Our Dec 2011

So before the year 2011 is over...here's a round up of some of my phone photos from December.

There's quite a few!

1. The first snow of December.

2. Pushing the Ethan sized trolley in Ikea.

3. Bobo wearing socks to keep his feet warm!

4. Essential Christmas viewing (and I still remember most of the words!)

5. The second snow of December.

6. Enjoying an early Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa!

7. The beautiful life-size nativity set in St. Andrew's square.

8. Very glittery Christmas crafts!

9. A raspberry tiramisu...I knew there was a valid reason I was addicted to pinterest!!!

10. Creative gingerbread men, women and butterflies.

11. The creative team.

12. What we left for Father Christmas.

13. Enjoying another Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa.

14. A Christmas t-shirt from mummy!

15. A birthday mug for me from Alison.

16. Treating mummy to a birthday lunch at cafe blush.

17. The advent calendar.

18. Brie and basil homemade bread.

19. A bright, full moon at the start of the day.

20. Real reindeer on Princes Street.

21. Tucking into a slice of lemon!

22. Cute sleeping!

23. Waiting for daddy to come home.

24. Enjoying the Ethan-sized kitchen and making bread like daddy!

25. What to play with next?!

A week of celebrating!

As my birthday is just 4 days after Christmas, the last week of December is a celebration packed few days for me. There has been lots of time with family, lots of chilling out, lots of reading and some glitter nail varnish!

My highlights of the last few days include:

*Ethan saying 'Happy Birthday Mummy!' to me at various times yesterday...absolutely precious!

*Wonderful and thoughtful gifts from family and friends...I am very blessed.

*Quality time with my two favourite men.

*Glitter nail varnish...sorry, I think I'm addicted to it! (Seriously, I'm trying to work out if I can get away with wearing it for the rest of the year!!!)

I have lots to chat about and share and a few new things hopefully in the new year, including getting back to blogging on some sort of a regular basis.

I'm not really one for resolutions at New Year, but there are some things in my life that I would like to work on, to see change and growth, to become better as a woman, wife, mother, friend and follower of Jesus. For this reason I have decided to put together a list of 12 things for 2012. I will spend a little bit of time over the next few days detailing my 12 things and expanding on why I've chosen to include them in the list for this year. 12 might seem like quite a lot of things to work on but, as we will see, some are more involved and serious than others. I'll not give anymore details now but leave you hanging, waiting for more...

But before I do sign off, I'd like to wish anyone reading this a Happy New Year and hope you have something nice planned to celebrate...even if that is an early night!!!

See you in 2012!

Photo from CarolynsHope on Flickr.

Interact Christmas Fun 2011

Some photos from last nights fun...

Cosy

This is how I would like to spend the rest of the chilly days until spring arrives...

I could easily hibernate right now x

More updates...

So, I'm totally behind in posting the photos from my phone so here are October and November...

October 2011

1. Christmas outfits spotted while shopping...and no, I wasn't tempted!

2, 3, 4 & 5. Fun in the park

6. Bible overview!

7. Taking Noah and the Ark to bed

8. Chatting up the old ladies at the cafe!

9. Educational bedtime reading!

10. Alternative use for a hood!

11 & 12. Dressing up as a monkey!

November 2011

1. Christmas decoration up at the Dome already (literally the 1st Nov!)

2. Homemade beetroot and kale pizzas...yummy!

3. Two favourite things...flowers and the prospect of/potential for cupcakes!

4. The fairy tent at nursery!

5. Matching the shapes with their pictures in the book

6 & 15. First finger painting session at home...went pretty well!

7. A tube of all pink smarties to cheer me up.

8. Carrying the fennel home!

9. Taking out current favourite book to nursery

10. Mmmm, fish fingers, potatoes and peas!

11. Yummy butterfly for mummy!

12. Wearing a new hat made by Grandma

13. Hiding legs!

14. Chilling out!

15. See above

16. Dried apple art!

Happy Friday xxx

Quick update - 18 & 19 months

So, I haven't posted for a while. Things have been a little busy over the last few weeks but everything seems to have calmed down now.

I'm well ahead with the Christmas shopping...just 3 presents left to buy!

And I've now (almost) completed my study response for this term for Inter:act.

I have a few posts in the pipeline (in my head) but for now I thought I'd just update you with a few photos of the cutest wee man in the world (I am biased of course!) and some of the things we've been up to recently.

Tickles with daddy...and yes the paper bunting is from the 1st birthday party nearly 8 months ago!!! I'm sure it will come down soon for Christmas decs to go up!

Compulsory applause after everything!

"Come on Grandpa! Come on Daddy!"

Trying to eat all the raisins at once!

