Fall Getaway

This past weekend we made one of our favorite trips of the year!  We have gone to Branson the third weekend in October for the past 4 years and it has become one of my favorite things to do with our little family!  The weather is perfect, the food is always fabulous, the shopping never disappoints, and the colors always declare His majesty (1 Chronicles 16:27)  I love fall and all that it brings.

This year Matt's parents joined us for the weekend.  We had a great time.  Little did we know my Mom and Step-dad would be in Branson as well.  We all met up Saturday and spent the day together at SDC. It was so fun to all be together.  The girls just thought it was the coolest that both sets of grandparents were there together!!

Friday we started our trip with the American Chicken House.  Such a fun place to eat.  We had more food than we knew what to do with.  It was soooo very good and a great way to start out our weekend.  Dining over some good grub!

We spent Saturday at SDC.  It was the first time the girls had ever been.  We found some great ticket prices so we made it happen!  They had a ball.  They rode every ride a dozen times and just squealed and screamed their little heads off.  It was so cute!

We were all so tired after a long day at SDC.  The girls came in and crashed while Sue and I ran to the mall for a little shopping.  We shopped for a couple of hours and ran back to get the guys and little girls for dinner!  We ate at Danna's.  So yum.  We all loved it!  Girls chowed and went back to the hotel to swim.  Matt and I then headed back out to look around at the mall.

We woke up Sunday morning and headed to the Landing.  The girls had been asking about a build a bear so we let them both make a new one.  Bella had never built her own bear before so she was all kinds of excited!  They both had a blast and were so thankful for their bears!

We finished the weekend with some Cantina Laredo and a little more shopping and headed back home.

I love trips with Matt and the girls.  It was an added blessing that both our families were there together.

Here are a few pictures from our weekend!

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16

Past wk in pics.

In an effort to delete photos from my phone, I am in need of my weekly picture update!!:).

Some weeks are more interesting than others so that's why some weeks there are just not too many pics!!:).

This past wk has been a fun one!!:)

Pic 1. My big girl like to make my post office deliveries for me! "I'd like to send this first class, please!!" Oh my she's too big. But man it sure is convenient for this momma!:)

Pic 2. You know, just a little toast. One with butter. One with jelly. A cup of coffee to savor the goodness!!:).

Pic 3. Dinner date with the eldest! She is the best. Chick fil a of course. This momma will never complain about that one!!:)

Pic 4. Just a little fire pit night! I love fall!!

Pic 5. Thought I needed to throw in a pic of the man and I! I like him. Lots. He's my favorite person ever.:)

Pic 6. Fish taco night!! My dad makes the best. No doubt about it. No need to argue with me. It's factual. They are amazing. Tasty. Light. (Until you stuff your face-then they are no longer "light") Fresh. So good. My dad rocks!!

Now that my mouth is watering I am off to bed!!:)

A day with the youngest.

Bella Grace Is in preschool three days a week so I feel like I just never get to see her. I Cherish so deeply our two days together.

Today we had a blast together! She is one spunky, precious little girl. I can't imagine our lives without her. She has one bright personality, the sweetest voice, and the most loving heart. She makes our days so exciting!!:)

We started our day with a stop to the donut shop with big sis!
We dropped Alyssa off to school and headed back to the house to fold a load of laundry and go for a ride on her car. In the house. ;)

We then headed to story time at the library. We love story time. It's so fun for Bella and I love watching her. They read stories, sing and dance, play a game, do a craft, and have snack. She absolutely loves it.

Then it was time for some cfa! Chick fil a is always on the agenda!!:).

We ate and played and then headed to A-Z they now have these little kid buggies. So I let Bella be In charge of pushing the buggy and boy was she up for that! It was soooo cute. I left my phone in the car so I have no pics but she had a ball. She was putting all kinds of "favorite things" in her buggy!! I had to do some serious inventory when we got to the checkout counter!!

We then came home and I read her a couple of the books that we checked out at the library and she took a nap!

I absolutely loved this day with her. It is one that I will always remember!!

Thankful for our girls and the gift they are to us!!

Thankfulness...

This is a topic of constant discussion at the Ward house.  It's something we want our girls to have a full understanding about.  Something we want them to desire and to live.  We want them to know the meaning, and LIVE it.  It's frustrating when they don't live by thankfulness.

This morning Alyssa and I had a long discussion about being grateful for what she has, and being thankful for all the Lord has blessed her with...and not always wanting more.  Let me just say, our girls don't really ever ask for much.  It's a snack at the checkout counter, or just stuff. Things. Nothing major, but the principal is, there is so much more in life than "things."

This morning Alyssa took her things out of her backpack and put them in a crossover bag.  She came out and I told her that she needed to put everything back in her backpack because her folders all folded up in a small crossover bag clearly was not going to work.  I told her that I had tried to get her to get a crossover bag for school this year and that maybe I would look for her one if I could find one on clearance or something.  Her reply, "Well, I know you won't get it."  To which I replied, "Well your right, I won't get it now!"  First of all, I should have never even said I would look for her a new bag. She HAS a new bag.  She doesn't NEED a new bag. Her's is perfectly fine and that was a mistake on my part.  Weak moment by mom.  She got upset and began to cry.  So, this is where our heart to heart began....:)

I want my children to understand the goodness of the Lord.  I want them to love Him more than any "thing" in this world.  I want them to know that they are Blessed!  I want them to grasp that their JOY comes from the Lord.  I want them to see that God has given them each and every thing they have.  But, if we are not thankful for what we have, God will take it away.  But, in this world, we are left always wanting more.

