Snow Day!!

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland!! As soon as both kids were up, we were outside playing. When Daddy got home from work he and Madelyn made a snowman...
We got several inches of snow!
Gathering snow for snow ice cream. Madelyn ate 3 bowls!!! Aubrey didn't like it.
Aubrey is NOT a fan of the snow. She stayed in her house the entire time we were outside....

The Children's Museum

We've been talking for a while now about taking the girls to the Children's Museum. Erin told me that she and Billy were going Saturday morning and invited us to meet them there. So we got up that morning, went and ate breakfast, then met up with the Newby Family at CMOM. Since it costs so much to get into the museum, we decided to go ahead and buy a year membership, so I"m sure we'll be back tons in the next year!! The girls had an absolute blast, and we stayed for over 2 hours and still didn't do everything. Here are a couple of pictures from the morning.

The kids played in the tool area (I think Aubrey's favorite part about it was the yellow hat!!).
This picture terrifies me....Madelyn driving a car??????
The kids were a little overwhelmed by the big fire truck, but Madelyn did pose with the fire doggie. I'm sure next time we go they'll climb all over the truck.
Hopefully the only time we ever see Madelyn in the back of a police car!
Since Aubrey doesn't go to "school" she rarely gets to do art projects. Of course I was worried about her getting messy, but Daddy knew that Aubrey would love to paint! He was right and helped her paint a pretty heart.
Dress up is always fun, and it was fun to see what costume everyone chose!!! Madelyn and Reagan were monsters....

My princesses (well Madelyn looks more like a queen, and acted as such in this costume prancing around!)
Will and Madelyn have really enjoyed playing together the last few times they've been around each other. They enjoy holding hands, which is encouraged by their parents who think it's adorable!!!
The kids LOVED shopping in the grocery store. They "bought" fruit snacks (or course!!) and all kinds of other things. I think they were more excited about getting their own receipts than anything!! I guess it's the little things in life, huh?

Change of Plans

I was talking with a friend this weekend about blogging. We both talked about how we don't lead very "exciting" lives, so we feel we have nothing exciting to blog about. I thought a lot this weekend about it. Since I made my blog private, only my closest friends have the access to view it, yet I still seem to only offer the generic information that anyone who talks to me on a regular basis all ready knows.

So, I've decided to change things up a bit. I think I'm going to use this blog as a forum to get my personal, and often times scattered, thoughts out there. That way I can get some comments from my close network of friends whom I would never otherwise discuss these things with. Don't worry - I'll still post any updates about the kiddos, filled with countless pics of the beautiful girls. But I'll also offer more insight into what I'm really thinking about at the time.

Please bear with me in this transition time. I'm going to try to post more regularly, as I'm thinking more about the blog as documentation of a personal journey for myself. Which leads me onto my first topic.......

"The Serenity Prayer"
This morning Pastor Richard preached on leaving a spiritual legacy. I thought over and over about what the girls would remember about me if I were to die today. Hopefully they would remember that I love the Lord, and loved them and their Daddy more than anything else. But what else?
Would they remember all the times I snap at them when my patience is thin? Or what about all the times I don't want to read a book to them because "Mommy is too tired"? Now I know that no person is perfect. But I also know that I, just like everyone, have several imperfections that I want to change. I also know that there is only one way I can truly change myself and the way I deal with others. I want so much to be a strong Christian woman - so that's what I'll work on. This is what has truly inspired me today, and I hope it will inspire you too.....

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, the sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.