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Take a Moment to Remember

I live with a constant reminder of how blessed I am to of been born and raised in a free country. It is an awesome responsibility to live in such a way that it is never in vain. I am so grateful for the brave men and women who headed the call and left what was familiar and comfortable for a life of upheaval and uncertainty. Today I pause with reflective prayer to honor those who gave their all…the fallen brave who courageously breathed their last breath defending the country and the people they so loved.

To the families who gather around a grave rather than a grill-my prayer is that our Heavenly Father will fill them with grace, peace, and healing. That they would find comfort in each other and that the sweet memories of their loved ones will sustain them until they are reunited in Heaven. Thank you, for your great sacrifice also!

Regardless of your feelings of the military, president, or war we are one family bonded by the American Flag and we should support our soldiers and let them know we appreciate them. A simple “Thank you for your service”, will really show that you stand united with them. Continue to pray for them, for their safety, for our safety, and for their families.

Pray for our wounded country. Pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will help us to turn our faces to Him once again and that He will Bless and unite us.

Thank you to our fallen, to our veterans, and to those serving……..it’s not in vain!

I will leave you with a quote I found.

“Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you….Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.”

~Author Unknown~

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Photo credit, Google Images

Tags: Air Force, and a sprinkle of love, armed forces, Army, believers, Bible, birthday, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, bravery, burdened, celebrate, cheap meals, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, daughter, death, deployed, dinner, easy, easy dinner, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family friendly, family friendly meal, flag, food, forgiveness, Freedom, fun, God, grace, gratitude, grieving, heart, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Holiday, Holy Spirit, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, honor, hope, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, kitchen, learning, life, Lord, loss, love, mama, Marines, marriage, meal ministry, media, memorial, Memorial Day, military, mom, mother, motherhood, Navy, parenting, pause, peace, Pinterest, praise, prayer, precious, protect, recipe, recipes, reflect, remember, reserves, respect, Savior, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serve, serving, simple recipes, sin, summer, TAPS, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, USA, War, weary, wife, wisdom, Woman, women

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Categories Faith, Family

I am my Beloved and My Beloved is Mine

23 May

12 years ago on a beautiful Colorado day I married my very best friend and the love of my life! I thought I couldn’t be any happier than I was at that moment but each year proves to be better than the last. We have been on such an adventure from births, deaths, illnesses, college, graduations, teenagers, moves, job changes, aging parents, and everything in between. With the constant changes of life, the one thing that has remained, is that we have clung to each other through all of it. We have grown from a couple of crazy love-struck kids to a couple who are weathering the storms and enjoying every rainbow together. We have learned to appreciate that each day together is a gift.

There is no one I would rather spend time with or journey this life with. I am so blessed to married to a man of honor and integrity! A man who puts his family first and works hard to give us a good life. He is a man that I adore, respect and love! Without the grace of God none of this would of been possible! I thank God for sustaining us and for constantly working on my heart as a wife. Happy Anniversary, Sunshine! Thank you for choosing me!

I would love to connect on Pinterest!

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, anniversary, baking, believers, Bible, birthday, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, budget friendly meals, burdened, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, cooking, couple, daughter, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family friendly, family friendly meal, food, for better or worse, forgiveness, Freedom, fun, gift, God, grace, gratitude, Happy Anniversary, heart, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, honor, hope, housewife, husband, husband and wife, I am my Beloved, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, kitchen, learning, life, Lord, love, mama, marriage, meal ministry, meal plan, meal planning, media, mom, mother, motherhood, parenting, peace, Pinterest, praise, prayer, precious, recipe, recipes, respect, Savior, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, simple recipes, sin, summer, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wedding, wedding anniversary, wife, wife for life, wife's heart, wisdom, Woman, women

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Categories Faith, Family

To All the Mama’s……

10 May

To all the mama’s who do this alone, to all the mama’s who chose life, to all those mama’s who chose to give that life to another woman, to all those women who wake to feel the sting of empty arms, to al those mama’s who never felt life grow in their bodies but love the children who grew in their hearts just the same, to all those mama’s who stepped in to raise another woman’s child because they w…ere no longer able to, to all those mama’s who have angel babies, to all the mama’s who are caring for children with special needs, to all the ladies who don’t have the official title of mom but love just the same, and to all the people who think of their mama’s in heaven today………He sees you, sees every tear, and holds you in the palm of His hand. Today I honor you and pray that the love of God will bring you strength, comfort, and joy!

