They just LOVE their little brother!!
My little super models...I love this photo. We just quickly ran outside before bedtime and got some great shots. It's so nice to have a photographer around!! :)
Monday, August 8, 2011
Our sweet babies
They just LOVE their little brother!!
My little super models...I love this photo. We just quickly ran outside before bedtime and got some great shots. It's so nice to have a photographer around!! :)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
We are selling our house!!!
We have lived at in our home for over 3 years. In April 2008, we purchased the home and spent the next 4 months gutting and rebuilding. We have loved our home and have so many wonderful memories here but it's time for us to move to the next adventure in our lives.
We found that Story City is a very family friendly little town, with the antique carousel , the pool, a wonderful park a short walk away. We are located just 2 blocks from the elementary school, the high school and the McFarland Clinic. Our location is perfect! It's just a quick drive to Ames too. We are about 11 miles from North Grand mall, about 12 miles from Fareway and about 20 miles from Target!
The Roland-Story school district is one that many people speak highly of. We personally don't have much experience since we have young children.
The City Assessors web-site will not reflect the current value of the home. It was assessed at $152,00 in Jan. 2010.
Please feel free to comment with any questions or just email/call us! Thanks for looking!!
Phone Inquires: 515-230-2736
Email Inquires: 8178thStreet@gmail.com
Our freshly painted home. The front porch had been closed up about 40 yrs ago and while being 6 months pregnant I decided to tear it down:) We've had MANY neighbors stop and say how beautiful the home is now and that the colors are perfect!!
Our newly remodeled kitchen. The kitchen was gutted and rebuilt from the flooring up! I wanted our remodel to have a fresh new appealing feel but also to match the age of the home. The house was built in 1922. I also like homes to flow when you walk through them.
We decided to open up the floor plan by punching out the wall above the sink and adding lights. It brightens up the kitchen and I love being able to watch the kids play, converse with my guests, or look outside while in the kitchen.
Our dining room with all new fixtures, new paint, newly painted trim and new windows.
Our front living room, it's a cozy space but we love the big new windows, the refinished wood floors and the freshly painted trim and walls. All the rooms have ceiling fans except the dining room!
This is the view when you come in the front door. To your left is one of the 3 downstairs bedrooms.
The stairs to the second floor was fitted with custom designed railing. We decided to do stained poplar trim with cream doors for the master suite.
We added a new picture window in this little room that's just off the master bedroom. It can be used for many different things. Some ideas: a nursery(current use), reading room, office, TV room, dressing room.
Our master takes up the entire 2nd floor. The sq footage is around 860. We added a 3/4 bathroom, with room for washer/dryer. The bedroom has 2 closets and tall ceilings. The room doesn't have a door to it, it also can be used as a family room, a playroom, children's bedroom, a guest room. It's meant to be multifunctional but we keep in mind a "quiet place" for parents!
This is one of the 3 downstairs bedrooms. The rooms aren't very large but are ample space for bedrooms!
This is the downstairs bathroom. It was completely gutted and rebuilt also. The only thing that is original is the flooring, I love it!! Shower stall was added.
Our lot is 9,600 sq ft with mature trees,a fire pit and a wonderful garden space.
ASKING PRICE $149,500
We found that Story City is a very family friendly little town, with the antique carousel , the pool, a wonderful park a short walk away. We are located just 2 blocks from the elementary school, the high school and the McFarland Clinic. Our location is perfect! It's just a quick drive to Ames too. We are about 11 miles from North Grand mall, about 12 miles from Fareway and about 20 miles from Target!
The Roland-Story school district is one that many people speak highly of. We personally don't have much experience since we have young children.
The City Assessors web-site will not reflect the current value of the home. It was assessed at $152,00 in Jan. 2010.
Please feel free to comment with any questions or just email/call us! Thanks for looking!!
Phone Inquires: 515-230-2736
Email Inquires: 8178thStreet@gmail.com
Our freshly painted home. The front porch had been closed up about 40 yrs ago and while being 6 months pregnant I decided to tear it down:) We've had MANY neighbors stop and say how beautiful the home is now and that the colors are perfect!!
Our newly remodeled kitchen. The kitchen was gutted and rebuilt from the flooring up! I wanted our remodel to have a fresh new appealing feel but also to match the age of the home. The house was built in 1922. I also like homes to flow when you walk through them.
We decided to open up the floor plan by punching out the wall above the sink and adding lights. It brightens up the kitchen and I love being able to watch the kids play, converse with my guests, or look outside while in the kitchen.
Our dining room with all new fixtures, new paint, newly painted trim and new windows.
Our front living room, it's a cozy space but we love the big new windows, the refinished wood floors and the freshly painted trim and walls. All the rooms have ceiling fans except the dining room!
This is the view when you come in the front door. To your left is one of the 3 downstairs bedrooms.
The stairs to the second floor was fitted with custom designed railing. We decided to do stained poplar trim with cream doors for the master suite.
