Conversations!

Life is in full swing here at the Jenkins household!! We are LIVING IT UP this Christmas season and enjoying every moment of it!! :) We have attended Christmas parties, had our Christmas program at school, baked cookies with sweet dear friends, crafted ALL kinds of things (which just makes me smile:)) and just ENJOYED this holiday season so much!! We look forward to what these next few weeks have in store!! :) My kiddos are at such FUN ages!! Here are a few of the conversations we have had over the past couple of weeks!

Me: "So where should we shop for daddy?"

Maddie: "THE MALL!!!!" (Like mommy, like daughter!:))

Zack: "No, not "de" mall, Daddy "yikes" Bass Pro!!!!" (Our little Z is in LOVE with Bass Pro this year!!:))

Me: "Maddie, mommy is so sorry I forgot to clean out your backpack today! I Know you have lots of special projects from school today!!"

Maddie: "GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrlllllllllll, it's ok!!!!"

**(Oh, yes, she sure did just whip out some attitude!! It was absolutely HILARIOUS!!:))**

Zack: "Mommy, is this you???" (Wide-eyed...pointing to one of the Rockette's on the cover of a brochure he took from Steak and Shake!! :))

Me: "Ok, kiddos let's go, we have a LOT of shopping to do today!!"

My kids together: "Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to "Quismas" shop we go!!" :))

I LOVE MY PRECIOUS KID'S!!! :):)

Our Thanksgiving Week!

We have enjoyed the BEST week this week!! Wyatt has been off since noon on Monday and we have enjoyed every single moment with him home! Wyatt LOVES his job so much and we are even more thankful for the time they allow him to have off! He gets to choose 5 weeks off each year and we are so blessed by this time together!! God has blessed us SO much this year with Wyatt's new job and special time as a family! We are so thankful for His continual provision!!! Here is what we did this week!

Monday night we got some super exciting, and totally unexpected news!! Some of our dearest friends are moving back to Springfield and we ARE SO EXCITED!!! :):):):) So ,we spent Monday night dreaming about how life is going to change again...and for so many FUN ways!! :)

Tuesday was such a FUN day! We went to school on Tuesday morning and Wyatt came and read to the kiddos in their classes and attended our Pilgrim Pizza parties! Then, we enjoyed our weekly lunch out with my mom! Tuesday evening we got our Christmas pictures taken and went to kids night at McAllister's since we were in town!! I love the banter that Wyatt and our kiddos have...we all just laugh and laugh when we are together, it is such fun!!

Wednesday we woke up and headed out to have breakfast with my dad!! We had a BAST!! My kiddos LOVE their grandparents so much, it is such a JOY to be able to spend such special time with them!! :) We had gathered some toys and clothes to give away to the kiddos that don't have any, so as a family we drive over to the Victory Mission clothes store and handed over our bags of goodies! It was so special to have our kiddos who are SO BLESSED by so many things, have such compassionate hearts!! We prayed over the bags of clothes and toys right there in the store and then headed out! Our Maddie and Zack asked who was going to get their things...they were SO excited to be able to share!! We pray every day that our kids will have compassionate and loving hearts to everyone, we were SO proud of them!! Wednesday evening, we went and spent some time with Wyatt's family for Thanksgiving! We had a nice time and look forward to having them to our house for Christmas!!

Thursday morning stated off with pancakes and my precious little family sitting around our table together, talking about what we are thankful for! This is a tradition on our family and Wyatt and I felt that it was something we wanted to continue!! It was hilarious...all of the things our kiddos said they were thankful for!! :) When we got to my parents house my Aunt and Uncle were there! Shortly thereafter another Aunt and Uncle showed up with my Grandparents and sister and brother-in-law! I LOVE my extended family and always have, but it is such a blessing to get to know them as adults!! They will always be my Aunt and Uncle, but they are also my friends, they have GREAT parenting advice and are just fun to be around!! :) I love my family! After an A-MAZING lunch (my mom is the best cook EVER:)) several of us went for a walk and then came home and started planning out our black Friday deals!! We also gathered around the table to share what we were thankful for! It was pretty awesome hear what God had done this year in each person's lived!! We serve a MIGHTY God, who LOVES us and HEAR's us each day!! WOW!!

Thursday evening my mom, sister Aunt, cousin and I headed to Wal-Mart about 9:30 to get our black Friday deals!! After making two trips in and out of Wal-Mart (we had to load our cars so we could go back in and find more!:)) we headed over to Target!! We had a GREAT time together and made some fun memories!! I got home about 4:30 a..m!! Friday we met our family at Hemingway's for breakfast and enjoyed some last minute time together!! Then we went over to the playland!! Our M and Z LOVED it!!! We spent the rest of the day shopping and napping and just being together!!

