Happy Easter Weekend and Giveaway Winner

May you and your family and friends be blessed with all of God's peace this Easter weekend!

via

Congratulations to Angela for winning the Little Ink Designs Giveaway!



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Meet the Flight Crew Giveaway

Let me first introduce you to these two:

That's my "little" brother and his girlfriend, and they are the faces behind a creative mail surprise after The Deputy was born. 

Our favorite aviator now has help guiding him through the friendly skies, and with the help of those two above,  our little Pilot and Co-Pilot are perfectly outfitted for the job. 

Welcome Aboard! 

I only thought I fell in love with these shirts after opening the package but when we dressed our little guys for a photo shoot, my heart smiled ear to ear!

I immediately contacted Anna from Little Ink Designs about a giveaway, and she is graciously offering one reader one single item from her shop. Little Ink Designs features handmade onesies with designs ranging from superheroes to sports teams to monograms and monkeys. Stop by her shop, leave a comment with your favorite design, and use the Rafflecopter below.

Entering is too easy, and the giveaway closes Monday morning so be sure to secure your entries before the weekend!

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The Big Brother Burger

We may be a bit behind the game here, but our Sheriff just had his first restaurant burger. Sure, he's had bites of mine cut up on his plate and enjoyed it, but this past weekend as we ventured out for our first restaurant outing with two in tow, he ordered his very own.

Mandatory ketchup dip:

Big Texas bite:

Thinking it over:

Condiment on the face smile:

It was just a burger, but yes, I pulled out the phone to snap pictures. I just had to. This big guy was so proud!

You Two

Dear Sheriff,

Your love for your brother is so visible, so tangible. Forgive me for hovering, for correcting, for stepping in. You are both so young. He is so physically fragile, and your kind heart is so emotionally fragile. I have to protect you both.

We are so proud of you for welcoming John into our home with such an open heart. We are so proud of you for growing with us as we all adjust to life as a family of four. I am learning from you every day. He seems to make you so happy during a sometimes difficult stage in your life as you are becoming more willful and independent.

He brings out your generosity, your gentleness, and a brotherly love that comes from within and pours outward.

I can't wait to see your response when the little guy is able to return that love in full force.

That little one whose hand you are holding will be forever connected to you whether life in miles  or circumstances drives you apart. You will always be his big brother and he your little brother. He will watch you, mimic you, learn from you. 

Cherish him in each stage of your lives. Be there for him through gladness and grief, and show him the joy of singing in the shower, the power of prayer, and the release found within a good cry. 

Our New Deputy,

You are one lucky boy. That fellow next to you has loved you from your very existence.  You light up a little when he talks to you, pats your back, holds you hand, and gives you one of his "gentle" hugs.  It seems that you already love him back in your own simple way. Thank you for being so open to his love. 

You're the little one but still a brother. Look up to him but always give him reason to look up to you as well.  Learn from him but show him that you've got a few lessons of your own as well.  Challenge him; grow together with him in this way. 

I pray for the two of you that God's loving arms may always be the first place you turn, and that this very faith carries you both wherever life leads. There is power within your two beautiful souls. 

May your lives forever be blessed because of each other. May you always be grateful for that gift.

St Patrick's Day Prep

I've never really been a huge St. Patrick's Day person. You won't find a green-themed mantle with "Luck of the Irish" printables about. As we grow as a family, though, I would like to start some traditions that celebrate the spiritual aspect of this day as well as put us in the spirit of the green.

Because I wasn't prepared ahead of time with some books I wanted reserved from the library, I went ahead and ordered The Story of St. Patrick's Day on Amazon to arrive just in time. With the story of St. Patrick combined with the traditions of the day, I think it will be perfect in its simplicity for this year.

I wanted projects that allow me to talk in bits and pieces about a loving God and St. Patrick himself to our children and although I've pinned much more than these, this year this is what we'll attempt:

Source: biblestoryprintables.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: handsonaswegrow.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

And because this veggie stamping project  just looks fun:

Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

And finally, who doesn't love pizza?! Perhaps it's not the most traditional of St. Patrick's Day meals but there's a lifetime to prepare Irish Soda Bread and Corned Beef. We already have some dough in the freezer, and I think a certain chef Sheriff will enjoy helping Momma "cook" this one on Sunday!

Source: makethebestofeverything.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Wishing you and yours a refreshing, relaxing, and blessed weekend!

A Thing or Two About Hospital Visitors

We didn't have many visitors during our hospital stint. In fact, with family out of town, it came down to our favorite Sheriff and his caregiver for the week, my mom.

But with a baby in the NICU, worry on our hearts, and unclear sense of the future, it seems that two-year-olds know best how to keep everyone positive and full of life.

Appreciate the little things:

Although W couldn't meet his little brother, we decided to give him the present from John on one of his first visits. He was so excited to receive the Sky Predators that he couldn't stop looking at them long enough to "cheese" for the camera.

Build each other up:

We all needed his incessant requests for Daddy to wear the surgical cap and mask to match his own new dress-up accessory. We couldn't help but smile with that face!

Each day is full of small miracles:

Perhaps it's seeing your favorite helicopter. Maybe it's an ice cream date by the fountain with Daddy.

Thanks for being our Sheriff, kiddo, and bringing joy and love to our hospital stay!

