Indoor Fun!

On Monday I headed to Walmart crossing my fingers that they carried Americolor food gel. On a whim I decided to replicate these adorable {yet very labor intensive} rocket cookies, adding the them to the 4th of July cookie platter that I am making for my husband to take to work tomorrow : ) Since I didn't plan on adding them to my mix {I couldn't resist because A.) they are so cute, and B.) I'm always up for a challenge} I needed just one food gel color that I didn't have on hand. I didn't want to trek allllll the way to Hobby Lobby for just one teeny tiny thing. But as it turned out, that's exactly what I had to do. And naturally, I left that store {like I pretty much always do} with more than just that $1.49 item. Anyhow, while I was at Walmart, I picked up a bag of 100 plastic balls.
What would we need all these balls for you ask?.....

For Ilah's inflatable Dora Butterfly Garden ball pit {that my mom bought for her for Christmas}.....
The ballpit came with just 20 balls, so naturally we had to add more to the mix!.....
It's so funny. I swore that my house wouldn't be overun with an ubundant amount of plastic toys when we had a child. And then enters a three foot plastic ball pit! Ha! Really though, you just can't help it. You want your child to enjoy the fun things in life!

Ilah loves climbing in and out. And speaking of climbing....as of yesterday she can climb onto the couch all on her own and get back down. And she's insistent on coming DOWN the stairs on her own now {she scoots down on her bottom} - I have to refrain from being too hands on because I do want her to master it, but we are always there to protect her if she loses her footing...which hasn't happened; she has always been very balanced.

I was taking the above picture of Ilah through one of the holes in the ballpit and when she heard me click the camera, she stuck her face right up to the hole. Ha ha!! I LOVE MY GIRL!!!!

We've been enjoying our summer both outside and inside!

Pretty Little Finds

Last week the lamp in Ilah's nursery fell over and broke {the top part}. There was no repairing it because of the way that it broke off. Perhaps if I was a welder...but alas, there are only so many things I can do, and that skill is NOT one of them. So I went out and replaced the lamp with this one, which I purchased at Home Goods for $29.99.... You'll notice the brooch on the lamp. It is pinned on. I removed it because I thought it made the lamp a little too fancy. What do you think? With or without? If you like the look, that's a clever idea to fancy up a lamp...just pin on a brooch!

Here is the lamp without the brooch pinned on it.....I love the cream colored shade combined with the colors in the base, which I just love the look of...

While at Home Goods, I spotted this book shelf {that you hang on the wall}. I have seen them in photos of children's nursery's and thought they were not only darling, but also very functional for little ones...
It was just $15 on clearance!! Naturally I had to swoop it up and get it....

I'm debating whether or not I want to leave it the color that it is, or transform it into an antique white.....

These little mountable bookcases/book bins can cost a pretty penny. This one below from Land of Nod is $229! Cripes!!....The bookcase that I bought will be mounted to the wall, as shown in this photo, at a height that is good for Ilah to see all of her books and enabling her to reach in and get them out/put them back.... Lastly, I spotted this picture at ROSS about a month ago. I fell in love with it, but I kept it in its place not only because of the price {$40}, but because I really didn't know where to put it even if I did buy it. Which meant...I didn't have a need for it. Right?.....

The fact that you see photos of the picture on the floor in my home means that I did buy it....BUT it's because it went on clearance for $19.99 AND because I knew the perfect place that it could go.....
You see that big wall space above the chair? This is our guestroom {you can go here to see more photos}. I've been looking for a picture to put in that space for a LONG time. That picture couldn't be more perfect to go there!....
As you can see, I have yet to hang it. Will add that to my list of things to do today ; )
Hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Encountering God, Part 2

Lately my Monday posts highlight our weekend and include lots of photos, but this time I want to document the awesome encounter that we have had with God over the past several days.

Friday night concluded our church's "ENCOUNTER" conference. I spoke a little about it in my last post. Man oh man, was Friday night's service POWERFUL. Some life changing things were imparted into Dele and I.

Leading up to this conference, my spirit had been stirring. Aside from having a heart of great expectancy, and aside from yearning to hear from the Lord {even if it would be His still small voice speaking on the inside of me}, I wanted something great to happen that would cause a permanent shift in me. A shift that would propel me into a new beginning in which the plans and purposes that I am called to do in this season of my life would begin to come to fruition. I believe that there are things that have been laying dormant on the inside of me and I strongly believe that the reason why I had been having an urgency to find a church home towards the end of last year was so those things would birth themselves in the right church - the church that we were purposed to be a part of. In past seasons of my life when I was single, God opened amazing doors that I have walked through and now as a wife and mother, I know that there are new plans and purposes that are meant to be fulfilled [for God] in this season of my life.

