Latelys.

Goodness, it's hard to believe the summer is over and we are quickly heading into the colder months.  Daylight Savings Time has rocked ME this year… not so much the boys, but this Mama crashes early every night now, which is annoying since it cuts into my alone time with my hot man.

Summer was a blast and I feel like we did a decent job this year of spending every waking moment outdoors going on bike rides, spending time at the pool, taking the boys to different parks, and of course doing a fair amount of traveling.  Then we blinked, summer was over, and Jaxon was in school.

Tyler's work has slowed down quite a bit recently and he just survived another layoff.  There has been plenty of opportunities for us to simply trust in The Lord and his GOOD and PERFECT timing in our lives.  Last week we were given an anonymous gift that had both of us in tears.  I hate that it took a physical check for me to give over the control and stress, but admittedly it did.  I'm not sure why I continue to waste so much time and energy on worry when He continues to prove himself faithful time and time again.  He really does care about the small details of our lives.

My younger brother plays football for William Jewell College, so most of our Saturdays this fall have been filled with this.  It has been fun seeing my parents so much the last few months as they come to town for his games!

There's not much to say about these two that I haven't already said at least a million times.  My love for them grows by the day, which seems impossible, but it's true.  The more I get to know them, the more I love them.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time alone with Cohen while Jaxon is in school.  It has been SO GOOD and SO FUN!  He really thrives on one-on-one time… so do I.  :)  Quality time is my favorite!

The way Jaxon spends so much time building Legos amazes me.  His teacher recently pulled me aside and told me after 17 years teaching, she thinks Jaxon is the most creative she has seen.  The details he thinks of, she said, are way beyond a typical 4 year old.  That was so good for my Mama heart to hear.  :)  I think we'll be having a Lego & Batman Christmas around here!

Psalm 74 has been rocking my world lately as David talks about how all of his enemies are getting all of these things, while he suffers.  In the middle of the chapter, he stops and says "…BUT THEN I ENTERED THE THRONE ROOM".  His perspective completely changes, the things that mattered before no longer do.  All that matters is intimacy with Christ.

I've thought about that so much lately as I still try to figure out the crappy sequence of events that seem to have happened to us this year.  Nothing horrible and I realize there's so much that could be worse, but if I'm honest, the unanswered questions still linger in my head.  BUT THEN I ENTERED THE THRONE ROOM.  What if bad things happen to good people because Jesus' ultimate goal is intimacy with us.  Yeah, sure, he wants us to be happy and enjoy life… but at the expense of closeness with Him?  Nope.  In HIM we find contentment… in HIM we find joy.



Just because it makes me giggle.  They are twins.

Church has certainly kept me on my toes lately!  Between multiple Women's fellowship events I've planned, PLUS hosting a big Women's conference at our church, I have been a busy lady.  I love ministry and I am still praying that someday an opportunity will open for me to work for a church.  I am so thankful for our church family and the way they genuinely love and walk beside us.  I'll say it once, I'll say it a thousand times… get plugged in to a church and small group.  Right now.  :)

I ordered my 2014 Erin Condren life planner!

This is news, people.

Pictures to come once it finally arrives… the anticipation MIGHT kill me.

I still can't believe my baby turned 3 a couple weeks ago.

I mean, the youngest person in my house is THREE??  We're officially "out" of the baby stage?!  Tyler actually had the guts to bring up selling the crib recently.  The conversation ended pretty quickly when I didn't respond and gave him a nasty look.

We had a super fun birthday party, "Wreck it Ralph Cohen", when we were in Iowa (pictures coming!), and then celebrated the day-of with a small group of friends.

Gahhh… I still can't wrap my head around this.

Oh Charlie.  She's such a great dog.

I wish she was about 10 years older… 10 years more calm.

But she's a great dog.  So protective and LOYAL to the boys!

Have you ever taken a "spinning" class?  DO IT!  It's a lot of fun… if you like feeling like you're going to die.  :)

I've still been faithfully going to the gym 2-4 times a week… usually closer to 2-3… and have maintained the same weight for 10 months now.  Which, by the way, is the lowest weight I've ever been, even through high school!  I've never been able to wear single-digit sized pair of jeans, and size medium shirts.  I'm not saying this to brag, but to simply encourage you to KEEP GOING!  It's so worth it. 

