Family Pics

So, my friend called today to say our family pics were ready. I'm just going to post a few on here but I love them. Thanks Katy, you're awesome!!!

Oops

Sorry for the largeness of the last blog. I tried to go back and make it smaller but I couldn't. Oops!

By the way, I never blogged about the weekend but Levi did...it was very interesting. The Sprangs kept our kids Saturday night and we went out on a date and stayed in a hotel. (can I say I LOVE priceline.com?) It was great! Our Sunday morning was when it got interesting so go to Levi's blog and you can read about our Wild Sunday:)

By the way, you can still vote for me to win that Wii for Catalyst Kids....I only had 23 votes last night....I'm getting an unpopular complex.. just kidding:)

Heather

It's beginning to look a lot like

CHRISTMAS!!!

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet (however it's only a week away) but we're traveling for Thanksgiving and the kids and I are leaving early for Christmas.

So, it's looking like Christmas around our home. Levi's aunt, Aunt Connie, came last year around this time and made us a wreath and matching garland for the mantle, and one for the door (along with lots of other goodies actually). So, I've been fluffing those and I put the tree together. Addy and Keegan watched Rudolph the whole time. We put a mini-tree in each of the kids' rooms. We're going to decorate the tree tonight. I love Christmas time and I'm so excited about all the pretty lights, the music, the gifts.

I'm most excited to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I'm more and more thankful for His birth, His life, and His death. I'm really excited to go into this Advent Season. Levi is writing his Advent teachings now and he says they're going to be good and very different. He's got my interest peaked. I'm thankful for God's love and mercy.

Kind of random but here goes....Levi and I were talking this weekend about a conference he and Jonathan went to. One of the speakers spoke on dreaming big. He shared about a 26 year old whose dream was to put 1000 wells in an African country. Her first year, 30, her second 90, her third year 300 and something. His point was this if she died, others would die. Her dream was big and it impacted many others. I'm praying during this season that God would help me to dream big and make it clear to me. I'll keep you posted:)

Back to Christmas......

Catalyst Kids need a Wii

Okay so I entered this contest. The prize is a wii. It's totally a popularity contest...that's actually the name. So, please let me beg you to go here and vote for me, Heather Lowry. I'd love to win a wii:) In all honesty, I'm going to donate the Wii to our kids' area at church, we already have our own...come on Catalyst needs some cool stuff for our kiddos;)

CVS

I just got back from CVS. They have a GREAT deal on duracell batteries this week, buy $20 worth and get $15 back in ECB's. They also had CVS coupons $5 off of $30, $4 off of $20, and $3 off of $15. Those expired tonight....thus why I went tonight. So, I go and get my deal, $21 worth of duracell batteries and $10 Glade products (buy $10 in Glade and get $5 in ECBs). Well, my total was $33 something. I get $5 off with the CVS, $1.50 off of batteries, and $7.99 off of the Glade stuff. I pay $17 (they didn't let me stack my CVS coupons-bummer). I was fully expecting to get $20 back in ECB's. I only spent $18 in batteries. I only got $5 back. So, I went back and bought $22 in Duracell. All in all, I spent $29 which should of cost $55-ish. And I got back $35 in ECBs. That's pretty good. Now, I can go buy diapers for free-woohoo:)

I've got to blog about my weekend experience but that will have to wait till tomorrow. Good night.

No News

is good news! This week has been good but pretty par for the course. We had a playdate on Wednesday and had a houseful. It was a lot of fun. Katy (a friend from our playgroup) took our family pics. It was a lot of fun. I hope they turn out well. I'm anxious to get them back. Hopefully we're done with our ear infections...knock on wood...I'm sick of ear drops and antibiotics....YUCK!!!

Loving

I am doing a Bible study and it's really challenging me. I've learned that I like to have things down in my brain. I like to understand. I don't always feel that way about what I read in scripture and sometimes it's hard to resolve that. Sometimes it seems contradictory or harsh and that doesn't "feel good" to me. I am learning though so that is good. A theme that is resounding so loud to me is to love. To love and to forgive and let things go. That is so hard for me but I'm really working on it. I can truly say I don't have hate in my heart for anyone. I can think of situations or experiences that kind of leave me with a yucky feeling. I think that's because I feel sad because they way they went down or ended. I wish every relationship, experience, situation, etc. felt great but that's not life. That is the part I hate.

I'm also trying to listen more. I'm reading a book that talks a lot about listening to your spouse or kids but not only to what they're saying but what they're not saying. It's really good. I think I talk to much...I can hear Levi amen-ing in the background. I'm working on that too.

Hope you're week is off to a great start. Mine has been good. We're having our playgroup over tomorrow. I think I counted 10 moms and 16 or 17 kiddos...it's gonna be CRAZY!!! But always fun!