The Perfect Saturday

Yesterday just might have been our favorite day of the summer, thus far.  We got to spend the day with some of the most God-fearing, solid people on the planet!  How lucky are we?!

The summer I was pregnant with Sawyer, Wrex and I ran a trade show booth for his previous employer down at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Convention.  We were boothed next to the Farm Credit team and in so doing, made some of our dearest friends.

They were so kind and encouraging and offered up so much wisdom and love regarding the new journey of parenthood that we were about to embark upon.  We stayed in touch via Facebook (it has it’s good, it really does!) and then we got to see part of them again the next year.

The next convention was less than a month from our departure date to a new adventure in life and they ministered to us sooooooo incredibly much!  We still have the piece of paper with a word they had given us regarding our decision that affirmed all that we had heard from the Lord as well.  Seriously, these are some special people.

Besides Facebooking and a few phone calls, that was the last time we had really spent considerable time together…until yesterday!  We met in southeastern Colorado for some swimming and picnic-ing and playing and chatting – it was the BEST!  The kids all had an absolute ball together and we loved every minute as well.

Wryder and Gunner - how CUTE are they?!
Wryder and Gunner – how CUTE are they?!
Sunbathing beauties!
Sunbathing beauties!
The men in deep discussion on a break from their game of washers...
The men in deep discussion on a break from their game of washers…
Love these ladies!
Love these ladies!

It’s such a beautiful thing when the Lord connects people in the Spirit.  These are people that love Him and live their lives for Him…who are bearing fruit that is evident in the lives of their children…who live their lives with their hands wide open, ready to give and encourage and love at the drop of the hat.

And their sweet kids!  They were all so kind and loving and polite and grateful and obedient and CUTE!

We left feeling like someone just breathed a huge breath of life into us!  Our steps felt lighter and our souls felt more joyful and we felt hopeful about the world.

You guys, seriously, we adore you – YOU ARE A RARITY in this world!  We are so thankful for the time with you!  Let’s attempt to make this happen at least twice a year, yes?!  And if you’re really serious about that commune thing, we’re in!  😉

Our Humble Abode: Kitchen

The kitchen is the most popular room in our house…probably because we spend a lot of time there.  Between three meals and two snacks, plus prep and clean-up, some days I feel like I rarely leave it!

Aside from the flooring, this room didn’t need much attention; it mainly just looked dated…a little paint goes a long way…

Before:

395841_10151093862260335_1299500719_n403663_10151093862480335_1825011036_nAfter:

We painted all of the cabinets a soft white, added a dishwasher, painted the walls and put in new flooring.

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A little brighter, yes?!

I left some of the cabinets exposed to show off some of my fun dishes and glassware.

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I LOVE fun dishes!
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Color!
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Wrexy found this set with a pitcher for me – love them!

We got this refrigerator from my brother.  It had been in storage and was pretty scratched up so I painted it with chalkboard paint.  It’s a fantastic place to write scripture or reminders and it gives the kids something to do when I’m cooking.

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Think on these things…

Wrex made this mason jar chandelier for me when we lived in Denver and there was no question that I was hanging it here, as well.

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Isn’t this awesome?!?
It's one of my favorite things in the house...
It’s one of my favorite things in the house…

Wrex also made these wire baskets that I placed above my cabinets, along with a few other fun, vintage finds…

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He’s pretty handy…
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I also have a thing for flour sifters…
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Rusty goodness…

My other favorite thing in the kitchen are these giant letters.

Indeed...
Indeed…

They were from the old Ogallala Livestock sale barn sign and they let Wrex have them when they updated their signage.

We used an old pallet for a dish display…

Yes, more dishes...
Yes, more dishes…

an old tool box as a silver ware holder…

DSCF2080and a peg board as a electrical box hider/utensil hanger.

It's handy!
It’s handy!

Our kitchen table is butcher block style and is banged up and scarred and for this point in our lives – it’s perfect…

DSCF2084I love that everyone likes to gather here, I just really wish we had a dining room.  We have a big family and we love to have everyone over and our small space makes that difficult.  One day…one day…

kitchen

On The Go

This little guy…

IMG_4753is on the go!