This morning we stayed at HOME and enjoyed the morning together!! We are looking forward to getting out this evening and meeting up with some sweet friends!! WHOO-HOO for an AWESOME week!! {And we STILL have TOMORROW!!!!!!!:)}

"Sorry"

I hate it when people use this word, to get out of things! You know...the heartless, mindless, non-commital, just-say-it-because-you-feel-like-you- have-to say-something-- "SORRY!" Grrrrr!! It is absolutely one of my pet peeves!! (DO you know the "sorry I am talking about!?!) You absolutely cannot mean that you are sorry for something if you say it 100 times within a 5 minute period!!! It is obvious that you don't mean it...you are just trying to show that you realize that you are doing something wrong and want to address it in the most non-commital way possible!! I see this in kiddos, I see it mostly in adults and it is a word we are teaching to our kids that really holds NO meaning and purpose!! DON'T say it if you don't meant it!! Our words must be spoken with intention and purpose, not just to get out of something!!

Since our kids are SO close together, they kind of figure things out at the same time!! :) Our kids are really good friends, they love to be together and appreciate that they always have each other around! Just recently have they figured out how to argue! Oh boy...take a deep breath and keep typing! :) In our household whenever someone gets into trouble they are required to say that they are sorry and ask for forgiveness!! Now, this is no easy task my friends, it is HARD to ask for forgiveness for doing something wrong to someone else!!! We also don't allow our kids to say grumpily or rudely, "SORRY!" and brush off whatever they have done! How will they EVER learn from that!?!? They won't friends, they won't lean, in fact they WILL learn that they can be rude and disrespectful and get away with it!! Like many adults have!! Our kids must say, "I am sorry for______, will you please forgive me for ______!?" They aren't allowed out of time out until they say these words!

These words aren't just for our kiddos! Wyatt and I also tell each other that we are sorry for whatever specific reason and ask for forgiveness!! Parents must always take the lead and set a good example because your kiddos are watching, every move you make!! Scary right?! Whether you realize it or not, they are!! There are many times that I have to ask for forgiveness from my kiddos for acting grumpy or for not taking special time for them!!

As I have been thinking about this, I have often thought about my relationship with God! How often do I say "SORRY" to God and not really mean it!? How often do I brush off a mistake I have made or a sin I have committed without really stopping to think about it and ask for forgiveness!! I am so thankful that our God is One of love and grace, otherwise I would be in BIG trouble!

So, as I step down from my soap box, I will wrap this post up with this!! If you really ARE sorry, don't just try to brush it off with a brash "SORRY!" Put on your big girl (or big boy) underwear and say you are sorry and ask for forgiveness because you really are sorry about something and you are seeking forgivenss!!

War Eagle

I was so blessed to be able to take a quick girls weekend away this past weekend with some of my favorite ladies! :) On Thursday we all loaded up together about 6:00p.m. to drive to AR for the HUGE craft shows, going on all weekend long!! We ate a nice leisurely dinner in Joplin at Cheddar s (my FAV:)) and enjoyed some wonderfully girly chatter all the way to our beautiful hotel! One of the girls that I went with is a MAJORLY awesome coupon-er and was able to get our room for $29 for the first night and $39 for the second night for the four of us!! Whoo-hoo!! We woke up on Friday morning and had a leisurely breakfast, and had Starbubks before we took off for the day!!! For all of you who know me well, KNOW that I L-O-V-E being crafty!! :) Well this weekend friends, was THE weekend of crafts!!

On Friday, we went to 3 HUGE, craft fairs! Tent after tent after tent of handmade... ANYTHING, you could ever possibly want! :):) We bought bows and cute dresses for our girls and clothes for us and Christmas ornaments and decor for our homes...the possibilities were endless!! (Ok, so not ALL of the tents had handmade items in them...but at War Eagle that is a requirement!:)) The girls that I went with have been going to these craft shows for years and had our days all planned out!! It was SO much fun to know the in's and out's of each craft fair!!! We topped Friday night off with dinner at "On the Border" and a shopping trip to Target (where I got an adorable new outfit for $20!!:):) After some chatting and a LOT of laughing...by 1:00 a.m. we were ready for bed!!

