Hair??

It is time I do something new with my hair. I am at the point where I pull it up in a bun, usually half wet, everyday...and that is the point when I need to do something to it. I have very thick, naturally wavy hair. My hair is not super curly, although I can make it go curly if I want. I normally blow dry it straight! It looks much better straight. In fact, when I wear it curly I normally regret it all day! When I wear it curly it grows and grows throughout the day into a poofy mess. I have always hated my hair! Doesn't everyone always want the kind of hair they don't have?

I have always had some sort of hair emergencies. I remember in 5th grade my mom taking us to a local beauty school for haircuts. I clearly remember the lady saying she was going to cut my bangs into a triangular shape. Her statement caused me a bit of concern even at the age of 10. She started way back on head with the point of the triangle and cut tons of wide bangs across my forehead. Yea...that took a good long while to grow out! Then there were the middle school years when my hair went from wavy to full on curly! I didn't know what to do with it and this was prior to the days of a good straightener. I remember my mom and her good friend perming it because they had heard that a perm might relax the natural curl some! Oh my! It was a mess! Then there was the day of my older sister Joy's wedding. My mom paid a lot for us to get our hair done downtown. I even went the week before and the lady practiced on it. I thought I liked it. We'll on the wedding day I hated it. I rushed home about hour or so before the wedding and threw my head under the tub facet, washed it and just wore it normally! Then there was the summer in college that I worked at a summer camp. The weekend before I left, I decided to go short for the summer! This was still prior to me using a straightener! It was a long summer of not being able to pull my hair up! Not such a good idea for someone with curly hair who has to be outside in the humidity all day!

I will never forget the first time I used a straightener...a good one! I think my little sis actually did it! It was quite life changing I must admit. I felt like a new person. I could run my fingers through my silky hair! It was though I had been given a whole new lease on life!

So, back to my title. I have been growing my hair out since last June. I did get a trim in October. Generally, I grow it out just to get it cut again and then repeat the cycle! It is not long yet, but is in long layers past my shoulders. Ideally I'd love to grow it long and be able to wear it naturally in long wavy layers. This would be easy but I don't really know if it would look good. I have done this before and used a curling iron to make some of my wacky waves look better. It's fast and can dry naturally.

I have also been thinking about getting it professionally straightened. Not the super expensive kind of straightener that cost a small fortune, but just a normal chemical relaxer. I still might need to use my straightener a little, but I think it would be easier and less time consuming.

I have also been thinking about going short again. I always see cute shorter styles that look polished and sophisticated and I often feel quite the opposite...esp. with a wet bun!

My hubby has no preference! We'll actually he does...his preference is whatever will get us out of the house the fastest!

I know...all this about hair! I am sure no one really cares in the least how I wear my hair, but sometimes it is a hard decision! So, have you ever had your hair chemically straightened?? Was it worth it or was it a waste of time and money! I am gonna call my hair lady this week! Decisions...decisions!!

Funnies

Ella is at such a funny stage! She says things that literally have us rolling all of the time. I am sure most parents find their children funny!

The other day when I went into her room to get her up from her nap, as soon as I walked into the room she started saying, " Oh no mommy! Oh dear! Oh dear!" It was very dramatic as she often is and she had her hands on her head as if she was truly distraught! I said, "What in the world is wrong??" She said, "Oh no mommy, it's snowing!" I was a bit confused...until I looked at the floor!

She then said, "It be okay mommy...accident happens!"

The other night we were having our bedtime prayers and devotion. Ella wanted to pray for Kevin's grandma who she had seen earlier that day. She had hurt her knee and was using a cane. I usually guide ella through her prayers and she likes to repeat what I say. I said, "Dear Jesus." She paused and I waited for her to repeat it as she normally does. She looked up and said, "Mommy, I want to talk to God tonight!" Kev and I about died. Needless to say we saved the discussion on the Trinity for another night!

This morning Eliza was awake and playing in her crib and I was trying to grab a second or two of extra sleep. Ella was dying for me to get sissy out so she could snuggle with us. I then heard ella at eliza's crib saying, "Good morning my wittle weetheart!"

Easter 2010

Toot's Egg Hunt Extravaganza


Church Egg Hunt #2

Eliza Chillin

Best of many attempts at a family shot!

So thankful for these two girls!

Daddy proudly in his pink!!

We had a great and busy Easter weekend. I think I have been trying to process it all for a few days now. Holidays and being a mother take on a whole new meaning and busyness. There are cute outfits to buy/wear, parties to attend, yummy goodies to make, eggs to dye, eggs to hunt, instruction on what Easter is really all about, church services to attend, baskets to fill, and pictures to be made so you can remember the whole thing! Whew!!!

