Getting Ready!

Well, time has flown by! At least for me and our family it has:-) God has been so good to us. He has met our needs so often, and tried us and been faithful through it all. I am "due" anytime now for the next 4 weeks;-) I tend to go over a week or more so we shall see. I am really praying this babe will come and share Papa's Birthday on the 4th, but really doubt that it will happen.

I have been doing weekly pictures, to show my belly's growth! I love being pregnant, there is such a joy in carrying a child and feeling them move with in me. How amazing our bodies are!

What fun it is to compare these each week and to my past pregnancies.

34 weeks 35 weeks 36 weeks!37 weeks 38weeks!

We are all having fun guessing what this baby is. At my Kaiser appointments the ♥ rate is usually faster (145-150)like a girl, but when we see the Midwife it's slower (120-125) like a boy. So we shall see! Tim and Timmy are really hoping for a boy, and of course the girls are hoping for a girl. Though I doubt when he/she makes their appearance anyone will care. :-)

I have everything for my home birth ready to go. I finished putting together my birth kit just this past weekend. What fun that was, makes it seem all the more close. I still need to wash bedding and put together the Bassinet, but since our room is smaller I think I will wait 'til baby comes and let Tim or my mom do that. Along with the clothes, I have a box of boy clothes and a box of girl clothes that will need to be washed. :-) I have a few outfits for each so my baby will have something other than a blanket to wear!

School is just about done. We were trying to finish our first semesters books before I took a Christmas break or Baby break. We finished all but Math and English, we had a flu bug that took a week away. It is fine though, because these are the subjects I would rather not take too long of a break from. I think it makes it harder to start back up again trying to review everything. SO we are finishing up this week and then taking a break from text books, and doing some family learning time while we wait for this baby and after he/she comes.

Right now we got a butterfly kit. It started as Larva and now they are Caterpillars. We are enjoying watching them grow, and get big and fat. I can't wait to see them as butterflies!

We had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of Jesus in the Lords house and at home. Had a sweet conversation with Anna (4)

While fixing her hair Christmas morning about what the greatest gift was. She says "Jesus" and I said "yes, and what do we get since He came to earth and died for us." Her reply "We can go to Heaven and see George Washington and take the other one President some Jelly Beans." LOL the older kids have been learning about our former Presidents in History, and she took note of the President Reagan display at the Jelly Belly Factory. One of the Kids had asked if he (Reagan) knew the Lord and I had said I thought so:-)

We went to our towns Christmas Parade and that was fun. It was nice to enjoy the time together as a family, and loved watching my kids race after the candy. :-)

We pray that you all have a great start to the new year!

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." I John 4:7-8

Cloth Diaper Give away!

http://www.amommysblessings.com/2011/11/osocozy-aio-cloth-diaper-giveaway.html

A Mommy's Blessing

is doing a give away! Check it out and enter for yourself:-)

Birthday Girl ~ Fun Days

Well we celebrated Kaitlynne's 6th birthday last Monday. Wow time sure flies by!!!! It seems like I was just expecting her. She has been such a sweet girl lately, such a helper by nature, she's growing up too fast.

Here is her Daddy holding her the day she was born:

She surprised me the most when she came out. I never thought I would have a blond:-) That she is still to this day. :-) I love her silliness that brings our family so much JOY!

Here is some of her growing up:

Such a cutie pie!

Such a shy girl at times:-)

Here she is riding a horse:-) She is doing so well now at the horse lessons, and it is helping her get over her fear of animals too.

Here is a little peak at our newest peanut! Our Surprise will be here soon. My baby Ticker says 102 days or so:-)

I have enjoyed Homeschooling so much this year. I am using mostly Landmark and we enjoy most of it. The kids (older 3) are enjoying their Daddy giving them piano lessons on a more regular basis. They are such quick learners!

I haven't done much sewing lately, but had fun making these Bible cover/cases for Timmy and Kaitlynne. They were super quick & easy. I am so thankful that my mom taught me to sew, it is a fun hobby, that is becoming more necessary with the styles and trends of today.

