What I Wore Wednesday | April 25th

It's that time again! I have to admit that I was not the best WIWW-er this past week. For that, I apologize. I'll do better next week - hold me to it!

Thursday | Working on the garden at the Guenther's!

Didn't snap a picture... of me or the gigantic wolf spider that tried to attack me. And by attack me, I mean, sat there as I ran away, screaming, in my jeans and UNL sweatshirt.

i.hate.spiders.

Friday | Baby Shower

Forgive me...this was taken at the end of the day. Can you tell?

Black Tank (Old Navy)

Funkadelic Top from Forever 21 (Gift from my funkadelic sister)

Black accent belt (Von Maur)

Jeans (NY&Company

Saturday (Pre-dedication) | Shopping with family & last-minute errand-running

Mint V-Neck (Target)

Scarf (Target)

Brown Accent Belt (Thrifted)

Jeans (Kohl's)

Saturday (Dedication) | Church & Dinner

Dress (Von Maur)

Yellow Earrings, Necklace, and Flower Bracelet (Dillards)

Flower Accent Sandals (NY&Company)

Sunday | Hanging out with family & the MOPS Silent Auction

This is the best picture I got - look how cute O is!

Brown Tank (The Buckle)

Mustard Yellow Tank (Walmart in high school!)

Brown Accent Belt (Thrifted)

Key Necklace (Homemade)

Jean Capri's (Kohl's)

Monday | Errands & Mommy/Daughter date to Raising Kane's

KONY 2012 T-Shirt (Invisible Children)

Black Tank (The Buckle)

Jeans (Kohl's)

Tuesday | Around the house

Stripe Tank (Thrifted)

Black Tank (Target)

Jean Shorts (Target)

Moby Wrap (Circle Me)

Black Flip-Flops (Old Navy)

Where's Wednesday? Well, you'll just have to check in next week! Have a fantastic rest of the day!

Baby O's Dedication

 "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you. 

Before you were born, I set you apart."

- Jeremiah 1:5 -

I apologize for lack of posts lately. Last week we were getting ready for a family-and-friends-filled, memorable weekend, so I've been pretty swamped! And memorable it was! We had Baby O dedicated to Jesus on Saturday night. Both sets of grandparents, most of her uncles and aunts, as well as a few of our close friends were there to commemorate the night.

The decision to raise Baby O according to God's Word and to publicly dedicate our lives as parents to doing so is not something we took lightly. Dedication may be a tradition, but we wanted it to be more than just an item to check off of our "to-do" list.

Psalms 127:3 says, "Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him." (NLT) It amazes me that God chose to give us Baby O. We did nothing to deserve her, and yet, we were chosen to be her mom and dad. That's a huge responsibility! We are in charge of shaping a life! 

What's even more amazing is that God called us to be her parents before we were born, ourselves. It's incredible to me that God has been preparing me from the beginning to be O's momma. Just so awesome.

Pastor Jeff with the families having babies dedicated

Eliana, Jack, Baby O, and G'Anaiya

Jeff Haase, the CP Children's Pastor, conducted the ceremony and challenged us with a passage from Nehemiah 13. The story of this particular book in the Bible begins with a man, Nehemiah, and his God-given dream to see Jerusalem's wall rebuilt after seventy years in exile. He leads some of the Israelites back to the holy city, but when the enemy's of Jerusalem realize that the wall is being rebuilt, they plan to attack. Inside the half-built wall, the laborer's are getting tired and the people are afraid that they've come back just to be massacred by their enemies. Nehemiah calls together all of the people according to their families, stations each family by their home and a section of the wall, then encourages them in verse fourteen, saying, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

As Baby O's parents we are responsible for her physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In our walks with Jesus, we have to fight against the enemy; it is no different with our children. It's completely naive to think that Satan doesn't want to ruin O's destiny at a young age. Mr. D and I have to protect her, pray for her, and show her what it means to trust God and fight for victory.

That's what dedication is all about. Committing our lives to fight for O. Pray that we're able to do that by God's grace!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the evening!

My sweet family

Grandma & Grandpa Sass

Grandma & Grandpa Max

Getting ready for some cake!

What I Wore Wednesday | April 18

I am awful at taking pictures and blogging on the weekends! You'll have to forgive me.. Saturday, I was worried we'd be taken to the land of Oz, and Sunday, I was lazy. LOL

Here's what I wore :)

Thursday | Date Night

Long-sleeve Scoop-neck Shirt (Kohl's)

Slate Leather Jacket (Thrifted!)

