Matthew West

Recently this has been a favorite song of mine! It's rings so true for me! Change can be so scary and uncomfortable, but I want to experience God inside of me. I want to take part in His plans and experience His peace and joy!!

Matthew West "The Motions"
This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way ('cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
take me all the way (I know I'm finally feeling something real)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way (I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)
take me all the way (through the motions)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions

The beginning...

Brian grew up riding dirt bikes and camping. We have always talked about doing the same with our kids. Brian sold his dirt bike when we lived in the condo because there just wasn't room for it and he wasn't riding as much with three little ones. Now that we live closer to riding and the kids are a bit older we thought it was a good time to introduce them to riding. They have ridden in the backyard a bit and practiced with the throttle, but this was our first time going out to a riding area. It was a lot of fun and we can't wait to continue the tradition.







Melanie and Brandon took a while to warm up, but by the time we were getting ready to go, they didn't want to get off the bike. Daddy showed the kids a little track that they could ride on and before we knew it they were going off of it to go up and down hills. Brandon still makes us nervous, but Melanie seems to be more cautious and in control of the bike.




Of course Brooklyn wanted to ride too, but she had to ride with Daddy since she is still a bit small for the bike. Daddy even did some tricks with her ;o) We also brought out the kids pedal bikes and they loved riding them all around. I'm so excited to do this as a family as our kids get older and even go out with other families that enjoy riding too...hint, hint Collins fam ;o)


I didn't grow up riding and am not the most coordinated person, but I took a turn on the 50 and had a blast. Maybe one day I will get out there and ride too, but for now I really like just watching all the kids have fun.

Hair pics

OK, I was dragging my feet on posting pics because I don't really like my bangs yet and it's hard taking a pic of myself. But Miss M helped me out this afternoon and took a quick snap of the front and back of my new do. I don't like how straight across the back is cut or the fact that none of the "chunky layers" I asked for seem to stand out (when will I ever learn to take a picture in with me *LOL*). So it might not be what I was envisioning, but I'm sure I will get used to it and it will grow











This is more of the look I was going for, but I guess I'm just not Stacy *LOL*

Extreme Randomness...

Totally random weekend, but it was good! Our computer did what it's done many times in the past and crashed. That wonderful blue screen appeared and I knew that was it. Luckily I didn't lose too many pics as I've learned to back them up every month or two. I did lose a lot of my recent documents, but it's not a big deal. I backed up my Itunes library because I lost it all last crash and the technician told me he would fix it just that once. Well the computer won't read the disk I backed it up on for some reason, so I'm bummed about that! I had so many songs on there that are gone now. I suppose I could contact Itunes and beg and maybe they will restore them once more for me *LOL* I did manage to reinstall our operating system, anti virus program, all my camera and photography software as well as a few other programs and drivers. I'm pretty proud of myself as I'm not the most technologically advanced person!!

After the craziness of the computer crash I decided to treat myself to a hair cut. If you know me, you know that I am never bold and my haircuts are hardly noticeable. Well this time the stylist talked me in to cutting bangs as well as 5 inches off the length!! I'm not really liking it too much, but she compared my long hair to an Amish woman so I suppose I needed a little updating *LOL* I hate posting with no pics, but since there are absolutely NO pics on my computer right now and I'm just too tired to go downstairs and take one and go through the process of uploading, etc. You will have to wait and see it in person ;o)

Lastly, our sweet Brooklyn is having tummy problems yet again. She woke up last night and told me her tummy was hurting. Then this morning started out with a fever (sad that it takes a fever of 100.8 to get Miss B to cuddle with her mom). So the worrying starts again for this momma! We've been doing Motrin all day and she seems to be fine until it wears off. She isn't throwing up and I would be surprised if she did since we all just had a stomach bug not too long ago. But she does keep telling us her tummy hurts. I'm going to keep an eye on her tomorrow and continue to pray that God would settle my heart from all the "what if's" and remind me she is in His care!!

Hope everyone else had a great holiday weekend and I'm glad to have my computer up and running again so I can catch up with your blogs and my email LOL

Little B's new room

Miss Brooklyn and Melanie used to share a room, but we ran in to a few problems:

1) Melanie didn't want to be on the top bunk anymore
2) Brooklyn and Melanie go to war every night around bedtime..."you be quiet, I'm not talking you are, shhhhhhhh, Mom, sister won't stop talking!"

So we emptied out the office (quite a task if you saw our office) and Brian changed our linen cupboards into an office nook. Have I mentioned I love being married to Handy Manny! He had to install an outlet, demo some of the shelving and re-install some custom shelving.



I really like the computer being more out in the open, even though it's still upstairs. Brooklyn loves her new room too. We still need to take the top bunk apart and reassemble it in Brooklyn's new room. Right now she is just on the matress on the floor. The walls should be a pretty pink color once Daddy gets around to painting in there.



Wish I could give you a better view of both areas, but small house+50mm lens=exremely cropped shots *LOL*

Photocards

Well, I officially closed my photocards website...BUT...I am still making them as a small business. The website really wasn't getting much traffic and most of my customers are through word of mouth anyway. I am working on getting a website up and running for my photography with a section that will feature photocards. However, I don't know the first thing about creating a website and have a TON of research to do. So I thought I would post something in my blog if anyone was wondering where the website went. If you have any photocard needs I would love to design something for you, just have to contact me via email rather than the website!

My Sweet Little Baby

My days seem to be getting harder and harder with my adorable sweet 3 year old. I'm now realizing that terrible two's will last long in to this girls teen years! I am "that mom" in the grocery store with the unruly child screaming that she didn't get any candy. I am "that mom" with the child running all around the ball fields in the opposite direction as me! I am "that mom" that always seems to have a naughty child trailing at her feet. I know that God made me the mom of this independant girl because it was the perfect fit! I know that He can help me on days like these! I know that His plans for her are AMAZING! But darn it, this week has just been hard...and it's only Tuesday!

I think most of all I probably need to PRAY TONS and just be consistent in parenting her and not worry about what others may think of me. So here are a few pics of me sweet, innocent, unable to sass back and throw tantrums girl! If only I knew what I had in store for me when she was this age LOL

Cozy Notes

My sister just opened up a shop on Etsy and has some super cute handmade notecards and gifts. If you're looking for something for your sweetheart for Valentines Day or any special occasion, check her out...