Blessed

Ahh....ever have one of those days where you sit down and just feel overwhelmed with thankfulness? A moment of joy...not because everything is perfect or happy, not because you have everything you want, not because it's all "going my way"...I can tell you, none of those are true of this moment. But yet my heart is full of joy. Joy that comes from the Father. He has given me peace in my heart this day - that even though all around me seems to be crumbling, He holds me in His hand. I'm so thankful for my family - especially for my husband and children - I'm thankful for the breath in my lungs, the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the table, the friends He has given me....I'm blessed. Thank you Lord.

Olivia - 6 months old

It's happened...and I can't believe it's already here. Olivia is 6 months old today. My BABY is six months old today. I don't remember giving her permission to grow so quickly. Already she has mastered baby food (she ate like a pro the first time and continues to amaze us with how much she can pack in at a sitting!), she's not only scooting around the room but she's almost pushing back to a sitting position from laying on her tummy. I don't remember Micah and Ella being so quick with these skills!! Her Grandma Peggy tells me it's actually a survival mechanism ... her instincts tell her she MUST move quickly to survive in this house. How true, especially with Ella around!

These six months have been an incredible blessing...we can't imagine life without Olivia - all 4 of us didn't know what was missing, but now that she's here, we know it was HER we were missing. She's Ella's "Olivia Abigail" who will someday be her partner in crime...she's Micah's comic relief (he just laughs and laughs at everything she does)...she's daddy's snuggle bug and she's my "olive juice". THANK YOU Lord for three amazing and unique children...each one is incredible and truly a gift from you.

Joanna (one of my sisters, visiting from Chicago) took this picture of me and Olivia the other night at the pumpkin patch. I think I may have found myself a future partner in photography (Since Heather tells me she can't move to Florida and I can't move to Canada)! :)

Pajama Run 2009

And right now it is ZOOMING by. :) We're getting ready for some friends to arrive tomorrow...it will be a whirlwind of a week and we are so looking forward to it!

Since I haven't really blogged much about what we've been doing the last few months, I thought I'd try to catch up in the next few days. (Probably weeks, really...) Anyway, with Sarah and Markus here (and of COURSE my niece and nephew, Levi and Emma) we've been basically running from one thing to the next - desperately trying to cram in 3+ years of time/conversations/things to do into this short 6 month period. And we are doing a FABULOUS job of it, if I do say so myself!

One of the super fun things we did just after they'd arrived was a "Pajama Run." We put the kids to bed at our own homes, let them JUST start to get relaxed and then SURPRISE, woke them up with Grampy Tim and Grandma Esther - Oh also Auntie Joanna and Lydia too! - and and then took them all to get ice cream at McDonalds in their pajamas. They were so surprised to see us all rushing in their bedrooms - shouting "Pajama Run!!" and carrying them out the door. :) Micah and Ella had a friend spending the night - Emily - and she got to join us in the fun. Fortunately, Emily totally knows how crazy her Auntie Elisabeth is and is good with it!

Here's some pictures from our pajama run....definately something we'll do again, after they've forgotten all about it and it's a surprise again!

The Winner & Kendall

I haven't had a chance to do little Kendall justice on the blog - so here's a good look at just how beautiful she is. :) And yes, I may have a bit of an obsession with baby bits...but I just love every little part of them!

Also, the winner of the iTunes gift card is.....picked at random by www.random.org....Blog Comment #11...Amanda! Amanda, send me an email so I can get your address and mail you your gift card! Thanks to everyone who participated. :)

And now for Kendall - :) Enjoy!

Fawn - a new shop in Downtown Sanford

Today I was really excited to find 5 extra minutes to run into Fawn, a new shop that has opened in Downtown Sanford. It's a little boutique store but...not so. I can't explain it - but it's so great! You have super cute tutus and shirts and clothes for kids...stuff that's made by women and not just mass produced at the gap. :) (Don't get me wrong, I LOOOOVE the Gap...but I love a bit of individuality and uniqueness too!)