Happy Mother’s Day!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Photo credit:[ 89studio] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Tags: adoption, and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, birth, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, burdened, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, cooking with kids, daughter, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family friendly, food, forgiveness, foster parent, Freedom, fun, God, grace, gratitude, happt mother's day, heart, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, hope, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, kitchen, learning, life, Lord, love, loved one, mama, marriage, meal ministry, media, ministry of motherhood, mom, MOMSnext, MOPS, mother, mother's day, motherhood, parenting, peace, Pinterest, praise, prayer, precious, recipe, Savior, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, sin, spring, teaching, TTC

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Categories Faith, Family

It Also Looks Like This

30 Aug

I would like to introduce you to Thomas. He is the 8 year old best friend of my son Jacob and the son of my dear friend, Joelle. These precious boys have been friends since diapers and are definitely two peas in a pod. They love to be together doing all those neat things little boys like to do. They run, climb, and jump and when they have done all of that, they fall into a heap laughing like only innocence allows. No matter how much fun they have the same conflict always arises. There is a constant disagreement with Thomas’s mind and his legs. After a short time of boy play Thomas starts to get an all too familiar ache and stiffness in his legs. He wants to keep going but his little body says no. You see, Thomas was born with Muscular Dystrophy, Becker Muscular Dystrophy to be exact.

When we think Muscular Dystrophy we automatically think of young, wheel chair bound, gravely ill, children or more recently, ALS, thanks to the recent awareness from the ice bucket challenge. Becker Muscular Dystrophy usually presents itself slow and steady. Thomas has experienced gradual changes in mobility throughout the years but the changes are definitely a challenge not only to Thomas but to his family. Without a cure, his days of depending on his arms and legs are numbered.

Thanks to MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association), they have been able to access state of the art services, help, and support they need to help Thomas strive. Great breakthroughs have happened thanks to the research grants and clinical trials and studies they have been able to fund. The MDA association has given hope to families when all seemed hopeless.

This weekend, when you flip through your TV channels and see the MDA telethon, would you please take a moment and make a donation. Even a small donation helps in giving hope to families like Thomas’s.

Our greatest prayer is that Jacob and Thomas can experience being old men together and that their laughter will continue to fill our lives for all of our days.

Jacob and Thomas doing what they do best

I am inspired by this family’s courage, their joy, and mostly their faith. If you would like to learn more about MDA or would like information on how you can help just click on the link. http://mda.org/ Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend!

If you make a donation we would love to thank you! Please use #mdaforthomas on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Jacob wants a lab coat for Christmas so he can be the Doctor who cures Thomas.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, awareness, beauty, becker muscular dystrophy, belief, believers, bff, Bible, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, break through, brother, burdened, children, christ, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, courage, Creator, cure, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family friendly, father, food, friends, friendship, God, gratitude, Holy Spirit, home education, home school, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, hope, hope for a cure, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, life, little boys, Lord, love, Make a muscle, marriage, MD, mda, MDA telethon, media, miracles, modern medicine, moms next, MOPS, mother, motherhood, muscular dystrophy, parenthood, parenting, peace, precious, salvation, school, school age, school days, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, sibling, sister, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, wisdom, Woman, Word of God, word press

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Categories Faith, Family

Frogs and snails and all the Wonderful Things Little Boys are Made of

5 Jul

With an extra goodnight kiss he will roll over and easily fall asleep just like most nights. I will retreat upstairs and watch the clock and time will pass all too quickly. I will sit and think of precious thoughts like sweet baby breath on my neck, those far too early mornings rocking a well fed baby watching the sun rise, and that one book I read 3,000 times…..and I will think how I would give anything to just do that one more time.

