Confessions of an obsessed journal buyer...

i admit it. finally to the world. i am obsessed with buying journals. i have a whole desk drawer of them and yet every time i am at tjmaxx, or the dollar store, or anywhere for that matter, i can't help but be drawn to them. i use to journal all the time, but then being a mom happened and that kind of stopped or i would just write when i was mad at shane (sorry babe, it was good for catharsis though).
so in discipling ashley we are reading this book that basically says not journaling is NOT an option. double negative i know...just wanted to catch your attention. so off i go to my drawer and sift through each glorious one, trying to decide who is going to be worthy to be my journal. you would think i was attempting to fix the american health system with as long as it took me. i could have read the old testament by the time i picked one, but oh it was so fabulous. (and in case you were wondering, two kids were sleeping and one was playing three floors away in the basement...bliss!)
after careful consideration, one was chosen. chosen ultimately because the colors matched the book i was reading and it was thin enough to slide into my purse. and yes (because I was sure you were fretting) i matched a pen to the journal too. :)

One month

A little late posting this, I guess that's what happens when you're the third kid! ha!

Five Things Blog-Along: WIFE

I am joining my sister's blog-along and here is the first entry. Go to: www.aknittersjourney.blogspot.com to join in the fun.

5 things I do to make it easier at being a wife:

1. Calender on the fridge that we both fill in. Has helped with miscommunication between us on activities or what is coming up in our schedules.

2. Texting- this way even if Shane is in meetings or I have kids yelling in the background we can communicate. We send each other really silly stuff (and sometimes... well, let's just say I hope noone ever reads it...ha!

3. Love and Respect & The Five Love Languages- Our homegroups have done each of these twice and we never tire of learning from them. They have really opened my eyes to that hunk I'm married to, but I still could read these like ten more times!

4. Date Night- We didn't keep this up once the babies came because of childcare issues, so this year the kids were old enough to start Awana. They go to Awana for two hours and Shane and I have date night. Sometimes we just stay home and watch a movie or hang out at Barnes and Noble, but at least we are alone together.

5. Alone Time- We each need time by ourselves during the week. It can only be an hour or two, but it is so good for both of us to get a break from each other, the kids, etc. to just breathe it in. This is getting harder and harder to do, but is totally necessary for us.

What we've been up to...

Here is Ellie on her first walk in the neighborhood. It was date night and the weather was so nice we just stayed home and walked outside instead of going out and doing anything.

Here is me looking pretty rough, but I wanted a picture to remember this pose. It's one of my favorite things with a newborn. They just snuggle right in. She's so tiny.

This is her BFF KHLOE. They were born 6 days apart. Ellie is older! They can't wait to go shopping together and to the park and have tea parties. Kimberly and I found out we were each pregnant within a few days of each other. She was due two weeks before me and ended up going a week late and I went two weeks early. Not quite how either of us planned it. But so far both girls are really sweet and laidback and it's so fun to have someone go through the same stages as I am with a baby.

Hanging with Sissy.

So Tiny

This picture is Ellie's first trip to a restaurant. She loved it. My mom, Ave, Reece, and I went to the Mexican place at the mall. It was quite tasty!

I can't believe how tiny she is. I still pick her up and am shocked at how tiny. And yet she is already growing. She's a month old at the end of the week. I'm trying not to be upset by that. Of course I want her to grow up, but it seems like it is going so fast. It's funny really. It takes until the third baby and my husband telling me no more to really treasure every moment. Not that I didn't with Ave and Reecie, but I was still learning. With Ellie, I'm so relaxed and not running around stressed out. She is really a good baby. Only cries when she's hungry. (Maybe a little too relaxed. I just looked over at her in the swing and realized I didn't shut the tray! Yikes!) It's amazing how she just fits right in with us. A whole entire new little being... and it's as if she's always been here. I love how God does that.

We're feeling better after our bout with the flu. COME ON SPRING! After record lows this winter maybe we could get record highs in March? Wishful thinking I know.