How they Grow

This memorial day weekend has been a good one so far. Jason took Friday off and went fly-fishing with his friend. They Saturday morning was my time and I chose to read my book and finish some scrapbooking. Then we took Ella out in the square stern for a little paddle/fishing. She already LOVES fishing! She says "fishie, fishie, fishie" over and over again when her daddy get's his lures and rod out. She likes to help him reel in! The house is clean (which takes two days now with this monster!) We're headed to church and then having a housewarming/BBQ here!

Wading through the pages of Ella's scrapbook I realized just how much she's grown! It's funny how they stay little in your eyes. Here she is last year at the end of May:

Here she is this year!

Oh and guess what else is growing!? My garden. Thanks to another friend who filled my van with perenials from her MAGNIFICENT garden!

Garden before Suzanne's plants:Garden after!I have so many more varaties of plants than I ever have before! Here's what I've got:

2 types of hosta

blue/purple iris

yellow day lillies

yucca

2 types of daisies

flox

bridals veil

something related to lupines

bleeding heart

columbine

something that gets tall with pink flowers

something with white flowers that close at night

chives

bees balm

lilly of the valley

a wild blueberry bush

tulips

a varigated grass

primrose

violets

And nine other things that I don't know/remember what they are!

So blessed am I!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to you. Amidst all you fun in the sun, don't forget to stop and take a moment to remember why we celebrate this day. Remember those that have died for our country and send a prayer up for their families!

Little Miss Ella

Well, well, well. We're fast approaching 18 months old! She changes every day!

By far one of her favorite words right now is "Ow-sigh" (outside) said with gusto! She LOVES being outside. We're so thankful for that! Other favorites are "baby" and "ball". She adores those two things as well! She does things like this with her baby all by herself all the time! She's quite the little "mom".

Water, not so much her fave right now. A stark contrast to last summer. She loves the playground. Especially climbing up stair and going down slides. She'll do it over and over again!Sometimes she goes backwards :) Sometimes she gets a little help from her friends :)She loves digging, walking, pushing or pulling anything, and helping mommy cook, water plants or sweep. She'll ride in things for a bit, but she's definitely discovered her ability to do things independently and loving it!Who says 17 months is too young for chores? Not I! Ella's chore is to feed Hunter every morning. She also throws away all my trash. (The latter was not enstated by me, she just stinkin' loves doing it!)

Her language is just exploding! We started writing down all the words that she uses regularly and that she initiates on her own. We got to 65 and then she spit out 2 or 3 new ones that day and so we stopped counting. She also loves music. She loves singing and "dancing" to music. She loves when we sing to her and we'll often catch her humming tunes and rocking back and forth! I think you'll see from this video that we've got a talker on our hands ;)

House Update

Okay, I'm ready to talk. But I think I'll let the pictures mostly speak for themselves. I'll try to keep a very long story as breif as possible...(as brief as possible for a one miss Sarah York)

Shortly after we moved in the window above our kitchen sink leaked. The door in the living room also leaked. (The owners disclosed the door...but said it needed a new storm door. This gushing of water that we experienced obviously had NOTHING to do with a storm door.)

Jason went out to investigate and fix. With each layer he pulled back it got worse and worse. He found:

#1) The house was not waterproofed properly

#2) The windows weren't installed properly.

#3) The water was getting in behind the siding and running down and rotting things out. He thought just the OSB and T1-11 were rotted...NOPE. So was the insulation, the 2x6's holding up our house and even some sheetrock and cabinet backs on the inside! Superb! Oh and don't forget the mold! Dear Lord I think fungi just likes to follow us all of our days! He figured out he was in over his head and covered the whole side of the house with tyvec and called our insurance. Praise the LORD they are covering it and we have a fabulous Christian contractor heading up the repairs!Here, they've cut out and replaced all the rotted, moldy stuff, reinstalled a window and properly waterproofed the rest of them. Foam board, tyvek, proper J channel and then siding back up! Now onto the other side! New door because the other one was rotting out! Thankfully, they don't think this whole mess is happening on the other two ends of the house. They're gonna check just in case though!

Yes. We DID have a home inspection. And NO, apparantly they guy had NO clue what he was doing.

I had specifically asked about the window that ended up leaking because I thought it looked fishy and this guy said, "Nope. That's fine. Houses shift."

