{Family} Handsome Boys and Vintage Trucks

We were attending a cousin's wedding in Iowa and were enjoying the reception.  Suddenly, I spotted this amazing truck outside the reception barn when they raised the doors for a refreshing breeze.  Yes...a massive shed/barn.  Cowboys with their boots and hats.  Feeding troughs with canned drinks.  Galvanized buckets with flowers.  Mason Jar favors.  Oh, it was the best laid-back country wedding we've ever been to.  So fun!!!

 

But back to the truck...as soon as I spotted it, I knew I had to get the kids out there for a picture or two or fifty.  I wanted Sadie in them, too, but she froze up and started squealing about the mud that needed crossing in order to get to the truck.  She wasn't happy about muddy toes so I let her off the hook.

 

Perfect opportunity to take pictures of my boys.  The bummer...totally forgot my fancy schmancy camera and was only able to use my iPhone.  Ah well...they're so handsome, in the end, it didn't matter!

 





{Mosaic Reviews} Waterproof Bible

Every once in a while, I am introduced to something that is so unique it just knocks my socks off...or maybe in this case, I should say it floats my boat!  The Waterproof Bible by Bardin Marsee Publishing is spectacular!

 

 

I honestly didn't know what to expect of this Bible before receiving it.  I couldn't imagine how it would be made or how it could possibly be waterproof.  But I knew I was excited.  And so were my boys.  When I mentioned that I would be receiving the Waterproof Bible and the little I knew about it, my three oldest boys asked if I would give the Bible to them.  They were sold before even seeing it!

The gentlemen that created the Waterproof Bible have a passion for being in God's creation and years of experience and adventure in the great outdoors but neither of them had a good solution for taking God's Word with them.  One took inexpensive Bibles along on trips knowing that they would be ruined by the end of his trip.  The other just didn't take a Bible with him at all.  They longed for a solution...  Together they created the Waterproof Bible. 

 

We had a chance to speak with Bobby from Bardin Marsee Publishing and he said of the Waterproof Bible that we can "take God's Word anywhere with worry free confidence that it will stand the test of time..."  As their motto says, you can "Be Inspired.  Anywhere."

 

 The Waterproof Bible is made of synthetic paper and thread that is stain and tear resistant.  The Bible is sewn together in sections and then sewn as a block before also being secured with waterproof glue.  The synthetic paper allows the text to be ultra clear and readable.  The pages of the Bible stretch and it would take a great deal of stretching before tearing.  I stretched one of the back pages in the "notes" section and it didn't tear on me.  That spot is a little stretched out but it held up to the pressure I put on it.

 





 

The synthetic pages can be highlighted without worry of your markings washing off or smearing!  It is recommended that you use dry highlighters which are a cross between a crayon and a colored pencil.  I didn't happen to have a dry highlighter, so I just used a colored pencil.  It seemed to work just fine!   

 



 

The Waterproof Bible comes in several popular versions: KJV, NKJV, ESV, NLT, and the 2011 NIV.  Another option allows you to choose either the complete Old and New Testament Bible or just the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs.

 

The complete OT and NT Bible is about 6" x 9" with a one inch spine while the NT with Psalms and Proverbs is pocket sized about 4" x 7" weighing less than a pound.  Perfect for camping, hiking, taking along on your fishing trip.

 

The Waterproof Bible comes with three cover options - blue, pink or camouflage.  Can you guess which cover my boys were hoping for?  They said, "Anything but pink!"  Ha, ha!!!

 

I really wanted to put this Bible to the test and one day we had a terrific rain storm.  All. day. long.  It felt wrong to be so excited leave our Waterproof Bible out on the patio table, but that's what we did.  My boys kept careful watch and kept asking if it was time to bring it in yet.  Nope!  It needs to stay outside for a long time to get a good thorough soaking.

Do you see how that water just bubbles up?!  Pretty awesome! 

 

When we finally brought the Bible back inside, we shook it off over the sink and dried the outside with a towel.  I fanned the pages and some drops of water flew out.  And that was it.  Dry.  Amazing!

 

Later on, the boys took our Bible out to their "fort" in our woods.  It was muddy.  The Bible got muddy.  The boys got muddy.  What cleaned up the most quickly?  The Bible.  A damp cloth wiped all traces of mud off the pages. 

 

The Waterproof Bible is one of the neatest products I've seen in a long time!  My boys are begging me to buy them each their own camouflage Bible to use for all their outdoor adventures - camping, fishing, and hiking.  (So, don't tell them they'll each be receiving one for Christmas with their names imprinted on the cover.  Shhhh!!!) 

 

As our family is trying to incorporate more outdoor activities into our lifestyle, I am confident this Bible will be a staple in our supplies.  I am just that totally excited about it!  And years from now, as my guys cross off one of their biggest dreams from their bucket lists - hiking the Appalachian Trail with their dad - I am confident their Waterproof Bibles will truly have stood the test of time ready to be pulled from their pack for a morning sunrise meeting with their Creator.