Someone recently said something to shrug off their sin/ bad habits. "I'm just a sinner". I was thinking about the song last night and how it always strikes me a few lines after that phrase "when I stood condemned to die HE took my place". Our sins were nailed to the cross! As Christians let's not forget that though we may just be "sinners" that some one took OUR penalty. Something we can all do....... try to not abuse Grace:-)

Birthday Boy!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, KALEB!!!

Before........................................Kaleb getting his first hair cut...............................after:-)
Wow, time flies! Kaleb is one already. Hard to believe that is has been one year ago:-) What a great memory his birth was, and what a sweet life he is. God is so good to have blessed our family with Kaleb Micah Aubin.

Great birth, great baby one year later.....

Kaleb is a walking, talking, sweet, lovable, cuddly cutie pie!

♪♫♪♫God is so good to give us so many blessings♪♫ un-deserving that's what we are♪♫.....♪♫ we ought to thank Him, love, and praise Him a little more today♪♫....♪♫and a whole lot more tomorrow...♪♫♪♫

God Wants Us To Come To Him First!

Psalm 55:17 "Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."

God want to hear our prayers. Whether they are great needs, personal struggles, confession of sin, or pouring our heart to HIM. He wants us to come to Him! He loves us, more than we can know or understand. He desires that close-knit relationship with us, the son to the father kind. Where we can come to Him for anything and at anytime, and He'll be there to listen, lean on, and help us through.

I was recently told a prayer request from someone very dear to me. Of course I was glad to be told the great news. Then to find out later that I wasn't one of the first to know, but almost the last in this persons "people" they were sharing "it" with. I was very hurt, silly I know, I mean it is a prayer request. Anyway I am human (with pregnancy hormones making me extra sensitive) and I let it eat at me for a while. How come I wasn't the first? Or second? Boohoo for me. Anyway the more I thought of it, the more I was convicted. God knows everything going on in our lives, but do I always go to Him first? I often call friends and ask them to pray, but a lot of time I do it before I go to the King of Kings. Anyway as I thought of it, and thought how hurt I was I realized that God feels that way. Maybe not the exact feelings that I was having, but I am sure it makes Him sad when He is one of the last one's in our lives that we go to.

Now as for the situation I was in, I hope if this person reads it their feelings aren't upset over my silliness. I doubt that they would be though. All in all I learned a great lesson from it, maybe that is why the Lord let it happen the way that it did. :-) God is always teaching me, sometimes I wish I wasn't so difficult to teach.

"The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer" Psalm 6:9

Hope that this is an encouragement to others:-)

Scars can be a good thing

I just had a spot of skin Cancer removed from my face. It was a very treatable Cancer, they just had to remove it completely. It usually doesn't spread or anything scary like so many other kinds of Cancers. The Dr. did a running stitch to close up the wound from the removal. He mention that in a few months if I don't like the outcome of the scar that I could come back and they would fix it. He mentioned it several times, I think more so because it was on my face.

Sorry if this is gross to you? :-S

I am sure many people are self-conscious about looks, I like to think that I am not. I am not saying I am excited about how big it turned out to be, and that it most likely will always show either. What got me thinking is that scars are there for a reason. It is the leftover picture, part of the healing process. I also have a large 6 inch scar in my knee, from a knee surgery over 10 years ago. That scar is so deep, that it cause nerve damage. If I bump it, or touch it wrong I have a pain that shoots through my leg. It is also numb all around the one side from the damaged nerve. Why am I sharing this? Because it is like trials in our life. I think often we go through a trial and come out with nothing more than a scratch. We are annoyed that we got it, and forget about it when it is gone. Then there are trial that are bigger, deep sorrow, physical pain, hurt, loss, ect.... Or thing that we do wrong, our regret over it, times we don't trust the Lord, ect. When we get through some of those things, we should praise the Lord.

