New Blog

I've started another blog for anyone who may be interested.

Joy in the Journey

Mother's Day

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley



I love my kids.

Josh is TWO!

Our sweet baby boy (the first one) is two today! He has surprised us since the very beginning when he popped out with blue eyes and blonde hair. He is a total ham and loves to make people laugh. He loves his big sister Katelyn so much. He would do just about anything for her. Our favorite thing to hear him say is "I love you" because he gets a really shy, embarrassed look on his face. and he has recently insisted on giving kisses at bedtime (love that!). If he is sad, all you need is an M&M and a hug to cheer him up. He loves Thomas the Train and Lightning McQueen and, of course, NASCAR. He would spend all day long outside if we'd let him and he just might with the present his Nana and Grandpa Bellinghausen surprised him with!

The kiddos slept in this morning and when they finally came out of their rooms, Josh found birthday balloons waiting outside their door. He would probably have been just as happy to play with balloons all morning. (He's pretty easy to please!) But we headed downstairs and he discovered all of the birthday decorations and PRESENTS! We thought we'd open presents after breakfast but he dove right in as soon as he saw them. He got a mini tool bench, legos, a slip and slide, and Thomas the Train and Lightning McQueen books. Then we had our traditional chocolate chip pancakes. His was in the shape of a two, of course.

Later in the morning, Nana and Grandpa came over and surprised Josh (and Kate) with a new Power Wheels! You have to see the sequence of pictures below, they're great. The kiddos spent he next couple of hours driving the new car and playing on the slip and side. Then it was time to come in and cool off.

We decided to work on Josh's Birthday cake. We let the kids sample as went. Sticky, but very delicious! When Josh wakes up in a bit we'll have Pulled Pork Sliders and Homemade Mac and Cheese and later CAKE! Stay tuned for more pictures.