A good weekend!

Okay so we went to KCMO for the weekend and spent time with our family up there. We went to the Royals game, ate out, spent time together and just plan enjoyed not having to stress about anything!!

Alyson had an absolute blast spending time with her papa bear and nana, playing with baby anthony, and going to the royals game hanging with aunt breanna. The Royals LOST by a lot but the fireworks were amazing! It was nice to get away and have some fun without worrying about what we were spending, it was soo nice!

Here are some pics. I am going to get more up here but for now this is just the game and the "stars"(fireworks). I will blog more later. I have a new "do" that I just have to share with everyone!!

God Bless Everyone... because I know that he has blessed us beyond belief!!!

Gina

They finally made nice!

In January of this year we added a new member to our household. A pure chocolate lab named Lilly. She is getting so big so quick. Her and our other dog Ozzie didn't take to each other very well in the first few tries of letting her loose. That is one of the best perks to being out in the country, the animals can run free and not have to be tied up. Anyway, we have been keeping her pinned up for that exact reason... they didnt get along and we didnt want her just taking off. About 3 or 4 wks ago we started letting her out during the evening and taking her around the property and getting her familiar with it. Then about 2 wks after that we started letting her out just during the day while we were at home and pinning her up at night. Well NOW she is running free, calmed down a TON and is loving her doggy life!

Here are a few pics of the doggies! They are just two more kids in our family and we love them to pieces!!!

Here are a couple more pics that were taken tonight... and at ally's pre-party. The sunsets are from this evening. I am addicted to sunsets. I love the way they look casting the beautiful rays of sun across the ponds.

The others are of Ally's hair for the party (it didnt make it all that long) LOTS OF CURLS! She has natural curly hair but she doesnt like when I do it that way or put anything to help it stay, but she let aunt Kathy do it!

That cute little bundle of joy is Kathy son Anthony! HE IS SOOOOO STINKIN' CUTE! I loved having all of them here and can't wait to head up that way next wknd! LOTS OF PICS COMIN YOUR WAY FROM THAT TRIP! They are takin us to a Royals game. Plus I will get the pics from Jeannie to post on here from the party!

God Bless and Have a Safe Memorial Day!

Gina

"The Love Dare"

Well first off... The party went really really well. Thank you to all who were able to make it. Ally had a blast and loved every minute of it! Especially our guests from up north. It meant alot to all 3 of us that you guys were able to make it. She was spoiled with LOTS of clothes, a few toys, and most importantly LOVE!

Now on to what my post title means... " The Love Dare " by Stephen and Alex Kendrick is a book that Dave and I are testing out; or should I say doing. This book is going off of the movie "Fireproof". There is also another thing that Dave and I are going to start after we finish the 40 days of Love Dare called " Fireproof your Marriage ". All this is is a way of strengthing your relationship with each other through Christ and Communication. We just started tonight... and tomorrow we do our first DARE: Love is Patient. Resolve to Demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all.

Our marriage is strong but we would like to make it stronger through God's love and moral foundation. I am really excited to start this and I know that it is going to do wonders for us. Everyone has times that the communication factor is just not there. With me... well I let my emotionals take hold WAY TOOOOOOO OFTEN, and then the anger sets it. I am done with that... ONE DAY AT A TIME!

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE NEVER FAILS. " Corinthians 13:7-8

God Bless
Gina

PS I will be putting updates of how the "Love Dare" is going. I am really excited about this and don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Dave and I are happy but have ALOT of negativity that surrounds us at times. This is one idea that we are trying to help us deal with it together and not against each other. So please, don't think that we are "in trouble", or are that we are "unhappy" because its just NOT the case and I am not putting it on here for people to spread rumors. So please .... just think of it as us strengthing... conditioning... and making things a HECK of a lot easier to deal with the stressors that plague of lot of peoples lives.

Friday is a BIG day!!!

