Holiday Projects & Home "Improvement"

Yesterday I finished making Kate and Zachy's Christmas presents. I made them each a fleece blanket! Most of you are probably quite proficient at making these blankets but this was my first attempt! So, as I take this moment to take a break from posting about my trip and to bring you a little variety, I'll share a few pictures of the blankies!!

Here is Kate's blanket:

And here is Zachary's blanket...a lot smaller thank Kate's...whoops!


I also have done a little sprucing of my living room area...for those of you who have been in my home, its the front room that has been sorely neglected for the last two years. But, due to some events occurring at my home this last month, the sprucing became a top priority! I bought a sofa table and coffee table that will eventually be moved into my family room. But, for now, they are assisting to make my front room a bit more cozy. Then, I added some throws and pillows (over the comfortable but ugly couch and chair) and some lamps. I snapped these pictures in a hurry a few weeks ago so they don't really rank among the greatest ever..maybe someday I'll give a real tour of my home with pictures that are decent!! Until then...

My living room...



A view from the hallway...



My new sofa table..
There is always room for more TLC but I've already seen my front room used more in the last few weeks than in the entire 2 years I've lived there! Amazing!! And, until I have the time and money to continue with the sprucing project.....

....I'll just kick up my feet and relax...

....feel free to stop in for a spot of tea!!

A "little" project!

On Saturday my parents and I worked on a little house project. I wanted good access to the water spigot and hated walking through the bushes because of my allergies. So, several weeks ago, we pulled out one of the bushes.

The area that needed TLC

And this weekend my parents and I went to work to spruce up the spot to make it a bit more aesthetic on the eyes.

De-weeded but still a long ways to go

Throwing a little dirt around!

WIP: Work in Progress

The finished product!!

Now all I need to add are some flower pots and a hose-winder-upper! I am so thankful for my parents, who are so willing to help me and teach me how to complete these sort of home improvement projects!

Thoughts by Kate Aspen

1. At the chapel picnic a couple of weeks ago, I was helping Kate untangle the strings to the kite she wanted to fly. As I was working on it and she was dancing around, I was talking to her, telling her that it's really hard to fly a kite and even when we get it untangled and even with Aunt Kelly helping, its really hard to fly a kite. Kate then responds by saying,

That's ok, it's good for me to try anyways.

2. The other day, Tanya was on her way with the kids to meet my mom and I at the pool. As they were pulling into the parking lot Kate says,

Kelly loves me sooo much. She loves my WHOLE heart!

That little girl is so right! I love her sooo much...and Zachy too!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is a day we celebrate the mothers in our lives. I am so thankful for my mother. As I've watched her over the years as mother to Scott and I, and now as grandmother to Kate and Zach, I've seen her continually give of herself, being selfless for the sake of her family. I am so incredibly thankful for the godly example my mother has set forth and hope to be as selfless to the loved ones in my life as she has shown to me. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

To all of you mothers out there...kudos to you for all the hard work you are putting into your children, sitting up with them late at night when they are sick and fussy, cooking their meals each day, doing their laundry, and wiping their noses to name a few. But your most important job as mother is diligently working to grow them up in a way that their lives might honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and that they might grow up to be men and women with a passion for the things of God.

As I was looking at verses this morning about mothers, I came across this verse in Isaiah 66 that made me realize how much a mother is a picture of our Lord. "Like a mother comforts her children, so the Lord will comfort you." (Kelly paraphrase!) Wow! I think that verse caught my heart in a special way because last night I longed for my mother, for her loving touch and most of all for her comfort. I don't care how old you get, there are moments in life that nothing soothes like a mother's comfort...and that is a sweet picture of our Savior and the comfort He offers to us.

For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.

As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes."

Isaiah 66:12-14

Classic Words by Kate Aspen

The other day my mom was taking care of my 23 month old niece. They were outside and my mom was working in the yard.

She turned to Kate and said: "Kate, do you want to help Grandma?"

Kate said: "No thanks. I watch."

For being so little she sure knows how to supervise!!

Kate Date

Kate and I had a date on Sunday afternoon...just the two of us! It was so much fun! First, we played at home with her dollhouse. When you ring the doorbell she says "Come in!" When you open the door she says "Hillo" Then, we made sure to have the mommy doll sit at the table to eat her french fries...always an important part of the day!

We also went to the mall and ate a cookie and "talked". I'm still not sure what all of our conversation was about but she sure got a lot of chuckles out of it! We also rode the carousel...auntie Kelly was a little squeamish after that ride so we chose to play on the slide for a little bit! Boy, was that fun! We had to learn that you can't try to climb UP the slide when other kids are coming down, but thankfully that was not a long lesson!

Then, we went shopping for Baby Zach! Kate helped me pick out a cute outfit...she is a GREAT shopper!! After all that fun we headed to Wendy's for some fries and chicken nuggets!! What fun! We even got a little train engine in our meal! Boy was that exciting! Then, it was back home to Mommy and Daddy and baby who missed her very much! When we got home, she promptly sat down to more dinner...yogurt and steak! You would have thought I forgot to feed the child while we were out!!

All in all, we had a great time and it was some special time with Kate. I've been thinking about the roles I play in the lives of the children around me...especially, in the little lives of Kate and Zach. I pray that they will each become a woman and man of God and that they will honor Him in their lives and that I might influence them for the things that are good and upright in the eyes of God.

I've been thinking about King Jehosaphat lately and how he was a king who walked in the ways of God. But, he also aligned himself in battle on numerous occassions with King Ahab, who most certainly did not honor the Lord and did evil all the days of his life. Jehosaphat's son, Jehoram, had the example of a father who honored the Lord but also saw his father siding with Ahab. Jehoram ended up marrying Ahab's daughter and walked in the ways of Ahab, doing evil.
How did Jehosaphat's actions affect the decisions that his son made? If Jehosaphat had not aligned himself with Ahab, would his son have turned out differently? Would he have married a woman who honored the Lord and encouraged him to honor the Lord in his reign?

What about my actions? Am I walking in such a manner that I can be confident that if someone were to follow in my footsteps that they would also be walking in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus? Someone is always watching what we do...do my actions and responses reflect the Savior? Or do they reflect my own selfishness and desperately wicked heart? What sort of example am I leaving for others to follow?

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. "

Philippians 3:12-14

Zachary Scott

Announcing...

...the arrival of Zachary Scott

Arrived: Sunday, 1/14 at 7:28
Weight: 7 pounds 12 oz
Length: 18.5 inches

Zachary is a cutie pie!

Mom and baby are doing well!

Kate is in shock!!