Thankful

I'm not American and I don't celebrate Thanksgiving Day, but I do like the idea of taking time to specifically think about the things in life we can be thankful for.
I need to take my eyes off the negative/critical/difficult things and spend time focussing on just how blessed I am.

So here is my list of things I'm current very thankful for...

1. Family - I love my family. They are so much to me. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful family. And I'm very much looking forward to spending time with family at the weekend.

2. Friends - my friends are very important to me. They listen to me, support me and show God's love to me in very practical ways. I love my friends.

3. Interact - I know I've said it before, but I am loving being part of the interact team this year. The teaching is great, the discussions are great, the quality time with people is great! I am really enjoying every part of it...even the snot and tears parts! God has been so good in enabling me to be part of this. So, so thankful!

4. The Internet - I know this one sounds a bit weird, but hear me out. Thanks to the wonderful inventions of skype and google+ I have been able to 'meet' up with friends and study God's word together during a time when I really needed it. Having children asleep at home, and being several miles apart would normally have restricted this time. But instead, we have been able to continue to support each other, and learn more about being godly women, through our study times together. Plus, internet shopping has enabled me to buy most of this year's Christmas presents without having to wander round numerous shops...great!

5. My church family - words are not enough to describe how blessed I feel to be surrounded my people who look out for me personally and for my family, who encourage us, challenge us, support us and just love us.

6. Tea - the difference a good cup of tea can make to my day cannot be underestimated!

7. Anthropologie - I unwisely stepped into their shop yesterday just for a 'look'! Ha! I left with two dresses that were both significantly reduced (my justification for buying them) and an anticipation for flouncing around in them!

8. Cake - After Jesus, and points 1 and 2 on this list...cake is the best thing on the planet! And so I shall end my list on this undeniable high!

Although there are many many many more things that I could add, and so many things to be thankful for...I shall leave it there and save some for another day.

Happy Thursday!

Walking step-by-step

Life, faith, a relationship with God... is a journey.
Not a road trip or an international flight.
Not a rush from one thing to the next.
But a step-by-step walk. One foot in front of the other. Second-by-second, minute-by-minute, moment-by-moment.

Sometimes the walk is easy. The ground is flat. The scenery is interesting. The steps come naturally and with ease.
Sometimes the path is high, the view is astounding, the next steps are clear.
The journey is enjoyable. You travel far without even realising it.

Sometimes the walk is hard. The ground is steep or uneven. The night has set in. Your body aches, and it takes everything in you to keep going. To keep placing one foot in front of the other. Each step feeling slower and heavier than the last.
You need a rest. A chance to stop and take in the view. But the view isn't what you want to see right now. So you keep going. You have to keep going. Just to get somewhere else.

Its in these times when other paths become so attractive. The paths that others walk along, that seem to serve them so well. The paths that promise so much but deliever so little. The paths that only go downwards, whether gradually or swiftly.

Its in these times that we need to draw closer to God.
The one who will keep us from stumbling when the path is uneven.
The one who will be our light when the darkness surrounds us.
The one who will give us rest when we long for refreshment.
The one who will carry us when we get weak and weary.
The one who will use the journey to transform us. To re-form us. To restore us.

The one who will bring us to the new place when the time is right...and the one who knows exactly what that new place needs to be.

Whether the path is easy or hard...I pray that I walk each step with God.
Just one foot in front of the other.

What?!

This made me chuckle...

Calling into Existence

"God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did"
Romans 4:17 NKJV

What has God spoken into your life that that does not seem to exist yet?
What has God breathed life into that once was dead?
What does God want to create in and through you that is not in your life at the moment?

What God sees when he looks at us is not the same as what we see. The words and promises he has spoken over us stand true, even when we don't see the evidence of them. Even when we struggle to believe they exist.

When we feel guilty, God has called us innocent.
When we feel lost, God has found us.
When we feel insecure, God has called us his own.
When we feel weak, God has given us his strength.
When we feel trapped, God has given us freedom.
When we feel like we can't go on, God has given us hope.
When we feel we need to justify or prove ourselves, God has given us grace.

What things has God spoken over you and into your life that you need to step into today?
Do you believe that you are innocent? Do you have hope and see your self as free?

What things are you waiting on God for? For him to call into life and bring into existence?

He will do it. He has done it already!

Our Little Monkey!

Happy Friday!

In love with Noah...

We read this book about 6 times a day...and sometimes Ethan can't bear to put it back on the shelf so takes it to bed with him!

So cute!

Learning

This is what I have been learning so far on Interact...

A bible overview that has given me a great overview of the bible!

I'm loving being part of this course and looking forward to learning more and more!

Happy Wednesday x

More fun in the park...

We love our local park.