I love this new way of living, this new lifestyle I lead.  I am not going to the gym to lose weight, I am going to the gym to stay healthy.  To stay confident.  To stay happy.

Fall Mini Sessions are keeping me on my toes as well.  I love my job.

I've had this lightbulb moment in the last couple weeks when I've realized how thankful I am that my parents had 4 kids.  These people are no longer just annoying siblings, but really have become my closest friends.

Especially in the last year, they have poured into mine and Tylers lives in ways that we never would have imagined.  They've taken us under their wings, pursued deep friendships, been intentional in our times together, and have faithfully prayed for us.

Not only our siblings, but our parents as well.  19 people gathered in my Sisters home for Cohen's birthday party and just LOVED on him.

I fully realize not everyone has this kind of relationship with their family or with their siblings, and I don't take it for granted.  Thank you, Jesus, for your abundant blessings.

Iowa is really beautiful.  I still pray we get to call it "home" again someday.

I also recently participated in a Freezer Meals Workshop, through Wildtree!  Have any of you done one?  So far we have REALLY enjoyed every meal that we've made, and the math ended up being about $12 a meal, and most of the time we have leftovers.  It took me 2 hours of prep, but for 11 meals, that was really reasonable!  December is always SO busy that I hope to do another one, to prevent us from eating out.  And, now I'm hungry.

If God hadn’t been there for me,
    I never would have made it.
The minute I said, “I’m slipping, I’m falling,”
    your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
When I was upset and beside myself,
    you calmed me down and cheered me up.

Psalm 94:18-19

I hope you all have enjoyed the beginning of Fall!

I'll be back soon with PARTY pictures…

AND…!

A giveaway for some pretty sweet Christmas cards from my favorite company ever!

Little blessings.

((inspired by my Sister's recent gratitude post))

First and foremost, for grace.  I do not deserve the way I am loved by the Lord and by my boys.  I can go to bed feeling like I've completely failed that day, yet each morning brings consistent reminders of His faithfulness and love for me. 

For one on one time while Jaxon was away for his first sleepover.  I was reminded how easy it was to "just" have one child... ha! 

For peace and quiet, even if it's for a few minutes.  I'll take what I can get these days! 

For early morning snuggles with this boy.  His cheeks are so incredibly soft and kissable, I hope that never goes away. 

For the beautiful days here and there, though few and far between lately!

For my role as Wife and Mom.   

For the realization of how precious life really is.  My Uncle went into full cardiac arrest this week and was put into a medically induced coma for 2 days.  He is now awake, though still intubated, but can respond to yes/no questions and is clearly not a fan of a tube being down his throat.  Between that and the Boston Marathon bombing... life is precious.  

For surprise and unexpected Family Days... and Lego Land.  :)  I am grateful for Tyler's boss who values family and told him to take a day off after being away in Colorado for 10 days.  Our day together was needed and SO enjoyed.  

For beautiful sunrises and the chance to spend a week with a friend who needed me.  It meant being away from my husband for another 7 days, but I'm thankful that I was able to go and be there when I was wanted and needed. 

For the little things... the way Cohen makes a ginormous mess under any table we eat at.  I know it won't be this way forever, and when he's 18 and eats with a fork (hopefully), I will look back and smile.  For now, I just leave an extra tip. 

For the absolutely great memories I was flooded with while driving by my old childhood home.  I am so thankful for every part of my story, it makes me who I am today. 

For coffee shops.  I love how recharged I feel when I leave.

For sunshine and boys toys.  His excitement about life is contagious. 

For another chance at a family day, this time spending it with our close friends.  This was our last "hoorah" with them as they moved away last week.  This transition has been so hard for me, it is the first time I've been "left behind".  When you move 7 times in 6 years, you're always the one leaving, so this is all new to me.  I trust that the Lord will once again prove himself faithful in bringing me another person to share my day to day life with, but for now I am just reminding myself how incredibly blessed I am to have Andrea and the amazing friendship we share.  Now we simply share it from 4 hours apart.

(wiping away my tears)  

For my sexy man husband.  I love this guy, and being away from him so much this month has only amplified my appreciation for him. 

