Mommy Monday :: Just Photos

I'm lacking inspiration today. So here is my easy way out, photos of who made me a mommy. :)

Enjoying bath time.

He put this cube on his head and was walking around laughing and he couldn't see at all! 

He was running into things but he just kept doing it. It was so funny!

Stay tuned for next week, we are going to something fun this week that I'll be excited to share with you!

52|04 :: Our Family

52|04

I see grace in:

our family

Some of the best times are

the three of us together

just being ourselves.

To say we have been busy these past couple months would be an understatement. Things have been insane! So it has been great to have a week where we have been home most nights. My greatest memories since Aiden has been born are times that the three of us are together. Not doing anything special, but playing, laughing and experiencing the moments. We are also in the process of making exciting changes to allow for more of this time together. Pouring into your children and your marriage is too important to let it slip by. 

Mommy Monday :: Favorite Toys

If you have met my son there is a good chance that you know of his love for balls. It doesn't matter what kind...if he sees one, he will go get it. I believe his favorites are small ones so he can hold one in each hand; or even two in each hand. The other day I put away all his babyish toys and got out some I had put away around his birthday. It was a lot of fun to give Aiden some new balls! It's fun as a mom to see your child's face light up when he gets to play with what he loves! It's the small things. :)

Here is a picture of our ball bin, as you can see we may need a bigger one soon. :)

What are/were some of your children's favorite toys?

52|03 :: A Life Lived for Christ

52|03

I see grace in:

a life lived for Christ

"We are confident, yes, well pleased 
rather to be absent from the body 
and to be present with the Lord."
2 Corinthians 5:8

I have changed my title of "Small Graces" to just "Grace" because both big and small graces happen in our lives and I want to share both, this story is a big grace. 

A few weeks ago Aunt Marg left this earth after battling cancer to be with Jesus. She was an amazing woman of God who was so good at loving people! I met her almost ten years ago when my family moved to Ohio. I don't have too many specific memories, but what I do remember is simply that she was there, interested in our lives, excited to see us when we came to visit and wanting to be involved. She was a joy. There are three things that are special memories to me... 

When Dan and I were in high school I would sometimes take Dan to Aunt Marg's to get his hair cut and then before we were married and were going to move she taught me how to do it myself. I remember how nervous I was, but each time she would have me do a little more until I got it. I think about her almost every time I cut Dan's hair (which is very often). She would always say "the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is two weeks". 

Second, she invested in Dan as he went to college and after; which was a blessing to us in many ways. And when it came time for Dan to graduate she came all the way out for his graduation. It was very special to us that she would make the trip and we are thankful we got to share that time with her.

Third, this summer after James & Erica's wedding in West Virginia Aiden & I rode to Ohio with Janie and Marg. Those seven hours or so was just fun to be with them. You wouldn't know Aunt Marg was weak by how talkative she was and how she would hold Aiden and play with him when we stopped. She was such a blessing to be around.

I have such confidence that she is in Heaven in the presence of God and that is such an encouragement to me. When someone leaves this earth we all tend to look at life a little differently for a while, and through her I am encouraged to continue strong in my walk with the Lord. Having known Aunt Marg personally, I will be inspired when I remember how I saw her walk with God to the end. She will be greatly missed, but Dan and I will see her again when we get to the streets of gold!

I want to end with a challenge to all who are reading this and I encourage you to please read this last part even if you know what I am going to say. This life is not all there is. There is a heaven and hell and we exist on this earth to have the chance to become a child of God so we can be with Him in the next. It is not about being a good person or trying your hardest. It is about accepting the GRACE of Jesus alone. This is the most important choice you will make in this life and you won't have the choice in the next, if you get there it's too late. If you have questions, please talk to me and I would love to tell you more!

Baby Rowan Photos

This weekend I had the privilege of meeting and photographing this sweet boy Rowan. He is one month old and the second son of our close friends!! He is so cute; look at that face and that awesome hair! I had so much fun doing these pictures and I love how they turned out! Here are some of my favorites.

This one is probably my favorite...so adorable!

Mommy Monday :: The Daily Grind

Last night in youth group Dan spoke on how God shows up in our lives in different ways. Where it's easier to see God in the high and low moments it can be hard to see Him in the everyday. One question he asked was "If you could take one thing out of your life what would it be?" My answer came to me immediately...housework. And that is a good area to start to ask God to show Himself in! It totally clicked with me. What if I invited God in to my housework; the constant picking up, dishes, laundry, cleaning...etc. What a difference that could make in my life. Now I must say that I am struggling a little just because it's gonna be hard, it's so much easier to just do the stuff either without thinking or complaining in my head. But I want God in my everyday, so I'm going to try! Please feel free to ask me how I'm doing. 

And I encourage you to answer this for yourself.

 "If you could take one thing out of your life what would it be?"

...invite God into those moments and see what happens.

52|02 :: Memories

52|02

I see small graces in:

memories

A recipe, a photo, a smell. 
So many things that trigger special 
feelings from my childhood.