All the workers and contractors we've had in here say that any house inspector with half a clue should have quickly seen that window and known there had been constand water damage over a long period of time which meant bigger issues. They all also have pointed out things he should have seen that shoudl have told him the house was not waterproofed properly.

I won't broadcast his name all over the internet but if you email me privately I'll tell you who NOT to use!

So here's how I'm chosing to look at this whole thing. God knew what he was doing. It doesn't suprise him that we had a house inspection that missed a whole lotta important stuff. If we had known all that, we wouldn't have bought it! So He clearly wanted us to have this house. He knew the insurance would cover it and we'd have a healthy happy home in the end. It's just been a process to get there. One I'm sure He'll be teaching me lessons from for a long time to come!

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

I am BURSTING at the seams! I just HAVE to tell you this story...

First I'd like to admit that we both forgot to put gas in the car today and it's a miracle we made it home from church. Second I'd like to share that my butt normally goes nowhere except the couch or bed after 8pm on Sundays. And thirdly I'd like to confess that normally I'd not offer to fill up J's car in the evening so he wouldn't have to get up earlier in the morning to do it on his way to work. But tonight I felt a nudge from the Lord to be a little extra kind to my hubby and offered to do so. (I was half hoping he'd swoon at the shear fact that I offered, kiss me on the forehead and tell me not be ridiculous, to go relax.) But he accepted.

So there I was, headed toward the fillin' station just after 8pm this evening, not 500 feet down the road from my house when I caught a glimpse of that bright red beauty out of the corner of my left eye.

"Couldn't be," I thought so I slowed a bit and did a double take. Yup, it was.

Parked right in someone's front yard, next to a few ladders for sale sat the exact radio flyer pathfinder wagon I'd been tryin' to hunt down for over a month. Big wheels, sturdy, easy to manuver and converts to a double seater with cup holders. It looked brand new!!! Mmmm, Hmmm, it was the one alright.

Oh sure I'd found plenty before but they'd all been too far to drive to get or far too expensive. You see I only had $30 cash left to spend on outdoor toys for my little one. So I let it sit, itchin' in my pocket, praying for the patience to wait and for the right one to come along.

I really couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price clearly printed in bold permanant marker on the "for sale" sign slung over it's side. It read $25 !!!

I didn't have my cash on me, so I rang the doorbell praying they'd hold it on my word for the 5 minutes it would take me to run home and back. The sweetest old man you'd ever want to meet greeted me at the door with and ear to ear smile and spoke before I even had a chance to peep a word, "The wagon. You're here for the wagon aren't cha?"

I'm not sure how he knew, but I thought it was neat, affirmed that it was indeed what I was after, explained how I'd been hunting, how my daughter would adore it, how I couldn't believe the price and how my cash was just down the road.

"Put it in your car and bring me back the money when you get a chance," he said with a wave of his hand and not a hind of hesitation.

I was dumbfounded and speechless for a split second. I almost hesitated to comply, but did because I knew I'd be back...and I was. A twenty dollar bill, four ones and four quarters later he gave me that same genuine smile and sweetly bid me farewell with, "I'm just glad it made you so happy."

I'm not trying to sound conceited, but I firmly believe God orchestrated this whole evening for me. Why he chose to bless me this way I know not (but I don't think that fact that one of my love languages is gifts managed to miss His attention :) I'm certainly not deserving, but I am so very, very thankful. Not just for the bright red wagon that I can one day explain to Ella how God handpicked just for her. Not just for the fact that I'll get to experience such joy when her face lights up tomorrow morning but mostly for the opportunity to meet such a sweet soul, who extended such generosity and trust that is far too rare these days. It was a glimpse of how I wish we could all live together and the tiniest of tastes of how I know we will when we are in His presence one day. Thanks God. You're awesome. I love you too.

A Little Landscaping Goes A Long Way

It never ceases to amaze me how God provides even the smallest things that make our hearts happy.

I love gardening. I have SO missed it since we moved from Old Town two years ago.

But once again He is faithful and provided this home with AMPLE opportunities to landscape!

I think the people that lived here before had a landscape design method of "blindfold yourself, spin around ten times and then go plant stuff." We've found flowers and plant in the most random of places.

But the great part is that we created this beautiful flower bed entiredly from rocks and plants found on our property. The only thing we bought was the dirt. And I've got offers for more plants from friends and family! Praise God!

