Memorial day weekend

Memorial day weekend my parents came up to see us.We had a fun packed weekend starting with shopping at the outlet mall. Later we went to costco for food and a yummy frozen yogurt, Paytons first. She loved it.



Then Sunday was church and her first trip to the library so I could get a book for the lesson I had to teach.




Monday we went to the Seattle Children's museum, it was her first time there and she was everywhere. She loved climbing in the whale and drivingt he fire truck. She also drove a bus, visited storybook land, danced on stage, went shoppping at whole foods and visited Africa, Japan and mexico. She had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa.





She also "helped" grandma sew, watched grandpa mow the lawn and planted sunflower seeds.




She can't wait for another visit from Grandma and Grandpa Tucker.

Mothers day

I had a great mother's day thanks to my amazing husband. He got me tea and a top pot donut in the morning, took me out to lunch and then got me pizza for dinner. Yummy - I was so full at the end of the day.The best part was spending time with Kevin and Payton. It was the best day! Thanks Kevin and Payton for a relaxing day - I Love you!

Tulip fields

We went to see the beautiful Tulip fields in Mt Vernon. I love all the beautiful colors, Payton loved smelling them and climbing the mounds. She also liked watched the tractor pull the trolley around.

Playdates!

In April I had time off school and we scheduled a few playdates for Payton. first we meet Gavin and Kyra at Bounce 321 a really fun bouncy place . Kyra and I have been chatting online for 3 years - since we were prego with Payton and Gavin and we were so excited to meet in person! It was fun once the kids warmed up and decided what to do. They went down this huge slide - honestly I didn't think Payton would do it but she did over and over again. I think their favorite one was called Chaos which Kyra and I had to help them on - it was workout. They had fun and it ended all too soon. They gave each other a hug and said good bye.

Payton going down slide - WEEEEEEEE

Gavin going down slide.

A few day s later we went to The Allmans for our second playdate. They had fun runnning around and playing while the mommies talked. Then they had snack before we had to leave to go to work. It was fun to see everyone and for Payton to get to see some friends and play.

Bellevue Botanical garden.

The day before Mother's day we met our favorite photographer Christy at the Bellevue botanical garden. We had never been there before and it was a great place to take Payton's 2 year photos. She had fun running around looking at waterfalls , smelling flowers and exlporing the trails. She didn't want to sit still . We were very luck we had beautiful weather for the pictures and they turned out great!!

GIrls day out!

Payton , Grandma Verver and I all went to the Seattle tilth's annual plant sale. While we waited for our turn to go by plants , we ate Mighty O donuts and played at the park. It was lots of fun and Payton loved swinging so much she didn't want to leave! When it was our turn we wound throught the tables with all the great plants - so much fun! After the plant sale we went to lunch at Panera Bread and shopping for an outfit at Gymboree.

Easter eggs, animals and a Red Mill burger

April brought us some colder than normal weather but we still had fun and decided to brave the weather and go to the Easter egg hunt at the zoo. Earlier that week Payton and I had dyed Easter eggs - she did a excellent job by herself. They turned out beautiful and she was very proud of her eggs.

She had an ok time at the zoo the beginning was fun collecting eggs and riding the carousel she even enjoyed seeing the tigers, zebras and her favortive the giraffes! She soon got cold and we decided to go out for Starbuck and lunch at Red mill burger - so yummy!

Then Sunday we got dressed up and went to church. She enjoyed opening her Easter basket and eating some yummy candy. We had Easter brunch and enjoyed some time with family.

Surrender to God’s Will

I have been thinking lately about what God wants me to do …. I was watching a Francis Chan podcast and he was talking about surrendering to what God wants for us. He and his wife talked about feeling that God was leading them to work in a third world country or somewhere else. It really made me think about what was God telling me and what he wants me to do but also my family. Why am I getting my masters – is it to teach children here or somewhere else? Is it just to show me I can handle so much more than I thought I could and not even use the degree? Sometimes I think we all get so comfortable with our lives that it is hard to go outside our comfort zone – to break away from people or lifestyles and do what God asks us too. We just go through the motions but are we doing what he wants or what we think he wants us to do. Sometimes we make choices because it is what we want or it is comfortable but what if God asked us to move away from family and friends and live in another city or country would we do it or would we not listen and turn our backs on him. It has made me think are we living by the world's standards and what it says we should do or what God says. It is easier to live by the world's standards and be comfortable instead of living by God's standards and what he wants and be uncomfortable. I learn so much from being uncomfortable and having to do thing I may not want to do. It may be making a phone call or something else that makes me uncomfortable but I am so proud of doing it my self- having people do things for you is no way to live – really you should at least try to do it. I am really shy and I am not good at stepping out of my comfort zone but I know that doing it sometimes make me strong . I want Payton to be a stong independent woman when she grows up I need to be a good example and teach her how to do things on her own. If I don't think I think I failed her – if she is still depending on me to do things when she is 30 then really I didn't do my job. Not that she can't ask for help when she needs it that is fine and as a mom we want our kids to need us even when they are grown up.

I see so many people I know make bad choices because they think it is what they have to do but really think for your selves and pray to God for answers and direction. There is no law that says you must go to school, or get married or even have kids – God gives us all desires and he has a plan for us to follow if we just listen. It is hard I know – I do the same things because it easy or comfortable but God asks us to leave it all behind :our families, husbands and children – to even deny ourselves for him. If he asked you to move to Africa or India would you do it- It would take a lot to go do it to surrender to what God wants for me and I know it would be hard but he would teach me so much. It would be an amazing life experience that would shape me and my family. I have thought how amazing Katie is to follow God – leave everything she knows to go some place she knows nothing about to do what He wants – and she is only 22! Maybe for some of us our mission is closer to home there are so many here who need him and need help. There are kids who don't have a lot in our own country – kids who don't have enough to eat and I think that is so sad that in our country that has so much there are still people suffering. There are so many who have less than I do and they are doing what God wants , they truly seek God and his will.