oh what a weekend!

I wanted to share a few photos from our fun-filled weekend...


Our Saturday started with an egg hunt with our church...

Looking...

Checking out the goods...

THEN...


Can you tell by the adorable shoes what came next?



We took the girls ice-skating for the first time! They had milk crates tied together for the kiddos (and adults!) to push around on the ice to help with balance. Really neat idea...


Ellee kept us laughing - as always! She was FLYING around the ice but she looked so angry the entire time! She said she loved it and was having a great time, but her face didn't reflect that at all!



Addie said she was ready for the olympics! :)

car organizer

I'm sure NONE of you with small kiddos can relate to having a messy car, but that seems to be an issue around here! The girls always want to take something in the car to play with, write on, or clutter with. For a while I've had a basket in the middle of their car seats that held all their precious treasures, but that always caused trouble in the buckling process.

So...I found a pattern for a "Small Back of Seat Organizer." It had the word "organizer" in the name, so I was immediately sold! I let the girls pick out their own fabric - whatever they wanted! - and I made these cute contraptions. (The pattern is Simplicity # 2553)

So far, I'm pleased with our new treasures. I'm just hoping the "new" doesn't wear off soon and I'm back to having barbie doll shoes and dot-to-dot books all over the floor!!



In case you're wondering, Ellee's is the pink princess one and Addie's is black with pink flowers.

a lesson from the oldest

The other day, as Addie was sharing with me what she had learned in school that morning, we had a simple conversation that ended with me in tears. Here's how it went:

Addie: Mom, did you know that Mia is adopted from China? (Mia is a beautiful little girl in Addie's class.)

Me: Yes, honey, I did. That's why she looks different - she's from another country.

Addie: (In her most "well, duh" voice imaginable) Mom, she doesn't look different!!

Me: (With my heart in my throat and a shaking voice) You're right baby, she doesn't look any different.

After that, I snuck into my closet and did what those girls have so often made me do - I cried! Part of the tears came from conviction, and part of the tears welled up from joy. I was so unbelievably proud of my little girl for not noticing - AT ALL- the outward appearance of her friend. Her innocence in that statement was so tender and sweet!

Right there, in my closet, my prayer was that the Lord would allow her to keep that perspective and that the sin and prejudice that the world teaches would not soon creep in. Too often, we are so consumed with the outward presentation of others that the example of our Savior - to look on their heart - is secondary.

Oh the many lessons we can learn from our children...

what's in a name

I'm sure you are wondering what the story is behind the name "ship shops and pop pops." As with most unusual things around our house, our precious kiddos are to blame. Because I tend to think flip flops are a must in any girl's wardrobe, both the girls wore them quite a bit when they were younger - and still do!

Because "flip flops" seems to be challenging for a toddler to say, both girls came up with their own name for them. For Addie, they were called "ship shops" and Ellee, "pop pops." When Lee and I are feeling very ambitious, we (jokingly)talk about opening a children's shoe store one day with the name "Ship Shops & Pop Pops." Because we all know that will NEVER happen, we hated to see such a cute name go to waste. So there you have it - the explanation behind the peculiar name!

to blog or not to blog?

Well, here it goes...I am diving off into the world of blogging. I must admit that I've been tossing the idea around in my head for months now, but have recently been pushed over the edge and have landed here...shipshopsandpoppops.blogspot.com. (The name to be explained later!) For quite some time I have taken delight in reading blogs of friends, family, and honestly...strangers! So why the hesitation in having one of my own? Here was my dilemma...

I loved the idea of being able to share this crazy life we live but I didn't want to create a self-centered showcase of our life. Make sense? As with most things, I'm sure I over analyzed this blogging thing and thought WAY too hard about it. However, that seems to be the way God knit me together!

None the less, here I sit, posting my first blog, feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. I suppose, together, we'll see how "ship shops and pop pops" unfolds...

Please enjoy a small glimpse into our journey that we are walking daily by grace!