He went swimming yesterday and I tried a few hundred times to get his picture without much luck; he was just too busy being a boy!

IMG_4746Most of my photo ops turned out like this:

IMG_4752or this:

IMG_4740or this:

IMG_4734or this:

IMG_4733or this:

IMG_4742See, I told you I tried.

I finally got a few decent shots…

IMG_4750IMG_4751I mean, at least you can see his face?  Right?!

And I got this cute one of sweet sister – she was ready for the camera!

IMG_4735This morning, we went out to jump on the trampoline and do a little yard work.  As we were picking up sticks, Wryder became incredibly enthusiastic so I let him have one to keep him busy.

IMG_4758IMG_4761IMG_4762He really enjoyed waving it around and banging it on, well, anything and especially…

IMG_4764IMG_4765IMG_4766IMG_4763I remember my little brother was a stick fanatic as well.  My poor mom was always searching for the broom handle, as he’d borrow it to bust out his latest ninja moves.  Some friends from Denver came down last fall and their boys had amassed a whole pile of sticks to take back home to the city – how cute is that?!

We love how boyish he is and how much energy he has and how he’s just always on the go…  Wonder WHERE in the world he gets that from?!  😉

Happy Birthday, Sexy Wrexy!

You are the most handsome of all.

wwGracious words stream from your lips.   God himself has blessed you forever.
IMG_4700Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!

9523_305261375334_374581_nYou are so glorious, so majestic!

481422_10152367365195335_2039080868_nIn your majesty, ride out to victory,
defending truth, humility, and justice.
Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

228497_7419745334_5339_nYour arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts.
The nations fall beneath your feet.

PhippsDec2013 (20)BESTEDITPsalm 45…a word the Lord gave me regarding you many years ago.  I pray it over you still, especially on your birthday.

You are a tremendous man of God and the fact that I get to spend my life with you humbles me daily.  I don’t know of anyone more loyal, gentle, loving, kind, forgiving, selfless, gracious, merciful, hard-working, even tempered, servant-hearted, encouraging or capable than you.  You are the glue that holds our family together.  You keep us grounded and rooted in the Lord and lead us in the ways of righteousness.

I’ve known you for 13 of your 32 years and am so proud of the man that you were, are and are becoming.  On this birthday, I bless you with health and vigor – 32’s not that old!  I bless you with boldness to shine the light of Jesus in dark places; boldness to be ok with being so different than the rest of the world (it’s a great thing).  I bless you with obedience, that you would continue fulfilling the Lord’s call for you and I pray that you will see the fulfillment of His promises regarding you.  I bless you with a sound mind and strong hands to do the work of the Lord.  I bless our marriage, that it would fulfill you and honor you and bless you right back.  I bless your coming in and going out…with the presence of Jesus in all that you do.

I love you, sweet husband of mine.  Happiest of birthdays to you!

Random Rambles

This girl has my heart.

She's half Nebraskan...
She’s half Nebraskan…

She’s the best kid I could have ever imagined even asking the Lord for.

Love her curls...
Love her curls…

She’s a picture of grace and mercy and forgiveness – bountiful in each.

My suntan/sprinkler partner...
My suntan/sprinkler partner…

I really, really wish I were more like her.

Cute girl in a cute shirt!
Cute girl with a big pink bow!

Lord, help me to be the mommy she deserves.

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Today was housecleaning Thursday combined with mowing Thursday.  Everything looks spic and span…and I’m beat.

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Wryder has been slowly repaying Sawyer for all of the care she’s given him over the past year.

Wheeeeeeeeeeee!
Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

He’s got a long way to go but it is so much fun to see them play so much together!

Look at 'em go!
Look at ’em go!

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Sawyer has figured out how to get in the crib with Wryder via various toys in the toy room.

Sweet sibs!
Sweet sibs!

Thankfully, he hasn’t managed to get out………yet.

