Summer Plans

I know to most people that New Years signals a new beginning - but to me summer is always that time for change. When I was in high school or college - summer was always when I would make goals to lose weight or do certain things. It's just a time of refreshment and a happy time and to me - a good time to work on changes.

Memorial Day is "my" official start to summer - I know it's really June 21st but it's 85 degrees, school is out, snow cone stands are open and we have been swimming - it's summer! So - I have made three goals that I hope to maintain this summer. During my pregnancy and the newborn days - I have let a lot of things go and it's time to focus on picking them back up.

1. My quiet time has been been HUGELY lacking the last few months. I love God and I pray a lot but I don't designate time out of my day for Him and I can notice a big difference in my life and attitude. Last year I heard Kay Arthur say that moms of small children always say it's too hard to have a quiet time and that was NOT TRUE and NOT an excuse. To be honest - I was a little miffed with her. ha! I thought - if you had a child who got up at 6 after being up several times a night - how on earth do you start your day with a quiet time? Well - she was right - I'm just having to set an early alarm clock. I can do it - but it means I need to go to bed earlier. Hard to do - not impossible. This is my biggest goal for the summer. I want a better relationship with Jesus, I want to read more of the Bible and I know this time will make me a better wife and mother.

2. My 20th class reunion is coming up later this summer (20 years - yikes - I JUST graduated?????). I know I just had a baby - but it's time to shape up. I'm not going to get crazy but I can go for a walk every night. Or do a video if it's raining. Maybe even lift a few weights. I can eat healthier. I'm not going to go on a full on diet because I'm nursing but maybe I could eat strawberries instead of oreos. I want to be thinner but I also want to be healthier.

So these girls can still have a semi young mom when they are teenagers.

3. Thankfully these days - I really don't have much time for TV. By the time I get dinner ready, we eat, bathe Harper and get her to bed, bathe Hollis, feed her and get her to bed - it's around 9 and it's almost time for me to go to bed. I do want to make an effort to spend less time on the computer or watching TV and more time living and enjoying the summer with my family.

I'm curious ..................what are you summer goals?

Memorial Day

It was so nice to have an extra day in our weekend - especially because that means we had daddy home with us! And this is one of the first memorial day weekends I can remember that it was sunny and warm. Our town has a new splash park and I'm SO thankful for it. It's free and perfect because Harper loves water but I couldn't take her swimming by myself with Hollis this summer and this way - I can sit and watch her and not be worried. We decided to try it out this morning. Nothing like your swim diaper hanging out to make you look extra cute.

Harper had a good time. When the water was off or low - she would just run around squealing - but as soon as it came out high and she would get really wet - she would scream and cry and yell my name over and over. ha!

So I would wrap her up in a towel and cuddle her but then she would want to go RIGHT back out. ha! The good thing is both she and Hollis took a three hour nap (at the same time) this afternoon. Yes - this momma will be hitting the splash park A LOT this summer!! A big thank you to our town!!

Tonight Laurie, Steve and the girls came over to grill out so I dressed the girls up in their flag outfits. I love all things patriotic. I am SO thankful to live in a free country and I know that I owe all or most of that to the people who have served in our armed forces. These precious girls will never know their great grandpas but they had several who served in the wars and they are our heros. Thank to all of you - and a BIG thank you to a lot of you reading this who have husbands who are gone now or have been deployed. I can't imagine being left behind while your husband is overseas or those of you who have served yourself and left your families- thank you for your selflessness! We all owe you!

For once - Harper WANTED to have her picture taken and with her sister. I was so excited and she was so good for the pics but Hollis had hit her fussy hour and was NOT thrilled. ha! Oh well - one day they may both want to pose for me. :-)

Let's just say dinner is an experience with three busy girls and a baby who is crying non stop. But we are thankful for our friends.

I want to remind you that I'm giving away a $600 gift card from the people of American Express in honor of their new Blue Cash Reward card that offers 6% cash back on groceries. To enter - go to my review blog www.kellyskornerreviews.blogspot.com and leave me your BEST 6 ingredients or less main dish recipe and next Monday I will be picking a winner!

This is one of my favorite 6 ingredient Main Dish Recipes:

http://kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/05/mexican-chicken-aka-king-ranch-chicken.html

To learn more about the Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday cards, visitwww.americanexpress.com/bluecashcards .

Kelly

Thankful

I am so blessed.

We are all so blessed.
(I'm sure some of you don't feel so blessed right now. But I have a feeling if you looked around you could find a lot of people worse off and find a few blessings to count!)

