How did I miss this cute shot of the chubbiness?

I LOVE the Target polka dot diapers and how cute they look on the chubbiness! This picture was left on my camera and How did I not see this? I adore every roll, crease and dimple on our little Thatcher. As he is getting mobile, I realize he will soon lose all this chubbiness but I am enjoying kissing his little chubby thighs until then. And.....Oh how those chubby hands make me smile, especially when he pats my face and puts his little chubby hand in mine and then grins.These are moments I don't ever take for granted and I enjoy his tender moments he shares with me, this little guy makes me feel so special.

Thatcher,
  When I Look into your bright blue eyes...I see an old soul. I feel you have seen this world once before and have so much to share with me. The way you look at people and watch their every move, you have seen all these things, I am sure of it. I often wonder what you are thinking and what you want to tell me, but I do feel you speak to me with your heart. I enjoy the quiet moments in the middle of the night,When we dance in the dim light as I sing to you and lull you back to sleep. Your little eyes get heavy and slowly close and you drift off to sleep in my arms, I lay you in your crib knowing I have comforted you and that warms my heart.You are such a LOVING little guy. May you always know that you are LOVED by the two hearts that created you out of pure LOVE and your maker up above!
Momma

I am so very thankful.

I am so very thankful for the friends that I have. Yesterday and today I had a friend who took two of my children to school and picked them up so that I wouldn't have to take my sweet, not feeling so good baby out. Today I also had my neighbor friend take my little Jack to preschool so I could tend to the baby's needs as well. My neighbor friend and I also called each other to check on each other during our tornado warning to make sure we each had all the things we needed for our families. Each time I hear a friend lend a caring, kind word or help me out when I am struggling it makes me realize again just how BLESSED I truly am. I truly enjoy helping my friends out in time of need and I LOVE surprising them with little things to brighten their days. We have had family call and check on us this week and family dropping things off at the door when we needed something, and didn't have the energy to drive to the store. We appreciate each and every gesture that was made to help us through this week (because it has been a very rough one indeed). We LOVE you all so very much! :) 
Now, as soon as everyone is back to fully good, strong stomachs....I intend on making a delicious banana nut bread ( I found a delicious sounding recipe on another blog ;))  I LOVE reading other momma's blogs!

It's Official...

So the stomach virus has officially hit the whole house. First Ty, then Jack, then Quentin, then me...(the momma) then daddy and now Thatcher...plus grandma has it.  We have been feeling quite yucky and have had some major clean ups this week. But ...Daddy and I have been tag teaming to get it under control...We have lots of Lysol, gatorade and crackers. We have washed everyone's bedding in HOT to get rid of the germs. Last night Jack regressed and it hit him again and the little Thatch has been letting us know he is just NOT happy about this.  My poor family! Hopefully we are better soon, How I so miss the outside air and the energy I had before all of this hit our home so quickly and unexpectedly! Hopefully....Soon we are all better and things can get back to normal!! I miss NORMAL

Ty's Feel Better Prayer

Tonight Ty said his prayer of thanking Jesus for his family and then said a seperate "feel better prayer" for him and Jack....Did I mention Jack and Ty now both have the Flu? This is how his sweet prayer went that I want to always remember...Because it made me and daddy giggle.

Dear Jesus,
Please help me and Jack feel better, Tell us what foods to eat and please let us throw up in our buckets tonight!
Amen

THIS....I am NOT! With HIM ... I have Grace!

I don't claim to be perfect...perfection is only in God, I don't claim to "know-it-all" for I would never be open minded to learn the greatest things of Life. I try to be good at what I do, but I do fail...I am human. Through my weaknesses God shows me where he strengthens me most and that is where I see his continuance to work in me. As a mother, I LOVE my babies to no end but disciplining them is where my guilt takes over....Although God's word says " A refusal to correct is a refusal to LOVE; LOVE your children by disciplining them."  Proverbs 13:24 (msg)  So, in his word I have learned discipline is LOVE ...He works through me at all angles of my life. He shows me.. what I would never see on my own and LOVES me in all my faults and has forgiven me for my sins. I use to pick up the phone for advice from a friend or family member...Now I drop to my knees with folded hands, knowing the true and solid answer comes solely from him! He is my GOD and he reigns. My children are learning as they watch us, as their parents to put God first....They ask with enthusiasm to say grace at dinnertime and before bed our 5 year old Thanks Jesus for all the family members he has. My 8 year old is now reading the bible and these are the things that mean most to me in our family. These are the moments that take my breath away. When we are in church during the sermon...when my husbands hands turn the pages of his bible to read along...that is what makes my heart flutter and LOVE him so much more! GOD is LOVE and he has shown me time and time again that without him....I cannot do anything correctly but with him ALL things are possible!! Enjoy each day and all his creations!

Pumpkin cake!!!

I want to share my favorite cake recipe for the fall holidays....this recipe was given to me by a friend as a muffin recipe...I have tweaked it a bit and turned it into a cake recipe. It is delicious especially with a cup of coffee and my babies all LOVE it!!

Pumpkin cake

• 1 box of spice cake
• 1 1/3 cups of water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 Large eggs
• 1 cup of canned pumpkin
• 1 cup of plain applesauce
• 1 jar of cream cheese icing

Follow directions according to spice cake box ( adding vegetable oil, water and eggs) then additionally add 1 cup of canned pumpkin and one cup of plain applesauce and mix. Take a 13x9 glass baking dish and coat with thin layer of vegetable oil, adding sugar to the dish ...sugar coat the pan ( the oil will make the sugar stick). Pour in cake mix when mixed well into the sugar coated baking dish. bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Let it cool for one hour then icing with cream cheese icing....For festiveness I add fun sprinkles!!! ENJOY and don't forget the coffee! Let me know your opinions ;)

Pajama Day!

Well, since Thatch has an ear infection, Ty has the Flu and I woke up with a sore throat...and the kids are all off school today... It's an official pajama Day for us! We woke up at 8 and basically been piddling around and got nothing accomplished. We haven't had a day like this in a while and ohhh how I love my pajamas! I spent my morning with a cup of coffee and in God's word as the children fought over who got to play ds, I simply let them figure that fight out on their own and the ds ended up on a shelf because it was a problem! I snuggled with the chubbiness of a great smelling 7 month old whom I love to sniff after a wonderful bath. There is nothing better than the smell of a baby covered in burt's bees baby soap and lotion! Today will be a day of little accomplishment, a day I can just enjoy my babies in the chaos of a "not so perfectly clean house" and we can feel a litttle ill together. We will be comfortable in our warm jammies..so today is a Great day!