On Saturday morning we got up EARLY, had a quick breakfast, got our Starbucks and headed out for War Eagle!! I had NEVER seen ANYTHING like it before!! :) All of the white tents took my breath away!! We had to drive for a while to get there but it was SO worth it!!! There is an awesome running Mill there that I could have stared out for hours! It was beautiful!!(Wyatt and I plan to take our kiddos back there this spring!! It was SO cool!!:)) Then... we shopped!! They had everything, I was in heaven!! It is SO cool to see what everyone's passions were!! Everyone was interested in something different, and it was exciting to see the excitement in their eyes!! We had a BALL and I came home with so many treasures!! :) We have already put the dates on our calendar for next year!! This will definitely be one of my favorite new fall traditions!!

Life these days!!

WHEW!! Life in our household these days is so totally busy!! We are for sure staying on our toes!! But, I am so thankful for the quiet days that the kiddos and I have here and there!! I used to plan up almost every single day, but now we try not to plan up our Monday's and Friday's, although those are our only two days to have play dates! Today has been wonderful!! No BIG planned out plans, just fun, relaxing spontaneous plans!! It has been wonderful!!

Today, we enjoyed a much needed morning at home! Maddie helped me make muffins and we enjoyed talking over preparing for breakfast!! She is my sweet little helper!! She wants to be right where I am, whenever I am doing something that she thinks she can help with!! I LOVE her compassionate, loving heart!!! After breakfast we snuggled on the couch for a while! Then we were off to meet Tre-Tre and Maddux for an early playdate!!! We enjoyed our time with them so much!! The kiddos played and I got to chat with my sweet sister for awhile!! It was so nice and relaxing!! This afternoon I was so productive, it was wonderful!!! I made dinner and cleaned our house! I made phone calls and responded to e-mails!! Ah, it was BLISS!!!

I get so caught up in being busy sometimes, that I just forget to ENJOY life!!! Isn't that sad!?! I have the two most beautiful children and an AMAZING husband, yet I forget to live life with them!!! I am SO THANKFUL for all that God has blessed us with...a job for Wyatt, Premier for me, school for all of us, precious family, the dearest friends...I just need to slow down sometimes and remember!!!

"The Lord has done GREAT things for us, and we are FILLED with JOY!!!!" Psalm 126:3

Ahhhhh!! :)

I have my ring back!! It has never been so beautiful!! It just sparkles and it is gorgeous!! :):) I am so thankful for my husband and for his unconditional love for me!! :) My Maddie has now confiscated the ring "she" gave me!! Into her jewelry box it went, in my beautiful leather Justice Jewelers ring box!! I an't hardly wait to see when she will bring it back out!! I love my girly girl!! :):)

My new ring! :)

Wyatt had to take my diamond engagement ring and wedding band to the "doctor" today at Justice Jewelers!! Yesterday I noticed that one of my diamond baguette's was missing!! I was totally bummed!! I LOVE my wedding set!!! It isn't big or fancy, but it was what my amazing husband chose, just for me!!! Every time I look at it, I think of the sacrifices he had to make in order to buy the best he could afford for his bride!!! {LOVE!!} So, today Maddie and I were talking about my ring and how beautiful she thinks it is (I absolutely LOVE this stage with my daughter!! She thinks that everything that I do, and say and have are absolutely the COOLEST things ever!!!! I am so thankful for the relationship we have and I hope it never changes! Oh, I know it will take on different faces at times, but one of my biggest prayers is that we will always be close!!:))

Anyhoo, we were talking about my ring and how much I love it and she asked me if I was sad to not have it!! I explained to her that I was sad, but that I knew it would be back on my finger in 10-12 business days!! :):) SOOOO, tonight after I got home from my jewelry show, she and Wyatt gave me a *new* "diamond" ring to wear until my special ring gets fixed!! It is HUGER and totally gaudy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!! AND, I plan to totally wear it until I get mine back! Wyatt later told me, that Maddie knew I was sad without my diamonds so she wanted to help me feel better!! So... off to the Jewelry and Galore store they went to pick out the perfect ring for mommy!!! I LOVE her beautiful, compassionate heart!! She is so special to me!!

{BLESSED!!!!!}

HIGHLIGHT of my DAY!!! :)

Today we had school and it was a BLAST!! We had a really busy weekend filled with family, friends and FUN so I was a little worried about how school would go today!! Thankfully God heard my prayers and my sweet M and Z had an awesome day!! :):) Whoo-hoo!! :):) I wanted to share with you the highlight of my day! At our pre-school we have a drop off line, so we get each kiddo out of their car before school and then they come and sit in their class line on the floor until everyone in the class arrives!! The same is true after school!! Each class lines up in a specific place on the floor while they wait for their parents to come through the line!! Well today, my little class came first, then Zack's calss and then the other classes!! When Maddie's class came through, she dropped down right beside her brother to give him a BIG kiss, and then went on her way!! No words were exchanged just sweet smiles and a brother-sister kiss!!!!!!! :):) The smile on my Zack's face was PRICELESS!!! It just made me tear up!! I am so thankful for the relationships my kiddos have!!! I pray that they will always look out for one another!! SO BLESSED!!! :):)

