"I Like It" Friday

It's that time again. Today I will share one of my favorite baby and child product websites. . .

One Step Ahead

Here are a few of the cool things I have purchased from them.

Softball Gang

John has been playing softball with some guys at church for four years. When he started I was pregnant with Little John and now he's running around with all the kids out at the fields. Savannah was the only child when we started and now she is LJ's protector, always looking out for him. The group has changed over the years but a lot of the guys currently playing have played every season for quite a while. We love this group of people and look forward to dinner and the game any Tuesday night that it's not too late for me to take the kids. We have loved getting to know these couples! John looks forward to spending time with guys who have such varied interests and are enthusiastic about enjoying life. I love the girls as well and also appreciate being witness to the fun, loving relationships that these husbands and wives have with each other. There is a lot of upcoming excitement among this group with one couple engaged and three babies on the way! We love you, softball gang!

Corey(?), Derek, John, Kirk, Landon, Ryan, Ed,
Ty, Jared & Eric

Meredith, Jodi, Candy, Betsy, me w/Kailey, Randi w/Cason, Taylor
& Savannah - it's hard to tell because the mommies are so cute and small but there are three other babies hiding in bellies in this picture!

Reflections

I've been in one of those reflective moods lately. Sometimes I have a tendency to internalize what is going on with me. I do it in the name of being strong, of working out my attitudes before I say or do anything. While this can be good, it can also cause me to struggle through alone without calling on all the supports God has given me in my life. Sometimes this can even go as far as my prayer times being spent on all the things going on around me and carefully avoiding me and my issues. This internalization is one reason that writing and this blog are so therapeutic for me. Prayer journals help me in the same way. I can use the pen to do some of my thinking better than my brain alone. Due to my spiritual gift, I have even more difficulty leaving the heartaches of others at God's door than in dropping my own. I trust God with my own pain, my own problems but really think He should let me help sometimes on what other people are going through. : ) I feel helpless and simply don't want people to hurt.

Next week at our ladies Bible study I am speaking in the lecture class on rest. Usually before I do something like that, I have a period like this of reflection. A time where God is calling me to sit with Him and listen to what He has to say. Where I feel a little detached from what is going on around me and feel more attached to Him. Where I feel conviction in areas of my life that I have allowed to slide. My parents and other teachers did a very wise thing for me in teaching me to recognize these periods as a child. During times when I felt lonely or separated, they reminded me that God could be calling me away with Him. This has been a tremendous blessing in my marriage because I recognize these times not as gaps that John needs to fill in my life, not as times to cling to him and need from him things that he cannot give, but times for me with my God. Maybe preparing me for something that is ahead or healing me from something that has already happened. Maybe readying me for a new chapter or calling me to a new purpose or task. Over the years you can find these periods in my Bible with dates and can tell when the verses of crying out are underlined or sometimes the pages even tear stained. These are the special times that I wouldn't trade for any amount of easy floating through life. Why in the world the Great One would ever choose to call me aside with Him is something that floods me with a sense of unworthiness! But He does, and I'm ready. Knowing I will come out of this season better, changed, convicted, challenged, ready for what's next.

More Austin Pictures

Slide races

Kailey with her Nonnie

Nonnie with her grandkids

LJ got to "play" the last four holes with the big guys. He was on cloud nine when his daddy picked him up in that golf cart.

The fam right before we left, minus Jamie, Matt and Caden (I was taking the picture).

Austin Pictures

This weekend we took a great Critz family trip to Austin. We stayed at a wonderful place where we could just relax, play, and have fun being together. We spent most of our time in the lazy river or the pool. Kailey even took a nap for more than an hour floating with me in the water, shaded under her little hat. That is my idea of relaxation, lying on a float in the water, going in and out under big, shade trees with my baby daughter snuggled up to me asleep. A little piece of heaven. My kids loved being with their family and the cousins had a grand time playing away. One of LJ's favorite things was playing ping pong but the camera I took to the pool didn't work so I don't have any poolside pictures! I'll post a few more of my favorites tomorrow.