 



 

 If you are interesting in purchasing your own Waterproof Bible or other accessories, please visit the fine folks at Bardin Marsee Publishing.  You can even customize your Bible covers.  You won't be disappointed!

 

 

{Family} No Trespassing

The boys have been bitten by the spring bug and even though the temps have been in the 20s, they've been busy at work in their fort.  For hours.  Oh, it's so good for all of us when they are outside for long chunks of time.  The boys get to use up their boy energy and Mama does not need to divert or squash their energy in the house!  Grin!

 

First up...securing the perimeter and marking the entrance.

 



I'm so thankful for our teensy bit of woods here in suburbia.  This area was "given" to the boys to do as boys will do...no digging or trampling the landscaping anywhere else.  When the foliage is in bloom it is difficult to even see the road or neighbor's houses!

 

The boys are standing in the hole they are digging.  It's going to be a very deep hole, so I'm told.

 

 

Hello, I'm a mom of boys...

 

And I'm a pro at doing laundry.

{Project 365} Day 33: Valentine's Exchange

 The boys were so excited for a Valentine's exchange at homeschool co-op. 

 

Is it any surprise they all chose the "Star Wars" option from my pinterest Valentine board?!

 

 

 

{Project365}: capturing this life - one photo (or so) every day for one year

 

$8.00 for glow sticks, cardstock and ink (free from home), and 57 cards later...I'd say our first Valentine's exchange was a success. 

 

*I did not print them as suggested by the person who created these.  Instead, I printed the "white background" on colored cardstock.  I was too cheap to use that much color ink on this project!  You should check out the originals...they are really great!*

 

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!!!

{Project365} Day 15: Many Hands Make Light Work

Many hands make light work and that's a good thing...

 

 

...because many bodies make lots of laundry.

 

{Project365}: capturing this life - one photo (or so) every day for one year

Resurrection Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter weekend after a very busy (and stressful) week. Of course, the reason for our celebration trumps any of the other "traditions..." I had the priviledge of helping to lead Sunday morning worship telling the story of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. One of my favorite songs from Sunday is "Wondrous Love." (Oh my, you should hear Sadie sing this..."for my sooooouuuulllll! for my soouuuullllllll!")

My guys all decked out in their new duds...

After snapping about 5 shots like this one, I gave up on the idea of taking a sweet family photo...kinda too bad...Mama looked super sweet in her new maternity dress showing that little baby bump!

The kids had a blast searching for eggs...the boys were too quick to get any decent pictures.

Oh, there we go with a sweet smile...after the egg hunt, after the boys had already changed into play clothes, after mama had massively windblown hair and a much larger belly from being stuffed full of holiday dinner. Ah, well...the story of my life. I intend to leave my legacy in words rather than pictures of myself. Grin.

In the Woods

Since daddy is away for work all week...six days (the longest he's ever been away...boo!), in California, on the beach, weather in the 60s-70s...I realize that we're gonna have to make the best of this week!

Of course, I came up with a brilliant idea...hiking at Mendon Ponds on the Birdsong Trail. The boys walk, Mama pulls Sadie in her sled. It was gonna be perfect, I tell ya!

But then we arrived and set foot on the trail...no snow! We had enough snow at our house for the sled. Of course, I didn't bring the stroller because we were going to use the sled!

Sadie hated it. She did not want to walk. I did not want to carry her all the way. Luke even offered to help carry her but bowed out after a few steps because she was "too heavy."

Epic fail.

We had to do something for 2.5 hours before a pediatrician visit...

I suggested that the boys go run in the woods and make an adventure while I sat and snuggled Sadie on the bench.

So pitiful...

"I wanna go home..."

Oh my...this boy is handsome! (I LOVE taking portrait shots of my kids!!!)

This boy...just as handsome!!!

Another handsome boy??? Why, yes!!!

Sadie didn't cry the whole time...as long as I was holding her. I just kept giving her kisses in the woods and telling her how much I love her. (Thank you, Luke, for taking this fabulous picture!)

Holding Sadie made picture taking a little hard. But I still think I got some great shots!!! I need to remember when I have my sunglasses on, I have a harder time seeing my exposure level...take those sunglasses off!

When fingers and toes got cold, we headed to Honeoye Falls for Chinese buffet, then on to the pediatrician.

In the end we had a great outing...fresh air, sunshine, lots of snuggles and kisses, and a few hours to occupy our time making this week to by more quickly.

Thirty-Five {Anything But Ordinary}

My birthday was today. I'm thirty-five.

I was chatting with a longtime birthday twin friend...in fact our moms roomed together at the hospital when we were born! She was having a normal day at home...her hubby was away for most of the day, she had baked her own cake, and was cleaning in preparation for her family coming over for dinner. I was sharing how my day was going to be pretty ordinary today as well...keeping fingers crossed that no one else would get the pukes, dealing with a few head colds, and just the everydayness of life.