When I had my knee surgery I really thought I would heal and be done with all the pain. It has turned into a life-long battle. The Dr. told me after my last surgery in '09 that I may need a knee re-placement in 10 years. I will only be in my mid-30s! Now I am not done with all that pain, but I can praise the Lord though. I have a way to connect with many Seniors that come to out church. Many times the elderly that have ailments just want to talk about it. Well I can listen, but I can also sympathize:-)

I have that scar, because God wanted it there. There is much more to it than what I have out, maybe I will share that testimony another time. Now this thing on my face, I thought I was ready for, 'till I actually saw how big it was and how silly I look with the big bandage over it. After I had the procedure done, my hubby took me to lunch for a late anniversary lunch! It was so yummy. I never felt so many stares! So many people were looking at me.

Just like in life so many people are looking at you. If you are a born again Christian, the un-saved are watching you. Are you shinning? The saved are watching you to see how you act in Crisis', what do they see? During the hard trials we can shine, we may still end up with a scar, but it can be such an encouragement to others and yourself if you trust in HIM to take you through and heal you. We can be reminded of the good or the bad......

I feel like this thing on my face is so small in comparison to the Cancer that my sister in faced for 2 years. What a shinning light she was. I will never forget when they found the first big mass in her chest and told her that it was probably Cancer. I was watching her kids while she was at the Dr. she came home and I cried. She comforted me and I saw what strong relationship she had with the Lord. "God knows, and He is allowing it for a reason", those were her words. She has many scars now, and she can use them to witness, and to encourage others. Scars can be a good thing.

Hope this rambling is a blessing!

Here is a song that goes so well with this post:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5AqMWz_YJ4&feature=player_embedded

"When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7

Wow, it is August already! Time goes by too fast, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was waiting for Kaleb to make his entrance:-) He will be 1 in 2 weeks! I am looking forward to celebrating his birthday as a family. The older kids really get into celebrating now.

Speaking of celebrating, Lydia's potty trained! Took about a week and she did so good. I had kinda wanted her to be done before we started school, but she wasn't quite ready yet. I have learned that you can potty train kids early, but if you wait 'til THEY're ready it is much faster, easier, and less stress. She started right before we started school this week. Here is our Big girl in a BIG chair at Six flags:-)

School has taken off to a great start, we are only on day 4, but have really enjoyed it so far. I started reading Homeschooling With A Meek and Quiet Spirit, to have an encouragement boost for the new year. What a blessing! It is such a joy seeing the kids learn and master reading. So rewarding to know that I had a part in teaching them! Anna is really interested in her letters right now, so I am gonna try working with her through book "Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons" and see how she does.

Pregnancy is doing great, going by super fast. I felt him/her (I really think her) move a few days ago. There really is no way to describe that feeling..... motherhood is so wonderful. :-) My sister moved back to the area, so I am looking forward to being pregnancy buddies with her.

"The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning." Proverbs 16:21 Is my personal theme for the school year, it is my goal to teach my children in a happy environment. That in all things that I would be able to have a "sweetness of the lips", that I would honor the Lord in all things.

Please Pray

Please pray for a very dear friend of mine whose 10 month old baby boy went to heaven yesterday. She and her husband are saved, but their extended family isn't. So please pray that this will not harden their hearts to the Gospel. Pray for God's grace and peace to be with them as they go through this valley.

Take an extra minute with your kids to cuddle with them, because we really don't know how long God is lending them to us.

"Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them" Psalm 127:5

Very excited to announce that my Beloved and I are awaiting our next blessing come January! I am so happy that the Lord has chosen to bless our family again! Children are such a blessing! Lots of work, but so worth it.

As I have been working on getting a laundry schedule together, because it just seems to get out of control at times my sister in law told me this quote. "Housework will never grow up and move out. Your children will, so invest time in them, not just your house." Such a convicting statement. I don't plan on letting my laundry (continue to) take over ;-), but I really want to invest more in our children. I get to raise children for the glory of the Lord, and I am of the mind set there is nothing more rewarding on earth than the job of being a mother.

