:: T H A N K Y O U ::

:: From my heart to yours. Over the past month I have kept all of your emails, hoping to respond to them personally and I'm sure I will. But in the meantime I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for your notes of encouragement, your thoughts and prayers. I have been overwhelmed and blessed by each of you {you know who you are}! ::

:: Firsts for Jacob ::

:: We have had a lot of "firsts" around here for Jacob over the Summer. Back in April when I spoke of Jacob not yet speaking a few words or even being close to where he should be verbally, well, we started taking a free therapy class {for us parents} and then at the end of May we took Jacob in to see a developmental doctor, and voila, he speaks. He speaks. All the time. Copying us. every. word. repeated. We're delighted but at the same time wondered why we wanted him to speak so badly {kidding!}! And as far as little brother goes, well let's just say he's more like Mama - he's got plenty to say! ::

:: Okay, so back to the "firsts" for Jacob; one of them this Summer {other than being fully potty trained PTL & speaking like a motivational speaker - okay well maybe not that good!} he had his first trip to the dentist ::

:: Not only was this his first trip to the dentist, but he went to the same dentist I have been going to for the past 26 years of my life {so if you add that up, I have been going to my dentist since I was 3}. It was crazy for both Dr. A and I to see my son in the chair, it was also crazy to have Mr.L experience the whole event {aka: Child calmer-downer and photographer}. The office got to not only meet my son but my husband too! ::

:: Jacob did good, he wasn't too impressed with having his teeth checked, but he did well and we're on our way to oral health {as long as he takes after Mr. L and not me, I was off the cavity free wall when I hit age 4! Mr. L would have been on the cavity free wall until he was 26, that was when he had his first cavity, sick isn't it?!?!} ::

:: The most exciting part was being able to pick out a toy out of the toy drawer, the same toy drawer that I got to pick out of when I was little ::

:: Then finding Mama getting tortured {no, seriously tortured!} to show the fabulous prize - a foam airplane....oh what fun the dentist is! ::

:: Next week we start the first initial round of preschool for our family, I can't believe it's already here, seriously time goes by in a flash! And just to think that next year I'll be sending two little boys off to preschool! ::

:: Jacob, you make us proud with every step you take forward - you are delightful! ::

:: We're looking forward to starting a new tradition for the school year, me and my girlfriend are taking the kids to a matinee movie a week prior to school starting, hopefully this will be a tradition we can keep up with throughout the years! What traditions do you do or did your Mom do for you before you started a new school year? ::

Summer Days

{I just had to have an excuse to take a picture of my nicely manicured toes, thanks to Le Nail in Bellingham, it's the best pedi I've ever had!}

:: We have had our fair share of stress this Summer --- but along with that stress we have had plenty of fun ::

:: I've been away from here due to both of those things, my life is full. Great. Lovely. But I have lost touch with reality and what I need to do vs. what I want to do! ::

:: I hope to be getting back to a regular schedule of blogging as I have tons to blog about, for now I'm going to go and do what I need to do and that is to be present with my family ::

:: Happy last Saturday of August, where has the Summer gone? And just in case you live in a cave and haven't been out to any stores lately, Christmas decorations are already on the shelves -- good golly! Can't say I'm not happy to see those on the shelves because that means that my most FAVORITE time of the year is just around the corner, Autumn, oh how I love thee! ::

:: Lately ::

:: I have completely neglected my blog --- it has been a CRAZY few days. I have a tendency to over-pack my days, especially when Paul is home from work ::

:: We had so much on the go this weekend, we BBQ'd, swam, celebrated a birthday & housewarming, full filled a cake order, did hair for a wedding, the list goes on! ::


:: This past weekend was just the start of a very busy week to come. Paul's friend for life is getting married on Sunday, he's standing with him which means rehearsal dinner, plans for the day of plus I'm making the cakes for the special day - it's going to be a great week, but a crazy one! ::

:: I'm going try and get some posts prepared as to not break my 30 days of blogging {again} --- Here's to hoping! ::

:: Mr & Mrs. Ed ::

:: Well, it's old news now and I'm sure you've heard that Jillian {made me proud} chose Ed the other night when the Bachelorette came to an end ::


:: It was crazy drama, but it all ended well and they seem sincerely in love. I wish them only the best. Apparently they are planning on being married within a year ::

:: Well, we've still had a major heat wave here and it doesn't seem to be coming to an end anytime soon. We headed out to Cultus lake this evening just to have a dip in the lake. We packed a picnic dinner and headed out to the lake as soon as Paul came home. It was well worth it, the water was beautiful and the breeze actually felt cool on our skin, a welcome change! ::

:: Tomorrow I'm heading down the the US of A to do some shopping, but I'll be back here in the afternoon with pictures of our shower we held for Denay last night ::

:: Good night my Lovelies, hopefully we all sleep well in this heat! ::

:: XO : Shawna ::

:: Quote for Life ::

* * *

It's been stinkin' hot around here, we've been under a heat wave warning for the past two days and we're still gonna get hotter! The last time it was this hot was the Summer of 1998 {the Summer that Paul and I started dating - that was a long time ago!} ::

:: The heat is not conducive to completing tasks in a timely manner as it just s l o w s you down! I've been trying my best though as we've started planning for our new season of Women's Wednesday + cakes + showers + my babies + the house stuff + watering my flowers + Paul&Me time, ah, the list could go on for days! ::