Especially the swings...

Swinging like a monkey on the bars...

Climbing on everything...

Weeeeeeeeeee.........

Parks are fun!

So, you know it's been a long time since you've blogged when your mum tells you off for not supplying more up to date photos of her favourite grandson!

The last few weeks have been a real mix...and I haven't posted anything because for a lot of the time I haven't known what to say.

It's been a real journey of faith, hope and grace.

Learning to have faith in the one who is always faithful.

Learning that we can have hope in the one who knows us in detail.

And learning to live in grace and by grace.

I have been blessed beyond believe to be able to take part in this!

It is something that has been on my heart for a while...a long while. But God has supernaturally and extraordinarily provided for us as a family so that I can do it this year! Blessed doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about this! Blessed, expectant, excited...and slightly anxious in an unknown future kind of way!

Anyway, less chat and more photos I hear you say!

Having a wander at the newly opened National Museum of Scotland...note the huge whiskey still on the left...he's definitely his father's son!

Digging up dinosaur bones...

Exploring the 'imagine' zone...

An Andy Goldsworthy sculpture on the roof terrace...seeing this in the flesh made me really happy...I've wanted to see a real life Andy Goldsworthy for a long time!

Seriously mother! Stop taking photos of me!!!

Too busy to sit and do the jigsaw!

Taking Larry for a ride on the bike!

Hope this has made up for the absence...I hope to be back to regular-ish posting again soon once I settle into our new weekly routine!

Happy Monday x

Confession

At the moment, I feel like everything is difficult. Life is difficult.
It's still enjoyable...but hard at the same time.

Getting out of bed when you're so very tired (thanks to noisy neighbours), is hard.
Being motivated to do a job you dislike, is hard.
Saying something loving and kind when you feel hurt and angry, is hard.
Getting excited for the future when you're struggling with the now, is hard.

I do have some exciting (very exciting) things going on and coming up. Some amazing opportunities and wonderful blessings. But at the moment I just can't focus on those things. I only seem to be able to see the ditch I feel I'm in. The muddy, dirty, sticky, horrible ditch.

And the worst part? I know it's directly related to the lack of time I've spent with God.

I'd like to say life has been busy, but that would just be an excuse.
Life has been normal, and I have allowed myself to be un-disciplined and slack off.
I've allowed my relationship with God to slide from being the number 1 priority.
And I can see how it has affected every area of my life. My thoughts, my words, my attitude.
The stinky rubbish that has been revealed. The hurts and insecurities that need healing.

So, I'm confessing my apathy and praying for a renewed passion and desire for God.
For the restorative power of His word. For the comforting presence of His spirit.
For the renewal and transformation of my thoughts, my words, my attitude, my heart.
I so need more of God.

Would you pray for me too?

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Psalm 40:2
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

Its all so quiet...

We've been away on a little summer holiday.

But now we're back and have some lovely photos to share...

The beautiful beach with mirror water

Calling home to make sure everyone's ok

Just part of the view from the caravan!

Free fruit...if you can wait for it to ripen!

Some serious boy time

'Come on...I'm ready to go!'

Lovely flowers

The neighbours

Bubble time!

Trying out the new coat...all ready for autumn and winter...and beyond!

Future

"If you can understand everything in your future then you're not living by faith"

- Simon Guillebaud, great guy who's living out his calling with his family in Burundi and who spoke at church on Sunday and spoke of our amazing call to adventure in Christ.

For we live by faith, not by sight

2 Corinthians 5:7

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see

Hebrews 11:1

And because posts are nicer with a picture...

Who's afraid of...

...snails?!

I hate them. Them, and their slug counterparts. Urgh!

Sorry God, but I really do not like them at all one little bit. And if you have blessed me with a son who loves them and wants to bring them in the house and keep them...then I will cry...lots!

Knowing my feelings towards snails, you can imagine my shear joy when I found one inside the fridge this morning! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!

There are many benefits to growing our own veg and salad on the allotment. Finding snails anywhere in the house is not one of them!

Phil's response to my problem...they are nice with garlic! Not even slightly funny!

After about 15 minutes of deep breathing and preparation I managed to muster the courage to remove the snail and deposit it outside...via a 2nd storey window (sorry snail!)

Now, I think I must have a great day lined up as it cannot possibly get any worse!

Anyone else not enjoy certain parts of 'nature'?

The clouds, the rain and the wardrobe

Ok...Scotland...so it's supposed to be the middle of summer and it feels like we went straight from spring to autumn! We have had some wonderful summer days here and there...but they were punctuated, quite heavily, by lots of rain!

I think most ladies would agree that during the slightly warmer months we'd love to be out about wearing something like this...

