27 things at 27

Today marks the 27th year of my life.
I'd like to say that I have learned some things from the many experiences that help "pave" the "streets" of my 27 year journey.
This "road", rather journey has taken me to some wonderful places where I have acquired some valuable lesson, met many great people and have seen a multitude of incredible things....

So this post is not a culmination of these many things, rather a brief listing, and in no order, of 27 important, funny and invaluable reflections from my 27 years!

1. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and my response to this greatly effects my eternal destiny. (Jn. 6:40)

2. True Love is a person, not a thing and until you've meet that person you are unable to truly love. (1Jn. 4:7-21)

3. Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.

4. Don't wake a sleeping baby.

5. Your mother is usually right. (Speaking of, sorry mom for our fight this morning. I love you, thank you for giving me life :)

6. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. (Just for Bryan)

7. The grass isn't greener on the other side.

8. Take your makeup off every night before you go to bed.

9. Guard your heart, don't give it away to the first boy that gives you butterflies in your stomach...because one day you'll want to give the whole thing to someone, not pieces of it. Getting it back in pieces is harder than giving it in whole.

10. 5 is fine, 10 you're mine! (5 mph over the speed limit is fine, 10 mph over and you'll have yourself a ticket).

11. Cry when you have the urge.

12. Laugh hard, even if you look ugly doing it.

13. Take responsible risks.

14. Watch your dad fix stuff and learn how to hook up a VCR/DVR/COMPUTER etc.

15. When whatever it is seems unbearable just remember; it will pass and God will not give you anything you cannot handle, in His strength. (1 Cor. 10:13)

16. Let your "yes's" be yes and your "no's" be no.  (James 5:12)

17. There are more fish in the sea.

18. Don't live your life in the shadow of others.

19. Don't live your life based on random quotes.  Hehe

20. When the bill is due, pay it....don't be late.

21. Overdraft protection is always a must and yes, buy the warranty.

22. Being wrong isn't a bad thing. Admit it when you are wrong and always seek forgiveness.

23. Love with your whole heart and serve as if no one is watching.

24. Slow down and be content.

25. Respect, love and submit to your husband even when his actions/ words make it hard to. (Eph. 5)

26. Grace means you don't have to come "perfect".

27. He loves us too much to let us stay the same.

27b. Time does fly by.

Happy Birthday Momma!

On my 27th, we spent the day as a family and that is truly all that I wanted. We had lunch together and laughed at just how fast the years are going by.

So much to be thankful for and so many blessings along the way.

My favorite gifts, well....
here they are.

27 looks good to me.

Little People

Little People toys are the best. They really have created the most interactive, interesting and just plain fun toys for toddlers. We have two of their sets and we love them.

We have a doll house (Mady received this from Pop's and Mimi on her 1st Birthday).

Recently, I found this other set at a consignment sale. It has a Dentist and Doctor's office with seats you can push down that say things like "Open Wide" and sings a song that explain what a doctor does during an examination. This same toy has a Pizza Parlor, with shape sorting/ sound interactive pizzas. The next part is a Pet Shop with a singing cash register. You can also flip the color-sorted pictures of dogs, birds, cats, snakes and frogs. After the pet store you can find a School that sings ABC's and has a magnetic writing pad. The last portion is the Tree House with apples that count out loud while going down a shoot. Mady loves it all.

Can you spot the bare-bottom climber?

Peek-a-boo! 

I was trying to get her ready for her bath when she quickly ran into the living room to play once more with her new toy.

She even wakes up from naps or in the morning asking: "Play with toys?"

So funny.

Can you spot Mady?
She's in the Pet Shop, buying a bird.
"Teet, Teet!"

I really love the magnetic drawing board. 

Its very easy to use and her marks show up really well.

She loves to write on there and say "A" or  "B", like she is actually writing these letters.

Its too funny.

I'm not sure if you are aware...

 Mady is so darn cute in her glasses that Fisher Price had to make a character with Mady in mind.

I mean obviously, Mady was the inspiration for this girl, right?

We are waiting for Fisher Price to send us royalty checks for Mady being their "model". 

Haha. Just kidding.

I'm sure she was around well before Mady was.