My Mom and Dad

I love my parents!!! They were awesome parents to my sister and I! Not perfect parents, but, they raised us to know, love and follow hard after God! ! I am so thankful for their profound impact on my life!! I have always enjoyed hanging out with my parents, but I never knew how much more I would enjoy watching them with my kiddos!! WOW!! It is such an incredible blessing!! My mom and dad are SO good about making time for our M and Z! Actually, I think they would rather hang out with them, than Wyatt and I, but since we are transportation for their Grandkids, they put up with us! :) Ha! :) Lately I have been totally blessed by some unexpected time with our Ga-Ga and Mze! Like on Thursday, we had just pulled into Sam's to grab some lunch (Ok, people, DON'T judge, it is quick and cheap and it is right by our pre-school!!:)) and here comes my dad on his motorcycle!! Zack and I got out quickly and yelled out his name... he stopped, turned around and gave us all big hugs! I think he was just as excited to see us, as we were to see him!! Now, I know he was there to get a few things and get out, but he was so excited to see us, he joined us for lunch!! It was an incredible blessing and I am SO thankful for that time with him!!

My mom is always excited to hang out with our kiddos so we can run errands or go out on dates! She isn't willing, she WANT'S to be with our kiddos!! And in turn, they have an awesome relationship with her!! They love their Ga-Ga more than life itself! :):) We are looking forward to going out on a date tomorrow afternoon and evening!! I think she is just as excited as we are!! :):) I am SO unbelievably thankful for her!!

Another example! I had a jewelry show this morning, so my dad and Wyatt planned a "guys day" (with Maddie!!:)) and off they went to McDonalds for breakfast and then to Bass Pro for some bonding time! (I guess that is what people do at Bass Pro...Bond"! I personally can't stand the place, but my kiddos LOVE it!! Oh, the sacrifices of being a mommy!! :)) Then they grabbed some lunch together!! Well my mom was none-to-pleased about NOT being invited to Bas Pro, so she showed up for lunch!! I just LOVE that my parents want to spend time with us!!! They are such a blessing to Wyatt and I and also to our little J'S!! :):) I hope we encourage and love them as much as they encourage and love on us!! We feel SO blessed!! :):)

Christmas Shopping

I started my Christmas shopping last week...I KNOW, it seems crazy doesn't it?! But, Christmas is just over 3 months away!!! :):) AND...we have 12 people to buy for in Wyatt's family and then my family and extended family!! I LOVE to give gifts, and in order to give exactly what we want to give, we have to start early!! Also, I have ideas for EVERYONE, which is totally rare, so I am trying to be really smart and thrifty and buy gifts when they go on sale!!! I am REALLY excited about Christmas presents for my family this year!! For the ladies in my family we are doing "My Favorite Things" (you know, like Oprah's favorite things...only there will be NO car's or trips to Jamaica involved...SO sorry sister and mom!!:)) So, I have already found and purchased a few of these gifts and I CANNOT wait to give them out!!! I love my family SO much, I am looking SO forward to our traditions starting up!! WHOO-HOO!!!!!!!!! :):)

Days like today! :)

We have had a really busy week this week!! So... earlier in the week, I told my kiddos if they would be patient with mommy the first four days of the week, we would do something SUPER special on Friday!! We went right t our calendar and marked off our end-of-the-year-BIG-celebration day! :) That is TODAY!! :):) My M and Z have been AWESOME this week!!! :) I am SO proud of them!! My kiddos are definitely flexible and I am so thankful for that!! :)

As we were putting our kiddos to bed last night I began to chat with them about what they wanted to do on our BIG special day! :) Well, on Tuesday I had talked to my dear friend Amber Grider (her boys just happen to by my kiddos' besties, so it always works out well!!!:)) and we set up a day to play!! We were going to have one last BIG FUN SUMMER DAY before life gets REALLY crazy!! :) So, we all woke up early this morning in eager anticipation!! We met our Griders at 10 a.m. and off we were!!! We went all kinds of places and we had a BLAST!! :) {We actually just got home! :)} It was the perfect last summer day!! Of course we will still continue to have lots of fun this fall...but there is just something special about summer, you know!?

