a flask of olive oil.

2 Kings 4:1-7

So many times we focus on what we don't have. But the truth is that we always have something to give, offer, bring. This story is about this widow who had creditors after her, threatnening to take her sons as slaves. All she had was a flask of olive oil- but even this was something, even this was more than enough. Because when divided into jars she had enough of them to sell and pay off her debt.
May I always be resourceful with what I have. May I focus on what I do have, what I can offer and see how that multiplies and is more than enough. And isn't this what God is all about? Our relationship with him. We don't have anything to offer this great God, nothing but ourselves. But that is all He wants, just me, just you.

love:hate

We have a love hate relationship. Love the way [usually] I feel after making it to the gym: working out, relieving stress, and taking care of myself. Love when I do better than the last time. Love when I surprise myself. Hate that it's mostly hard to motivate myself to go. Hate when i'm not consistent. Hate when i'm just so tired that I'm not sure it would benefit me to go. Hate when I don't push myself and just do the minimal. Perhaps at some point this relationship will even out? I sure hope so.

The Standard.

As women, we often put alot of pressure on ourselves. There are many shoes that we need to fill and we obviously want to do them well. Time and time again I find that I am so hard on myself. I cut everyone slack, understand that people have alot on their plate, allow room for improvement or mistakes but don't allow myself the same. I look around and compare myself to others and see how I need to change. Today I found myself thinking to whom I was comparing myself to.What or whom am I measuring myself against and where am I getting these [sometimes ridiculous] ideas.
This year I am taking the risk. Letting go of preconcieved notions of who I think i'm supposed to be and simply becoming. Doing things I want to do but normally wouldn't because of what someone might think or say. Does that sounds wrong or selfish? Bummer for you cause here I come :)

14.

I love this man. This year we will have been together for 14 years and will celebrate our 8 year wedding anniversary.
Wouldn't have it any other way. Look forward to growing old with him.

do you ever?

Do you ever just feel the need for change? Anxious for something more? Ready for change but not sure where to start? Let me back up by saying that I am happy with my life. I am grateful, thankful for a beautiful, healthy family. An awesome, hardworking husband, a home, a job, a great church. It has nothing to do with that. Actually, I'm not looking for change of location (Lord knows this!) or a change of circumstance. I'm looking for inward change, personal change, Ileana change. Maybe change is not even the correct word...

Most moms would understand. I am young wife and mother that has been devoting my life to my family. I pour everything that I am and have into them. Often I find that I neglect myself, the things that I need or want for them. I am not angry or bitter about this, just realizing that I would be so much better if I spent time on myself. Figuring out what I love, cultivating interests, getting fed and re-fueled. What does this mean? What does this look like for me? These are the questions that I am facing right now.

experimental.

When it comes to the kitchen and cooking I stick to what I know. That doesn't say much because I don't know very much about cooking and I don't really like following recipes.

These last few weeks I have been doing the Daniel Fast with the staff and other folks from our church and it has really been a stretching and experimental time. I've had to eat things I would normally pass up and try things I wouldn't normally do and I have learned a lot! And most of our meals have included alot of this...

It's been quite a few weeks and i'm thankful but I surely am ready for my cup of java ;)

Ordinary day.

Do you ever have one of those ordinary days that needs a little jazzin up?? Today was one of those days for us. We spent most of yesterday at home, all three Casey boys are sick. And in my book you can't spend two full days stuck in a house unless you absolutely have to. Today was a brisk, very breezy fall day. After the boys woke up from naps (actually Braden never actually got around to falling asleep, sigh) I decided to run out to the store and grab a couple of hellium balloons. We headed outside and ran around for a little while. It was nice to get some fresh air and burn some energy.

Here's a sneak into what balloons, bubbles, and the Casey's look like :)

Disturb Me.

"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord."     Sir Francis Drake

Fall craftiness.

I finally got around to getting a couple of things together for fall. Love this time of year- looking forward to doing some fall crafy projects!

java.

I love it. I'm not partial to a particular place. I just love it. Sometimes I think I drink too much, othertimes I think I should drink it more.

I love the way it smells. I love the taste. I love the calm feeling I get while I drink it- even if it only lasts the second it's in my mouth. I love cool places that serve it. I don't mind a little twist to it (iced, flavored, swirled). I love how it accompanies a good conversation, book, magazine, or chilly morning.

Call me crazy, I call it a little bit of sanity.

Hello, September!

I am excited for September for many reasons..For starters, fall is my favorite season! I love the cool, crisp air, wearing sweaters, the changing leaves and how beautiful everything looks. Fall feels fresh and like the beginning of something new. I think this year i'm a little extra excited for fall for some reasons I can't share just yet [and no we are not having a baby :)]. And I can't forget- in just a few short weeks my new baby niece will be here! I cannot wait to meet her, hold her, snuggle her, and of course snap some photos!