Friday night, in front of a large gathering of people {at the church that ours is an extension of}, the guest speaker called Dele and I up to the front and spoke a powerful word over us. Several church members recorded it - how blessed we are to have that video. God used him to deposit some great things into us and speak some amazing things over us - those words brought confirmation, affirmation, and impartation - it was a prophesy that we will never forget...a five minute encounter that officially put our lives on a new course.

All night [after we left the conference], and the next day, I was basking in the goodness of God. It felt as though this conference was purposed just for us. Have you ever felt that way when leaving a church service? As I sat in church that night, I was excited about whose life would be touched in an indescribable way - little did I know it would be OUR lives. The night before one of our worship leaders received a personal word and I was bursting on the inside with happiness for her. It's like when someone becomes saved and enters into the kingdom of God...you rejoice as if it was your brother or sister coming to the Lord. I was looking forward to seeing an impartation being done in someone else's life and rejoicing at how awesome it was that they received what was probably a very on-time word from the Lord. There were probably 500 people attending the conference that night, and only few were called out of their seats - and Dele and I were the only couple. It was our night.

That guest speaker came to our church branch on Sunday to minister and...we received a double portion of God's goodness as he imparted another word into our lives. I hold those words that were spoken over us yesterday, and Friday night, very close to my heart. What a morning. What a conference! The scripture that is now living on the inside of me because of all that was spoken over us is James 1:22 "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only". We are stepping into great things!

Encountering God

Last Saturday our Pastors invited us over for dinner at their home. It’s been wonderful getting to know them outside of church and growing in closer connection with them. It’s so refreshing to be a part of a church in which your spiritual leaders not only lead…but also show their true authentic selves and desire to do life with their church, who they view as a family.

Last Sunday, the message touched on Christians running the race set before them and how Paul was such a great example of that. I only took one note the entire message and it read: “There is always something that wants to pull you away from the priority that you want to live”.

How true is that.

Dele and I sat there both relating to the message as it seems that while although our intentions are good {of wanting to run the spiritual race set before us}, there are so many “things” constantly getting put in front of us…it’s like we stay in the “ready” position…all day. Can you relate? For me, there are multiple tasks that I take on, and sometimes more than one at the same time…the house has to be cleaned, the bills have to be paid, errands need to be done, appointments needs to be scheduled, grocery shopping needs to be done, meals need to be made, laundry needs to be done, my husband needs my attention, my child needs to be happy, friendships need tending to...the list is long.

But truth be told, even with all that there is to do, there ARE pockets of time in the day that time with the Lord CAN happen. We just chose to do other things with that time. Life is not so much at full-speed that we can’t take twenty minutes or so to connect with God – to just stop, and give him our undivided attention – whether that be together as husband and wife or separately. Some days we find the time/make the time, and some days we don’t.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (TNIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…

I also read the same scripture in the New Living Translation, and found it to be perfectly worded for today’s modern time….

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…

Just as with any race, it requires commitment….it takes discipline…it takes training yourself into a daily habit that will bring about the results that you are hoping for. If I want to be close to God, then I need to purposely {and purposefully} put myself in the way of having an encounter with Him.

This week, my husband and I are doing just that. And it feels AMAZING to be in/feel the presence of God and be saturated by His love.

I’ve shared that the church we attend is a branch of a larger church that is about an hour from us, in another city. They are hosting a conference called ENCOUNTER that has taken place the last two nights, and it concludes its third night tonight. Last night was phenomenal. It was our first time attending there and wow, it is an amazing church! There were probably 500 people that attended last night’s conference; we all gathered together to have our lives enriched by seeking the Lord in one accord and with open hearts, wanting to be touched by His presence. The guest speaker last night delivered a powerful - yet real and direct – message…and unexpectedly, Dele was used last night, as he called on him to pray for a young man. How awesome!

Had we not have gone to the ENCOUNTER conference last night – had we said we were tired from the long day we had and chose to just relax at home – we would have missed out on God depositing some great things in to us – and Dele would not have been used as a vessel that God worked through. But we made attending this conference a priority…even if it meant that things went unattended as the time came to get ready to go. The house wasn’t perfect when we left; there were dishes in the sink, clothes on our bedroom floor, and make-up and hair brushes and mouthwash that [after they were used] didn’t go back in their rightful place in our bathroom. But such is life. Our hearts were more concentrated on the expectancy that we had for the night ahead.

