We had our annual Valentine's Day scavenger hunt for the kids' little surprises. Can you tell Syd was excited to hear the next clue as Cade read them? 
They were such a great little team....I really like Valentine's Day....
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Red Night
My monthly mom's meeting encourages us to make seasons/months special, fun for our little ones....making a memory out of a Tuesday night dinner. Well, for February, we had Red Night. Wear Red. Eat Red food. Drink Red juice. Red plates. Red napkins. You get the picture. So, we had Red Night on Valentine's Day....Daddy gave all of us a card (what a sweetie!).
We had our annual Valentine's Day scavenger hunt for the kids' little surprises. Can you tell Syd was excited to hear the next clue as Cade read them? 
They were such a great little team....I really like Valentine's Day....
We had our annual Valentine's Day scavenger hunt for the kids' little surprises. Can you tell Syd was excited to hear the next clue as Cade read them? They were such a great little team....I really like Valentine's Day....
Thursday, February 25, 2010
snow day!
Friday before last, we had 2-3 inches of snow....a rare occasion in Birmingham. I had two kiddos who were SOOOO excited to be out of school and home playing in the snow. It was beautiful...I was in awe of God's creation...it was so pure, so perfect. I love it when God shows off his awesome artistic ability...and lets us play in it. 
February Fun
February is creeping by, it seems. We have had a cold month, huh! Well, the Allens are trying to stay warm, getting over the stomach bug, and watching eagerly for the first signs of Spring. Where are you, daffodils??
Anyway, here are some snapshots from our Fabulous Freezing February Fun...
Sydney had such a great time at her friend, Ellison's, birthday party. She was mesmerized by the clowns and loved having her face painted by "Sparkles". 
Not to brag, but you too can learn to make this beautiful homemade strawberry cake...my grandmother's recipe...delicious with coconut and pecans and yummy strawberry icing...but so moist it falls apart...It is so pretty, huh. I made it to celebrate my 35th birthday...we "celebrated" with a piece every night for a week.
My three Valentine sweethearts...
And, Cade says it best..."I just love that kid, mom." (they both love him to pieces)
And, the little man tried cereal, eating from a spoon...he is not taking to it like I thought he would. At his 4 month appointment, he weighed 18 lbs, 8.5 ounces. That is my big boy!!!
Anyway, here are some snapshots from our Fabulous Freezing February Fun...
Sydney had such a great time at her friend, Ellison's, birthday party. She was mesmerized by the clowns and loved having her face painted by "Sparkles". 
Not to brag, but you too can learn to make this beautiful homemade strawberry cake...my grandmother's recipe...delicious with coconut and pecans and yummy strawberry icing...but so moist it falls apart...It is so pretty, huh. I made it to celebrate my 35th birthday...we "celebrated" with a piece every night for a week.
My three Valentine sweethearts...
And, Cade says it best..."I just love that kid, mom." (they both love him to pieces)
And, the little man tried cereal, eating from a spoon...he is not taking to it like I thought he would. At his 4 month appointment, he weighed 18 lbs, 8.5 ounces. That is my big boy!!!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
the world thru my children's eyes
Sometimes, I complain about the time I spend in the car picking up/dropping off my children at school. The Lord grabbed my heart today as I jerked Charlie up from a nap and Sydney up from her "rest time" to go get Cade. All the way to school, I had a bad attitude...thinking "poor baby, he will never learn to take a good nap", "no wonder syd has dropped her naps", "we are always in this car". Well, I picked up my oldest and was convicted of my horrible attitude when I heard the funniest conversation break out between Cade and Syd as he jumped in the car.
Syd - Hey, Cade. I wish all the world had girl stuff...no boy stuff.(had she been waiting to say this to him all day? I mean..1st words out of her mouth to him)
Cade - Hey,Syd. That is silly. Why do you not want boy stuff around?
Me - Guys, God made each of us...boys and girls...he made us for His purpose.
Cade - Yeah, Syd. God made men because we are strong and we need to be here to lift stuff. He made you women to cook. See, we each have a job, Sydney.
All I could do was smile. Even at 6, he had the world figured out, he thought. It hit me how important conversations like these are...how precious this time is to shape their hearts, how they see the world, what they believe, their dreams. I know I need to have a talk with our son about gender roles and his limited vision of the subject. Yet, I was convicted of how my children watch their daddy and me. He sees me cook. He sees me ask his dad to pick heavy things up for me. He sees the world black and white - he has limited experiences to draw from - only from our family, only 6 years worth. So, I am going to try to make the most of our time in the car, not complain about it so much. I heard someone say not too long ago how we put too much weight in making quality time. He said as a dad he aimed for quantity time - because the more time you spend, the more opportunity for those quality, special moments to occur - the more time they can soak in what you are living, who you are. Hmmm...what are they seeing in me? When will the next quality moment happen? I am sooo happy that I am with them everyday to find out...it might just be in the carpool line tomorrow.
Syd - Hey, Cade. I wish all the world had girl stuff...no boy stuff.(had she been waiting to say this to him all day? I mean..1st words out of her mouth to him)
Cade - Hey,Syd. That is silly. Why do you not want boy stuff around?
Me - Guys, God made each of us...boys and girls...he made us for His purpose.
Cade - Yeah, Syd. God made men because we are strong and we need to be here to lift stuff. He made you women to cook. See, we each have a job, Sydney.
