February

Today's post is a hodge podge of pictures from this month. Even though I've done pretty good about posting during February, I took so many pictures! We had some fun on those few beautiful and slightly warmer weather days! 

Little buddy playing on the slide for the first time! (It was too big for him last year when he got it for his 1st birthday).

Super fun lunch with friends.

4th dentist visit.

Don't let this sweet innocent face fool you…she behaved terribly! I was super embarrassed!

sweet boy going for a ride!

I snapped this pic when I was headed to bed! She loves her babies!

Game Night! Notice Parker in the background…These stools have become my enemy! That boy and his climbing……..

An apple a day...

Snuggles with Zizi!

Who would have thought stickers would be the way to his heart!?! Thanks Mimi for the sweet Valentine's cards & stickers!!!

Look at that sweet smile!

Reading to sweet Caroline (started watching her a couple days a week in December) I forget how rapidly they grow that first year!

Ha.Ha! This girl makes me happy! NEVER a dull moment!

Lovin' his cozy coop!

Day 26…flu…'take my picture!!! Mom, take my picture!!! Mom watch me! Take my picture! Watch me, watch me, watch me!!!! Moooooooooommmmmm!'

'taaaaaaake my picture NOW! Look how funny I am, take my picture!'

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to ZIZI!!! #6!

look at those yummy carrot candles. She loved her cake!

Muffins on Monday this past week were a huge success-blueberry muffin with streusel topping! yummy!

Look at that girl! EATING!!! Crazy, I know!

Library fun--who knew! 

'Pillow Pie'

Well, things are back to normal. Normal is a relative term I suppose. Our life does not look normal in any way other than the fact that I thrive through routine & last night we were able to start back our 'normal' bedtime routine. I finally feel back to my old self, yay!

 After bath time and teeth brushing these two had some major energy to burn off!

 They were so stinking happy, it makes my cheeks hurt just thinking about it!

 Just look at those cheeks! I could just eat them off =)

 So Blakely started a pillow fight--or 'pillow pie'

 Parker loves to be bullied. LOVES it. In fact, I might should be concerned over how much he loves it.

 Finally, after about 15 minutes of playing they crashed.

 and took a breather.

 And then went for round two!

 Kids and their energy…I'm jealous!

I'm so thankful for these good memories.

A while back, probably a few years ago now, when we lived in Hackberry…we had about 3 things break in a row and probably another 4-5 things go wrong all right there in a row. 'When it rains, it pours' kind of time. Since then this cycle has come and gone multiple times. Well, it is happening once again for us here at the Lyle household. I'm sure everyone's life looks this exact same way, but typically these 'hard' times just leave me feeling attacked and alone! Jesus did promise we would have many problems in this life, so why am I always so surprised?!? I just really do not function well when everything seems to go wrong.

So these times. Simple and fun. That is where God meets me and shows me his grace, mercy and love. These places are where I find my strength to pick up and march forward.

flu and faith

Just last Wednesday I got home from the Idol Addiction bible study I'm in and felt so moved by what I learned. The lesson was on our brokenness and our need to be rescued. I thought about the amount of times I have called on Jesus for 'help' but not once have I ever asked to be rescued! I felt close to the Lord that day, really aware of His calling of me and content with where I was.

Around 1:00 AM I woke up with total and complete body ache. From the tips of my toes to the tips of my fingers. body ache. The chills were out of control. I'm unaware of the degree fever I must have had, but it was high, really really high. I hadn't felt that awful, ever. I knew almost instantly I had the flu. So after the doc diagnosed me, I got my shot, a filled Rx of Tamiflu and made my way back home. I laid there all day just thinking I should be using this idol time praying…but I didn't. I was so miserable. Clint stayed home the first day but had to get back to work the next. I laid around all day letting the kids crawl all over me and just survived. These were the first two days of this year that I did not start my day with my daily quiet time. That absence of time with the Lord quickly showed in my heart. I began to grow bitter, angry, impatient, and frustrated. oh and full of self pity. By Sunday I was in deep. I was no where close to the Lord and covered by my own sin so far down in that pit of self pity there was no way out. I sat in Parker's room with the door closed calling on the Lord. Sobbing, I prayed that oh so familiar prayer 'help me Jesus'. Help. 

I needed more than help. I needed rescuing.

 Thank you Jesus for this truth. I am so thankful today for His grace.

My hope is that one day I won't pull away from my Savior. However, on this side of Heaven I know that that probability is slim to none. Man, this whole brokenness thing is for the birds.

Traditions

I've always been a sucker for alliterations. You know... 'Tony the tiger tastes tacos'. Hence, my previous blog title 'Letters from the Lyles'. Well, on a blog I read, this girl plans out her menu on Monday and calls it 'Menu Planning Monday'.  I loved it!!!  For me it just makes an otherwise often procrastinated or altogether forgotten event fun and easy to remember! So while 'menu planning monday' isn't quite a tradition like my blog title implies, it is a routine that I wish to use to make my life more simple. So here is this weeks. done and done.

Now for the traditions: I've really been trying to incorporate some fun in our everyday lives and goodness knows I need something to keep my memory working. I thought that that same fun alliteration idea from above would be good for other 'every day' kind of fun! I just want to create some memories that will trigger some nostalgia later on! 

Up first (one that I'm starting today) is 'Muffins on Monday'. Anything to put some cheer on a Monday right? Today I attempted some 'from scratch' strawberry muffins! 

 Friday we will have 'Friday Fun Night' with pizza, games & a movie! 

Saturday, after spending our day with Mimi we will come home to 'Sandwiches and Sweets!' 

This weekend we had an estate sale at Memaw's house. Blakely and Parker had an AMAZING day! I would have laughed if you had told me that would be the most entertaining thing they would have done all week!

take a look for yourself at the sheer exhaustion from the yard sale 

 and it wore Zizi out too!

Although I don't have a creative name for it, Sundays after church I want to make a tradition of going somewhere fun! Here is what we got to do yesterday! Clint got to enjoy some much needed time with a friend riding his bike for the first time in a very long time, so I talked Kaki and Wolfie into meeting us at the park and nature trail.

 I don't think Parker even knew this existed in life! He was in Heaven!!!

 not the best shoe choice for a wet, icky hike in the woods!

 and then we made a stop at sweet frog for some yummy frozen yogurt! Very fun!

 Parker was so upset when his yogurt ran out. I think it is safe to say that he LOVED it!