Can Jesus be celebrated during Halloween....?

YES!

(Sorry I've been MIA. My wonderful momma was in town for the week!)

Last year I wrote this post a little about my struggles with Halloween.

So the Hubs and his family never celebrated Halloween while he was growing up. They believe that what the holiday truly represents isn't worth celebrating. Now I completely understand their way of thinking but I kindly disagree. I see no harm in letting the kiddos dress up and go out and get some yummy candy. I do understand the hub's family though and agree that a lot about Halloween is inappropriate. Thankfully my sweet hubs allows us to celebrate Halloween in a simpler way. We let the girls dress up, carve pumpkins, and trick-o-treat but that is the extent of our celebrating.

With my mom in town, the hubs was thankful to hand off our carving traditions to my mom and I. My mom knows of the hub's distaste for this holiday and happened upon a sweet activity to do while carving pumpkins.

I think its SO great and a nice way to bring Jesus into Halloween. : )

The Pumpkin Prayer:

Dear God,

As I carve my pumpkin help me say this prayer:

Open my mind so I can learn about You;

(cut the top of the pumpkin)

Take away all my sin and forgive me for the wrong things I do.

(clean out the inside)

Open my eyes so Your love I will see;

(cut the eyes out in heart shapes)

I'm so sorry for turning up my nose to all you've given me.

(cut the nose in the shape of a cross)

Open my ears so your word I will hear.

(cut the ears shaped like the Bible-rectangles)

Open my mouth so I can tell others You're near

(cut the mouth in the shape of a fish)

Let Your light shine in all I say and do! Amen.

(place candle inside and light it)

Now we didn't do the shapes they suggested but you get the gist. So cute. And a good way to keep our children's minds on things that are good and not evil that this holiday loves to promote.

I had the girls put on their aprons and they insisted on wearing their chef hats too. Ha! :)

Funny Story....

So I took the girls out to get some fall pics, which I will be sharing shortly. I was snapping some pictures of Bella near a rock that she had found and sweetly posed on for me!

So when it was Brynn's turn I told her to come here and lay her head on the rock like Bella just did, and this is what I got. HA!

Then I said no sweetie, lay your head on your hands like Bella just was.......

LOL! This little sweetie cracks me up! : )

Ah, that's better. : )

Can it be?

You're 8 weeks old today

Brooklyn Blythe!!

Where does the time go?

Remembering....

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Today I can't help but let my mind wander and wonder about our little one in heaven. We lost him/her almost exactly a year ago. He/she would have been 5 months just about. Thankfully, one year later, the Lord has blessed us with a precious, precious almost 8 week old. And not to mention 2 beautiful big sisters. God has great plans for us, we just need to let him take the wheel. : )

My heart is heavy for those who have lost a precious little one and I hope your heart is too. Praying for all the families that have lost a child and I pray the Lord will bring healing and comfort.

Calling All Prayer Warriors...

We need your prayers.

Yesterday we found out that the hub's mom has thyroid cancer.

I don't know much more than that.

All I've heard is aggressive, rare, and untreatable.

Not things you want to hear when cancer is the subject.

Our hope and prayer is that it can all be easily removed and that it hasn't spread.

Will you pray that with us?

Also please pray for the hubs and his family. They are super close and the hubs is taking the news very hard, understandably so.

Mormor Domier with Bella

Mormor and Poppi Domier with Brynn

And now with Brooke

Can you take a moment.....

I'd like to take a moment to share with you about something near and dear to my heart.

My sweet, sweet hubby. The father of my 3 beautiful girls.

My hubs has a huge heart for the needy. He's also uber creative and artistic. He has felt God leading him to use his artistic ability and heart for the needy to start a t-shirt company that benefits others. They are also a way to open up conversation with others about God and His Word. Currently, he has two shirt designs in production. For every shirt that he sells a portion of the proceeds goes to help provide uniforms for Oasis for Orphans. His shirts' designs are based on bible scripture but aren't over obvious. The purpose is to hopefully open dialogue to others about what your shirt means. When they ask, you can explain the verse behind the design. Or you can just wear them because they are cool looking and help those in need. ; ) Vince took out $500 from his 401K to launch this company and has felt a little discouraged by the slow start. But I know that God is behind this calling and this company and will soon help it to flourish and really be instrumental in helping those that need help. Would you please consider checking out his site and being involved in this great idea? Go to:

www.twentyfourthirtysix.com

and please check back now and then because when things pick up he will be adding new designs and they are SO good! : ) Also if you know any churches or someone else that might be interested in these t-shirts please feel free to spread the word!

Here is the hubs in one of his shirts currently in production:

(his did all the designing himself!)

*Also right now the hubs is offering a competition. Suggest a verse for his next t-shirt design, and if he picks your verse you will receive a free t-shirt in the new design!*

Guess Who....

...is 7 weeks today already!?

My the time is flying, and going incredibly slow all at the same time. : )

One of these days I'd like to share my feelings about things from these first weeks but today I'd like to share a little bit about Brooklyn.

Dearest Brooke, Unfortunately your 7th week of life has brought you your second cold already!! You woke up yesterday a snotty, runny mess. Not sure where you got it since neither of your sisters are showing signs of a cold. Thankfully still you're the sweetest, most well-behaved little one ever. The cold doesn't seem to effect you too much, you just get a little gaggy when you eat if you're too snotty, but a good suction helps you out.

Due to my intense pain with breastfeeding I was pumping most of your feedings but gradually I am starting to breastfeed again. Today I exclusively breastfed you all day. You are much quicker these days and, although its still painful afterwards, during is feeling better. You do great with breastfeeding and bottle feeding. You eat almost like clockwork now. I feed you at 9am, 12pm, 3, 6, 8, 12am, 3, and 6 give or take a half hour. Its nice you're pretty predictable. You'll learn this soon enough but mommy loves routine. : ) You sleep at night from 8-9 but are up for 3 feedings. Mommy is looking forward to kicking a couple of those soon, k? You take an hour to hour and half morning nap, 3 hour afternoon nap, and a little 30-45 minute nap in the early evening. You stay awake for an hour and half and then you're ready for a nap. I used to just put you in the swing and you'd go right to sleep but I'm trying to break you of that. For one I don't want you to need the swing to fall asleep and two I want you in your room so your sisters don't disturb you. I get you nice and sleepy, lay you down, snuggle your blankie up to your cheek and usually after a couple of paci re-inserts you're asleep.

Things you love: you love to have a blankie snuggled up to your cheek when its time to sleep, you like your paci to get you sleepy but you tend to spit it out to actually fall asleep, you love your feet rubbed, you definitely sleep better on the move, you love lights, you like sitting in laps facing whoever is holding you instead of being cradled, you love watching your sisters, and being snuggled up to go to sleep.

I have gotten a couple smiles out of you but I think you may be a serious baby like Bella was. You have the same furrowed brow she had/has.

You do not, so much, enjoy bath time. Also getting dressed is not your favorite thing either.

Other than that you are a perfectly happy, content baby!

Happy 7 weeks my sweet Brooklyn Blythe, we're so happy you've joined our family!

S.....

Squirmiest, Six-Week, Sweetest, (little) Sister Ever! : )

Bella's not the only one smitten....