Louie's Grill

My breakfast: the fusion scrambled eggs with veggies. Yum!

Sophie with Aunt Becca.

The pancakes and syrup have set in for Ava and Nicky. They were having so much fun.

Brandon and Tommy, with Lola and Ann in the background. We had a great time with Aunt Rita and Grandma there as well. It was so fun to see Tom and Ann with their little Lola. She is a sweetie.

porch party

Here's the awesome sunset.
Georgia with her new bike.

Molly and Jackson in the backyard.

Porch party! Brian, Jackson, Molly and Brandon relax.

We had Molly and Brian over with their kids, Jackson and Georgia. Here are some cute pics from the night. I am taking so long to upload photos now because it's been a crazy summer. We had a great night and Ava loved dressing up with Georgia!

Attitude shmatititude

Have you ever had a rotten day or week? Or just a rough week where things are just a little harder than usual. Maybe your husband has to work longer hours or you just had an unexpected bill that you weren't counting on?

My dear friend her blog site, Hammocks and High Tea, talked about attitudes and how a good one can make cleaning the house fun. Well, sista, I am going to say that my attitude was not good today. We got home from Molly's house and both of the girls were asleep, great!

Well, they woke up an hour later. Both of them. Screaming their heads off. Ugh. I called Brandon.

Me: "Um, are you going to make it home early today since it's Friday?"

Brandon: "No, hun. I have to work until usual time. I have a lot going on."

Me (thinking while looking at the clock that says, 2:45 pm) "Are you serious? Can't you come home earlier?"

Brandon: "I will see you at 5 erin!"

Me: Seriously, I cannot make it until 5 pm. No way. The girls were both up at 5 am and then went back to sleep. And they have been getting up lots lately.

Verizon Attitude Check
So, I thought I might as well call Verizon and get our minutes changed on our calling plan. As I talked to a majorly chipper Verizon sales person, I was taken aback by how nice and how cheerful he was. I mean there was joy in his voice. Real joy. Ugh. I was too tired to be joyful.

The joy in his voice (and no, he was just happy, not hitting on me) was really refreshing. I never get someone being so polite and nice. I even told him, "You are a really happy person. I wish I could be that happy." He said, "Well, yeah, I am happy."


So, I guess my point is that I want to have that joy that abounds at All times. How do I do that? Mmm. For me, I think I need to work on memorizing the Word more. Letting it live in my heart for those moments when there is a lot going on.

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (NIV)

Proverbs 15:13 - "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." (NIV)

Proverbs 15:23 - "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word!" (NIV)

Proverbs 17:22 - "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (NIV)

Isaiah 35:10 - "And the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." (NIV)

Isaiah 55:12 - "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." (NIV)

Ella and Ava going through the bouncy thingy at the zoo

Here's a cute link to youtube.com to watch Ava and her friend Ella go through the bouncy thingies at the zoo for family night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGREJ8Vt6sM

So funny. Ava had to rev up and take off her bow for the big event. First you see her with it on and then it's off.

Hello August?

What have i been doing this summer? Last summer seemed to stretch endlessly and this summer has swept by like a fast moving train. I am just amazed it's already August.

Lifelong ambitions?
Since I stay at home with Ava and Sophia, I feel like I am always going, going, going. Ava stayed with my mom and dad last night and for the first night in a long while, I got to just breath. You know, that long breathe you get when you get a momentary break in life. I have been talking recently to Brandon about life, my dreams and things I want to accomplish. When I was a young girl I wanted to be a fashion designer, writer, CEO, yes, I am a first child. I wanted to be a judge or lawyer when I was out of college. Now I am a mom. At home. Isn't God funny how he uses us to do what he knows we really will find joy and peace in?

But, even when I was working as an aide in the Statehouse, I always felt that I wanted to do more, be more, to have something to create that was all my own.

Now that I am at home I still have burn out days. Days that are long and never ending. Days that seem to hold nothing glamorous like adding amendments to a bill that is fast-tracked through the House, but that mean more to two little girls that are the Lords.

We have been feeling a stirring lately. Stirring of something that is coming and that God is working or preparing us for. I guess I will just have to be patient and know that He is in charge and not me.

Here's a verse I have really been loving lately--Psalm 112.

PS. Shoutout to Marla T. for her 52 Zoos in 52 Weeks! What an amazing job!

Tigers and bears oh my!

My little Ava is a lot like me. She loves life, loves to fly around and do many things, but is kind've funny about certain things. She's afraid of tigers, thunder and the villians in cartoons (I used to be afraid of the Incredible Hulk).



Here is Ava and I talking about her favorite animal, a tiger.