I was originally somewhat mourning the end of summer- it was a great one, lots of fun, outdoor play, and memories for us as well as the boys. I think it was extra special just because Braden is old enough now that he can really remember the different things we did and places we visited. Just the other day he was telling someone the places we went to on vacation this year- he remembered each place in the order we visited. Sigh, my boy is getting big. But ok, back to loving September.

This September I really just wanted to take the time to jot down a couple of "goals" or things I really wanted to focus on this fall. I did something similar to this at the beginning of the year and it has been nice to look back and see what i've accomplished or how i've done with certain things I wanted to work on. So, this is nothing serious or long but just along the lines of really wanting to focus and take the time to enjoy the moments and this season that will be gone before we know it.

So this September [or Fall really] I want to:
~ Stay consistent with my running, at least 3 times a week (i'll be participating in my first 5k at the end of the month, yikes!)
~ Go apple picking- I really like Bowman's Orchard so I definitely want to go there but i'd also like to check out a new place. Just read about a place in Burlington, VT hmm..
~ Pick back up on my reading! I love to read but it seems that I haven't picked up a book in quite some time. So i'll be starting this up with two books that I started and didn't get very far in. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards and The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian.
~ Be purposeful with time spent with my boys. This is Braden's last year before he heads to school. He is already so big and I have been blessed to be able to stay home with him. I don't take this time for granted one bit. I want to soak up this time I have with him.
~ Keep up with my 365. I had started at the beginning of the year and then slacked. Thanks to motivation from a friend I started it back up and have been able to keep up with it.
~ Work on my editing and Photoshop skillz.
~ Figure out a schedule/routine for myself and the family that I can live with. Where I can get things done around the house, spend quality time with the boys and hubby, and still get time in there for myself.

Thankful for this new season and anticipating all the great things that are in store!

super cool, super saving thrifty mom.

Have you ever met one or read about one? If you saw my coupon binder or even my previously separated coupons with my "to buy" list, you might be fooled to think I am one.

But the truth is that I'm a long ways from being this super cool, super saving thrifty mom. As a matter of fact my binder had been neglected for so long that when trying to find and organize my newest coupons I came across all of these

{gasp} expired coupons.

Please, don't get me wrong. I'm a believer. I have seen the savings rack up and have smiled with pride when showing my hubby my savings. But I have been weary in this department- perhaps it's the summer lull, all of the times we have cooked out at my parents and I haven't had to cook, maybe i've just been lazy?

But I haven't given up. I choose to coupon :)

*for inspiration and couponing made easy check out Hip2Save

Before [& After]

Isn't it crazy how time flies? How much things change in a short amount of time? Where you end up vs how you thought that things would go? I've been thinking about this lately- well kind of since our 7 year wedding anniversary just went by last week.

Seven years ago we were young. We had big dreams and hopes and we were carefree. We didn't exactly know where God would lead us and we were ok with that. We had fun, stayed up late, hung out with friends whenever, and I could eat whatever I wanted and didn't need to worry about excercise.

We were blessed to work with an amazing group of students and leaders for five years. Had some good times, trips, late nights, & memories. I'd get carded for seeing a rated R movie and get asked out by some of the teens that visited youth group.

In 2006 we had Braden. Our lives changed. I could not have imagined loving someone so much. Our focus suddenly shifted. There was so much more to think about. I couldn't imagine life without that little guy.

Then in 2009 we gave Braden the best gift ever, a brother, Carter.

When I was pregnant with Carter I worried (and sometimes cried) that I wouldn't be able to love him as much as I loved Braden. I couldn't imagine what it would be like- to be the mom of two, how I would handle all of the everyday things, whether we would like him as much (it's kind of sad to admit), whether Braden would love him. Much to my relief (and i'm sure now to yours) I loved him immediately. As soon as I saw him I knew that he belonged to us, he was part of our family, he was perfect. I instantly couldn't imagine life without Carter as part of us.

And now in 2010,we're not quite as young, I don't get carded for R rated movies, I don't usually choose to stay up too late because I know my boy will be up by 6am, it's a little harder to be spontaneous, my house is sometimes messy, I usually have laundry to wash or fold or both, I can't always remember the last time I got to pee [or be in the bathroom alone!], we made choices/moves that we couldn't have anticipated, vacation doesn't mean sleeping in/laying out but getting up early and finding crabs and building sandcastles- but I can't imagine life any other way. I am blessed and priviledged to be able to stay home with my boys. Thanks to my hard working husband who works so that I can stay home.

