It's been forever since I blogged, but not because life has not been full - quite the opposite. I'm not going to try and recap the past two months, but just post a couple of collages to give a small peek into our wonderful Thanksgiving we spent with our family in New Mexico and Texas...

 A bit of a hike in the Palo Duro Canyon

Sights of Texas and hanging out with family...

We were so blessed to enjoy Todd's sister, Joy's family, Grandmom and Peepaw, and extended family from there... And talk about yummy turkey! The marinated, fried turkey was so juicy and flavorful... I'll have to figure out the injectible marinade! We got to introduce Keeley to her cousins and meet the newest cousin/niece, Morgan! MUCH squealing, dressing up as princesses/fairies etc, between Sarah and Hannah... Grandmom and Peepaw even braved having them in their room for a sleep over!

 So there's this giveaway off of Fabulessly Frugal for the cool new site I'm eyeing... Vinyl decals for the walls that are so cute, but I've got to see where I can put one! Just wish I'd found this site before painting Keeley's name on her wall... I would've ordered a Large "K" instead! Thinking that the monogramed "L" with est. 2003 would look nice in our front entry way.... What do you think?

Studio JK vinyl

I just became a follower of a new blog named: Room Remix and have really enjoyed it! If you're kind of a decorating (ahem, H.C.)/DIY junkie like I am (that is when we have the budget for it) you might like it too... Right now they're doing a giveaway of a $35 gift card to a number of stores (Pier 1, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.) and if you become a follower, you can enter too! Check 'em out... 

Preschool - noun

Pre-school - adjective

Problem solved! 

Thanks Mom!

Sarah's 1st Day of Pre-School 
(Preschool? Pre-school?)!

 

(Note Sarah holding Keeley's ear... What a goofball...) 

I was so excited to have Sarah get into this pre-school and I really like their set up - ESPECIALLY the mini-toilets they have in the bathrooms that are in each classroom. (Seriously, this was my main reason for choosing this pre-school.) Things seemed to go pretty well. She marched right into the classroom  and neither Mom, Dad, nor Sarah shed a tear... well that is she was fine until another kid came in crying and, having always been a sympathetic crier in the nursery at church, got a concerned look on her face and she joined in for a while... (The teacher told me when I picked her up.) Not really surprising to me... But a successful 1st day! She'll go Thursdays and Fridays of every week from now until May... Didn't get as much of a "break" with Keeley as I thought I might (she "napped" in the car a whole 7 minutes and then wouldn't really nap after that...), but I've got all sorts of ideas of how I can spend hour and a half breaks in the future!

It was a fantastic day for a hike, so we did!

 

Both girls did really well. Sarah's getting so good at climbing, we really have to hold her back! A few falls because she's pretty confident, but nothing more than a scratch... We weren't sure if she'd be more tired from practically running two miles or talking the WHOLE way! Keeley was a champ and seemed to really enjoy the hike, had a few little fussy cries, and then zonked out on the way back from the falls... A dream day...

Lockwood "Zen-isms"

The trees are growing without making a sound...
(Sarah hiking today)

The color of the breeze crossing the ocean...
(Todd copying Sarah's theme)

It's the sound of a flower blooming...
(Sarah sometime in the past few weeks)

Do you feel more relaxed already?

Once again, catching up and mostly for Grandmom and Nana!

Pictures from August...  

(Also trying out the updated editor features in Blogger! Finally!!!)

 
 

"Picking" blueberries at a local farm...

 

 1hour's worth of picking: Sarah's basket..... My pail..... Hmmmmmm.....

Love the Bumbo!

Sisters at breakfast....

I'm ALMOST there!

No caption needed...all Sarah's doing...

In the breezeway to the Davenport Towers, Spokane, WA

Who knew luxury included golden rhinos?

Braden has got to be THE cutest little boy ever...

 

 ...and he can take Sarah in wrestling - good thing she has a "brother"!

Does Sarah remind you of anyone Mom and Dad? He...he...

 

 Smiles...

  

 Proud Nana!

  

 Cuddling with Papa

  

Nana set up a tea party... 

I hope that Sarah and I can share coffee and chat like this someday... 

She's got the look down...

 

Kate (1.5 days), Keeley (4.5 months), Raegan (10 days), Harper (3 months)

Just some of the babies born at Grace so far... We were missing Madeline.

Can't wait to add to this picture!

3 months:

Like Father Like Daughter...
(She's wearing a Brave's onsie, but you just can't see the logo)

Keeley, Keels, Keeley Bug, Smiley Keeley, Keeley Bear...

Celebrating 4 months! (Well, 4.5 months now...)

Right now Keeley is...
Content to not completely roll over, although she gets close...
Is a champ giving up her pacifier more and more getting herself to sleep even though it's only been 24 hours!
At last Dr.'s appointment: 13.5lbs (50%), 26 and 1/4" ((97%!)
So very smiley...
Blows spit bubbles
Babbles and is beginning to find the high notes
Possibly deciding she likes eating from a bottle in the day and from Mama only at night?
Loves being read to - seemingly wanting to turn pages even...
Reaching/grabs for hair, rings, earrings...
Mellow...
Wearing 6 month clothes and 6-9 month sleepers with feet because she's so long!
Loving her big sister who loves her right back!
An all around joy...