Jeans (Kohl's)

Shoes (Shoe Department Encore)

Friday | MOPS & Errands

This is the best picture... but, hey, I did manage to take both Baby O AND Apple out! Holla! Woop woop!

Brown Tank (The Buckle)

Red Floral-print Shirt (Target)

Jeans (Kohl's)

Baby (Homemade)

Saturday | Hiding at our friend's house from the storm

Jeans & a Green Bay Packer's Sweatshirt (obviously)

Sunday | Church & Shopping (O's dedication is Saturday)

This is the only picture I took on Sunday... I wore this for a few minutes... That works, right?

Striped Dress (that I did not buy from Von Maur) *sigh*

Monday | Singing in the Choir @ District Council

Black Long-sleeve T (Von Maur - my favorite!)

Scarf (Gift from Mom-in-law - also my favorite)

Jeans (NY&Company)

Shoes (Shoe Department Encore)

Black Belt (Talbott's)

Orange Chunk Bracelet (Target)

Tuesday | Around the house & errands with Mr. D & O

Green Tank (Target)

Sweater Shrug (I've had this in my closet so long, I don't remember where I got it)

Brown Accent Belt (Thrifted)

Jeans (Thrifted - Thank you, LinConsign!)

Jewelry - Coral Earrings & Chuck Bracelet from Target (I don't think you can see them, but they are there!)

Wednesday | Errands

Red Undertank (The Buckle)

White Scoop-neck Tank (Old Navy)

Darkwash Jeans (Target)

Grow With Me | Five months

Baby O is five months old today! Unbelievable. Here's her up-to-date Grow With Me pictures :)

Enjoy!

Newborn | 11/16/11 

(didn't take one... hey, don't judge, I'd just had a baby!)

One Month | 12/16/11

Two Months | 1/16/12

Three Months | 2/16/12

Four Months | 3/16/12

Five Months | 4/16/12


Look at how long she has gotten!

One day old

5 months old

Wish I could make time stand still for just a little while...

But for the joy awaiting Him..

For the entire month, I've wanted to post about Easter. I've started writing, reread, deleted, began again, reread, deleted... Telling the story of God's grace, mercy, redemption, and goodness just doesn't fit in one blog post. Or in ten. Or in a million. So forgive me if this is a bit scattered. 

Now, I know Easter was last week. The ninety-percent markdowns on all things egg, rabbit, or pastel candy related would clue in anyone who just came out from under a rock. Oh, well.  I'm not over it. In fact, I hope that I never 'get over' Easter... I want to remember every morning the sacrifice and victory of Jesus.

Sinning is my unfortunate past-time. Pride, selfishness, fear, shame, self-loathing, unforgiveness, doubt, bitterness, anger... the list goes on and on. I can never do anything to take away what I've done in the past, and I can never be perfect enough to overcome my human nature to do it "my way" in the future. 

God knew that. God knew that I needed a savior, and I needed one desperately. So he sent one. God wanted me badly enough to see His son literally torn to pieces, tortured, mocked, and murdered - all so that He could be with me. And get this - He knew that I had the choice to deny His free gift of salvation. 

That is ludicrous. I wouldn't send Baby O to die to save ANYBODY, let alone, someone who may just reject me. 

You know what the worst part about the crucifixion is, though? All the physical pain that Jesus bore, was nothing compared to when He was separated from His father. God's son took on all of the sins of all of the people to ever live, and it made Him so hideous that His holy Father could not bare to look at him. God could not be in the same place as all of our ugliness - the ugliness that Jesus was taking upon Himself. That's hell, people. Separation from God is hell. As long as I am living (and in death because I believe in Christ), I will never have to experience the weight of being completely separated from God.

Wow. Just let that sink in.

He endured what I will never have to just because He wants me.

Me!

Hebrews 12:2 (NLT) says, "We do this (persevering) by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding it's shame..."

Again, wow. 

The joy awaiting Jesus was not only being reunited with His Father, but it was being able to be with me! I am part of the joy that Jesus went to hell for. The very person who's sin nailed Him to a cross was part of the joy He was looking forward to.

As a believer, how can I ever get over that?

The beauty of His love is that God did this for all. For me and for you. 

He is so awesome. I am so thankful for His presence in my life, for the incredible grace He shows me, and for the knowledge that He wants me regardless of all the crud I carry around.

