the sweetest talk...

i had the sweetest talk w/ kelsey this morning while we were making pancakes...she asked me if she was going to MDO today and i said "no, that is on tues/thurs...tomorrow"...she said, "good, b/c my favorite days are staying at home w/ you"...such a sweet girl:))) and she can make some killer pancakes:)))) extra butter means extra good!!!

what else is going on...track, track and more track!!! janson is taking a group of kids to Texas Relays this weekend in Austin! They are all so excited...we are going to follow them down there and stay w/ JanJan...we are already making a plan of all of the 'wonderful' places to eat in Austin...love, love Central Market...salad and that amazing ice cream they have:)))

soooo....i am almost done w/ reading The Shack!!! I have maybe 30 pages left....so i have learned a lot about people, culture and just when to just 'listen' over the past week or so...sometimes when i get excited about something i just cant help myself but "talk, talk and talk"...am working on this:))) Yesterday i was talking w/ a teacher and asked her if she had read The Shack...she looked at me like i was crazy and must not believe in God if i would read such a thing...she said that "her religion" is fully against that book...... anyway i know that there is a lot of controversery over The Shack but here is my opinion...so i guess take it for my opinion ONLY....ha...anyway i guess i think that number one; the book is fiction...no where does it say it is truth...yes it can change your perspective if YOU DONT have spirtiual discernment but that is about you and your walk w/ God...as i see it??? also the Trinity, Free Will vs Predestination...yes, it DOES hit on a lot of topics that will stir your heart if you do not know what The Bible says and what is Truth but i guess i dont think that is a "bad" thing...isnt it good to stir your heart and call you to dig deeper, think, pray, think, PRAY!!!! there are a lot of times in the book that it contradicts itself if you are "thinking'' theologically but again spirtitual discernment:))) i do think it says a lot of really good things too! like relationships...
TRUE relationships and how to LOVE people w/OUT judging...I love how he shows Mack how "we, humans" think so much when really it is so simple....loving, true loving of one another...yet how we try to play God so often..so i guess i just think if people take that from the book and understand that it is NOT The Bible we will be okay??? anything that is used to plant seeds or get you to pray, ask questions and build i feel who are we to judge on how God may use that...Just like 90 Minutes In Heaven...i loved that book too...it actually says it is true but who really knows besides the author...but what i did take from that book was hope in healing...that doesnt change my walk w/ God any....just encouragement! which is always good in our world today!!! :))) just my personal opinion....
also was thinking isnt it like anything else too....like watching The Bachelor or Nip/Tuck (sorry we love that one:( ) anway never are we saying that we "agree" in everything that it portrays but we still watch and take good/bad...also music...we sing songs all of the time but do we take the lyrics literal???? just a thought!!! i know, it seems anytime you hit on "religion or politics" you hit major nerves w/ people...i find this so interesting:))))
an in depth review over the book if you want it......http://www.challies.com/media/The_Shack.pdf

Sage's Bday Party and Fossil PARK

Before Sage's 6 Birthday party at the jump house!!! the girls were 'super' excited.....

Angi patiently and diligently passing out plates!!!!

these are our pictures from Fossill Park and WOW was it COOL...I suggest EVERYONE go but just not during "spring break" weekend...Jan and I were "not" thinking...the girls didnt mind so much...what it is, is where you drive through the park...all of the animals "literally" come up to your car and eat out of your hand...we were "big" talk but when the emu and ostrich stuck their head IN our window we were a little scarrreeeddd.....too funny!!! anyway it is a 9 mile drive through the "park"...takes about 3-4 hours so be ready to be patient and no road rage, stacy:))) at the half way point there is a petting zoo and other stuff to get out and see.....

Jan Jan and kailyn ready for the trip...oh and the kids dont have to stay in their carseats so the LOVED that....we had to restrict kailyn from literally trying to climb out of the window!!! kelsey a little more observant:)

deer......jason YOU would love this:)))) no shooting, though:((((

Jan Jan a little crowded....they "both" wanted IN her lap:)

sooo prettyyyy

more deer...

jan was infatuated w/ their LONG eyelashes and YES they have very odd eyeballs...you get a close look when they try to come IN the car....

good bye, mister ostrich....i was big talk until he wanted in...

Kelsey patiently watching and waiting

feeding....

deer....

zebras....so cool how they can roam freely...

had to pinch myself...i am NOT in AFRICA....glenrose, tx????

petting zoo...kailyn had NO fear...

kelsey gently taking care of the animals....she was so cute and serious w/ them...little mother!

you could brush them too..

kailyn chasing them up the hill....we kept thinking they were about to kick but i guess they are very used to little ones running after them...

We had a great time...Thanks JANJAN:)))))

The Shack..