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In order to save a few dollars, I starch and press all of Wrexy’s dress shirts here at home.  After I’ve ironed them, I always stick little notes in the pockets.  Nothing too elaborate, but a little note of some sort to make him laugh or to let him know how special he is to me; it’s a simple way I can show some love.    Sawyer has recently gotten in on the action.  She’ll color and decorate the note paper and then write her message and tell me what it says so I can write it out to make sure daddy can understand it.  Wrex sent me this pic the other day…

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🙂

That girl loves the sale barn…and that daddy loves that girl.

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Our sweet neighbor and friend had a birthday today and I whipped up this cute door hanger for their baseball loving family.

Imagine there's a burlap bow and a jute rope hanger, will you?!
Imagine there’s a burlap bow and a jute rope hanger, will you?!

I had seen a version of this floating around Pinterest and I thought it was ADORABLE.  Turns out, it was an easy naptime project!

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We popped into the local dollar store yesterday and in a basket of clearance items were some Disney princess stick on earrings for $0.40!  We bought ’em.

Can ya see 'em?!
Can ya see ’em?!

I remember my grandpa buying me stick on earrings when I was a little girl and I loved them!  My parents didn’t really have any major rules on getting ears pierced but I was scared to death to do it until about 6th grade.  Thankfully, I had those fashionable, sticky, sparkly shapes to get me through…

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We’re headed to Denver tomorrow to celebrate the graduation of two young ladies who we’ve had the pleasure of doing life with.  To think I first met them when they were 7 and 8 makes me feel OLD.  Why can’t that danged clock slow down…

Happy weekend to you!

What Can I Say But Words

Sawyer has quite the extensive vocabulary for a three year old.  I’d say she comes by it honestly…her momma loves words and her daddy never stops talking, so there ya go!

We were talking about some of the funny word variations she’s been using lately, like favilous (fabulous) or dangerful (dangerous), and it made us think of the some of the amusing names she’s had for other things in the past.

Ever since she was a tiny tyke, a blanket has been referred to as a beat and a remote has been a motorLick chips are Doritos (because she used to like to just lick the cheesey stuff off before eating the rest) and a guh-jraffe is a giraffe, just pronounced with a hard g.  She loves when she gets to use bandits (band aids) and mecimum (medicine).  Green beans are bean beans, bacon is known as cracker and for a while, bananas were nummies.  She calls ear phones helmets, diapers are sometimes di-dees and the chill museum is also known as the children’s museum.  She loves to put her guns up and yell rack attack instead of Wreck ’em Tech, but hey, it’s close enough for me.

All of these cute little mispronunciations and nicknames brings our lives so much joy, just like her!  I love that I can have such serious conversations with her and that I can have super silly ones, too.  She’s one of my most beloved friends; one of my favorite people on the planet.

She’s just plain favilous!

Knocking it Out of the Park

I cleaned out my desk this morning and I made it out alive!!  Phew.  It had gotten a little out of control and I’m proud to report that my laptop can fit on it’s surface again.  Ahem.

In that process, I was organizing some preschool stuff and some Bible study materials and I forgot that I had gotten out two old journals the other day, searching for some notes on a study we’d done a few years back.  I was browsing through them…which can be quite humbling, mind you.  It’s a little gut wrenching when you’re still struggling with some of the same thing you were struggling with in 2011.  Keep pressing in, Lord.

One of those journals was Wrexy’s and I was browsing through it and I came across a list he made in May of 2011 titled “Top 15 Goals for My Marriage/Family.”  I was gonna just skip right over it but I felt the Lord asking me to dwell there for a minute, so I read through them.

  1. Create a loving, God-fearing environment.
  2. To be someone Stef trusts and relies on.
  3. To be an example to others of Christian marriage.
  4. To be an involved dad, teaching my kids to do things/gain skills.
  5. To be a good provider.
  6. To teach my kids to hear from the Lord and leave a legacy of the fear of the Lord.
  7. To be a dad/husband that my family will be proud of.
  8. To instil self-worth and the truth about who they are in my kids; build each other up.
  9. To grow together as a family through acts of service/giving.
  10. To be an example of a loyal, honest, hard-working man.
  11. To grow closer to Stef with each day and year through oneness with Christ.
  12. To help nurture Stef’s gifts.
  13. To remain best friends with Stef.
  14. To communicate well with Stef, not just say what I think she wants to hear.
  15. To not grow complacent in my role as the spiritual leader of my home.

