The Prize

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I was convicted as a read this this morning. Am I training as hard and as well as I could or should be? Absolutely not. I don't want to train today, but I'm called to. I don't understand, there's too much going on in my every day to day! I can't possibly find the time! Oh, but what am I filling my day with? Things of the world? Absolutely. Is my life easy? Yes, it usually is. Is that because I am deserving, of course not. Only by His GRACE and MERCY am I alive. May we run this race, not alone but together, spurring each other to get the prize. Can we earn the Prize? Nope. But we can be disciplined to read and study the Word, serve and spread the Gospel. What prize is worth a lifetime of blood, sweat and tears? Only one.

ETERNITY WITH OUR SAVIOR.

<3 Walk and Big Girl Tubby!

Last Saturday Steve, Audrey and I went downtown to take part in a Heart Walk. Steve misunderstood and thought TIAA-CREF was sponsoring everyone walking which they weren't :) Even though we didn't raise any money, we walked for our own hearts! Audrey sat in her stroller the whole time and barely made a peep. She was so interested in all the commotion happening around her. We walked through a beautiful part of the city; cute little neighborhoods, historic little houses, it felt like we were in a different town! We plan on revisiting the area soon to go on a walk of our own.

And then to completely switch gears, Audrey had her very 1st BIG GIRL BATH on Monday! We have a big window beside the bath so she was in awe of that to begin with. Then she figured out she had all the room she wanted to kick and wiggle, which she thoroughly enjoyed! So, we'll be packing away the baby tub! How quickly she's turning into a little lady!

Before the walk

And we're off!

She took a tiny little cat nap

Impressive turn out

We made it!

First reaction: Oooh! I like that window!

Mmmm, this is fun!

I am perplexed, do you like my curl?

Pretty shirt!

When Audrey doesn't know I'm watching...

Our happy little sunshine

Our little girl brings us much joy! What a blessing she is! She continues to change so much each day! She's started to squeal when she gets excited and has started making lots of new babble sounds. It's fun to have "conversations" with her. We're trying to take as many pictures as we can to capture this fun stage she is in!

What we've been up to

Our hunt for appliances is over! We got a new dishwasher and stove this week! Thank God for Craig's List, that's all I gotta say! The dishwasher had never been used, still in the box! We got both for about half of what we had budgeted. Isn't God so KIND?! We have decided to wait to do the floors until sometime in the Spring. We have two big trips coming up. The 3 of us are going to see Steve's dad and stepmom in California on October 1st and then Audrey and I are going back to visit my family and to attend a wedding in ND the end of October. Then comes Thanksgiving, Christmas and the year is quickly over! Other than kitchen improvements, we haven't been up to much, just everyday stuff. We have been having a pretty laid back week at home. We are ready for the weather to clear up and the temperature to cool down a bit so we can get out to take some more walks.


Our old dishwasher, notice the duct tape that is holding it together! It was like that when we moved in and has been a very faithful appliance until recently.
Another yucky new task for the "warrior"

New dishwasher

New stove

Side hug

Oops

3 of Audrey's favorites: Daddy, books and her thumb :)

Kisses from Stella

Such a HAPPY girlie!

Weekend Improvements

(Old faucet)

We were in a serious project mode this weekend! Aside from Steve ripping down the shed Friday and then cleaning up Saturday, we didn't have anything to do Sunday :) We stopped at Lowe's on Saturday to look for tile and came home with some paint instead. Funny how stuff like seems to happen. We did plan to paint the side entryway sometime and that sometime happened earlier than expected. I started painting Saturday afternoon and finished up Sunday. The color is a bit hard to see in the pictures. The first picture shows the most accurate color shade. It turned out very Pottery Barnish blue, and I love it.
On to Steve's second project, he tackled putting in the new kitchen faucet. Our old one doesn't look that bad just by looking at it but when you turn it on, it squeaks so bad it makes me want to pull my hair out! After two years of annoyance, we finally were able to get a new one.
Not having installed one before brought about some challenges. While trying to tighten the tube that connects the water to the faucet, it was turned too much and the copper pipe got twisted and broke off. No good. So after a call to Handy Dandy brother in law Drew and two more trips to Lowe's, the faucet was successfully installed! The spray attachment is actually the front part of the faucet. And boy is it amazing! I know, it's something so small but what a difference it makes! Thank you Steve for being a fearless faucet warrior!!! :) I love you!

The "Warrior"

The NEW Faucet!

Pre-entryway, plain ol' cream walls

NEW and improved entryway, most accurate color

Shedless

What is that you might be asking? Well, it's a big branch from a tree that was in our neighbor's yard that fell in our yard the day before we flew to North Dakota this June. Because the tree falling "was an act of Nature" our insurance had to pay for it, not theirs. The tree removal guy came out to remove the tree that had fallen and found 2 more trees in our yard that were dead and would eventually fall. So, after getting 3 trees removed, we still had the HUGE task of tearing down the shed. Steve, with some help from some faithful friends (thanks guys!) tore down the shed last night and hauled the scrap to a dump that takes debris. We are planning on storing the few things we do need to store outside, under our deck. With the little bit of insurance money we did get for the damage of the shed, we're going to fix up our kitchen! YIPEE! We got a new faucet and if it all goes well, we'll be installing new ceramic floors and used appliances! I'm SOOOO excited!
A huge tree falling down, nearly taking out our house and crushing our shed=
Blessing in disguise :)

After

Zoobilee Zoo

We went to the Columbia zoo on Labor Day with Steve's mom, sister, her boyfriend and my friend Kileigh. Kileigh lives in Columbia and has a zoo membership which included 4 free guest passes so that worked out wonderfully! The zoo was great but the weather was super hot! Poor little Audrey was a little sweat machine!
The next day, we got to spend extra time with Gramma Sandi. We went to Earth Fare, my first time. It was awesome! Audrey also found a new toy, an ice cream scoop :)


Look closely, Audrey is holding her ticket! She's ready to see the animals!

Steve with his long lost brother :)

Icky green snake

Poor sweaty girlie

Give me some of this water already!

Yes, that is a real cobra in the pot

Waiting for the penguins

The botanical gardens

Audrey's new discovery, an ice cream scoop

Two at a time