1 1/2 Years Later.....

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted since June 2009. Life has changed a lot in that year and a half. The biggest change being our new addition, Abigail Jayne, born July 14, 2010.

Abbie is doing great and her older brother and sister and in love. They enjoy holding her and making her smile and laugh.Brandon started Kindergarten at Keokuk Christian Academy. Thankfully, grandma teaches in Keokuk and is able to take Brandon with her in the mornings. A wonderful family picks him up and takes Brandon the rest of the way.
Brandon loves his teacher, Mrs. Hanson.



Here is a family picture that was taken this summer on the beach.
The beach which is along the Mississippi River.



Hopefully, the next time I post it will still be January 2011!

Giving Thanks

1.Listening to Brandon read Brown Bear, Brown Bear to his sister.
It was so sweet

2.All the Crazy and Fab women who are in Boot Camp! I can't believe so many are getting up at the crack of dawn!

3.I am still alive after a week of boot camp!

4.Trish and I did not get into an accident when that yellow mustang did not stop at the stop sign.

5.Black Raspberries and the cobbler we made from them! YUM!

6.My husband who makes me breakfast almost every morning.

7.Chris's parents who made it home from work camp safely. And brought home all 13 kids who went with them! (I might have been tempted to leave a couple, LOL!)

8.Swimming

9.Yard Sales and the Great deals!

10.Picking berries with Brandon and Felicia. For every 5 berries I picked the kids ate 4!

11. Clothes fitting better after the first week of boot camp! Can't wait to see what the results are after 6 weeks! Girls we are going shopping!!!!

12.For a God who loves me even when I don't deserve it!

13. For great friends who get up early and see me at my worst!

Love to All!
Jill

Giving Thanks

It is hard to give thanks when your week has been filled with sickness, everyone in the house including me has been sick this week. I missed a night out without children due to my sickness!
However....
1. I woke up at 5am this morning feeling much better!
2. Watching Brandon place a band aid on his sister's knee when she had a boo boo.
3. My wonderful husband who is a fantastic father!
4. Chris finished the siding yesterday while I was sick.
5. Trish and Tara who are going to boot camp with me! Yea!
More mornings of getting up at 5am!
6. All the blackberries that Brandon picked and fed me to help me feel better.
7. Brandon is thankful for his new Star Wars Wii game.
8. A great MOPS steering team meeting, I am soo excited to be working with such fabulous ladies.
9.FUN at the pool with Michele and kiddos, even though I forgot to put on sunscreen and am extremely burnt, OUCH!
10. Brandon putting medicine on my sunburnt back. I told him he would be a great doctor one day and he said "that's the plan" :)

What are you thankful for?

Have a great day!
Jill

Giving Thanks

This has been a BUSY week! So much to be thankful for...

1. A wonderful day at STL Zoo. The weather was perfect and all the animals were out playing!
2. Chris almost has the siding complete!
3. Girls Night Out! Lots of FUN!!!
4. Kenny, Chris's brother who has been helping with the siding.
5. Children who are so innocent and sweet.
6. Fellowship at the church picnic, even though I spent most of the time chasing my kiddo's.
7. Talking to my dad on the phone.
8. Proverbs 31 for the great encouraging emails
9.All the birthday wishes and gifts.
10.Brandon and Felicia singing "Happy Birthday" to me!!

Love to All!
Have a Blessed Week!

BIG

Today is a BIG day for me. Today I am 30. This has been hard because I have never thought about being 30. It seems like such a BIG deal and yet no one has made it into a BIG deal. For most of the day I have felt sorry for myself because I will never be in my 20's again. As a matter of fact when I went to bed last night and I thought this is the last time I will do anything when I am in my 20's. Now you may think this is silly and I suppose it is but this is how I feel.

Now my intent was to write all the things I thought were BIG in my 20's instead I am going to make a list of things that will come in my 30's. Especially this year...
A look into the future instead of dwelling in the past.

1. Felicia will officially be potty trained sometime this year.
2. Brandon has one more year of preschool.
3. Chris and I celebrate our 9th anniversary.
4. Chris and I go on vacation to NYC!!! (by ourselves)
5.I am part of the steering team for MOPS
6. Growing new friendships and strengthening old ones
7. Growing in God
8. Celebrating Brandon's 5th Birthday and Felicia's 3rd and Chris's!
9. Becoming more organized. (we can hope!)
10.Creating wonderful family memories!
11. Teaching VBS and bringing more children to Christ.
12. Spending time with the ones I love!

I could go on and on but I will stop there because I feel better and I don't want to bore you too much!

Love to All!

Giving Thanks

Ok, so it has been awhile since I last blogged...
Here is my thankful list
1. Felicia is finally getting the whole potty thing. YEA!
2. Brandon's T-ball is finished. He is VERY thankful he is done! LOL!
3. Chris's brothers who have been helping him with the siding. Our house is almost complete.
4. All the upcoming vacations and outings we have planned. This week we will be heading to STL Zoo and later in the week a girl thing with Tara!
5. My birthday...I am kinda excited about this new decade that I will be entering. What adventures lie ahead???
6. Chris's mom for taking care of the kiddo's so I work. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful mother in law who loves taking her grandchildren!
7. God's Grace
8. Teaching VBS this week and Brandon learning how great God is!

I thank God for everyone of you!
Jill

Music

This morning while I was doing laundry I heard Brandon singing. I stoped to listen to the song and was surprised by his choice. We hadn't heard the song in a while and was amazed by how well he knew it. I asked him if he would call his grandma and sing it to her and he said "No, it will make her cry." Funny thing is he is probably right!
I want to video tape him singing it and when I do I will post it but until then I will just leave you with the link to the song he was singing.
http://www.johnwallermusic.com/
click on the video!

I hope this song touches your heart as it has mine.