family pictures

my friend tracy took our family pictures at minnehaha falls!

being content

this devotion was perfect timing for me this morning:

1 timothy 6:6-10

"but godliness with contentment is great gain. for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

paul, the author of this short letter to his friend timothy, was no stranger to difficult times. but after being beaten, imprisoned and threatened with death, he could still write the words, "godliness with contentment is great gain."
when we focus on the idealistic notion that we will be content if this would happen or if we had that or if we could go there - we fail to notice the truth that contentment doesn't come from externals; it only comes internally, in a relationship with God. true contentment has more to do with a life of inner peace rather than with one of outer ease.
when we find contentment first in our relationship with Jesus, our view of what we have and what we lack changes. for example, if we really believe Jesus loves us and desires for us to grow into all he has for us, we can embrace our trials as useful in God's hands.
contentment comes as we view our circumstances through the lens of our relationship with God and what he is trying to accomplish in our lives. contentment will involve:

• putting God first and things second.

• looking for God in every moment - not just the pleasant but the unpleasant, not just the easy but the difficult, not just the simple but the hard.

• rejecting our cultural definitions of success. a successful life is one that begins with knowing and loving God.

contentment is a life of inner peace rather than one of outer ease.
from MOPS devotional

she said what?!

 **she was rubbing her chin and said, "i need to go to the chin doctor."


**"it's a great night for salmon!"


** "exotic" (i'm going to assume she got this from dora or diego describing a plant or animal...and not some other context!)


**she pushed up a chapstick almost the whole way.
i said, "stop! don't keep pushing it up!" 
and she said, "i woooon't. take it easy. don't be worried."

**"mom, did you hear my burp sound?" (it was actually a toot.)
"yes."
"why didn't you say anything?"
"it's more polite to be quiet."
"but it just comes out."
"yeah."
"so how can you keep it quiet?"
"when you get older you'll learn how to control it."
"like when i'm four?"

** she says she "wishes" a lot. "i wish i could have candy for breakfast." "i wish i could be in that book." "i wish i had that."

**i had my backpack on and natalie asked me, "are you bringing your backpack?"
me: "yes."
nat: "okay, yes, you may bring it."
ha! thanks for the permission, honey!

**i was putting on her hoodie and she wanted to zip it up. she said, "you just put it together and i'll zip it. i'm serious. serious. i'll do it. serious."

**me: "do you want a pony or a bow?"
nat: "no pony. no bow. none of those ingredients in my hair."


**"let me just try it on for size."

**i was singing "tomorrow" from annie and natalie said, "don't sing that song ever again."
me: "why?"
nat: "because i don't want to be 'a day away.' i want to be with my family. so don't sing that again. ever ever again. okay?"
i think she must think she is tomorrow?? because i say, "i love ya, tomorrow...."

**nat: "may you please braid my hair?" pause..."actually i'd like two braids please."
even though we were running late, i told her i would because she asked sooo politely.
when i was done she looked in the mirror and said,
"two braids! one for each side! so they can be friends with each other!"

snuggles

p.s. natalie drew a nose and whiskers on her face with a red marker. some markings remain.

she was trying to be a cat. 

i think she was inspired by all the halloween costumes!

tinsley might look as though he's not enjoying this but he really does.

i love that natalie is so affectionate.

and that tinsley loves it too and is so good with her!

youch! don't mind that his eye is being gouged. he loves it! :)

i love her expression too!

(telling him what to do, i'm sure!)

best fall cookies!

i bake these cookies for every fall activity!
it only requires three ingredients:
can of pumpkin (not pie), yellow cake mix and cinnamon chips (they're in the aisle right next to the chocolate chips. your first store might not carry them but keep trying! someone will!)

bake at 350 for 12 minutes.
deeelicious!

well check

better late than never...i finally took natalie in for her three year well check.

she has 20/20 vision!

my friend from college is her pediatrician!

natalie brought her doctor kit so she could give an exam too!

natalie weighs 28.8 pounds and is 37.25 inches tall!

we are thankful for a happy, healthy daughter!

FRIENDS are lovely

we had good friends in from chicago and got a sitter for friday night.
we went to bar abilene for dinner. there were TWELVE of us.
unfortunately i didn't get everyone's picture...but at least i got OURS!

happy halloween!

snuggles with two month old flower, elise!

hey! where's tinsley?!

oh well! mia gets to snuggle this time!

natalie was a very polite trick-or-treater!

she loved it!

i gave a piece of her candy away to another trick-or-treater and she was so sad.
she said, "but i need some for every day."

it was an absolutely gorgeous night!

TOO.MUCH.CANDY!

we had rudolph's bbq for dinner and yummy apple crisp for dessert!

costume parties!

natalie had five different fall parties to wear her costume to. and she started wearing it in september when we got it so it's gotten lots of use!

super heroes "totally awesome mom" and "the dash man"

afton apple orchard and pumpkin patch

i'm so glad i captured this expression because she does it all the time!

she thought we were crazy when we told her to pull out the seeds.

we are proud of our first jack-o-lantern!

trick or treating...at the office!

natalie got to go trick or treating at daddy's work!

everyone was very generous! (boss's daughter!)

someone gave her the bucket below to get a piece from and she took the whole thing!

someone gave her coffee! other "different" treats were a capri sun and a container of easy mac.