tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25169403427837275242011-12-23T13:32:05.781-05:00this is a website for moms who are so much more than "just a mom." hoping to offer inspiriation and direction for day to day living!melissanoreply@blogger.comBlogger1281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-59692755438180341342010-11-01T06:45:00.002-04:002010-11-01T06:49:48.726-04:00

***the pleated polka dot meet my readers.readers meet.... the pleated polka dot this is my new and improved {thanks to the Design Girl} blog. i'm so excited for you guys to see it! so would you do me a huge favor and go follow me over there. because its the pleated polka dot from here on out. kthanks! you guys are awesome! oh, and by the way, i will be doing my very first give away over

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-53728159047425930862010-10-31T07:30:00.002-04:002010-10-31T07:43:31.997-04:00

photo credit ***"if you work all week and forget to rest, you will become brittle and hard and lose precious nourishment and joy. forgetting the sabbath is like forgetting to unwrap the most beautiful gift under the tree" wayne mullersabbath: finding rest, renewal and delight in our busy lives *** don't forget to unwrap your gift today.

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-37298223285086663972010-10-29T07:36:00.000-04:002010-10-29T07:36:19.715-04:00

photo credit *** don't you just love weekends. we have super big family plans for tonight!let me just say it involves, cookies, popcorn & it's the great pumpkin charlie brown "on Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises from his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys to all the children" *** photo crediton monday i have super duper news so make sure you stop by!

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-58238783134365155462010-10-28T06:57:00.001-04:002010-10-28T06:58:52.451-04:00

*** 1. this book... it feeds my soul and encourages me to live out what i believe. 2. this blog  i have heard of ann voskamp through the grapevine. but after the relevant 10 conference everyone was raving about ann and her beautiful words of encouragement. and i thought, i like encouragement. so i went to her site. and i've gone there every single day since then. i recommend you do the same

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-83451993359457320452010-10-27T06:34:00.000-04:002010-10-27T06:34:09.050-04:00

photo credit when i was in high school i play volleyball. for warm-ups we used to go on a fun run lead by a captain {which i secretly always thought was so cool}. the person leading the fun run could lead us anywhere around campus and through any obstacle. the run would typically consist of a jog by the football stadium...because that's where the guys were. ahem...not that we noticed. i mean we

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-33106458693497849442010-10-26T06:25:00.001-04:002010-10-26T06:27:05.742-04:00

*** 1. reading goodnight moon during breakfast... 2. making homemade playdough... what are you up to?

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-65347493260771655242010-10-25T06:43:00.001-04:002010-10-25T06:44:30.962-04:00

***we went to the beach this past weekend with friends. i love getaways...even if it is just for a couple of days. eisley loves the water. it amazes me how much she loves the ocean and how little she fears it.the ocean is deep and wide. vast and great.she is small, yet not overwhelmed.she runs full speed into the waves.then as they begin to chase her she retreats just as fast to dry land.she is

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-2922159514200264142010-10-24T07:56:00.000-04:002010-10-24T07:56:44.263-04:00

"sabbath implies a willingness to be surprised by unexpected grace, to partake of those potent moments when creation renews itself, when what is finished inevitably recedes, and the sacred forces of healing astonish us with unending promise of love and life"wayne mullersabbathfinding rest, renewal and delight in our busy lives

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-38236907034050913452010-10-23T07:43:00.000-04:002010-10-23T07:43:16.638-04:00

**top tens reasons why you are awesome** 1. growing up people often said "aw is this your little girl?" and you handled it very gracefully. 2. you bought me that blue dress with all the frills and the bell that rang when i pranced around in my patent leather mary janes with the fold over lacey socks. 3. you took me to school every day so i didn't have to ride the bus.4. you took me to get my

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-8885538487696610982010-10-22T07:08:00.000-04:002010-10-22T07:08:47.797-04:00

today is papa's birthday....woo!hoo! {happy birthday papa} from Melissa Beaver on Vimeo.

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-84251345080419885142010-10-21T06:39:00.000-04:002010-10-21T06:39:31.658-04:00

photo credit as i child i remember sitting at our coffee table for hours upon hours writing and illustrating stories. i was going to be a writer. or so i thought. i had a very vivid imagination as a child. not sure when that went away...but i miss it. however, recently i have been able to revive my imagination by watching eisley's ability to imagine thrive. she is three and a half. she's

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-33891981528226457112010-10-20T06:35:00.000-04:002010-10-20T06:35:25.655-04:00

photo credit i love watching eisley use her imagination. daily i am looking for ways to encourage her creativity.yesterday she and her daddy watched as a wolf spider stalked its prey...the grasshopper. poor little fella- never had a chance. it was hard to watch as i am extremely scared of spiders but eisley loved it! then we moved on to the neighbors tree. this girl has a innate desire to climb

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-87614046097385294282010-10-19T06:42:00.000-04:002010-10-19T06:42:42.916-04:00

photo credit if you read yesterday then you know my focus this week is encouraging creativity in my children. as i was just hopping along from blog to blog i came across one of my favorites...Tip Junkie. and low and behold there it was... a post dedicated to crafts and activites for children....SCORE! from activities like snow in the bathtub to quite books to making a dollhouse out of boxes she

