Our life lately...

We've had a busy few days! 

I started reading this book with Alex. 

If you're married or thinking about getting married or know someone who is married -

go ahead and pick up a copy. 

Lots of wisdom and truth in this book. 

I'm also reading this book with a friend of mine. 

Enjoying it so far. 

She definitely had a camera inside my soul when she wrote this.

And I'm only on chapter two.

We had the Free Saeed video/photo shoot on Thursday evening.

It will be used to promote the prayer vigil at our State Capitol. 

I'm blessed to have friends like Jordan and Danielle to help me with this project. 

They have such giving hearts and are so talented.  

If you want to learn more about Pastor Saeed Abedini - go here to read more.

Last time I checked, there were over 40 states represented that will be hosting a prayer vigil on September 26th, the one year anniversary of Saeed's imprisonment in Iran. 

I encourage you to take a look at the list and see if there's a location near you.

If you can't go to a prayer vigil - 

please commit to pray on that day for Saeed and his family, 

as well as all persecuted Christians around the world. 

Saeed is a husband and father of two. They haven't seen him in almost a year.

They know he's in a terrible prison, being tortured, and is in poor health.

Can you imagine that being your husband, father, son, brother, uncle? 

I felt a tug on my heart when I heard about Saeed several months ago. 

And then I felt a tug on my heart to coordinate a prayer vigil for my State Capitol.

His wife, Naghmeh is an inspiration to so many.

She's doing all she can to help bring her husband home to Idaho.

I just think if that were my husband - I would need help/support/prayer from everyone around me.

She needs our governments help, as well as the church.  

Let's be the church to Naghmeh and her children.

Find a prayer vigil near you!

Danielle had asked me if we'd like to take a tour at her work sometime

and since we were already downtown, it was the perfect opportunity!

It was fun getting to see where she works and what she does every day.

The sweet, Donna Terrell was in the studio and let us jump in for a picture. 

Alex took a quick trip to Oklahoma and Dallas - he has traveled so much this week.

He's exhausted and on the verge of getting sick.  

We're praying it's not strep and just sinus stuff. 

He's the most committed person I know - works so hard. 

Pray he wakes up tomorrow feeling better. 

He'll be preaching tomorrow and needs a healing touch!

We had his car while he was out of town. 

Amelia loves riding in his car.

Sydney, not so much. 

She can't stand the sun in her eyes.

I think we'll get Daddy's windows tinted soon. :)

Today was Game Day!

First game of the season for our Hogs. 

Amelia was calling the Hogs in this picture and Sydney had no clue what was happening.

She might have been a little frightened. 

Me and my sweetie. 

Amelia took this picture.  She did a pretty good job. :)

Sydney still confused after her outfit change. 

We all wore our Milk & Honey t-shirts and they are so comfy!

Me and my baby at Big Orange. 

I have to brag on Sydney because eating out with her can be a struggle sometimes. 

Today was DELIGHTFUL. 

We just bragged on her and she would nod her head like, "yeah, I'm awesome."

Alex and his Amelia.

I had one of the best salads ever. 

So good, I took a picture. 

It was the pecan, currant, chicken salad with strawberries on a bed of lettuce. 

Oh my word. 

And we ended our meal by splitting a piece of lemon icebox pie. 

I took three bites. 

And then made myself stop. 

SO GOOD.

Sydney LOVED it.

She couldn't open her mouth any wider at this moment.

We ended the day by running through the sprinklers 

while Daddy grilled our buffalo rib-eye.

Yeah, you read that right. 

I was at Whole Foods yesterday and bought buffalo rib-eye. 

On purpose.

Alex couldn't believe it when I told him 

because I'm not one to eat odd things like buffalo.

Or shrimp.

Or lobster. 

Or frog legs.

What kind of crazy people eat stuff like that?? ;)

But they looked really good and the girl said you couldn't tell a difference - 

they were just a leaner red meat.

And she was right - it was good!

We're looking forward to a long weekend on the lake after church tomorrow. 

We'll be celebrating my SIL's 30th birthday and so many of my family members will be there!  I'm excited to see my parents/siblings/nephews/nieces/uncle/aunt!

Love to all,

Amelia's Lemonade Stand...

Today was the big day!  

We ran our errands yesterday and picked up our ingredients 

for Amelia's lemonade stand.  

She could barely go to sleep last night - she just couldn't stop talking about it.

I let her help mix up the first batch to tell me how sweet she wanted it.

She said,

"it's a little sweet and a little sour, just like lemonade is supposed to be."

Sam's didn't have us on the schedule when we arrived this morning

and it didn't look like we were going to get to set up. 

I started panicking inside.

We immediately started praying and within 15 minutes - the managers came 

back and said we were good to go.

I was so thankful we didn't have to tell Amelia we couldn't sell lemonade today!

We go to church with Danielle.

She arrived just as we were setting up and helped us. 

So thankful for her!!

She's a sweetheart.

My friend Shannon was in town and came by with her sweet Mom. 

I had met her Mom and have talked to Shannon through

blogging/text for YEARS but we've never had the chance to meet in person. 

It was such a nice surprise to meet and get to hug her neck.

I only wish we could have talked longer. 

Maybe next time I won't be sweating and frazzled. HA!

Next time, Shannon!

My sweet friend, Holly and her kiddos. 

Amelia will be taking ballet with Holly's girls...so excited about that!

Our family.

I'm so proud of this girl. 

She came up with this idea after our cupcake fundraiser.

There are times when I forget she's three years old. 

She amazes me on a daily basis.

I love her heart.

Josh, Hillary and Sophie stopped by. 