It is fun though, that Mady can play with a character that looks so similar to her!

I mean, how cute is she!

Here is Mady's entire Little People family. 

Even the Dad has Starbucks and Sunglasses.

I really think there may be some truth to my theory!
Maybe our family is their "muse".

Ha.

If that were the case the Mom would have a piece of pizza in her hand instead of the  ice-cream cone!

Hint, Hint! 

To the Grandmothers that read the blog and love to "spoil" Mady.

The "Easter Bunny" could bring her some new Little People.

Group Trip to the Zoo!

It was a perfect Friday afternoon when several of us girls decided to get the kiddos together and take a trip to the Zoo.

Thankfully, most of us had Zoo passes, so this won't be our last trip! It was the first of many more to come. The weather was great, the kids were too. Mainly, us Momma's just enjoyed the fellowship!

Here are a few of our attempts to get a group picture of the kids.

Jordan's Jesse and Hannah's Lydia hadn't arrived yet, so they aren't in the picture. 

Here are the "big kids".

Mady (16 mos.), Matthias (17 mos.), Noel and Nathaniel (Twins 15 mos.)

The next few are more attempts to get all the kids in one shot. 

Didn't quite go as planned. 

In this one, we've added Jonah (12 mos.) and Samyra (19 mos).

but...we lost Nathaniel.

"Ok MOMs! We are ready to see some animals!!"

Here is the stroller "bergade". 

We were quite the spectacle, but we had fun "rollin' deep".

"ROOAARRR!!"

Someone loves her some animals!

"Tigey!"

"Huh, this is an interesting playground."

Playing with the twins. 

So fun.

Quite smitten with Nathaniel!

Overall, a great trip with great friends and great kids in tow.

Coloring me Pretty

One of my favorite things to do when I was a child was to color. I am so excited to be able to do this, a lot, with this precious girl.

Here are a few shots of her first experience coloring....

Making sure Mady didn't take the crayons to the wall, the floor or anything else was the "fun" part. 

She loved it!

One Less...

orphan child without a family.

Thankful that this little guy is now home with his Mommy and Daddy. 

Sleeping in his bed.

In his house.....

and all because two people chose to answer God's call on their lives to rescue an orphan

and allow their family to GROW!

Here is a picture montage (their friend from church made) of the Welcome Party at the airport!

Jesus' promise rings true today as we welcomed Greer home:

"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you!" 

John 14:18

Family Trip to the Zoo!

Hey everybody, 

bet you can't guess where I'm going....

To the ZOO!

To say that she was excited was an understatment. 

We talked all about going the the zoo the day before we went while she ate lunch. I told her about all the different animals she'd see and she thought and thought about it.
Then, the morning of our trip we looked at our "Zoo" book, just to refresh where we were going after he nap.

All the anticipation was over, we had arrived!

The first exhibit was the Rhino's. She was amazed at just how big they really are!

Next came the Giraffes. You can see by her face (above) that she loved them!

More Giraffes and DUCKS!

The Ducks (Geese) were her favorite...and you don't even have to pay to see them :)

Second favorite.

Funny thing, she liked the statues and pictures almost as much as all of the actual animals.

"Nose Momma!"

Not quite big enough

Here is a picture of Bryan and I on most days! 

Just kidding!

Precious Baby hand is just too small next to those big Gorilla hand prints.

This was Mady's first time ever even seeing Seal. 

None of our books talk about them.

She LOVED IT. 

She went back and forth from calling him a Seal and a Fish.

                                      I can see how that would be confusing to a 16 month old.

Mady was very much into being a Big Girl and walking every where by her self.
"Every where" included the GIANT hill/incline you have to climb to get to the penguins.

Its moments like this...when I put her down and she gets from point A to point B all by herself that I take a step back and realize that she is growing up way too fast!

Bryan and I took a mental note of it and he even said "You cannot write a better moment than this!"

Follow the yellow brick road!

Looking frustrated, but she was happy. Just one of Mady's many expressions!

The white alligator confused her. All the alligators in her books are green. She learned something new.

Over all it was a wonderful trip to the zoo. A rarity, that we all 3 we able to enjoy an entire Saturday together. 

What a great family we have. 

I am so incredibly thankful!