Babies don’t keep and neither do kids. The years fly by, one quicker than the next and in the busyness you all of sudden think, “we are here, already?”.

I smile thinking of those first moments and years.

Tonight, in this dark room, I think of how he is now…smart and handsome as his daddy. Persistent, hard working, and loyal, character traits well beyond his years. He is a saver and a planner, so much so that his life is already planned. He is funny and goofy and his laugh brightens a room faster than the summer sun. He is brave even when he doesn’t feel it and he is always observing on how he can be his very best. He is kind, thoughtful, and tender hearted to those who are hurting or lacking. He would give you his meal, his favorite toy, or the shoes on his feet-he sure teaches me what it means to have a servant’s heart. He loves Jesus, soccer, chicken kabobs, chocolate fudge ice cream, his hero-daddy, his big sister’s, Ninja Turtles, but right now mostly his mama.

He is getting so tall but he still fits in all the crooks and spaces of my lap and even though these snuggles are getting far and few between when he finds me he knows it is all his. His sweet head resting on my shoulder I close my eyes as I rest my head against his,breathing in the sweet smell of little boy. Fleeting but lost in the moment for this will soon be just a tender memory.

Tonight as the clock quickly finds its way around a sweet little boy is dreaming sweet thoughts of presents and cake. For when he awakes he will be 7.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am pinning!

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, babies, Bible, birth, birthday, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, brave, busyness, cake, care, celebrate, childhood, children, christ, Christian, christian blogger, Christian mom, Christian woman, Encouragement, encouraging, eternal life, eternal value, family, fleeting, food, gentleness, Godly, happy, Holy Spirit, home, homemaker, housewife, Jesus, Joy, labor, lasting memories, laughter, learning, legacy, little boys, love, mama, man, marriage, memories, mom, mommy, mother, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, party, precious, raising children, raising Godly children, reflecting, reflection, scripture, seven, son, sweet, time, Truth, weary, wife, Woman, women

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Categories Faith, Family

For the Kingdom of Heaven Belongs to Such as These

22 Jun

Tomorrow will mark my third year as a teacher for first and second graders at my church’s vacation Bible school. We see many faces walking through our doors, many familiar , and because we offer a free program, many new faces. For some, this will mark their first time in a church and others will learn that Jesus is more than just a derogatory expression. What an awesome responsibility this is. This week, 15 hours to be precise, to plant these precious life giving seeds in these precious little ones.

What I really love about this week is that while we are planting seeds in these little ones, the children are going home and sharing the stories, singing the songs, and sharing and practicing their memory verses. They are planting seeds in their own family, even if they don’t know it.

This marks the biggest and most important outreach event in our church every year. According to the current Barna study (2004) ” indicates that nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%), and that two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday.” In order to pull off such a big feat we need the whole village to participate.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14).” Evangelizing to these little ones is imperative, not just for the children but for generations to come.

Would you please lift our churches up in prayer during the busy Vacation Bible School season?! Pray for leaders to have pure hearts and intentions as we disciple and lead little hearts to Jesus and pray for families to have tender receptive hearts as their children share with them scriptures and stories, and pray that many lives will be led to Christ.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning!

Image courtesy of [ digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, burdened, children, children's ministry, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, church, church leaders, comfort, dad, disciple, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, evangelism, everlasting life, faith, families, family, food, fun, God, gospels, gratitude, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, kingdom, leaders, life, Lord, love, Matthew, media, ministry, mom, motherhood, outreach, parenting, planting seeds, pray, prayer, precious, saved, scripture, Servant, servants heart, service, serving, songs, stories, teacher, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, vacation Bible school, VBS, village, volunteers, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family, Homeschool

My Girl

4 Jun

On the verge of adolescents and all the things big girls like. Each year I thank God for another year and ask for just one more summer of playing barefoot in the grass, dandelion bouquets, girly shrieks as she runs and leaps through the sprinklers, watching a too big ice cream cone melt down her hand , pink bikes with glittery streamers blowing as she races her brother down the street, the first hints of summer sprinkled across her nose. The easiness of her laugh, the little hand that still finds it way into mine, and the angelic voice that drifts from the shower. The emergence of the missing printer paper that has been transformed into brilliant illustrated stories, the way she sits next to me on the couch with a tight hug around my arm and soft curls on my shoulder, and bare feet and nightgown at the breakfast table. The way I admire her heart for serving and her heart for the hurting and her love for Jesus.