My babies holding hands in the car on the way to Austin. Melts my heart. We didn't even take the portable DVD player. We played, sang, and slept. It was wonderful.

We put the kids at their own table for dinner. Just kidding. They did have fun sitting next to each other, though! There was an adorable kids buffet with tiny bottles of ketchup. LJ loved those tiny bottles!

Kailey decided Uncle Jordan looked snuggly enough to nap on.

Making s'mores with Nonnie

My cutie pie nephew, Caden.

Playing soccer

Those Crazy Critz

Just in case you've ever wondered what the Critz family does on a Saturday night when they've been in the car for 4+ hours. LJ wanted to "make a movie." Pics from our trip coming tomorrow.

Bath Time Buddies

100 Things About Me

This may be full of things you already know, but maybe there's something new in there somewhere. I'm going to try not to state anything too obvious to everyone.

1. I love writing whether it's blogs, letters, e-mails, or anything else.
2. I've thought of writing a book and know exactly what it would be about and how it would start.
3. My friends and I used to sit around and write stories all the time
4. I am still in contact with every close friend I've had since I was six.
5. I have had and do have the best friends anyone could ever ask for.
6. I've never had a fight with a friend.
7. I love to read.
8. I can remember staying up late reading things like Anne of Green Gables when I was seven.
   
9. I walked into a wall once while reading a book.
10. I didn't play sports because I was always reading.
11. I've played the piano for 23 years.
12. Piano recitals made me nauseous but I can sing without getting nervous. I used to play so fast that you could hear people let our their breath when I finished.
    
13. I have one piano student and enjoy spending time with the piano again.
14. I took sewing lessons from age 5 to 16.
15. I made my graduation dress.
16. I graduated at 16.
17. I was homeschooled all through my school years.
18. I loved every minute of it.
19. Growing up I never had another child or teenager say something negative to me about that but heard many adults do it.
20. Just goes to show you that we are not born threatened by other people who do things differently than we do. It's something we learn.
21. Because of this, it has been a goal of mine to always look at other people's choices and decisions from their point of view and not mine.
    
22. I had never been inside a school while classes were going on until I started working in the Oklahoma City ISD.
23. I thought many of the teachers and principals I met during my work with the schools were absolutely amazing. I have the deepest admiration for what they do.
    
24. I started traveling doing ministry when I was fourteen.
25. When I was fifteen I went to Mexico and Australia teaching a children's program.
26. The kids in Australia thought I rode a horse everywhere because I was from Texas.
    
27. I've been on stage in front of hundreds of kids and never get nervous but put me in front of fifteen teenagers and I'm slightly terrified.
    
28. I didn't go to college and neither did John.
29. Neither one of us have ever regretted it.
30. I knew I was going to marry John when I was 17.
31. He's the only guy I've ever kissed and I always tell him he's the best kisser in the world. :)
    
32. We got married a month after I turned 21.
33. We invited over 1,400 people to our wedding and still had to leave people off the list.
    
34. I hand addressed each invitation in calligraphy.
    
35. That took a very long time.
36. John stuffed the envelopes with my sisters. He was very involved in planning our wedding.
    
37. We had already known each other for 16 years when we got married.
38. Before and after we got married we taught kids at church together for years and this led to many great discussions about how we wanted to raise our kids before we ever had them.
    
39. I've been pregnant five times.
    
40. I have no idea how many children we're going to have.
41. I start hoping for another baby about the time mine turns six months but God has had other plans so far.
42. God has taught me a lot about patience over the last five years.
    
43. I think God makes better decisions than I do and always provides the energy and resources for His plans (which is the reason for #40).
44. I love roller coasters and thrill rides.
45. I hate scary movies.
46. I love strawberries and birthday cake.
47. I really love my Bimi's mac and cheese, my Mema's chocolate cake, and both of my grandmothers' turkey and dressing.
    
48. I hate raw onions and tomatoes.
49. I love having people over and we usually do two or three times a week.
50. I love board and card games.
51. In high school all my friends would come to my house and play games for hours.
52. Sometimes my mom would play with us and that was usually the most fun.
53. My friends and I knew each other's parents almost as well as we knew each other. This probably prevented a lot of problems.
    
