I am not a runner

....but I ran my first race!

I finished, I ran (sloooow jogged) the whole way, and despite a terrible side ache, had a blast. I think it took me about 35 minutes or so, but silly me didn't notice the huge stop clock ticking at the finish line til after I stretched and got some water, so I can't be sure. I want to do it again....perhaps a 10K....anybody want to do it with me? If not, I'll have to talk Craig into it.

New do

Thanks for all your wonderful advice ladies. It is much appreciated. Here is my new do!

Opinions, please!

At the risk of sounding like my mom, who is always fussing over her hair, I'm going to post about the same topic because I need some feedback.

This friday I am getting my hair cut. I'm not sure what to do. My "goal" was to grow it out long, but whenever it reaches this point I always get frustrated with it and cut it off. I have a lot of hair, but it is fine in texture and tends to look stringy when it gets too long. Maybe after 32 years I will have to resign to the fact that I am not a long hair kind of girl.

This is my hair right after I finished doing it. Currently I am using one of those curling irons that blows out hot hair to give it some body when it is nearly dry. I used to use hot rollers but they broke. It looks this way for approximately 40 minutes, then falls flat. 99% of the time it ends up in a ponytail before the day is over.

The next issue is bangs. My bangs now reach my nose and I can't decide weather I want to cut them again or not. I have lots of options:

• cut bangs
• just get everything trimmed
• get a few inches cut off
• get more layers
• don't get layers
• or a combination of the above
  

Also, color. You probably couldn't tell, but I am not a natural blonde. Sometimes I get all highlights and sometimes I have low lights put in as well to balance out the color in the ends. The last time I got all highlights since it was the beginning of summer. Too fake? Should I put in low lights this time?
So ladies, I need opinions.
I know, shallowest post ever.

Better than diamonds

Craig and I went out last night to celebrate our anniversary. He had been gone for two days on a school field trip and I was really looking forward to our date. It was wonderful. I can't believe it's been 11 years since we said, "I do". At 20 and 21 we were so young, but we didn't really know it then. I look back on how we've both grown and changed so much, and I honestly can say I love him so much more today than I did on that day 11 years ago. Back then I thought my heart would burst with the amount of love I had for him. But it just keeps growing and growing.

It's awesome how God will bless a marriage when we seek His wisdom. I don't deserve this wedded bliss and I certainly don't deserve a man this wonderful, but God has blessed me, and it makes my eyes fill with tears.

Craig said he had something for me, just a little thing, and I jokingly said, "something little, huh, just a diamond ring?" As we sat on the park bench and watched the water go by he read me a TOP 11 List of the reasons he loved me. After he was finished I had a huge lump in my throat, and he said, "ya it's no diamond ring...." and I replied, "that was better than a diamond ring".

And it was.

get inspired!

Inspiration comes in waves for me. There are days...even weeks when I'll go about my daily routines, not feeling particularly inspired. But every once in a while there are little things in the everyday that pop out to me and really inspire.

A wonderful, deep conversation with my husband,

the "almost" spring sunshine pouring through my bedroom windows,

brisk morning walks in the sunshine pushing my Annie-girl, and praying,

looking through fun magazines and tearing out ideas or anything that catches my eye,

grabbing a couple books for ME at the library to browse through,

AND, believe it or not, getting a cold and forcing myself to slow down, take a break, and snuggle on the couch with my 5 year old for most of the afternoon yesterday.

Lately I have also been inspired by these crafty mama's and their blogs. I haven't posted anything new for a while mostly because I was feeling a little un-inspired. But I'm still enjoying everyone's elses blogs, especially Tiffany, Emily and Tanya, who have some awesome crafty ideas, and have inspired me to tap into some of that inspiration myself.

I started with this clothespin bag. Yes, I am one of the few who actually hang my clothes out on the line to dry in the warmer weather. Won't this look cute hanging on my line, storing my clothespins for me?

I am contemplating making a couple more for Anna's closet to store her undies and socks in, or maybe little toys, or (if you are so inspired) you could make some for your pantry or hall closets to hold plastic bags or other fun stuff in. Everything seems so much more fun with a cute container!

One of the books I grabbed at the library was "Toys to Sew" by Claire Garland. It caught my eye on my way up to the counter to check-out and after looking through it I decided to attempt this Ballerina Doll for Anna, made entirely from scraps from my fabric tubs. Will those things ever be empty??
She has HUGE brown eyes, and is a little funny looking, but there is something so sweet about a homemade doll...

....and the best part is, Anna just loves her!

Stay tuned for more of my blast of inspiration which may be coming your way sooner or later. And, let me know, how have you been inspired lately?

V-day

I have a confession to make (in case you didn't already know). I married a man who doesn't cook. Thankfully, I love that chore, and would much rather be cooking dinner after a long day while he entertains the kids. Cooking is therapeutic for me and I'm so glad God thought to pair me up with this guy who will wrestle with the kids while I'm in the kitchen.

