Sunday, July 31

OUR PAPA

We are so blessed to have our Papa (Jeremy's Grandfather) still with us.  He and Nana (Jeremy's Grandmother) live just up the street from us and we feel really lucky to be able to spend time with them on a regular basis!  They get to see our kids (their Great-Grandkids) grow up before their eyes.

Papa has been sick the past 6 months, so we are really savoring every moment that we have to be together.  When someone you love is sick, it is such a blessing to really focus on how precious the time we have together is.....for all of us.  None of us are promised a tomorrow!!

Papa was released from Baylor Hospital and put into a rehab center also down the street from our house, so we have been bringing him Wendy's Frosties each evening.  Everyone loves a Frostie!!

He is doing so much better now that he is out of Baylor.  We are praying that he can come home soon, and get back to normal life.  Here are some pics of Papa and the fam...
 Papa has this "cool" TV that comes out from the wall on a giant arm that the kids can watch from his bed.  "Wow, we should get these at home"....the kids say!!
 Madison sitting in the corner playing her ipod touch games.  She either plays games or reads on the Kindle
 Jeremy and his Grandpa playing Cribbage....the favorite Lustig family game...all of the boys play it!
 Papa's smile can literally LIGHT up a room!!! As you can clearly see in this pic!! Look how happy and healthy he looks!! He feels a ton better!!  Praise Jesus!
 The Boys!!
PAPA'S HANDS
 This pic is somewhat a memory from my childhood.  My grandpa Johnson (a hardworking immigrant from Sweden) had the biggest, SOFTEST hands ever!!  I loved to hold onto them.  I can still physically feel how soft they were every time I think about him.  I felt a special warmth when seeing Papa's soft hand holding onto little Nicholas's.  Maybe it will be something that my kids remember about their Papa too.

(when looking at our blog just now, Nicholas told me that "Papa's hand were so soft"....I hadn't even told him about why I took that picture!!)  It is so amazing what seemingly little things touch our hearts and the inner workings of our soul (smells, feelings, tastes)...how could anyone ever deny that there is a God!?!?
 
 Here is the "old married couple" Savannah and Nick hanging out in Papa's bed while Jeremy and Papa finish up their card game...(they really act like an old married couple...they are just the best of friends!)

 In our normal fashion...trying to get the kids organized for a family shot
All of us with our Papa.  We love him so much.  My grandparents passed away when I was still pretty young....Jeremy's Papa has been my Papa for 18 years now!!  I have known him and Nana as my Grandparents longer than 3 of my 4 grandparents!!!  What a blessing that both Nana and Papa so lovingly agreed to be my grandparents too.  I love you so much Nana and Papa!



MY MADISON BEAR

Madison was thinking about her mommy (me) while at the lease with her daddy, Savannah and Nicholas last weekend.
She found 2 sticks and lots of grass and made this beautiful cross for me.  What love she shows for others and our Lord!! I love you, Sweetie!!

Saturday, July 30

ANGELA'S SHOWER FOOD (more pics of the girls at the shower to come)

Jeremy took the kids to his hunting lease this past weekend, while I hosted a baby shower for my dear friend, Angela
 I love showers...they are so girly!!!!  Look at this great food...I love sandwiches!
 I made the BEST sangria EVER (on the left) for the shower...even though most of the ladies chose the raspberry lemonade (on the right) to drink at first, BUT then the ladies switched over to the sangria as the shower continued. It is my friend, Maria's recipe!! It rocked!!!  It was such a great opportunity to  celebrate the beautiful gift of life!!

Saturday, July 23

PEDI' PARTY

The girls and I got to have a special girls day last Saturday!  I took Madison and Savannah to get their first Pedicures at a "real" nail place....of course, I did not have my first pedicure until after I was married! It was really fun girl time anyway!
 They got to choose their polish and then sat down in the huge massage chairs for their pampering to begin
 They even got to pick a design to add to the top of the nail!  they were really pleased!
Daddy and Nicholas had gone for a boy's day haircut together and were home playing Lego's when we returned.  Daddy took a picture of us.  Thank you Daddy for letting us go out and get pretty!!
Here are the finished nails!!  The girls chose zebra stripes on top of their color.  I got a french manicure.  What a great time I had with my sweet young ladies!

Friday, July 22

LIFT IT UP FOR THE LORD!!

My talented kids : ) went to a camp this week at the Christian Performing Arts Center is Keller.  It is a performance group that travels around singing, dancing, acting....all for HIM!! Our amazing Father in Heaven!!!  They went to the camp each day and learned songs, skits and dances and then on Friday, the parents came and watched a special show that the kids had prepared.  It was so fun for them and I am so proud of my little ones praising Our Lord with such joy!!  He loves the sounds of little children singing His praises with such pure hearts!
 My sweet Nicholas singing, "This Little light of Mine"
 Madison doing a hip hop routine.  She was super funky!!!
 What a precious smile on her face!!
Nicholas had a solo part with his friend, and fellow homeschooler, Bryson.  They did great!

Where is Savannah, you ask? Well, she tearfully sat in my lap during the show.  she was too afraid to perform on stage.  Maybe next time?!?!!  My kids auditioned to join the group in the fall and made it!! They will be doing more awesome performances for the public...What a wonderfully positive place.  Everything this group does is uplifting and honoring God! 

