Illusive Image A.K.A. Aha! By Jove She's Done It!

Maeve has been taking steps for a few weeks now but I've yet to committ any to film until today! My camera has been at the ready and finally finally finally I was able to get a solitary shot of her hot steppin'

Enjoy =)

The Music Man

I'm married to the music man.

Didn't you know?

I got to thinking about this because of Bible study yesterday--

the women were sharing ways that we can fit extra snippets of the Word into our lives--

through memorization, verses written out around the house etc.

I didn't share out loud because I didn't think I had anything relevant to add but the more I thought about my little family and our sweet life together, it occurred to me:

Our home is chock full of music!

We are always singing together-

-songs about the Lord, serving Him, praising Him,

(not to mention songs about anything we're doing at any given minute--like, folding the laundry, doing the dishes, disciplining Amelie, singing the babies to sleep, driving in the car, everything and anything is game)

It is a special blessing to always have the ability to worship the Lord through song--it's easy, doesn't take preparation and always puts us in a better frame of mind.

So next time you think,

"Gee, I don't have time to dive into the Bible right now."

Try singing a praise song and thinking of the Wonderfuls will just be an added bonus =)

The Lies Women Shelly Believe(d)

Bible study with God fearing women is wonder-full.
(Can I get an Amen?)
Today we discussed another chapter in our book, Lies Women Believe and this one hit close to home--real close.
" A Career Outside the Home Is More Fulfilling Than Being A Wife And Mother"
When I first had my Amelie girl, I can remember sitting at home and fuming:
"I used to be an art teacher! I used to be somebody! I have an education! I am talented and an asset to the education community and now I'm wiping spit up off my face 30 times a day!"

(literally, Amels was a wicked reflux-er...sorry about the tangent)
I thought if only I could go back to earning money and teaching and doing something I was really good at I wouldn't be so sad and lonely and feel like a stranger in my own skin.
I had defined myself as "Art Teacher" and I had no idea who I was apart from that title.
When my six months of baby-leave were up I looked into her sweet face and decided that for all the money and respectability and status in the world, there was no way I could leave her.
Fast forward a few years and if you've read my blog for a while, you know that I was offered a lucrative position with short hours teaching art.
(And I was perfect for that job and it felt good to be wanted, needed even, for my skills, experience and ability)
You know that I turned down that job because my husband wisely decided that it was more important to have a peaceful, stress-free home environment with me here running the show.
I agreed with him to some extent but was SO angry and annoyed that now I couldn't:
afford a new car
new clothes
save money towards a house
buy buy buy
save save save
I was bitter and childish for many weeks before I realized that--
he was right.
He knew that if I was teaching (even such a short amount of time) that I would be overwhelmed and grumpy and that our house just wouldn't be peaceful.
My Madre told me something that has always stuck with me--
If you are working you won't have the energy to take care of your family--you will want to spend time taking care of yourself and being resentful of them for needing you (paraphrased).
This might not be true for everyone--but for me--it is!
I am easily overwhelmed and a perfectionist so to work with Maeve so young and Amelie so needy and a husband who is very busy would have stretched our family too far.
I'm so thankful that God has given me a wise and loving husband and mother who have helped me to make sense of life and more than that, I am thankful for His word and His plan and the knowledge that:
I am enough.
Just as I am.
As a mother.
I don't need an income to feel valuable and I don't need a new car or a big savings account.
But boy oh boy, do I need His strength each and every day to remind me of that!
And on the bright side, if I were working I wouldn't have as much time to blog--now that would be a real tragedy =)

Dreams Can Come True...It Can Happen To You....If You're Young At Heart

Today as I was color coordinating my daughter's closet for the 3rd time in a month I started thinking about life.

(Profound, isn't it?)

Anyways, I decided that if I could start any business--

the business of my dreams would be--

to organize, clean, and de-clutter other people's homes.

When I was younger (and child-free) upon every visit to my parent's house, every college break or high school vacation day, I would spend hours organizing the cupboards, sorting bathroom cabinets, rearranging, hanging and neat-en-ing my parents' closets, dressers and closets.

