Currently Listening Lilith Fair: A Celebration of Women in Music By Various Artists see related

Nothing fancy, just the facts here....

Its a fact...I have one of those "active" children.

Liam jumped out of his crib this morning.   I heard a thud that woke me this morning followed by random screams.  A fat lip, red eye, and a few drops of blood (never found the origin) later, and I am sure it will attempted again.  (By the way Liam is fine, all boy-all adventurer-all the time!)

We plan to wrap his bed in chicken wire and staple his pajamas to the mattress...that is unless any of you have better ideas.......?

Currently Listening Dummy By Portishead see related

 Just a real quick check in!  I am on another site that is geared more towards weightloss and healthy living called SparkPeople and I spend a lot of time there.  Its actually working out to be a great thing for me.  I am a lot trimmer and fit than I was just a month ago and I am up to 3.5 miles on my runs.  I plan to run in the Reeds Lake Run on June 30 and it will be my first run back.  Not really nervous, but really excited!

Bathroom is still in process, functioning, but not necessarily pretty!  Here are some pics of the process:

Breaking out old tub----with new tub and rock walls---me doing tile----Tim's Stepdad putting in door

This weekend should see a lot more accomplished.  Right now our electrical is done (thanx Steve) and all of the old tile removed.  I will share a pic of the scene after that!

And to sign off, here is a pic of my little man.  He has been a little fireball lately but he is learning things at a rate that I can't even keep up with!  He actually throws his own diapers away now.  And in the morning he says "Ju" (Juice) and I open the fridge (having strategically placed his juice filled sippy cup on the bottom shelf the night prior) and he yanks out his cup.  He also says "da" or "day" after you give him anything and that is his "thank you" for right now.  Good stuff and I am honored to witness his knowledge of the world bloom!

 I think he is the most beautiful thing in the world.  Of course I am mommy.

Currently Listening Big Calm By Morcheeba Because Brandi needs big calm right now! see related

DO IT YOURSELF!!!! We will!

        For those folks who have not visited the Van Houten home or have and don't know its sordid decorated-by-crazy-old-Lucille past!

ThisBecame

ThisBecame

And now, today we work on our ugly peach and black bathroom and.....  

This becomes..... ????????   

I'M SO SCARED!!!!  Gotta love being a

do-it-yourselfer!!!

Currently Listening Baxter By Baxter see related

Will & Grace

And so it begins, right?  Liam has developed this very willful little persona and it shows itself when he defies gravity with what I call the "I-ain't-listenin'-to-you-back-bend-squeal-combo."  And I am finding it very hard to extend grace to the little guy!    (seriously, where ever does he get this rebel independence from???)  I love that he is at this cool age where he is learning soooo fast and does his own little thing but we are at a "tween" spot now.  He sort of knows "no" but he doesn't get why quite yet.  So its this repetive no, no, no, over and over and Liam just getting all upset with me.  Call me crazy, but its hard not take it personal.  And he is taking an hour less nap than before.  Its been a hectic past couple of days!!!  Any advice from you parents that have been through this phase?  I just want him to enjoy our time together so I am reading extra stories and playing on the floor with him more, but it feels like he already thinks "what's she going to stop me from doing now?"  I am so sad about it!  I love my little man happy. 

On a lighter note, Liam carried my tea kettle around the house all day today like a purse.  He had that thing where ever he went and it was so cute.  And I sure wasn't about to try to take it away from him!  I took a couple of pics that I'll post soon of him with his kettle.

God Bless!

Currently Reading NIV Womens Devotional Bible By Zondervan see related

On This Good Friday, to You!

A painting from the Louvre that I snapped when Tim and I visited Paris a few years back

Portrait Of Grace

How can I serve you better O Great King?

How can I, more glory to your name, bring?

And as I strive to add beauty to this earth

let me be reminded of the beauty of Christ's birth.

May my actions be as strokes as I paint of portrait of your face

So that others may see and know the colors of your grace.

What hue is cast when the love of all love is shared?

What shape is made by a sacrafice beyond compare?

This be my ode to you-not words nor slight of line,

But rather my love for others, and in that love, its you they'll find.

~BVH

Please take a moment for the Father today, and thank Him for the sacrafice of His son, Jesus Christ.  It is through him that we are made whole and clean and able to count ourselves among the flock.  I pray that you all find peace today and that the blood of the lamb covers you throughout all of your days, for He is our hope!  God Bless!