I have felt terrible the last few days - I think it's just exhaustion catching up with me.  Several nights of no sleep thanks to tornados and babies and taking care of two kids all day has just worn me out.  

But it's REALLY hard to complain when you live an hour from just complete devastation. 

I saw this picture on facebook today and I just loved it. I can't imagine losing your home and everything you own - but I know I would trade all my wordly possessions for my family.  I can't get the family out of my mind in Oklahoma who lost two babies - 15 months and 3 years old in a tornado.  I try to fathom what that would feel like and I just can't. 

Sometimes I get overwhelmed at the day to day of laundry and dishes and feedings and baths.  I lose sight of the importance of raising two girls.  I saw today a quote by Max Lucado that said something like "Children are not your hobby - they are your calling".  I want to focus on not just making it through the day but to parent with a purpose.  Whether it's sitting down and writing out letters with Harper or teaching her Bible verses or right now just holding Hollis - I hope I am pouring into their lives to help them become amazing adults.

Thankfully today was a fun day! A group of my friends met up at Chick-fil-a to let our kids eat and play and it was the first time I've been able to sit and visit and Harper has gone right in and played without needing me by her side or coming in and out the door every 30 seconds. I'm realizing how much she is growing and changing.  I took both girls to Target this afternoon and Harper has become so easy to take with me.  She no longer (for the most part) whines or cries or demands snacks or throws things out the cart - she loves to sit and ride and point out things she likes and is just a pleasure.  I can see how as we near 2 and a half - that is changing constantly.  And I should be sad but honestly - I love seeing her become a little girl.

And I'm thankful for a husband who is a great daddy.  These girls LOVE him! And he is so great with them. I told him the other night as we drove to the church to wait out the storm that if anything happened he needed to know he and the girls were the most important things in the world to me (other than Jesus). He laughed because I was being melodramatic but I realized I shouldn't wait until I thought we were all going to die to share how much he means to me! Life is short. Aren't we seeing that more and more every day?

I took this picture tonight with my phone as I enjoyed my time just sitting and snuggling Hollis. She is so precious. And I am so thankful. Tomorrow everything in our lives could change................but no matter what the circumstance - I have been blessed.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. Philipians 3:8

Show Us your life - Desserts!!!

Who doesn't love desserts??????

I'm excited to bookmark these few SUYL's on my blog because hopefully they will make a good reference for recipes later on ................y'all have some good ones!!!

A few of my favorite dessert recipes are:

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert (I could eat this whole thing myself - YUM!)

Butterfinger Cake (this is Scott's VERY favorite)

Cake Balls

What are your recipes?????

Growing Fast

We are so thankful that we survived the storms last night.  A little town near us was wiped out.  Please keep remembering all those who have been hit so hard.  Our church ended up opening their basement so we went there to wait out the storm.  I'm so glad we did. We were with most of our friends and it was so nice to let Harper just play with her little friends instead of sit in a closet for hours.  It helped the time go by and I felt so much safer.  But it was a long night. We didn't leave the church until after midnight and there were a LOT of very tired and fussy toddlers in that place! :-)

We got up a little late today but today was Harper's last day of MDO!  She was so excited to go because they were playing outside today. I know she will be worn out when she gets home.

I just can't get over how much she has changed between her first day in August and her last day today. It seems like she has grown a foot!! She has grown and blossomed so much since that day.  I thought she was SO big when I took her and her little backpack on that first day.  She cried and hung on to my leg when I dropped her off.  Now she runs in and barely looks back at me.  It's hard to believe how much she can change in 9 months.  Now I'm wondering what she will be like in another 9 months.  By then Hollis will be almost one and I can't imagine that either.

Well I'm off to have a moment with myself and sing a few songs like "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Butterfly Kisses" ha ha ha ha!

Tuesday Bullet Points

• My heart hurts for the people of Joplin and Alabama and Tennessee and every where else tornados have hit recently.  I am scared of storms and I will occasionally get in my "safe place" when the weather men tell me too but now that I have babies and seeing the devastation that has hit so many places - I am TERRIFIED.  We spent a few hours in our closet on Sunday night.  It's so scary when the tornado sirens are going off right by our house.  They say tonight is going to have a big outbreak of tornados in OK and AR.  We have our monthly girls dinner tonight that I've been looking forward to but we are all cancelling because no way I can be away from my family.  Please pray for God to calm the storms tonight.  I don't care anything about losing my possessions (even though that would be terrible) - but I want my family and friends to be safe.