I thank God for her innocence and that she has this precious time to be little even if it is for just a bit longer. I know that my bargaining for another summer is quickly coming to an end…. but not this summer. I will love her even bigger and cherish all her little girlness be it just a moment longer. My prayer is that she will continue to grow in beauty and grace and that when she can no longer be little she can continue to love life with just as much enthusiasm and joy.

What a gift she is to me and to the world. I am a blessed mama who kissed her 9 year old goodnight and will wake to a beautiful 10 year old!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning!

Tags: 10, admire, adolescence, babies, beauty, believers, Bible, birthday, blessed, blessed mama, blessing, burdened, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, daughter, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, food, God, grace, gratitude, growing, growing up, heart, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, laughter, little girl, Lord, love, media, motherhood, parenting, playing, prayer, precious, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, summer, teaching, teaching children to have a servants heart, transformation, treasures, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

Easy Peasy Cream Cheese Chocolate Pie

23 May

We just celebrated the Birthday of a pretty special guy and he usually always makes the same request. In lieu of cake he would much rather have this decadent (yet easy) dessert. Perfect no bake dessert for any occasion. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Click on the link below for full recipe!

PRINTABLE RECIPE

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning!

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, birthday, blessed, blessed mama, blessing, blog, burdened, celebrations, children, chocolate, chocolate pie, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, cream cheese, cream cheese pie, decadent desserts, dessert, easy, easy desserts, easy peasy, easy peasy chocolate cream cheese pie, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family favorite recipes, food, food blog, God, gratitude, happy birthday, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, homeschooling, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, legacy, Lord, love, meal planning, media, menu planning, mother daughter bonding, mother daughter time, motherhood, no bake, no bake dessert, no bake desserts, no bake pie, parenting, pie, prayer, precious, recipe blog, recipes, scripture, Servant, servants heart, service, serving, simple dessert, summer, summer recipes, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman, woman blogger, youtube

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Categories Family, Food

My 13th first Day of School

5 Sep

Well, we made it through another summer vacation. We had a lazy uneventful but fun summer. I’ll admit, I am very sad to see it end. I am gearing up for my 13th first day of school….YIKES!

I was sitting here thinking back 13 (that flew by) years ago, Labor Day. My oldest, Alison, was a precious itty bitty five year old with pink glasses. She was anxious for her first day of kindergarten-I was not! Tuesday came. Even though we could of slept in a bit (because she had the afternoon class), Alison was up early-ready to make it official. Sporting a new outfit, her name tag, and her new pink backpack, that was almost bigger than her-we headed out on a beautiful Colorado day, on our short walk to school. The classroom was buzzing with excitement as the kiddos explored their classroom and made new friends. The teacher gave parents a few minutes to take pictures and give extra hugs. One by one parents started to trickle out until it was just me. I was thinking “They expect me to leave this precious child who hasn’t left my side for more than 5 minutes for almost 6 years, here alone-without her mama?”. I made up my mind right then, that she needed me too much to leave. I was gonna stay. Of course, the kindly teacher assured me that she would be OK and that I would see her in a few hours. I left that classroom and cried my heart out all the way home. Sad, because life as I knew it had changed forever and it changed so suddenly in just one day. No more leisurely afternoon Hundred Acre Wood picnics, no more late night blanket fort sleepovers, and no more little shadow all the time. She was a big girl doing big girl things- without me! Time passed slowly that first day. Time eventually passed and I made my way to pick her up. I remember thinking how upset she must of been all day and how glad she will be when she sees me. I envisioned her plowing through the crowd and jumping into my open arms begging to never go back. When she saw me she was in tears, but not for the reasons I thought…the girl didn’t want to leave school. She really burst my bubble. She had a blast-without me! Here I was mourning and she was having the time of her life. Life did change that day but certainly not for the worse. We just moved into a different season of life and it was still wonderful. Even if she is a high school senior!