:: I'm heading out to a book shower tonight for my sweet little niece Denay, and you guessed it, I'm making a book cake. I'm trying to get it done today in this crazy heat - pray for me! ::

:: I'm off to corral the kids and take them for a break to the grocery store -- stay cool today Lovelies! ::

:: Old House, New Look - The Roof ::

:: Back at the end of May we had our fascia, gutters and roof replaced -- it was a very expensive job and we're still not quite finished paying for it! ::

:: Here are the pictures, before, during and after -- hope you enjoy! ::

:: This is IT! ::

:: Hey Lovelies, this is the last night of The Bachelorette and I'm having a little get together at my place to watch it all go down ::


:: Here are the details ::
Where: My couch
Time: Between 7.30 & 8.00

:: If you'd love to come and hang out I'd love to have you, my family room is nice and cool and I have plenty of space, so come and join this one person party ;) ::

Ps. send me an email {click on the link on the sidebar} if you need my exact location!

:: Provision Sunday ::

:: So now I have missed two days of blogging -- oh life, how you get in the way of blogging! ::

:: Anyway, I'm glad I didn't post yesterday, not that I didn't have any provision to write about {because I have plenty} but I wasn't feeling anything in particular that God wanted me to write about :::: But today, I know what He wants me to write about, so here ya go! ::

:: I don't work in the traditional sense of being employed by someone, getting ready for work, packing a lunch, taking the kids to day care etc etc. I have not "traditionally" worked since I was 39 weeks preggers with Jacob our firstborn ::

:: I am SO blessed to not be working, but not working isn't ALL fun. I get to deal with the pressures of taking care of the house financially and as a SAHM {Stay At Home Mom} I take that charge very seriously ::

:: Spending money on frivolous things is not an typically an option in our home. Not that we go don't spend money on "wants" because we do. We just need to plan for them. We have been so blessed to have Paul work for really great companies that provide him with sufficient payment for his hard work. But at the end of the day neither of us are employed by the world but by God, maybe that sounds subservient - It's not like we think, "we're going to be good people so that God pays us well this month" but God is our provider at the end of the day, no matter what it looks like ::

:: We have gone through drought in our home where we have 2 cents left in our bank account for the next 7 days before we get paid again -- but it's at those times that "WithLove" comes into play. Now here's the provision part: whenever we're feeling a little tight {like last month, due to putting out $300+ for a wedding Paul's in} I find my influx in cake orders is immediately increased :::: Now, this of course could be called coincidence but it's not, it's the hand of God on our lives providing for us. Not only does He care about increasing our tangible financial income, He also cares about the cakes being timed right so that by me making them doesn't become a total upheaval of our home for a day or two! ::
:: I also have the blessing of Cranberry Creek {my Marms Company} that provides for our family from September - December and let me tell you that income is SO welcome around that time in our home as we celebrate two wedding anniversaries, 4 birthdays {three in our home alone} plus Christmas and all that comes along with that! :::: Although this provision happens often in our home, I'm still always surprised when it happens, I'm a slow learner what can I say!?!!? This isn't to say that I take every cake that comes my way, because I couldn't possibly but if I wanted to or needed to financially, I could --- See because God provides for us over and above, that gives me the opportunity to pick and choose what cakes I want to do ::

:: See so I do "work" just not in the traditional sense --- my jobs include shopping/buying wisely, doing cakes for "WithLove" and working {more traditionally} for Cranberry Creek ::

:: But no matter what I do {or don't do} to provide for our family financially, God's got our back and it's so great to know His provision is there for us - no matter what! ::

:: Here is the verse from my devotions yesterday - funny how it lined up with my Provision Sunday post! ::

| So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. there we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. |

| Hebrews 4:16 |

:: Yesterday ::

:: I missed posting yesterday, I was a goner! I was coordinator for a huge wedding at our church that took a lot longer than I thought, so that along with the heat just zapped me {Congrat's K+T}. Then I came home to two very happy but very tired little boys - Thanks Anna for taking such good care of them!. They needed naps but since it was late they ended up waking up after they usually are already in bed -- so then it was a challenge to get them back down again, and the heat, oh the heat! ::

:: I ran out last night and watered Grammie & Grampy's flowers and lawn as they are away right now. I also grabbed an Iced Americano on my way home from my favorite coffee shop ::

:: When I returned home I paid some bills {nothing like $44 gas bill for two months, gotta love the summer!}, chatted with Paul about our day, wrapped some gifts for today and then settled in to watch this movie - it's not new but it's quite cute ::

:: So today we have a ton on the go, we're heading first to a birthday pool party for a special 1 year old - it's the perfect day for a pool party ::

:: Then on to Princess Party for a beautiful 5 year old ::


:: Well lovelies --- I better go and get my biggest boy down for his rest before he's filled with chips, cake and chlorinated water! Have a fabulous day & stay cool! ::


:: Oh, and in case you read this and you live in my area and you watch the Bachelorette...YOU are invited to my place on Monday night to watch the finale --- If you don't know me well but would love to come, please do, I'd love to get to know you better! Just email me if you need my address {see the button on my sidebar}. Can't wait for Monday night, it's gonna be great! ::