I must give a shout out to my sweet friend Amber!! :) We have known each other for a LONG time, but God has really blessed our friendship in the last year and a half!! She is a lot like me which is a LOT of fun, and our husbands are very similar also!! It is awesome to have a family of friends that is so much like our family!! We enjoy hanging out together so much, it is a true blessing!! Grider family, we are SO thankful for you all!! :):)

I am really looking forward to our weekend!! Tonight, we are headed to Founders's Park for their free kids movie!! Tomorrow, I am meeting some of my favorites girls for an early lunch and then shopping (to plan our BIG weekend away in October!:)) and then on Sunday is CCH's outdoor worship!! We are beyond EXCITED!!! :):) ENJOY your weekend friends!!!!

School

Yes, I said it, and it is true!! My kiddos are going to start school this fall!! Well, actually on Tuesday!! I am EXCITED for them, because they are so excited!! But at the same time, it is a little sad!! I love my babies!! I have enjoyed most every moment (let's be honest folks, with two kiddos 12 months apart, it isn't ALWAYS fabulous!!:)) they have been home with me! I have gotten to watch them learn EVERYTHING and it has been a JOY!! :):)

We never thought we would send our M and Z to pre-school, simply because we do a LOT of learning at home!! But, as we began to pray about school for them, God totally opened our hearts and we began to feel at peace with sending them two days a week!!! They are both so ready for some different kids interactions and I am SO excited to see how they will handle themselves when challenged!! I know they are going to be AWESOME!!! :):) (ok, maybe I am a little bias, but they are great kiddos!! :))

You know what is even better...? :) I get to go to school with them! :):) Whoo-hoo!! :) When I went in to talk to the director about sending my Maddie, she said, "Why dont you send both of our kiddos, then you could teach the 2 year old class!!" Hmmmm, not exactly what I was expected to hear, but I told her I would pray about it!! When I told Wyatt he was pretty unsure of the idea, but again, as we prayed about it, we both felt an unexpected peace and excitement!! So this week has been FULL of meetings and meet the teacher days!!! I think we are going to LOVE all being in school together!! This is going to be AWESOME for my kiddos, and I KNOW that God is going to BLESS our year!! It is going to be a crazy busy fall, but I think we are totally up for it!!! Watch out pre-school, the 3 Jenkins are on our way!! :):)

So, I don't usually post about things like this, but it is so heavy on my heart, I almost can't not post about it!! And...since this is my blog...I guess I will open my heart up a crack and spill some of the feelings that I have been having!! If you aren't one for emotions, you might want to STOP reading now, because this could get a whole lot of emotional, kind of fast!! :) I am a pretty tender hearted girl, I think I always have been, so somethings just hurt me to the core!! If I could not be so sensitive, I would be, but I have come to realize that God has made me this way for His Glory! So I try to run things by my husband when I feel like I might be feeling too tender hearted about something, just to be sure I am not totally way off course!! He is pretty good about gauging me, and I am SO thankful for his love and compassion! But that is a whole other blog!! :) Ha! :) Soooo, if you are still reading, remember I warned you! :)

*This is my disclaimer! I am not a perfect person! As I type this, I am reminding myself of who I want to be and who I stand for!! It is so easy to get sidetracked in the busy-ness of life!!*

Friendships are hard, aren't they?! People's seasons of life are always changing (mine included)!! People are always having babies, moving to new houses, trying out different churches, moving away, starting school, etc! It is hard to keep up with people!! I have always believed that in order to HAVE good friends, you must BE a good friend!! I have tried so hard to be a good friend to people!! Of course, it is so important to know that all friendships look different, and it is fun to see what works is each friendship!! But, none-the-less, friendships are hard!!! I hate that many people, girls especially, are ok with gossip!! REALLY!? Don't we realize that gossip HURTS people, and that eventually it will get back to the person that it is about?! I have had my fair share of being a gossip, and I am not proud of those times!! But once I became an adult, I starting thinking A LOT about the words that I say to people...and about people!!! I wouldn't ever want to hurt someone intentionally!! I may have a venting session with my bestie or my husband, but I pray that those hurt words that pour from my mouth will be held in confidence and prayed over, NOT spread around!!! As I was thinking and praying through this today, I found these verses!! I love what these verses say!! Wow!

Proverbs 11:13

"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret."

Proverbs 16:28

"A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends."

Proverbs 20:19
"A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much."

Don't we realize that GOD hates gossip!?! My dad always used to tell my sister and I this when we were younger and I never understood what it meant! NOW, I get it!! I have been hurt by gossip lately!! I know that this chatter was never meant for my ears, but be assured!!!!!! If someone is willing to talk TO YOU about someone, KNOW that they are willing to TALK ABOUT YOU to someone else!!! And, sometimes you are on the side of being talked about!! We never expect for things to be on the other side, do we?! And, usually it is just one or two people that are unhappy with where they are at that enjoy chatting! Well, I am DONE!!!