I thought that one day
I would be a famous artist
and create great works of art

Instead, God made me a mother,
and my children are His masterpiece.

The design of their lives
will live on after me.
What is painted on their hearts
will last an eternity
- Anonymous

I am excited to be once again with child along side my sister. Every pregnancy for me has been shared with my best friend, my sister. Although with my Lydia she only found out that she was pregnant the day I went into labor.:-) This is the closest we have ever been due together at yet! I am really hoping that she will be out here sometime during the end so that we can get pictures together. It is so fun to live the life that we played "house" to when we were growing up!

Tim gave a testimony in church last night about what a blessing his family is, and how excited that he is to be getting another blessing. I am so glad he can claim the verse "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them" Psalm 127:5

A Godly Titus 2 Lady to me gave me these encouraging words recently: "God created each of us women with a desire to be keepers of our home, and men to be leaders and providers. Yet society has obscured those roles but it still exists deep, deep down inside of our nature.

Always know you are in God's will for you life and that you are not alone! Anyone with more than 3 children (can you believe that) and especially if you home school them will be criticized. Satan does not want us Christians populating the earth with more Christians, he wants us selfish and cold to the things of God (more children and raising them in Christ)" It was such a blessing to me, just like she is. I pray that I can be a Godly mother like she has been to her children and raise them for the Lord.

I am so thankful to the Lord for what He is doing in my life. I pray that this will be an encouragement to all who read here. God bless!

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." -Psalm 127:3

Photo Card

Classic Purple Graduation

Shutterfly has fun graduation party invitations & gifts for the grad.

View the entire collection of cards.

Hip Hip Hooray, What Fun We Had In May

Kaleb is 9 months old, crawling and standing on everything. He is about to start walking too! I am excited, yet wish that I could keep him less mobile for a while yet. He is such an investigator! I have to watch him like a hawk, as he likes to get into everything and likes to go everywhere. Such a sweet baby still and such a cuddle bug in the mornings! I love cuddling:-)

Wow, I can hardly believe that May is almost over! We had a very busy fun-filled month! During the busy times, I stopped so many times and just smiled at my family. I am so blessed! I never could have imagined that life would be so full of joy!
Cinco De Mayo! What fun! Though our reason for celebrating had little to do with the Mexican soldiers victory, but with celebrating the 2nd birthday of our sweet Lydia. Our home has been blessed greatly with our brown eyed Daddy's girl. She is talking so much now, and still loves dogs! She is buddies with all her siblings, but spends lots of time with Anna while the older kids do school work. We celbrated her birthday by taking her to Build A Bear (just Mommy, Daddy & Kaleb) alone. What fun watching her pick out a dog! She found a cute little dress and when I showed her the shoes and hair pretties she didn't care. She just wanted her doggy and that was it, didn't bother us either we like to be frugal too:-)

We also had a joint birthday party with my side of the family for Timmy, Anna, and Lydia. The kids had fun playing with there Aunt and cousin. I enjoyed my wonderful hubby's BBQ Tri-Tip MMMMM! The fellowship was great, and it was a joy seeing the kids open presents and being thankful. We have been working with them a lot in this area, and I was so blessed to see Anna especially say "thank you" over and over again.

Mothers Day was a great day in God's House. I was blessed to receive a rose for being the mother with the youngest baby. I have gotten that several times, who knows maybe I will get it again next year:-) I love to reflect on Mothers Day! My very first one was 7 years ago, when my "precious" Timmy was born on that Sunday morning! Then last year on his birthday (mothers day again) he and Kaitlynne were baptized. Such treasure to share our day:0)
On Timmy's Birthday outing we took him to a place called Scandia. He beat us both at the first game of miniature golf! He loved riding with his Daddy in the go-karts and playing the arcade games. With his tickets he got a Whoopie cushion! What joy that filled our home for the next few days! We were toot'n up a storm ;-0 haha, we are a joking family so it was really fun!

