Lauren's Latest Adventure

Lauren is our animal lover~ she loves to read, research, meet, help, and do anything that involves animals. This past weekend, she started her Horsemanship class. She will attend a two weekend program (6 hrs) of training with a horse.


She learned basic horse safety and grooming on Saturday with "Jack".












She was assigned a horse for the remainder of the course, her name is Athena. She is beautiful and gentle.











On Sunday, she mastered grooming, then learned to tack (English saddle) and lead her horse.












WE are loving it! I could really get into this.... : )

MY 3 & ME

What a great day! I love spending time with my girls. Lauren was out of school today, MLK so we got to do a fun day out. We took in a movie (Hotel for Dogs~ cute, fun: we all enjoyed it). We met up with GaGa for tea then hit Cave Creek Rd. antique shops to look for more tea accessories for Brooke's 5 birthday dress up tea party.

I love my girls! I love having girls! I love being a girl!

My sweet friend Rikki gifted me a plaque years ago that hangs in my kitchen. I admire it daily during dish duty. It reads: Here's to a good woman, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.

The only thing missing today~ Daddy, he was traveling for work.

Craigslist OH MY!!

OMG! I have heard about craigslist and decided yesterday to use it. I HATE clutter, I actually enjoy going through things, finding stuff we don't use and passing it on. I refuse to accumulate- if we aren't using it~ I consider it clutter. I like to share because I just do... so it is usually just given away.

Nick likes to save money and loves to make it even more. Yesterday afternoon as I was outside with the girls playing on the new swing set. I had an idea to clear out some of the outside toys that are not being used.... I took pictures, posted them on craigslist and within 5 minutes I sold out... crazy, true and kinda fun.

I think I may have priced them low~ but I was blessed to see who came for them today, hear the stories they shared, and see their excitement. That to me is way better than the money!! :)

SPOT of TEA?

We've celebrated with TEA lately. We enjoy our time with GaGa and have decided to have a lot of tea parties...

Brooke's 5th Birthday is next

Love GOD

Love the Lord your God, serve him with all your heart, soul and might. Deuteronomy 11:13

We have been making time to discuss and memorize the first verse of our family motto. It's interesting how we are tested in these things. Nick and I finished making some goals, a treasured tradition. I love working together and being in unity to start the new year.

Since our rally, we have experienced an onslaught of trouble. In it, I have also seen a handful of blessings, and recognize them all to be only from God. Fun, little miracles going on around here... believe me some crazy stuff too. But I see God in it all.

It pays to serve the Lord. To know him, love him and serve him.

this picture is a sweet reminder to me: there is no love like a Daddy's love.

note to self: this too shall pass.

you will look back and laugh

Back to Reality

Yep, I got'em. Did you? The after Christmas blues...

We had such a great Christmas season~ just a really nice celebration. We really took it all in this year with the girls. We stuck to budget, had great family gatherings, a fun getaway to visit with family in Oklahoma, came home sweet home and had enough time to recoup and undecorate before getting Nick back to work and the girls to school.

Monday, January 7 was sad for me~ plus I had a major headache.


BUT I'm better... Back to life, back to reality....

Happy New Year!

2009~ we R ready 4 u!


Have you ever seen a house with 1 Million Christmas lights? We witnessed it again in Oklahoma during our visit. Pictures don't do it justice~ it's amazing!


Our family motto for 2009 is "Light the World"


L ove God Deuteronomy 11:13

I ncrease in faith, trust God Proverbs 3:5-6

G aurd your heart Proverbs 4:23

H onor others Romans 12:10

T hankful 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18



T ell the truth Zechariah 8:16

H ave a positive attitude Proverbs 17:22, Philippians 2:14

E asily forgive Colossians 3:13


W ork hard and perserver Hebrews 12:1-2, Colossians 3:23

O rderly~ good steward Ephesians 5:15-16, Matthew 25:29

R emember family (Team Frederick & beyond) Ephesians 6:1-4

L earn from your experiences~ teachable heart Psalms 27:11

D ream BIG! Matthew 6:33



This is our hope, prayer and goal for the year. I want to teach the girls' these scriptures so we can call them from memory and really use them in our lives moving ahead.


"You are the light of the world ... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5: 13-14


Dear GOD,
Thank you for all that you have done in my life. You know my heart, please help me to teach my girls' to seek you and know you. I need your help daily, give me strength to follow through on this motto and lesson. I trust you for wisdom and guidance in the year ahead. I love you! Amen



PS. Here is a small glimpse at the house with a million lights~ again, doesn't even show it all...

OKLAHOMA!

Frederick/ Hinckley Gathering 2008
10 under one roof~ A BLAST!!

Christmas Day 2008

I loved this Christmas. It was the best yet since we have had kids.

We strive to keep Christmas about Christ. The birth of Jesus our savior.

The girls' each get 3 gifts from us, one shared gift, and one from Santa. This year it seemed extra easy and they were all so delighted!

Lauren asked for:

Camera

Scrap book

Horse stickers

Brooke asked for:

Barbie Mermaid

Oreo horse
and got Leapster as a bonus

Kate wanted:

Pink shoes

Backpack

a Christmas tree

Swing set to enjoy and share

*bonus~ find and deal of the season!!!*

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve was full of my favorites! : )

* We went to our Christmas Eve service at church (with candles)
* Ate dinner out
* Went hunting for houses with "big lights"
* Opened the Christmas PJ's

Kids to bed~
Enjoyed time with Nick & built the last present.

Christmas Ketchup 2008

I am hoping that my pictures with serve as my thousand words...

here we go... in organized posts of course : )