All I could do was smile. Even at 6, he had the world figured out, he thought. It hit me how important conversations like these are...how precious this time is to shape their hearts, how they see the world, what they believe, their dreams. I know I need to have a talk with our son about gender roles and his limited vision of the subject. Yet, I was convicted of how my children watch their daddy and me. He sees me cook. He sees me ask his dad to pick heavy things up for me. He sees the world black and white - he has limited experiences to draw from - only from our family, only 6 years worth. So, I am going to try to make the most of our time in the car, not complain about it so much. I heard someone say not too long ago how we put too much weight in making quality time. He said as a dad he aimed for quantity time - because the more time you spend, the more opportunity for those quality, special moments to occur - the more time they can soak in what you are living, who you are. Hmmm...what are they seeing in me? When will the next quality moment happen? I am sooo happy that I am with them everyday to find out...it might just be in the carpool line tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
sydney-isms
you never know what to expect, what she will say next...
**At a birthday party, I was taking the paper off her cupcake. She was sitting beside a couple of older little girls. She looked up at me and said, "Mommy, can you go find someone to talk to?" (What am I going to do when this kid is 12??)
**She has had a cough for a couple of days now. She told me that the bad guys had gotten in her throat and were sickin' her. (We always tell our kids how the bad guys are germs that want to make them sick. And, that there are good guys that live inside us that need us to give them weapons to get the bad guys - so, they will take their medicine.)
**At lunch just now, she was feeding the crocodiles on the floor her cheese. She said they were girl crocs and liked little girls and cheese. She told me there was no need to be afraid to walk around. Could I get her some juice? (Hmmmmm)
**"Hey, mom, I know how to get to Blockbuster. You drive, I will tell you where to go..." (I wonder where we would have ended up, if I would have fallen for that one.)
**"Mommy, I am scared of that dark out there in the hall." "Syd, what do you think is out there? We are in our house." "I don't know what is out there. It is dark. That is why I am scared - I can't see." (Now, that is good logic...I feel the same way sometimes...)
**(And, my favorite)...While playing with Charlie the other day, she put her hands on his face, squeezing his cheeks ever so gently and very boldly told him..."Chaaalee, you are a child of God...in Christ Jesus...have faith. Galatians 3:26" Then, she laughed...totally happy with herself for sharing a little nugget of truth with her brother.
She has a heart of gold, a spirit of sassyness, and a quirky sense of humor. She is keeping me laughing these days...
**At a birthday party, I was taking the paper off her cupcake. She was sitting beside a couple of older little girls. She looked up at me and said, "Mommy, can you go find someone to talk to?" (What am I going to do when this kid is 12??)
**She has had a cough for a couple of days now. She told me that the bad guys had gotten in her throat and were sickin' her. (We always tell our kids how the bad guys are germs that want to make them sick. And, that there are good guys that live inside us that need us to give them weapons to get the bad guys - so, they will take their medicine.)
**At lunch just now, she was feeding the crocodiles on the floor her cheese. She said they were girl crocs and liked little girls and cheese. She told me there was no need to be afraid to walk around. Could I get her some juice? (Hmmmmm)
**"Hey, mom, I know how to get to Blockbuster. You drive, I will tell you where to go..." (I wonder where we would have ended up, if I would have fallen for that one.)
**"Mommy, I am scared of that dark out there in the hall." "Syd, what do you think is out there? We are in our house." "I don't know what is out there. It is dark. That is why I am scared - I can't see." (Now, that is good logic...I feel the same way sometimes...)
**(And, my favorite)...While playing with Charlie the other day, she put her hands on his face, squeezing his cheeks ever so gently and very boldly told him..."Chaaalee, you are a child of God...in Christ Jesus...have faith. Galatians 3:26" Then, she laughed...totally happy with herself for sharing a little nugget of truth with her brother.
She has a heart of gold, a spirit of sassyness, and a quirky sense of humor. She is keeping me laughing these days...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
my cup runs over...
A stay at home day with daddy at work and big brother at school.
A 3 year old girl with energy, spunk, and a drawer full of hand-me-down dance costumes.
An ipod loaded with kids' praise songs just perfect to dance to....
A happy baby and blessed mom.....my cup runs over...
A 3 year old girl with energy, spunk, and a drawer full of hand-me-down dance costumes.
An ipod loaded with kids' praise songs just perfect to dance to....
A happy baby and blessed mom.....my cup runs over...
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
work and play
My older two kiddos are lovin their chores these days...play some fun music, let miss sassy dress herself, allow my big guy to run the dust vacuum...all is well...
Sometimes, we have our "princess" humming Darth Vader's theme song to our baby...strange yet delightful.
Life is keeping me on my toes these days...keeping a balance between work and play...responsibility versus fun...giving discipline or gifting grace. I am more convicted than ever that motherhood is a job that I alone can never excel...so so so blessed that I do not have to even attempt it solo...I pray I can keep the "life scales" in check...all work and no fun makes for a dull day - yet, all fun and no work makes for a spoiled heart...the Lord continues to teach me...
Sometimes, we have our "princess" humming Darth Vader's theme song to our baby...strange yet delightful.
Life is keeping me on my toes these days...keeping a balance between work and play...responsibility versus fun...giving discipline or gifting grace. I am more convicted than ever that motherhood is a job that I alone can never excel...so so so blessed that I do not have to even attempt it solo...I pray I can keep the "life scales" in check...all work and no fun makes for a dull day - yet, all fun and no work makes for a spoiled heart...the Lord continues to teach me...
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