sneak peak

My friend Kendall and I are having a blast planning a baby shower for this cute little guy and his equally adorable mommy.

We have been SO grateful that there are some amazing women (her and her) who are MILES away who have helped us out SO much. I'll tell you more about them when we share more details of the shower - probably after the shower is over.

But for now, I'll give you a sneak peak of some major cuteness being sewn up.

Here are the master seamstresses (you're not suppossed to laugh) - straight from Butz and Gutz class looking OH so lovely!

We followed the most wonderful, detailed instructions - that were emailed to us the night before from this lovely lady. Thank GOODNESS - because we really had no clue what we were doing.

I know, I know - that doesn't really show you anything, huh?

Did you really think we were going to spoil the surprise? Not a chance.

Stay tuned for some major BLUE and GREEN cuteness!!

just in case you haven't heard yet

The Cora Shop is VERY busy!

Meet Calla
Calla entered this world at 26 weeks along.
Her mom and dad's story (click the link above) begins on Dec. 13 if you want to back track and read.



Today Calla is 6 weeks old.

As Julie and Ian's life has been turned upside down
and as sweet little Calla fights to get bigger and stronger
An amazing thing is happening in blog world to help them out.

It involves a little girl in heaven
And a mommy and grammy who misses her deeply

The Cora Shop is going strong - all for Calla.

Make sure you read the whole story and entry rules for Cora's for Calla
It's your chance to give and WIN at the same time!
It's a raffle - ONCE A WEEK!!!
And you can win some awesome stuff from the Cora shop!
Even if you don't have little kids to wear the adorable outfits themselves, think about what awesome gifts you will have on hand for others.

It's more than just a chance to win.
It's about reaching out - to help a family who so desperately needs to feel love and support - from those they know and those they don't.
It's about remembering to lift them up in prayer.

Please pray.
Please give if you can.
The deadline for the first raffle for Cora's for Calla is coming SOON!

And don't forget to spread the word.
Grab your Cora's for Calla button from the Macs
And tell everyone you know!

Jess, your heart is beautiful.
It was beautiful before you thought of this awesome idea.
You are an amazing example of just how beautiful a heart can be that walks so closely with God.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us"

Epheshians 3:20

happiness

I've been on a high lately
A good high - a legal one, I promise.

I'm not sure why - I can't really pinpoint one thing.
But for some reason, life is just good right now.
I'm happier than usual.
I have more energy than usual.
I am much more productive than usual.

**I can't help but have better days when I am spending time with these 2 books that I am loving...



**Our new living room makes me happy - knowing that it's done, and that we did it with no debt!


**This is going to make me really happy in March...

For 7 whole days!



And I'm definitely happy knowing that I'm going for FREE and Dave's going for $200! We just have to get to Miami - which is paid for already too! Can't wait!



**I'm VERY happy that the Butz and Gutz class I'm going to is actually working! REALLY working! I've been asked 5 times in the last few weeks if I've lost weight! And Dave says something about it almost everyday! I can tell too. So I know that plays a huge part in how I'm feeling lately - better about myself, more energy!!

It's very exciting to see numbers on the scale that I haven't seen since before I was pregant with Taylor (over 3 years ago).

**And this is something that always starts my days off wonderfully and makes me happy, especially paired with the 2 books above...

**My wonderful husband baked zuchinni bread for me last night! If that can't make a girl happy - there are some problems. I was gone and knew I'd get back too late to bake bread. So he made it, baked it and had it all cut up on a plate for me to take to bible study this morning!

**I got to scrapbook with the girls on Friday night AND sleep in extremely late on Saturday morning - so thankful to Dave for that.

**I've seen prayers answered. I have seen God bring JOY after and during pain. And more than a smile on my face, that just brings tears to my eyes.

**I've been waiting for a change. Waiting for a boost in energy, to get me out of the rut it seems I've been in for so long. 2009 was tough in lots of ways. It's a year I'll never forget - as I did more growing and learning than ever before.

That's not all that is playing a part in this high that I'm on. But there's a random sharing of some of them.

I'm reminded that in Revelation, God says "Behold, I make all things new".
I'm thankful for a NEW sense of energy
A NEW confidence
A NEW desire
A NEW year
NEW days

I was done being in a rut.
Right now I'm enjoying being extra happy.

there was a murder

And the members of our Community Life Group were all suspects!

We got an invitation to board the train in order to escape World War II. It was our ticket out!

I was Princess Idelle and Dave was a pilot.

