More Visitors & Cara's Half Marathon

My parents came down this past weekend! 

Let the pictures & captions tell the story. 

I'm sure they were watching Emma run in the back yard.

Not quite sure how to use my night mode yet.
Or, maybe she's so fast......

Watching our lawn being treated.

My dad in his element.
I asked him to help me surprise Jay with a clean garage!

Love it.

Homemade pizza on the patio!

Cute.

Had to celebrate my dad's birthday. He loves desserts like this :)

Cutie batutie :)

How cute.

Starting her young!

My parents origonal reason for coming down this past weekend was to encourage and cheer on my sister who ran a half marathon!!!! Jay biked there to take some pictures and watch her cross the finish line! So, this is what Emma and I did while they were all gone.

We read our Bibles on the patio.

Passing someone walkingW

Coming around the last corner....

Here she goes.....

To the finish!!!!!

So proud of you Cara! Way to go!

Ready for a wagon ride.

Clearly all of this activity and fresh air tuckered someone out!

A Taste of Spring

We went outside during the one nice day we had this weekend. 

And, we learned, again, that Emma is pretty strong... 

We just let her play with it....

.... until she learned to spray it!

She thought it was pretty cool. 

She also showed us that she knows how to break sticks just like Daddy. 

Lily got some outside time too!

When we were in the backyard, I captured this moment. 

We headed inside to relax. Here's the result of that :)

 

Riding in Style

Jay's parents came down this weekend. We got the pretty exciting job of picking up John from the airport. Emma was so excited!!!! We even made him a sign!

This is not great quality, but I hope it explains her excitement to see Grandpa!

We got the whole afternoon to hang out with Grandpa! Lots of ramps and legos were played with. 

She loved her Grandpa time!

Reading books!

 Then, Grandma came! And, she brought a pretty sweet gift! Emma's been riding it in the house since Spring/Summer has decided not to come yet. We'll get outside soon though, and Emma will be cruising in style!

Jay and I were able to take a few hours off from the girls and go to a wedding. It was nice to get away for a while. And, when we got to the wedding, to my surprise my wonderful, amazing friend Holly was there! She moved to MN a bit ago and I miss her more than she knows. So, it was wonderful to catch up with her at the reception and just to be in her presence. 

Love Letter From God

Check out how God feels about you! This is so comforting to me!

Dear (insert your name here),

You may not know me, but I know everything about you (Ps 139:1). I know when you sit down and when you rise up (Ps 139:2). I am familiar with all your ways (Ps 139:3). Even the very hairs on your head are numbered (Matt 10:29-31). For you were made in my image, (Gen 1:27) for you are my offspring, (Acts 17:28) and I knew you even before you were conceived (Jer 1:4-5). I chose you when I planned creation (Eph 1:11-12). You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book (Ps 139:15-16). I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live (Acts 17:26). You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14). I knit you together in your mother’s womb (Ps 139:13) and brought you forth on the day you were born (Ps 71:6). I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me (John 8:41-44). I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love (1 John 4:16). And it is my desire to lavish y love on you simply because you are my child and I am your father (1 John 3:1). I offer you more than you earthly parents ever could, (Matt 7:1) for I am the perfect father/mother (Matt 5:48). Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand, (James 1:17) for I am your provider and I meet all your needs (Matt 6:31-33). My plan for your future has always been filled with hope, (Jer 29:11) because I love you with an everlasting hope (Jer 31:3). My thoughts towards you are countless as the sand on the seashore, (Ps 139:17-18) and I rejoice over you with singing (Zep 3:17). I will never stop doing good to you, (Jer 32:40) for you are my treasured possession (Ex 19:5). I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul, (Jer 32:41) and I want to show you great and marvelous things (Jer 33:3). If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me (Deut 4:29). Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart, (Ps 37:4) for it is I who gave you those desires (Phil 2:13). I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine, (Eph 3:20) for I am your greatest encourager (2 Thess 2:16-17). I am also the father/mother who comforts you in all your troubles (2 Cor 1:3-4). When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you (Ps 34:18). As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart (Is 40:11). One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes and will take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth (Rev 21:3-4). I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus, (John 17:23) for in Jesus, my love for you is revealed (John 17:26). He is the exact representation of my being (Heb 1:3). He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you, (Rom 8:31) and to tell you that I am not counting your sins (2 Cor 5:18-19). Jesus died so that I could be reconciled (2 Cor 5:18-19). His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you (1 John 4:10). I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love (Rom 8:38-39). Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen (Luke 15:7). I have always been your Parent, and will always be your Parents (Eph 3:14-15). My question is.... Will you be my child? (John 1:12-13). I am waiting for you (Luke 15:11-13).

Love,
God 

Building, Sewing, & Snapping

Building..... Lego ramps with friends! 

Sewing.... new pillow covers! 

Talk about a makeover for the pillows, and it only cost $2.99 total!

As I was sitting at my sewing machine, thank you again Darlynn for the amazing sewing machine, I just ran away with a thought. If I had more time, energy, and projects lined up, I would totally write a blog that was called: Snack Time by the Sewing Machine. It would be stories that my girls and I share while sewing and snacking..... Maybe in a few years.

Then, the next day it was storming out like crazy.... I was trying to explain to Emma what thunder was. (I found out, it's pretty difficult to explain thunder to a 2 year old) She just looked at me and said, "No mom hippos in the clouds." Hmm..... not sure where she got that from, but she is 100% convinced that if it thunders the hippos are being loud. So, if I had more time, energy, and straight thinking, I would totally write a blog called: Hippos in the Clouds. It would be stories of the imagination of my kids and the crazy things they can think of and say. 

If only there was more time in the day :) 

 Okay- back to the title-

Snapping.... pictures! I wanted to take a picture of Emma relaxing on the couch and then she just kept saying more pictures Mommy, more. So..... who would refuse the chance to photograph this beauty!

Wish I would have been a little zoomed out on this last picture, but either way, she is so beautiful.