I felt a tug a war the entire weekend trying to keep my focus on Christ all the while wanting to enjoy, partake and create new memories as a family. I am thankful that as a child or might I add a "preacher's kid" we were still able to participate in Easter Egg hunts and received Easter goodies. That is such a fun part of being a child. I've always loved the tradition of new Easter dresses, shoes, and yes big bouncy hair bows. I did even wear a hat and corsage on Easter as a child! Those are such funny traditions to me..probably a southern thing! It meant putting on your best on Easter Sunday. It meant spring was here and you could wear your white shoes!! It meant birds were chirping, bees were buzzing and the pollen was flying! It meant Christ had risen from the dead...surely a day to celebrate!

The whole weekend through this tug-a-war I kept feeling the Holy Spirit reminding me..."It's not about you!" Thus, my struggle! It is so easy to get caught up amidst the "fun and tradition!" I so wanted to keep my focus.

All in all it was such a great weekend. It was great because of Christ...for He is the reason we celebrate!

The Gospel

Tonight was the very first time we shared "The Gospel" with ella. We talk to Jesus everyday. We pray in the morning. We sing songs about how much he loves us. We pray when we see an ambulance that Jesus would comfort those inside. We thank Him for our meals before we eat. We acknowledge that he made our beautiful day and we should thank him for it. We talk about how he made her hair red like mommy's and eliza's like daddy's. We read books where Jesus healed the blind man and was born in a manger. We pray to Him as we go to bed, thanking Him for our day and praying for those in need. Jesus is a part of our day. She knows He is with us and we can talk to him.

Tonight was the first time we shared with her that Jesus died for us. We used a very simple Easter picture book that I bought at The Christian Bookstore. She didn't like the spears in the soldiers hands and was very worried about Jesus on the Cross. The last picture shows that Jesus is alive and showed red dots on his hands where the nails had been. She kept saying, Oh no...Oh dear!" We assured her that Jesus was fine and that He is ALIVE...that is why we can talk to him everyday!

As we prayed tonight, I couldn't hold back my tears, and I assure you that I am not a super emotional person either! This is "The Gospel!" The truth that can save her soul! We prayed that these seeds would take root and that one day when her little heart is ready, she would give it to the Lord! We prayed that roots from these seeds would grow down deep in her heart and transform her life! We prayed once again that she would grow know Christ in a real and personal way! I have no greater hope for her life.

"Not" A Walk in the Park!

Saturday was a great family day for us. We went to a local festival that we go to every spring. I love to go and buy the girls some new hair bows and look at the cute kids clothes. I saw a lot of cute things and now have my motivation back for sewing. I just need to get it back out of the closet. It makes such a mess!!



Anyways, we shopped, we snacked on yummy food and ella got to ride her some rides! Sweet thing has been on ride restricition since the big tantrum she had at the outlets after riding a ride. The deal was she could ride one ride and then had to get back in the stroller. I normally don't let her ride them...especially when I am without Kevin. (It's hard to leave eliza in the stroller and man ella on the ride...if you have two small kids I am sure you understand!) So...she had been so good! I mean so so good while we were shopping that I thought we had matured some and were past the not being able to understand how to handle that "all good rides must come to an end!" We'll let's just say...we hadn't! I had to carry her to the car kicking and screaming. I am sure someone thought I was kidnapping the poor child....all while pushing my double stroller! It was a day! We got in the van and needless to say we had us a "come to Jesus meeting" and she's been on ride restriction since then.


So Glad to be back in the driver's seat!!


Can you believe my super frugal hubby paid 4 dollars for them to do this
slide 1 Time!!!! He must really love his girl or really like to slide!

Mommy and ella on the Helicopter! She loved it...
mommy got a little dizzy!

I was a little apprehensive when it came time for the rides and then time for them to be over...but she did great! It was a beautiful and fun day and I remember thinking how "smooth" our lives had been going! That's probably never a good thought!

We came home feeling so good! We'd all gotten some good Vitamin D..it felt like spring...so we decided to go running! We loaded up the girls after dinner and headed off in our neighborhood! Kevin ran and I power walked it! We did a 3 mile loop and on our way back stopped off at the awesome, brand new, playground in our neighborhood! Ella was so excited! We've driven by it several times to check if it was open yet! She got out and was running! Daddy was helping her on the kiddie area and I was manning eliza and the stroller! We'd been there a whole 2 minutes when I heard a loud sound and saw my child flying forward! Kevin immediately scooped her up and I was trying to see what she hit! She had gone full force into a step and face planted with her nose! She was crying hysterically and blood was gushing from her nose! I began to feel weak and Kevin went into crisis management mode! He began to tell me to walk...walk faster...and we took off. She was begging for mommy to hold her! I did! We had about a 1/4 of a mile walk home! Her nose and right eye were already swelling A LOT! I knew it was bad! It hurt me to look and I kept telling Kev that I felt like I was about to faint. He kept telling me to keep walking! He did offer to run home and get the car...but I was scared to wait by myself! All I could imagine was me fainting alone with my two girls!