WOW...this is book is blowing me away...The SHACK by WM. Paul Young and so different than what i 'thought'...i was told b/c i had little girls to be very careful at the timing when i read this book but i just could not wait..had heard too many good things about it....i just finished ch. 9 but could literally quote the entire chapter...this is where Mack goes to the garden w/ Sarayu (the Holy Spirit)...Mack is questioning "then why has so much of the 'Good" gone 'bad'?" She says back..."You humans, so little in your own eyes. You are truly blind to your own place in the Creation. Having chosen the ravaged path of independence, you don't even comprehend that you are dragging the entire Creation along with you...So very sad, but it won't be this way forever..." then they go on to talk about what is good vs bad and how we see things the way we do...how we dont have discernment...
at the end when Mack is leaving the garden (the messy garden) Sarayu says, "... this garden is your soul. This mess is you! Together you and I, we have been working with a purpose in your heart. And it is wild and beautiful and perfectly in process. To you it seems like a mess, but to me, I see a perfect pattern emerging and growing and alive--a living fractal."
anyway just had to say that if you havent read this book, you should:) so far so good:)

Sydney....

This past weekend we went to MISS SYDNEY'S 2nd Birthday party!!! We had a blast...The GIRLS really had a blast!!! They got to go to the party, get their very own candle, got chalk and tattoos, went swimming, played, played and PLAYED....

my mom, me and girls before going to party...kailyn is ready to go...not interested in a pic:)

Cute 2 boys and Momma....Jason and his counter part, Nacho...

Janson, Me, Travis and Jason....Miss Kristen was still getting ready for the big event....

There is the momma of the bday girl...looking ever so Beautiful w/ baby number 2:)))))

Miss Sydney and kelsey!!! Sydney def. has her "cheese" down!!!

the cousins...on Miss Sydneys "new" big girl bed....she is very proud...

my future "nephew in law"....too cute...she showed him ALL around...

Cannot believe she is 2....Miss Birthday girl:))))

too cute....Happy Birthday Sydney!

So precious.....Travis reading to Kelsey

All of the Boys...Papa, Jason, Janson, and Travis...Nacho and Kailyn snuck in....

Eating out...the girls were loving watching the video...thank you Sydney for sharing...

This cracks me up b/c kailyn is holding on to her party favor for dear life on the ride home...precious CHALK:))))

in trouble...

if only i could stop time...they are growing up too fast.. Kelsey skating...dont look at our backyard...kensey has eaten it:)

kelsey skating down hill on grass...???

kailyn got a booboo

this is not fun, mom???

my conversation w/ kelsey yesterday morning..
me-kelsey/kailyn do yall want to help pack your lunch for MDO this morning...

Kelsey-yes!

me-ok well this is what we have....peanut butter crackers/raisins/fruit snacks/yogurt/caprisun

Kelsey-mom, that is not a lunch...those are all snacks!
me-well, i just forgot to go to the store yesterday

Kelsey-mom, you should have thought of that yesterday b/c this is not going to be a healthy lunch and Mrs. Racheal is going to be upset...

me-ok, i'm sorry...

i totally got in trouble by my 4 year old...

when i picked her up from MDO apparently she told "all" of the teachers that i should have gone to the grocery store yesterday....

when did she grow up so fast and what kid wouldnt rather eat snacks anyway for lunch:))) janson and i are in trouble and have got to get on top of our game!!!

God Of This City by Chris Tomlin....
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings
You Are
You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Where glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for you and love for you
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here
We have been singing this song a lot at our church lately and I LOVE it..soooo...Sometimes i can be kinda slow to get things...yes, i can admit to this...but i was driving the girls to school and a light bulb went off while i was listening/singing this song...i love how he says you are the strength in our weakness, love to the broken and joy in the sadness...God DOES work in us when we are broken..that is how He keeps us close but for some reason I have not been able to wrap my mind around that lately...like i am not suppose to be broke...i am suppose to "have it all together" ...last week i had a "low" week...ya know one of those weeks when you pray but feel empty/alone/isolated...i kept searching all week for "other" things to find joy in but i was never fulfilled...i knew what to do...i knew He was there, but did not think i had the time/energy or even my worth to reach...on Tuesday i took the girls to school, came home (missed work/tutoring) and literally laid my head IN the bible...i guess in some wierd way i was praying that some wisdom would just soak in my head...a good/wise friend of mine told me to write everything down that i was feeling and just say it...i did, and wow was it amazing...some of it did not make sense, but I KNEW that it DID make since to God...i felt the most amazing peace and weight lifted off of me...so God does use those times when we are weak/broken/vulnerable to grow/strengthen us...being broken is what we are until we reunite w/ HIM...yet what the "world" tells us is to constantly "chase" something...do better...
in Ecclesiastes 2: 11 it says
"Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun."
so this has been my motto since this weekend...is to question/think/be conscience of what is for HIM verses what is just chasing after the wind.....

ballerinas....

my "bun" attempt...i have got to work on this!!! kailyn wanted one too but not working...

a taste of the middle school years...

this weekend was disciple now so we hosted 6th GRADERS!!! It was so much fun watching, listening and talking w/ all of the girls...made me look forward to those years, not that i want it anytime soon but eventually:) janson NOT looking forward so much..haha! anyway kelsey and kailyn were in heaven! they literally followed them around everywhere they went and kelsey had a million questions for me after the left...like...
"mom, they were make-up...when can i"
"mom, they were headbands...and put their hair in pony tails...when will i learn to do that by myself"
"mom, do they drive"
"mom, how do they know what size clothes to wear"
"mom, how will i learn how to do all of that"
wow, are we in for it...question after question...miss kelsey catches on to everything these days...anyway it was a great weekend!