Brouke came along and I went through it all again. Now I am sitting in the same place as I was 13 years ago except this time, my baby-my last born, my only son will be starting his journey as a first grader. Yes, I will cry and have a moment but I will look on with joy as I watch my boy learn and grow and I’ll be reminded how very blessed I am.

I know many are here with me. My prayer for you is that God will be near to each of you as you kiss the sweet faces of your babies as you send them out into the world. May he comfort you as you adjust to a new season. For all our babies, may God watch over each of them as they begin a new school year. I pray for safety and protection over each of them. May God Bless each of you!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

Tags: believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, child, childhood, children, christ, christianity, comfort, cry, easy, education, Encouragement, end of summer, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, first day of school, first grade, food, fourth grade, God, gratitude, growing, growing up, Heavenly Father, highschool, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, housewife, Jesus, Joy, kindergarten, laughter, learning, letting go, Lord, love, marriage, media, memories, motherhood, parenting, picnic, pray, prayer, precious, reflection, sadness, school, seasons of life, senior, serving, sleepovers, summer, summer vacation, teaching, teenagers, transformation, trust, trusting Jesus, Truth, wife, winnie the Pooh, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family, Homeschool

Talking to our kids about Boston

9 Jul

This was something I wrote and shared on our MOPS blog right after the Boston bombing. My thoughts on talking to our children about such things–

It seems more and more we are having to be so deliberate to shield our children from never ending bad news. Shooting, war and now a bombing.

I still remember the morning more than a dozen years ago when I turned on the TV just in time to watch live as a plane took out the second tower. It was the first time I knew that I couldn’t hide the bad news from my then five year old, Alison. Minutes later my nightgown wearing barefoot daughter made her way sleepily to the living room. As she snuggled down deep next to me she knew that this morning was different. You don’t necessarily think when you are cradling your baby in your arms that one day you would have to explain evil to them. You are not prepared and I don’t think you can be. It is just one of those jump in head first and pray that what comes out is sufficient enough to be truthful and satisfying without ruining the innocence and wide eyed curiosity that only childhood can yield. How do you remind them the that here and now in my arms or at school or at grandma’s they are safe? I know we need to filter but most of the time it is unavoidable.

Several months ago. Another school shooting. This time it was Brouke’s turn to see what evil looks like. And now, an all American wholesome activity marred by destruction and devastation is plastered everywhere. The horror and destruction is all over the TV and on the lips of every adult.

It is a fine line and letting your kids steer your conversation will generally give you parameters to work with. Kids usually ask great questions and beyond what they ask is most of the time unnecessary. They will clue you in to what is in their heart and how much they can handle. With the little ones be selective, you don’t want to compromise their sense of safety. Older kids will be able to process more but all children will need extra love and reassurance. Speak scripture to them. Remind them not be worry or be anxious (Matthew 6:27) that God will deliver us from our fears (Psalm 34:4). Tell them that God will give them peace and that He is in control (Phillipians4:6-7). Remind them for every bad person their are thousands of good people. Let them get involved in making the world a better place by giving them opportunities to serve others and their community. It helps channel all their fears and gives them a sense of control over their environment. Mostly, trust your instincts. God gave you the children you have for a reason.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, boston, burdened, catastrophe, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, conversation, daughter, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, evil, faith, family, family friendly, forgiveness, Freedom, fun, God, grace, gratitude, heart, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, hope, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, learning, life, Lord, love, mama, marriage, media, mom, mother, motherhood, parenting, peace, Pinterest, praise, prayer, precious, safety, scripture, TV, violence

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Categories Faith, Family

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…..and a sprinkle of love

Take a Moment to Remember

I am my Beloved and My Beloved is Mine

To All the Mama’s……

It Also Looks Like This

Frogs and snails and all the Wonderful Things Little Boys are Made of

For the Kingdom of Heaven Belongs to Such as These

My Girl

Easy Peasy Cream Cheese Chocolate Pie

My 13th first Day of School

Talking to our kids about Boston

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