Wordless Wednesday -- Life is Good Today

Build 'Em Up -- Bringing Faith to Life

I wasn't quite sure which direction I wanted this post to take. When I first read "Bringing Faith to Life" as the first topic in the Build 'Em Up link-up with Erin, Jennifer, and Courtney, my mind was blank.

Does this mean bringing faith to life for myself? My children and family? People in my community? Is the post asking me how I do this? Or why I do this?

In light of the last two weeks in which our new son was born with some difficulties leaving him in the NICU for a few days, I find myself with one word on my mind concerning this topic: Challenged.

When friends and family learned about our "Deputy's" health problems, they immediately went into action with prayer. People contacted churches for daily Masses to be dedicated to his healing; a friend offered up her daily struggles with her own children (houseful of lice at that!) for our intentions; Rosaries were prayed on our behalf; encouraging and prayerful songs were posted on facebook to comfort us. These offerings are all on top of simple, but powerful, prayers offered up by so many.

Looking back, I see the power of so many prayer warriors coming together, and I see that it's through my friends and family that I've been blessed. Through these people, my faith is brought to life. I understand that faith is about my relationship with God, and I also believe God placed people in my life to guide me in that relationship.

Because I've been so blessed, I feel challenged to be a light that brings faith to life in the lives of my friends and family. I want to be the rock that they can stand upon to see a brighter day when life is dark. I want to be a wall to lean upon, to hold them up, when they don't have faith to stand alone.

I want my children to know how powerful our asking for God's help can be. I want to pass along what God's placed in my life:  the trust that God will carry us through despite whatever hardships life throws our way.

I often struggle with how to do this. Can a two-year-old understand God? How do I convey this great concept of  Creator and the Love that comes with Him?

I watched Mass (yesterday actually) since we missed on Sunday, and the priest gave me an answer in saying that when others see us, may they see Jesus Christ. That's my prayer as we venture into this next chapter as a family of four. I want each and every day to bring my own faith to life by showing it.  May those closest to me see through my actions and words not only my own love, but the love of God, and may their faith grow through our interactions.

Transportation Themed Room Makeover (Partially Complete)

I don't have the complete room updated yet as The Sheriff is still in the crib and sleeping great (knock on wood!), but I've made a few crafty changes to add some of his personality into what will one day be considered a "big boy" room. 

This first wall was completed quite a while ago. Heck, I may have previously blogged about it.  I found my inspiration here and here and knew I could make this artwork my own. I found the frames at Michaels (on sale and with an extra coupon) and purchased the craft paper to make these silhouettes. 

I found silhouettes of the vehicles I wanted through Google Images and used the printouts as stencils to trace onto scrapbook paper. 

 After carefully cutting out each vehicle, I glued it onto another sheet of scrapbook paper to fit within the frames.

Put the frames together, find a handyman to hang, and... 

Morning Smiles! 

Right before our sweet John (AKA "The Deputy") was born, I decided on a couple of other additions. My first was inspired by this pin.  (Please excuse my lighting. Black out curtains do wonders for sleep but make for horrible pictures!) 

I was already making alphabet letters for our new nursery and figured this project would be an easy addition while already tracing, cutting, and Mod-Podging. 

I made closet organizers out of this scrapbook paper and simply grabbed a few more sheets (and a coordinating pattern for the frame project above). 

Cast of Characters:

I first painted my canvas. You could use a piece of wood as well. My only "complaint" is that the canvas isn't my ideal to lean against the wall on the shelf. Perhaps that's not its final home.

Trace the letter BACKWARDS on the opposite side of the paper. This way you won't have pencil marks on the front of your project. Be sure your pencil hugs the outline of the letter. You want an exact fit.  

Using a good pair of scissors, carefully cut as closely along the pencil lines as possible. 

Place a thin layer of Mod Podge on the wooden letter AND the back of the scrapbook paper. Lay accordingly and smooth out all bumps and rough spots. Work quickly and carefully. The paper can be repositioned within the first few minutes if it doesn't lie the right way. 

Allow 15-20 minutes to dry and coat the entire top of the letter with another layer of Mod Podge.
Hot glue letter to canvas.

I don't have step-by-step pictures for the frame, but I used this pin as inspiration and followed mostly the same paint, trace, cut, glue method on a wooden craft frame.

And finally, I've had this pinned forever and a day and decided The Sheriff's room needed more pictures of his family, friends, and life. What better way than to grab a few of our "life in an instant" Instagrams via postal pix!

One unfinished wooden frame from Michaels (with a 40% off coupon) + a couple coats of blue paint + twine + the cutest little clothespins you've ever seen = great Instagram display.

I have two loves for this last project:

1. I can update the pictures very easily and often (Thanks again postal pix. If you haven't downloaded this app, you should!)
2. I finally knocked off another Pinterest project!

I love that his room is coming together as a hodge podge of vehicles (construction, aviation, railway, motorized). When we transition to a new bed, things will change a bit more, but I am excited to continue adding to this crafty start.

Announcing....

With a dozen blog posts spinning in my head, I sit here holding a sweet, sleeping miracle and trying to master art of typing while doing so. He's thus far an angel of a sleeper and I could put him down, but that's what nighttimes are for right now. After all, this momma had to wait days just to hold him in her arms.

A blogging break has been refreshing, but I'm so ready to record our family moments as we grow together, and what better way than a little introduction:

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers these last few weeks! God is so good!