Spring Break Adventures...

We just got back from a 10 day trip to Seattle and Canada. Our family loves to take the train because it allows us to show the girls the amazing country side and stop at a lot of places on our journey to wherever we are going. I mean can you beat this view from our bedroom on the train? How beautiful is our CA coast line? AMAZING!!

I woke up our first morning on the train and looked out the window to see the sun coming up over Mount Shasta...it literally took my breath away and made me so thankful for our time away as a family. I got goose bumps at how God waves his hand over the earth and creates such beauty just to bless us...

Train travel is always an adventure because you meet people from all over the US and world who are just wanting to sit back and enjoy the scenery. We were blessed to meet some Baptist ministers from Mississippi who became our fast friends. We enjoyed hours talking to them about ministry and missions. Really a neat time.

You also stop at some really cool old train stations and have time to explore.

My happy campers....

Bucket List item #452: Live on a houseboat for a year.

When in Seattle you have to visit the Space Needle and we just happen to be lucky enough to land a perfectly clear day so you could see for miles.

Seattle has WAY to many cute little cafes and we just happen to stumble on this French pastry shop and we figured it would almost be rude to just walk by without trying something; you're getting me right?

We tried all kinds of fresh fish, new drinks and fun places to eat right on the water. This drink was a lavender, blackberry fizzy drink yum!

View from the Space Needle. Mind you both my girls are terrified of heights so we had to basically convince them they weren't going to die when the glass elevator started up for the top ha! I'm not gonna lie; I am not a fan of heights either but there is no way I will miss out (hence the broken leg last trip) so I sucked it up and took long deep breaths on the way up...so worth it!

We rented an apartment right down town and walked everywhere and I mean e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e! I was very happy I had been working out prior to our trip or I would have never survived.

How come I'm the only one who looks happy about the rain in Seattle?

Our apartment was literally upstairs from this café...

Incase you are wondering this was a very, very bad thing being so close ha! Actually it was fun because at the end of the day when the girls were exhausted Dan & I would go sit down at the café and have coffee and a treat and have a date together. They sold coffee, tea and wine not to mention the best GF macaroons I had ever had.

Our original reason for going to Seattle was for Dan to participate with other firefighters from all over the USA in a stair climb at the Columbia Tower. He ran up 69 flights of stairs in full gear in 24 minutes! Way to go Dan and all the other men and women who raised the money to help kids fight cancer. And THANK YOU everyone who donated to this cause financially. It was a great day and we were all super proud of our loved ones that participated.

Just want to be like dad when I grow up....

We can take grabbing an Uber ride off our bucket list...

Morgan was less than pleased with my fascination of our head gear that was required as we toured Theo's Chocolate Factory..I personally think it makes a HUGE fashion statement. I got excited and put it on like 20 minutes before we needed too...it's how I role.

Cocoa Beans anyone? Umm..Yes please!

This tour was so fun and the best part? They let you sample so many different candy bars along the way and then at the end they drop you in the candy store (so conveniently mind you) so you can buy more chocolate. The we walked down the street to a local pub and got burgers and fries to help curb the sugar coma.

If you go to Seattle stop in and visit the first ever Starbucks. They were giving out little samples of green tea fraps which our teenager happily sucked down ha!

When I first saw these I was like, "Wait are those for real?" Please show me this picture next time I jump in the ocean...

I was in farmer's market heaven....

We hopped on a boat to Canada one day and enjoyed the three hour ride over...it was COLD that day but so beautiful..

We are so happy that our girls travel well and love being together...it makes every adventure more fun for sure.

In Canada we hopped in this British Taxi and got a history tour from this couple...

There was this place on the docks where the seals would come up and clap for you and you could feed them fish heads....all I could think was, "So SeaWorld does not teach them to clap they just know how?" huh....

In Canada there are all these parks where the peacocks just run wild and they will eat right out of your hands....so beautiful up close...

Oh Canada how we love thee! People would find out where we were from and say, "Are you looking for real estate incase Trump wins...or Hillary?" Sigh.....