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-9695227307389490652010-10-18T06:45:00.001-04:002010-10-18T06:45:00.612-04:00

photo credit due to my new found love of craftiness...i am more aware of encouraging creativity in my children. i love to create. i am inspired by so many things in life. my family. music. magazines. books. people. nature. laughter. friendships. blogs. you name it. there's inspiration in it. i want my children to be creative. to enjoy life. to live outside the box. there is so much to learn and

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-38984971910956140282010-10-15T06:37:00.000-04:002010-10-15T06:37:23.895-04:00

in continuing the celebration of fall we went to the pumpkin patch on saturday. it was 83 degrees and not feeling much like fall but.... we had a great time in spite of that! the kiddos fed goats... followed by a tractor ride... then (drum roll please) we picked out our pumpkins... i love days spent with my family. how are you celebrating fall?

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-60843249444144335742010-10-14T06:38:00.000-04:002010-10-14T06:38:44.758-04:00

(photo credit) {{giving sweet nothings to those i love and making them lovely}} don't you just love to get surprises? i love opening presents whether it's for myself or for my children.the act of not knowing.the wonder that remains in the moments before the unveiling.ahhh....bliss!so when i give sweet nothings i truly love the packaging process.i love the presentation.so i stumbled upon these

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-28461554619049601942010-10-12T06:45:00.002-04:002010-10-12T06:45:00.742-04:00

photo credit daily i am looking for ways to slow down and focus on the meaningful things in life.i read the following statement recently: {{"i want to waste time on things that matter"}}-sandra mccracken this is my hearts desire. so i am taking note of rituals.practices.routines.and i am incorporating these things into my daily life.some of the things i'm doing....reading.meditating.enjoying

melissanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-49304574890166345202010-10-11T06:40:00.001-04:002010-10-11T06:43:32.578-04:00

photo credit if you read yesterday then you know that i am reading SABBATH: finding rest, renewal and delight in our busy lives. this book was attractive to me for a number of reasons but mainly because i really struggle to find balance in life. wife. mom. employee. employer. friend. cook. housekeeper. money manager. you get the picture. i'm always looking for rest, renewal and ways to delight

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-4728059759938898802010-10-10T08:00:00.014-04:002010-10-10T15:20:44.293-04:00

******************* life is chaotic. full of daily duties. life is fast....too fast if you ask me.wasn't this just yesterday... and now this.... i'm back to work and now it feels like life is passing at lightning speed. i'm holding on as tight as i can but time just slips right. through. my. fingers.each morning as i sit down for time of reflection i think back to the moments that

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-17791790868338703292010-10-08T06:36:00.000-04:002010-10-08T06:36:08.091-04:00

"i don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. it makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at."-maya angelou  hoping they will always work at it {wink}

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-86884443280940400082010-10-07T06:52:00.000-04:002010-10-07T06:52:04.413-04:00

{{being crafty with the coopster!}}she is at this super fun age where everything is exciting and new.i could just eat her up she's so sweet...and i tell her that every day {wink}.i found this cute little spider craft here. adorable, right?we had the best time making these. eisley has such a silly side and made the whole activity super fun. she kept me giggling with her little mustache. i even

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-46198335395256830452010-10-06T06:55:00.000-04:002010-10-06T06:55:35.818-04:00

this week i am totally focusing on the beauty of the season and all the wonderful things that come along with it. **there is a time for everything and a season for** every activity under the sun ecclesiastes 3:1 jacob's parents planned a day for us at Dan Nicholas Park and so to the park we went. we took a ride on the merry-go-round, took a train ride and went to the petting zoo and had a

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-84103381024869876702010-10-05T06:44:00.000-04:002010-10-05T06:44:29.382-04:00

yesterday, if you stopped by, you got to see the coopster in action baking pumpkin bread. yummmmmmy! today, i will share the recipe. which can also be found here. 1 stick butter softened1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened2.5 cups of sugar4 eggs1 can (15oz) pumpkin3.5 cups of flour2 tsp. salt1 tsp. cinnamon1/2 tsp. baking powder1 cups planters pecan pieces (optional- my children don't like nuts)

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-68672198942233831662010-10-04T06:48:00.000-04:002010-10-04T06:48:26.449-04:00

(photo credit) i love fall. well summer is usually my favorite season but this year...i'm just over it. ready for fall. hoodies. bonfires. turning leaves. windows open. baking. i love baking with eisley. and she's getting sooo good! check out her skills... Mel's Kitchen from Melissa Beaver on Vimeo.

melissanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-11970760516467014492010-09-30T06:52:00.000-04:002010-09-30T06:52:14.654-04:00

the other day as i was doing a little blog hopping and facebooking i came across this statement... "i want to send my kids into the world so full of love that the world won't be able to empty them" -jon acuff as i read that statement i think i might have yelled "AMEN" to myself. yes. yes. yes. i want that for my children. i clicked on the link next to it and read the most beautiful post by

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-55492886596036695932010-09-29T07:00:00.002-04:002010-09-29T07:09:32.139-04:00

have you ever met someone that you instantly connected with?you just knew you were going to be great friends?for me...that's my friend alison. in a word...she's awesome. and a cutie-pie to boot!she's a great mom to two adorable little guys and the wife to an awesome dude.alison, ali to some, just got her shop and blog up and running!she has found her niche and seriously guys...she is tal-en-ted!

