It's Been Awhile...

Yes, it has certainly been awhile since my last post. I never intended to go so long without posting. However, I simply could not find the time for it. Even as I type now, in my mind there is no time to be posting as my laundry room is spilling over with laundry which either needs to be laundered, be dried, be removed from the dryer, or removed from the multiple full baskets which are stacked haphazardly in the small room. That does not even include the laundry on the couch in the family room which I started folding but did not get completed. It's been busy around here to say the least. I have allowed my calendar to become overcrowded and that is not good for me. You see I am one of those people who must have some down time to recharge or I'm all out of sorts. I haven't had that for a few weeks now and I am most certainly out of sorts. I'm trying to get the house organized again and thin out my calendar. Hopefully, after Sunday, I will be able to thin out the calendar a bit. I will probably need to trim back or eliminate some things that I signed on for earlier without fully understanding the time commitment needed and whether I truly had that time available given everyone else in my family's schedule.

Anyhow, over the last couple of weeks we have done some really cool things. The younger girls and I visited the zoo. We also visited the local children's museum. I think I had just about as much fun as my girls did. It was fun to just play for awhile and not be the responsible grown up. Then we traveled to Alabama to visit relatives. It's a 5 hr drive but we stopped a few times and traveled leisurely so it took us about 7. Ava did very well on the drive. I was unsure how she would handle being cooped up in her seat for such a long time but she took it all in stride and hardly complained. She was exhausted by the time we got back home though.  And last weekend we made butter and wrote a story together about a little monkey named Alejandro who travels around the world.  It was great to spend some time together without having to shuttle from one place to the other for  a change. I am so thankful for the true gifts in life.  Below are some pics (all SOOC) from our time together.

rare moment--the koala was awake

Light Tag--this was fun

A. enjoying her time at the museum

My girl and her dad enjoying a game of checkers

Sunrise over pasture

Pasture behind our hotel

I'd never seen a tree shaped this way

Preparing to head home from Alabama

Around Here

I finally got a chance to capture some moments around here. It has been pretty busy around here. Everyone has returned to school and work and other activities. The school aged girls are wrapping up their 2nd quarter and 1st semester. This school year is almost half way completed. They are doing really well and amazing me with the things that they are learning. Our middle school girls are currently working on science fair projects, both of which involve food and cooking as they love both. I can't wait to see their results and the final projects. Our elementary girls continue to amaze as well. Paige has learned so many new words and her reading is improving everyday. She is such a creative soul. She absolutely loves music and dancing.

Paige after school

The dancer

 Sydney is becoming such a math whiz. She also loves learning spanish and has taught me some. Most of the spanish I know I learned from her.

Home from school

 Ava Claire has also learned something new. She has began to crawl....backwards, just like her big sisters did when they were babies. She is getting more mobile with each day and exploring her surroundings fully. I started phase one of babyproofing the house again with outlet covers. Here's some pics:

Our happy baby girl

Have You?

Have you ever been faced with experiences or an experience which forced you to deal with a weakness that you have? For me that weakness is fear. You see, I am the definition of an introvert. I don't like the spotlight and have spent many years avoiding it mind you. I have always disliked public speaking and still do. Yet again this weakness stares me in the face. The request for me to speak publicly has tapped me on my shoulder and I am currently running from it. It almost has me cornered and I am so very tempted to travel the easy road of saying no and resting quietly in my cozy corner outside of the spotlight. However, there is another part of me that wants to grow, that wants to overcome this fear and be used by God in whatever way that He wants to use me. I remind myself that perfect love casts out fear and that he has given me a story to tell so I need to tell it. Scared and all.

Winter, where are you?

So I changed things up a little around here. It seems like this background may be the closest I come to seeing a winter like this. We rarely see winters that look like this here. Today the temperatures are expected to be in the 60's again. We had a few days of winter over the past three days, but it seems like our weather wants to go straight to spring and bypass winter. Before this last cold spell, I told Cassius that it seems that even the grass is unsure as to what to do--whether to go dormant or grow green. 


Anyways, we're six days into the new year and I have yet to take a single image. I'm hoping to capture something today. 

Happy New Year!

Hello 2012! I typically do not make New Year resolutions. However, if I did my list would look like this:

1. Get up earlier to spend time with God
2. Exercise
3. Lose weight
4. Make more memories with Cassius and girls
5. Take more pictures
6. Take another photography class
7. Write daily
8. Read the books on my book wishlist

There is one thing that I am resolved to do and that is to live a purposeful life--making every effort to fulfill the purposes God has set for me. To accomplish this goal, I joined the upcoming Hello Mornings Challenge. Check it out at: http://inspiredtoaction.com/resources/hellomornings/, perhaps you will be challenged to begin your mornings differently as well.

Happy 2012!