I really have a great group{s} of friends!! I am surrounded by love and encouragement!! I am SO thankful for where God has led us over the past few years!! I am really careful about who I trust! Getting hurt time and time again, makes for a pretty thick skin!! So, when I find those dear friends, I stick to them pretty tight!! I have to say that one of these women is my mom!! I am amazed at God's graciousness in blessing me with her!! She knows me and understands me so well!! She lets me talk without interruption and is always willing to gently tell me when I am wrong (or right for that matter!!:)) She is SO precious to me and I am so thankful for the friendship we share!!!

So, ALL of this to say!! I am thankful for a God of grace and peace!! Without Him, I would be a mess!! (Well even more of a mess!:)) I am thankful for His promise of new mercies each morning and of forgiveness!! I am so thankful for a loving husband who knows me SO well!! I am thankful for dear, sweet friends!!! Friends that have been, and will continue to be there for me NO MATTER what!!

{And, as I hit the send button, my stomach hurts!!}

VBS Comments

We are enjoying VBS SO MUCH this week!! My kiddos have been awesome and we have made it to VBS on time every day...almost!! Ha! :) They are SO EXCITED to go to "PBS!" I love that they are teaching my kids to serve and have compassion and love on others!! Maddie and Zack are especially excited about giving to the kids in "Sadie" (Haiti!:)) I LOVE that they are learning how to love others!! :) Here are some of my favorite quotes from my little M and Z this week! They are too funny not to share!!

Maddie: "Mommy, I LOVE PBS!!" (That is what she calls VBS! I think it is SO cute!:))

Zack: "WE GOT A SNACK and it was soooooooo good!!!" :) (My little guy LOVES to eat!:))

Maddie: "Mommy, why is Mr. Wayne dressed like a cowgirl!?" (Our awesome minister leads the kiddos in the Praise time during "PBS" and he is always dressed "in part!" Except he isn't dressed like a cow girl, just a cow boy, she gets confused! :))

Zack: "WE HAD A CRAFT!!!!! :) My Hayden sat by me!" (Hayden is one of his besties, so Z has to give me a full report on Hayden also each day!! :))

Maddie: "MOMMY, did you know that the kids in "Sadie" don't have ANYTHING!?" (Here she is referring to the mission for VBS this week!! They have been collecting money for the kiddos in HAITI so they can have shoes and such! Apparently they did the BIG presentation on this on Tuesday because both my M and Z came home telling me about the kids in "Sadie!" And they haven't stopped! They even hit up their Ga-Ga and Mze for money for these kids! A-dorable! :))

Zack: "Mommy, the kids in "Sadie" don't have a refrigerator or a fan! Can you believe that?" (TRUE story!! :):) He must have heard that somewhere!!:))

Maddie: "My favorite times are snack and craft time! Oh, and I love the sing and dance time!! Do grown ups really dance like that?? (referring to the adults acting goofy on stage!) Did you KNOW I get to sing and dance ON STAGE on Sunday??!"

Zack: "I don't "yike" to sing and dance on stage!"

Maddie: "Bye-bye mommy, have fun in your BIG girl class!! And don't forget to learn stuff!!:)"

Zack: "Will you stay with me?" (He said this in my ear very quietly on the first day!! He was SO precious!! He wasn't crying or throwing a fit...he just needed some reassurance from his Mommy!! You can BET I stayed for a bit!!:))

I know I say this a lot, but you can NEVER say it too much, and they can never HEAR it too much!! I LOVE MY KIDDOS!!! They are so fun and so sweet and so funny!! They are just the perfect mix of Wyatt and I! I LOVE to watch them learn!! What an incredible privilege!! I am enjoying my time with them so much, because...the next time VBS rolls around, I will have a 5 year old and an almost 4 year old!! Time is FLYING, so we are ENJOYING every moment!!

SO BLESSED!!!!!!

A Love Letter to my Zack

Dear Sweet Precious Baby Boy,

Are you REALLY 3!?! As I look at your precious face, I can hardly believe the BIG boy you are becoming!! You have such beautiful blue eyes and a smile that totally light's up your face (and anyone's else's that is around! :)) Your smile is totally contagious!!!:))!! You are sure spunky and stinky, (in all fun ways of course :)) but you are so cute and fun loving also!! You love trains and fire truck's... throwing balls and jumping off of EVERYTHING...you are our true little boy!! We love you SO much!!