54. I used to cry a lot and wear my heart on my sleeve.
55. My dad was the most influential person in helping me overcome that tendency.
56. Now it's pretty hard to hurt my feelings.
57. I love hugs but I never know if other people like them as much as I do.
58. I love snuggles and think that may have something to do with how much I love babies.
59. I grew up on old movies and my favorite actors/actresses are the classic ones like Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, the Marx Brothers, and many others.
60. I love history and historical fiction.
61. I like jobs where I know exactly what to do and when I'm finished.
62. So I like cleaning and ironing.
63. I like laundry because of the piles of dirty clothes disappearing but don't like that I can't get it all cleaned at once.
64. I grew up on a 2,400-acre ranch
65. I lived across the pasture from my grandparents
66. I used to get my school done as quickly as possible so I could get outside and go feed the horses, ride bikes, or just play.
67. When I was seven we lived on a golf course.
68. I was going through a major Anne of Green Gables phase and named places on the golf course things like Angel's Shining Lake.
69. I still believe in kindred spirits.
    
70. I kept a journal during that time and it is dramatic and hilarious.
    
71. I think I must have really annoyed my brothers doing things like that.
72. In spite of that, my brothers were my best friends.
73. My mom used to make us sit in the corner and hug after we fought.
74. That taught us a lot about dealing with our issues instead of running away from them.
75. Since I was the only girl for 11 years, we played a lot of guy things like Batman and Robin. I insisted on being Batman because I thought Batgirl was ridiculous. Cameron was Robin and Kyle was the bad guy.
76. When the boys played girl things with me it didn't work as well because they would eventually throw something in like robbing my restaurant or terrorizing my family of dolls.
77. I played with dolls until I was thirteen. Then I only stopped because I got too busy.
    
78. I am very competitive.
79. Another girl told me she wanted to marry John.
80. She didn't. : )
    
81. I have always had a hard time doing anything I didn't feel I was good at (which is a lot of things).
    
82. I'm really good at crosswords, word games, and puzzles.
83. My IQ is in the top one percent but I can't catch or hit a ball to save my life.
84. This was frustrating when playing volleyball with friends seemed more important than being smart.
    
85. Fortunately I have grown a little more coordinated and can at least play catch with my son.
86. My shoes used to have names and I would play with them.
87. When I shop, I like to shop quickly. In the store, scan, leave.
88. I always end up waiting on John when we shop. Especially if we're somewhere where he can smell things like candles or lotions. : )
89. I love lists.
90. Sometimes I add things to them after I've done them so I can check them off and see that I did them.
91. Yes, I'm aware that I am crazy.
    
92. I get excited about making a plan.
93. We have decided it is physically impossible for us to go to bed early.
94. On a regular basis John and I will be in bed at a decent hour and talk until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning like kids at a sleepover.
    
95. Fortunately, our kids sleep late.
96. We have seriously considered packing our family up at some point and traveling around the world doing mission work as we go.
97. We want to make it a high priority for our kids to understand how other people live and to have a heart for people everywhere.
98. My life is wonderful!
99. My family is amazing!
100. My God is GOOD!!!

I Like It!

I just realized that I completely missed "I Like It" Friday! So, here it is belated.

Tada!The food mill has been an invaluable item with Kailey. I had it with LJ but rarely used it. This time I have used it constantly. I have been getting organic produce through a co-op for a while now and I pop those organic peaches, blueberries, or other fruits or vegetables into the grinder and then feed her out of it. Practically as easy as opening a jar but fresher and Kailey much prefers the taste. As a matter of fact, she's kind of on a jar boycott because she only wants the fresh or frozen. If you do a taste test yourself, you can definitely see why. I know I've seen them at Babies R Us before or you can get them online. Definitely worth the $12.95!

