that day at the beach.

we recently went to the beach.
i don’t think i have ever seen the beach like that august. 
the tide was super low and it was stormy and overcast.


(thanks for taking this photo, Uncle J!)
mister L observed the water from on high.


the bigs couldn’t get enough of the shallow water.


K finally warmed up enough to take her windbreaker off.


more from that beach day to come soon!

He who builds His lofty palace in the heavens
and sets its foundation on the earth,
who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out
over the face of the land–the LORD is His name.
Amos 9:6

1386. a night out to see THE HELP
1387. Grammy’s extra set of hands
1388. a very long game of hide-and-go-seek
1389. the combination of laughter and bubbles
1390. a super quick and easy blood draw for L

picture me {im}perfectly.in the kitchen

i like to bake.
i like it much better than cooking.
but this doesn’t necessarily mean 
that i am good at baking. 

(actually, i think i could be good at a lot of things
if i only did those things one at a time 
rather than too many things at the same time.
but that is not my life right now.)

over the weekend, we celebrated Auntie B’s birthday
and the kids and i picked out 
a glorious, glorious cake
that would be simply perfect for the occasion. 

layer after layer
(from this beautiful little blog)


isn’t it lovely?
well, i messed up while making the whipped cream
(i know, like the simplest thing one could make).
i made a silly assumption
(note to self: don’t ever, ever 
make assumptions while in the kitchen)
i didn’t have enough heavy cream so i thought i’d 
just add a little whole milk.
and then a little more powdered sugar. 
and then when that didn’t work, 
i put it in the freezer for an hour.
and it was still runny. 

and so, we had the cake
just minus everything else.  


yeah, it was pretty sad looking. 
but it did taste scrumptious.
and i don’t think Auntie B minded at all.
but then again, she didn’t see the photo 
of what the cake should have looked like.
now she’s going to mind.

be sure to head over to
because i simply loved her 
vulnerability and honesty 
from her linked-up post last week.

picture me {im}perfectly
is a weekly project to reveal that we don’t have it all together.

i will post a 
picture me {im}perfectly
blog post every wednesday 
where you will be able to link up to your blog
revealing that:

you are not picture perfect,
your kids are not picture perfect,
your house is not picture perfect,
your crafts are not always picture perfect,

let’s 
encourage, 
inspire and 
remind 
other women 
that none of us have it all together.  

add my button to your blog post
and link up to your direct posting
and feel encouraged. 

1381. playdates with Katherine Wolf and her son
1382. chocolate cake
1383. having photos to edit
1384. having time to edit photos
1385. pandas on shirts

the artist.

this little man loves art.
any and every type of art, he loves.
he said that he is going to be an artist when he grows up.


and sometimes, he likes to be his own pallet.


this is what he looked like after doing some pastels. 
oh my.

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as 
craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn
and fine linen, and weavers–all of them master craftsmen and designers.
Exodus 35:35

1376. both of my little men
1377. really enjoying my desk
1378. kids who fight over who will empty 
the silverware from the dishwasher
1379. ordering birthday gifts from amazon 
and having them show up on my doorstep
1380. the big boy teaching the little boy how to do art

i’m linking up with the sweet housewife:

Photobucket

young and old.

we generally know how to have a lot of fun.


case in point.
who wouldn’t want to ride on an electric scooter,
or “electric chair” as my grandfather used to call it.

i was thinking of trying to sell this photo 
to the retirement home where my grandmother lives.
young and old,
electric scooters.
what more could you ask for in a place like this?


this little love watched his older siblings 
chase golf balls all over the green.


and there’s always time for a good song or two.
with my grandmother, it’s almost as if you 
are living in a musical.
she knows a song about everything.
it’s pretty fantastic.


yesterday was the two year anniversary 
of my grandfather’s death at 92 years old.
he lived a grand, grand life.

1371. remembering
1372. family walks
1373. rest time for everyone
1374. staying out way too late
1375. a sweet sewing friend

praying specifically.

do you know what always happens to me?
i get in a rut and i don’t know how to get out.
i try and i try and i try and 
i fail and i fail and i fail. 
and then
(and only then)
do i realize that i will always fail.
because i am a failure.
we all are.

for all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23

and we cannot,
i repeat, cannot
do this life without Him.
but the thing is, we think we can.
and that’s how we find ourselves in these ruts.

“You can never learn that Christ is all you need, 
until Christ is all you have.” 
Corrie Ten Boom

this morning, i sent up an 
honest, desperate, vulnerable plea to Jesus.
that He would rescue me.
that He would help me get all that needs to be done, done.
and you know what?
He answered in the 
most incredible and specific way.

not two hours later, 
i received an email from a college friend 
that i haven’t seen since graduating
who offered so much. 
so very much more than she could ever imagine.
and i know that it was totally and completely from the Lord.