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-57162438034939382252010-09-21T07:01:00.001-04:002010-09-21T07:01:00.547-04:00

"reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body"-joseph addison i love to read. i read something every single day. books. blogs. magazines. anything and everything. i love to read. if you stopped by yesterday then you know i just finished anne jackson's new book Permission To Speak Freely. so i thought i'd share with you a few of the books i plan to read in the next few weeks. Father

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-57827336964924123822010-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:002010-09-20T07:00:34.537-04:00

just finished anne jackson's new book Permission To Speak Freely. it was awesome. i read it in just a few short days...and it only too that long because, well...life is chaotic! she talks openly about her struggles. her shortcomings. her failures. her faults. as i read i felt such freedom in her words. she talked about the gift of going first. this is when we share our story and because we do,

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-60520457282189181252010-09-17T06:52:00.000-04:002010-09-17T06:52:34.593-04:00

i listen to the Mars Hill Bible Church podcast regularly. i have a 45 minute drive to and from work every day and find myself very encouraged by the teachings found here. recently i listened to the podcast taught by Rob Bell entitled The Vintage Elder. it was awesome. in this lesson he included the following video. i could only hear it at the time but came home and watched it on http://

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-42802828047889575872010-09-16T07:00:00.002-04:002010-09-16T07:00:02.146-04:00

in an effort to make the most of my time with my children...eisley and i often read something out of her bible book over breakfast. not every morning but many mornings. one evening when i was cooking dinner (that's what all the crashing sounds are in the background) eisley just started reading her book out loud. eisley's take on the fall... from Melissa Beaver on Vimeo. i love how absorbent

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-67765897979985178572010-09-15T06:45:00.001-04:002010-09-15T06:45:00.442-04:00

there is a picture of me in my wedding gown in the hallway going into the kids room. eisley loves the picture! she thinks i was a princess {insert warm heart here}. the other day she noticed it and said : "when you were a princess you married daddy. and i wasn't with you yet. i was with god. i played with him. and i talked to him. and one day i said (in her most pitiful voice) 'i want my mommy.'

melissanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-90616300627774965582010-09-13T06:55:00.000-04:002010-09-13T06:55:54.291-04:00

looking for some spook-tacular ideas for halloween?? i just stumbled across this blog...  http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/ and i am in love....like head over heels. i just spent an hour browsing all of the nifty little crafts and tutorials. eisley is sitting beside me and as i scroll the pages she is saying things like "ooh mommy, i want to do that!" or "mommy, what is that?" she's just as

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-2538471619298990202010-09-11T09:09:00.000-04:002010-09-11T09:09:11.569-04:00

these are the eyes that looked up at me this morning filled with questions. eisley: mommy are we alone? me: no we are not alone because we are together. (eisley, jacob and i were all hanging out in the living room) eisley: but i'm alone and daddy is alone and you are alone and durgin is alone. me: well we are not alone because we are all together. durgin is not alone (he was napping) because god

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-37137453803018732352010-09-10T06:58:00.000-04:002010-09-10T06:58:57.447-04:00

just a little piece of encouragement for today.... be blessed!

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-11345133563520129602010-09-09T07:00:00.004-04:002010-09-09T07:00:03.498-04:00

new song by jars of clay featuring one of my favorites...derek webb! listen and be encouraged! don't you just love how music inspires?

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-86472949974704140292010-09-08T20:29:00.000-04:002010-09-08T20:29:00.174-04:00

last weekend the hubs and i, along with two amazing friends, made our way to the big apple! we stayed here.... we chose to be total tourist and took the bus tour which was awesome because we got to see soooo much of the city this way! we walked... and walked... and walked... we acted silly and laughed a lot. on sunday night we made our way to brooklyn where the hubs was the guest

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-63069178434588490982010-08-30T07:07:00.000-04:002010-08-30T07:07:44.527-04:00

last night as i snuggled eisley before bed, i prayed over her. then, like always, i asked her to pray for me. it went something like this: "dear god. please help mommy have a good day. helpher to have fun at work. in jesus name, amen."eisley knows how to have fun. she gets that from her daddy. she plays and jokes and laughs and loves the people she encounters. she's a free spirit of sorts. i

melissanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-88135485128039906962010-08-28T09:12:00.000-04:002010-08-28T09:12:14.312-04:00

photo credit: http://www.weheartit.com/ i love saturday mornings.i love waking up to the sound of durgin playing in his crib rather than my alarm clock.i love waking up to jacob beside me.i love making a special breakfast for the kiddos.i love taking time to enjoy that first cup of coffee with my feet up talking with eisley and jacob, watching durgin get into EVERYTHING.i love the smell of my