6 Years and Counting

Yesterday was a full and busy day. We were getting ready for Christine's shower today (which was wonderful, by the way) and then last night we had two weddings. Well, a reception and a wedding. The first was at 7:00 in Dallas, then we loaded in the car and drove to Benbrook to be at the second reception for a wedding that started at 8:00. We had both kids with us. Little John had a piece of wedding cake at the first reception and at the second he had so many different people passing him around that I'm not sure how much cake he had. All I know is that at 10:30 he sounded like a windup toy on speed. He was talking ninety miles an hour in a very high-pitched voice. It was HILARIOUS. I have never seem him like that. Then we stuck him in the car and he crashed and didn't even stir when we put him in bed.

Being at two weddings yesterday seemed rather fitting since it was our sixth anniversary. Two of my bridesmaids were bridesmaids again yesterday for the second time on August 18th. Our kids slept on all three car rides so we did lots of reminiscing of our wedding day and what we were doing six years ago. Sweet memories of a wonderful day. I probably told him ten times how glad I am that I married him. I'm sure he got it after the first time but I just want him to understand HOW glad I am that I married him!!! With God's help and leading that was the second best decision of my life, only topped by my decision to give my life to the Lord. John is everything I thought he was going to be and so much more. I knew that I was going to be committed to him and that I was going to choose to love him for the rest of my life, the bonus has been that I wasn't prepared for how in love with him I was going to be six years down the road. I thought I was in love with him when we got married. That was just playing in the baby pool. Six years and two kids later, there are things about him I am just discovering. I have the feeling that while I'm a little deeper, I still have years to go before I truly understand the depth of love that is possible after a commitment of 30, 40, or 50 years. Now that's swimming in the deep end. I eagerly anticipate what God has in store for us together.

Speaking of commitment, my parents celebrated their 35th anniversary yesterday. My heart is always full when I think of everything they have done to give the six of us unconditional love, security, and an example, not of perfection, but of God's grace. Thank you, Mom and Dad. I can never express my gratitude for your faithfulness to God, to each other, to us.

Fishing

After the helicopter ride, we went down to the fishing pond my grandfather built and stocked with fish. I hadn't been down there before and it is absolutely beautiful. Little John's face when he came around the bend and spotted it was priceless. He got several nibbles on his pole but we couldn't manage to get a fish all the way in with the Cars pole so we had to go for a heftier one. We didn't stay very long since we needed to get home for small group but we're definitely going back soon when we can stay and watch the sun set over that water. A ranch sunrise or sunset will always top my list of beautiful things I love. I'm definitely thinking fishing birthday party in the next few years.

Fishing with Grandpa

Fishing with Dad (how great is this picture?!)

Checking out Caitlin's fish

Carli caught a big catfish

I never seem to have a picture with my beautiful sister-in-law so I thought we would find few better backgrounds than this!
Da with two of his five granddaughters (I think he looks just like Spencer Tracy)

Helicopter Ride

My grandfather just got a new helicopter. Sunday was it's big "debut" with the family there. The pilot, who is a wonderful, godly man, gave us some instructions and prayed a blessing over the helicopter and that it would be used safely and for God-honoring purposes. My extended family has not always done things like that together and seeing my grandfather become the spiritual leader of our family is something that was only in my wildest dreams at one time. God truly gave us so much more than we were even praying for all those years. If you have loved ones you have prayed for year in and year out, NEVER give up! You have no idea what could happen.

Little John thought the ride was great! He was so excited about everything. For me, the ride was wonderful. Looking down and seeing my childhood home full of happy memories was better. Having a precious moment with my grandparents and family was the best.

Kyle, Brittany, Kyndall, John, LJ & I got the first ride

It's a beauty

The kids checking out their new ride. LJ was excited to see a remote control, DVD player and headphones. Believe me, he never thought about them once we got in the air.

Da gathered us as a family to share his special moment

We could talk over the headsets to each other and the pilot

Home, sweet, childhood home

The Rolling V Ranch

August Birthday Party

Sunday we celebrated the August birthdays with my mom's family and my dad's mom out at the ranch near Rhome where I grew up. It was such a fun day for all of us, but especially for Little John. He loves to be with family and having a lot of them in one place is a little piece of heaven in his book. He really missed my cousins Brianna and Brittany but they were out of town. Hopefully we'll see them soon. He hasn't stopped talking about being with Bimi and Da, Vicki and Greg, and Mema since we were there. He also went fishing for the first time and on his first helicopter ride!!! Is that a big day or what? Believe me, more pictures are coming.