There's a place for pretty jewelry and other accessories every mom would love...scarves, FUN felt flowers for your hair (I need one or two!), beautiful handmade headbands...just LOTS to look at! Five minutes was not long enough and I can't wait to find a few more minutes without the kiddos to check it out. Having said that, it's totally kid-friendly. :) Little play area in the corner, lots of things for them to check out...my favorite part of the store is the tree that they built in the middle of the room - it's shelving and cuteness ALL rolled up in one!

Oh - and they even have a section called "Fawn Recycled" - yep, used clothes! I'm not sure if they accept consignment or just buy outright but there's a little section full of boys and girls stuff - mostly little stuff (perfect for miss Olivia) - and I LOVE that idea! I always thought boutiques should consider selling used stuff too...I mean, you only wear it a few times and it still looks great!

All in all, I'm super excited abou this addition to Sanford's historical district. :) I am looking forward to exploring the store in a little more detail and definately think you ladies and mamas out there would love it too! Their website is here and you can sign up for their newsletters. Super cute ideas for gifts for a friend or treats for yourself. ;)

LAUNCH - A Natural Light Workshop for Beginners

I have some SUPER exciting news. One of my best friends, Stacy Larsen, along with her friend, Kristie Serra, are offering an exciting workshop!! I'm so proud of her and SO excited for them! It's called LAUNCH, and it is "The natural light workshp for beginners" - how cool is that?!?

Now, this is NOT for people who are already in business and are happy with where you are.... or who just want to "take better pictures" - although, if you WANTED to learn how to take better pictures I assure you that you will! But it IS for people who want to shoot like a professional and want to start a photography business.

Well, their website says it SO much better but honestly, I'm so excited for them that I just might sign up myself! (if nothing else, I'd get to hang with Stacy for a couple of days...even if the rest of you are there too....and I promise you - she's AWESOME and you will LOVE her!!) I'm sure Kristie is great too, I've only heard good things. :)

Ok - so...spread the word peeps! An exciting opportunity and it's here in SUNNY Florida! Think of it as a nice vacation in the middle of winter - the first workshop is in February. :)

So go HERE and see what it's all about!! :)

The Stroh Family {Central Florida Family Lifestyle Photographer}

Meet the Stroh family - they are so much fun. :) I've known Leslie since I was a little girl, in fact, she calls my Grandma her "Mimi" - so it's been a while. (Truth be told, my sisters and I adored Leslie and wanted to be JUST LIKE her as we grew up - she had the prettiest hair, best smile, and HER freckles were so beautiful unlike ours, or so we thought at the time.)

Anyway, I digress......The Strohs are also missionaries with New Tribes Mission (like my hubby & I!) and they were looking for a new family photo for their prayer card. Prayer cards make me nervous because it's way more structure and posing than I like to do. BUT - we worked it out (how can I help it when they're all so gorgeous?!) - and they also have some family pictures in "my" style to go along with the prayer card options. :) On to the pictures! Michael & Leslie, it was fun - thanks for the sprite and for humoring me with my rediculous ideas. :)

This next one cracks me UP!











See?? Best smile and laugh. EVER. :)

The Results Are In..I WIN!

What do I win? Well, I'll tell you. I win the "Worst Blogger EVER" award. I can't believe it's been this long that I've neglected my poor blog. And I have no good reason - sure, life's busy. Sure, the kids have been sick. Sure, poor Olivia needed some help getting her plumbing working...you know what I mean. :) And yeah, there may have been some purposeful neglect as I napped in the afternoon.....so YUP. I win. Hands down. :)

In honor of me winning this most prestigious award, I would love to give away another iTunes gift card of $10. So if you're interested in winning this gift card from a person who CLEARLY has no respect for her blog, leave a comment below. :) I'll draw the winner at random Saturday night - you have until Saturday, October 10 at 8pm EST to leave a comment!

And, because I really REALLY need to leave a picture with this post, here's one for you to enjoy. :) This is little Kendall - 4 days old. She visited me on Monday and I will have a REAL sneak peek for her parents very soon!