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-52215071683215439082010-08-27T07:00:00.002-04:002010-08-27T07:00:02.749-04:00

i recently went back to work full time. so the time i have with my children has decreased significantly. however, i wake each morning and decide that i will make the most of the time i have with my family. i hug a little longer. giggle a little louder. allow "one more minute." listen more intently. say i love you more often. freeze frame everything in my mind. i go out of my way to take

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-66527907043112993762010-08-26T07:30:00.000-04:002010-08-26T07:30:00.643-04:00

*anniversaries* for our seven year...yep...SEVEN year anniversary my amazing husband planned a little get-away for us in Asheville, NC. we had a great time!we walked all over downtown asheville and i practicted my photography skills.... while jacob practiced his iphone skills... we ate lunch at this cute little place recommended by my friend buffy... i love anniversaries!i am lucky to have 

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-46682568174200300302010-08-25T21:40:00.000-04:002010-08-25T21:40:23.171-04:00

i love family time!we spent our saturday at a little place in Troutman, NC called *zootastic*eisley and durgin had a blast....not to mention my biggest kid.... he was so excited about this snake! now look at eisley... durgin had a good time too... at the end of our tour we gave eiskley a pony ride... that smile...priceless!i heart family time.what's your favorite family activity?

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-68773139747778921542010-07-26T06:54:00.000-04:002010-07-26T06:54:22.391-04:00

happy birthday sweet boy. i can hardly believer you are one year old today. seems like just yesterday eisley and i were giving daddy the amazing news that you were growing in my belly. and now here we are celebrating your first birthday. you are such a big boy. you took your first steps a couple weeks ago and now you cruise everything. it won't be long before we will be chasing you all over the

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-87984395919709729102010-07-22T07:00:00.000-04:002010-07-22T07:00:10.106-04:00

this sewing machine... [Brother CS-6000i] i love it. i did a lot of research and read about a million reviews. but i finally took the advice of a seamstress with more than 30 years experience. she said go with a Brother. so i did. i found it on amazon for an extremely reasonable price. it has been great. i am completely new to sewing and this machine has been awesome! the manual explains

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-25261943161522849202010-07-21T07:00:00.000-04:002010-07-21T07:00:04.288-04:00

last weekend jacob went camping with some friends overnight...yay for guy time! so eisley and i decided to have a "girls night." she has an amazing princess tent that was bought for her last christmas by mimi and papa. she loves for me to put it up in her room! it's huge...takes up half of her bedroom. our special night began by putting on her new favorite (hand-me-down pj's...thank you lisha

melissanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-45700554627039312842010-07-19T07:00:00.000-04:002010-07-19T07:00:11.383-04:00

"there are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. love of books is the best of all"     -jaqueline kennedy in an effort to make every moment count with my children...i took eisley out for a "mommy date" thursday night. we went to the public library to read books. eisley is an avid reader with an attention span that would put most adults to shame. look at all the books we read....

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-83716615800209072432010-07-12T07:00:00.000-04:002010-07-12T07:00:08.046-04:00

in keeping with making the most out of the time i have with my children. jacob and i took them to the park on saturday for a picnic. we layed out eisley's favorite, mickey mouse blanket and enjoyed our little homemade lunch... with a nice little view of the water and lil' mama duck and her seven, count them, SEVEN babies following behind! after we ate we moved on to the slides and swings and

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-81472014907793158842010-07-09T07:00:00.001-04:002010-07-09T07:00:05.255-04:00

...more happy!!! photo: www.weheartit.com today i found myself a little disappointed when i read an articel found on Parenting.com http://www.parenting.com/new/blogs/show-and-tell/alina-parentingcom/does-having-kids-make-you-less-happy "does having kids make you less happy?" it talked about how research shows that parents with children are often discontent, need more time to themselves and

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-89523904717606668442010-07-07T06:31:00.000-04:002010-07-07T06:31:13.382-04:00

so i started back to work full-time yesterday. i've been thinking of ways to make the moments with my children meaningful...especially now that the time i spend with them will be less each day. yesterday morning, at breakfast, i asked eisley if she wanted me to read some scripture while we enjoyed our yummy meal....oatmeal for me, waffles for her. she quickly said "yes mommy." photo

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-48658268694589673402010-07-02T08:28:00.000-04:002010-07-02T08:28:02.450-04:00

yesterday, as i was putting eisley down for nap she said, "mommy, i just want to be close to you." i immediately snuggled her tight. i was there. i enjoyed our closeness. i thought later, this must be what james meant when he wrote "come close to God and He will come close to you." when eisley uttered those words and wanted to be close to me, i in turn wanted to be close to her. i always

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-19091709515341708962010-06-24T07:00:00.001-04:002010-06-24T07:00:01.375-04:00

{[ craft time with the coopster ]} this week we worked on the letter 'A' using carrots, q-tips and paint. when i told her we were going to paint with vegetables she was super duper excited! i used two brown paper lunch bags to draw a capital letter 'A' on one and a lower case letter 'a' on the other. eisely took the carrot and dipped it into the red paint and then pressed onto the bag to