Doesn't get any better than that...well Savannah does want our family to start a Christian band called the "Splintered Cross" (Jeremy came up with the name) where she will play the guitar standing on her head...that could be really exciting too

Monday, July 18

SURF BABIES

We went to the lakehouse with some friends of ours from Kansas this past weekend and we had a lot of fun on the water!!
 All of the kids (Madison, Kinsley, Nicholas, Campbell, and Savannah all on our tube named "Big Mabel"
 There is my sweet and gorgeous hubby!!
 Our great friends from Kansas, Andy and Bree
 Jeremy got a new boat this year...a wake setter.  You can surf behind it!!  The kids and Jeremy have a blast surfing, just like in Hawaii......well, maybe! 
 Here is Daddy surfing with his buddy, Nicholas..."Hang loose!"
 Now it's Madison's turn....look no hands!!!
 Daddy doing some tricks and showing off for the kids!!  I am so proud of my surfer boy!
 Now it's Savannah's turn!
Here they are surfing behind the boat without holding the rope!! So cool!
Doesn't Andy look just like Jeremy?!?!  They are practically twins!
 Andy and Bree's littlest one, Finley...she is a button!  And she LOVES ketchup!!
 All of the kids at Babes House of Chicken after our day on the lake
Here are the dads with the kids....really Nick, why do you have a sticker on your mouth??

Saturday, July 9

CELEBRATION SATURDAY!!

We had a super fun weekend!! We went to 2 celebrations on Saturday...a Wedding for our old babysitter, Nikki and a birthday party of our great friend, Chuck
Here is our family at the wedding of our babysitter, Nikki.  Nicholas is wearing a suit for the first time...boy was he excited to look like daddy!! Nikki had a beautiful wedding Mass at our church in the afternoon.  I cannot believe that she is old enough to be married.  It seems like only yesterday that she was in high school and coming to babysit for my kids!
From the wedding, it was off to a birthday party of our great friend, Chuck!  He is so tall that my kids use "Mr Chuck" as our family's unit of measure...."mom is that sign taller than Mr. Chuck?"..."Dad, do you think that Mr. Chuck could fit in this room?"  They talk about him all of the time.  I guess that they do not see any tallness in either of our families....so all in all Chuck holds a very special place in our hearts!
HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY!!!
 Chuck's birthday party was a pool party complete with a Mariachi band and pig roast!!  It was super fun!!  Savannah learned how to do a flip off of their diving board.
 There is her good friend, Joey watching all of the trick action!!
 Between visiting with friends, Jeremy and I took out time for a picture together...We don't have many of us together....I am trying to focus on getting more of those
Me, Lori and Elizabeth "Lizzy" on the far left!  Lizzy is Chuck's beautiful wife!  We are so blessed to have such great friends!! We chatted and laughed all night!!  I will miss seeing my girlfriends on a daily basis next year when we homeschool...gotta make it a point to keep up with them!! Maybe a regular coffee date one morning a week?!?! I am actually sipping on a Starbucks white mocha right now!!......I love coffee

Friday, July 8

DAY WITH DADDY!!!

I had a special girls day with my mom and sister so Daddy hosted a spectacular Daddy/Kids Day Of Fun!!  It started with a pancake breakfast out at the "Main Street Cafe" in Keller.  Then.....
 BOWLING!!!!  Here are my 3 little ones!!
 Savannah's up first!  Great form!!
 Look at Nick showing his ball who's the boss!!
 Madison takes her turn!!
 Look at my sweet boy!!
 Savannah and her many looks!!
Finally finished with bowling and they are off to......
Ice Skate!!!  Wow, it is a day full of fun sports!!
 All of the kids love to ice skate a lot!
 Madison is quite the pro...she even does some tricks!
 There is my sweet girl.  She just loves this special time with her Daddy who was stuck behind the camera the entire day so he is not photographed
 Hi Noodles!!

WHAT A FUN DAY WITH OUR DADDY!!  WE LOVE YOU!!!

Thursday, July 7

REFLECTING ON SCRIPTURE: Reflection by Father Shawn Aaron (Legionary of Christ)



MATTHEW 11: 28-30

Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light."

REFLECTION

Rest for Yourselves: These words mean “rest,” not in the sense of cessation from work and struggle, but in the sense of peace of soul, joy and profound happiness. This is the rest that we all long for, the rest that will one day be uninterrupted in the bliss of heaven. We have each met individuals who experience this peace and joy despite their circumstances. Notice that Jesus does not promise to take away the burdens, the trials, the sufferings. But if we take his yoke upon ourselves, if we submit to his plan, his will, his love, he guarantees the joy. If you have never experienced it, then begin today; give him what you know in your heart he is asking of you. Although it may hurt at first, as does every yoke, this one brings the lightness of peace and the ease of joy.

Conversation with Christ: Blessed Lord, you lead me towards everlasting peace if I will simply follow, but following does not always seem simple. Give me the very things you ask of me: faith, generosity, courage, trust, love. With these gifts and your grace I will have the strength necessary for the journey.