GREAT weekend!

I am SO LUCKY!  Not only do I have an amazing family that has come out to see me this year ALREADY, but I have an awesome "in-law" family.  IF there's one thing I'm going to beat into our girls' head...is that when you get married...you get the WHOLE PACKAGE...so make sure you love his family.  And I do!

Eve - 11.5 months

Claire - 11.5 months

This weekend was so much fun.  We played in the pool at the hotel, we did crafts (by we I mean Grandma and Claire), we watched the basketball tournament (well..Papa did...then he would tell us about the highlights and close calls), we ate deep dish pizza, and the most amazing cupcakes. If you're curious...go here. cutest, tastiest cupcakes here)

We hung out at home and were a family.  Yesterday was supposed to be the date of my little one's 1st birthday party...however unfortunately we had to cancel due to sickness.  I've put up pictures of the girls at 11 months of age...how different are they?!?  I can't even believe how light and straight Eve's hair is!

Here they both are below as well. Claire and her little curls and Eve with her big smile.  These two are so much fun (when they're not sick - lol). Hope you're having a wonderful day!  I know I can't wait to see their little faces every day!

Happy New Year 2012!

I am pretty sure I resolved to write and read more last year around this same time...so not sure I really want to commit to a full on "New Year's Resolution" this time around.  I would REALLY like to blog more though!  I don't think that will be difficult (at first) because I really want to make an effort to make 2012 a great blogging year!  Why?  Well - there are a number of reasons, but mostly a good friend told me about this service that will turn your blog into a book!  HOW cool is that?  I love photo books anyway, but now to have various stories through out the year, how wonderful!  What a great way to review the year!  I'm sold!  This means I will need to be consistent about updates as well as better about posting pictures and such. 

I think January 3rd is a great day to begin!  (lol as I'm typing many are at the gym beginning their resolutions!) I will try my best to take a picture every week (if not every 2 weeks) to map out my progress of my pregnant tummy.  I must admit...it's VERY weird to see my tummy grow.  For someone who is not used to gaining weight this is very new for me.  My husband constantly reminds me that the belly is because I'm pregnant. lol. YES I know!  It's still very new to me! 

Anyway, here is a picture of me 18 weeks preggo!  This is in front of my mother-in-law's beautiful real Christmas tree.  It always looks so breathtaking and it makes the house smell so good.  I definitely can't wait until we get a real one!

Christmas was SO much fun!  I got to spend Christmas with my family (at grandma's) this year - then we did "Christmas" at Brian's during New Year.  What a blast!  I know it was hard for his family (and him) to be away from each other...but I cannot express how special it was to actually wake up Christmas morning and have my family there with me.

Below you will see some highlights of Christmas...

 Brian and I snuck away to the gas station for morning gas-station-cappuccinos.  YUM! Merry Christmas

 Gift opening time!  Jess got a new kindle!  SWEET!

 Mom was SO shocked that we remembered she wanted one of those cheesy outdoor flag posts.

 This is my brother and husband swapping cookies that mom made. Matt likes the chocolate chip more and Brian likes the oatmeal craisin!

 Ok, Grandma didn't really get a shot gun for Christmas, Matt did.  It was just pretty sweet to see her hold it. Good thing I had a camera ready!

 This is grandma and "baby schupbach" we will soon find out if it's a boy or girl! 

 So - neither of us were crazy about taking a picture in the morning, but we were leaving that day and we are always so bad about taking pictures while there.  I'm really glad we set aside our vanity. Ha - and at least I'm not in a robe. hahahaaa

 Brian and I on Christmas morning. Love him!

Thoughts on a Saturday

I love Spring...mostly. I love birds singing, but only in the afternoons. Why must birds sing in the morning? Don't they realize that I need those precious morning hours of sleep? Haha - I am blessed to live by great big trees, though so I can't complain too much. Spring is such a gift though. God knew we needed a relief from the long gray winter. That's what I think anyway.

Today has been superb! It began with a haircut from my favorite stylist, Reese, at Trio Salon downtown. I love the feeling of going downtown to get my haircut! I have really settled into "suburb living", so the bustle of the city is exciting to me. After my amazing haircut I drove back to the burbs and called my grandmother to wish her a happy 90th birthday. Amazing how much she has lived through! I will probably elaborate on that another day, but I just looove love talking to her. Her laugh could seriously brighten anyone's day. I truly wish more people knew my grandmother. While on the phone I let her know she would be getting another year's worth of Netflix from me (she was thrilled because she loves watching movies). She also opened her gift from my mom and aunt - which were DVD's made from all her home projector movies. She was so happy! She's so funny when she laughs!

After chatting with her I took a nap. I know - that's not interesting to read, but it was such a good restful nap I had to include it.

I woke up and decided to make orange cupcakes. I've been dying to try this one recipe!! Well, half my cupcakes are baked!! I have to stop now because it's time to go to church and I don't want to be late! It's just as well because I always try to frost them too soon - before they cool!

Today I read in Luke (I believe I've mentioned that I'm in a Luke study). This portion of Luke talks about how all the high officials hated Jesus. The people loved him SO much, but the very people who supposedly knew SO much about prophecy and such wanted him out of the picture. They devised a scheme to appear sincere and question Jesus on some seemingly controversial issues. Isn't that just like humans? A very real thing - someone who can set you free from... well... from you name it. The very one who could reveal true joy, they wanted out of the picture. {sigh} I feel sorry for those people. I often ask myself when I'm reading the Gospels..."what was their problem?" How could the Pharisees have missed it? REALLY? They devoted their lives to knowing so much about the Scriptures and they full force rejected him to the point of killing him. So sad.

How many people in my life are drawn to the love, joy, and peace I experience on a daily basis, yet aren't willing to give the Lord a try? That makes me sad too. Don't get me wrong, I'm not constantly sobbing over these people, but I wish I could just let them walk in my shoes for 1/2 a day - to really breathe in what forgiveness feels like. To first hand know and finally understand what an eternal hope is. If I could have 1 with for the people in my life without the Lord. This would be my wish. For them to give salvation a shot.

I really hope I'm living in a way that would make someone want to give Jesus a shot...

Happy Valentine's Day

I like Valentine's Day. I generally don't get chocolates and flowers...but I do make sure I give flowers to my grandma. She is such a special person in my life. She is nearly 90 years old and has been in a wheelchair since she was 7 years old! She lives by herself in a small town, has a laptop computer, and checks facebook every so often.

When I think about the vast amount of things she has experience in just her lifetime...it's just sooo crazy! She's gone from no tv in the home to owning her own laptop. She's gone from the onset of 8tracks...to...BlueRay.

She has had at least 3 men ask her to marry her...and probably a few more that never got up the nerve to ask her. She met my grandfather on a train...and was asked to be the wife of my grandpa on a train as well. She is probably the sweetest person I know...and I love her so much.

My grandmother is a Christian and loves life to the fullest. You will never hear her complain about the life she was given. She embraces life with a passion and interest unlike any one I have ever met and has never let herself be limited by her chair. As a matter of fact...the people that truly know her never really even see her chair. Now - I know she probably doesn't believe that most days, but it's SO true!

When she goes to Heaven...she will leave behind such a tall order...such a life to strive for...to be thankful in ALL things. She is thankful in all things. Of course she's not perfect, as none of us are...but she truly is a gem...and I thank God for her all the time.

So - in honor of Valentine's Day - I am dedicating this to my grandma. I love you and hope you enjoy your roses!