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-3537162727216510602010-06-22T07:00:00.009-04:002010-06-22T07:00:00.859-04:00

I just started the book “In Praise of Slowness” by Carl Honore’. I read the first three pages and found myself completely challenged. He said the inspiration for the ideas in this book came from his encounter with “One Minute Bedtime Stories.” We are so rushed as a society that we even look for ways to breeze through bedtime in a millisecond. I could relate. I often find bedtime a hassel

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-63568151898184474902010-06-21T07:00:00.004-04:002010-06-21T07:00:08.701-04:00

photograph compliments of http://www.weheartit.com/ We started potty training May 2009. Eisley turned two in February 2009. She showed interest in the potty and often woke up dry from naps and overnight sleep. With a baby expected to arrive July 2009 we began the process. I set out with a no-stress mindset. I did not want to freak out about her progression in potty training. I wanted her to go

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-50687238255068387692010-06-20T20:41:00.000-04:002010-06-20T20:41:19.555-04:00

growing up without a dad, i didn't really give a lot of thought to the kind i would want for the children i would one day be blessed with. i met jacob and fell head over heels in love with him and married him. end of story. and boy did i hit the jack pot! he is an amazing man. funny. witty. almost too smart his own good at times. he makes me laugh. he lets me wipe my tears on his shirt when i

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-9517383954863695362010-06-18T07:00:00.000-04:002010-06-18T07:00:00.797-04:00

I woke up to the most adorable curly headed three year old standing over me. "I need to pee-pee Mommy." The clock read 3:00am. I rolled out of bed took her to the bathroom then put her back to bed. "Snuggle with me Mommy." When she says these words I always go to that small place in the back of my mind that says...she won't always ask me to snuggle. So I crawl into bed with her. We start

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-79685589201546791582010-06-17T07:09:00.000-04:002010-06-17T07:09:08.548-04:00

.Family Vacation. We have had the BEST time this week at the beach! Yesterday we went to the beach late afternoon while the tide was out. The sun was overcast and the water was warm. Since the tide was so far out Durgin was able to crawl all around without us being worried he would be washed away by the waves. He loved it! The little guy would dig his fingers deep in the sand and watch as it

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-87178537487556495112010-06-16T10:00:00.000-04:002010-06-16T10:00:02.365-04:00

As a follow up to yesterdays post...{[When The Waves Come Crashing Down]} .I love this song. .watch and be encouraged.

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-22402439640895871452010-06-16T07:15:00.001-04:002010-06-16T08:40:07.671-04:00

{[ happy happy birthday ]} to my two amazing friends, Krissy and Alison. since i can't physically be with you to share a cupcake on your birthday.... let's share a virtual one! (photograph compliments of www.weheartit.com) .love you girls. hope it's the best birthday yet

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-3266175989065265632010-06-15T14:38:00.000-04:002010-06-15T14:38:52.504-04:00

Vacation all I ever wanted...vacation had to get away... (just a little Go-Go's tribute) We are having a great time at the beach. I love watching my little darlings play in the water and the sand. It's so fun to see them playing with their cousins and meeting some of them for the first time. It has become instantly clear to me that neither of my children, three years old nor 10 months old,

melissanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-73214400951786240202010-05-27T07:29:00.000-04:002010-05-27T07:29:17.774-04:00

Books. Books. And more books. I love to read. I read anything and everything. My love for reading over the years has grown in leaps and bounds. It's a contagious kind of love. I feel partly responsible that my husband has become an avid reader. My children adore books. It's a great love affair for us all. Right now I am reading... A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren The Guernsey

melissanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-57136940873841214282010-05-26T14:29:00.000-04:002010-05-26T14:29:14.727-04:00

if you judge people, you have no time to love them*mother teresa*

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-14529222725052706952010-05-24T20:20:00.001-04:002010-05-24T20:47:44.772-04:00

Awesome. Refreshing. Fun. Relaxing. Exciting. Much needed. It started with some one on one time with my favorite person in the whole world. You guessed it....Jacob! We enjoyed stealing kisses, holding hands, laughing and catching up on the weeks events. Did I mention people watching? We love to do that! {[Ahem]} We also enjoyed a little bit of this... And a little bit of that... Too much in

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-30659229531383676012010-05-24T16:16:00.000-04:002010-05-24T16:16:23.970-04:00

My little darling decided to make his crawling debut in the nursery yesterday at church. Thank God I was there with my camera in hand to catch this monumental achievement! We are so proud!! For your viewing pleasure.... {[Look at the little peanut go]} PS. I am linking up with Tiffany over at A Moment Cherished for Momentous Mondays (www.amomentcherished.blogspot.com) so hop on over to her

melissanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-22498244896150058082010-05-21T07:21:00.001-04:002010-05-21T07:22:51.063-04:00

Yes I know today is Friday. But I love love love Wednesdays! Every Wednesday I get to hang out with some of the sweetest women and children I know. Mommies Devotions is the official name for our gatherings. We started out doing some type of devotional reading each week. It was a bit difficult at times with at least six children under the age of three. Over time we have drifted away from the