We found this gum wall which I was completely fascinated by and was sad I didn't have any gum...or any extra packs of gum to sell to the other people who were walking by that wish they had gum....my kids were disgusted.

Street art anyone?

Ryanne made friends on the train...

Another story for another day, but I am certain I am the ONLY person who goes on vacation, gets a call from someone who needs a home for their dog and agrees. Comes home to a new dog who needs to be trained and mind you I had like three hours of sleep because we were delayed by four hours because some jack-o-lantern threw a supposed bomb from a train traveling north toward us so we sat...and sat.... and sat...waiting for the bomb squad to clear us. So hence Chloe lives with us now. I have decided to call our house The Farm from now on. So come on over to the farm anytime you are free. Be blessed!

Wrapping up February

I think I say this every month, but is it just me or has February flown by? I mean I blinked and it is the last week....the weather has been crazy beautiful almost to the point that I feel guilty when I see the storms in the south and back east. We enjoyed a three day weekend on Presidents Day and rode our bikes down to White Rabbit for lunch. Having Dan home for the day was a treat for sure.

We have also been going on walks after school each day. We also got the jump rope out but I was quickly reminded after 2 jumps that my leg is still healing OUCH! The girls said I was old and I was like "meh."

I have been on this kick lately of making yummy snacks for the week that don't include adding any processed sugar. I love the challenge of finding good recipes that are amazingly tasty and I feel good giving them to my family. These peanut butter bars are super easy to make and uses dates for their sweetness. I am in LOVE with dates. You can buy dates in a bin at like Whole Foods, Clark's that sort of place. They can be expensive so I only buy exactly how many I need for the recipe. Did I mention I am in LOVE with dates? Let me clarify I am not in love with the kind of dates that boys will want to take my daughters on one day...those dates are evil. I despise those dates. Oh and dentist dates....and tax appointment dates...okay I'm finished. Here is the link for these bars that you will be so glad you made. www.fitfoodiefinds.com

Now these blueberry truffles are to die for as well and you guessed it; dates! dates! dates! I popped one in my mouth and started doing the happy dance; my husband said, "What are you doing?" Uhhh...the "I just put something AMAZING in my mouth dance! Sheesh!!!" But then he popped one in his mouth and we were doing the happy dance together...
 

I used gluten and dairy free chocolate chips to dip them...YAHOOO!! Trying to keep these hidden in the fridge is not going well....maybe the happy dance is giving me away?

I woke up this morning to a letter sitting in my quiet time seat. Our youngest has the ability to bring me to my knees in prayer and then in the next instant encourage me like no other.
God has been reminding me of His great love for me the last couple of weeks through other women who love me. Isn't that so good? That sweet fellowship where others invest in their walk with God first and then allow that to overflow into your life? I was able to have coffee with a friend who encouraged me just by her faithfulness in her own life and marriage. And then I ran into a sweet sister in Christ who is now 72 years old and used to meet with me weekly for prayer and studying Gods word. She invested five years into me and I loved getting to see her again and tell her how she had impacted my young life and made me realize how important it is to love on other young wives and moms. To seek God first and then let it overflow. That gets me really excited! To see discipleship lived out daily. I needed the reminder this past few weeks, it's funny how God never leaves me wondering about His goodness and mercy. Be blessed today.

15!!!!!!!!



I figured I would start writing this post a week ahead of your actual birthday because I wanted time to gather my thoughts and emotions over the fact that you have been in my life for 15 years when it really only feels like a breath of time. Most moms I know had 9 months to plan for their babies. They talked to them, watch them grow in their bellies and bonded with them the second their pregnancy test came back positive. I didn't have 9 months to plan but instead about 15 hours...fastest pregnancy E-V-E-R! Ha! We got the call on February 13th around 3pm that a baby girl had been born on February 10th and if we were still wanting to adopt, we could come meet you and pick you up the next day...Valentines Day!!

