two

Officially at 9:53am she turned two,

so to celebrate... we had a great day full

of Meritt's favorite thing on earth,

ELMO!

Elmo, (Melmo) was one of her very first words...

even before Mama or Daddy.

Right from the get go we knew that "Melmo"

was the lover of her soul!!!

So when we asked what she wanted for her Birthday,

and she replied "Melmo," we weren't surprised!

So Matt and I made a special homemade Elmo cake...
(Man red frosting is tough!)

But, he turned out pretty cute,
and she was ecstatic when she saw her
"MELMO KAKE"
I don't think there are adequate words
to sum up her ecstaticness for her
"MELMO KAKE"...
but, trust me when I say making this cake
with it's homemade red fur that took forever,
was SO worth it!




Her daddy and I couldn't believe how
grown up our little Birthday Princess
looked in her birthday tutu,
she looked like a little dolly.




And, I thought to remember this moment in time,
what better than to take a little photo shoot
with her love, Elmo!







Hugs & Kisses for the love of her life!

She let out shrills of joy when we told her it was time

to finally eat her "Melmo Kake!"

We sang Happy Birthday,

and then Elmo was fare game...

Then, it was time for some presents...

and to put the little birthday Melmo freak to bed!

We had a lot of fun today,

but I still can't believe she's already two!

Where does the time go?
Happy 2nd Birthday Rosebud!

a birthday letter to my Rosie,

My sweet girl, today marks two years that you have been in my life. While I am in a bit of disbelief that it is possible that you are all ready a two year old girl, and not my little baby anymore. It also seems impossible that you have only been with me two years. I cannot remember my life without you in it. Today I am happy and sad at the same time. So happy to celebrate with you, and discover the person you are becoming. But, a bit sad at the same time that the fleeting moments of your babyhood are close to over. I know that you cannot read this, and it may be years before this letter means anything to you, but I want to take this time to tell you, on this day, what you mean to me. And someday when you read this, I hope you know this is written with so much love.

You are my sunshine in life. You bring joy to my everyday. Your smile lights up a room. Your happy spirit can change a mood. Your curiosity keeps me on my toes. It's because of you I want to be a better person. I hope that as you continue to grow & change, that you never lose the light that lives inside your heart. That as people disappoint you in life that you won't let that change your spirit, but that you will learn from it and grow to be an even better person. I don't care if you become the most successful person in life, but I do hope that you will always be the happiest person you can be. Continue to find the joy in the little things, because honestly it is the little things that make this life worth living! You are such a joy to me, I am so thankful that God has blessed me with two of the sweetest and loveliest little girls in the whole wide world!

Thank you for two of the happiest years of my life.
Happy Birthday Rosie.
I love you ,
Mama

Your second Birthday...

Your First Birthday...

Your First Day...

my heart aches...

I swear if you look at these pictures long enough

you can smell new born baby!

All I have to do is look at these pictures

of baby hands, baby cheeks, & sweet baby skin, and

my heart aches, my ovaries start to cha cha,

and I wish I could hold this little one once again.

But, to my dismay this little, sweet baby turns two

next week... how in the world did that happen?

She was just born what feels like yesterday...

courage...

good advise...

After that talk with my friend the other night, I was searching for some guidance. So, of course I went to the one person who always has good advise, my dad. I told him about what had happened and that I was looking for the right words for my friend.

Months earlier he had told me about a story of how he became a christian. So, I asked him again to tell me the story...

When he and my mom got together, my dad was not a believer. They were living together in the house that my Grandpa had built but hadn't finished. He hadn't finished it because he was struggling with a long drawn out battle with colon cancer. He was about 5 years into his fight with his illness, and it was pretty obvious by that time that he didn't have too much longer to live. My dad had shown interest in being the one to finish the house that Grandpa had started, even though he really didn't have the knowledge he needed to take on such a project. So, as dad worked Grandpa would sit or sometimes lay and teach him. One day while they were working on the house, they took a lunch break. Dad asked Grandpa how he kept his faith in God even though he knew he was dying. Dad couldn't understand how you could continue to believe in a God that would allow you to go through such a devastating illness. How a person could live such a good, honorable life, be good to his family, a church going person, a pillar in their community and still be dealt such an unfair hand in life. Dad asked him that day how he continued to believe. How he knew there was a God. Grandpa answered him like this... he said at the end of my life I know that I have lived the way God has asked me to, living for him, I know where I am going... I have an insurance policy that will lead me to eternal life. If there is no God, and I have lived an honorable life, living to be better than the day before I haven't lost anything.

In part because of that conversation, my dad was lead to accept Jesus into his life. But, more than that conversation, he said that it was the was the way Grandpa lived his life that made him want to know more. It was the example he set, the light that shown through him, the peace that he had because of his love of Jesus, that made my dad want to have that too.

So, Dad told me this... the best thing I can do is continue to be an example. To let the love of Jesus shine through me for others to see, and to continue to pray for my friend each and every day. So simple, yet such good advise! That story of my Grandpa has really touched me. I never knew him, he died before I could. But, I know in a way hearing stories about him like that, he is still teaching us... Thank you dad for sharing that with me!

one of those days!

Seriously, these children may be the death of me!!! My day started with a phone call to poison control after Meritt got into some hair detangler. By the time I realized what she had done she had figured out how to unscrew the cap, pour it out on the coffee table, and wipe it all over herself. I wasn't sure if she had ingested any so, to be safe I called poison control. Luckily the nurse said since it's a children's product it is fairly safe... just to watch for a few things. Aaahhhhh. What am I going to do with this child? She is like a baby monkey, shimmying and climbing to get whatever she wants. Finally got all that worked out, then it was time to pick Bella up from school. I was greeted with a melt down. (Aparently I am a hidious mother, because I brought the wrong snack with me... who knew?) Then it was time to go to the grocery store to pick up a few items. Bella was still wailing about the wrong snack... Meritt thought it was funny to kick her sister away from standing on the front of the cart, which of course led to more wailing....... then it was on to pick up prescriptions, make lunch, clean up lunch, and finally my favorite time of the day (sorry it's true) nap time! Meritt is sleeping nicely (she had been up since six this morning) Bella is reading quietly, and me.... I'm having a cup of tea and a little "mommy time" on the sofa. It can only go up from here, right? I hope so! After my mommy time I'm going to make some "monkey bread" (aka banana bread) for my monkeys!

looking for the right words...