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-68445398224808264622010-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:002010-05-20T07:00:06.211-04:00

{[Get away's]} Last weekend we took a little vacation to the beach with our friends, The Little's. Now you might think four adults and four children three and under...not my idea of vacation. That's where you are wrong. It was a great trip! Our children had a blast and I can't remember one melt down. Now, that doesn't mean they didn't happen. It just means that we had such a good time that

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-62243429464736970802010-05-19T07:22:00.001-04:002010-05-19T08:12:37.042-04:00

...I Will Carry You by Angie Smith I finished it last night! I typically would not pick up a book about loss or grieving and read for pleasure. However, I was drawn to this book because I stumbled onto Angie's blog last year and have been a part of The Bloom Bookclub and have honestly fallen in love with her heart. She has an amazing love for the Lord, her husband, her children and her

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-88583433554222167742010-05-17T08:17:00.000-04:002010-05-17T08:17:55.817-04:00

...Now You Don't That's what I said to Eisley as we pressed our feet into the wet sand to make footprints. They were there for a moment, then gone. We did this over and over again at times pressing harder hoping to make the footprint last longer. But every time, it vanished. As we did this repeatedly giggling together my mind drifted to the book I've been reading by Angie Smith, "I Will Carry

melissanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-47186403704181849022010-05-07T09:57:00.001-04:002010-05-07T14:28:11.521-04:00

I just love this little guys laughter!! Hope you enjoy... Durgin Laughs.... from Melissa Beaver on Vimeo.

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-71759774538104589142010-05-05T07:13:00.000-04:002010-05-05T07:13:27.468-04:00

I received an email last week from a sweet young girl who is on her love journey. I know I know....sounds cheesy right? But most of us have been on or are currently on our journey to find love. Not just any love but that soul wrenching, butterflies in the tummy, sixteen year old, first time, romantic, eternal, kind of love. We are made for it. {all photos credit of www.weheartit.com} In this

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-66564734883207752852010-05-04T06:43:00.001-04:002010-05-04T06:46:04.182-04:00

Today is my amazing husbands birthday! So this is a tribute to him.... {happy birthday babe...you are loved!} Happy Birthday Daddy from Melissa Beaver on Vimeo. {and yes we were in the closet...we were hiding from daddy so}{her happy birthday song could be a surprise for him}

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-85780539328956490932010-05-03T11:16:00.002-04:002010-05-03T11:18:50.241-04:00

Seriously....I do. When my alarm goes off on Monday mornings I think, ahhhh....my day. I get up early to shower and get dressed, make-up and all. I start the laundry battle and make a full pot of coffee. I usually hear the pitter patter of tiny three year old feet not long after I have made my way into the kitchen. She snuggles up on the couch to watch a show while I feed the little guy...nine

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-91771738678780090392010-05-02T00:34:00.001-04:002010-05-02T00:36:52.422-04:00

Enough said {wink}.

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-49961305896542163042010-05-01T09:57:00.000-04:002010-05-01T09:57:39.214-04:00

I'm not sure the path I took to find her blog (http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/), but I am so glad I did. Angie Smith is beautiful inside and out. She is on an amazing journey that she is sharing through her blog and now...(drum roll please) through her book... She tells the an extremely heart breaking, yet inspiring story of Audrey Caroline. I watched the following video this

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-6234640353358801572010-04-28T07:00:00.036-04:002010-04-28T07:00:07.568-04:00

"It's pretty much dry rice, cooked in the cheapest possible way, with a little water on top to make it go down easier."That was the description Chris gave of what the orphan children eat for three meals each day. These are the children that live in the Hope Homes (orphanages) supported by http://www.hopegivers.org/. Can you imagine eating rice for three meals a day, every day? Can you imagine

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-11717484528904983392010-04-27T06:56:00.001-04:002010-04-27T06:59:30.720-04:00

Sunday I got to interact with a kid (he'll be twenty next week) who has committed his life, at least for now, to providing for 10,000 orphans in India. He works through the ministry Hope Givers (www.hopegivers.org). His name is Chris and he spends December to April in India working with orphans and then comes back to the states to raise money, May to November, just so he can go back and repeat

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-37395932004644597572010-04-26T08:43:00.000-04:002010-04-26T08:43:15.356-04:00

Does anyone remember the theme song to oreo cookies?? I have a precious friend who has been a wonderful example to me in friendship, in being a wife and in parenthood. She makes something special out of everything. We are like-minded when it comes to the food our children comsume. So instead of giving our children cookies or candy every time they ask we save these sweet treats for special

melissanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-13056799190470114442010-04-22T06:59:00.000-04:002010-04-22T06:59:59.547-04:00

I just called to say...I love you. I just called to say...how much I care. Don't you just love it when you are having one of those days, weeks...er...months and you get a call from a friend? They just called to say they love you. They just called to say how much they care. Now they may not have used the exact words of Lionel Richie but the intent was the same. I love that I can choose to

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-62628740354289010752010-04-21T08:32:00.001-04:002010-04-21T08:38:21.733-04:00

