summer!!

I just love summer so much and I just can not wait to play all day in the sun. My kids love it to , Gavyn especially loves getting down and dirty, Jade and Dakota love taking their own little pools with them wherever they go. Well, Only 4 more days of school left. Hurray!!!!!

lax

My daughter has been playing lacrosse and she loves it. It is really a fun sport to watch and her and her father really seem to be bonding through it. He is one of the assistant coaches for the team. That is her in the green, she is number 25. Don't they look great!!!

This picture was taken when she fist got her lacrosse gear. I don't know who was more excited, Matt or Jade. They both wen right outside and began to practice passing and catching and cradling the ball.

She is there in the light blue shorts. She and one other girl are the only two girls on the team. They stick together, but they both seem to really enjoy the sport. Hopefully they keep with it.

They played all day the day she got all of her equipment, until the sun went down.

Hello, yes we are still alive... and this is what we have been doing!!

We have been doing a lot of fishing, my daughter loves it, my son just likes to eat while everyone else is fishing. I am sure that he will learn to like it though, after all he does have a nothing box!! Ha Ha!

I have been so very busy with work and kids and just everything. Sometimes that can get so overwhelming, but I must remember to set my focus on God's plan for my life and that He is in control of all that happens in my life. I have such good friends and a great church body. They all encourage me every week to keep running the race that God has set before me. For all of the people in my life, I am thankful.

Today I got up like any other Monday. First off, it was super cold in the house. No oil. Not a big deal, it isn't that cold and we have a hot water heater so we will just get some kerosene until tomorrow when they deliver the oil. Then, I went to start the car and it wouldn't turn over! I seriously am starting to get mad. So I called Matt and he came home to help me try to get it going. It seems that the car had like no oil in it. Of course it is my fault right? So I started crying and had to call work and tell them that I wasn't going to be able to make it. Matt called in to and so we are both trying to fix the car HOPEFULLY it will start! If it doesn't I am sure that God will provide a way for me to get back and forth to work.
This past week I was saying that I was feeling disconnected from God, I think we all must go through that at some point, but as I look back at last week everything was pretty much fine. Sometimes when all is going well we forget that it is because of God that they are. Then when things go wrong we call on Papa (God) for help. I need to know that whether or not I feel connected with Him, He is always and forever connected with me. No one, no circumstance, no anything can take Him away from me. So even though my day isn't as I had planned, God is with me and that is the only thing that matters.

Gavyn and His friends at his 4th birthday party

It has been a super long day!!! Gavyn had his birthday party today, and like all birthday parties it is kind of hectic. Matt spent hours making Gavyn's cake.

Didn't he do a good job. He was after all a pastry chef once upon a time. The kids were all excited to see that cake, and even more excited to eat it.

we only ate one of the legs and a little bit of the head. I think we will try to pawn the rest off onto the youth group, cause we wont eat it all!!

The stinkin' cake is almost as big as Gavyn-- isn't it great!!

Gavyn is 4 years old today!!!

I can just remeber it like it was yesterday. I woke up like anyother morning, got ready and headed off to Jorgensens to meet my friend Lisa. We had coffee like anyother friday except, this friday we both felt as though I had been pregnant long enough. She has had 4 babies of her own, 3 of which were born at home. So she advised me that I should take some Castor oil to, ya know, get things going!!! So she ran over to CVS and I stayed at Jorgensens with Jade. She came back with the caster oil, I said, " how much?" She said, "all of it", O.kay... Well I did drink all of it( mixed with a fresh Samantha smoothie drink)!!! I actually got it all down and didn't gag once believe it or not. After I had drank the entire thing, we decided we were all done with coffee for the day and that I should go home and take a nap... was it really a good idea to be alone?..no one thought of that. After I left, I went over to my brothers house to use the bathroom, couldn't make it home! After that I went home to take a nap, just me and my 4 year old. Well I was asleep for about 2 hours and then woke up feeling very crampy, I called my husband saying, "You might want to come home, this may be IT,or may just be the 6 oz. bottle of castor oil I just ingested, but just to be safe, come home." I also called my friend Lisa to tell her that indeed I was a little crampy, but I could still carry on a conversation. She reassured me that I was fine and couldn't possibly be in labor so soon, but as I was going to say something else, gavyn dropped into position and I could hardly even breathe!!! I said "Lisa, I need to push!!!" Shannon you are just overreacting, you can't possible be ready for that." Well I was, she hung up the phone after telling me that she was on her way. She also had called the neighbor to come over and help me. The neighbor showed up and the dogs went wild. I could no longer even speak in sentences she came up stairs and the dog started jumping all over me and my severely laboring body. She didn't know what to do, and neither did I. By the time my husband had gotten home I was ready to deliver, Lisa was there our friend Jay had come over for my daughter and I was laid out. My husband called the ambulance, so when they came, I had like 10 people in my bedroom, I had no pants on and no one except Lisa looked like they had a clue of what to do. Finally, they began to get me to move (no pants on) I got down the stairs, ran outside the best I could, and low and behold , half the neighborhood was standing outside, concerned for me and what might be happening, well, they certainly got to see more of me than I am sure they ever imagined. When I finally got to the hospital, I pushed once and gavyn was out. What a relief!!! So Happy Birthday Gavyn, I love you and so do all of those people who helped you "Out" on your special day.

