Extra! Extra ! Read all about it!

We are so Blessed to have had the Bellingham Herald run an article on our Business! Free advertising is always a good thing on the pocketbook. Business has been steady but as we all know we could sure use some increases.

I am sure proud of Jeremy! He has been training to be a bus driver for the Lynden School District. He should be able to do both. Both professions suit him so well.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/business/story/394310.html

Thanks for your support and referrals.

Wheww....

My Friend had asked me how my day was going...asking if it was crazy like always...I couldn't lie. It was heading that way by 8am....

Here was my response.....................

How is my day you ask!?? Well, I have fished out toys from the potty. Changed Carter 3 times. Ran my recycling out while the guy was stopped at the nieghbors...Watched him turn around just for me as he had already went by. I cleaned up a water spill and repaired a whoopee cushion. I changed sheets for Olivia. I ate a snickers bar for Lunch & Breakfast. Managed to sweep the floors and delete recordings while holding the baby. I made my bed! YESSSS!! I propped a bottle becasue Olivia was trying to undress herself to go pee and was leaking...Wheww...all by 1pm...Now she has decided no nap for today so I might go tinker in the yard...all the while wishing I was somewhere warm...My bed included.

What I forgot was we had family come by for a visit and to see Carter. I was in my PJ's The entire time. Spent 30 minutes looking for a binky. Called the repair man to find out why my Oven is broken &*%$#%&* That's How I feel about that. I wiped a snotty nose. Made lunch for Olivia ( Thank You Gerber for Mircowave meals! ) Fed the fishes...Half the container ended up in there so I am hoping that the filter is really good. Sent thank you cards. Played dress-up........
Wheww.....And they say I don't work.
Now Top that Carol Brady!

Big Girl Bed

We have been potty training here at our house. Liv knows how to go the potty and has understood the concept for about 7 months. We never pushed her because of the new baby and wanted her to adjust on her own. We have come to realize that if we didn't give her the friendly parent push she would never want to use the potty...So we decided to bribe her with a big girl bed! What an exciting time for her...I found her " big girl bed" at the consignment store and I had to buy it...WHY!?? If you know our Olivia she loves Cinderella ( Cinderellieeeeee) and I had money on my account. So after 2 days of telling her she had to wear her panties and go in the toliet we would bring in her bed... We brought it in and made it all up for her.

She has had a few accidents but stays dry at naptime...still training for night........

She loves the Spiderman cup....Everything else is all girl but that cup :)

Her hippo...Hello Kitty and that Spiderman ( She calls it her superman) Cup

A Perfect Campaign

Thanks Tammy for your creative blog! This is such a wonderful series....we would love to take you to church!!!


LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING™ is a 30-day church-wide campaign, inspired by the Grammy® award-winning song recorded by Tim McGraw that has touched millions with its evocative imagery. Live Like You Were Dying is unique because it creates turning-point moments by causing thoughtful reflection on what really matters. It combines an award-winning song that touches our deepest longing for meaning, with the timeless truths of God’s Word in a learning experience for the whole church. A 30-day emphasis works because it involves everyone and builds momentum through multiple reinforcements. The campaign includes several different elements to challenge people each day of the week. Many pastors have discovered that an annual campaign that unites the church has significant benefits for building a stronger sense of community within the congregation

A CAMPAIGN THAT ENCOURAGES TRANSFORMATION This campaign takes a song of the culture, the deepest needs of people, the truth of God’s Word, and brings it all together during a focused period of time for spiritual transformation. The Bible teaches that we’re not guaranteed tomorrow. So how should we live?

This campaign will challenge your members to:
1. Live with a sense of urgency (1 Peter 4:7-8)
2. Live with a sense of eternity (Psalm 90:12)
3. Live with a sense of priority (Ephesians 5:15-17)
4. Give up the frantic pursuit of the “good life” (Matthew 16:25-26)
5. Make more time for relationships (Hebrews 10:24-25)
6. Offer forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32)
7. Celebrate being released from God’s judgment (Romans 8:33-34)
8. Liberate others from your judgment (Romans 14:13)
9. Do the unexpected in love (Matthew 5:39-42)

Here are of our sermons that go along with the series- (not sure where week 4 is, it wasn't on the web site)
Live Like you were dying- week one~ Pastor Kim Ryan
Live Like you were dying- Week 2~ Pastor Kim & Ann Ryan
Live Like you were dying week 3~ Pastor Kim Ryan
Live Like you were dying week 5~ Pastor Kim Ryan

Our Baby

Everyone including me...Says time goes by so fast....Time with Carter seems to be going by the fastest. We truly cherish him and sometimes forget about him. I know that sounds really bad but when your 2 year old is needing something ( every 3 minutes!) and all he does is sleep you think your forgeting him. I wish at times I could hold him all day and lay in bed with him like I did with Matthew & Olivia. Every Morning I get up before everyone and just hold him.

He is so Sweet and already smiling and cooing at us. We are so in love with him!!!

Carter Loves....Bath time, his Swing, Family, Night time feeding
Carter's only dislike......The hours between 5-7

Man's Best Friend

Our wonderful dog Shadow had to be laid to rest today. What a hard thing to go through as a mom and as a person. She became very ill the last 2 days. She could no longer walk. She lost that special twinkle in her eye and her ability to lick us.

