Dot Mom Weekend

This past weekend I attended the Dot Mom  conference in Frisco with some of the girls from my new church. While it was fun to get to know all of them better, the real highlight of the weekend was the amazing information we all learned about being a Mother and a daughter of the King.

The whole event was such an encouragement. I loved this booth that was merely a chalkboard wall with a new question up each morning and afternoon. Such fun to read how similar your life is with others. There were about 20 booths with everything from Christian decor to parenting books to baby food.

On Friday night, I was first in line to have my copy of Sparkly Green Earrings signed by Big Mama. I have read her blog for years, read her book in just a few days and loved her! Carrie and I were a little starstruck! I also met Kelly Stamps from Kelly's Korner but caught her at a odd time and didn't get a photo. 

Let's talk about the main stage- there were 4 speakers and they were pretty stinkin' awesome! I have to tell you that Angie Smith spoke first and she spoke the loudest to me. A few major lessons I learned from her talk on the subtext of what we are telling our children:

- We tell them they are valuable, yet our actions can easily tell them they are in the way of our agenda. Ouch.

- They are not a prop in our online performance. The moment's value doesn't come from the approval of the imaginary audience (Facebook, blogs, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)

- Life is not a crisis and having big responses to little things will make their life much harder. Productivity is not the sign of a life well lived. Wearing busy like a badge of honor doesn't leave gaps for quiet time with God. 

- Making decisions out of fear will only teach your children that you don't trust God and that you are in control.

- Your children need to know that you don't know it all, you need God, and you are a sinner just like them.

Saturday morning Vicki Courtney spoke. Her husband and her lead our Sunday school class and we all knew she would do a great job. She sure did! She spoke on the topic of her new book due out in June.... the fairy tale let down. She had us laughing! She reminded us all that we are building a fairy tale about our prince charming, our perfect kids, and our dream home. In reality, the letdown from the lack of perfection can be tough. Our husband doesn't say, "You Complete Me", our kids don't take perfect portraits, and our house doesn't get repinned on Pinterest. But, we our God loves us, He forgives us, and we live in a real world. We bring baggage and junk into our marriage and that can take work to unpack. I can't wait to read her new book and do the Bible study.

The final speaker on Saturday was Priscilla Shirer. I have seen her name many places, but never heard her speak. I never imagined we'd meet her and snap a photo! She told the story of Jesus turning water into wine in a way I have never heard before.  Mary tells the servants, "whatever He says, just do it." If Mary were attending our Mom conference today, wouldn't she tell us the same thing? She affirmed for us that our best will never be good enough, but His best is enough.  She reminded us that God knows our junk, our issues, our shame, and we need to own it, just do it, and then when He performs a miracle in our life, we must share it. Just do what you can as a mother and he will do what you can't.

I also attended four different breakout sessions. I focused my time on Intentional Parenting, Emotional Development of Preschoolers, Raising Good Forgivers, and Teaching God's word to your children. All of them were helpful! I bought a couple of books based upon these sessions!

Another great joy of this conference was seeing two old friends of mine. Crista and I went to HS together and hadn't seen each other, except online, since. Crista has the most beautiful family- from birth and from love. She is good friends with Amanda Jones (Beth Moore's daughter) whom I met and loved. I told Amanda, "I read (present tense) your blog" and she replied with a smile, "you read (past tense) my blog". I wish she'd blog more- she was always so insightful!

Finally, I got to hug Katie. She is the amazing Will's Mom. I met her in 2007 when Will was first born. A group of friends and I ran a marathon relay to support her son and the hospital that cared so well for him. We haven't seen since, but we read each other's blogs. I loved seeing her, but more than that, I loved that she had a great weekend with a friend. She is one overworked Momma, but still such an encouragement.

Yea for an amazing, uplifting, reassuring, fun filled weekend!

Pinkalicious Party

Abby attended the cutest little pinkalicious party this weekend for her friend Michelle. The girls were told to wear all pink to the party. Abby honestly didn't have a full pink outfit in her closet. I am such a fan of so many other colors, that I had to buy her a shirt and skirt at Target!

The girls listened to the story of Pinkalicious, made bracelets, did a cupcake craft and got the cutest goody bags filled with treats! Plus, they all wore pink wings, had wands, and headband tiaras to wear.

The pinata was a big hit! The girls pulled strings instead of hitting it with a bat. Perfect for indoors and for girls! It was filled with rings, candy, erasers, and hair accessories. Such cute stuff!

The dessert table was to die for! How cute are these little treats! They were done by a local bakery.

This was Abby's plate- notice the giant marshmallow! Abby favorite- the m&m candies and Dove chocolates. She isn't my kid :)

The big cupcake was for the birthday girl....

We are so lucky to have had a party filled weekend with our friends! 

Happy Birthday Michelle!

Dentist Updates

I realized I never posted pictures from the big dentist trip a few weeks ago. I wanted these on the blog for posterity. Here is Abby trying out her super cool red funny nose. They dentist did such a good job introducing the funny nose that she had NO PROBLEM wearing it. Praise Jesus!