We both agreed though that having birthdays as an adult are not quite as big a deal as when you're younger or before you have kids. We're learning to be less selfish with our desires for our day going our way.

That conversation got me to thinking about how my days are generally pretty ordinary. But, in reality, each day holds an opportunity to see the extraordinary. It's there, I know it! I live it when I choose to.

It's easy to get bogged down in the mundane, the annoying, the same old same old...

I purposed today to see the extraordinary in my day even though it was pretty much an ordinary day. Kinda like counting 1000 gifts...

Thirty-five or so extraordinary things about my day...in no particular order, but in reverse of my actual day.

1} Cheesecake from Wegmans because I prefer cheesecake over birthday cake

2} 35 candles...totally lit up the darkened room

3} Chili's Carside To Go - Fiesta Lime Chicken

4} Wendy's for the kids - no meal preparation today - mama's day off

5} Thoughtfully chosen birthday gifts: rolly ink pens, candles, peanut butter cups

6} Excitement over using the pens to journal...I like the "flow" of these pens while writing

7} Fresh flowers in bright colors because they know that's what I like

8} These darling children who call me mama, who teach me more about love and forgiveness, patience and kindness, being selfless and giving than all the most wonderful people in the whole wide world. So challenging. So rewarding.

9} A surprise party in a totally decked out dining room with streamers and balloons galore

10} Secret party plans and whispers while handwritten lists were being made

11} Happy Birthday signs

12} Feeling and knowing this song in my heart: What a Savior

13} Worship team - the friendships and blessings that have come from being with this group of talented people

14} Connected and comfortable to be my goofy self with these friends...laughter

15} Excited for the first time in a long time about music, singing, playing the piano...stretching and growing, remembering those starry eyed days of high school when music was in every part of my life

16} Free

17} Time to work on a baby sized scrap quilt

18} Repeatedly pushing our awesome doorbell that plays songs...today's song...Happy Birthday!

19} My camera - capturing these extraordinary days

20} Laughing at some of the pictures I chose for this post...some are wonderful, some are not, some were taken with my dslr camera, some were taken with our family's dying point and shoot (I do NOT like that camera now that I am learning to shoot in manual!)

21} Eensy, teeny rickrack - thrifted

22} Hanging out in my sewing room imagining up wonderful projects with vintage sheets and rickrack and free patterns and embroidery hoops and, and, and...

23} Excitement about life

24} Cozy fire and boys who know how keep it going strong

25} Our home and how perfectly perfect it is for our family

26} Boys out shopping with daddy while Sadie and Mama "kick it old school" and dance in Sadie's room. Yes, there is video evidence that I didn't attempt to load here. No, I'm not embarrassed by my dance moves...they're totally awesome...just ask the worship team...

27} French Vanilla creamer

28} This man - Sorry I chopped off your legs in this picture. You're still handsome even without legs. We both know that your toes wouldn't win any modeling awards anyhow. Seriously, I'm gonna make him haul in more wood and retake these pictures with his legs intact. I was just too lazy to put on shoes and tromp out in the snow to get a better picture. Kicking myself now. But not Mike from the picture...he's not kicking...he doesn't have legs.

29} Did I mention how handsome my husband is in the picture above. That's not just camera trickery I learned in my photography class. That's the real deal.

30} My husband - Godly, loving, hard worker, provider, super daddy, strong moral fiber, family oriented, indulgent of all my "craftsy/artsy" stuff, and on and on...

31} Setting out a thrifted picture...tranquility

32} Redecorating the top of the piano

33} Choosing fabric to cover the boring white shade. Sunday's project, perhaps?

35} A delicious, healthy smoothie with an umbrella for pizzaz

36} New mugs from Target

37} Amish fiction - let me hear a little whoop, whoop for clean, easy, mindless reading

38} Playing outside with Sadie while the boys were out shopping. I overheard her saying, "I want to go outside. I'm going to sneak out." while she was putting on her jacket and shoes. Choosing to love her and head outside instead of enticing her to stay inside with treats and movies. (Yes, I do that sometimes...don't judge me!)

39} Pulling Sadie around in her sled...seeing the smile on her face knowing I made the right choice to take her outside

40} Her matter of fact statement, "All princesses wear rainbow gloves!" Mama needs to get herself some rainbow gloves...

41} Unlined rubber rain boots with the cutest polka dots. Why don't I own winter boots??? Where do I live again???

42} Party feet - sparkly nail polish and hot pink flip flops - thrifted. I need that pop of color in my life everyday!!!

43} Meaningful notes and messages from loved ones and friends about my birthday, my life, the choices we have made and are making. Thankful for their love and support.

Thank you, Lord, for this life you have given me, for helping me to see the extraordinary in the ordinary days of life. So blessed!!!