Read this this morning on my friend Bina's blog, "A Branch in the Vine".
So convicting/challenging.
I too will be rereading/praying about this in my own life...

Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need.

Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. Broken people are compassionate; they can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven.

Proud people are self-righteous; they look down on others. Broken people esteem all others better than themselves.

Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit. Broken people have a dependent spirit; they recognize their need for others.

Proud people have to prove that they are right. Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

Proud people claim rights; they have a demanding spirit. Broken people yield their rights; they have a meek spirit.

Proud people are self-protective of their time, their rights, and their reputation. Broken people are self-denying.

Proud people desire to be served. Broken people are motivated to serve others.

Proud people desire to be a success. Broken people are motivated to be faithful and to make others a success.

Proud people desire self-advancement. Broken people desire to promote others.

Proud people have a drive to be recognized and appreciated. Broken people have a sense of their own unworthiness; they are thrilled that God would use them at all.

Proud people are wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked. Broken people are eager for others to get the credit; they rejoice when others are lifted up.

Proud people have a subconscious feeling, “This ministry/church is privileged to have me and my gifts”; they think of what they can do for God. Broken people’s heart attitude is, “I don’t deserve to have a part in any ministry”; they know that they have nothing to offer God except the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives.

Proud people feel confident in how much they know. Broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn.

Proud people are self-conscious. Broken people are not concerned with self at all.

Proud people keep others at arms’ length. Broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and to take risks of loving intimately.

Proud people are quick to blame others. Broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they are wrong in a situation.

Proud people are unapproachable or defensive when criticized. Broken people receive criticism with a humble, open spirit.

Proud people are concerned with being respectable, with what others think; they work to protect their own image and reputation. Broken people are concerned with being real; what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows; they are willing to die to their own reputation.

Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual need with others. Broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs.

Proud people want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up. Broken people, once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out; they are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.

Proud people have a hard time saying, “I was wrong; will you please forgive me?” Broken people are quick to admit failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary.

Proud people tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin. Broken people are able to acknowledge specifics when confessing their sin.

Proud people are concerned about the consequences of their sin. Broken people are grieved over the cause, the root of their sin.

Proud people are remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught. Broken people are truly, genuinely repentant over their sin, evidenced in the fact that they forsake that sin.

Proud people wait for the other to come and ask forgiveness when there is a misunderstanding or conflict in a relationship. Broken people take the initiative to be reconciled when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationships; they race to the cross; they see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been.

Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor. Broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for His mercy.

Proud people are blind to their true heart condition. Broken people walk in the light.

Proud people don’t think they have anything to repent of. Broken people realize they have need of a continual heart attitude of repentance.

Proud people don’t think they need revival, but they are sure that everyone else does. Broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God and for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit.

By Nancy Leigh DeMoss

What a Birthday BASH!
Happy Birthday Drewanne, Lilly, and Gus!

Good friends, good food, sunshine and a reason to celebrate... What more could we want?


A gunnysack race!



Corn eating contest...

The winner!

My Corny Husband...

Oh how this girl loves corn on the cob!

Candy hunt in the hay!


Thanks Mitchells - you always out-do yourselves and
we KNOW it took a LOT of work!

It isn't every day that I discover something that really moves me visually. As soon as I saw Bridget's paintings, I knew they'd be perfect for my girls. I LOVE her fanciful (and always happy) subjects, her dreamy yet bold technique in watercolor... Well, here's the wall opposite both girls' rooms and their bathroom...

Woodland Tea Drinkers

Shine Like Stars

Poppy Dots

We hung these as low as we could (and not interfere with the light switch) so that the girls will be able to see them as much as possible. They are right at my eye level and I can only say they are an instant ray of sunshine in my day... I hope that Sarah and Keeley connect them with their childhood. The tea drinkers even have strawberry blondish/red hair!
Thank you Bridget!

If you want to see her other prints, HERE is her etsy shop.

July in a nutshell...

Loving having fresh flowers...
Can you believe these all come off the SAME bush?

Swimming after nap + air drying messy hair = to die for curls...

Summer Babe

Keeley's many faces at 3 months...

Sisters...

Making money after buying groceries!
Buying coupons on eBay = $4
Buying 10 cereals at discounted price (with card) when you buy 5+ Kellogg's = $18.80
Total: $22.80
- $5 instant savings (Mix 'n' Match items)
- $10 (coupons used)
- $2 when I used doublers for two of the coupons
- $10 rebate from Kellogg's found online
- $.75 random coupon off next purchase (thank you Dole!)
-----------------------------------------------------------
All Equals a net GAIN of $4.95!

THEN I bought 5 pints of Breyers ice cream ($1 each since they're 10 for 10 right now) and only paid $1 since I got a $4 off coupon from the previous shopping trip. THEN there was another one that printed off when I bought the 5 pints so I can go AGAIN and buy another 5 pints for $1!!!
This "could" get addicting...