Pictures-Weekend Recap

We had a very very lazy weekend which was wonderful for a change.....Jason ended up being home from work sick on Friday so it felt like the weekend started early for us. Aubrie has had strep/red ears/sinus crap/teething going on this week and Jason and I are both fighting colds.
So we got lots of relaxing, playing Wii, watching movies, catching up on tv shows, playing games, eating, giggling, talking, referreeing.....all in our cozy, warm home. Today we ended the weekend with another relaxing day. Jase and Aubrie stayed home from church while the older 2 kids and I headed to church with Daniel and Gage.....then back home for lunch and football games. And alot more relaxing.....laying around....eating....playing....supper......was a great day.

Thanks to MeeMee for this beautiful dress that Lil Miss's legs are already too long for ;)

She looked adorable for church today.....she threw a royal fit this morning (we have been having lotsa new attitudes and emotional roller coasters out of her) that she couldn't wear her jammies to church and that she had to wear this dress.

Then Daddy told her she looked pretty and she stomped outa the room.

Fiver minutes later she comes up to me, no sign of tears......sparkling eyes and says,

"Mommy! Me so happy now! Me look pretty!" Oh wow......

Thursday night Gabe got a surprise.....he is in love with one of my piano students. And every week he begs for Trenton to stay and play. So this week he did....after quiet time, Gabe and Ellie got to play. Trenton was such a trooper.....he played bulls for a loooooong time ;)

i love it when Ellie likes to be a a little tomboy too ;) john deere and all ;)

even though i'm ready for snow to be done and gone til next winter.....it was pretty the other day....so pretty i couldn't resist go writing in it.....

BabyMonkey is growing up too fast ;(

Hope you had an amazing weekend full of hugs and smooches and giggles and smiles!

Hard Work

http://mycharmingkids.net/2011/01/marriage-is-really-really-hard-work/

I just had to say Amen after reading this blogpost today over at
http://mycharmingkids.net/ . MckMama is quite the blessing to me.
I have a hard time juggling wife/mama/homemaker/piano teacher WITH 3 monkies.....
I can't imagine having 2 more on top of that AND homeschooling!

She's my hero..... ;)


Anyways.....Jason and I have usually always been very open about our marriage.
Ours is one that takes work. And you know what? It's ok.
Because God deserves the glory in every situation we are in and every season we
travel thru. I will never be a fake person and pretend like life is easy or marriage is easy.
We are together because of Him and we will stay together forever because of Him.
I really really appreicate when others share what they have gone thru....that's how we learn and acquire more tools.


I know there are some of you out there that relationships are very easy and I'm happy for you.
But I'm pretty sure you have struggles elsewhere. Because we are humans and this is earth.
And everyone has something. And I have decided that it's ok that this is my struggle.
And I've decided that the more women that God shows me that struggle with the same thing
that He is trying to show us something. Not just me......He wants you to know too.


He wants you to know that He loves you. He adores you.....He cherishes you....and He's going to fight for you. There's NOTHING that will stop Him....and there's NOTHING that shall seperate His love from us.


Jason and I continue to see this in our marriage and yes.....it's not always fun or easy to go thru these seasons......however: Just knowing that "the mess will be our ministry", and God's intimate reminder and details of love everyday keeps us pushing forward. Not looking back....and fighting for what is right. When God gave me this amazing man to love and honor for the rest of my life....I made that choice when I took those vows. Every day....I choose to love him and fight for our marriage. Because that's what marriage is.


And honestly.....I'm a country girl who loves adventure. So really? I don't think I would enjoy marriage if there were never any fireworks and make-up sessions. I don't do well with dull and boring ;) The hard work is worth it.....the man still makes my heart skip a beat ;)

GOALS FOR 2011

• 1- Fall deeper in love with God
• 2- Fall deeper in love with my husband
• 3- Say yes to my monkies more often
• 4- Become more organized
• 5- Get to bed earlier/wake up earlier
• 6- Lend grace, peace, forgiveness, and smiles quicker
• 7- Give lotsa hugs
• 8- Preach always and if necessary, use words. (st francis of assi)
• 9- Look past the mistakes and just love
• 10- Exercise
• 11- Read the Word...Meditate the Word...Learn the Word...Live the Word
• 12- Not be so busy
• 13- Cherish each moment with the monkies and linger in them longer...
• 14- Go camping
• 15- Testify how big my God is
• 16- Make spatzalee (sp??)
• 17- go fishing
• 18- eat healthy
• 19- make jam
• 20- stick to our budget better
• 21- dance in a field of wildflowers
• 22- sit in a just cut hayfield
• 23- do more praise and worship with the monkies
• 24- write more cards and mail rather than email/texting
• 25- do lotsa painting
• 26- dance in the rain
• 27- make chocolate pudding popsicles
• 28- more campfires in our back yard
• 29- sell our house/be able to afford bigger house with lotsa closets and finished basement??????
• 30- be the daughter that makes my Daddy Upstairs proud of...

Pictures-Steid Christmas part 2

Pictures-Part 1-Steidinger Christmas

Christmas with my family is always a treat ;) never a dull moment ;) love them so much!

A Prayer for the Heart and 2011

found this prayer today and loved it.....

My Dearest Abba Father,

I’ve lived long enough to know that any 12-month period of time on Planet Earth winds a pathway through thicket and thorns. It’s just too long a period of time not to get hurt or offended. I also know that You have tucked many joys in the oncoming year and I don’t want to miss them because I can’t quit obsessing over what’s hard. You’ve gone to measurable lengths in the last year to show me how the enemy of my soul operates in one specific area: he can’t block You from blessing Your children so he tries to block Your children from enjoying it. I do not want him to cheat me of reaping from anything rich You send my way this year. Even the treasures hidden in darkness. As this year ends and a new one begins, I am so thankful that I have Your Spirit without limit in my life and that, with You, change in a long pattern really is possible. You’ve done it before in my life. Come do it again. I am asking You in particular, Abba Father, to run to my aid in that first moment when an opportunity for offense happens and urge me by Your Holy Spirit to head into a thought-loop that spirals upward rather than downward. Simply put, help me to get over things fast. Honestly, Lord, sometimes I just make life harder than it has to be. Some things that wound me aren’t even about me. Help me to see where I’m jumping into somebody else’s loop and to quit getting hung by my own. I choose joy in resting this petition at Your feet, Lord, and I refuse self-condemnation or fruitless regret. You never would have brought this to the forefront and called for it in prayer if You didn’t have something good in mind. You began this work. Now come and take it to the next level. I’m excited about it, Lord, and see a glimpse of liberty on the horizon. Thank You, Father.

~Beth Moore http://blog.lproof.org/2010/12/thinking-about-a-new-year.html

Pictures-Weekend Recap

Another great weekend....way too many picts to upload in one post.....

Lil Miss Aubrie is officially walking everywhere and wants nothing to do with crawling anymore

unless like this moment....not sure if she's getting more teeth but has been very snuggly...

so sad Daddy has to go back to work tomorrow after a nice vacation ;(

and lil miss ellie joy....well....after these pictures, we promptly went and trimmed some more bangs because those stubborn ones just wouldn't stay away in the back....

she thinks she is big stuff...it is so cute....

enjoyed the cuddle times this weekend but praying she's not sick and it's only more teeth....