Pics

Baby bump at 20 weeks!!!

Strawberry Rhubarb pie....soupy but cute and delicious!!!!

The news....

Hello friends! Praying that you're all getting ready for a wonderful weekend as I am :) We have been blessed with this beautiful spring, but I think the rain might be coming this weekend....all is well though, it will green everything up :)

Speaking of spring...most of you know that I've found a wonderful new interest in my flower garden. My mother in law helped us set it up with starter plants, etc and now we've extended the flower bed and done a lot more planting......this spring it has been wonderful to see all of the new and old getting started for the year :) I have lovely new hot pink, light pink & white, yellow & red, and purple/black tulips :)

I've been working on the diaper bag once or twice a month when we visit Kyle's parents...hoping to finish that soon and will post pics. This week I've been working on burp cloths :)

Let's see.....what other hobbies do I have....oh yes, I'm curing a batch of soap that I made a new recipe for. I'm trying to make a little harder bar that lasts a bit longer so I experimented with shea butter in the bar and will see how it comes out. Card making & crocheting are on back burner although I do have projects for both that need working on at some point.

I was motivated by the Julie&Julia movie to make a few new recipes so last week I made a Beef Curry and Gnocchi with Ragu.....both were different for us and good :)

So when my coworkers ask what I do since I only work part-time......... mostly housework and hobby stuff. Taking advantage now because I'm guessing being a mom might limit the hobby time :)

My wonderful husband has mostly been working at work and then working at home :) He finished the wiring this week and got the basement cleaned out (seriously....you guys will not believe our basement-- not a tool or scrap to be found!).....passed inspection this morning.....drywall to begin within the week!!!! I suppose DIY work on the house is kind of like a hobby..... :) He takes such good care of me and has done such a GREAT job making this a lovely home!!!

We've been praying about finding the right place to connect at our new church (if attending there for 1 1/2 years is in fact new)....... last week we committed to joining a weekly small group called First Principles. If you think of it...pray for us that we both keep growing in the work God started in us-- becoming more like Christ.....also pray that we would have good attitudes and continue to try to make Christ the center of our marriage and home :)

A good friend of a good friend had a beautiful little boy this past week......it was great to visit them and see just how tiny and precious he is :) How good is our God!!!!! Congrats Ambria & welcome baby Nelson :)

Well ......that's the news here. Have a great weekend!!

Godstop:

Titus 2: 3-5 "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

What a wonderful day....

It's 10:39 pm, Saturday evening. Kyle is out with the boys watching basketball. I just finished watching Julie & Julia-- loved it!!

It's been a great day! Started off with waking without an alarm clock blaring, the realization that it was Saturday and there wasn't anything that I HAD to do, and beautiful sunshine coming through the window! I had been wanting to do a little shopping so decided this was the day to do it. I've been starting to feel a bit frumpy and decided it was time for a few new clothes to accent the new baby bump and make me feel pretty again :) Thank you to everyone I saw today that said I looked great (Amber, Knelly, Chinwe.... )... I heart you :) So 3 stores (+ a trip to Inta Juice) and 2 hours later I returned with 4 new clothing items, 1 gallon of paint, and 4 yards of fabric (ok so these last two didn't have anything to do with the baby bump :)

Then we were off to Fiona's 7th birthday (our dear friends little girl). We had a great lunch, an EXCELLENT birthday cake, and a fun time celebrating with everyone!

After lunch I came home to make my cupcakes that I'm to take to Easter dinner tomorrow. You would think that after a few years in the kitchen I wouldn't make silly mistakes ...........hehe I wish. I was to add 1 1/2 cup flour and so I took out a 1/2 cup measure and put three 1/2 cups into the mix = 1 1/2 cups, yes? Only to find when I was cleaning up that there was no 1/2 cup out on the counter!?? So.....I surmised that I used a 1/3 cup instead of a 1/2 cup and added 1 cup instead of 1 1/2 cups flour to cupcakes. Hmmmmm.....what would Julia Childs do??? Never apologize or make excuses.......... tasted them, frosted them up, and will take them tomorrow :)

After I tore Kyle away from working in the basement (he's marvelous btw), we were off for another birthday party. This time to celebrate the 30th birthday of my girlfriend Miriam. It was a surprise party and such fun to see her expression :)

After this I dropped Kyle off to hang with the guys & came home only to find I was pooped and wanted nothing more than to curl up in the chair. I read the last 7 chapters of Matthew and then started the movie.......... a must see ladies ;)

Godstop:

As we prepare to celebrate Easter tomorrow.....I'm filled with anticipation. Since committing my life to Christ, Easter has been one of my favorite days of the year! What joy, what excitement, what amazement........the Risen Lord! Can you even begin to imagine the reaction of the disciples when they learned that Jesus had risen from the dead? Everything Jesus had said to them suddenly making perfect sense! The crazy realization of the true meaning of the gospel they were preaching. How thankful I am that Jesus chose to die for my and each of our sins......that God rose him from the dead into everlasting life....that he promised if we confess our sins and ask Jesus into our life, then we would be raised to everlasting life in heaven as well!!!!! He could have backed out you know.....and he would have been fully justified in doing so....probably all of us would have backed out. But he was perfect and perfectly loving and demonstrated the purest form of God's grace.........an undeserved free gift.