We added a new picture window in this little room that's just off the master bedroom. It can be used for many different things. Some ideas: a nursery(current use), reading room, office, TV room, dressing room.
Our master takes up the entire 2nd floor. The sq footage is around 860. We added a 3/4 bathroom, with room for washer/dryer. The bedroom has 2 closets and tall ceilings. The room doesn't have a door to it, it also can be used as a family room, a playroom, children's bedroom, a guest room. It's meant to be multifunctional but we keep in mind a "quiet place" for parents!
This is one of the 3 downstairs bedrooms. The rooms aren't very large but are ample space for bedrooms!
This is the downstairs bathroom. It was completely gutted and rebuilt also. The only thing that is original is the flooring, I love it!! Shower stall was added.
Our lot is 9,600 sq ft with mature trees,a fire pit and a wonderful garden space.
ASKING PRICE $149,500
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Psalms 64:5-10 ESV
They hold fast to their evil purpose, they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, " Who can see them?" They search out injustice, saying " We have accomplished a diligent search." For the inward mind and heart of man are deep!
But GOD shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads. Then all mankind fears, they tell what GOD has brought about and ponder what he has done. let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in HIM! Let all the upright in heart exult!!! AMEN
What an awesome, empowering truth that we can hold tightly too! God is mighty and those that have put their trust in Him and will be in Heaven with Him can claim His power in our lives and turn from the lies that Satan fills our minds with.
Go and be blessed!
But GOD shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads. Then all mankind fears, they tell what GOD has brought about and ponder what he has done. let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in HIM! Let all the upright in heart exult!!! AMEN
What an awesome, empowering truth that we can hold tightly too! God is mighty and those that have put their trust in Him and will be in Heaven with Him can claim His power in our lives and turn from the lies that Satan fills our minds with.
Go and be blessed!
Friday, April 8, 2011
M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I.
Jenny and I took the kids to the park with pizza!
It's been almost three weeks since we got back from our wonderful "working vacation" down south. Boy, did we have the time of our lives.
The kids played ALL DAY long. We've been cooped up in Iowa with cold weather so for them to be sent outside for the day felt like the were in paradise!! Townes jumped for hours on end on the trampoline with the boys, Finch chased one animal or another around the acreage. Though not all our time was spent playing, it was a great time of fellowship and growing as a family. We found that our kids were loving being a part of chores, bible time, and family togetherness. The trip came at a perfect time for our family.
Feb this year had been one of many trials and hardships, we were really fighting with the Lord for control. About 10 days before God opened the doors for us to go to MS, we finally allowed God to be ruler of all in our home. It felt like getting saved all over again, like opening the doors to the Lord's true grace to be illustrated in our lives.
1 Peter 1 : 6-9
" In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."
Peter addresses the church as aliens and tells us to conduct ourselves in fear during the time of our stay on earth. Wow, as many times as I've heard or read Peter it didn't hit me like this time. My salvation is clear it was bought with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Being part of this world, the worries, the lustful wants, the godless desires, seem to all take a back seat while I read this passage again. God's words spoke to me with power and authority, they are LIVING and Active and I want my life to reflect the power of His mighty Word. By God's grace, Danny and I were being pulled by the Holy Spirit at the same time, God didn't just want one of us he wanted us both.
As we learn more about God though the reading of His word and through prayer, we feel like He has lead us to rethink how we work as a family. So as all this was going on God allowed us to be able to get work to head to MS. What a wonderful blessing to be surrounded around our dearest friends that also happen to be our family. God knew we needed the fellowship and that we needed the windshield time to discuss our future as a family, pray, and fill our minds with His truth.
While we were in MS we got to be part of God's goodness and answered prayer for his dear children. We also have been learning about how much God loves us and wants to give us good gifts. In this case, the gift was of a 15 passenger van!!!! Read the whole story here...
God never said that following Him would be easy. Actually, didn't He tell us to take up our cross daily...that is what I'm learning that I need..hour by hour...day by day. God is good and faithful, I'm the one who isn't. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. What a joy it brings my heart to focus on that, that I'm serving the same God that Moses, Noah, David served and that He's unchanged!!!! Praise Him!
Hope you all are having a great week. We are getting all things ready for baby's arrival. Please pray for us and baby that we'll have a safe delivery!
Our little animal lover, Finch!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tidbits
Welcome back world into a little bit of my mind...which some days doesn't seem to be much at all :)
This week has been one of those that seemed like would never end or for lack of sounding repetitive like the winter would never end. So I tried hard to focus on the happiness around me. It was a bit of a challenge some days but I found that pursing joy was so much more fulfilling then filling in my time with "woe is me " thoughts. Not an easy task but needless to say a good one!
Several nights ago Danny was reading Finch's recent favorite book Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers. Which we had received as a gift and it seemed like a cute little book about babies and their families.