We made it home and got ella cleaned up and started to get the bleeding to stop. Kev called our sweet pediatrician to see if we should rush her to the ER or not! He advised us to watch her! We were all shaken up! Needless to say she got to sleep with mommy and daddy! She seems to be back to her playful self! I am so worried she is going to knock her nose again! She is super swollen and bruised! In fact she looks so different...almost like she just had a nose job or plastic surgery! I know it will take a little while for the swelling and bruising to go down....and I will be so thankful to see that perfectly cute little nose again!

I write all this to remember what I was feeling in those moments. I felt feelings that I hadn't felt for some time. Feelings of panic, fear, feelings of love so deep for my child that I would rather someone cut off my right arm than to see one of them in pain! I felt weak and insufficient for the task at hand and I felt utterly in need of my God! As we walked back I reminded ella of one of her favorite stories in her children's picture bible...when Jesus healed the blind man! She has looked at the picture and asked questions about that story over and over! I told her that Jesus would heal her nose too! As we walked back home I prayed outloud...not caring who was walking by...who was driving past wondering what in the world this family was doing...praying more fervently than I had in a long time! Knowing that my God hears and my God comforts!

I think we all learned some lessons through our first major "accident!" We were reminded how precious little lives are...how cute little noses are...how fast accidents happen...how differently mommy and daddy react....and how much we need the Lord daily! Needless to say...it wasn't just a walk in the park!

6 Months

Six Months ago I had a teeny tiny newborn. I cannot believe how fast the first half of Eliza's first year has flown. It's really rather sad and yet I am looking forward to seeing her grow and change even more in the next 6 months.

Her 6 month stats:

Weight: she was 13 lbs. 13 oz. at the doc. on Monday. She was 10% for weight, 25% for height and 10% for Head Circumference. She has grown a lot since birth, but my peanut is still a peanut! Does anyone else break into a cold sweat when their child gets weighed at the doc? Probably not unless you have a tiny child and are worried they haven't grown enough! My doc. said she is fine...just tiny and petite.

Likes: Eliza loves her sissy! Despite the pokes and rolls...Ella can always make her smile and more recently laugh a lot too! She likes getting in mommy's bed for early morning snuggles! She likes to play in her exersaucer. She likes to pull her paci in and out of her mouth. She has a little blankie square that she is recently starting to like. She likes to ride in the car and stroller...they always put her to sleep! She likes to be held and she likes to pull hair now. She loves to roll around and play with the tags on her toys. She has taken quite a liking to her daddy and smiles anytime he plays with her! She loves bananas, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, and green beans and peas, but will only eat them for mommy! When Kev tries to feed her she won't open her mouth for him!!! Lucky Him!! She loves taking a bath and loves to be held. She is constantly trying to sit up! We say she is gonna have some great little abs because she is constantly doing this...

Dislikes: She is not such a fan of rice cereal...although we are continuing to get some in her each day. She is such an easy baby that I cannot think of a lot she dislikes!

Looks: We get told most often that she looks like my dad and my nephew Landon...but in a tiny little girl way! She seems to have a light brown hair. I am wondering if it will lighten in the sun this summer! She has blue eyes like her mommy, daddy and sissy! We think she is so Beau-ti-ful!!!

Personality: So far Eliza has been an easy and content baby! I am so thankful...because the last six months have been rather trying with a certain little two year old. She goes to sleep at 8 and sleeps until around 5:30-6:00 am. She was sleeping until 6:30-7:00am but teething and rolling around in her bed caused for some new sleep disruptions. She does go right back to sleep after eating at 5:30 or 6:00 until around 8 or her sissy wakes her up! Last week was such a rough week for her sleeping! She had a little cold, teething, and no longer could be swaddled due to her rolling! We had lots of issues like this to deal with....

Yes, she does have a cute little room and crib, but prefers to sleep in the little crib in mommy's room (or I should say mommy prefers her to sleep in my room)! She does nap in her room in the day! We do what works for us and I assure you she won't sleep in our room forever!

Eliza, I love everything about you!! God did such a great job creating you into a precious and cute little girl! You are the perfect addition to our family and I thank the Lord for blessing me with you! Happy 6 month Birthday!

Photo Overload

This is one of the only pictures I have of me and my

girls! We were laying on the couch...that is why we

are angled so weird!

The Cutest Little Bunny I've ever seen!

Mimi and Eliza

Pirate Ella

Sweet Pea!

I am finally getting around to uploading so pictures. Now I just need to upload them to costco...edit them...pick them up...and scrapbook them! Maybe tomorrow!