Alyson Nichole is turning 3!!! Im sooo excited and for so many different reasons. She is just growing so fast and is turning into a smart, beautiful, animated, and VERY vocal little girl. She informed me today that since she was turning 3 yrs old that she is a lady now and can make the rules. Where she got that I can only guess! She makes me so very proud everyday and at the same time we are hitting the terrible 3's with a vengence. I am so scared to do this all over again with another one but I know that it is all worth it in the end. To see her get excited when the sun is shining and she knows that outside is her destination and we get to stay out in it allllllll day... and I mean she wants to stay out in it NO MATTER WHAT, its just priceless and I love it. I love to hear her tell me that she loves me and that she wants to sing our song( Come, now is the time to worship... veggietales style). I love every bit of being a mom, and even though there are times it gets extremely tough... I wouldnt change a moment of me and ally's time or memories!

Other big news.... So friday is the day that we go to the "doctor" lol... Dave is SUPER excited lol... and I just can't stop laughing because I know that he is just blushing right now as he hears me typing this! lol.... We are going to go to Bartellsville to Dr. Peaster's ofc to get "tested" to see what we need to do next to have a baby. If we have to have help getting pregnant its going to be a while due to the financial aspects but we just want to know what we have to look forward to. Its been a struggle already with everything that we have been trying to do and listening to everyone tell us that nothing is wrong or that we should have been checked a long time ago. We just weren't ready. Our FAITH in GOD is stronger than ever and that is what we are leaning on right now. That and a few friends that have been here and are helping us (me more than dave) deal with every possibility that they may give us. Dave is just sooooo strong for me and our family all the time and to actually see him nervous normally doubles my stress but it is actually the opposite this time. I am being strong for him and pulling this strength from God and deep down in my soul. I really don't know where I am getting it but Im glad its here. I know that everything that we have laid at God's feet has been taken care of in one way or another and I know that this will too. God has a plan and it's in motion!

I know that no one really reads this but i just want to say thanks to those who do and that I hope that you enjoy reading about our fun lil country life... lol

God Bless

Gina

Birthdays and Mother's Day!

Well today marks the day that 3 years ago I "was" due to have my beautiful daughter. The 5th of May was supposed to mark one of the happiest days in my life!!! Well, it didn't. LOL She decided to come into the world 10 days late! And you know that to this day that is the way Alyson is. You can't force her to do anything. She does it in her own time!
My mom and Ally are exactly a week apart. Ally was my blessing from God in MANY ways. When I was pregnant with ally I wasnt very close with my parents or God for that matter. Yeah I prayed everyday but I wasn't doing anything to try and walk on the Lord's path. My mom and dad didn't meet alyson until she was about 5 months old and I kick myself alot for allowing that to happen. The one and most prominate thing that sticks out in my memory of labor wasn't the physical pain it was the pain of not having my mom there to help me through it. BUT that is all in the past and we are closer than ever! Ally and her are closer than ever as well!

Anyways... May 8th... Mom turns 51!!! May 10th... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! May 15th... Ally turns 3!!! May 18th... My dad turns 52!!! May 24... Papa Bear turns 40!!!!!!!!!! goodness LOTS OF BIRTHDAYS!!! Not to mention the Graduations!!!! Alex, Trisha, Steven! OH MY!

I haven't blogged in awhile so a quick little update on the end of this one!
-- Dave is working harder than ever! Im STILL looking for a job! Hoping that one is right around the corner. We are still trying to get pregnant but at the same time... are TRYING to just LET it happen. LOL.... I still can't seem to get out of my head, "Am I? Could I be? Is this it?" Ally is getting smarter everyday! She is just soo beautiful and wonderful! Thank You Lord for the precious gift you have given me!
--"Dear Lord, Please keep my family strong and healthy! Please help me find the job that is meant for me and please let it be soon. Please let all the Mother's of the world be blessed by having an awesome Mother's Day! In your name I pray AMEN!"

Sorry for the ramble session!
God Bless-
Gina