AWESOME BEAUTIFUL DAY

Today was an awesome day!!

I have to be honest today, I didn't wake up in the best of moods. How can that be? It is sunday afterall right? Well it seems that most sundays it is a little hard to get going, for me and the rest, but it seems that my 8 year old daughter has the worst time getting ready. She is the first one up and showered and the last one out the door. Of course we seem to always loose our temper after telling her for the 500th time to get ready. So, when we got to church we were already stressed out and I was feeling less than ready to be there, that's when the Lord shows up!!! We sang the first few songs and still I was in my "attitude" until.... The worship band adjusted the lead singer, they all looked at eachother ready to play, and then they played this song I had never heard befor!!! It was called the HAPPY SONG. While they sang that blue grass song, God spoke to my heart. Changed my whole day. Boy did I love that song. That song may have just saved my daughter from being grounded for the rest of her life, ha!! After church, I got to spend time with my very good friend and she let me get a look at her very awesome shabby chic bedroom, I love it!! And the whole family got to take a walk together around the block. I do have to say that God did show up today, when I got out of the way. Praise God!!

ANOTHER SNOW DAY

Monday was yet another snow day here in Maine. Since I have started working I have learned to apreciate the snow days all the more. I am home, my kids are home and we can catch up on things that have been put aside. These are some pictures from our awesome snow day together.

More pictures of what we did during the snow storm. Of course we had to catch up on the organizing around the house!!!

ORGANIZATION, AHH....

ENJOYING ANOTHER SNOW FILLED MORNING

FLOWERS AT MICHEAL'S

I just love these colors lately and especially when they are all together. Maybe it is my longing for spring or maybe it's my artsy side coming out a little bit more. That would be fine with me. I am ready to embrace the art that lives within!!

JADE AT BARNES AND NOBLE

Jade and I had a mother daughter day today and we went to where elese? Coffee at Barnes and Noble. Then we went to Micheal's and had lunch together at Panera Bread. She asked me this morning if we could spend time together. I thought I had better because she is getting older and probably will soon not want to anymore. It was really fun.


We ran into Aunt Malinda and she joined us, that
certaintly was a very pleasant suprise!!! I do
so love Aunt Malinda and so does Jade.


Everyone always says how much Aunt Malinda and Jade look alike. Yeah I see it now!

we have arrived!!

I know that you may think that saying "we have arrived" is a little pompus so I will explain what I mean. Matt applied for his masters in Architecture and didn't get in. We were both a little shocked and wondering why. We both thought that God's plan for our lives was Matt becoming an architect and then we will have made it. The money would be awesome the lifestyle would be great, and maybe then we would be happy. So, Matt came home from work after a long day of praying about it and came up with this answer.
God doesn't want us to always be looking to the future (here on earth) saying it will be better when (I get that job, I loose weight, ect...). We can get caught up in that and by the time you know it, your 80 years old and looking back saying did I really live my life? By always looking into the future you miss the blessing that God has given right now. My family, my house, my job, my friends. I don't want to miss the blessings that are right in front of my face. So, therefore, Matt and I have arrived and we are going to enjoy and appreciate every moment God has allowed us to have.

MAPLE STREET AT 11:45 PM
Matt and I were watching t.v last night when we looked outside and were amazed at the scene. This picture was taken looking down my street. At this moment I wish that I had cross country skis. I would have put them on and skied all the way to the all night dunkin donuts and had myself a cup of coffe at midnight. All the way there I would have been enjoying the quiet scerenity that God allowed me to enjoy. He really is something. He always knows what we need and when we need it!!

JADE IN HER SNOWY "CHAMBER"

When jade went out back, all of the bushes were bowed over creating a natural "chamber" as jade called it. The kids loved playing in the "chambers" for hours. At one point I overheard them saying that they each lived in a different chamber and that they were going to go over eachothers chamber for coffee. I have no idea where they ever got the idea of going over for coffee. For a while that is all I did. I do love a good cup of coffee.

GAVYN ENJOYING THE SNOW

we woke up this morning to a winter wonderland of snow. I don't think I ever remeber having this much snow in one storm. Gavyn loved it! Being outside with his sister hugging the snow as if it were warm and fuzzy. I do love him and his appreciation for all of God's gifts. My children remind me of that daily. Which I have to admit is quite a bit humbling to be honest.