Lots of Festivities

We had a great Memorial Day in Milford with family.  The day started off with a parade where The Littles spent the time alternately running into the streets/in someone’s arms with a mouth full of candy. :)

 

We saw their friend, Adilynn.  These three are funny together, really excited to see each other but are all really busy.

I had a vision for getting all three of them in a picture together. 

Yeah right.  Best shot. 

Then we went back to Grandpa and Grandma’s, which translates in toddler as “dreamland”, full of fun places to explore, ponies, golf carts and loads of food and attention.

 

 

One of my favorite childhood memories is riding with Grandpa in the pony cart and I am glad that The Littles and Jon now all had a chance to experience it!

Last day to enter the GIVEAWAY. Click here to enter. :)

With the Facebook comments I have received, we are at over 50 comments.  60 means three prizes given.

Too Much Cuteness To Keep To Myself…

GIVEAWAY UPDATE:

I have heard that many of you are having a hard time commenting. I am not techie enough to know how to fix this, I would just say keep trying! I guess it is a blogger problem right now.  I am keeping track of people who have contacted me and desire to be involved and just couldn’t comment. We are dangerously close to two prizes!

Click here to go to the giveaway post

Onto our regularly scheduled post…

I have yet to finish pictures from visiting Jon’s parents and just because I couldn’t keep this much cuteness to myself!

 

Making everything a telephone

 

sword fighting with Grandpa

The Reason Why…

The windows are always messy.

Here for the GIVEAWAY?

I see by the lack of comments ya’ll think there’s a catch…There isn’t! Join in!

Remember, for every twenty comments, two Vilas June creations are given away.

Click here to go to giveaway post.

“Blessed to Be a Blessing Campaign” and GIVEAWAY

Yay!  Welcome to the “Blessed To Be A Blessing” Campaign Kickoff!

I was listening to a sermon and a word picture was given that CONVICTS me deeply.

Thinking on the Bible lesson of Jesus feeding the multitudes, fast forward to the scene where the disciples receive the baskets full of food to distribute.  Okay, we know the end of the story, the disciples gave out the food and when everyone had their fill, there were still 12 baskets left!

Now, let’s change the story a bit for illustrative purposes.  Imagine how the ending would have changed had the disciples witnessed the miracle of Christ and His divine multiplication and then each picked up a basket, thankful, “Jesus, wow, you have blessed us so much!  Look at this awesome miracle You have done.  Wow, You must be the Son of God…” and then they walked away from the hungry multitudes each with their full basket, exclaiming to themselves, “Wow, God has blessed me so much!  I probably won’t even be able to eat this all before it rots! God, thanks for all your blessings!” Somehow the miracle would have been a little anti-climatic, huh?

Do you see yourself in that story?  I am there!  I have a basket overflowing with blessings and I have kept it to myself, thankful, but have failed to recognize that I am blessed to be a blessing to others!   Resources as well as the Gospel. 

In Genesis 12:1-3, God started this whole campaign, notice His blessing and His reason for it.

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

So, here we go, the GIVEAWAY part. 

By God’s grace, this week, I am going to be a blessing.  Intentionally for the next 7 days.  Everyday I will pray and act to be a blessing. ( I was gonna say a month, but don’t want to scare anyone off! We’ll build up to it)

Will you join me?

This doesn’t have to be huge stuff.  It can be as big or little as the Lord lays on your heart. I am going to write a few examples to start you down the brainstorming track. ~bless your husband by writing him a note of how much he means to you ~bless a child by becoming a child sponsor  ~bless an elderly person with a visit ~bless someone with a snail mail letter ~bless a people group by interceding for them in prayer ~bless a neighbor by telling them the Good News of Jesus Christ

For every  20 comments (1 person can have 4 entries), another Vilas June of the winner’s choice will be given away.

(50% of all orders will be given to orphan care on any orders placed by Friday, 30% after that).

