Inspirations for Faith and Family

Ok so summer is wrapping up and we only have a few weeks left to soak up the summer rays! I am not looking forward to summer ending especially because I have a hyper 2 year old who would rather live and sleep outside than stay in the confines of four walls. His abundant energy and love for the outdoors has caused me to look for fun things to do outside, especially since we don't have a yard. Thankfully, we have a park we frequently visit just across the street. However, the summer time is a perfect opportunity to explore the great outdoors and spend some quality time with the family. Take some pictures and make some good memories before summer ends! Here are some places I have highly enjoyed. Minnehaha falls-  I discovered this family friendly park at my husbands annual work party. There is a large fenced in splash pad and a modern well kept playground. The camper is especially fun where kids can climb in and rock it back and forth. The splash pad has a shallow end with a grad...

Music has always been my go to source for helping me get through challenging events in life.  The past several months have been no exception and the labor and delivery of my son just last week was one of those events. For both of my deliveries I prepared a playlist that had music I felt would provide support to get me through. These songs have been so beneficial for me I decided to pick my top 10 and share them. Be encouraged! 10.  Yearn by: Shane and Shane This is an all time favorite song and it will never get old for me. It reminds me that my one desire is the presence of God above all else. This song ushers the presence of God into the space! The passionate vocal style fits the burning message of this song. "He brings us joy, life and breath, that's why I sing". They say the crowning of the head brings a burning feeling-you might think of having such a burning desire to know God and his burning desire to fellowship with us! If you are still able to think ...

Putting our son to bed is Joshua's favorite thing to do and story time is such a sweet time. Alas, I had to include Daddy's current favorite "Minerva Louise and the Red Truck." This is one that we can't just put back on the shelf at the library without buying it first. It's been renewed 1 time so far and will be renewed the maximum amount of times before letting it go! Joshua says, it's the facial expressions that this chicken makes that is so amusing. I find it compelling how such a simple illustration of a chicken can have such a large personality. I swear it's that red feather on the top of her head with that naive look on her face that makes me want to laugh!  The best illustration, in my opinion, is the one where she arrives back at the farm still riding on the flatbed with her little cheek endearingly snuggled into the red truck.  After an exciting adventure of new sites, she claims that it's still her favorite truck and always will be. Tha...

"Do you want a cracker?" I said as we sat in the truck waiting. "No," said my now two year old son. "Do you want some water?" I said. "No," he chirped back. I tried again, "Do you want your truck?" "No!" he said again getting a little annoyed. My distraction technique was majorly striking out as I attempted to deter him from wanting to get out of his car seat. I needed to come up with something clever. So I said, "Do you want a hot dog party!?" "Yeah!" he answered enthusiastically. Score! I had gotten him to answer back in a positive way and in my amusement I couldn't help but laugh. However, now I had to deliver somehow. Then I remembered Nana and Grandpa were watching him that night so I told him he could have a hot dog party with them.  Thanks for bringing the hot dogs Mom and Pops! "Hot dog party" comes from the book, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by, Mo Williams...

"Dig, dig!" he says, in his little almost 2 year old voice, my son is letting me know he wants to read this book.  Every night before bed, in the afternoons before nap and even in the morning when he wakes up he wants me to read, "Dig, dig!" This was book that actually made me commit to taking a stack of books home from the library that week. I went that day hoping to attend story time and found out after I got there, along with some other kids and their care givers, that they were on a break. Well, that didn't stop us. We decided to have our own story time and this book was an absolute hit. On each page you find a new type of working vehicle from tractors, to bulldozers, to garbage trucks and even a helicopter that is rescuing a poor soul from the water. I reenact this scene by making the person say, "Help, Help!" as he is lifted through the sky to the helicopter, which my toddler has caught on and likes to repeat. The language is so creative an...

 One of my absolute favorite things to do as a mom is read books to my son. Bedtime is such a treat (well after our regular fight with the toothbrush-that is) because I get to hold my sweet little boy in my lap, rock him back and forth, kiss his head and read the stories he picks out. And boy does he have particular taste! So, when I find a new book that he likes I find it to be a great success! Our long overdue recent trip to the library sent us home with this gem, "The Cow Loves Cookies". I was planning not to check out any books this time because I didn't want to risk more overdue library fees, but after seeing this one I couldn't just leave it there. My son is almost 2 years old and has a particular interest in animals sounds so this one is a favorite of his right now. The illustrations are so whimsical and carefree that I wish I could jump right in and experience this joyful glee that the farmer in this book displays. A cow that loves cookies is such a cute...