I find that organizing other's things is much more fun and exciting than organizing my own.

So someday, if I start a business, you'll all have a heads up.

I like to make sure you're in "the know" and all =)

The Art of Folding Laundry

I picked up some laundry we had left at my in-law's home today and was happily surprised to find it folded.

I should amend that so say, perfectly folded--

you know, perfect creases, towels lined up like soldiers, or like ducks all in a row...

--the kind of folding I have NEVER had a knack for.

My Madre?

Excellent clothes folder.

My Grandmother?

She was the kind who could make fitted sheets stand at attention and humbly submit themselves into a perfectly folded square.

Even my husband!

Seriously, I used to make fun of him while we dated because he is so careful and neat!

(he folds his clothes like the Gap folds their shirts--he could open up a business called,

"Perfect Shirt Folders R US"

or something like that)

I am hopeless at folding laundry.

Absolutely hopeless.

Fortunately I can color-coordinate a closet like nobody's business

--it's the little things that bring me JOY.

Second Thoughts

Amelie is to start pre-preschool in a few short days and I am having second thoughts...

Second thoughts not because of her readiness--but of mine!

It's only 3ish hours a week but still, my little big girl-

-the hours go by slowly without her sweet smile.

I know that she'll really love being with the other kids and learning and playing at school so I'm keeping that in mind, it's just hard to keep that in my heart.

I'm already thinking seriously about homeschooling her for elementary school-

the world is scary and big and all I want to do is make it small and comfy for her.

And that, my friends, is what's inside my heart.

Praying People Pray

A former co-worker and friend of mine passed away this weekend.

Greg was a good man-

-funny, dependable and caring and much more--

He will be missed by many!

Please pray for Greg's family as he leaves behind 3 very young girls, a wife and lots of grieving family and friends.

GREGORY F. TREFZ Of Oaklyn and formerly of Tabernacle, on October 5, 2008, age 36. Husband of Shelly Trefz (nee Latini). Adoring Dad of Sarah,Riley & Emilia, son of Berry & Lou Trefz of Mystic Island, son-in law of Carl & Gerri Latini of Oaklyn. Brother of Lou (Teri) Trefz, Jr. of Lumberton and Chris (Wendee) Trefz of Shamong, brother-in law of Carl (Ann Marie) Latini of Oaklyn and Pete (Brie) Latini of Collingswood, additionally survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Greg grew up in Tabernacle & lived in Oaklyn the last 7 years. A member of the Shawnee High School Classof '90, Greg received a Degree in Social Sciences from the Univ. of Southern Colorado. Mr. Trefz was a Certified School Social Worker employed at Archway in Atco the last 11 years, and presently serving as the Dean of Students. Viewing Wednesday 7:00 to 9:00 PM in BLAKE-DOYLE FUNERAL HOME, 226 Collings Ave., Collingswood.Funeral Thursday 9:30 AM at the FUNERAL HOME, SERVICES at 1100 AM. The family respectfully suggests memorial contributions to Trefz Children Education Fund, c/o 111 Woodlynne Terrace, Oaklyn, NJ 08107.

Shelly Believes That...

* tina fey and sarah palin were separated at birth
* preservatives add flavor
* the best part of the day is from 5-7 am
* God is good, even when He doesn't make sense
* fashion sense is more fun than good sense or common sense
* you should live your life with *flair*
* a blog a day keeps me sane
* pushing daisies is the best show on tv
* tv is an extraordinary waste of time (but i'm in love with it anyway)
* there aren't many things that smell better than fall air
* wegmans is an oasis in the barren desert of Jersey
* the redhead is so close, yet so far
* mac, pc, tomato, tom-ah-to
* obama : mccain :: evil : lesser evil
* the cone tastes better than the ice cream
* it took me far too long to realize that old navy, gap, target toddler clothes run small, gymboree runs big and childrens place clothes are just right
* baby burps are hilarious
*my girls become more lovely and wonder-full every single day

All I Want For Christmas Is...

