Nathan and his truck (and sister)

I was taking pictures tonight, and Nathan requested I take a picture of him and his "Christmas" truck.  Of course Natalie will never miss the opportunity to have her picture taken either, so there she is too.  But back to this truck.  I'm certain that before I had to change the batteries from the original cheapo ones to replacement cheapo ones this past week, this truck was not as loud as it is now.  So if anyone is aware of these noise-canceling batteries, please be sure to drop me a line.  In the meantime, feel free to admire my adorable children.

A visit from Grandma

Mom came over to drop some stuff off and have Natalie try on a little jacket Mom is making for a set of dress-up outfits for her.  Of course there was tons of laughter and unending smiles - especially on Nathan's face.  He's really come to love his Grandma -- so much so that when the kids are cranky, they'll often argue about whose Grandma she really is.

More pictures of a beautiful baby

I feel like I'm running the risk of this blog becoming Nola-dominated.  However, I'll defend myself by saying that she's just been so darn cute lately and she's almost a year old.  So I'm taking advantage of her cute baby-ness while I still can.

Nola and Daddy looking at a postcard from Grandma

She played with this by herself for about 30 minutes this afternoon

She's getting so tall!

My favorite picture

Thinking soooo hard!

Snug as a bug in a rug

Today, for the first time in a very long time Nathan went down for a nap without either Kevin or me sitting at the end of his bed.  And this is how I found him when I went to check if he was asleep.

beautiful baby, handsome husband

Shopping assistants

Natalie and Nathan regularly go grocery shopping with my mom on Saturday mornings.  This one was no exception.  They love going out with her and then spending time at Grandma and Grandpa's house afterward.  Today, my dad made a delicious breakfast-for-lunch meal that I got to enjoy with everyone when I went to pick up the kids.

I took my camera so that I could get some pictures of the kids with Grandma and Grandpa, but when I got there and turned it on I realized that I had left the memory card in my computer.  So use your best imaginations and insert photo here.

Mom/daughter/photographer fail.

Nola and Daddy talking

Nola in a box

This is the first time she's done this!  We just looked up, and there she was in her box.

Guess she found what she was looking for!

Word of the year: growth.

Have you ever had an experience that is so life-changing that you wake up the next day or a few days later and feel as though you've lived several years because your mindset is so drastically different?

This is how I've been feeling for almost a month now after experiencing a conference so powerful that I'm still processing all that has changed in my mind and heart.  Our leadership training at church was this past Monday, and again I'm reeling.  In my prayer times with God lately, I've been feeling like the word of 2012 in my life is growth.  Spiritual growth, growth in leadership, personal growth, growth in my marriage, growth as a mother, growth growth growth growth.

I imagine that this is how babies feel when they hit a growth spurt.  They have no idea what's happening to them.  All they know is it's strange.  It's a desperate, constant, impossible to ignore, needing, wanting feeling that propels them to the next stage of their development.  All they want to do is eat and be nurtured and encouraged and loved as they try to conquer the confusion that is rapid growth.

So like a baby, I'm overwhelmed at the rate of growth I'm experiencing.  I have no idea whether or not the changes in my life and my thinking are visible to people around me yet.  I've never experienced anything like this before, and at times it's completely overwhelming -- especially when I start thinking of all these things that "I" need to do.  It's easy to try and think of my new responsibilities as my own, which produces anxiety and doubt that I'm good enough.  But thankfully I don't have to be good enough because there was only one person who was ever good enough and He died so that I don't have to worry about measuring up.   I must remind myself that the responsibilities I'll soon have are not my own.  There is no way I'd do any of it without God's guidance and grace.

So here's to growth, growth, and more growth over the next several months!  Pray for me!

two random thoughts I must get out of my head before attempting sleep

1. Tried greek yogurt today.  Not sure exactly what I was expecting, but it was delicious.  Definitely going to have to watch for sales on that stuff.  And then hide it in my refrigerator so Nathan doesn't find it.

2.  Pretty sure I have plantar fasciitis. I've had this crazy pain in my right heel for a few months that only shows up when I stand after being seated or laying down for awhile.  I haven't been to the doctor about it yet, but somehow I've always had the feeling that that's what it is.  So as I was sitting tonight, it started burning and throbbing right in the arch.  So I googled it, and with the wonder of at-home self-diagnostics courtesy of WebMD, I'm about 98% sure that's what it is.  And what's crazy is there was a word about plantar fasciitis at the Power and Identity conference at church a couple weekends ago.  I believe it was Cory Leman who shared it.  I've prayed for my foot a couple times myself, but I'm definitely going to go for prayer this Sunday after service.

Ok so there my brain is dumped of its contents and now I may sleep.  Goodnight.

Pictures by Natalie

From time to time, Natalie will ask to take pictures.  This usually occurs when she's done something amazing like sit still for 10 minutes and build a castle out of legos in her room.  So to reward this behavior, and because I'm often busy nursing Nola or cooking when she asks me to come see it, I'll let her borrow the camera and take a few pictures.  On this particular occasion, she decided to take lots of pictures.  Two things fascinate me by her pictures.  One, what life looks like from her perspective.  And two, what are the things that are important enough to her to take pictures of.

Castle on 12/5

House on 12/13

Me and Nathan in the kitchen

She told him to say cheese.  He wasn't quite awake enough for cheese.

Haha. But apparently Daddy was awake enough for cheese.

The Barney balloon.

Nola's baby doll

Wooden plaything

Backyard view...nice shot!

Kitchen table/pantry

Still not ready to cheese.

Kitchen table and its contents

Another pantry shot, although I think she may have been trying for Nola over there on the right.

There we go.

I'm sure these will only get more interesting as she gets older.

Silly girl

Had to put the camera down because she decided she would attempt to get all the way off the chair herself.  Happy to say that did not end in disaster.  Amazing how they figure how to go feet first at such a young age!