Dave's costume lasted all of 10 minutes. It was quite tight. I couldn't stop laughing. I took a picture of his back-side and I promise you would laugh hysterically. But I figured I'd spare him the embarrassment.

Meet the gangster Mal and her silent side-kick

Mary, the journalist and her photographer

This is Barbara. And Matt was actually MY bodyguard - since I was a princess, of course.

The story begins to unfold...

Lots of information to be revealed and questions to ask



We played most of the rounds during and after we ate

It was hilarious to get in these costumes. But it made it all the more fun.


Do you wanna know who the murderer was?

I was SOOOO about to tell you. I had it typed. But then I realized that wouldn't be any fun if any of you ever do this same plot. So I shouldn't spoil it.

If you want to see more of our night - go HERE!

celebrating 5 years

Things have been back in full swing lately - after a good month of a fairly slow schedule.
I didn't want to let more time pass before I got our anniversary pictures up.

Our weekend started here...


But of course this outside picture doesn't give you even close to an idea of how wonderful this place is.

Dave was such a great sport and went all over the place with me for new things to decorate and finish off our living room. That evening, we went to dinner at Larkspur , after a recommendation from Kathy B. We LOVED it! Maybe the best steak either of us have EVER had.



We picked up our kiddos the next day from Aunt Stefanie and Uncle Steve's house - and passed them onto Papa and Nana to enjoy night #2!

We had more shopping to do, more eating (our FAVORITE thing to do!) and then had some time to kill, so we stopped at Borders. Any bookstore is kind of funny for us - we seem to ONLY go to them when we're on a date, but yet when we get there, we both go our seperate ways. This time, we at least met back up and sat together.

Of all the things to choose from - this is my husband for ya...

Then it was time for BRAD PAISLEY!!

It was the opening concert at the Intrust Bank Arena. Somehow we got tickets 4 days before the concert. I'm not sure how, as they said the concert sold out in the first few hours.

Guess where we sat!??!?!

YEP - the absolute furthest away from the stage you can possibly get! Let me tell you a few things about these seats. First of all, you can probably tell, we are dead even with the raftors. Second, of all the furthest away seats - we got the best. Notice the long black thing hanging in the picture above (left side). I'm not sure if they were speakers or lights. But there was one on the right side too. If these were in front of you - they obstructed your view of the stage. There were some very upset people. So thankfully, we got a straight-on view, right between them both. But we still had obstructions to the big screens. Third, you might want to do some cardio training before you climb all those stairs. And lastly, the sound isn't the greatest up there. It was a little muffled. Even just a few rows down the sound got better. But I guess that's what you get when you sit in the raftors. We're just glad we got tickets. (but get this - our friends got tickets 4-6 weeks before us and they also sat on the very back row).

But regardless of our far-away seats - we LOVED the concert!

I can totally see why Brad has been nominated for Entertainer of the Year, won Grammys, and Best Male Vocalist and so on! He could seriously sit on a stool the entire concert and just sing and play his guitar and he would be amazing.

For as far away as we were, I was pretty impressed with some of these pictures I got!



My favorite of the night was "Waitin on a Woman" with the video starring Andy Griffith - SOOO good! Although I'm pretty sure THIS is my absolute favorite.

I wish we could celebrate our anniversary like this every year. Many of my favorite things all packed into one weekend - with my favorite person in the whole world!

Thanks for 5 wonderful years babe!
I can't wait to look back on these days and say "and I thought I loved you then!"

laying on the beach

Every time I think about that rain and sleet and snow

I start dreamin' 'bout siestas

underneath a sombrero

Baby, if you're good to go

We'll go down to Mexico

And get a place in Cabo

Kick back in the sand

It'll be just you and me

And the moonlight dancing on the sea

To the spanish guitar melody of a Mariachi band

Okay, so that song is obviously better when you hear the music! But the lyrics are perfect!

There's nothing better than leaving for paradise when it's 10 degrees outside.

These sombreros were fun - Dave's sister put them on us as we were leaving our wedding reception and as they played Toby Keith's "Good to Go to Mexico" song!

We were off to Cabo.
5 years ago today - we were in paradise.

FYI - the rock formation and beach around it (when the tide is low) is called Lovers Beach.
We spent one afternoon there - laying out and snorkeling (okay, you can probably guess which activity I participated in and which one Dave did).

I can't wait to go back - some January when it's -20 windchill.

But until then, the memories of our honeymoon keep me warm!



We returned home late last night from the Brad Paisley concert - which was phenomenal!
We picked up our kiddos this morning before church - we missed them.