Of course I feel like I know you the best, since we get to spend every day together and I love it so much!! :) You were challenging to me at first, son, I simply didn't know what to do with a boy! But, you have been so patient with your mommy and I am so thankful for your life and for God's perfect timing in giving us YOU!! I love the way you hold my hand each night as you have your last "dink" (drink) of the day and how you snuggle up close to me when you are feeling sleepy or just need some encouragement!! I love the way you dance, brother bear's got some rhythm! :) I love hot proud you are of being able to spell your name and knowing ALL the letters in the alphabet!! You have a tender heart and I pray that God will use that for His Glory!! I love the way you love all of the special family members you have in your life...you adore your Mze and your Daddy!! You think your Ga-Ga is pretty special and you enjoy the presence of your Tre-Tre, Unk and Maddux so much! BUT, above ALL, you L-O-V-E your sister!! She is your favorite and your best! I pray that you two will continue forming the amazing bond you share!! Precious!! :):) I love the way you say "Mommy" and how you ask the sweetest questions!!! I love the way you want to learn!! You LOVE your big sister, and want to know everything that she knows!! You are my little lovey!

My prayer for you son, is that you grow to be a man that loves, serves and fears God!! I pray that He will dwell in your heart and that you will find your identity in Him each day!!! I pray that you will seek Him and find Him in each situation that you have in life!! I know that days seem hard at times, but God is ALWAYS there and He loves you SO much!!! I pray scripture over you a lot son...you can be so strong willed, but I know that God is doing a work in your heart and I CANNOT WAIT to see who He makes you and molds you to be!!! Never could I have imagined how much I love you and how precious your life is to me!! Happy Birthday my precious child, mommy loves you SO much!!!

I LOVE you Zack!!!

:) Christina

VBS

Today was our first day at VBS at Northside and it was a huge SUCCESS!! :):) This is our second year at VBS and my kiddos have been talking about it ALL month long!! :) Maddie and Zack were SO EXCITED to go and be with their friends and learn about Jesus!! They were also quite excited to learn a new theme song and just enjoy being with their friends! I grew up going to VBS, so it is very special to me too! I am SO excited that my kiddos get the chance to be blessed by all of the time and energy our church puts into this program!! They realize that for some kiddos, this might be their first {and only} chance at learning about the Bible!! We LOVE VBS!!

As I mentioned previously, this is our second year at VBS!! Last year looked MUCH different that this year!! At this time last year we had just started attending our new church and we were so anxious about the new-ness that it was!!! I had gone to many activities with Northside growing up (my family attended a sister church throughout my childhood:)) but it was different going as an adult!! I was so worried about whether we would like it there, or if anyone would talk to us...you know! If you have ever left a church and gone to a new one, you know exactly the feelings I am describing!! It is {SCARY!!} BUT, God is SO gracious and we have found so many new and dear friendships! Wyatt and I feel totally blessed!!! God's hand really has been in our move, and we are so thankful for His leading and for His perfect timing!!

Today, as we walked into VBS, instead of feeling nervous or anxious, we had friends waiting for us to go to class! :):) As we walked down the hall, different friends hugged on us and told us how excited they were that we were there!! It was an incredible blessing!!! I hope that we, The Jenkins family, will be a blessing to others who just need to be loved on!! :)

AND, we can't WAIT for the rest of this week!!!!! :):):):)

Breaking Habits--Part 1

For as long as I can remember I've been a nail biter!!I think I might have been born biting my nails! It is a habit that I have always "just had" but that my husband HATES!! :) About 4 weeks ago we were hanging out with some of our besties and the wife mentioned that her husband used to bite his nails!! So, being the annoyed husband of a nail biter, my husband whips out "How did you get him to stop??" She went on to tell us {me} how many germs there are under your nails and how grimy our hands are!! Well, of course these are all things that I know, but after hearing it from her...I had to think!!! After I thought about that for about a minute, I decided that I was DONE being a nail biter!! :) So, here we are 4 weeks later and my nails are gorgeous!! I LOVE painting them and having them long!! (Well for me they are long, but they are growing!!:)) So {YAY} for breaking one bad habit!! I am excited to share with you all a few of the other bad habits I am working on breaking!!