Auntie B always reminds me to pray specifically. 
and you know what just clicked for me today?
(you have probably already figured this one out)
i know that God knows what is going 
to come out of my mouth before even i do:

acknowledge the God of your father, 
and serve him with wholehearted devotion
and with a willing mind, 
for the LORD searches every heart 
and understands every motive 
behind the thoughts.
1 Chronicles 28:9

but i think that He wants us to pray specifically 
so that when He answers that request, 
we know that it is from Him.
and nothing else.
and no one else.
but from Him.
and Him alone.
so that He may get the glory.
because He gives specifically and He gives generously.

for Jesus said: 
Ask and it will be given to you; 
seek and you will find; 
knock and the door will be opened to you. 
For everyone who asks receives; 
the one who seeks finds; 
and to the one who knocks, 
the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8 


we had a playdate at a new friend’s house 
and made these fabulous prayer rocks.
aren’t they so awesome?
why, yes.
yes they are.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. 
He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, 
and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Again, he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, 
and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:17-18

1366. specific prayers answered
1367. seeing laundry dry in the sunshine
and blow in the wind
(the first time i have ever, ever done this)
1368. sitting at a new desk
1369. sunshine pouring in the windows
1370. a sweet little boy (L) on a trike

to the fair.

we 
absolutely 
positively
love
going to the fair.


the little man was thrilled.


we made it five minutes into the fair 
before getting lemonade and ice cream.


and if you read last week’s post
you know what occurred next.
madness.
but it was okay because we were at the fair!


my handsome cowboy.


we thought this sheep looked a lot like our K.


and you know your child is a city mouse
when they ask if this animal is a dog.


two of my loves


miss K was the only one who 
wanted to go and look at the horses.


K was excited as she too had a braid in her hair that day. 
and, purple is her second favorite color.
so there.
perfect.


we watched in amazement as people 
enjoyed some wild rides
(i am a total scaredy cat. 
and i mean total).


Grammy joined us for the fun day.


and we chose to watch the ferris wheel 
instead of ride on it this year. 


but the bigs got to go on 
two rides of their choosing.
i think they were wowed.


this particular fair
(the only one my husband will go to)
is right next to the ocean.
so the weather really is supreme in august.


whoa.
getting tri-tip sandwiches.


and of course the spiral “frys”


Grammy and her little dolly, K.


the hubs and me.


even the ride home was lovely.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, 

   a light on my path.

Psalm 119:105

1361. the wind blowing through the open windows
1362. little ones who make their own pizzas
1363. the sunlight in the late afternoon
1364. the perfect shades of cranberry & turquoise
1365. spinach smoothies that even B liked

picture me {im}perfectly.where to start

i’ve been in a bit of a funk lately.
do you ever get in those?
sure you do.

i have been so 
completely
totally
absolutely
utterly
overwhelmed by life.

and i think it’s growing 
as we get closer and closer to 
the big kids going to school 
(in less than a month). 
little K is off to preschool 
(for the first time).
and my sweet D is going to kindy.

man oh man.
how did that happen?
not only how is it august, 
but how is it that my first child 
is off to school?
real school? 
all day school?
how did that happen so quickly?

i get overwhelmed thinking
about all the things that need to get done.
there’s so much to do.
all the time.
and i have such a hard time balancing it all.
and getting it all done.

our schedule is changing by the minute 
and what i once thought our fall 
was going to look like 
is actually going to be very, very different.
i think.
i still don’t have a clear picture 
of what it’s going to look like. 
but that’s okay 
(as i tell myself over and over again)
because i don’t need to worry about tomorrow. 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 
for tomorrow will worry about itself. 
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34


(my to-do list that’s more like a to-do pile.
oh, and K’s pink golf ball.
obviously.)

but, i decided that yesterday was going to be different.
yesterday would not be filled with the never-ending lists. 

sometimes i just need to change the course of my day
and when i take photos, 
it usually does the trick.
yesterday was no exception.
yesterday i decided that i was going to
take it all in.
soak it all up.
not let the worries of the world get to me. 
and that is what i did.
and it was great.

i know that God is working all of this out 
in my heart 
because i am a planner to my core.
and this kind of stuff just throws me for a loop.
but it certainly forces me to cling to Him 
and cling to the now 
and not to the tomorrow.
as much as i so desperately want to.


so while L was in class,
the bigs and i got donuts.
and not just any donuts,
but the best donuts in the entire world.
yes.
the entire world.
Katherine Wolf says that 
this is one of her favorite places, too.


(always something on her nose.)


yum.
as i’m typing this up,
i’m wishing i would have gotten a second one to go.
my favorite is the maple bar.
just in case you were wondering.
because i know you were.

i am so so thrilled that 
so many of you have linked up!

head over to erin’s blog
and read about her day. 
because we all have days like that
and it’s so refreshing to read about it on the internet!

picture me {im}perfectly
is a weekly project to reveal that we don’t have it all together.

i will post a 
picture me {im}perfectly
blog post every wednesday 
where you will be able to link up to your blog
revealing that:

you are not picture perfect,
your kids are not picture perfect,
your house is not picture perfect,
your crafts are not always picture perfect,

let’s 
encourage, 
inspire and 
remind 
other women 
that none of us have it all together.  

add my button to your blog post
and link up to your direct posting
and feel encouraged. 

Cast all your anxiety on Him 
because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

1356. running into a nurse of mine. twice!
1357. donuts
1358. new kids’ scissors
1359. freeing up computer space
1360. seeing D’s eyes sparkle 
when he spends 
one-on-one time with his dad

help.

i get a lot of help.
most of which i don’t ask for.


here, L is kindly cleaning out my purse.
don’t get me wrong, it needed it, badly
but this wasn’t the ideal time
nor way to do it.


but you know what?
it’s clean now!

1351. the kids watching their dad work hard
1352. the reminder of how great it feels when i don’t have a canker sore
1353. a beautiful gift from B
1354. an afternoon with my sister
1355. reading sweet books to the kids

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