Be. Still. My. Heart.  I was absolutely speechless and so incredibly humbled reading this list.  Talk about selfless and God-centered; he gets it and we are blessed because of it.

Let me just say, you are doing a darn fine job, handsome.  I am so proud to be your wife.  You are the glue that holds this ship together and keeps us afloat and you are knocking it out of the park in the husband/dad department!

Thank you for showing us on a daily basis how Christ loved the church.

Thank you for wanting the best for us.

Thank you for dying to yourself over and over again.

Thank you for leading us and guiding us and providing for us.

Thank you for being the most gracious, forgiving, patient, honest, loyal, generous, gentle, determined, enthusiastic, unflappable, God-fearing man I’ve ever known.

****Note to readers, W and I are that couple that shares everything (as I believe all married couples should) – passwords, prayers, bank accounts, spit.  😉  He was not at all concerned that I read his journal or that I shared it here.  His main concern was that women would be stumbling in covetousness.  Ahem.  Notice I didn’t list ‘humble’ in my description of him.  🙂 ****

Love Like That

Earlier, I told you how much I loved Valentine’s day and this year solidified those amorous sentiments even more.  My valentine is soooooo incredibly sweet (and handsome!) and he went out of his way to make the day extra special for me.  He’s good at showing love like that…

Good lookin' rascal!
Good lookin’ rascal!

Wrexy has to leave early on Fridays for his Wyoming sale, so on Thursday morning, we celebrated a little early with heart pancakes.

Yum yum!
Yum yum!

Sawyer thought these were fantastic!  I thought they turned out cute, too.  I ended up putting my batter into a condiment bottle and squeezing it out onto the griddle that way – super easy!

I woke up Friday morning to these beauties…

Gorgeous, right?!
Gorgeous, right?!

Our neighbor is a {fabulously creative} florist and she put this together for him in a vintage flout sifter, no less!  EEP!  I was THRILLED!  I absolutely LOVE fresh flowers and these are still going strong.  Every time I see them on the table I just feel joyful – love them!

The night before, I threw up a little curtain and some hearts and put everyone’s little gifts out.  I like to show love like that…

Love is in the air...
Love is in the air…
Little expressions of love...
Little expressions of love…

The day before, Sawyer wanted to make cards, so I made one for her and Wryder and I’m happy to report that it was his favorite gift.  Probably because it was the most edible, but hey – I’ll take it.

We got daddy off to work and we whipped up some cupcakes for the neighbors.  Little miss likes to share the love like that…

Red velvet, of course!
Red velvet, of course!

Cubbie bear is at our house again this week, so he got to help!  Sawyer is a great batter mixer AND sprinkler – check out the finished products…

She did great, yes?!
She did great, yes?!

She was feeling pretty rotten by the end of the day, but she had energy enough to put on her fancy dress for our V-day dinner.  Daddy was home by supper so we made steak, potatoes, squash/zucchini and garlic bread – four of his favorites!

They are so sweet...
They are so sweet…

It was just a lovely day!  I love my husband and I really, really want him to know that.  I don’t really buy into this “I don’t need a certain day to make sure my spouse knows that I love them” stuff.  You should absolutely make sure they know they are loved every day, but there is definitely nothing wrong with taking a specific time to refresh and renew those sentiments by putting that love into action, ya know?  Wrex does a great job of showing me love on a daily basis and he did especially so on Valentine’s day, making my love for him grow all the more. Everyone should want a love like that…

I hope you all had special days with your loves and more than that, I hope that you know the One who loves you more than all the rest.  The Lord’s love is so pure and so perfect…He never hurts our feelings…He’s always present and available…He doesn’t disappoint…He doesn’t love us only when we’re at our best…He loves us no matter where we go or what we do or who we’re with…

We’ve (obviously) been talking a lot about this love thing and talking to Sawyer about how God loves us.  Our family prayer has been to love like thatLord, help me to love like that…

Hogs and Kisses

It’s confession time…

I am a sucker for Valentine’s day.