Alyssa recently got a new hand sanitizer.  She was very excited!  that day....and maybe the next:)  But, her excitement has worn off.  She still uses her sanitizer (thank goodness), but she is not as thrilled with it as she was last week.  In fact, she wanted a new one last night at Wal-Mart.  

Yesterday Alyssa came in from school and grabbed a starburst.  She ate it.  It satisfied her...for a second, but left her wanting more.  

 This morning I said, "Alyssa your JOY and your happiness is not in the things of this world."   I explained what exactly the things of this world are and she listened quietly.  I told her, "the things of this world do not last.  They bring Joy for a moment.  They are for a time period but your true joy and hope can only be found in the one thing that is everlasting.  Jesus."

"It's just like your hand sanitizer, you loved it the day you got it.  YOu were so excited.  You were thankful.  But now the excitement has worn off.  YOu still use it but it's not near as exciting as it was."  She agreed!  I told her, "Yesterday you ate a starburst after school.  It was good.  You liked it.  You were satisfied....for a second, but then you wanted more.  It left you wanting another one...and another...and another.  But, Jesus is the only thing that can truly satisfy you.  He does not leave us feeling empty...or wanting more.   Jesus is enough, and if we truly love Him, none of the other things matter."

This hit me like a ton of bricks as the words are so confidently rolling off my tongue to my 6 year old daughter.  I needed that reminder just as much as she did.  My absolute joy comes from Jesus.  Not from Matt loving me, or my daughters obeying.  Not from friends or family.  Not from getting something I really want or enjoy.  Nothing in this world will EVER satisfy my longing soul but the one person who gave it ALL away so  I could have life.  I want to be complete in Him.   

My prayer for our girls and for our family is that the Lord will be our desire.  He will be our source of Hope, strength, comfort, peace, love, and joy!  And that we will live a life of thanksgiving.

There is always just enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord has promised.  

1 kings 17:16

Past week in pics!!!

I need to get my phone pics minimized wayyyyu down. So I felt like the best way to do that is each week to show our week in pics. Then I can delete them knowing they are safe and sound on the blog!:)
Yes I am fully aware they are uploaded on our
Computer as well...I just feel the need to keep every single picture on my phone. Oops!!;)

So here is what we have been up to this week!
Have a blessed week. Thank the Lord for those you love and hold dear.

1. My sweet, sweet family.
2. Just a little fall treat I sent with Alyssa
For her teacher. Printable found on pintrest.
3. Cuddle time with BellaG during nap time. I love and cherish those moments.
4. Alyssa and her WILD hair after I picked her up from school. You. Never. Know. That's why I love her.
5. Decorated and coordinated a wedding this wk. I was one tired momma. But blessed at the opportunity and the smoothness of it all.

Fabulous weekend.

Matt and I spent the weekend in Tulsa.  We ate and shopped, and ate, and ate some more.  We are pretty good at that kind of routine.:)  We spent Friday shopping at Antique stores and used furniture stores.  We had a blast just strolling back in time looking at all the junk  wonderful things people find so great and classify as antiques.  It's quite interesting.  We love it though!!  We scored a sweet desk for Matt's office for a whopping $60.  It needs a little work, but nothing my man can't handle!

Saturday we woke up early and went to Starbucks.  I had a Groupon and we partook is some delicious coffee to start our morning off right.   We then headed to a Flea Market.  I have always wondered why they call them Flea Markets.  Now I know.
Matt got his knives sharpened.  That was exciting.  What was more exciting is the fact he had EVERY SINGLE ONE of them in the car.  Good to know.  Just. In. Case.

I had scheduled us each a massage.  Via a wonderful and inexpensive Groupon.   Gotta love Groupon.  It's my favorite.   As soon as I shook the massage therapist hand, I KNEW I was in trouble.  Oh boy was I ever so correct.   I would say I am pretty flexible person. Though I have never been able to do the splits, (until today) I have always been active and exercise almost daily.  That must have played to my advantage today.  I was in positions I never knew my body could hold.   At one point,  I ended up air bound,(sort of) and half off the massage table.  She pushed my shoulders down so hard that my legs were off the table up to my knees.  I was quite impressed with her strength!!:) At times I was praying for my life.  I was in the hands of she-woman and I knew she could take me.   During the massage She asked me a question that I thought went something like this:
HER: Would you like the boot treatment?
ME:   Oh sure, that would be great!   (Side note-some places call your feet and hands a foot and mitt treatment.  I was sure this was what she was referring to.)

I then found out...through a high level of discomfort that I had clearly misunderstood her question.
It clicked...she had asked if I wanted to partake in the "Glute" treatment.  To which I answered, "Sure, that would be great!"  Really?  I would have never agreed to something of that sort, and I surely would not have responded with "that would be GREAT!"