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens

and...

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

that's all...really =)

The Things We Do To Our Children

I was cleaning under Amelie's bed this morning and found a box with a lonely little baby costume in it and just HAD to had to had to see if it still fit Maeve.

Behold, The Pea Pod:

fyi--She was real mad at me, but I had to document the evidence =)

The Lies Women Believe

When I saw the books our church was going to use for our upcoming Bible study I cringed.

I'm not a big fan of Nancy Leigh De Moss--

(if you think I'm extra conservative she's ultra conservative)

She's written more than a few things I really disagree with-

-however, we believe all the same really important stuff,

so I decided to forget about it and focus on the good stuff.

and I am so glad that I did!

The gist of the book is replacing the lies of this world with truth from God's word.

One of the chapters that really hit home discussed some of the lies in particular that we live as though we believe that God isn't enough for us--

for example--

something I struggle with a lot is contentedness, mostly in the area of our vehicles--

You see, my husband and I both have extremely old, ugly, small cars

(well, I think 12 and 13 years old is extremely old for a car =)

I had such a bad attitude every time I try to smush my car seats, and my strollers, and the laundry and the groceries in the car--

the knobs fall off when i switch the heat settings

we just had to spend hundreds replacing the tires and fixing the alignment

the door handle broke off

the locks don't work

and it makes

me

mad.

Seriously? God has given me so much--why do I feel as though I need a new car to be happy? I have never lived my life as though having God was enough-

-I"ve always wanted more-

-a husband, children, career, education etc..

when I need to learn to live contentedly and as if God really IS enough for me.

It's gonna take me a while to work on that one...but I am working...

and my car isn't that bad...

it gets good gas mileage, is FREE, and dependable

Although, I will admit that I cringed a little a lot when the man who changed my tires said,

"Oh yeah, this is a good car--it should last you another 100,000 miles (read 8 more years). "

Awesome.

A Weekend's Worth Of The Wonderfuls Pictures A.K.A. One of the benefits of having Granny around is having someone to take family pictures!

We're Dedicated!

Today was Miss Maeve's dedication at church!

The "ceremony" (for lack of a better word) is a public commitment before the church family and the Lord that you, as parents, intend to raise your child to be a servant of God.

We were so blessed to have my Madre with us for the weekend and

it was even more special since she could stand up with us!

I feel it is moving and powerful to publicly declare before your church family your intentions to raise a child to love the Lord.

We're so thankful for our church family and for the support and friendships we have there--

God bless you little Maeve and God help us as we endeavor to raise you according to His Word, equipping you for His purpose!

Window Shopping

I've never been much of a "window shopper" IRL, however, online, is a different story!

I'm thinking the Children's Place made this outfit, which is the holiday hotness, with my matching girls in mind:

This little red Christmas Sunday number was also from the children's place-

Totally Presh--

And this little number from Gymboree? Tres Chic!

And tra-la-la my favorite of all--

Maeve NEEDS this dress for her 1 year birthday!

Viva La Gap!

All's Well That End's Well

What.

a.

day.

i can't believe the pinkest party on the planet is over

(especially since i spent a month planning the thing!)

it went so well and everyone was mostly happy-

-which for 15 little ones under the age of 4 is a miracle in and of itself!

the room and decorations turned out really well and i was struck with last minute inspiration which was good for me because i have a hard time accomplishing anything unless i'm "inspired" to--it's an artist thing.

there was lots of bouncing and bubbles and dress up and crafting and dancing

(THANK YOU to aunt ali--who totally rocked and got the party hoppin'!)

and cupcakes with gobs and gobs of icing

i'm not really a "party" person--social situations usually leave me feeling drained but it was SUCH a blessing to see all of our friends and i would do it again in a heartbeat...

just not next year

or the year after

or the year after...

or...

How much air would a blow hard blow if a blow hard could blow air?