The August birthday crew - Brittany, Christopher, Bimi & John

Trying out the new "Cars" fishing pole complete with a tire-shaped floater on the end

Practicing in the pool with Dad before going down to the pond

As LJ was practicing, Uncle Kyle dove in, grabbed the end in his mouth and started tugging

They "reeled him in" and he started flopping around like a fish. The look on LJ's face was priceless. It was hilarious! I love the way my siblings interact with my kids. They are tremendous blessings in our daily lives! I thank God for each one of them!

Happy Birthday, John!

On John's birthday we made him snickerdoodles and took them up to his office after lunch. Getting two kids and a plate of cookies upstairs to his office was quite a feat, especially since Kailey really wanted the cookies. Afterwards we helped him pick out a new watch and enjoyed a cold drink at Starbucks. During this little outing, LJ decided to tell Dad what we got him for his birthday. I think he missed it, though. When John got home that night, LJ was standing at the door holding his gift ready for him to open it. Since it was candy and a new Wii game, LJ was slightly excited about partaking in the goodies. One cute thing about this birthday was that it was the first time LJ picked out his own card for Dad. He picked one with pool balls on it after considering one with transformers and one with a G. I. Joe. : )

That night we went to dinner with Ryan and Meredith at Texas de Brazil. All four of us have birthdays within a month - the girls turned 27 and the guys turned 28. We decided we would have a little birthday party together and it was a fun one. They are so much fun to be with and so easy to talk to. We loved having a chance to hang out and laugh a lot!

There are no words to express how glad I am that my husband was born 28 years ago to his wonderful parents and that he grew into the incredible, godly man he is today. Just when I think he would be difficult to improve, he gets better and better. Each year he grows more mature in things of the spirit and yet stays fun and young at the same time. His leadership of our family is wise, his discipline of our children is loving, his caring, considerate love for me is Christlike, and that is only the beginning of a list that goes on and on. I get so excited for my kids as they continue to discover just how great their dad is! I'm still learning about all the ways he is wonderful and I've known him more than twenty years! So, happy birthday to my hunky husband (a little late)! I can't wait to get to know you even better as you continue to grow and change into the image of Christ! I better get to work keeping up with you!

Taking cookies to Dad

Presents!

Two kids who ADORE their daddy (and look a lot like him)!

Yummy dinner!

Birthday Week

I'm going to get caught up on all of our busy week now that I'm feeling a little more blog motivated. Thursday was Big John's 28th birthday. We started celebrating Wednesday night by going to the Ranger game with all of his family. It was LJ's first Ranger game and he had been talking for days about going to see baseball with Nonnie and Poppie. It was a fun way to celebrate our baseball-loving guy!

Such a cool stadium

Watching the game

LJ and Caden

$1 hot dog night

Daddy and LJ got new hats. LJ's been wearing his everywhere.

I Like It!

And today for your reading pleasure from your not-motivated-to-blog-this-week friend. . .

Boynton Books!If you haven't read these with your kids, they are a must. Funny, cute illustrations, easy and quick to read. Big and Little John have a special tradition of reading Blue Hat, Green Hat together that always ends in hysterical laughter. Moo, Baa, La La La has all the different noises the animals make and at the end it asks, "Now what do you say?" Then I look at LJ and he says, "Duuuude." Hilarious.

I Like It!

Since I missed my product review yesterday, I'll catch up today. My vote for this week goes to

Our friend, Matthew, recently recommended this to us. It is a beautifully done dramatization of the Bible with music, talented voice actors, and sound effects. You will feel like you are in the middle of the story with Jesus and his disciples. They will soon be releasing the Old Testament as well. Amazon has a good price - we downloaded it on iTunes. It will be a fantastic way to listen to the Bible with kids!