They were so sweet with her. She was wrapped in her favorite blanket (she named it Plexi) and loved on Pluto the whole time. We added an extra blanket at her feet and she watched a movie the entire time. She sat still and did great. No fighting the nurses or dentist at all. Afterward, they had to give her a lollipop to keep her from biting hard on her numb cheek. She was a rock star!

A rockstar... with a numb face! She was trying to smile for us :)

Much better! They were able to do the two crowns and two additional cavities on the left side and we will be doing the right side in the next few weeks. That side is just cavities, so it should be even easier!

Abby was home by 10 AM and watched movies all day. She drank a chocolate milkshake for lunch and ate soft foods for dinner and was back to normal the next morning.

Sweet Little Friends

One of my biggest concerns about leaving our church was Abby Lu losing her little friends. I have been so blessed with great families around us that I was scared I wouldn't find that again. I was wrong- we have made new little friends and we haven't lost our old ones!

We spent part of Saturday morning at our friend Megan's 4th birthday party. Abby and Megan were dedicated together and have spent all their time in the church nursery together. 

Megan had the cutest art party with aprons, fun crafts, and yummy food! Abby spent much of her time inside the little house on the back porch. Girl was bossing everyone around- who could come in the house, who must leave, who could eat at the table. It was exhausting!

But, she was overjoyed to see her buddy Michael at the party. They just loved the neon frosting on the cupcakes!

So thankful for parties, fun friends, and sweet families we just love!

Valentine's Day 2013

We had a fun week celebrating LOVE and all that mushy stuff!

Abby had a little party at school and shared Lalaloopsy valentine cards and pencils with her friends. She also brought conversation hearts with scripture on them and sugary sweet candles for her teachers. ON Thursday, she was super excited to open a package from Nana with all kinds of goodies in it!

Marcus and I exchanged little gifts- I got this awesome Duck Dynasty t-shirt. I love me some Uncle Si. Abby was super excited to get new jammies and a Rapunzel Barbie.

Wednesday night, we celebrated with dinner. Since Abby was at AWANA at church for 90 minutes, we had just enough time to eat at Brio near church.

Brio recently opened in Austin, but we always eat at the San Antonio location when we visit La Cantera. My favorite dish there is cheese ravioli in a three sauce mixture (alfredo, marinara and pesto) that is baked. It is the best! Well come to find out, that dish is from a restaurant called Bravo that Brio bought and kept pieces of their menu. Lucky for me, the manager had spent time there and knew the dish. He went into the kitchen and made it for me. It caused a ruckus among the waitstaff, but was perfect. What amazing customer service!

Thursday we ate in and shared yummy decorate sugar cookies for dessert. 

It was a wonderful week of celebration with the two people I love most!

Top 10 List- Things I love

I hope you are having a great day with the one or the things you love most!

We celebrated with dinner last night, so tonight is dinner at home, little gifts and yummy dessert... all things that I love!

Speaking of things I love, here is a top 10 list of things I love in no order...

1. Colorful shoes that match my outfit perfectly

2. Dinner in the crockpot, a candle burning and a football game on the TV

3. Sweet tea of any kind

4. a good leather handbag that fits over my shoulder with just the bend of my arm and stays there!

5. Long lunches with girlfriends

6. 10,000 Reasons and King & Queens on my iPod

7. the smell of fresh baked bread, clean laundry or my husband's soap

8. Chevron! I may be staying at this party longer than most, but I still love it!

9. the sweet little princess stage Abby has entered

10. my new church, upcoming Dot Mom conference, and my new excitement toward the Bible

Happy Valentine Day!

Park Playdate with Popsicles

This beautiful girl turned 4 and wanted her birthday party to be at the park with popsicles. Her poor Momma had to plan an outside party with popsicles in February! It has been beautiful all month, but it was cold and rainy for her party. The girls still had lots of fun and that is what matters!

They ran over from the park to enjoy their Popsicle .. a benefit of Popsicle in February, they don't melt quickly! It was the least messy I've seen Popsicle in a long time!

Abby and Madeline share a friend, Eva, and it was fun to see her. Her Dad just had lasik and boy was I jealous on Saturday in the drizzle of his lasik. It was just yucky!

We were at the Brushy Creek Sports Complex in Cedar Park. What a cool playground!

Knowing the park equipment would be wet, we packed a few balls. Abby had fun trying to make goals on Marcus or defending his kicks.

Can you find her in this open field?

 After the park, we met up with Madeline and a few friends for dinner and cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Madeline! We love you!

Dentist Update

Please say a little prayer for us on Tuesday morning. Abby is being put under at 7 AM for her dental work. They will be doing baby root canals, crowns and fillings. She will take Demerol and they will use laughing gas. She picked out the pink funny nose- that is the laughing gas attachment!

After getting two opinions and talking to our pediatrician, we need to do this. They deep cavities are in her molars which are teeth she will have until age 10. If we don't do this, the root could be sicker and spread to other teeth. If we just pulled the tooth, her now straight teeth would likely spread out and then the molar wouldn't have room when the real one comes in.

It all makes sense... I am just nervous for her. I know she will be scared and even in a little pain/discomfort when it is all over. We have pudding and movies on tap for the remainder of the day!

I'll keep you posted!