Seven years ago I could never have imagined this life I lead now. A life where I love Rob more than I did then and where we get to love and raise these two boys together- with all of the bumps and bruises that come our way.

suitcase, stool, & roses

It's been awhile! Just a quick post about some random things. I have been wanting to get a cool, old, hard suitcase that I could use for pics (mostly because I was wanting it for photos of my baby niece that is due in November) and Rob scooped one up for me last week at an estate sale. Then last Saturday I went to a couple of estate sales and found an older stool that I also thought I could use for photos- and the best part is that I got it for $1. I could possibly get addicted to going to sales and finding neat things that I could use for photo ops...hm.

Isn't she cute? You'll have to excuse the laundry basket.

Thought about spray painting it but I kind of like the weird greenish color and all of the dents, gives it some personality.

Monday Rob and I celebrated 7 years of marriage! Time flies.

The Journey.

I am guilty of too often looking ahead and not focusing on what's in front of me. I get so caught up in the details- the what if's, the when's, the what if not's. I worry. I over analyze and over think. I stress. And not only does this mean that I will often overlook the great things that are right in front of me but I am too bound to take any chance or risk.
This has been on my mind alot recently. I should say though that I have come a long way in this past year. Of trying to let go, of trusting, and being ok not being in control [because I guess in the end it's all about the control]. But it creeps back in. And right now I feel like there are certain circumstances that almost validate my worries of the future BUT-It's still wrong.
This past Sunday the message at church was more or less about this. About letting go of the what ifs. About realizing that it's not necessarily about the destination, but more about the journey on the way to the destination. So I am praying that even on this strange/hard/weird/frustrating journey- God would help me to live in it, embrace it, learn from it, and even love it.

It's back!

Got my computer back this afternoon and finally got a chance to sit down this evening and check out all of the goodies on here! I was having withdrawls...

Our friend hooked us up and made the laptop faster and better! And I'm finally able to have Photoshop on here so I'm looking forward to playing with it and hopefully learning to use it quickly!

But for now I have more laundry to fold, sigh. I leave you with a shot of my baby boy from this past week. Looove him :)

little bitty break.

My computer is being hooked up. It was a tad slow and couldn't handle some of the programs I wanted to get on there so a friend of ours is doing some stuff to it to make it better (thats my way of explaining that I have no idea what he's doing to it, Rob talked to him and as far as I'm concerned all I need to know is it will be better and faster :)!).
So i'll be taking a blogging break since I don't have a computer at home. And then hopefully I'll be back at it, full force, and perhaps even getting back up with my 365 project...
And sadly, I don't even have a picture to post with this.

Toodles.

Before bed cuteness.

Just a couple of shots of the boys tonight before bed. I think the camera was encouraging the bed jumping even though I was repeatedly telling him not to...

apples.

Braden will only eat an apple if its peeled and all of the 'boo boos' are cut off. When he's eating it, he examines it closely just to be sure. He's always been this way- since he could hold an apple, if it wasn't peeled he'd bite it and spit the skin off. Sometimes I wonder if i'm aiding him in being a picky eater by peeling his apple and other times I think , hey we all have our preferences and i'm just glad he's eating the apple. Either way, wanted to take a picture so I could remember just in case one day he decides to eat an apple with the peel and the boo boos.

Planting & Painting.

Today was a pretty productive day. We got an area rug for our basement, organized things down there a bit, I went to a planting class type of thing with Braden and Joce, and accomplished two little side projects! Did I mention I also cooked dinner?? Probably could leave that out because it was nothing to brag about- don't you just hate that?!? Boo.

Anyway, back to the more exciting things. My sister's mother in law signed the kids up for a little class at a local farm-Gade Farm. We met in the greenhouse, read some stories about recycling, taking care of the earth and planting things. Afterwards the kids got a chance to plant a couple of different things. It was short but sweet and we got to bring home six pots with cucumbers, beans, peas, sunflowers, squash and corn!

AND, my latest addiction might perhaps be spray paint! I discovered it last week and it's changing my life one household item at a time :) I revamped a little storage cupboard type thing that we had. I had not noticed how dingy, gross, and old it really was until I took it out back to sand and spray. I figured that however it turned out couldn't be much worse! By the way, I failed to take before pictures...i'm sad about that.

Then I also wanted to add a couple of things to the boys room. Just to add some personal things that also had some color. Nothing fancy or difficult- except for when you try to have my one year old cooperate when trying to get his handprint of course. Good thing Rob was around to help, otherwise it might not have happened.

Here are a couple of pics- i'll stop my rambling and get my sick self to bed or something :)

                                                         And this picture is so not perfect but I nearly lost my sight to get it!