{ r happenings }

I'm not sure if you heard...but last week we got 18" of snow at our house in a matter of 2 days. In some place like at my parents, east of here, they got 3 feet! Crazy! Now this week.......

it's warming up and all that snow is melting....... plus we've had rain, so once again we have LAKE RODOLPH in our back yard! I might have to start marketing our home as a bed and breakfast with a lake view. Since I took this picture of lake rodolph a few days it had almost doubled!

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it yet, but we are now the proud owners of 3 Barbados sheep. All 3 ewes are pregnant and will have babies in April. Barbados sheep almost always have twins...so we should have 6 babies very soon.

And these cute little puppies are now 3 weeks old ( almost 4 weeks) and very mobile. I can't even get an in-focus picture of them because they won't stop moving! They are really cute! And the girls are still spoiling them rotten! 

{ highchair makeover }

I've been working on a high chair for Jilliann. I recovered this old one I found at a yard sale last summer for $1. It turned out really cute. I see from the picture that I didn't get all the soap rinsed off the steel! That will be next on my list!

I took off the pads and covered them with a vintage fabric and this vinyl. (that way i could wipe it off easily)

I think it's so cute!!!

{ family }

Last month we had a chance to get family photos taken with my Dad and I wanted to share some of them with you. I have to be honest ...every time I look at these photos I cry. I cry because they are beautiful. I cry because I'm sad that these might be the last photos we have of my dad. I cry because I see what a beautiful, blessed family we have. I cry because I can truly say LOOK what GOD can do! He can take our broken pieces and turn them into something beautiful, HE can take our sorrows and turn them into JOY. This is my prayer everyday, that no matter what happens in our family, HE would use us for his glory. I am so grateful that my parents have taught me these kind of lessons everyday. God is my strength, my shield and my song and a VERY present help in times of trouble. I trust in Him for everything, because without HIM I am nothing.

I want to say a VERY BIG Thank You to my friend Jessie at August Light Photography for taking these pictures. She is an amazing artist and captured our family beautifully!!! Thank you Jessie! You can see all her work here: http://www.augustlightphotography.com/index2.php

Cooper, My nephew

My Brother Travis, His Wife Amber and Their little boys, Copper and Conner

Cooper and Conner 

My Parents Dave and Val. They will be married 35 years, this year.

My Parents

True LOVE!

My favorite photo of my parents!

My Brother Travis, Me, My Dad, My Sister Baylee, My brother Dustin

Travis, Me, My Mom, My dad, Baylee, Dustin 

Travis, Copper, Amber, Conner, Me, Buck, Mayce, Audette, Baylee, Mike, Dave, Val, Dustin

Me, Buck, Audette and Mayce

Audette and Mayce

Me, Buck, Audette and Mayce

{ puppies, 36 wks and my dad }

 Our puppies are 2 weeks old today. They are getting cuter everyday. And of course, getting spoiled rotten by our girls. We only have one female left (that's not spoken for.) The girls are going to cry when the puppies go to their real homes. They want one so bad, Buck and I have VERY FIRMLY said NO! You can love them for 6 weeks and then they go away!!!!!! It should work out though. Right about the time we send the puppies home, Jilliann will be here. Then, they will have another baby to spoil rotten.

I am 36 weeks pregnant this week. Which means Jilliann can come any time now and be fine. I'm sure she won't....but, it's crazy to me and to buck that we are having a baby anytime now!

 I'm still not very big, compared to my other pregnancies. I've only gained 25 pounds. And little miss jilly has already dropped. My belly is much lower this week than last week. Her room/corner is already for her now. 

She is going to be a bright spot in the middle of our sadness right now.

Please keep praying for my dad and my family. Hospice brought in a bed this week, which should help my dad to get a little more comfortable at night and get more sleep. Hospice also doubled all of his pain med's this week, as they weren't working anymore. Please keep praying for peace and comfort. Thank you!

Buck, My dad and My brother Dustin.

In this pic: Buck is bull fighting at my brothers high school rodeo in 05 or 06.

{ gift idea and a funny sign }

I though I would share a fun gift idea with you today. I made these as gifts for all the girls in my family this year for Christmas. Pictured below is a lemon sugar hand scrub. This scrub is AWESOME. It take the grime off, but leaves your hand SO SO smooth and soft. I used this scrub a lot during the holiday season when I was crafting. It took off spray paint and glue like a charm. Of course, I'm not digging in the dirt yet, but I think this will be an awesome thing to have on hand during gardening season.

Here's how to make Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub:

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

3 TBSP of lemon juice 

5-6 drops of lemon oil (optional)

Mix all ingredients well and store in a jar

One of the other gifts I made this Christmas was a brown sugar face scrub. This is a awesome natural way to exfoliate your face and leave your skin VERY soft. Here's the recipe for Brown Sugar Face Scrub:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

Mix the 2 ingredients together and store in a jar. 

I recommend keeping and using this in the shower, it gets a little messy.

And, now to the funny sign. This is a poster hanging out by my parents house, that makes me laugh every time I drive by it. I know it's not fun to loose a pet.....I'm not trying to make fun of this person......but I just can't help  wonder if this is for real and laugh.

Even with how sick my Dad is right now, he still has his sense of humor....He thinks we should write on the bottom of the poster "Tastes Like Chicken"

{ Updates }

I know it's been awhile since I posted. We've had a lot happening around here. 

Here's some updates about us. 

First of all We had 7 puppies this last week. They are 5 days old today. Our two dogs are the mother and father, so the puppies are 3/4 border collie and 1/4 golden retriever.They all look like boarder collies. If you want one your going to have to speak up fast I think we only have two left already!!! Which, I have to say is a blessing. I didn't want to have to worry about getting rid of puppies when Jilliann comes. 

That takes me to update # 2. We are busy making sure we are ready for Jilliann's arrival next month. I'm 35 weeks pregnant now. I'm washing clothes and blankets, buying diapers, etc. We can't wait to meet her and hold her. This sweet little girl is growing every day. I can feel it in her movements. In fact, she took out one of my ribs last week! Oh....the things I will have to hold over her head when she's older!!! (jk)

And 3rd, My awesome dad. He has went down hill at a very rapid pace since thanksgiving. Hospice is now coming in and says they think he only has a matter of weeks left. Please pray for us as we walk through this. My dad is literally struggling for every breath he breaths. The pressure and the fluid build up is more than any one should have to bear. He's on a lot of pain killers to make it through each day. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, watching my dad suffer in pain. Even with all his pain he hasn't complained, not even once. He is the strongest man I know. He is also the most unselfish and generous person, he is still checking in on all of us, making sure we are OK.  We are fully trusting in Jesus for all our needs and know he see's the big picture when we don't.  We know God loves us and is taking care of us. Please pray for comfort and peace for my family, but mostly for my dad, Dave, the best dad in the whole world.

my dad with our girls at T & A's wedding in 06