FYI--blowing up a large castle shaped bouncy thingy with your own lungs isn't cool.

Even if you only have to blow up 1/3 of it with your own lungs.
Still

Not

Cool.

The end.

It's The Most Wonder-Full Time Of The Year!

The first day of SOCK season!

And all God's people said, 'Amen!"

Wednesday Ramblings

* we had such a nice day today--so thankful for our friends who surround us in abundance
* friend day at dance class ROCKS
* friends gathered at chick fil a ROCK too!
* sometimes toddlers DO take naps. Amen!
* i'm so glad that Bible study is tomorrow--so many positive, encouraging ladies refresh my soul
* you can't make everyone happy, but sometimes i ought to try harder to
* i finally have reached a decision (although conflicted) about the birthday party--yay!
* my mama is coming my mama is coming my mama is coming
* Jesus loves me even though I am so far from perfect that it isn't even funny
* we ate cheap ice cream tonight b/c our favorite place is reducing their stores as the season is over (although, is the season for eating ice cream ever really over?)
* maeve started walking around a lot tonight--every time i got my camera, though, she fell over or stopped trying. double drat.
* pushing daisies is on tonight--i must go pop the corn and pour the pepsi in celebration
good night and have a pleasant tomorrow!

Random Childhood Memory

I was fixing my hair this morning and was transported mentally (something that happens ALL the time, ha!) back to a bunk mate at summer camp many many many moons ago...

I don't remember the girl's name, but every single morning I remembered that she would wake up and instantly start fixing her hair--

not by brushing it

not by combing it

not by washing it

but by hair spraying it and

scrunch

scrunch

scrunching

spray

spray

spray

spraying

This went on for half an hour every morning--every single day (did she ever wash it? I don't recall)

The thing is, she was beautiful--extremely beautiful

(especially compared with 12 year old awkward as all heck shelly)

but I found her morning routine horrifying!

(her parents must have had stock in a hairspray company!! aerosal, of course!)

A few years after the fact, I ran into hair girl again and I had to ask if she still fixed her hair the same way--she told me she didn't and I shared with her how I remembered that about her and do you want to know what she remembered about me?

"Well, you're the girl who used to dump Nerds on the bed and suck them up like a vacuum cleaner with your mouth."

And that my friends, is why they say, curiosity killed the cat.

The end.

No Tag Backs--You're IT!

Melody tagged me--go check her blog out here--she has some cute kiddos and excellent fashion taste!

The "rules" of the game are as follows:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. I'm so bad at tagging people I'm just going to pretend that #3 doesn't exist =)

1. My favorite time of day (aside from Mr. Wonderful coming home) is when the mailman comes. Real Mail Rocks! I used to spend hours every week corresponding with my friends; then life became busy and I only email--that makes me sad.

2. My nose is pierced but I've always wanted a "marilyn" it's a piercing in your upper lip in the spot where her mole was--i guess that's how it got it's name, anyway--I always wanted one until I went to Walmart the other day and saw a lady with TWO nose piercings ON THE SAME SIDE OF HER NOSE and TWO marilyns--I'm done putting metal in my head.

3. I'm a hypochondriac and every time I visit the doctor I'm sure they'll find something that I'm going to die of. My husband does his best to convince me otherwise, but I'm only truly convinced when months later I'm still alive.

4. I believe in hard work, intrinsic motivation and self-reliance; which coincidentally, is why I'm a Republican--I don't think the government should bail out people who make poor choices in life (think bankruptcy, acquiring a mortgage they knew they wouldn't be able to pay eventually etc.).

5. The blessings of God astound me--my loving, supportive, hilarious husband, my beautiful girls, our wonderful family and our good health--what more could I desire?

6. I think yogurt is disgust-o and EVERY single week I have to buy three varieties--one for my husband, one for my toddler and one for my baby. And EVERY week I have to smell it as they eat it and look at it as I feed it to my baby. Gross. Seriously. Gross. I think I'm the only person in the world who feels that way--I'm surrounded by yoggie eaters.

The end!