I think next year we may have to look into getting one of these safe rooms.  There just really isn't anywhere safe in our house.  Every room is on an outside wall and/or has windows.  I HATE this time of year. I am trusting God to protect us but I'm still scared to death.

• On happier notes - Harper is doing really good with potty training.  She even will say "I need to go potty" and run into the bathroom and go herself! And she is so funny and particular about the process. She has to get her stool positioned just right in front of the toilet and has to take everything off. ha! And then she has to wash her hands just a certain way afterwards! ha! And the other wonderful thing at our house is Hollis has slept 8 and 9 hour stretches the last few nights - so she is basically sleeping through the night!!! (and NOW I have ruined it by saying it out loud and she will be up every 2 hours tonight) ha!  You just don't realize what a blessing that is after it took almost two YEARS before Harper slept through the night. (and the funny thing is - I haven't done anything different - they are just different kids).

• I was trying to take a picture of Harper today and this is how almost all of them turned out.  She wouldn't hold still for one second. Taking pictures of toddlers is a challenge. ha! And Hollis was sleeping so I didn't get any pics of her yet today.  She stayed in the nursery at Bible Study today.........oh my baby is growing too fast!

• This is totally off the subject but I LOVE costume jewelry - the gaudier the better. And I have no where good to keep it.  I bought a plastic silverware tray and have been storing it there and that works okay but it was still crazy.  I recently cleaned out our closet and this section between the shoes came empty so last week I found this bulletin board at Hobby Lobby and it's perfect for hanging necklaces. How do you store your jewelry??

SIX ingredients Giveaway

First - I have to say please pray for the people of Joplin, Mo. They are an hour north of us and I'm sure you have seen that 75% of their town was wiped out. It's devastating. We spent a good part of the night in our "safe place" under tornado warning and it's terrifying. SO many this year have lost everything or their lives or loved ones. Pray and help if you can - there are always many ways to give.

I've heard from a lot of you that really enjoyed Friday's Recipe link up!!! ME too!!! Next week we are doing appetizers and then desserts! If you have other ideas - you can let me know those too maybe we will do those as well! I need to put links to the posts up on my sidebar so you can easily get to them in the future. Promise to work on that!!!!

Going on almost the same thing.................I have an exciting giveaway contest!! Y'all know I'm not big on give aways and rarely do them but the people at American Express talked to me about doing something and I thought it would be fun AND someone will be very happy if they win!!!


In honor of the 6% cash back on groceries on their new card..............I am going to be doing a contest looking for the best SIX INGREDIENT (or less) main dish! I'm posting my favorite 6 ingredient meal and then in the comments - I want you to leave your 6 ingredient recipe and I'm going to pick the one that sounds the very best and that person is going to win ...............a $600 American Express gift card!!!! Couldn't you use that to buy groceries? Or anything?????

The winner will be picked on Monday, June 6th! All the action is taking place over at my review blog so come enter and see my favorite 6 ingredient meal!

· To learn more about the Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday cards, visit www.americanexpress.com/bluecashcards .

I am not being compensated by American Express or OPR for this in any way - just thought it would be fun for my readers!

PLEASE TAKE NOTE: YOU MUST ENTER ON MY REVIEW BLOG: www.kellyskornerreviews.blogspot.com. COMMENTS HERE CAN NOT BE ENTERED.

Weekend

We had a good but busy weekend.  It could have been a lot busier but with two babies - you have to adapt what you can do.

Saturday we had a lazy morning but then decided we wanted to do something because it was such a gorgeous day.  BUT being spontaneous is pretty much impossible with two little ones. We decided just to go walk on this trail in our town that goes by this AMAZING museum they are building.  One hour and a half later - we were finally all dressed, fed, gone to the potty and ready to go.  (and I had just thrown on shorts and not even combed my hair). ha!

I had two out of town friends in town this weekend that I was DYING to see but they were here for weddings and sports stuff and between that and our naps and feeding schedules - it just didn't work out for me to see either one.  I was so sad but that's just how it rolls around here.

We DID get to go to a first birthday party for a special little boy.  My friend Melissa's little boy Grayson turned one and she did the cutest Sock Monkey party.

I have to show you a few pictures because it was just the cutest - this is the candy/treat table!

 Melissa and Grayson

 The cake/cupcake table

 Grayson took an interest in Hollis. :-)

 Harper had a really good time. They had a bouncy house and lots of bubbles! She was in heaven!

 And the cutest sock monkey cookies for favors.  Harper was VERY excited about this!

