:: Welcome July! ::

:: We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world...truly we are blessed! Happy Canada day y'all!!! ::

:: Today Mr. L is working and so I'm taking it upon myself to be very patriotic and wear red and white with my boys and make red jam. We're going to head out to a local farm and pick up some raspberries & strawberries to make freezer jam out of. But we'll do that once the littlest boy has his nap and after I do a once through of the house...clean the floors/windows/bathrooms and finish up the laundry for the weekend ::

:: We're going to be heading out to another part of our beautiful land to celebrate a certain little someones birthday. Should be a blast, especially if the weather were to smarten up! ::

Happy Canada day - hope y'all have a wonderful day celebrating our freedom!
XO, *S

* * *

Psalms 119:1
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless and walk according to the law of the Lord

:: From Start to Finish ::

:: This was the first day of Preschool, September 2009 ::

:: This was the last day of Preschool, June 2010 ::

:: My little big boy has gone from size 4 to 6 in most of his clothes, his feet are a size 12 {probably as I'm writing they are growing into a 13}, he's grown 2" since March. His language is fabulous {not sure why we ever doubted him}, his memory is outstanding and his attitude is usually joyful {except when Mama is demanding you smile for a picture! Ha!} ::

:: Happy first year of Preschool JJ - We delight hearing all that you've learned and seeing you play with your friends! Can't wait to see what next year holds for you! ::

:: All our Love, Mama & Daddy ::

:: Today ::

:: We've been busy little people today! By 11:30 am we had already been on our bi-weekly trip to the States to stock up on groceries & gas prior to the long weekend ahead - that in itself can sometimes take 6 hours! But for some reason today it took much less time - thank the Lord! ::

:: We came home to unpack all the groceries and re-pack them all into the pantry {aka: garage cupboards}, then off into the van we go again to run a few errands. Just to return home to have lunch and do some gardening ::

{ our first red strawberry...I thought strawberries were easy to grow! Not so much! }

:: Then we had hair cuts, well not me but the boys did...ahhh, love the look of fresh new hair cuts! This was prior to the hair cuts having a treat on the porch ::

:: Here is our first red berry on our raspberry plant. Shortly after I snapped this shot Cole hit the bush with the baseball bat and now we have raspberry stained fence. Nice. I picked up the pieces and ate them. That's just my style! ::

:: Over the past few days I've been cleaning carpets, organizing cupboards and cleaning up the gardens. Our weather has be less than beautiful, the rain pretty much holds off, but it's not "Summer" weather by any means! So this has meant more time inside, organizing and such. It's not bad, most of it is much overdue but makes for a couple c r a z y kids! I'm really looking to VBS starting on Monday! ::

{ some of my hydrangea's from the plant we've had since the spring after we married, it started out white, then went to blue when we planted it at our first home {the townhouse} went back to blue when we planted it here and now it's decided to be pink! And I've decided it's a female, can't ever make up her mind! Ha! }

:: Well, I better get off of here and do some more organizing, I hear the toiletries/cleaning closet calling my name! ::

:: Thank you all for listening to my rant the other day and not sending me hate mail. Even if you don't understand what I was talking about or my feelings, I appreciate that you just listened and did throw stones ::

:: Happy Tuesday Lovelies! ::
XO *S

:: Recently ::

:: I had the pleasure of doing up a cake for a diamond wedding anniversary - I learned something with this cake ... I like doing things because I want to do them, not because I have to do them. Some of you may think, yes, of course that makes sense! Duh, I know I know I know, but it's almost like because I may have to do a cake, project or something, my insides just want to rebel against it and not complete the task ::


:: This cake was last minute, and a new challenge for me, I didn't do it for the big bucks - it was truly just out of the goodness of my heart. That is why I like to do things, because I want to help someone, do something nice or just because. Not because it was expected ::

:: This may be something that y'all have learned long ago, if so, please excuse the slow learner over here! ::

:: Here's to changes I'll be making to make sure I enjoy doing more things just for the enjoyment of the sacrifice and for nothing else! ::

:: Inspiration to go on ::

:: Here is the poem that Meg passed on to me, and I've thought about it and read it quite a few times this weekend. I'm feeling good today, more in control {of my emotions and home}, that is all partially due to getting that post off my chest and out of my mind. Writing really is therapy ::

:: So this is for all of you beautiful women out there, who are Mamas to the wonderful little beings you've been entrusted. I pray this encourages you as much as it has me ::

* * *

My willingness to carry life is the revenge, the antidote, the great
rebuttal of every murder, every abortion, and every genocide. I sustain
humanity. Deep inside of me, life grows. I am death's opposition.

I have pushed back the hand of darkness today. I have caused there to
be a weakening tremor among the ranks of those set on earth's
destruction. Today a vibration that calls angels to attention echoed
throughout time. Our laughter threatened hell today.

I dined with the greats of God's army. I made their meals, and tied
their shoes. Today, I walked with greatness, and when they were tired I
carried them. I have poured myself out for the cause today.

It is finally quiet, but life stirs inside of me. Gaining strength, the
pulse of life sends a constant reminder to both good and evil that I
have yielded myself to Heaven and now carry its dream. No angel has
ever had such a privilege, nor any man. I am humbled by the honor.
I am great with destiny.

I birth the freedom fighters. In the great war, I am a leader of
underground resistance. I smile at the disguise of my troops,
surrounded by a host of warriors, destiny swirling, invisible yet
tangible, and the anointing to alter history. Our footsteps marking
land for conquest, we move undetected through the common places.

Today I was the barrier between evil and innocence. I was the gate
keeper, watching over the hope of mankind, and no intruder trespassed.
There is not an hour of day or night when I turn from my post. The
fierceness of my love is unmatched on earth.

And because I smiled instead of frowned the world will know the power
of grace. Hope has feet, and it will run to the corners of earth,
because I stood up against destruction.

I am a woman. I am a mother. I am the keeper and sustainer of life here
on earth. Heaven stands in honor of my mission. No one else can carry
my call. I am the daughter of Eve. Eve has been redeemed. I am the
opposition of death. I am a woman.

- Christianna Reed Maas, 2010