I love Jesus, so Christmas and Easter are givens for me, but Valentine’s is, hands down, my next favorite.  Maybe it’s because I am head-over-heels in love with husband and that I feel so incredibly and wholly loved by him.  Whatever the reason, I am in!  I love all of the pinks and reds…I love all the girly prints and designs and patterns…I love flowers and chocolate and romantic dates and sparkly things…I love it all!

We always take Valentine goodies to our neighbors and to Sawyer’s sale barn buddies and this year, she wanted to take a little something to her friends at Cubbies – how could I say no?!  🙂

I wanted to do something a little more than just a paper valentine or a piece of candy so we came up with this:

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We found little piggy banks at the dollar store; pink for girls and blue for boys of course!

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I added a little tag that says, “Hogs and Kisses” and I pic-monkeyed that little kissable piggy…

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I am so completely happy with how they turned out, as was little miss; we can’t wait to give them to all of the cute Cubbies we know!

XOXO

Little Coats

I don’t think I ever knew how much I would love to have little coats hanging in my mudroom.

IMG_2543I went through a phase in my life where I didn’t want to have kids.  I was scared to death of the thought of carrying one in my womb, much less the birthing process.  Thanks to Hollywood, the (apparent) pain and screaming and grimacing and cursing and squeezing and pushing just didn’t seem worth it.  On top of that, it felt like the world just kept getting meaner and meaner and I just couldn’t stomach the thought of making a child live in it.  It felt so unfair, so risky, so irresponsible.

I still remember sitting at our dining table talking to Wrex about the perils of the world and in those very seconds, the Lord revealed such sweet wisdom to me.  He showed me how the world would never stop being mean and nasty, especially if there wasn’t another generation to rise up and bring people to His Son.

Mind changed.  And I’m oh so glad it did.

IMG_2328These two have brought more joy to our lives than I could have ever dreamed or imagined.  They love so unconditionally and forgive so fully and show love so willingly.  They are so pure of heart and gentle in spirit; they make me want to be better and do better and say better and act better and think better.

Our life looks nothing like it did pre-children and there are things I miss about it just being the two of us.  I miss the small amount of responsibility I once had…the way we could pick up and go somewhere on a whim…the uninterrupted conversations…the quick meal times and long snuggle times…the way the house would stay clean and picked up for weeks on end…but there will be time enough for all of that again one day.  Yes, there’s more laundry and more dirty diapers…there’s fewer showers and more time-outs…there’s more correcting and less vegging…there’s more stuff scattered about and longer to-do lists that rarely get done…

But I’ve come to cherish those things.  All that I feel I’ve lost, is lost not.  And even if it was, I have gained so much more.

The little notes that get left around on my things, just to say “I love you” in one of the biggest ways she knows how…

IMG_2547The tiny cups of “tea” she makes for me when we come in from playing outside…

IMG_2546The way he always has a smile ready and waiting to send my way…

IMG_2115The pictures I find on my phone that show the things in her world that catch her eye…

IMG_2410The way she finds a flower for me every time we’re outside…

IMG_2094The way he’s always up for an adventure, even if it involves something pink…

IMG_2540The toys she leaves in my spaces because she wants them “to be like mommy’s”…

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Oh, man – I have lost naught.  Those two sweeties are my heart outside of my body.  They are why I do this blogging thing. They are why my husband works so hard incredibly hard to provide for our family so I can stay home to pour into them.  They are our reward and our blessing.

It just seems like those little coats keep getting bigger and bigger, quicker and quicker.  I want to slam on the brakes and put my hands over the rest of the numbers on the calendar and just force the time to STOP.  Because there are days I didn’t do it right and need a second chance…there are memories I want to ingrain in my mind to re-live again and again…there is so much left to do with them while they’re little and I want to make sure we get it all done…there are more things for them to leave about the house so that I’m constantly reminded how empty this life would be without them.

Good gravy, I just don’t want this time to slip right through my fingers; I want to make it count.  I want the wearers of these little coats to know that the Lord loves them exceptionally more than I ever could and that I love them a whole, whole, whole heackuva lot..and still will, even when their coats aren’t so little anymore.