Colorado, ahhhhh I'm in love!

We're back from Colorado, the best vacation ever! Let me tell you it was so hard to leave, being in the mountains with the crisp, clean air was (I know this will sound funny, but..) healing. Both Jake and I felt rejuvenated and felt our dream of living in the mountains restored. It was like God was affiriming that yes this is a reality, yes I put that desire there and yes I will give it to you! AHHH it was wonderful! We are already planning our next trip :) Here's the pics

At evergreen, a cute little town in the mountains about 20min from denver. We walked along this path (behind us) that went all the way around a frozen lake with ice fishing (seriously I thought they did that only in Alaska) ice skating and hockey. In the middle was this adoreable little community center equipped with restrooms and hot chocolate.

Along the way we saw this and just cracked up!

After that we went to Red Rocks which was only 10 min from evergreen. It was amazing, we hiked down to the stage of the amphitheatre (boy that was a mistake, talked about tired! my lungs were burning) Then we stopped to climb in some caves, but had to convince Hannah that there were no polar bears in Colorado and therefore could not be in the caves, it was pretty funny.

The next day we went to church and it was also great.God taught me so much (and still is actually) through this trip. During the whole church service I was feeling horrible thinking all these bad thoughts about myself, then God ever so gently pulled me close and I felt I was in His arms. He is so amazing! I'm still processing everything, but I will update you on that as well. Then we went to Breckenridge and let me tell you, wow! It was so beautiful and cold, there was a wind chill factor of -1. My sister was fine, but we californians were cold! So we didn't take Hannah snowboarding (she'd turn into an icicle) but we went ice skating, and she was so good! Just look at how cute she is!

This is just us hanging out in my sister's apartment, which is so cute and homey. These are some of my favorite pictures, not the best technically but we were having so much fun when we took them, it makes me smile just looking at them.

Curious George

If any of you have not seen the new animated curious george movie it is way cute!!! I first saw it last year right after Austin was born and I loved it. One of the reasons I loved it so much was that Austin totally reminds me of curious george (which is funny since i hate monkey's) his smile and cuteness are so similar. The relationship between george and Ted (man in the yellow hat) also reminds me of us. It just makes me happy inside:) Here are some pics, let me know if you think so too.....

Not only is it Austin's cuteness I love but his overall attitude. He has helped me to get back my sense of humor, to look at life not so seriously and to just lay back and let God take control. I know it sounds silly that a baby can teach you those things, but it is true. I am just blown away by my kids and by the teaching, healing and love God brings me through them. I feel so inadequate to be their mom yet I know they wouldn't have it any other way. They have already taught me so much about God, about myself and what astounds me the most, about love. They love so much better then I ever could, they show me true unconditional love. I know they will get mad at me and I know I am not perfect, yet they seem not to care, they still love me. I did not become a mom to get love, but rather to give love, but here are my kids giving me all their love, teaching me how to love and accepting me. I am so blessed!

Hidden Blessings

We have been really busy lately and I couldn't really tell you why, but I can tell you it has been good, not the kind that leaves you stressed and tired, but the kind that revives you and gives you strength and encouragement. I feel like God has been bringing people into our lives to disciple and be discipled by, giving us the energy and desire to do all these things. In this past month so much has been added/changed in our lives and it has been great! I have made friendship with the most unlikely people, shared secrets I thought I would never share, and discovered things about myself I thought were never there. They all have been hidden blessings and I thank God for the way He runs my life and the friendships He gives me, it really makes me feel so loved and yes..... blessed!

My Sister, My Best Friend

I am so excited!!!!! We just booked our tickets to go see my sister, and we leave in a month, I can't wait!!! My sister and I have been best friends ever since I was born (or so I am told,we loved each other from the first minute we met). For the past 6 years we have lived far away from each other, seeing one another about every 4 months or so. She was able to come down for a whole week for Christmas, which was so great. Not only is she my favorite person but she is Hannah's favorite as well. We had so much fun together, here are some pics from the visit