Or looking like this...

Or even fashioning an outfit like this...

But instead I feel that I'd be more appropriate going out dressed like this!

And while it may be completely practical...it's just not flattering at all!

Obviously there are some silver linings...like the potential to wear these...

But really, other than fishermen, who wants to spend the majority of the year wearing wellies?!

Although maybe I could try this look?

I would like one day where I don't feel that I need to wear my boots just in case it rains...or regret not wearing my boots when I get caught in a downpour! And having to push a buggy means that I need my hands free so I can't even skip around with a lovely umbrella :(

They say that there's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothes.

I'm not sure I agree!

Anyone else surviving weather induced wardrobe malfunctions?!

Sandwiches and prayer...

I try to take my lunch when I'm at work. Buying it everyday can start to get expensive.
But if I do need to buy something, there is a lovely sandwich shop which is always my preference.

I like going there because the bread is usually great.

That's right the bread!

Usually when we think of sandwiches its all about the fillings. The combinations of meat, cheese, salad, dressing or other fancy things that get your taste buds going.

We don't always give much thought to the bread. It's kinda functional. Just there to serve a purpose...not really the main point.

But a sandwich wouldn't be a sandwich without the bread and the quality of the bread can make or break the sandwich.

And I think it's like that with prayer...

...ok, so you now think I'm crazy...but just hear me out...

Prayer is an integral part of our relationship with God. It is all of our communication with Him. But often we get distracted by the more 'interesting', more fun or cooler parts of the relationship. We get caught up with our serving, our activities, our testimony or faith story. We want to make the filling as tasty and attractive as possible. But if the bread, our communication with God and God's word to us and in us, is stale then the whole thing will be bad.

I think it's the same in all relationships. If the communication is off then the whole relationship will be out of kilter. You can't enjoy other aspects of the relationship if you can't or don't communicate well.

If our communication with God is struggling, then it only makes sense that it will have an impact on the whole relationship.

I know that I have a tendency to view prayer as functional and definitely don't have the prayer life I could/should/want to. Its sometimes too easy to miss the importance of prayer and how much of an impact it can have. It should really be the main point.

We need to be in good communication with God. Only He knows the plans He has for us. Only He can direct our feet and light our paths. Only He knows what things we need to encounter.

So, next time you have a sandwich think about your prayer life and whether its as fresh as it could be!

Notes from the allotment:

- weeds can look pretty.

- never judge the strength of a weed by the amount you can see above the ground.

- there's no point removing the weed if you leave the root in...it will just grow back.

- weeds don't stop you producing fruit...but they will reduce the quality and quantity of the fruit.
- some creatures can feed off weeds just as much as they can feed off fruit.

- removing weeds is hard work...especially when they've been left for a long time.

- if I go back to the allotment and it is as overgrown as it was on Monday, I will be very upset!

Phil and I spent a lot of time on Monday at our allotment. I wished we'd taken before and after photos because I removed a whole load of weeds (big, waist high, nasty, prickly, bug filled weeds!) and in some areas it looked quite different when we left. I also got to plant some stuff too...Italian onion (Christmas present from mum), kale and some unidentified, surprise veggies!

While pulling and digging up the weeds I thought a lot about the weeds we can allow to grow in our life. The weeds that will grow and take over if we allow them to. The weeds that will reduce the quality and quantity of our fruit. The weeds that can look or seem innocent but which do a lot of damage deep down.
Dealing with any kind of weed is hard work and is usually an on going process but the result is completely worthwhile.

In our allotment, the aim is to grow fruit and veg that we (and others) can eat and enjoy and that provides energy and sustenance to us.
In my life, I hope to produce fruit that I and others can enjoy. That brings life, energy and sustenance. So it's important that I deal with, and keep on top of the weeds.

14 months...

Ok, so I totally missed the 13 month update. Things were a little crazy around here at the end of May.

Anyway, here are some lovely photos I took yesterday while we were playing in the park.

Being a little naughty and climbing up the slide!

Chasing a friend and squealing with delight! So funny to watch!

I know this one is a little out of focus but I really like it (it looks better if you look at it from further away!)

I can't believe how much his walking is coming on. He doesn't fall very often, which is good for my nerves! And he was loving being so adventurous and climbing on things yesterday. And the slide was good fun too!

His talking is coming on and he tries to copy a lot of what we say. And he's picking up the baby sign very quickly now too, which can be really helpful when we're trying to work out what he's asking for!

And we finally have the next two teeth! Its only taken them about 4 months but they've actually broken through the gum now. Although they're only poking out by about 1mm! So that takes the total tooth count to 6 so far.

And this is the 'mummy, please stop taking photos of me and help me climb on this thing' face!!!