I am so blessed to have had the childhood I did. I grew up close to a lot of people from both sides of the family and I am so glad for that! I have so many memories of days at Grandma & Grandpa Andersen's riding the snowmobiles, picking up sticks, Grandpa grilling hot dogs, homemade ice cream, laughter, eating! And at Grandma & Grandpa Peterson's going to the Bakery and Golden Corral, spending the night, playing on the water beds, Grandma's rolls, playing Mario and getting all the cards on the special because my Grandpa wrote them all down! And I could go on and on! I have multiple of both my Grandma's recipes and if there is anything they have made that I want to try I just email them and they send me the recipe. And I love doing it because it just brings me back to their kitchen and I feel the love. I will only ever make my Grandma Peterson's zucchini bread and yesterday I made my Grandma Andersen's Oatmeal Bars. I used to look forward to her making these, big time! There is just something about them that makes me really happy. Mine are a little lacking compared to hers and it took me three tries to make the frosting, but they still are yummy. I love you family and I miss you like crazy!!

Mommy Monday :: Grateful

This morning as Aiden and I watched Dan drive away to work I was reminded of how grateful I am that I get to be home with my son. If you know me, you know how I feel about daily having to go to work...yuck, even before having a kid. lol. There was one job I loved and it was...taking care of kids that I grew to love...big surprise. This reminder was just what I needed as did a much needed clean of my house. I got it done in a few hours and didn't mind it at all!! 

Of course, I definitely have to fight against laziness and having a bad attitude about doing the same things over and over again, but when it comes down to it there is nothing I would rather do! Now I am definitely not saying anything bad towards moms to have or want to work. This is just our dream and I am so thankful that by God's provision we are able to do it!

I thought the January Joy Dare was fitting for my topic today!

A gift in your hand. 
I love these rings the same as the day Dan gave
them to me and I love what they mean!

A gift you walked by.
SUNSHINE!

A gift you sat with.
I spend lots of time with this boy in my lap and I love it!

52|01 :: Progress

52|01

I see small graces in:

progress

Because little steps at a time are how

we reach the big goal at the end.

January Joy Dare

I found this dare as a result of a link that my mother-in-law posted on Facebook. It's a "One Thousand Gifts- January Joy Dare". Giving us three things each day to be thankful for, to help open our eyes to what God has given us. I am going to do it and I am putting it up here so maybe you will do it too! I am excited for this along with my Project 52 to open my eyes to see God more clearly in my everyday. I will  be taking pictures on some of the days and sharing them here!

Will you join me?!

Download here.

Foto Friday :: Firsts

One of the joys of having a child is experiencing all the new things with them. I love seeing Aiden as he takes everything in and decides what he does and doesn't like about it all. This past week we went with some friends to his first basketball game!

He didn't pay too much attention to those guys on the court, but had lots of fun running around the Events Center with his little basketball and getting attention from everyone he saw. :)

Skvor Family Photos

I also had the wonderful opportunity to photograph my sister and her family! It was so much fun, the kids did amazing and I learned so much!! Here are some of my favorites!

Mommy Monday :: Down With The Sickness

At the end of our Christmas vacation Dan and I experienced our first sick child. It happened in the middle of the night and I was thankful that we were sleeping in the same room as Aiden otherwise I don't know if I would have heard him. He didn't cry and I don't even think he was fully awake, but I heard that he was throwing up. I jumped up and got him out, trying to help him finish in the garbage can. Then we turned on a light and saw that it was all over the pack-n-play. Talk about NASTY! 

I always said that I wouldn't be the one to clean up puke, but it really is amazing how things change when you become a mom. I was able to do what was necessary and Dan helped with some of the extra nasty stuff which I was so thankful for. 

We made it through the night although I wasn't sure what to do; or what Aiden would do. After an hour or so he did eventually fall back asleep and stayed asleep the rest of the night. Also during this time I did not feel so good either, which made it that much harder. 

The next morning we left to come back home, I didn't feel good and we had no idea what Aiden would be like. I sat back with him and Dan drove the whole way which was amazing because I was having such a hard time feeling with it. We made it with no big events! Praise God!

A couple things I learned through this...First, I CAN handle puke, but probably only if it's my child. Secondly, it is a hard thing to be sick and have a child to take care of and so I am thankful one of us felt healthy while the other was under. And it always good to remember that the sickness won't last, although it feels like it will never end. Here's to the first experience and I'm glad is over. 

I thought this would be fitting because there's much cleaning to do after someone is sick.

Project 52

Welcome to 2012

In the year of 2012 I want to do something called "Project 52". I will take a picture once a week relating to a theme and write a little something about it. My goal is to have something meaningful and cool enough to make into a coffee table book. I am really excited about this!! 

My topic is...."Small Graces"

Dan came up with the topic awhile ago and it is perfect!! I am the type of person who looks to the big events in life as the exciting or fulfilling times. But really I think that if I can see God in the everyday and enjoy these small moments that my life will be full. So I am hoping this project will grow me more in that direction as I purposefully am looking for the small graces. 

I will be posting each week on Saturday, please join me and 

we can walk through this new year together!  

I would love it if you would leave a comment about a 

small grace you experienced in any given week!