A Princess Party

We celebrated my Maddie's 4th birthday with a Princess Party!! She LOVES Princesses through and through!! She loves to dress up as a Princess, she loves to read about Princesses and she loves to talk about ANY thing Princess!! She is my girly-girl all the way {and I wouldn't have it ANY other way!!} We woke up on her birthday, sang to her and told her her birth story (of course without the "interesting" details, just with all of the cute parts! :) Then we headed over to my parents house so I could finish up the last minute details (which I LOVE!!:)) Wyatt took M and Z for a delicious breakfast at McDonalds so mom and I could have a few minutes to finish everything up!! I have to make a HUGE shout out to my parents for graciously hosting Maddie's party every year!! I think they love it, just as much as we do, but we are SO THANKFUL for their thoughtfulness and generosity!! It is one of our favorite traditions!! :):)

Finally our Princess came and we got her dressed in her *new* Cinderella dress that we got her from the Disney Store, complete with a sparkly tiara!! Oh, her eyes lit UP as she twirled in the mirror just admiring herself! :) She was SO EXCITED for her friends to come!! One by one her sweet friends came through the door!!! She was such a good little hostess!! We started off our party by decorating cinch sac's for each of her guests, then we colored Princess pictures and played dress up!! After a lunch of ALL of Maddie's favorites (mini corn dogs, mac and cheese, cheeto puffs, chips and dip, spinach dip and hot dogs) she opened her birthday gifts (given so thoughtfully by each friend) decorated cup cakes and then sang to our favorite birthday girl!! She was just delighted!! :) It was the perfect day and we are SO THANKFUL for all who made it fabulous!! :):)

A Love Note to My Maddie

Dear Sweet Daughter!

I can hardly believe you are going to be 4 on Saturday!!! Can that really be true!? You are my pride and JOY, my Maddie Joy!! God knew that I needed you in my life and I am SO thankful that He blessed me with your precious little life!! He knew that I needed a little girl to enjoy the beautiful things in life with!! I love hanging out with you...you love crafts and baking and all things girly, you just make me smile! I LOVE this about you!! You bring me so much joy! Never could I have imagined how much you would be like me...it is a blessing and it is also kind of scary! I pray over you SO much, knowing all the things that lay ahead for you...I pray that you will make better decisions than I did during certain points in my life!! I pray you will SEEK Him, in ALL things!! I pray that God will bless you with some awesome girl friends and that you will stick tight to each other all throughout life! I pray that you will find your identity in Christ and that He will be the center of your life, even when it gets tough!! These things and SO many more I pray for you my sweet, precious daughter!! You are the daughter of my heart and I love you so much!!!

You are such a beautiful girl, both on the inside and out!! You are so happy and full of JOY!!! You love your brother and your friends and you would do ANYthing to help them, or make them feel better!!! You are such a good listener and at night when I am tucking you in when you ask "Mommy, did I obey you today?" it melts my heart!! You have such a gentle spirit and you are so soft hearted!! I love the way you love your family!! You would always choose a girls' day away with your Ga-Ga, Tre-Tre and I over anything else!! I pray that we can be a good example to you!! The three of us are all very similar, but also very different and I pray that we can lavish love and affirmation on you, in all of the ways you need!! Oh, how we love you!!

I have never seen a daddy melt with love, the way your daddy did when he saw you for the first time!! OH, he is SO proud of you!!! He often tells you stories about how you and he would nap together every day when you were just a little baby!! :) You would lay on his chest and off to sleepy time you would both go!! :) That was such special bonding time for you two!! You love to hear stories about you when you were a baby!! (You are so cute!:)) Sometimes, when you are feeling sad or a little insecure about something, you climb onto your daddy's lap and rest your head against his chest!! He and I LOVE you SO much!!

Maddie Joy, I pray that this year will be your best year yet!! I pray that God will continue to knock on your heart and that you will continue to listen to Him in all that you do!! As you start school, I pray that you will SHINE for Jesus!! I am SO proud of the little girl you are!! You are a blessing to your mommy!!! I love you my Maddie!!!!

My Favorites!

These are some of my new favorite pictures of my kiddos!! :) They LOVE each other SO MUCH and love to be together!! :) It is pretty precious! :) This top picture was taken as we were heading out the door to have our weekly Tuesday lunch with Ga-Ga!! I love the way the wrapped their arms around each other, even without me asking! :) They are truly great friends!! They love to be together, no matter where they are!! If one of them goes somewhere, the other usually follows!! I hope we can raise our kiddos to NOT be competitive against each other!! I want them to have a healthy and fun drive to be great at whever they do, but I DON'T want them to feel like they have to out do the other at all times!! We want them to grow up being proud of thier siblings for their achievements!! {Lord, hear our prayers!!}











The picture was taken just last week as we were getting ready to go swimming!! It is definitely a PERK to have a really nice swimming pool in our neighborhood!! We look forward to swimming ALL winter, so once the pool is open, we are THERE!! :) They look SO cute in their swimming suits!! :)













BEST friends!! They melt my heart!! I LOVE them SO much!!!!