But we also miss just being a couple sometimes. Getting away and reconnecting, talking, laughing, just being us. So I am very thankful for our weekend together.

Our anniversary celebration isn't quite over - we have a few more things we'll be doing over the next few months to help us extend our 5 year celebration - Can't wait!

five years

5 years ago today, I married my best friend.

I love thinking back on that day.
I wanted a winter wedding.
BADLY.
A Christmas wedding was my first choice.
But 2 weeks later was close enough.

It was freezing cold. Guess that's pretty typical for January, huh?
4 days before the wedding, there was HUGE ice storm that hit a big portion of our state.
We got a winter wedding.

5 years ago today (or this week), many of you from the area, were sitting in your homes without power.
And many of you who are reading this were with us that day. You braved the weather, and the roads and headed to Winfield to help us celebrate. And you thought we were crazy when we rode away in this...

See, my dream was to go off in a horse-drawn sleigh. Well, sleighs are a little harder to come by, and to arrange that in advance you have to KNOW there will be snow on the ground. So Dave arranged this - and surprised me!! As you can tell.

Because I was so concerned about slipping and falling, my eyes were glued to the ground, so I didn't see the carriage until I was pretty much directly in front of it!

Everyone asked if we were freezing. But between the animal skin blankets the driver gave us and the adrenaline and pure excitement - I don't remember being cold at all!

Here's a little glimpse into the beginning of US...





That night we stayed here...


It was still decorated for Christmas and it was SOOO cozy! We didn't stay long. Checked in late that night after our reception and headed to the airport the next morning after a delicious breakfast that was on the table waiting for us. We were off to CABO!

Some year we'll go back.

But for tonight - we'll be sticking close to home. But still getting away and enjoying some time together here...

The Hotel at Old Town - I am SOOOO excited - historical hotel with a great view, and a suite with a hot tub!

And tomorrow night, we're going to see THIS GUY...

The first concert at the brand new Intrust Arena !!

5 wonderful years.

To this incredibly good-looking and wonderful man.

That God has so graciously blessed me with.

I'm so excited to spend this weekend just being US.

have you heard, have you heard!?!?!?

SURELY if your check my blog, you know who our dear friends the Macs are, right?

And you probably check their blog just as often if not more often than mine, huh?

When we were visiting in the hospital, Joel looked up their blog stats - and found that they had 18,000 maybe 19,000 (hopefully I got that right) hits in 2 days - Jan 2 and 3 - after Levi was born. WOW! So much love!

So you've probably already seen the announcement, right!?!?

But JUST in case.
Baby Mac is here! Little Levi is almost a week old already!

He is absolutely precious. A true blessing in such a time of pain. God is good. He is ALWAYS good. But I love the ways he pours out his goodness for us to fully see sometimes.

Click HERE to see some of the most precious pictures ever.

instead of gifts

This year Dave's siblings and spouses decided not to get each other gifts.
Instead we decided to do an ADULT night out and just enjoy each other's company (great idea, Stef!)

It's only once, maybe twice a year, we are all together.

Dave's parents came too!

The night before, we all got giftcards to Outback Steakhouse from Dave's cousin Terry! Thanks Terry!

So we knew exactly where our night out would be!

Such a fun night.

Telling stories.

Remembering how we all met our spouses.

Some embarrassing stories.

Lots of laughs.

We are so blessed with wonderful family.

blackmail

I think Mason will LOVE seeing these pictures on his highschool graduation montage video.

Or better yet, if his highschool does what mine did, a video will be shown at their "afterglow" party with blackmail photos of all the kids.

I think an 18 year old highschool senior would appreciate all of his peers seeing these too.









This little guy is sure keeping us on our toes lately.

But no matter how ornery he gets - and seriously, these days it is VERY ornery.
No matter how many times a day he throws a fit or yells "UH UH" at us, or screams at the top of his lungs...

He still loves to cuddle. He loves to be held. He loves hugs and kisses. His smile will melt your heart. His little words are just too cute. He's just adorable.

He's teaching us lots. He's all boy - but not WILD boy, thank goodness. He can be pretty low key still. Only has short portions of the day when he's all over the place. Sometimes Dave and I just look at each other in complete amazement that he just did what he did. Sometimes we're not sure how to react. Sometimes we can't believe how stubborn he is. I think we'll see a little more of the terrible two's or three's this time around. But that's okay.

We love him to pieces. We'll just pray we do the right thing and help him turn out the way he should.

In just under 2 months, this little guy will be 2.
To me, that means not a baby anymore.
Sniff, sniff.