I shouldn't go without saying that Craig is an awesome BBQer and he can make a mean bowl of cereal (according to Wyatt). However the last time he cooked me dinner was approximately 12 years ago when we were dating in college, and he attempted a recipe for Spare Ribs. The recipe called for red wine and being he was about 19 at the time and didn't have access to red wine, he substituted the red wine for, get this ladies.......RED WINE VINEGAR. Lets just say ribs simmered in a cup of red wine vinegar end up tasting, well, very vinegary.

So, when he suggested that we cook together for our Valentines dinner, I was shocked, but also thought it sounded like a fun idea. I can't remember when or if we have ever cooked together....perhaps in our early marriage years when we didn't have little ones to entertain. We talked about making something fun, something we'd really like, but something the kids probably wouldn't eat since they'd be in bed anyway. We realized several years ago that we both love Thai food and we were given this humongous Thai cookbook (seriously 4 inches wide) which we have never made anything from. We decided on a pretty simple recipe for Cashew Chicken. After the kids went to bed we started cooking. I started coconut rice and Craig cut up the chicken. I chopped veggies and Craig stir fried. The end result was pretty tasty....I think we may be on to something here. I'm already pouring over this baby deciding which recipe we'll try next. I just had to take a picture to prove how ginormous this thing is!

Hope your V-day was lovely. I also got another personalized CD from my sweetie with a note explaining why he chose each song. I 'm sure I have already listened to it a dozen times. I love that guy, and his red wine vinegar. :)

Scrappin' weekend

This weekend three of my scrapbook crazy friends and I went away to the coast for our 5th annual scrapbook weekend. We spent a lot of time around this ginormous table and if this picture is any indication, it was well used....

I finished 16 layouts and it was so nice to get a break, do some shopping, and get a bit more caught up in the kiddos scrapbooks. Craig and the kids had a great time. He built a little fire in the backyard and they roasted hot dogs which was the highlight of their weekend.

Thanks for a fun weekend, girls! I'm already looking forward to next year!

me from A-Z

A. Attached or Single? Attached
B. Best Friend? Craig
C. Cake or pie? cake, something chocolate and ooey gooey
D. Day of choice? Saturday
E. Essential item? my contacts, I'm so blind without them
F. Favorite color? yellow
G. Gummy bears or worms? neither
H. Home town? Salem, OR.
I. Favorite indulgence? pedicure or hair weave
J. January or July? July
K. Kids? three
L. Lfe isn’t complete without? a relationship with Jesus Christ
M. Marriage date? May 30, 1998
N. Number of brothers and sisters? 2 sister, 1 brother
O. Oranges or Apples? This time of year, apples. But I really love them both.
P. Phobias? mice in my house
Q. Quotes? "we love God best when we love each other well" ~Steven Curtis Chapman
R. Reasons to smile? my sweet kids faces. Especially when they're asleep at night. And my wonderful husband who's mowing the lawn right now.
S. Season of choice? Spring
T. Tag 2 people: Alysun, Christi
U. Unknown fact about me? my lamb won grand champion in 8th grade 4-H
V. Vegetable? I honestly can't think of one I don't like
W. Worst habit? not showering 'til right before I have to pick up Will from school
X. X-ray or Ultrasound? Ulrasounds of my little ones.
Y. Your favorite food? coconut shrimp, thai mango chicken, chocolate
Z. Which zoo animal is your favorite? Polar Bears

something to share

For the past almost 4 weeks I have been struggling with some kind of illness. I was so sick the week Craig went back to school and the kids first week in school, I really don't know how I was making it through my days. I started to become depressed and annoyed that my body wasn't recovering. I was fearful and frustrated at not being able to take care of my family, the way I wanted to. But every time I opened my Bible it was as if there was a word meant just for me. Slowly over the course of two weeks I started letting go of my fears and trusting God to fill in where I wasn't able to. I started focusing on each day, and tried to enjoy each moment as a gift.

So many people were also encouraging to me, and I know there were those praying for me. One day I was talking to my mom in tears and she said, "Lindsay, you are God's personal concern". I kept repeating that to myself over and over. Pretty soon the fear subsided and I was filled with God's peace.

I had and MRI and lab work, last week and everything came back normal! Praise the Lord! Probably the first time in my life I've ever been described as normal, but I'll take it. I am still not feeling 100%, but I'm praying my symptoms will subside and I give the glory to God for my healing.

It is always so hard being a sick mommy (can I hear an amen?) Through this God has taught me to depend on him more, to release my fears and let him take control. I have enjoyed some special moments with my kids. We have been reading the Jesus Storybook Bible (which I highly recommend...thank you Kelly!!) and I cry reading it too! I get Anna all to myself in the morning while the boys are in school. It has been so much fun watching her play by herself and hearing the little conversations she makes up for her babies. One of the first days of school she went to her room called out, "Mom, I'm playin' with my babies" and shut the door!

In the afternoons Anna naps, and Wyatt and I have some one-on-one time. He loves to read books, do art, help me bake, and practice piano. Occasionally we lay on my big comfy bed and he'll fall asleep. All in all it hasn't been the easiest start to a new school year....but at the same time, becasue of God's faithfulness, it's been great!

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him; with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." ~Psalm 91:14-16