The next week we had another joint party with the Aubin side of the family. His parents and one of his brothers came with their 5 kids. His other brothers family was sick:-( We had fun though, great time of fellowship, and again BBq only this time Chicken! I love it when my Hubby BBQ's too, less mess for me to clean up! The kids did a Pinata that wouldn't break, so eventually Tim had to grab it and rip it apart.

The 3rd week we finished up our school year! Such a blessing to be done, though we do plan on doing stuff through the summer. We had an end of the year dinner out at Chuck E Cheese. We all had fun, and I told Tim that we had so much fun we should go for one of our dates♥ I recently got the Basic Phonics Sounds CD from Abeka that goes with the charts for K-5 and 1st grade. I am thrilled with it, wish that I had it sooner. I can have one child listening and reading the chart while working with the other and not have to try to work in going over and over the charts with them. I highly recommend anyone that is using Abeka for Kindergarten or 1st Grade to get it.

Kaitlynne had a little graduation celebration, and was so cute in her cap and gown. She is growing up so much! It was sweet watching her walk the aisle (our hallway) for her graduation to get her diploma from her Daddy. I cried! I am silly I guess:-) Such a joy-filled Mommy moment!

The last week of May was our vacation! We went and stayed the night with Nana & Papa (my folks) to start it off. Then we had our big camping trip planned! Well what an adventure....
Our first day there while setting up the tent, I got sick:-( With a nasty stomach bug. Glad to be out in the fresh air, and all but not the most fun. That night in the tent, Anna woke up and got sick on her sister:-(...Then Tim got it Wednesday.... and then we came home Thursday. Despite being sick, we had a BLAST. I love camping, and the kids and hubby had tons of fun fishing. I enjoyed the time away from it all with my family. Kaleb was so happy and content during the whole time! We brought his exersaucer and he was in that mostly while we were outside and he loved it. At one point we had a bird fly down and grab a piece of bread right out of Anna's hands! I screamed at first, it was so funny though:-) We headed home and the other kids got sick when we got home though and we were all sick again thru the weekend. I was just thankful that no one was sick in the car. Been there before and it is pretty miserable!

Anna's Birthday is in just a few days and we're very excited to take her to Build A Bear too. When were were there for Lydia's they gave us a $10 gift card for our next visit! What a blessing!
I am excited about my next blog! I am going to share what the Lord has been doing in my personal walk as well as with our marriage! I love the Lord, and am so thankful for the life HE has given me. I am so in love with my husband, he is truly my best friend on earth♥ I am so thankful for the life that we have together!

Give away...woohoo!

Another friend is doing a giveaway! Of what you may ask??? The Duggar's new book! Check her blog to find out the details:-)

http://sarah-heartsdesire.blogspot.com/2011/05/giveaway.html

Easter ~The Lord is RISEN~

What a great God we have, to send us Jesus! He lived, loved, died, ROSE from the grave, and HE LIVES!
Today was a blessed day in God's House. I had a great Sunday School lesson, it was about Noah's Descendants and the tower of Babel. The application was how that the devil duplicates so much from God. It is so true, Satan is ever copying the Lord! I am so glad, though, that we know who will have the final victory!!!!
Here are some pictures from our day of celebrating the resurrection of Christ!

Sewing Fun

I have been sewing here and there the last few days. What fun. At least it is fun when it turns out and I don't have a bunch of seem ripping:-)
I am making my girls Easter dresses and attempting to make a skirt for myself out of the same fabric. I spent about $20 for the fabric, ribbons, and zippers to make three matching dresses and a skirt which I think is a great deal. I still need to do the zipper and ribbons on this dress, then get to work on the other 2 dress. My skirt is needing some adjusting to, and I am hoping that my mom the Sewing Queen can help me with.



I made this dress last night (in 3 hours) for my niece's birthday. It was fun, quick, and mostly easy.


