We Have a Bat in the House!

Although we don't get too hyped up about following all the traditional Halloween activities, we have allowed our kids to dress up and visit our neighbors in past years. We have also enjoyed taking them to a children's party at one of the local churches. (This year Seth and Haddie might get to stay with grandparents while Steve and I head down to an annual church convention several hours away. That should be fun!)

While Seth and I were shopping today, we saw Batman. We purchased the costume and brought it home. Seth has been wearing it almost non-stop! He had fun "rescuing" me from the alligators on the floor! :) Funny boy.

Fun with Hair!

We get a kick out of our kids, especially when they are sporting a new 'do. Here's some fun pics. from the past several months of us having fun with hair.

~Haddie with her first hair-tie 'do for Seth's 3rd birthday party

~Haddie with "flipped out" hair

~Seth with spikey hair after bath (with Haddie)

~Haddie with a head band

~Haddie with her first real pony tail

~I had nothing to do with this one - she just woke up this way!

~Haddie with pig tails for cousin Daniel's 2nd birthday party

A Little More Like Eve Than I'd Like to Admit

Recently I had a day filled with thoughts like, "Mmm, it would be really nice to have a newer home some day, a home that didn't have cracks in the walls or sloping floors, ect." And, "Ah, I would be a little happier if I had cabinets that were made of real hard wood instead of pressed ply-wood. Oh, yeah, and it would be really fun to have lots of new clothes and a new car. Hmm, I wonder how much happier I would be if I had those things? ... Maybe someday."

Late at night I turned to my Life Application Study Bible with plans to read from Genesis. I opened it up and the profile of Eve caught my eye.

"Eve was approached by Satan in the Garden of Eden, where she and Adam lived. He questioned her contentment. How could she be happy when she was not allowed to eat from one of the fruit trees? Satan helped Eve shift her focus from all that God had done and given to the one thing he had withheld. And Eve was willing to accept Satan's viewpoint without checking with God.

Sound familiar? How often is our attention drawn from the much which is ours to the little that isn't? We get that 'I've got to have it' feeling. Eve was typical of us all, and we consistently show we are her decendants by repeating her mistakes. Our desires, like Eve's can be quite easily manipulated. They are not the best basis for our actions. We need to keep God in our decision-making process

always. His word, the Bible, is our guidebook in decision making."

(Life Application Study Bible, NIV version, profile of Eve, page 15)

Ugh. That hit like a smack in the face. I guess I had never thought about Eve's sin that way. I had simply thought of it as her wanting to be like God. I had pridefully thought, "I'm not like that, I don't really want to be like God." Think again Natalie. As the Study Bible pointed out, she shifted her focus, dwelt upon her lack of contentment - that thing she wanted but didn't have - and acted upon those feelings. Yikes. That has my name written all over it. I brought these thoughts up to Steve and he agreed. Struggling with contentment in what God has given us has been a problem for him too, Steve admitted. He said that he often thinks about how much happiness this gadget or that new item might bring.

Now, having items is not wrong or sinful, we would both agree. Holding those items as a priority in life or depending upon them for contentment is where the problem lies. Hmm, quite humbling. Good reminder.... I think we'll both be working on this one.

Life With a Three Year Old

Seth is three and a half now. He has been an active little guy for the entirety of his life with us, even in the womb. Although he can be quite challenging (shall we say "spirited child?"), and we sometimes (well, ok, always) struggle to keep up with him, he brings lots of joy to our lives. This summer has been fun, as we have seen even more of his imagination beginning to emerge. One day we received lots of amused smiles as we went for a walk. Seth was riding his bike. By his own choosing, on his face he wore his goggles, and in his mouth he held his snorkel! Ah, to be three!

(Top photo is Seth playing hockey, wearing, of course, his beloved goggles. Bottom photo is of Seth practicing rollerblading.)

Oreos...or Dirt?

Haddie was given an oreo cookie in attempt to preoccupy her while I was trimming her bangs. I had to smile a couple days later when she was "helping" me water the flowers and I noticed she had a similar dusting of black on her face. It was dirt crumbs this time. I don't think she liked that quite as much. ; )

A Great Place

About five years ago Steve and I started volunteering as Youth Leaders an hour away from the apartment we were renting. Things progressed and eventually Steve was offered the job as a full time position. We were thrilled, and we started looking for a home to buy. I grew up on a beautiful grain farm in the country, and after high school I went off to a Christian college nestled beside a peaceful lake and populated by more majestic oaks than there were students. Not surprisingly, I thought our first home had to be in the country. That was all I had ever known, and that is what I had set my mind upon. I remember numerous heated conversations about what each of us thought our home should be like (and where it should be). After months of searching and prayer, we were blessed with the chance to buy a wonderful home in our price range. It was in town. By that time, my mentality had mellowed a little, partially because we were having a hard time finding something, and I was just thankful for any place to move into! After a little while, my heart began to soften even more, and I can honestly say now that I love our home and its location! To start with, we got an amazing deal (no down payment, and we never pay interest!!). Also, because of the location near to the church, Steve is often able to come home for lunch. We are on a street that isn't too busy, and just two houses down, the road comes to a dead end, followed by a pond, fields, and trees. We even have had the opportunity to enjoy critters who make their home near the pond. Every spring painted turtles walk across our driveway to lay their eggs, we have seen deer grazing in the field behind the pond, and we have picked wildflowers beside the water on several occasions. I am so thankful for the wonderful place God has given us - it has been the best of both worlds for our family. (Maybe I don't always know best!!)

(The photos are taken at the end of the dead end road. Neat view, huh?) :)

Lovin' Livin' Things

Here's some pictures from this summer of our family enjoying nature.

Apple Picking... It must be Fall!

Last night a friend who lives near by extended an invitation for us to pick apples off a tree in her yard. So, this morning after the kids had breakfast and got dressed, we headed out for apple picking! They both had a great time!