I was clearly uncomfortable throughout my session in more ways than one. :)  And what do you know, this massage for once, seemed like it would NEVER end!  

Matt's in the massage room right now, so I am dying to see how he thought his session went!!:)

Ok so Matt's words post massage:
"That was the Greatest but most invasive massage I have had in my life!!" It was so great, he hugged she-woman before he left!!
He hugged her...I ran from her.

I'm ready for some lunch after that workout!!

And this was lunch. I earned It all!!:)

Surgery day!

Wednesday we loaded up and headed out to Bella's surgery.  We arrived at 10:30 and got checked in, received Bella's hospital attire (to which she was very disappointed it was yellow and not red.  Princesses don't wear yellow), and played a few games in the waiting room!

They called us back to the hospital room and as soon as I saw that little bitty bed, it took all I had to hold my composure.  Bella immediately looked up at me and her lip was quivering.  She said, "Mommy, I don't want you to leave me."  I assured her I was going NO where.  At least for the time being.  She watched some TV while Matt and I snapped lots of pictures. Thanking God the whole time that she was willing and able to run around the hospital room like a wild child while waiting for her surgery.  That's not the case for  a lot of children that enter ACH.

A sweet nurse came in and gave Bella her happy juice.  I was beginning to wonder if that potion was ever going to kick in and calm her.  The Dr. came in to discuss his plan of action, look at Bella's fast growing tongue, and to give her a fist pump.  After about 15 mins, she was nice and relaxed.  She didn't care who wheeled her away and what they were going to do to her.  We prayed for her and kissed and hugged her and off she went.  What a helpless feeling seeing your child being wheeled away in a hospital bed, down a hallway you have never seen, with people whom you know nothing about. That's where the Lord's peace overcame us and we went to the waiting room and waited.

They called us to meet with the Dr. and he assured us all went well with her surgery.  He said the mass they removed was about a inch in size.  He had never seen anything like it.  She has at least 8 stitches and a cut from the top to the bottom of her tongue.  Just typing that makes my stomach churn.  He informed us when they woke her up, she would likely be an emotional wreck.  He DID NOT LIE!  Whew!  That she was.

It took us about an hour to get her to stop crying.  I do not do well in the recovery room.  Never have. I have ended up sick and passing out at every. single. one of Matt's surgeries!  AND.... History repeated itself again on this day.  While trying to console my screaming daughter, I am sending Matt out for crackers, and stealing my daughters apple juice because I am about to throw up and pass out.  I was in and out and people were frantically trying to help Bella calm down, Matt was in the waiting room scrambling for crackers, Bella is trying to pull out her IV, the nurse is wrapping up her arm like a cast to keep her from ripping every thing out of her hand, while simultaneously pumping her full of morphine, she kept telling Bella to stop crying because you are scaring your momma,  and I am out cold in the rocking chair.  I was convinced I was the one with the IV.  Bella was screaming and I was the one out!!:)  The Dr. comes in and begins to tell me this is the possessed state he was talking about and that when she goes back to sleep she will wake up much more normal.  I am hanging on to every word he is saying while trying to not drop my daughter and wondering where in the world those crackers are!?  I am sweating, shaking, and my whole body felt like jello.  Matt walks back in and sternly says, "Sarah you gotta get in the game!"  I kindly told him I was doing the best I could at the same time talking myself out of passing out!  He kept looking at me like....Get it together.  Just so you know, I come by this extremely honest...thanks grandma and mom!!:)  You guys ROCK!
I downed Bella's juice and a cracker and was well on my way to recovery!!:)  HAHA.  No, I really was fine after that.  I pulled out some glorious tunes from my vocal chords and rocked that sweet baby to sleep!!
As I apologize over and over to the nurse for my behavior, she proceeds to tell me, "No, I was almost there with you.  I was so frazzled.  I didn't know what to do!!"  Well, that was good to know.  Also good to hear that from the Post-op caretaker of your child!!:)

Bella did indeed wake up much more calm and a little confused!:)  She wanted to eat as soon as we left the hospital so we stopped and got her CFA nuggets and ice cream.  We got a 12 pack so she would have some later if she wished.  NOPE, she ate every single one right then and there.  Stitches and all.  Then all the ice cream...and wanted more. So, we stopped in Russellville and bought more nuggets for the rest of the night!  We were so thankful she wanted to eat and could eat.

She did not sleep again until bed time.  We are convinced the Oxycodone has had her wired and a little on edge.  She's been extremely emotional and everything you say or do is wrong.  We don't feel she has been in a lot of pain (because we have kept her drugged) but the meds make her CRAZY!  So...in order to get our sweet little daughter back,  we have taken her off the pain meds and she is just taking tylenol now.  She seems much more herself and for that we are happy!

Thank you so much to everyone who has called, texted, or messaged us to check on her.  It has meant so much to us.  The prayers going out for her amazed me and made me realize even more what a awesome God we serve and what a friendship believers have together.  People I don't even know were praying for my daughter. So humbling and amazing!