Biggest problem was when I was doing the hardest part (for me), the zipper, Kaleb came crawling over there and pushed the pedal. AGGGHHH!!!!!! I couldn't get it to stop and finally found the switch to turn the machine off, so I had to fix that. Thankfully it was at the bottom of the zipper, and I was able to re-do it. The Fabric was on clearance for $3.00 and the zipper was $1.88 I had the thread & ribbons already, so all in all it is about a $5.00 dress. Better than spending $10 on a toy that will end up tossed in a few months. Hopefully she will like it!
My husband asked me why I don't sew more since I am loving it so much. I told him I didn't know, but that I am gonna start keeping an eye out more on fabric prices and plan to do a lot more over the summer. I really would like to make more culottes for my girls too. I once saw a pair that was like box pleat but had the pleats in the front of the two legs, and I would love to find that pattern.

mi swete bebe!

I just love this "crazy" Opi Color for my toes! Ain't it great?!

Mama Days

Doesn't that smile just melt your heart!!!

Wow, I can't believe how time flies!!! Kaleb is already 7 months old, crawling everywhere and getting into LOTS of trouble :0) The joys of an exploring baby boy! His favorite places are the bricks around our wood stove, and our scanner/printer which is under our computer. Obvious "no-no" zone's. We lived in this house for all of Lydia's life, and I think she has only gone to the bricks a handful of times. UGH!! I was thinking of getting the gate, but they are very pricey and my hubby reminded me that we need to "house proof" our child, not the other way around. So if I leave the living room he ends up in the exersaucer or with me. He is certainly a joy, such a content baby. Even when he is sick (which has been lots with having the RSV) he is very cuddly.

Anna (3 & 3/4) learned to write her name today! She was so excited, as were the rest of us! Me being the hormonal mommy that I am got misty eyed. It is so silly, the things that make me weepy sometimes!!!! Oh well, at least I know I am not dead:-)
Lydia (23 mo) is starting to talk more, and more clearly. I am thinking of getting rid of the pacifier soon, because I can see that it is messing up her teeth. I am hoping to do it soon, and then buy her some panties. She has been getting her sisters' and putting 'em on over her diapers. She is also telling me that she has to go "paweee" and "pawooo". I am thinking that will be her B-day present in May.



Timmy learned to ride a 2 wheeler!!!
Timmy and Kaitlynne are so happy that I am teaching them again. I had been doing Abeka video's and it was really making it such a long drawn out day for them. I have since decided that I really don't have to be up to where the Chirstian School is because I home-school! (duh) I had it in my mind that I didn't want anyone to think that I wasn't up to par, if they realized that my kids were behind. Well I have since realized it doesn't matter what others think!!! And really if my kids aren't on the same lesson is not really important either. I should be taking time and make sure that they are getting each concept, and growin in the Lord. Not being rush thru everything just to be on a certain lesson.

Going to the Maxwell's Family conference was just what I needed. So refreshing, encouraging, conviciting, and motivating. I am so excited about the cd's I got on encouragement, they are so good so far. I have been reading the Moody books to my kids too, and my older 2 are loving them. They ask me over and over to read them another chapter.

Tim is such a GREAT man. Such an example to me. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband. He has been the most Christ-like person in my life. No matter what I have ever done, he has still loved me and looked past my faults, just like the Lord. He is such a Godly man I am so thankful that He loves me. He is leading our family so well! Wish I could follow as well as he leads.

I am praying about and looking into switching curriculem for our kids next year. I would appreciate if any veteran Home School Mom's input. One I am considering is Landmark. Thanks!

Well I guess I should go, Kaleb is sick (which is why I am not at church) and about to wake up from his nap and I need to put another load into the laundry!Sisters♥

Get away...MMMMMmmmmmMMMMMmmm

Here is a friend of a friends blog, with a give away. I love Kitchen play for my kiddos, then there is less mess in my kitchen:-) http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/
Here is my Anna-Banana playing with her set of felt fun, that my mom made for her birthday.