Love this beautiful baby and her family!

I'm proud of my sweet Sydney too!

She sat in her stroller for almost a full 6 hours - she only got out for diaper changes and lunch!

We would take her for a stroll through Sam's every so often to let her cool off.

I was honestly thinking one of us would have to take her home, at some point

in the day, but she was a trooper.

She did her part to help today and was such a good girl!

Amelia and her Aunt Joy. 

She is always there for my girls...this is their second Mama!

Amelia and her Uncle Gerry. 

She and Sydney lit up when they saw him coming!

Allan and Darce stopped by to see us.

Such a nice surprise!

Shelby & Garrett stopped by!

My friend, Erin is raising some awesome kiddos.

Our friend, Addi stopped by too!

Sydney and Shelby...BFF.

Uncle Chris, Kandace and Krystal came out to show some love!

Amelia and Kandace

Niki and Nathaniel stopped by!

This baby makes me smile. 

He has the sweetest personality...love him!

Will, Jen, and Shelby.

They were so sweet to take Sydney with them into Sam's while they were shopping.

Gave her a little break from the heat!

Sydney getting a little break from her stroller to have lunch.

She looks so tall in this picture!

Bro. David stopped by too!

Amelia & Gracie. 

I just love Gracie's Mama, Ashley. 

I'm blessed to call her, friend!

The Billson boys and Amelia.

She adores these guys...loves her cousins so much!

My Uncle Kevin made these bookmarks for us to hand out with the lemonade.

I was inside buying more ice when he and my Aunt Sandi stopped by. 

Wish I had a picture of them too!

6 hours...

100 pounds of ice...

170 cups...

10 gallons of lemonade...

Amelia raised $437.00 for the Cabecar Church Ministry!

One of the sweetest moments of the day was when we were packing everything up

and we were all high-fiving each other and saying, "great job!"

She said, "Mama, I'm sure proud of you, you're a great lemonade-seller."

This was Sydney on the way home. 

We had two, tired girls but it was a great day!

We had a lot of fun doing this as a family.

No better way to spend our Saturday!

Thank you to all of our family and friends that gave to this fundraiser. 

I wish I had been able to get pictures of everyone.

You guys are the best.

We pray God will greatly bless you for giving of your time and resources.

"Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, and will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Luke 6:38

Love to all,

Destin 2013...

I just glanced at my blog yesterday and realized it had been a  while since I've posted.  Guess we've been busy!   I'm excited for fall.  There are some things that I want to do with the girls, specifically with Amelia that I hope work out.  She's at such a fun age.  I don't really have much to blog about.  I have some vacation pictures that I'll post here and there.  Might take me a bit.

Sydney Faith had a great week. She fought bedtime the first night but then we gave her a giant air mattress to sleep on and a box fan to make some noise - girl slept so well.  

 

Our annual beach vacation with my family = THE BEST TIME.  I have to admit, this is the first year that I've ever wanted to stay longer.  I kept asking Alex, "are you sure you don't want to stay one more week?"  I think we're going to try to do just that next year.  The girls LOVED the beach and ocean.  They were fearless and would get out there with their Daddy and just let the waves go over their heads.  Amelia asked us every night, "how many more days do we have here?"  She didn't want to leave either.  She actually stood on the patio, waving bye to the ocean while crying.  It was sad times.  Except when Sydney turned around and started waving bye to us with a big grin on her face.  Like she was staying.  That was funny times.

We would ask Amelia "what was your favorite thing about today?" while tucking her in at night.  Her answers were always so sweet and honest.  One night she said, "just getting to play with Kandace all day."  Kandace is her cousin and let me tell ya, Amelia LOVES HER COUSINS.  All 25 of them.  Or is it 26?  I lose count.         

One night, her favorite part of the day was that her Daddy didn't have to go to work and that he taught her how to go under water without holding her nose.  When we're home, she asks me every single day "what day is it?"  Because she lives for Saturday and Sunday.  Those are the days her Daddy is off work (sorta) and we get to go to church.  I love her sweet heart.

We've been thinking/planning fundraisers for the Cabecar Church Ministry in Costa Rica.  We just consider them to be our family and we're raising funds to help their churches, the members, and the pastors of those churches in several ways.  We've talked and prayed about it with our girls so much that Amelia has come up with two fundraisers on her own.  She actually added a third to the list yesterday.  She is full of ideas, let me tell ya. :)

Her first fundraiser is a lemonade stand outside of Sam's this weekend.  We're pretty excited!  She asked me if I thought she could sell at least 6 cups of lemonade and I said, "I think you could probably sell more than that." She answered with "so do you think I could sell 100 cups of lemonade??"  So that's our goal. :) 

 

I love that she loves so freely.  I love that everyone is her best friend, even those she has never met.  I love that she has a huge heart and wants to help.  I love that she's already thinking of someone other than herself and she's only three years old.  She talks about one of the pastors there, Pastor Eli, every single day.  She can't wait to meet Pastor Eli.  She's always sharing jokes that she's going to tell Pastor Eli to make him laugh.  She wants to take Pastor Eli a cupcake to Costa Rica.  So we're looking to take her on our next trip if it works out! 

Sisters on the beach. 

Sydney loved the sand.  She consumed a large amount 

and I just did my best not to worry about that.

We had to pay Sydney in cashews while the pictures were being taken, 

but who doesn't like a big, baby smile full of cashews?  

Me and my girls.

Me and my sweet man. 

Love him so much.

It was the best vacation we've had in awhile.

Lots of memories made with our sweet girls. 

More pics to come.

Love to all,