We woke up and got ready to bring her to the vet. We had to prepare Matthew for this. I tried to prepare him but how do you prepare anybody to actually say good-bye? My heart was very heavy as I knelt down to say good-bye to her. I could no longer hold back my tears for her. They fell on her as I wiped my hand across her cheek. They fell out of love for her. Memories of her came back from the last 9 years.

Shadow was the best dog! She never barked just howled and she would howl at our Ice-maker ( She LOVED ICE!) She let Matthew practice his sheep riding skills on her! Maybe that's why he took first place in the muttin bustin :) She held her bladder for 15 hours! ( we got stuck somewhere) She slept by Matthews Bed and ate lego's like they where candy! Actually eating 100 plastic green army men in one night!

She had her spot in our life and completed us. Today I took her blanket to the laundry mat to be washed so we could wrap her in it as we bury her and as I came home and walked through the gate.......I just miss her.

I am going to miss this!??

Here is what greeted me yesterday as I walked into my room....2 smell stinky boy socks! My charming son thought he would display them for all to see like art work on 2 nails that had been there from pictures. My Son, My precious son..............

Will I miss the teething nights and the fact that more water ends up on the floor then the bath tub? Will I miss the whining and the complaining? Will I miss shoes all over the place and more laundry to do then what is in the drawers? Will I miss the dogs barking and the phone ringing with a kid crying and the door bell ringing? Will I miss the no-organizing that goes on? The smashed peas all over the floor because some kid doesn't like them? Will I miss the fact My 11 year old thinks I am no fun and reminds me daily? Will I miss hot pink fingerpainting all over the house? Will I miss pullling back the blankets on my bed a finding a handful of goldfish crackers smashed?

Everyone tells me I that I will. They tell me that I should cherish moments like that because I will miss it.

How do you that? How do you keep from exploding? How do you keep from yelling? How do you cherish chaos?

What I will miss.........The laughter, the tears, the hugs, the way words come out , the chubby cheeks and the way they think they have mastered the eating with a spoon skill. I will miss the fact that they fit on my lap with my arms around them. I will miss the words momma...I will forever miss the newborn smell. I will miss the way they take the time to hold and count their breath in my bath tub. I will miss covering them up at night. I will miss them when they leave our home.......

A Snow Day in March

I awoke to my 2 year old yelling that is is snowing and she wanted to go outside with her boots. I really didn't think it was going to stick around however it did. Oliva was so excited to find out that her friend Kayleigh was coming over to play but more excited that Jenn was coming with her. Jenn plays with the kids as if she was 2. We got out the Play-doh and had some fun. I am not a play-doh fan...I have a tote of it that has been pulled out 3 times in 8 years. I did find that containing it to a cheap baking tin is really nice.

Here are the girls playing. Matthew making his snow angel. He was bummed it didn't snow more and it was not a school day. I remember in 5th grade we sooooo wanted a snow day!

Kayleigh had fun trying to " catch " snowflakes in her mouth. She was going to get one!

Ms. Olivia.....She always has fun until...someone pegged her with a snowball. ( Sorry no pictures of that :)

And really this thing about Global warming!?????

Live like you were Dying

If you had 30 days to live what would you really do? I know most of us are really busy and don't put that much thought into that question. We ask ourselves and then we come up with a few things that we would like to do. Now for the next question...What would your loved ones say at your funeral? Why am I asking these questions? They are questions that we are covering in church. The series is " Live Like you were Dying" It is so good!


What would they say about me? Would my children know how much I adore them? Would my friends know How I cherish them? Would they know the quality in them that I love? Would my husband know that he is my Hero and I am honored to be his helper in life?

I got these flowers from a friend the other day. About 5 years ago she showed up with a bouquet at my work. She had seen a lady selling them and thought of me. I remember to this very day how flattered I was and how she showed me she cared. I have another friend who always brings me coffee and just treated me to a pedicure. I went to get my haircut and found out that another friend had called and arranged with my "hair girl" to pay for it. WOW! What blessings. I love my friends.

My Grandma died 1 year ago this week. She had tons of friends and growing up I watched her make friends with the whole town of Sumas. I wished I would of told her everything I admired about her. How she made friends. How she decorated for every holiday. Never forgot a birthday, and How much I loved her.

We all get busy. That is just a fact of life. I guess I am scared they will get up and say if I would of had more time with her I could have told her or if I had to ever say that...it would make me sad.

Tell the people around you what a blessing they are. How your life would be different if they weren't in it.

Easter Fun

We are creating a routine that would allow me to have a thriving home versus a chaotic home. The last 7 weeks I have been getting by with the old routine and trying to cram another human in the mix has made for some interesting times. We did make it to our church Easter Egg hunt along with the rest of Lynden. One look around it made my home feel "normal" if you want to see chaotic just attend next years event. :)

Matthew was able to work the snack bar this year. His bible study does this as a way to raise money for his mission trip.

Olivia had fun with the carnival. She was able to ride the train and fish for ducks.

Sunday we went to my parents house for an egg hunt and then to Jeremy's parents for dinner.