Painting Fun

These pictures are pretty old.  I'm talking at least 2-3 months old.  Yikes!  But, since I print this blog out into a book each year, I didn't want to miss including them and remembering these moments.  Kate has had this easel since she was 2 or 3 years old and it has gotten a LOT of use. However, the mean mom that I am, we don't use paint inside the house very often. So in the summer, I drag the easel outside and let the girls have at it. This was one of those days.  Seeing how much fun they have doing this, I'm going to make a point of dragging it outside more often!

(PS- I promise Karsten has shorts on under her oversized t-shirt!)

Dream Small

I've posted before about songs - like that time I wrote about Johnny Diaz song Breathe here.  I'm in the car about an hour each morning - from the time I leave my house, take Kate to school, and roll into the parking garage at work it's been a solid hour.  Kate and I talk for the first little bit, but then I've got some time to myself to listen to podcasts (yes, I'm one of those people!) or listen to music. Thank heavens for XM radio.

About once a year I hear a song that just gets stuck in my head. It's usually a song that resonates with me for one reason or another and lately I've got a few of those.  This one is one of my favorites at the moment, and it's basically a subject that I've blogged about on more than one occasion in the past few years. (Remember this post?) If you haven't heard this song before, pull up YouTube and listen in. What a great reminder about how important the "small things" are in life. They change the world.

Dream Small, by Josh Wilson:

It's a momma singing songs about the Lord
It's a daddy spending family time
That the world said he cannot afford
These simple moments change the world

It's a pastor at a tiny little Church
Forty years of loving on the broken and the hurt
These simple moments change the world

Dream small
Don't buy the lie you've gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time

Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Dream small

Officially a Pre-Schooler

The past month has been filled with lots of "first day of _____"s.  Last week was Karsten's first few days of preschool.  She has been so excited and looking forward to this day.  It did not disappoint!

She will happily tell you that her teacher is Mrs. Bradshaw and she is in the jungle room!  The first day of school, I walked her into her classroom and I am pretty sure I didn't even get a "bye mom!".  She just took right off into the room and left me standing there. Ha!

The next day, Kevin took her to school and dropped her off in the car line, where she walked in like the big girl that she is. Baby no more!

She's just in 3K and only going to school 2 days a week, but I know these will be 2 fun-filled days for her!  So far, she has loved it!  I can't wait to see how much she learns.