I don't know where you are, or what you believe, but I pray that every day you remember that you are Jesus' joy... that He made a way for you... and that the life He gives is abundant. 

Happy Easter, everyone.

What I Wore Wednesday | April 11th

Alright, I'm still new to this whole WIWW jazz, so I didn't exactly get a picture of my entire outfit for the whole week (and I missed some). Oops. In actuality, most of the pictures are "What I Wore In Action Wednesday"...but I had some decent reasons. So this is a weirdo post. Sue me.

Thursday | Around the House, First Day with Apple, and Easter Rehearsal

Pink Top (Francesca's), Jeans (Kohl's), Flops (Old Navy)

Friday | Dentist... This is an actual picture.

Saturday | Easter Egg Hunt & Family Time

Navy Shrug (Thrifted), Long Sleeve T (The Buckle), Purple Scarf (Gift)

Accent Belt (Thrifted), OTS Wrap (Gift from Aunt B)

P.S. I also wore pants.

Easter Sunday | Church & Dinner with Family

Mint V-Neck (Target), Black Cami (Von Maur), Black Dress Capri's (not pictured, gifted)

Monday | Root Canal & Errands

Husker T (Neebo), Red Scarf (Shopko), Jeans (Maternity...because they're super comfy)

Tuesday | Around the House & Meeting Harper Grace

Red Tunic Dress & Leggings (Be Yourself Boutique), Accent Belt (Von Maur)

Wednesday | Around the House (Feeling Nautical)

Red V-neck (Vanity), Navy Scarf (Thrifted), Accent Belt (Thrifted)

Jeans (NY& Company)

P.S. I posted twice today. #overachieving

Apples & Oranges

Last week I began watching a sweet seven week old, who we'll call Apple, here on Main Street. And while there are some rough spots... like when O and Apple are crying at the same time... or when O gets excited and terrifies Apple... or basically anytime O is being a drama queen (NO idea where she gets that...), which may or may not be all the time... I am so glad to have this opportunity.

I met Apple's mom and dad through mutual friends and doulas. They were honing in on their due date and were looking for someone to watch their precious surprise (back when we didn't know if Apple was a girl or a boy!) once Kelsi went back to work. Mr. D and I were looking for a way for us to financially handle me staying home with O. Voila - match made in heaven.

Baby O and Apple are only three months apart, but it's amazing to see how different their personalities are already! I love that I get to see them interact with each other and watch as they both pass new milestones.

Today's post won't be very wordy for the simple fact that a picture is worth a thousand words. Without further ado,

PRESENTING: Apple & O

O thinks that Apple is her toy.

Isn't she a little sweetie?

That's right. AT THE SAME TIME. #winning

O, hai.

\

The girls <3

I love little Apple's lips! Adorable!

Babywearing saves my life.

Sometimes, O gets jealous... so I hold them both. LOL

Apple is unsure.

Sweet cheeks.

We all scream for I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M

SPOILER ALERT! If you tend to puke in your mouth due to crunchy hippy things, this may not be the post for you. Unless, of course, you like puking in your mouth.

I made the monumental mistake of giving Baby O some ice cream. Check it out...

After this incident, I think it's time to take some drastic measures. Yes. That means Breaskmilk Icecream ala Madison.

I know, freak out. But HELLO, it's better for her to have that than our icecream! And I don't think this is a phase... I mean, look at that girl and her spoon. She's all like, "MM-hmm, me and my BFF spoon, going to ride safely in my carseat..."

Judge me, but here's the recipe. I won't know how it tastes because for me, that's a little weird to drink your own milk, but I'll let you know if O likes it.

P.S. I TOLD you, I'm a crunchy hippy! Check out that post here.

Breastmilk Ice Cream

(1 Serving)

1/2 c. Breast Milk

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 tbsp. Sugar

4 c. Crushed Ice

4 tbsp. Salt

2 Quart-size Freezer Bags

1 Gallon Freezer Bag

Combine the milk, vanilla, and sugar into a 1 quart freezer bag and mix thoroughly. Make sure the bag is tightly sealed then put that bag into another 1 quart freezer bag to protect it from the salt. Now, put those bags in a 1 gallon freezer bag, pour in the ice and salt, and use gloves to mix it around until it sets. For one serving it takes about eight minutes to set.

Let me know if any of you BF momma's try this out! I'll update this post when I do :)