Hiking to the Lake

We had an awesome Sunday!

 Titus had the idea to go hiking in the Ludington State Park so after church/potluck, that's what we did. Since Mom and Uncle T were not doing anything else they came along too. So glad that it worked out for them to come. 

I had never been to the Big Point Sable light house before, and it had been years since the rest of them had been there so, we decided to hike out there. I am so glad we did! It was a beautiful day, not too cold or hot.. perfect for the 5 mile hike.( I am not even sore today!) Yay! 

Beautiful grass covered dunes.

Before we headed out.

Stopping for a picture/twizzler break. 

Mom V. and two of her boys.

T. loved riding in the Ergo on Daddy's back. 

Beautiful lighthouse.

Family.

T. had fun playing in the water, it sure was cold!

He loved it!

Excited dance!

He was fascinated with that much water.

Peaceful

(I have never seen the lake this calm before)

K. wanted to get down in the sand, we had to entertain her the whole time to keep her happy.

I am watching you Dad.

Seeing the picture above reminded me of this video.

                                          

We had so much fun!

Thank you, Daddy/Titus for taking us to the park!

We love you!

Spring is really here!

I think spring is finally here! It seems like it has been a long winter here in MI.

Last Saturday I took T. outside because it looked so nice out. 

I think it was 35 or 40 degrees, so it just looked nice. 

Needless to say, T. loved it! 

He rediscovered sticks, rocks and flowers and thought they were so cool! 

The swing was a big hit too.

He had so much fun, and when we had to come in (because our hands were freezing cold), he cried.  

I think we will be living outside this summer!

He was pretending to eat the rock.

Miss K. decided to start rolling this week and we found her under the couch more than once.

Mr T. thought it was cool, and had to join her.

She likes to scratch the fuzzy material off of the bottom of the couch, so

I have been finding black fuzz all over her.

 

I tell you, if it isn't one of them making me laugh it is the other...

Today I went out to hang clothes on the line and T went along with me. While we were out there our dog Dixie came over and sat down close to T. T watched her for a little while, then sat down just like Dixie did. Well, it wasn't long till Dixie had to scratch her ear, and you can probably guess what T tried to do next. Yep, he started scratching his ear. I was laughing so hard! Of course, T thought it was funny then and he kept scratching and and laughing his big belly laugh. I think it was about then that Dixie thought it was time to move on. 

I Love these days!

I have been so excited about sewing lately.. Usually I am all into sewing for about a month every year, then I get burnt out and quit till sometime in the next year.

At the beginning of the week I was so excited about sewing some of these cute little sundresses, but my sewing machine wasn't working right. After 4 days of fiddling around with it we ordered a part. When my Dear Husband replaced it for me that fixed it. Yay!

This is where I got the idea, and I ever ordered the same fabric that Maggie did because I liked it so much. 

The dress on the right was the first one I made and it turned out too big, but I sewed it up with the serger when my sewing machine wasn't working, and I took way smaller seams than what Maggie said to. 

I made the one on the left as a trial to see if it would fit Miss K, because I wanted to make sure it fit before I tried the other fabric, and it did! It will fit her for a long time because it is such a loose and flowing dress. It is going to be a dress that I put on her when it gets hot this summer because it will be so cool. I think I can put it on her with some leggings and a shirt and make it last all summer and fall.

I also made the one on the right reversible! So two dresses in one!

Front

Back

Here is the trial one on her. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Miss K liked it, she thought it tasted pretty good.

Miss K. is sitting up so well these days, she flops over some, but  is getting so much better.

We thought we saw her crawl a little this week, but its only been once and now I am second guessing myself. She can't be big enough to crawl yet! ;)

I think spring is here!

You Don't Know What Love Is

When we went to see my Parents and Grandparents in Ohio last time my Grandma told me: "You don't know what love is until you have children. You thought you knew, but you didn't"..

I agree with her on that, and I have been thinking about it a lot since then. 

I love T and K more than I could ever have imagined. 

I loved them before they were born

I loved them before they could smile

I loved them before they could walk 

I loved them before they could talk

And I will love them; they do not have to do anything to make me love them, because I love them already. They cannot do anything to make me not love them, I always will.

God loves us, He knew and loved us before we were conceived

He knew and loved us before we were born

He knew and loved us before we were old enough to sin

 He knew us and loved us when we sinned for the first time, 

And He will know and love us when we sin our last time

He knows us from the inside out.

He doesn't know us the way our family, friends, and neighbors know us, He knows us as we really are.

Every thought, every motive, every sin.

He loves us from the inside out.
He doesn't love us the way out family, friends, and neighbors love us, He loves us as we really are.
He loves us through every thought, every motive, every sin.

He loved us enough to send His Son to live and die here on this earth. He loves us because we are His creation. He loves us and wants us to be His sons and daughters.

 I guess

 I still don't know

 much about love.

I can only strive to be like Jesus as I see and understand Him now, but when I see Him as He truly I will be able to love so much more.

Although I love my children, I don't always remember and act like I do..
I am not a perfect mother, I mess up all the time. 
My only hope is that in some small way I can show them God's love.
If I can direct their little eyes to God, I will be happy.

 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
1 John 3:2

 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 
1 Corinthians 13:12

 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Ready When You Are, Spring!

I am so excited to show you what I have been up to lately.

Yesterday I went to a sewing with some of the ladies from church.

I was on pinterest the other day and saw this dress, and wanted to try and make one like it for Miss K.

 It was pretty easy to make. I am not very experienced with sewing T-shirt material, so that was the only thing that posed a problem for me. I need to figure out the best machine stitch for this material.

I also made a headband with the leftover scraps.

Here it is, I think K likes it!

She hasn't ever smiled this much for me while I have my camera in hand.

I kept telling her "you're pretty, you're pretty", maybe that's what made her smile laugh (or it could be that her brother was taking a nap, so I had all of her attention.)

We are ready to go outside, if it ever warms up here. 

Bare feet,

Short sleeves,

Sun,

Dirt, 

Water,

And a cute baby.

It really can't get any better!

I cannot believe that my little cheeser is so big already!

Six Months Old

I can't believe it, Miss K is six months old today! Grandpa and Grandma you won't be able to call her little bitty much longer because she isn't so little any more! 

She has been rolling over for a little while, but just yesterday she seemed to figure out that she could get places when she did it. 

I was hoping to have her 6 month pictures already, but it has been very rainy/cloudy so I can't get them even inside with it being this dark everyday. Hopefully I can take some soon!

She loves playing with her shoes.

Shoes are pretty exciting things!

She just found her tongue, it is so fun to stick it out.

She likes it when Uncle T holds her. 

Laughing at Mama!

Playing with T's toys.

Look what I found!

Does it taste good?

We put some cheerios on her tray to see if she could pick them up and get them to her mouth.

Ummm... Not yet! I tried a few green beans yesterday and she figured out how to pick one up, but that crazy thumb just kept getting in the way. She would hold the green bean and suck her thumb with all her might. It was so funny to watch!

The three of us on Sunday. 

Can you tell that Dixie (our dog) was just at the bottom of the steps?

God's love is all around us, His care is everywhere.

Forgiving all wise Father: He created us with care.

So remember your Creator in the early days of youth,

And remember God loves you and God is Truth.

-Robert D Toews