 Everyone's favorite part of the first birthday - watching the baby and their smash cake! Grayson REALLY liked the cake! Who wouldn't???

We left the party and went to eat dinner with some friends.  We ran into my doctor who delivered Hollis!  Is it sad how much I love my doctor?

Today was senior Sunday at church.  We spend the whole service recognizing seniors, the youth sing and our youth pastor preaches.  It's always a really neat time.  I always cry when they show videos of the youth and of their parents talking about them.  Especially now when I realize in 16 years - we will be there.  That seems far away but I know it will be here WAY too soon.

Scott and I have started helping with baptisms at church and this morning I took Hollis with us and she started screaming bloody murder and wouldn't stop so I panicked and ran her down to the nursery so they could hold her and rock her for a few minutes while I did my job.  I knew she probably had gas - but she NEVER gets upset like that.  Before we went to the service - we went to get her and she was asleep - so she spent her first time in the nursery today.  She ended up waking up VERY mad and hungry during the sermon and they had to page us so we just ended up leaving church early today.  I had to laugh at this picture because my sweet, happy baby wasn't herself today.

An interesting fact .............there has been this statistic going around lately that 85% of all teenagers who grow up in church leave their faith after their freshman year in college.  Honestly - I have HATED hearing that and so have most youth pastors.  Our youth pastor said he couldn't believe that so he did a survey recently of the last 5 graduating classes from our church.  They surveyed 82 very active youth who had graduated and of those - 91% were still very active in their faith.  I loved hearing that because it just encourages me to raise my children in church.  I want them to be very active in church and in their relationship with Jesus so they will not leave it when they go out on their own.  I want them to understand that it is EVERYTHING!

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Show Us Your LIFE - Main Dish Recipes

I'm so glad today is all about Main Dish Recipes. I'm in a total dinner rut these days. I live in the south - we like our casseroles and meals that aren't exactly fat free and lately we have been trying to lose weight and eat more healthy but I've got to tell you - I can only eat so many meals of chicken breasts and veggies. So I'm hoping to find some healthier choices along with things I can make to take to others!!

Some of my favorite recipes that I've shared on my recipe blog are:

Mexican Chicken

Swiss Stuffing chicken

Beef Enchiladas

Poppyseed chicken

Chicken Supreme

I'm excited to see what y'all have!!!!

Grandparents and Baby Gifts

We are so lucky that we have the kind of grandparents who will drive 3 hours both ways just to spend 2 hours loving on our kids! My dad is headed to Nicaragua soon for a mission trip and he wanted to see the girls before he left so my parents came over today.

They loved getting to hold and love on this little bundle of pure joy!

And of course Harper entertained them. Harper gets SOOOOOO wound up when they come. She loves being with all of her grandparents and always puts on a show. She got a little jealous at first because they were paying attention to the baby but soon they devoted her all their focus and she was THRILLED. She even got to show them her "potty" skills! (She is doing really good!)

We enjoyed their visit so much. And when they left the girls took a two hour nap at the same time!! And the skies opened up and a light shone down and the Hallelujah chorus was being sung!!

Tonight I got a much needed girls night out. My friend Amanda is expecting baby Lela in a few weeks and we had a shower for her at one of my favorite restaurants - abuelo's. I had SOOOO much fun just eating and talking with my best friends.
These 3 girls were pretty in peach - Bethany, Amy and Elizabeth

Amy and Tracy

Ginger, Vonda and Laurie

Moi, Mary Avery and Amber

I was so excited because my friend Erin had her sweet second little girl today!! Erin is one of the sweetest people I know and she has a precious little girl Kinley who is two months older than Harper. And now she has Kamryn who is two months younger than Hollis. I'm thinking we will be able to have double sleepovers with our girls one day!

My pretty friend Amanda! I'm so excited to meet Lela! She is going to be one of Hollis' best friends too I just know!

I am SO thankful on these girls nights that Scott is happy to stay home and keep Harper. He's SO good with her. I took Hollis with me because she is still so easy to take out and I wouldn't have to worry about Scott having both of them. She was so good. She slept most of the time. I just love looking at her!

I'll have the SUYL main course recipe post up mid day tomorrow!! I'm excited about getting new recipes , aren't you?

Kelly

Doctor's Visit and School Firsts

Hollis had her two month doctor's visit this morning.  Scott went with us.  She was 12 lbs and 6 oz (85%) and 23.5 inches long (85%).  She's a big girl.  I couldn't believe she had grown 2.5 inches in just 2 months! She was SO good. She had to get her shots and she cried for just a second.  I just can't get over what a sweet, easy baby she is.  SO thankful for a healthy report!