Last night we got together with some of our really good friends. We went out to a nice Valentine's dinner, played board games, sat and visited by the fire... talked until almost two in the morning. Somehow we got on the subject of God. My friend's husband told me in the conversation that he believes there is no God. He proceeded to give me all kinds of analytical reasoning, scientific theory, and things all way too logical for me. As I sat and tried to hear him, so I could find the right words to express to him the greatness of God... How there is no logic involved in faith... I somehow still feel perplexed the morning after.

How do you witness to someone who can't hear you because they have built concrete walls around themselves? What would be the words that you would say to express the greatness of God? I have never understood how a person could not believe in God. To me it seems so simple. How do you sit and look out at the ocean, or under a starry sky, watch a baby be born and still not think that God is our creator? Please pray for my friend. Please pray for me that God will give me the right words to share with him the awesomeness of God, the power that believing and having faith gives your life. Even in writing this, I somehow feel I am unable to find the words.

There is a book we have that we read to the girls that it explains this all pretty well, it's called
"How Big is God?" (by... Lisa Tawn Bergren)
It starts out... "Mom, where does God live?" "Why, he lives in your heart!"... "If God is in my heart, he must be very, very tiny."......... "He can be as small as a single drop of rain or as deep as the deepest ocean." ... "Is he invisible?" "At times. but God's everywhere around us, if we train our eyes to see.".... "Can he reach the moon?" "The moon, the stars. everything. He can HOLD the whole universe in his hands!".... The boy sighed, tired after their long day together. "I'm glad that such a big God can still fit in my heart, Mom." ..." Me too. Out of all the places God is, that's his favorite place to be!"

the worlds BEST sugar cookie recipe...

~Iced Sugar Cookies~

Whisk together thoroughly & set aside:

3 1/4 C. flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat on medium speed until fluffy & blended:

2 1/2 sticks butter - softened

1 C. sugar

Add & Beat until combined:

1 large egg

1 TBSP. Milk

2 1/2 teaspoon good vanilla

1 teaspoon good almond extract

Directions:

• Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mix until well blended & smooth.
• Divide dough in half, place between two pieces of wax paper.
• Roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
• Place in fridge on cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold.

• Position oven rack to the center and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Work with one portion at a time and cut cookies into shape and bake 6 to 9 minutes or until lightly brown.

~Buttercream Icing~

Mix together until smooth!

3 C. powdered sugar

1/3 C. butter

1 1/2 teaspoons good vanilla

1-2 Tbs. Milk (may need more to make smooth)

cookies with my sweetie...

What do you do when your little sweetie

comes home with such a lovely card from school?
Invite her to make the worlds best sugar cookies
for Valentine's Day... of course!

While Meritt napped yesterday...

(and thank the lord she did)
Bella and I baked,

heart shaped cookies...

(from heaven)

I kid you not when I say these

are the worlds BEST sugar cookies!

To accompany the worlds best sugar cookies,

the worlds best butter cream frosting!

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Bella gives them a thumbs up!

Later today,

I will share with you the

Worlds Best Sugar Cookie Recipe!

(Just in case you want to be in Valentine Cookie heaven!)

TROUBLE.... capital "T"!

This little sweet girl doesn't look mischievous does she?

Just in case you can't read the shirt it says...

"Here comes Trouble"

Enough Said!

In the 5 minutes it took me this

morning to brush my teeth

this is what my sweet little Meritt

did to my freshly picked up living room...

Wouldn't have been so bad,

had it NOT been her 195th

naughty act for the morning...

(mind you it was all of 9:30am)

While I was picking this up she climbed up

on the table and got into the Valentines candy...

So, what do you do?

Time Out of course...

Meritt in the corner two minutes... go.

You can tell she was absolutely

devastated by the punishment!

As she giggled and laughed at her mother with glee and delight!

(of course I may have been taken more seriously if I hadn't
thought it was adorable and started to photograph the moment!)

Two minute time out turned into
a full blown discussion...
of two year old garbles and hand gestures.
I know she had a lot to say to me about it,
I'm just still not sure exactly what it was?!

The corner and conversation started to bore her...

so looking for lost cheerios in the crack in the heater grate,

was much more interesting!

uuhhh oh, (in the words of Miss trouble)

I think I'm in big trouble here people!

She's not even two yet,

what's to come in this year?

confidence...

happiness...

A reminder for myself for the day...

maybe you needed to be reminded too?!

getting there...

Spent the weekend moving the girls rooms. Making a "sleeping room" and a "play room". Boy, what a job! Not more than I expected, but it was definitely challenging with an (almost) two year old under foot and a 5 year old who thought she had better ideas for how it all should be done (I don't know where she gets that from...) So, here is what we've been up to... it's not finished but we're getting there! We still have art work to hang, and a few other finishing touches, but it's a heck of a lot further along than it was two days ago! Thank heavens.

The play room closet.

Toys, toys, toys... organized and in their place.

(We'll see how long that lasts!)

A place to play!

A place to read!

And a place to sleep!

(eventually when Meritt gets bigger she will have a matching bed to Miss B's)

To hang above their beds, will be some special art work I'm working on now...

I'll show you more when I get it done!