Whether attending a conference that is an hour from our home, or encountering Him within our four walls, when God is my first priority, I just feel so good inside. This week we have been running our race. We’ve stopped for water a few times - but we’ve kept on going. And let me tell you...having an encounter with God beats doing the dishes any day.

Summer Fun! {And Ilah is 17 Months Old!}

This post will be two-fold....it will highlight the fun that Ilah and I had in the pool yesterday, and it will also note her 17 month milestones!

Earlier this month I prepped for the fun summer days ahead that would be spent at the pool and bought this pool/beach bag. It is the perfect size for everything that I need to put in it to make a trek on down to our subdivision's pool. It might be hard to see in this photo but there are pockets in front that make it super accessible to grab sunscreen, the cell phone, or Ilah's sippy cup, etc.
At the end of summer last year, I bought this floating canopy at Target....

And scored it for just $3.24!

So summer is here and it's time to live it up! So yesterday we ventured to the pool. It doesn't matter if we're getting ready to leave the house for hours, or just walking down to the pool in our neighborhood, the same amount of time and energy goes into both tasks. Ha! I got Ilah dressed in her bathingsuit - and then followed by about 99 other things {I know you mom's can relate}, we were finally out the door...

Ilah, you turned 17 months old last week! You are becoming such a big girl! You are up to a lot of things.....

You have started to purposely walk on your tippy-toes. It's so cute and makes us laugh!

When we ask you how old you are, you hold up your index finger to show us that you are ONE!

Mommy taught you how to fold your hands and pray...every time you hear the word "pray" you clasp your hands. Such sweetness.

Your Abuela taught you how to praise the Lord...when we ask you to show us, you raise up your hands! Melts my heart! You love bubble and now can blow them on your own!

You slide down the stairs on your bottom now.

You are eating more with a fork.

You have a big appetite - and are starting to become picky with what foods you will eat.

You "thumb through" your books with paper pages.

You now imitate all the actions that you see Dora the Explorer {and other cartoon characters} doing! Ha Ha! For several months now, you have known all your major body parts {hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tummy, feet} and can point to them. We started teaching you additional things, and now you can tell us where your knees and teeth are and where your tongue is.

You have started to pronounce your words more clearly.

You have started sleeping with a pillow {which started last month when you had a cold and it was advised by your pediatrician to prop a pillow under your head to help with nasal drainage} - we kept it in your crib even after your cold passed; you love your pillow!

I thought that you had transitioned to just one nap a day but some days you still do two.

Mommy bought you a stool a few weeks ago that allows you to sit down and play with some of your bigger toys, rather than standing. You love it!

Speaking of stools...I also got you a step stool last week but it will be a little while before you will begin using it. I bought it for you because it was too cute to pass up!

You have started to cross your arms across your chest! What?!

You enjoy playing with your Melissa & Doug animal puzzle - you have started to know which animals go where and put them in their right place.

You are growing, growing, growing....into a size 7 shoe. You have started to put your fingers in your ears as if something is too loud. But you do it just to be goofy!

Recently you started lifting up your leg and reaching it to the very top of your crib rail. Mercy Ilah. Please keep yourself in that crib!

You try to climb up on to the couch but haven't mastered that just yet. As with everything....soon enough you will.

You have started to remove our clothing...and I'm not talking about socks. You started doing that when you were just months old. A few weeks ago you took off your pajama top while in your crib. Your daddy saw that you were shirtless on the monitor and told me, "look at this girl!"

You love to brush your teeth.

You help mommy pick up your toys and put them away.

This week mommy was cleaning up some water that spilled and you followed me to the kitchen, where I handed you a paper towel...and on your own you walked over to the spill and cleaned it ALL UP with the paper towel!

And yesterday.....you went inside of a pool for the first time!!!.......

And you looked SO cute in your little bathing suit!!!

Notice the "No Diving" sign and check out Ilah's pose! ....

We had so much fun at the pool yesterday. And surprisingly I discovered that relaxation can still be had even with a 17 month old at my side.
Daddy wished that he was with us but it was just you and me Ilah, as daddy had to work : ( But I sent him pictures of all the fun that you were having! Which only made him wish that he was with us all the more.


How cute is a baby's bathing suit hung up to dry over a shower curtain rod!?!....
Ilah, you make every day a fun one! I just LOVE being your mommy and I am so happy that YOU are MINE!!