I put in Finch's book basket and she just fell in love with it. We have only read it 100 times in the last couple weeks when the other night...Danny says " Jess, come here and look at this. Their are two men with their arms around each other." I was a little shocked but thought it's just guys being friends, it's good to see men showing their affection. He answered " well, maybe but I think there is some hidden agenda here." We thought about getting rid of it but it is her favorite book so we just thought the best of it and moved on.
So that brings me to tonight, when yet again the book is being read and Danny says " You won't believe it, I just found two women in bed together in THIS BOOK!" This time we both knew it had an agenda. Appalled by the fact that it was so slight that we had read the book a 100 times without seeing it!!
What do you think of these pictures??
So quickly we googled the book and it was on a list of books for gay and lesbian parents! I was just so thrown off by the fact that we didn't even catch it. It just was a reminder to me that the Devil is always scheming, even when it comes to the minds of my young children.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
—1 Peter 5:8-9
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
-Proverbs 4:23
Learning to guard my heart and mind brings me to my next book :)
I've been reading an incredible little book called Well-Versed Family by Caroline Boykin. It's been such a GREAT read for me and a wonderful reminder of how much I need the Word of God all the time in my life. It's a simple, do-able book on how important scripture memory is to our lives especially the lives of our little ones. Joe White, an adolescent and teen expert says in his book, Faith Training. " Scripture memory is the single-most-effective life-shaping tool in a parent's toolbox!" That statement struck me to my core! I feel like much of my time is spent finding books about better parenting, reading blogs, or just plain"feeling things out" ...filling my toolbox with less effective less life-shaping tools. Kinda like filling it full of plumbing tools for a carpenter :) or just leaving it with enough room for a small-slightly-more-effective tool. Instead, I should be filling it with the Word of the Living God.
I'm so excited to be applying what I'm learning. The kids are eating up learning scripture, yes, even little Finch. I keep finding her saying things that she hears repetitively so I tried to teach her a verse and walla she learned it! It's just so precious to me to hear them speak the Word of God and to know that it's being impressed on their little hearts! Be encouraged that your little ones really do hear what we are teaching them and it is being IMPRESSED on their hearts.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
(4)Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! (5) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. (7) You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (8)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (9)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Be Diligent and Delight yourself in the Lord! God Bless!
This week has been one of those that seemed like would never end or for lack of sounding repetitive like the winter would never end. So I tried hard to focus on the happiness around me. It was a bit of a challenge some days but I found that pursing joy was so much more fulfilling then filling in my time with "woe is me " thoughts. Not an easy task but needless to say a good one!
Several nights ago Danny was reading Finch's recent favorite book Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers. Which we had received as a gift and it seemed like a cute little book about babies and their families.
I put in Finch's book basket and she just fell in love with it. We have only read it 100 times in the last couple weeks when the other night...Danny says " Jess, come here and look at this. Their are two men with their arms around each other." I was a little shocked but thought it's just guys being friends, it's good to see men showing their affection. He answered " well, maybe but I think there is some hidden agenda here." We thought about getting rid of it but it is her favorite book so we just thought the best of it and moved on.
So that brings me to tonight, when yet again the book is being read and Danny says " You won't believe it, I just found two women in bed together in THIS BOOK!" This time we both knew it had an agenda. Appalled by the fact that it was so slight that we had read the book a 100 times without seeing it!!
What do you think of these pictures??
So quickly we googled the book and it was on a list of books for gay and lesbian parents! I was just so thrown off by the fact that we didn't even catch it. It just was a reminder to me that the Devil is always scheming, even when it comes to the minds of my young children.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
—1 Peter 5:8-9
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
-Proverbs 4:23
Learning to guard my heart and mind brings me to my next book :)
I've been reading an incredible little book called Well-Versed Family by Caroline Boykin. It's been such a GREAT read for me and a wonderful reminder of how much I need the Word of God all the time in my life. It's a simple, do-able book on how important scripture memory is to our lives especially the lives of our little ones. Joe White, an adolescent and teen expert says in his book, Faith Training. " Scripture memory is the single-most-effective life-shaping tool in a parent's toolbox!" That statement struck me to my core! I feel like much of my time is spent finding books about better parenting, reading blogs, or just plain"feeling things out" ...filling my toolbox with less effective less life-shaping tools. Kinda like filling it full of plumbing tools for a carpenter :) or just leaving it with enough room for a small-slightly-more-effective tool. Instead, I should be filling it with the Word of the Living God.
I'm so excited to be applying what I'm learning. The kids are eating up learning scripture, yes, even little Finch. I keep finding her saying things that she hears repetitively so I tried to teach her a verse and walla she learned it! It's just so precious to me to hear them speak the Word of God and to know that it's being impressed on their little hearts! Be encouraged that your little ones really do hear what we are teaching them and it is being IMPRESSED on their hearts.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
(4)Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! (5) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. (7) You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (8)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (9)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Be Diligent and Delight yourself in the Lord! God Bless!
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