For our church.  I have been swamped with responsibilities here lately, between helping design our new logo and website, photographing the staff, Women's Ministry planning, and so much more... yet I leave every time feeling fulfilled.  Work in the church is hard, and chaotic at times, but so rewarding.

For the unique child he is.  3 hats and a horse... why not!? 

For the way I can still hear him giggling underneath that cart.  It's obviously the best way to ride around Mommy's favorite red store! 

Thank you, Jesus, for my little blessings.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

  His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

Tidbits.

I'm in a major blogging rut, so here's my go-to post... a mishmash of what's going on!

I am praying for my heart through this Christmas season, that the GOOD NEWS of why we celebrate would never turn into OLD news.  I want it to be on the forefront of my mind constantly, not focusing on parties, or finances, or all of the to-do's... but rather be driven by why we are celebrating.  Already I have found myself feeling suffocated by the gifts to buy and the traditions that I should have started with the boys (and haven't yet), and I can't let it be that way.  I want this to be the best Christmas season, for all the right reasons.  

Next time you're in Target and you see a frazzled Mom with a screeeaming 3.5 year old and 2 year old, would you say a prayer for her instead of staring and judging why she can't keep her kids under control?  I'm so sick of the side stares I get from people.  I'm sure it's easy to forget what it's like to have young kids, but as an exhausted Mom, I can tell you that your stares are not helping.  Neither are your "my kids will never do that" thoughts.  Just say a prayer for her next time, please? 

And on that note, I am extremely thankful for naps.  Another rough day around these parts, and I needed a breather... almost as much as he needed some sleep. 

Oh, and this cute boy.  He is well into toddlerhood with his favorite phrase being NO!  I think my Mom almost cried last weekend when I sent her precious Cohen to his room.  He's SO cute and ornery and I'm beaming with joy at his expanding vocabulary.

So, one of the most exciting things is my newest addition to my photography business... a 27" iMac!  Oh heavens, what a blessing this was.  A lady posted on our KC Photographers board advertising it, and when I questioned why the price was SO low she told me her Dad owned a cancer clinic that just shut down (because he had passed away), and all these computers needed sold.  She wasn't in it for the money or profit, and it was one of those "too good to pass up" deals.  Especially with AppleCare warranty until next Fall, I feel so grateful.  And dang, editing and looking at pictures is so much fun.  :) 

Christmas jammies = my favorite.  I love lazy mornings at home!

My Dad and I (and Sammy the dog) went on a 2 mile run on Saturday while they were here visiting.  It's the first time I've ran since our race, and it felt great to be back out there.  I've still been really consistent about going to the gym 2-4 times a week (usually going to boxing/TRX or cardio/weights), and to date have lost 39.8 pounds.  Now I need to shift my focus from losing, to maintaining.  It's hard to allow myself those extra couple hundred calories when all I've known for the last 7 months is those are BAD!

I feel like my struggle is finding a happy balance between losing and gaining.  I'm either one or the other, and haven't ever really been able to maintain, so I'm praying this time is different!  I really love how healthy I feel overall, so I hope I won't ever forget that.  

And now, I need a new wardrobe.  And this is not me bragging.  I'm actually bummed about this, because the clothes that are hanging in my closet are ones I still really like.  

The other thing that has taken up a bunch of my time recently, is that I am the new Women's Ministry leader at our church!  The Lord really orchestrated this leadership change in an amazing way, and I am thrilled to pieces to be serving somewhere that I am so passionate about... women and moms.  I have huge dreams for this ministry, and I am just continuing to pray that I can be used in whatever way the Lord sees fit.  I dream of this network of women who are connected and who never feel like they are going through motherhood or just life in general alone.  It's all about the relationships we form. 

One of the biggest dreams I have is to get a Moms group started next spring/summer when our building opens.  Do you remember the Moms group I was apart of in Waco that blessed my socks off?!  Yep, that's it.  That's my dream.  If you are apart of something like this, I'd love to hear all of the things that you guys do to keep my wheels spinning in motion.  And I'd most definitely appreciate the prayer, any time you think of me in this position! 

I love seeing this boys imagination grow.  Yesterday he said to me "Mommy, my Buzz Lightyear is flying to the train store.  Your Buzz is flying to Mommy's favorite red store."  Ha!

He also called me "cheeky" yesterday.  All of you Moms that have Thomas lovers will understand that one.  :)