pixie hollow

our little girls have the wonderful advantage of having a daddy and papa (pete's dad) that can build pretty much anything you beg ask them to.  a few weeks ago I knew that mimi and papa were coming to town...and the idea of a little playhouse for the girls came into my brain.  somewhere they could go and make leaf soup and live in a make believe world.
so.  I asked.  and boy did they deliver.  better than I could have dreamed.
eden decided to name the playhouse "pixie hollow"...you know, like where tinker bell lives?  I thought it was a pretty cute idea.
and so I present to you...pixie hollow.  built by daddy and papa with love.  we have basically lived inside of pixie hollow since it had a floor.  we had a picnic lunch in there this afternoon.  I think I love it as much as the girls.

 eden wrote the words for the sign and then papa routed it...so cute!

and...we had a ceremonial official opening of pixie hollow where eden cut the ribbon.

 their first cooking experience inside the hollow...

thank you daddy and papa!

a tale of two houses

this week my home church family, my parents, and my family of 4 helped build two homes in juarez, mexico.  in case you are new...my husband and I are missionaries that serve with a ministry called casas por cristo, and we build homes in juarez and acuna, mexico, and guatemala (starting this summer!).

we love love juarez with all of our hearts and are committed to showing it's people Christ's love through the simple act of taking care of a physical need...shelter.  many of the families there live in houses constructed out of cardboard and pallets...with a dirt floor. with summer temperatures in the 100's, horrible dust storms in the spring, and freezes in the winter...their homes are anything but shelter.

now two families have shelter. have been shown how much God cares for them and loves them.  have been told the story of Jesus and his saving love.  and have been connected with a pastor in their area.

I pray you'll think about getting a team together to come give love.  and maybe provide a home for a sweet baby like this one...her name is isabel.

what a beautiful week.

my favorite popsicles

my friend emily makes the best popsicles I have ever tasted.  and this morning...I had a craving for them.  unfortunately emily and her family moved away from el paso back to their sweet home of alabama.  so I couldn't call her and beg her to make them for me, and then drive to her house and devour them in her green kitchen.
so. my dear friend emailed me the recipe this morning and the girls and I made them before we went on our morning walk, so they'd be ready to eat as a lunch time dessert.
I think the main reason these popsicles are my favorite is because they have berries that are cooked in honey.  I only know of one other person that loves honey more then me.  that would be my sister, sarah.  our mama used to dip her pacifier in honey (before we learned it wasn't safe)...so she is sort of an addict.  honey makes almost anything taste better, in our opinion.
so here's the recipe...you NEED to make these:

blend 1 cup vanilla yogurt and 1 banana until smooth

bring 3 cups of berries - fresh or frozen - (recipe uses raspberries, i used strawberries)

and 1/2 cup honey to a boil over med-high heat, reduce to low, simmer 5 minutes.

Pour fruit mixture through strainer into bowl, cover and chill 30 minutes

Pour yogurt mixture into bottom of molds and top with fruit mixture. freeze. enjoy.

now. if you pour them into a popsicle mold they are hard to get out...and they end up looking like this:

 but who cares...because the taste is all we care about...right?
emily told me they would turn out much better if I put them in a plastic or paper cup with a popsicle stick.  and she was right. (yes, I save charlotte's dora yogurt cups, wash them, and trick her into thinking they are new).

                      

so, there you have it people.  delicious, easy popsicles.  with honey!

thanks, em.

work it girl

what happened when we asked eden to smile for the camera last night....

well...at least she isn't shy.

happy day

happy and thankful and overwhelmed that God would give me these gifts...
to squeeze...

and make them giggle...

and adore...

and kiss...

and kiss some more...

 and cherish, protect, pray for, rejoice over, and LOVE the best way I know how.

and oh how I pray that next year there is one more laughing in my lap...

happy mother's day to all of you mamas out there.  and special prayers for those who long to be mothers and who have lost their mothers.

I miss my mama a ton today, but thankfully I was able to talk to her on the phone and tell her how much I love her.  and...she is coming to see us in one week!  I am so thankful for her example of mothering to me.  for all of the hours she spent rocking me to sleep.  for her patience.  and for how much she has oozed with love for me since she knew I was growing inside of her.
here she is...snuggling her 4th born daughter...me.

and now I'm off to do more snuggling.

praying for may

it's been 6 weeks since the last referral was given out from our agency.
so.  I think THIS week would be a great time for them to start up again.  don't you?!
I trust with all of my heart that we will be matched with our child at just the right time.  but I can't help but hope that time will be soon.  we are just so very ready.

and now for a picture update:
we went to see sesame street live last weekend.  it was so fun watching the girls see their favorite characters in "real life".  during nap time I made some special shirts for them to wear.  I cut out abby cadabby from an old shirt of eden's that no longer fit.  then I ironed it onto a hand-me-down t-shirt she got from her friend elle. I made the cookie monster one with some material I had that just happened to work.  I ironed it onto an old tank top of eden's.  they were so cute...and no one else had one like them!

and in other news...backyard pool season is upon us.  oh how these girls love splashing around.

and lastly.  just let me say for the bazillionth time how beautiful I think my daughters are.  they are magnificent and hilarious and I am ever grateful to God for them.

here's to a new week...and hopes of a may match!