...kings (things) on them" -Eisley That's what Eisley said when I told her that her Daddy was bringing her french fries. When she said it, I knew exactly what she was talking about. Yesterday we had french fries from Bojangles (yes we had fries two days in a row...I know, I know) and I said "I hate that they put so much seasoning on the fries." When she repeated what I had said, it was cute

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-15201451280971658892010-04-19T12:55:00.005-04:002010-04-19T13:02:13.879-04:00

Good Monday Morning! I am continuing with the theme set by Miss Tiffany over at A Moment Cherished, Momentous Mondays-cherishing everyday moments. Check out her bloghttp://amomentcherished.blogspot.com/  She is super sweet and very sincere about cherishing every moment with her children. You'll fall in love instantly! Eisley is on a major Little Mermaid kick these days. We have the Little

melissanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-44492029612349460902010-04-15T11:00:00.000-04:002010-04-15T11:00:01.807-04:00

I love memories. I love to hear my mom tell stories of her life. I find them fascinating. I've heard them more than once, yet every time I am captivated as she begins. Stories from another place and time intrigue me as I imagine I am there as they are taking place. She tells of a time when she decided to take a stroll down the road. She was all of three years old. A little blond-headed

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-55050610269708982242010-04-13T07:30:00.004-04:002010-04-13T07:30:00.443-04:00

Creepy, old, damp, dark...a perfect opportunity for a crime to be committed. That's the way I pictured the homeless shelter in our community. I was afraid to go for fear of what might happen. Obviously I watch way too much Law and Order. Friday was an eye opening experience. We arrived at a newly built beautiful brick building adorned with white columns across the front entrance. An amazing

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-89807803297028727502010-04-12T08:34:00.001-04:002010-04-12T14:23:05.713-04:00

Tiffany, at A Moment Cherished, who is a woman after my own heart that loves her family and wants to cherish every moment, is hosting "Momentous Mondays." Who doesn't love an opportunity to talk about their children?? So here is mine... Eisley picked up her first joke from a Baby Einstein video, I'm not sure which one. She says it exactly like the girl on the video...LOUD! It makes me laugh

melissanoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-66753451086312318112010-04-08T07:43:00.000-04:002010-04-08T07:43:53.510-04:00

Laughing with the hubs! Life can be so hectic with work schedules, church, family activities and a million other things. I get so caught up that I forget to slow down. Last night, I slowed down. Jacob and I watched, I love you man. Which, by the way, is a really cute movie about male friendship but totally got on my nerves with Paul Rudd's character. He was so lame! I just laughed every time

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-17963782134206775572010-04-06T08:17:00.000-04:002010-04-06T08:17:07.078-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days that I want to remember forever! I had the best time with my children. Not that I don't regularly enjoy my children. I do. Often times, though, I get caught up in the daily chores of life and find myself stepping over them more than engaging with them. So why was yesterday so great? In famous words of Bono...it was a "Beautiful Day." We walked around the

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-23486067299277791702010-04-01T07:30:00.004-04:002010-04-06T08:25:53.049-04:00

Blog, blogger, blogosphere...all of these words can seem very confusing to those unfamiliar...myself included. I discovered the blog world after my sweet husband convinced me to set up a Twitter account. I initially thought Twitter was extremely confusing and still do at times. The awesome thing about Twitter is that it introduced me to a whole new world of writers and creators that promote

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-26505961011732878802010-03-31T07:30:00.000-04:002010-03-31T07:30:01.184-04:00

Eisley sucks her fingers. The first two, backwards. It's adorable....well to me, it's adorable. However, she is three now and I know that this needs to stop. Her teeth are slightly crooked in front. Since, I had terrible teeth growing up, wore braces for five years and went through two surgeries I hope a different path for my little one. Jacob has perfect teeth so I am hoping she takes after

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-83232846639864703722010-03-30T07:30:00.003-04:002010-03-30T07:38:38.437-04:00

"The Earth Laughs In Flowers"Ralph Waldo Emerson Wonder what her little three year old mind is thinking? I didn't tell her to smell her flower. I didn't direct her pose at all. This is her. Eisley. Raw. Beautiful. Mindful. Wonderful. I stand in awe. What is beauty is your life right now?

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-32086147466074855682010-03-29T07:30:00.004-04:002010-03-29T07:30:01.029-04:00

I haven't published much lately as I have been feeling uninspired and possibly a little discouraged. Two weeks ago I was able to take eight sweet teenage girls on a weekend retreat in the mountains of North Carolina. We had a blast! We laughed and cried and shared and cared and grew together in our relationships with one another and God. It was great. I came home feeling super encouraged.

