Where are you Moon?

A few months ago, Josh taught Noelle where the moon was in the sky. She would love it when she saw it in the daytime, and was always so excited to point it out.

Since it has been getting darker earlier these days, she has started looking for it at night as well. I don't know why she is so obsessed at finding the moon, but she is...and it is totally endearing. I kind of get it - the moon is really cool and I have always been fascinated with the stars.  She is just taking it to another level though.

I wanted to distract her one night earlier this month when we were leaving a restaurant and she didn't want to go. So I told her maybe we will see the moon! Well, the moon was late in rising that night. And let me tell you, Noelle was pretty upset about it. She was literally weeping because she couldn't find the moon. She cried all the way home for it, poor thing.

And now every time it is dark out side and she is awake she is on a mission to find that moon. If you were not aware, we recently had a new moon, so there was much disappointment that she couldn't find it. Sometimes I can convince her it is behind clouds, but she wasn't having it.

Then last night we got our sliver of moon back, and Noelle saw it as we left church. The moon wasn't very high though, so it continually disappeared on the car ride home. I managed to catch her asking for the moon. I know I am driving. I know it is very very very wrong to film and drive, but she only does this in the car!!!!! I promise it was a very quiet road and no one was endangered from the making of this moon video.

Please enjoy her search for the moon :)

Some New Favorites...

So back on my old blog - ONE time I listed out some of my favorite things. I had no idea at the time, but apparently that is a "blog" thing to do.

So I thought I would share a few new favorites in case you needed to add value to your life!

In no particular order...

Clorox Foaming Bleach 

I know - it's just bleach. But my father in law changed my cleaning life with this product. We have an old bathroom (well, old tile in a bathroom). And even though our old tile is in beautiful shape, we battle the mildew in the grout. I did everything I could think of over the last 4 years to keep that tile as clean as possible. I just assumed it had to be re-grouted or something. I pretty much had given up. Then one visit Gary came and cleaned my bathroom to love on me...and he introduced me to Clorox Foaming Bleach. My life was changed. I couldn't have been more grateful for such a beautiful shower again restored to it's former glory! I've also found some other uses for it since I have a white kitchen sink now. It is a beautiful product. Because it is foamy it sits there long enough to do it's job. If you need nice clean tile, grab you some of this!

Maybelline the Falsies Mascara

Let me just say this, mascara is personal and what is great on one person will suck on another. If you have long eyelashes already, and you like a natural bristle mascara brush (not a plastic one) then this mascara will be so wonderful for you! I LOVE it - and it stays on for me all day, no flaking or yuckiness. I have tried some higher-end mascaras, and they have not even come close to this drugstore miracle worker!

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

I got this as a splurge with my birthday money. I ended up with the coral color and pretty much I want to wear it every day. I am a huge chapstick fiend, but in my old age my lips are not as colorful as they used to be. In the olden days I could put on chapstick and it was all I needed to look put together after my makeup. Nowadays, not so much. I had been on the hunt for the perfect chapsticky feeling lip product that had beautiful color. This is it! Love it, and am now considering what color should be added to my collection next!

Not Your Mother's Sea Salt Spray

This is how I get my beachy waves. My hair is not naturally wavy - it is naturally not fully straight but not actually wavy/curly.  My sister recommended this product to me and I love it. It is affordable and it works! I can use it on damp hair, and I use it the next day after I have slept on my hair in braids to "refresh" it. Very affordable, and smells like coconut. Very yummy!

Noelle - 28 months

I know I am rounding up because she won't be 28 months until the END of the month, but it's close enough in my book. I keep thinking each age is so much fun, and then she just gets more fun. I believe I might keep saying that until she is 13 and then all the poop hits the fan, right?

But seriously, 2 has been really really fun. Sleep is good, though with eating we have some pickiness it is still relatively simple, she has a longer attention span, plays well with others, and is downright hilarious. This kid picks up so many funny things from what people around her do and say (it's a good reminder that our children are SPONGES) and overall she is sheer delight to us and so many others.

Every day she is saying something new or doing something new. And she loves loves loves learning new things. We are in the potty training process and it hasn't been super simple, but I think we've fully committed her to this transition now. She's made progress and shown that she is capable and ready. But during the process I told her "great job!" and Now everything is "great job!" So cute.

CC and G were here last week and took some great photos of her that capture her sweet nature. Enjoy!!

The child is serious about her coloring.

No, Seriously. We color every. single. day. Multiple times a day.

Cheesing for the camera and looking FAR too old.

Life Update - I Love My Church

So, yeah. I managed to not post ONE time in August. There you have it people. That just about sums up August in my opinion!

I felt the need to get any distant family/friend readers out there up to speed. And by distant I mean you check my blog because you are literally far away. This isn't for facebook and isn't meant to generate any attention whatsoever (I'm actually on a facebook fast at the moment). It is more to update those who love me and might know (or might not know) what has been going on.

On September 2 we received news that drastically changed our lives in the fact that it drastically changed our church. I am not here to give details, you are welcome to read the statement on our church website (www.questcommunity.com)

Let me sum it up for you: Our lead pastor and executive pastor are no longer pastors of our church. It was not for good reasons, and it is a very difficult situation.

That being said, we have never been more in love with our church, and the capital "C" church than we are right now.

These are two people and their families that I love and care about. I am confident that Jesus will heal them and their families, and I am hopeful for their futures and the plans God has for them. That is all I have to say about them.

If you know what I did for my former pastor and how I supported him in his ministry, you might wonder - how am I doing? I am sad, I am disappointed, but I am doing so very well at the same time. Nothing has shaken my joy - and somehow, somehow... Jesus gave me a heads up that times were changing - not that I ever expected this, but He got me ready. God has tended me and cared for me so personally during this time - and I am so grateful.

But mostly I am grateful for my church. This situation is the type of stuff that church splits are made of. It's where you see some churches fall apart and never recover. But I have witnessed a miracle in these days as our church has gotten closer, loved more, and lived in more hope than I have ever seen before. It is hard to describe, but if you live nearby and are reading this - then just come and see! I promise you I am not making this up. I am convinced that if you walk through the doors of Quest Community Church you will be overwhelmed by love and hope right now...against all odds it is so true!! Even if you don't live nearby you can watch online and I believe you will experience the same.

This is a horrible thing to have gone through but God is and always will be greater. He will finish what He started and bring healing and hope by the truckloads in the process!! The best days are ahead! And out of my favorite bible chapter...

Isaiah 43:18-19a - But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun!