sufficient. Help me, Lord, to be your hands & feet to my children. give me grace, patience & love to serve them in a way that is honoring to you.

Psalm 86

"Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,

for i am poor and needy,

preserve my life, for i am godly;

save your servant, who trusts in you---you are my God.

Be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you, do i cry all the day.

Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, do i lift up my soul.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

listen to my plea for grace.

In the day of my trouble i call upon you,

for you answer me.

there is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours,

all the nations you have made shall come,

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

for you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

teach me your way, O Lord,

that i may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

i give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and i will glorify your name forever.

for great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

O God, insolent men have risen up against me;

a band of ruthless men seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

but you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant,

and save the son of your maidservant.

show me a sign of your favor,

that those who hate me may see and be put to shame

because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Too Fast

time is moving way too fast for this momma. do you ever just have one of those days where you look at your child & realize how quickly they are growing?! do you remember "back in the day" when they were so tiny & now it just seems that they have sprouted up & taken off?! maybe i'm being dramatic. Jack is only 17 months old. but as i watched him hunt Easter eggs over the weekend, he just seemed so much bigger & part of that broke my heart.

i am absolutely loving the stage he is in right now. he's such a fun toddler, learning & growing so much. but i also realize that he's not a baby anymore & quickly becoming a little boy. i want him to stay this fun little age where he wants to love on me & be with me all the time. its just going so fast. this time last year, he was almost 6 months old. he was till nursing, not sitting on his own yet, eating baby food & drinking from a bottle. he would even still let me hold him for his naps. now, he is running, talking (somewhat!), coloring, throwing a ball, drinking milk from a sippy cup, eating regular solid food & doesn't want to snuggle as much when he sleeps. its just a little bit hard for me to grasp at the moment.

i just love him so very much. every time i look at Jovie i remember Jack being that small & i miss it. a little bit. i realize how quickly she will be that age & how different she will be just one year from now. why can't time just stop sometimes?! before i know it they will be in kindergarten (big gulp) and all of these fun baby/toddler stages will be over. so, i'm trying to soak in every moment with them. i promise i love being a mom more than anything. (besides being ben's wife!). i really do. i always want to have a little one around. its so hard some days, but every time i look at Jack or Jovie's sweet little face, i'm reminded of how wonderful & rewarded i feel to be their mommy. i love that boy. and i love that girl. i just want them to slow down a little bit. please.

i'm sorry if this is super sappy or sentimental. i'm just feeling emotional. really emotional. but, having kids will do that to ya! thank you Lord for the blessing of being Jack & Jovie's mom. may i never, ever take it for granted!

Oh How i Love Thee...

my friend, Rachel, recently did a post about some of the things that she loves. and i loved reading it. i think its so fun to read about the simple things in life that make someone happy. its refreshing to know that people delight in people when this world tells us we need a bunch of stuff to make life feel complete. Rachel asked people to leave comments about what things they love, but i decided to make a post of it. i want to look back & remember the simple joys of life on the days that i feel overwhelmed or stressed out. thanks Rachel for reminding me of all that i have to be thankful for!

a few things that i just love:

*the smiles of my children:

*date nights with my husband.

* nights at home with my family.

* scented candles

* a clean home. (though this is a rarity these days!)

* nap times

* chocolate, in any form

* Jovie's feet

* the way Jack will come running at me, full force, to give me a toddler sized bear hug

* how Jovie is so relaxed & at peace when she is nursing

* Jack's big blue eyes

* Ben's sense of humor

* crawling in bed after a long day & talking with Ben about anything

* the way Jack loves to point to every light & fan in any given room

* Jovie's dark blue eyes & dark brown hair

* family nights with my parents, brothers, sisters & their hubbies

* dinners with Ben's family

* going to the park & watching Jack run giddily all over creation

* watching my kids sleep. i love the innocence.

* going to church as a family

* cuddling with Jovie when she is having a hard day

* kisses from Jack

* cooking a good meal & knowing that Ben appreciates it

* when Ben helps me around the house

* a long hot shower

* when friends come to visit

* the health of my family

i could probably go on forever. but i won't!

what things do you love? Praise the Lord for giving us the simple things in this life to enjoy. He is good, all the time.

p.s. one more thing i love, my birthday! its tomorrow.......