I had the privilege of  praying, waiting and hoping for a baby for many years and in those years I had plenty of time to ask God specifically for something that was really important to me. I didn't care if you were a boy or a girl or what color you were. I didn't care where you came from but instead I prayed for a child that would be full of the Lords Joy. A contagious joy that would come into this world and impact it for Gods kingdom and that is exactly who you are. You love the left out and desire what is good and true. You are just scrappy enough to handle your little sister and give the teasing back to your dad but inside you are passionate about music and life and people and also a hopeless romantic. You seek Gods word and want to see everyone you know fall in love with God. You have a spirit of adventure and you want to travel and see the world. I think if you have a say in it at all, you will probably dance, sing and play the piano wherever you go. I know whatever you do and wherever God leads you that people will be easily drawn to your giving heart and desire to love those who don't feel loved and included.

While I had a mere 15 hours notice that you were coming, another mom had 9 months to love you, sing to you and care for you until you were born and then after all that she still was able to do what she knew was best for you and place you in a two parent home. On your 15th birthday I am always so grateful for Kari and the unconditional love she has shown you. What a treat for everyone who has been able to be apart of your young 15 years watch you mature and grow into such a sweet, loving, fun teenager. You make me laugh daily and sometimes I don't even know what we are laughing at...probably because you are making fun of me in some way. I just continue to pray that you would always seek God and His word first even when the world is telling you otherwise...especially when the world is telling you otherwise!! I cannot wait to see how God is going to use you. You are a treat my sweet daughter. Me & Daddy are better people with you in our lives. Happy Birthday!
P.S. Stay away from boys until you're 30, they are evil! (except daddy) ;)

19 Years!!!

We celebrated our 19 year wedding anniversary yesterday February 8th. What a journey it has been. Never boring or dull that is for sure. We have gone through incredible heartbreak but also had unmeasurable blessings. Dan is my best friend who makes me belly laugh on a daily basis. If you ask him he would say the same thing although most days I am almost certain he is laughing at me. I told him the other day that the reason I love life so much is because it's like the most awesome adventure book and the best part is that come rain or shine, God is the author of our story. Our story has really low points and really exciting high points but you know in the end it's all going to be worth it. God is in the business of blessing His children and the only way we get those blessings in our marriage is if we take a stand and don't waver from the commitment we made to "for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." We took the day off from "real life" yesterday and went to Glen Ivy and laid around in the hot springs all day. I told Dan that I hope I live to be a hundred so that I can keep him entertained for many years to come...he just let out a really long sigh...ha! Be blessed today friends!

Dogs and Kids and Rain Oh My!! (And orange almond muffins too!)

We had the most beautiful weather all last week so the dogs took full advantage of the afternoon sun on the patio. I watch my moms dog a couple days a week and that look on his face says it all..."Mom come get me!"

Ryanne is always creating something or making improvements to something she already owns. She bought this piggy bank and because it was "boring", she adder her own flare...

Cute.....and colorful just like Ryanne.

Then it was on to hammer and nails and wood to build a bench...

She only smashed a few fingers but it didn't seem to slow her down...

Then came the rain and wind that picked up our hammock and flung it across the yard. It had to look hilarious when me and Ryanne were out there in the winds trying to flip it back over and take it inside....

Macy has decided she's mad at us for moving her bed and so she steals stuff from the girls, chews it up and hides it in her bed.....the last victim was some bubble gum that belonged to Morgan...

She gets mad now when the girls check her bed to look for evidence of the latest crime...

It's exhausting being her ha!

Made these Orange-almond breakfast muffins to munch on next week. You can find the recipe at www.mywholefoodlife.com....she comes up with some amazing recipes that are healthy and easy to make. These are made with oat flour which is super easy to make. I just take my gluten free oats, put them in my food processor and pulse away until you get the flour consistency you want. These muffins are not so much sweet as you use coconut sugar and applesauce for the sweetness but they are still Yum! Here's hoping you all are having a great weekend and have a blessed week.