a fan

So I recently joined pinterest... I know, I'm sooo behind the times.  I'm not even sure now why I took the plunge.  I knew that if I ever joined I would be crazy about being on it.

And I have been.

To a certain extent.  But I think it has been great to gather ideas and projects for my home and life.  Where else would I have seen these?

photo credit

I had some time during one of the Love Bugs' naps and so I thought I would throw together something similar.

I think I'm in love.

I had everything pictured here including the flowers which needed to be trimmed anyway.

Yarn, mason jars and bright fun colors?

I'm a fan!

eight months

eight whole months old.  a not a day shy. :)

Belle and Li Li are growing up so fast and changing before my very eyes.  I love this stage of life as they explore the world around them.  They are starting to say more; Annalie was the first Love Bug to say two sounds together to make up a word and what was that word?

Da Da.

I don't think it counts as the first official word because they aren't associating "da da" with their dada but Hubs does not care. He is one proud papa!

He is thrilled.

Belle also started saying "Baby" and even though she doesn't know what it means, it's still horribly adorable that she says "baby".

cute little pants they received embroidered from a church friend

They are eating solids.  They love squash, avocado and prunes.  They eat just about anything though.  Belle is doing an army crawl and getting around to just about anywhere she pleases.  I can not leave her on the floor for very long. Li Li, on the other hand, has little interest in crawling or moving about.  She's content where she's at and plays with the toys around her.

The girls have started "fighting" over toys.  I use that term very loosely because I know it's not even close to fighting but they just take the toys from each other. Back and forth.  Once in awhile and very rarely will it cause the baby who has lost the toy to screech because for now they aren't understanding that it's a struggle.  They just do it without much fuss.  I have a feeling I'm going to be refereeing a lot in the future.  Or maybe they'll be really good at sharing? (cross my fingers)

For now they are just good little girls and wonderful sweethearts.  They are a delight and a joy to mother and I am so thankful that they are mine.  They are too much fun!!

Enjoy the "outtakes" from the photo session this morning.

Happy 8 Months Love Bugs!!

Belle trying to escape.

Belle.  Both girls love the exersaucer!

What's over here, mama?

Li Li and Mr. Pickles the penguin both girls love to play with.

oh, what's in a word

In January I chose a word... you can read about it here.  It's been interesting to talk to my sweet friend C every week about the words we chose and how God is cultivating them in our lives.  We both laugh as we struggle with our words and said we should have chosen "ice cream" for 2012... who doesn't want more ice cream in their lives? Am I right or am I right?

That's what I thought. But although contentment has been a learning process and often times challenging word for me, it has also brought many deep soulful sighs and heart smiles into my life.

Recently, contentment has looked like....

continuing to put down roots and reach out to those around me even though my dreamer mind says, "You won't be here anymore." And although my heart is planning what to pack and what to throw away, what to buy and how to decorate a new home (seriously, i could get carried away) I just stop and go out to talk to my neighbor.  Cause you never know.  I may not be her neighbor for very long but then again, I might be.  And for today, all that matters is that I am her neighbor. Right. Now.

changing rooms with my Love Bugs so that they can have more space to play and sleep, grow and learn while Hubs and I shuffle our way sideways into bed at night. And yes, I had a day (or two) of grieving that they were no longer in the room which I had painstakingly prepared for them.  The room I daydreamed rocking them to sleep in.  And Hubs and I were no longer in the room where I came home to as a new bride.  The room that never, *sigh* never, got decorated or painted or "finished"... *sigh*.  And yes, that can of paint that I swore to use still sits on my shelves.  And I guess my *gulp* step wasn't such a step after all. You can find that smaller than I thought it would be step here.  And contentment is being okay with using the paint or not using the paint.

using my china more and throwing more parties.  It means using "evite" for events that I could have just sent out an email to.  And calling getting together with friends, "events". Celebrating friends who visit and making pies that Hubs and I don't really need to eat but making them just because. 

swinging on the swing set with my Love Bugs.  And yes, I'm bigger than everyone at this park and yes, I'm the only mother using the equipment and yes, I'm giggling like my Love Bugs but this is contentment to me.

letting the Love Bugs play longer in the bath, practice feeding themselves though it's messier, and taking time to really enjoy them.  I did this last night while Hubs was out.  I filled the bathtub with water and let the Love Bugs chase their duckies around the suds.  I sat there and didn't worry if letting them sit in the cool air would lead to them catching colds.  I sat there and watched the joy on their faces as they splashed and didn't worry about getting splashed myself.  I sat there and even on the edge of the tub while I let my feet soak and didn't worry that I wasn't washing them thoroughly enough.  I sat there... and I sighed. With contentment and deep joy in my heart.

This is what contentment looks like for me. Right. Now.

How about you? Did you choose a word? If not, why don't you? It doesn't have to be a January thing, it can be a Spring Thing! :)  How is your word being acted out in your life?

is integrity dead?

Integrity... is integrity dead? Is integrity still important?  I've been wrestling with these thoughts because I overheard a conversation between believers that made me feel uncomfortable.  I wondered, "Is integrity still important?" 
Integrity, according to my handy dictionary, is "the adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty".  And in my humble opinion it is still very important and not only that but also pertinent for our generation to uphold.
Hubs and I were discussing integrity and how we had seen recent situations that were less than integritious. (I know that's not a word but I like the sound of it. May I use it? Of course I can, this is my blog.)  As I was pondering that I was driving around and accidentally parked too close to the car in front of me, and when I turned off the car, I lurched forward hitting the car.  A smaller than small scratch was left on the bumper but I had this thought of, "integrity" in my mind and i knew that if I was going to hold others to such a standard I needed to do so myself.
So I left a note.
Why am I telling you this? Why am I wasting precious baby-napping time to blog about it?  Because I want to challenge us all to think more on integrity and to be accountable to each other.  Readers, beloved friends, be full of integrity. Wasn't Jesus full of integrity? Don't we want to be more like him? Don't we want the world to stop and ask us why we're different?
Integrity is still important because it sets us apart from the world.  It says that we will not use less than honest ways to get ahead, to save a few bucks, or to entertain friends.  I don't care if you are stealing pencils from your company or littering or asking for a water cup then getting soda or using your college i.d. to get into movies for a cheaper rate~ it's still wrong.  Let's stop calling what is black or white, "grey" and live more honestly. 
And yes, I do things that are less than integritious but I really want to be accountable too.  So the next time you see me do something that smears the lines of right and wrong, let me know.  Let's call what is wrong, "wrong" and live lives set apart or holy.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

Proverbs 10:9