BEFORE

AFTER

Just around the corner there are house does not look quite so lovely. Pictures, explanation and update on that situation to follow soon.

That's Powerful Stuff!

Whatever you believe... Please... Take a minute to read this. I believe you'll find truth in it.

"I'm thankful it is my sould You love, rather than my appearance or performance. So often, I'm dissatisfied with bothof these, especially when I make them my focus. I'm grateful for Your perfect understanding, since I sometimes feel misunderstood..."

"Beloved, relax in My loving Presence. Let the Light of My Love soak into your entire being...Cease striving and know that I am God.

The world abounds with idols-things you turn to when you want to feel better about yourself:eating, entertainment, exercise, mastery of something. However, none of these things can slake the thirst of your soul, which yearns for Me alone... When you get that gnawing around the edges of your soul, turn to Me. Your sould will be satisfied with the richest of foods."


I have experienced the truth of these words over and over. So POWERFUL! This is an excerpt from my devotions right now. Nearer to Jesus by Sarah Young. Those of you that know me can understand that it speaks to my soul specifically! So thankful for "happening" upon this fabulous find at Marden's!

Some REALLY Exciting News!

Drum role please.....We are the proud owners of a minivan! Yup, that bad boy you're starin' at up there is sittin' in our driveway!

"What!?"you say. "Why?" you ask. "Are you having another baby?" is one I get a lot.

The answers are, "Yup you heard right." "Because they're awesome!" and "Nope."

I've not always been a minivan gal. I was sold when:

#1) I worked at HHGH and got to drive clients around in one of these sweet rides all the time.

#2) When we first tried to cram ourselves, our baby, our gear and our dog into our station wagon for one of many long trips home to visit fam.

Let's just say I now have a lot more sympathy for sardines and the dog got left out a lot of the time...and people, that's just sad.

Jason on the other hand, has ALWAYS been a minivan guy. Bless his big ol' heart. If I had a nickle for everytime he's told me that his family had 3 minivans growing up or even just a penny for every time he's listed off the many points of practicality and usefulness that these rides possess, I'd be a rich woman.

And now comes the part where I can't keep my mouth shut about what an AMAZING bargain we got! We happened upon this 2006, loaded dodge caravan with 56k miles for UNDER $5,000!!! It was used as a Direct TV van in NH and the company went out of business so they're selling 20 of these bad boys!!! Now I get to sell the ladder racks for a little extra cash which makes the van even cheaper!!!

That's the exciting news! You may now coninue about your day :)

How Was Your Mother's Day?

Mine was FABULOUS!!!

Anyone remember LAST mother's day? The one I blogged about? The one Jason forgot? Yeah. Well now that I dredged that up again to show you that he's really not perfect, I'll brag a little about THIS mother's day to give him a little blog redemption :)

After a FANTABULOUS evening with friends, Jason got up with Ella and prepared me bacon and delish eggs for breakfast and greeted me speedily with a great card. Really the bacon was enough. He had me at the bacon.

Then we went to a great church service where I got a carnation, a gift certificat for free stuff from my hubby and a piece of chocolate!

Then Jason took Ella and I to Get Fired Up and had me paint a tile and put Ella's handprint on it. I LOVED this and decided it will now be a mother's day tradition! BTW, they were totally awesome a kid friendly there!

At home Jason made us lunch and when Ella went down for a nap he ushered me into our bathroom where he had the fixins for a nice bubble bath all set up. Candles, music, book and new spa pillow to boot. He told me to take time for myself.

And lastly, he prepared a delish grilled salmon dinner. Candle light, flowers, the whole nine and topped it off with a killer chocolate dessert.

Ummm, yeah, I think he's MORE than made up for last year...not that he really had to. But what a great day! Happy Mother's Day to all!

It's Time to Play!

That's right folks. It's time to play everyone's favorite game...Weed or Plant!

This isn't one of those games where I know the right answers and you have to figure them out. And there are no prizes. Cruddy game, I know!

Nope, this is the kind of game where I have no flippin' idea what is sprouting up around my house and I neeeeed to get to sprucing up. So I'm relying on you green thumbs out there to tell me if it's a nasty old weed or a plant....and preferably what plant it is. These green beauties are at your mercy people, because if it's a weed it's getting whacked! And the plants shall be spared!

Please help! Tell me if it's a plant or a weed. If it's a plant, what kind?

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6 (I know the next two are flowers, what kind?)

#7