My family!

It has been so long since we have had a family photo taken and so while we were in Breezy Point with my parents we finally had one taken! I absolutely love it, but it also makes me very sad because our kids are growing up way too fast.
It's hard to believe that in just a couple of months Aspen will be turning 4 and this fall will be attending preschool. I cannot believe how much she is saying, that she can spell her own name and write it, that she interacts with other kids and has actual friendships, how she can memorize songs (just like mommy) in record time, etc... My little girl is not a little girl anymore, she is growing up...but in my heart she will always be my little girl. Even though it is sad that she is growing up, I am having a lot of fun watching her grow up...I love being able to have conversations with her, sit and listen to her sing and pray, hear all about how much she learns in Sunday School, and just continue to make memories with her. Moments with her that I forever cherish.
It's hard to also believe that in just a week Titus will be turning 16 months old! That's right! He no longer is a baby, but is a toddler. He is walking, climbing, and speaking more and more. Pretty soon we will enter into my least favorite stage of parenting...POTTY TRAINING! Don't get me wrong, I love the fact of not having to buy any more diapers...but I hate the whole potty training phase. (Any of you moms with boys, if you have any tips for me I would greatly appreciate it). One thing I can listen to Titus do over and over is GIGGLE! Seriously, he has the best laugh and the best attitude. He is constantly smiling and laughing and just brightens up the room when he enters. He too will always be my little boy, even though he is getting bigger each and every day.
My family is wonderful...I am blessed by a wonderful husband and two beautiful children. I could not ask for more!

Mother's Day!

What did I do early in the morning on Mother's Day? I ran in the Race for the Cure at the Mall of America! This was my second 5K run and it was a blast! This is my dear friend Misty, her daughter Sydney and myself at the Kare 11 tent before the race. We had the best of time, so many people and it was just so inspiring! It was such a nice run and I will definitely be doing this every year. I am praying that one day there will be a cure for breast cancer! Until then I will pray for those in the midst of cancer and going through treatments and give praise for those that are healed!

Race For the Cure!

Tomorrow is not only Mother's Day, but it is time for another 5K and this one is very different for me, as it is the Race For the Cure. So, tomorrow morning I will get up very early to head to my friend Misty's house so that the two of us and her daughter Sydney can all venture to the Race.
Not only am I running a 5K for me, but I am running it to celebrate lives that have been healed from cancer, for those that are going through cancer right now, and to remember those that have passed away. I know of many both relatives and friends that have been through cancer and tomorrow I run for all of them, especially for my grandma who passed away from cancer when I was just in middle school and for my other grandma who just found out that she once again has cancer and is going through some tests right now to find out all that is going on.
Tomorrow will be a fun day to celebrate being a mom and to celebrate with my mom, but it will also be a day to Race for the Cure!

A treat that is hard to put down!

oreo cream cheese bon bon's
1 package oreos1
8oz package of cream cheese
1 package of almond bark (vanilla or chocolate)
toothpicks

*use a food processor or chopper to finely chop the full package of oreos
*let cream cheese set to room temperature
*in large bowl, use hands to mush together the oreos and cream cheese in one big ball
*roll oreo mixture into several small balls, as many as it will make and place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper
*place a toothpick into each one of the bon bons*freeze for one hour
*prepare almond bark - microwave for one minute and then stir and if it is not all melted then repeat but only for 15 seconds until it is all melted (but make sure it is not too runny)
*dip each oreo into almond bark until covered and place back on cookie sheet or just on wax paper*when bark has set, twist toothpick and remove
*after dipping all oreos and removing all toothpicks, use one toothpick to fill in each toothpick hole with a small amount of almond bark
*ENJOY!