Harper had some firsts today.  She got her first "school" picture!! This will be her first of many! I totally forgot she had school pictures that day so I'm glad I had her dressed cute anyway. ha! After MDO today, Emily was going home with her friend Sarah Grace so Laurie offered to take Harper home with her for a couple of hours to play with Sarah Kate.  It wasn't Harper's first play date but it was the first time for her to go home with a friend.  Such a big girl!! It won't be long till there will be slumber parties and friends coming over to play all the time!

I'm thankful for MDO for many reasons but I'm so glad I've had a chance to spend a little one on one time with Hollis! I feel like she doesn't get as much attention because Harper needs SO much of my attention.  I told Scott last night that when Harper goes to college - I'll have two years of just Hollis.  But neither of us want to think about that ANYTIME soon!
(Do you see her big dimple???)

Love this sweet pea!

Testimonies, A Dress and A shopper

 Today we went to Bible Study at church.  It was one of those RARE mornings where the stars all aligned and Harper slept until almost 8 (normally it's 6) and I was able to easily get up and get ready and get both girls fed and ready and out the door.  It's nice when we start our day that way!

Our pastor's wife shared her testimony today and it was so good.  If you aren't in the ministry or your family is not in the ministry - you have no idea how hard it is to be in that position.  It can be a lonely place to be. People expect you to be perfect when you are just human.  If you have a pastor and wife you love - let them know!!!
We also watched a video about J.J. Jasper, a DJ on American Family Radio who lost his 5 year old son in a freak accident two years ago.  It's one of the saddest things I've ever seen (most of us were audibly sobbing) but it also is such a message of hope in the midst of a terrible storm.  If you have questions of "why?" - I would encourage you to go to www.flameon.net and click on the "watch" tab. I think you will be encouraged. (Take your make-up off first).  It will make you hug your kids a little tighter.

I finally got the girls' coming home dress framed in a shadow box and I LOVE how it turned out.  Hopefully I'll get it hung soon (hint hint Scott!) :-)  I think it's just so sweet.  (and for all of you worried about what I will do if we have a third child.......................unless God ordains it Himself - I think we are done. I'm so thankful for the two girls I have).

This afternoon I had to run to T J Maxx and return something and I thought I would brave it with both girls.  Harper was on her best behaviour and she was making me laugh because she would pick up a pair of shoes and say "Oh I LIKE these shoes" or pick up a purse and say "OH, I like this bag!"  I think I have a shopping buddy on my hands! She brings me unspeakable joy.

Hollis is Two Months Old!

Hollis - you are TWO months old today!

I'm not sure how this happened because I swear I was just in the hospital having you! I'm scared the next 10 months will go by equally as fast and that makes me sad.

You go to the doctor this week and we will find out your stats but you are wearing a size 1 diaper and 0-3 months clothes and some 3-6 months. You are probably around 12 pounds if I had to guess.

You are the EASIEST, sweetest baby. You are so content unless you are really hungry!

You go everywhere because we are busy! You have been to church for the last 4-5 weeks. Everyone always comments on how easy and sweet you are!

You are a great sleeper. You take several good naps during the day and at night you really only get up about once. Last night you even had a 7 hour stretch! I can't believe how good you sleep! I'm SO thankful!

You love the pacifier and it helps to keep you calm.

You love your car seat - you take the best naps in it. You do great in the car which is good because we are on the go a lot.

You also love the swing. You sleep so good in it. A lot of nights we start off in the swing before moving to your pack and play halfway through the night.

You have really started smiling and responding to us. You "talk" to us and make the sweetest noises. You really love your sister and love to watch her. You smile so big when she talks to you and Harper always says "She's smiling!!" She loves taking care of you. She LOVES to give you your paci and put blankets on you and to help fasten your car seat. She is so motherly with you. I know you are going to be best friends!!!

I loved your sister so much as a baby (and now) but my love has doubled! I am just crazy about you! I smile every day just thinking how thankful I am for my sweet precious girl! You have blessed my life so much!

And because I'm a math and stats nerd - I like to compare and contrast!

Harper and Hollis at two months. They still don't look alike to me.

Hollis at one and two months - she is filling out and growing!

Note: I get almost all their matching dresses from www.zulily.com or www.totsy.com. They have great deals on smocked dresses but you have to check back frequently and look first thing in the morning or everything will be gone. (Check around 8:30 or so) And it takes about 2-3 weeks to get things. But the prices are worth it!