 

Enter the GIVEAWAY by:

***Comment and tell me that for the next seven days after you enter, you are intentionally going to “be a blessing”.***

you can earn additional entries by:

1) Leave a separate comment with an idea you have to be a blessing (No idea is too big or too small!).

2) Facebook this campaign and tell me you did in a separate comment

3) Blog about the “Blessed to Be a Blessing” Campaign and leave a comment and let me know.

Open entry until Tuesday, May 31st.

OKAY, there you have it!  Let’s go and BE A BLESSING!!!

The Giveaway Goodies!

On Wednesday, “Treasures in Jars of Clay” is having a giveaway!

Because the post is long (and I have complicated it immensely-it seemed so simple in my head) today I am announcing what will be given away.

Heather, a friend of mine, has created “Vilas June” on Etsy.  30% of all her profits go directly to orphan care! How cool, huh?

Check out her cute shop here. The winners (yes, that is plural) will be able to choose their favorite item from Vilas June.

She specializes in flower brooches (A few examples)

 

and hair accessories (a few examples)

 

I know, now you are drooling, gorgeous, huh?  You can order your own directly from her site (order in the next week and get free shipping with code, FREESHIP) or wait to see if you win!

Come back tomorrow to enter!

Feel The Wind On Your Skin

We were with family in Michigan this past weekend and had such a great time.  I have great shots from Sunday afternoon to post, but am going to break it up so I am guaranteed blog material this week.  :)

My babies are taken by the wind.  When that warm breeze blows across their skin, they stop everything, squeal with delight and just experience the wind.

Here is Little A’s euphoria with the breeze…

And Little J falls back into it and then lifts her arms.

 

Here’s to hoping for a week, defying the forecast, full of sunshine and warm breezes!

One final note: There is a GIVEAWAY coming this week!  Stay Tuned, you are gonna love it.

A Day With Some of My Favorite Ladies…

At one of my favorite places, in the most glorious weather. It was wonderful.

Yes, The Littles, my Grandma, Aunt Kris and I headed to the zoo!  First time this year and The Littles loved it! They could actually spot the animals so it looks like this year, The Littles and I have a mutual love.

They started out a little uncertain…

but then couldn’t get close enough.  They thought everything was pettable. Including roving geese.

Little J wanted to sit and then stand on the drum, but she really just wanted to be with Aunt Kris.  If Aunt Kris sat, so did Little J.

While Little A only wanted to do her latest camera face.  Seriously, she sees the camera and gets her scowl on.  Funny child.

 

Little J dominated the pegs at Cracker Barrel.  I was shocked that she had the coordination to do it, but as you can tell, she was delighted.  She is going to be a mechanic someday, always figuring out how things work.

Mimi and Little A, after dinner.

It’s official zoo season has begun!

Funnies

18 month-olds are a riot. 

The Littles are constantly cracking me up.  Like the other day when Little J brought a diaper to me and said "Little A".  I went over to Little A and sure enough, she had a dirty diaper.

They have mastered many new words and can communicate about anything they want.

Bathtime is a passion of theirs.  When we ask who should get out first, they point to each other and demand that sister get out first.

They are also quite into "cheese".  This picture doesn't do justice of the cheesy smiles they have (well, at least it does Jon's justice).  :)

We have also not been able to learn to keep dirt out of our mouths.  Little A did not want me to take this picture.

The Littles also are obsessed with Mickey.  I am serious, obsessed.  And, big shocker, Disney has done an incredible job of advertising and so we spot this silly, little mouse, everywhere.  On diapers, vitamins, stickers, yogurt containers, etc, etc.  We almost can't go out in public because of their incessant chanting and pointing, "Mick, Mick, Mick!".

Their ritual is to bring us this Mickey book and plop down wherever they are to listen.  Adorable, yes, the first million times.  A parent can only sing the "Hot Dog Dance" so many times without going crazy. 

Oh sweeties, just stop your growing.  :) We could freeze this stage for awhile.  (At least most parts of it).