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-28456740031205571702010-03-25T09:31:00.000-04:002010-03-25T09:31:19.750-04:00

Eisley had her first soccer practice last week. Her BFF Preston is on her team so she was super excited! She did great...even kicked the ball around. However, she did resort to playing with sticks and twigs momentarily as I suppose most three year olds do. None the less it was a sweet family time to watch her from the side lines with Durgin while Daddy stayed with her to encourage her. We have

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-78370300719901927132010-03-19T21:42:00.001-04:002010-03-19T21:43:19.678-04:00

Allison at http://www.omyfamilyblog.com/ is hosting "week of books" where she has shared a week of blogs on the books she is reading with her precious baby boy. So I decided to link up and share what my little darlings are into right now. One of my sweet friends bought Eisley The Disney Princess  Collection Book for her birthday (Thank you Alison). We read at least one story from it per day.

melissanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-16329223994534808262010-03-18T20:15:00.001-04:002010-03-19T07:09:00.244-04:00

For a long time I have really struggled with the purpose of prayer and its place in my life. I see people pray and pray and pray and nothing happen. Or at least not what they were asking to happen. Recently a friend of mine lost someone to cancer. We'll call her Sarah. Now when my friend first told me about Sarah and her battle with cancer, I prayed. I prayed that God would heal her and that

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-60569564416374877272010-03-16T08:51:00.000-04:002010-03-16T08:51:33.704-04:00

The girls retreat this past weekend was awesome...well, once we finally arrived safe and sound. We drove to Boone Friday night. You would think, that's no big deal, right? WRONG!! Well apparently they are doing road construction on Hwy 321. And by road construction I mean road destruction and tearing into half the mountain. The roads were uneven and there were no lines painted so half the time

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-27077573889276243682010-03-16T07:53:00.000-04:002010-03-16T07:53:51.615-04:00

Once upon a time I had plans to be a doctor or at least a physician's assistant. However, now I spend most of my days coloring, making home-made playdough, chasing, squeeling, tickling and simply enjoying life with my two precious little ones and my amazing husband! And I wouldn't want it any other way. My journey began with my freshman year at Liberty University and then graduation from

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-22801254350507996132010-03-11T22:30:00.000-05:002010-03-11T22:30:25.585-05:00

"I spy with my little eye...." That's how our dinner time goes! We started playing this game with Eisley at dinner to go over her colors. She picked up the game immediately. We have had a lot of fun and tons of laughs teaching Eisley while enjoying precious quality time as a family! Hope you enjoy! A Colorful Dinner from Melissa Beaver on Vimeo. What are some of your favorite dinner time

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-83879837759799381472010-03-09T20:53:00.003-05:002010-03-09T20:59:10.944-05:00

I am preparing the final lesson for the upcoming girls retreat this weekend. The Title is "A Character is What She Does." As I am searching scripture and books I have read for some profound way to bring this home to the eight teenage girls I will be spending the weekend with, I find myself challenged. Over-the-top challenged. I've always heard when it comes to discipleship, "you can't lead

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-39091760371353162562010-03-05T17:36:00.000-05:002010-03-05T17:36:21.085-05:00

...that I was sixteen years old. Yet here I am thirty-two. Geez! And preparing for my first ever "Girls Retreat Weekend" with our youth. There are about eight girls going and I am thrilled to death that these girls would want to escape with me to God knows where for two days to listen to me talk about God knows what. As of right now they have no idea where we are going or what I am going to

melissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-66007985915930126642010-03-05T15:39:00.001-05:002010-03-06T08:41:31.792-05:00

This week I've been studying the life of Jesus. I am always amazed at the unconditonal love Jesus has for the people he encounters. In John 9 Jesus gave a man sight. The disciples asked whose sin caused the blindness and Jesus responds with something like no one's sin caused this. Things just happen. But God is going to be glorified through it. And then Jesus makes a mud pie and poof the man can

melissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-20717995135011164842010-03-04T06:54:00.000-05:002010-03-04T06:54:01.035-05:00

My husband I have given up all beverages except tap water in recognition of Lent. We are supporting http://www.bloodwatermission.com/ with the money we would have spent on coffee during the forty days. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my morning coffee and I have really missed it during the week. However, on Sundays, we get to have it. So I just had to take a picture of it this past Sunday! In previous posts

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-78985743979273788912010-03-03T14:26:00.003-05:002010-03-03T15:02:34.571-05:00

I watched the premier of the show Parenthood last night. I laughed and I cried. I am a huge fan of Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls so I was hooked first scene. The show is basically about four siblings doing the parenting thing. And it looks very different from one family to the next. The scene that stuck with me was the one where Lauren Graham's son wanted to go live with his dad but

melissanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-75101661731770939032010-02-25T11:04:00.000-05:002010-02-25T11:04:54.758-05:00

I totally stole this idea from another blogger...and cannot for the life of me remember what site it was. I will find it and I will link back. It's just going to take some time. I love to take pictures and am constantly trying to perfect my craft. So I am committing to keeping the camera out. I will be taking pictures daily and posting on Thursday the "Things I Love." No greater place to start

melissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516940342783727524.post-20600078683257752772010-02-23T08:01:00.000-05:002010-02-23T08:01:32.822-05:00

I love dinner time at our home! Tonight we had spaghetti or "baghetti" as Eisley says it! She took one bite and said "Mmm...this is tasty!" Laughter followed of course. During dinner we talk about our day and the things that went on. One of us always asks "Eisley how was your day?" To which she will reply, "My day was a bit crazy!" When we ask what she did during her day she says "I got to play

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