What I love most about my sister is her caring spirit. She has such a big heart and whenever I am in her presence I feel comforted, at peace and safe. She is so much fun to be around because she allows you to be yourself. It doesn't matter if you are in a bad mood or really hyper or just melancholy, she doesn't expect anything except you. It is so freeing to be around her, not only because she knows me so well but because she understands. I am so thankful for her in my life, I know I would not be as caring, selfless or serving if she wasn't, she was the one who taught me those things. I just want to say thank you to my sister for being there for me and with me through everything, and to God for blessing me with such an amazing sister!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that jazz!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your day was as great and special as ours. I love christmas, it's so fun, loving and full of family! We had such a wonderful time just being together, which I am so thankful for!!!! This christmas was a little different somehow, maybe it was the christmas eve candlelight service we went to, or maybe it was watching the Nativity Story, or maybe it was just our hearts were different. Both my husband and I felt more thankful, but more then that our attitude was one of awe at what Christ had done for us! Giving up His place in heaven to be an infant knowing He would be betrayed by those He loved, crucified and then seperated from God, yet we were enough of a reason for HIm to do it. He loved us so much He said ok! I know we all know the story but it is so amazing to me. Maybe it's because we are teaching it to our kids that we see it through fresh eyes, but whatever the reason I have to say it was one of the most fulfilling and greateful christmas' ever! I hope you felt Christ's love and much as we did this year! Some pics from the many festivities.

Christmas at Gram's house

Christmas with Grammy

Christmas with grandma jo and papa

Let's Dance

A couple of years ago I read a book my sister had given me (I don't quite remember the title) and was just reminded of what the book had awakened in me. It was taking about dancing in the arms of God, keeping our eyes fixed on Him so we would know where we were going. For me this is a huge issue, I have only danced with one person that I allowed to lead and that was my Dad, he had taken lessons (they made you in school in those days) so I trusted him to know what he was doing and to not make me look like an idiot. It was truly amazing, and actually my favorite memory with my Dad, he would put pressure on my back leading me in the direction we were supposed to go and I just followed and... we danced!
Now dancing with God means trusting Him with all my heart to lead me, give me confidence, not make me look like a fool and to show me off. I don't like to been shown off at all, yet I don't like to be thrown in a corner either... so what to do....TRUST!! Let me tell you I have been doing a pretty poor job of that. Oh trusting Him with my kids, my health, my family and friends our finances sure no prob...... but trusting him with my heart!!!!! Now there is the real issue. Which is funny because God is the only person we really can trust with our hearts, He will "never leave us or forsake us" He knows everything about us and most of all He loves us. He is the one true perfect man, friend, father, everything!!! So how to make Him that? How to focus on Him and trust Him enough to dance and I mean really dance, gracefully, unfloundering, not skipping a beat? Then I came upon this that God had so softly spoken to my heart years ago as He is speaking now.....

"Lean on Me, Trust in Me,

hope in Me, make Me your future, keep your eyes fixed on Me.

Don't look down, I have made it so you can dance with me. Look into

my eyes, see how I delight in you. Keep me close and hold onto the truths I gave you.

I will be your Warrior, I will be your Provider, I will be you Pursuer.

Trust in Me, Now let's dance!"

I know know that trusting means loving and ultimately sacrificing what you are most scared of, but for something far better then words can describe. With God's help I may be able to dance with Him someday, I pray that day is soon!!!!

Christmas tree

Our beautiful Christmas tree! We were going to go fake this year since austin just eats everything, but alas we could not resist this beauty! So now the house smells like pine and it really is "beginning to feel a lot like Christmas". I gave my breakable ornaments to a friend and bought plastic unbreakable ones at the dollar store (12 for a buck!) so no austin can take everything thing off while I sit there worry free, ahhhh! Except hannah likes everything in it's place so once he is done playing with the ornaments she hangs them exactly where they were! Which saves me the trouble of doing it myself.

My little man sneaking away with ornament in hand, running from sister I might add. He was actually sleeping while we decorated which was good because we could get it done, now he just un-decorates it, but that is the fun of having a tree. Every morning when he wakes up the first thing he does is walk (since he's all big and walking now) over to the tree, as if to say hello, then grabs an ornament and walks away.

Hannah did such a great job decorating, she did almost all the tree, except the top, and she was very sure of herself. Whenever I decorate I always second guess myself and redo things like fifteen times. Hannah just knew, it was very helpful. It is so much fun with her getting bigger because now she can actually participate in all the activities without help. She loves being a big girl and shows me how much she has grown every morning. But no matter what she will always be my little girl (that likes to be a kitty, as in this picture)

My favorite thing about Christmas trees (besides the smell) is how the lights reflect off everything, ever speck of glitter, every glass (or rather plastic) ornament, every angle of the snowflakes, it just illuminates everything and makes it brighter. It struck me as symbolic of the season, Jesus being the light of the world, and the shinning star that led the wise men to Jesus. This light brings everything into light and illuminates (if we allow it) just like the Christmas tree. I just thought it was neat.