seashore, seashells, and sand castles

Since moving to Florida it has been a pretty easy transition......both for me, the hubs, and the kids. One reason the hubs has all his friends from officer's school down here {I know lucky him}. For me and the kids well there is plenty to do to fill our days at home. We live only 15 minutes from one of our fave places to go.........the BEACH.

Oh how I love that place.

My parents live a whole 5 minutes away from the beach, so you can imagine during my high school years how much I frequented the beach. ALOT. Even in the winter months I would go for a walk or a run.......have you ever been on the beach with snow on it??!! It is a sight to see. So, when I lived in Cali I lived far from the beach. I know everyone always thinks that if you live in California you are within walking distance from the beach and Hollywood. I am here to tell you a secret..........there are places in Cali that are far far from the beach and the city of Angels. We lived about 2 hours away from the beach.......that was really tough on me!!! I am just sooooo estatic to be back by the ocean!!!!!!!

This week I am thankful for so many things

let me narrow it down for ya:

25. living close to the beach once again

26. Teddy and Tay's love for the beach

27. my husband for the joining the navy......most

of his potential duty stations are close to a beach

28. building sand castles

29. finding pretty seashells

30. days at the swimming pool

31. the pond in our neighborhood

32. crab cakes.......Mmmmm I loveeee them

33.sunblock

34. lunchtime in the sunshine

35. rainy days in the summer

So make your day a little brighter and tell me what you are thankful for??

anddddd link up too =)

the greatest gift ever.

This Thursday I am very thankful for my two beautiful children. In the mommy blogging world we talk about our kids ALL the time. So its obvious that we love our children, but rarely do I put it out there so plainly that I am so very very thankful that I have my children. They are truly a gift, but with the crayons drawings on the walls, diaper explosions, meltdowns, etc.....sometimes I forget about what an amazing thing it is to be a mom. I have been realizing more and more I just need to sit back, and let some stuff go. Early mornings and late nights, getting peed on, a screaming toddler in a fully packed grocery store is going to happen. Sometimes in the moment I forget that alot of these things will pass with time,and that these things do not happen the majority of the time. Most of the time its a too smart for her own good 4 year old who is obsessed with disney movies and will do a monologue of Princess and the Frog upon request {southern accent included}, and a toddler how is such a mama's boy and eats every 10 minutes. I absolutely love being mother. And I have so much love for my children its amazing.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

Like arrows in a hand of warrior

are the children of one's youth
Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalms 127:3-5


According to God children are a reward! Yes a reward......we should treat them as such. With love and respect. Respecting our children may seem a bit backward. But if we give respect, then we will get it. Like when my 4 year old is trying to show me the 10th picture she has colored today, when I am attmepting to cook dinner. I need stop just for a sec and say " Wow that is so pretty great job" instead of "ok sweety in a minute (aka never)". Children are a reward, gift, but they are also our responsiblity. Part of showing them our love and showing God that we are very thankful for them is taking our time guide them, so that they grow up with strong values and morals...........

Train up a child in the way he should go;

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

I am so very thankful for my children, and my job of being mother. There is no greater gift that I will ever receive. And, I will do my very best to treat my gifts with the utmost love, respect, and guidance.

This week I am thankful for:

18. my two children

18. teddy saying "sissy"

19. taylor riding her princess bike

20. long walks around our neighborhood

21. our seashell collection

22. a toddler that will actually help doing clean up time

23. finishing our picture wall

24. hobby lobby and spray paint......both can do wonders to your home!

the list could go on and on.....but I will save for next thursday =)
What are you thankful for?!!! Do tell and link up have a beautiful day!!!

Thankful for Patience {its a hard one to master}

As I sit here in our new house, a new town, a new state.....It still doesn't feel real. I can not help, but be extremely thankful for the new path our life has taken. Just a year ago I was commuting 2 hours each way to work, Thomas was applying endlessly for teaching jobs, I was beyond tired, Thomas was very very frustrated....but we still had patience. Thomas is way better at this virtue than I. During our college years and after he was always encouraged me with motivating words to have.......patience. Such a hard thing to master at least for me it is. In college, I learned about "delayed gratification" essentially this psyc term just means patience. The ability to look beyond the here and now, and know that somewhere down the road you will have gratification. College students have to have this in order to see that in a few years they will a degree, mommies to be have to look beyond the nausea, swollen feet, and sleepless nights knowing that in several months they will be holding a beautiful newborn baby. Yes patience is hard. But over these past years my amount of patience has greatly improved.

Moreover {let us also be full in joy now} let us exalt and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unawsering endurance.

Romans 5:3

What is the point of being patient and waiting??? The well known cliche "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger". Yes we have all heard it, but that is because it is the truth. If we conquer a trial, challenge, hurdle in life with patience and a positive attitude it will only you make you stronger, and more able to overcome the next one. So during those years of communting to college, studying during Tay's naptime, then commuting to work, making ends meet, and much discouragement along the way.....

I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1

Now I am not saying I waited patiently without complaining, wondering when is this going to end, crying many times.....I did all of those things......ALOT. But, as time went on those things became less and less because I realized....he has a plan. And even though, I totally do not get what that plan is or even how it is going happen its there and it will happen. Guess what???? It did. Here's another cliche for ya "Good things come to those who wait"

But if we hope for what is still unseen by us. We wait for it with patience and composure.

Romans 8:25

So today I am thankful for:

11. Thomas being accepted into the Naval Officer Program

12. Finding a house that was move in ready....meaning we

got the keys the day after we found it on craigslist!

13. having supportive parents

14. finishing college

15. a patient husband

16. living 15 minutes away from the beach

17. new opportunities

What are you thankful for today? Link up!!!

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