Love, Chaos and the Alston's

The business of life...

2009-11-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've sat down to update my blog! Pat and I have both been busy working and trying to fit in a few minutes of family time here or there which is not an easy task! Allyah is growing like a weed and will be 4 in a couple of weeks. I can't beleive how time flies...I look back at the day she was born...and even furthur back to when I found out I was going to be a mommy. I remember thinking "how in the world am I going to be a mother?" Life at that point was filled with a lot of questions and fear...but this little bundle of energy and pure joy has transformed my life...you no longer live for yourself but always thinking of how you can make yourself a better person to be a better parent! She's always making me laugh and coming up with these crazy things...the mind of a child is truly the best thing! Well...at least I wrote a couple of sentences...but it's late and I have to get bed tomorrow will be a looonngg day!!!

Ready for Spring!!

2009-02-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

I am so ready for spring! We had 40 degrees here today and it was great...but just gave me the spring fever! I bundled up Allyah and we went out for a little bit. She loved it and it just reminded me that we have so many more options for play when the weather is nice! So bring it on...I can't wait! The last post I had talked about starting this new cleaning job. It turns out that I have really enjoyed being there. It is a lot of work but the extra $ has been really nice and the people are extremely nice and appreciative of everything that is done. I have to interact with the nanny some too and she is great as well! So...God has provided for us once again. I don't know why that I doubt Him! My weeks are alot more full but we have been able to work it out so far. This past week another lady called wanting someone to clean for her every other week. So...I am at full capacity right now. I can't believe that I have all of this work with the economy being the way it is, but I am thankful! So thankful! We are going to be trying out a new church on Sunday. It is right around the corner from our house. I have been going to Agape in Marysville which is a 45 minute drive. I absolutely loooove going there but Pat is not so fond of having to drive that far so we are going to be checking out some churches that are close by. I'm not the kind of person that likes to go where I know no one. I like my little circle and comfort zone but I'm willing to try new things. If you think about us you can definitely be praying that God will provide a church that meets both of our needs and we both enjoy. I know that there is one out there! :) Well...I think that's about it for the updating this time. I want to get some new pictures on here soon. Until next time...
~Erica

Another day...

2009-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

Today is the start of another busy week in our lives. I clean everyday this week. I started a new cleaning job this week. It's a big one...I clean there two days every week. It's kind of different then what I'm used to. I am also doing the laundry and just other picking up kind of things. It is more of a maid position than anything else. I don't know how excited I am about it but I am thankful that God has provided the work for me because we can use the income right now!
We have been fighting "the sickness" around here for about a month now. It seems like as soon as we start thinking were all feeling back to normal somebody starts over and it recycles back through everyone again. I don't think we have ever battled colds and flu this much. It makes you thankful for health! This past week we have been at the pediatrician once and the urgent care twice. The last medication that Allyah was given (Amoxicillan) she was allergic too and broke out in hives. I think that we have that under control for now and are working on getting her ear infection under control!
Pat and I had a date night last night. We went to Rooster's and ate some wings and watched the Steeler's in the AFC playoffs. They won!! YAY!! So now we will be watching the Super Bowl on February 1st. Pat is particularly excited about this outcome! Ok, a little more than excited!

Lazy Saturday

2009-01-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

I'm having a lazy Saturday today! I have let myself go today. I am religious about cleaning my house weekly but Pat told me this morning that I need to learn how to relax and let things go sometimes. So...that's what I'm doing today!I slept in until 11 am!! That is ridiculous. I don't think I've done that since about 5 years ago. This week has felt extremely lazy. With being sick my energy level has been next to none. I had to muster up all the energy I had to clean two houses on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Yesterday we threw a surprise baby shower for one of the girls in my ladies bible study. It was alot of fun. We just took the morning and had a little spa station set up and just pampered her. She was totally surprised! After that I went home and picked Allyah up and then went and ran a couple of errands. So basically I was gone all day. Today I had full intentions of catching up on laundry and cleaning the house and all that normal weekend stuff but it didn't happen today and guess what, the world didn't stop spinning and I'm relaxed! :) Yesterday morning Pat surprised me with a dozen roses! That was so nice! It's the little things like that that can make your day and in my case it made my week! :) Allyah is still coughing and has a runny nose. This stuff seems to just hang on! My Mom has had it and yesterday my Dad started with it. We'll probably stay away from their house for awhile! Well...I'm going to get back to my relaxing...until next time! God bless!

The sickness!

2009-01-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

Well we have definitely had our share of sickness this week. Pat and Allyah had been sick about a month ago and I had managed to escape it then but I got hit with a whammy this past weekend. I am still not feeling that great and am coughing up a storm. Yesterday I thought that Allyah had pink eye, but Pat thought it was probably just a clogged tear duct with her cold but today I asked Mom about it and she said she has pink eye! So I think it's unavoidable! Which means...that it will probably course through the whole family no matter how hard we try to be safe. Ugh! I'm taking her to the doctor today. That is never a pleasant experience! She hates the doctor and cries the whole time. She does fine until we get into the room and sees the nurse then she loses it! :( Not fun! Most of the time I am close to tears by the time we leave. So if you think of us say a lil prayer! Tonight Pat and I are supposed to go out with my ladies bible study group for dinner. This is our belated Christmas/Valentines Dinner with our spouses. I'm not quite sure how all the details will work out with everyone's illness but hopefully we'll figure something out! And what fun is eating out when you can't taste anything! :( Well I need to get ready to get to the doctor's office! Praying for the best...

Pics

2009-01-05T08:29:00.001-08:00

I'm at home sick today. Yuck! I will be lucky if I have any lungs left after today if I haven't coughed them all up! :( Anyways...I thought I would take some time to post some pics from our Christmas at Mom's house.

Sitting Awake

2009-01-02T20:39:00.000-08:00

It's late (at least for me!)and I should be sleeping because I have to be up fairly early in the morning but I can't seem to get to sleep. I have too many thoughts running around in my head tonight. The past few days have been trying ones for me and filled with alot of mixed emotions! I have tried to turn them over to God and let Him handle them but I also keep trying to pick them back up again. Like I know better and like I can fix things on my own. Lately my blogs have been a way for me to kind of vent out my feelings and sort things out in my head. When I can write them down alot of times I end up having and "ah ha" moment. I have realized in the past week that being a stepmom is the hardest job that I have had to take on. I watched the movie Stepmom when it came out and I always thought how would I act if I ever were to be a stepmom? Well...now I know. I fail constantly and it is so trying on a daily basis. Everyone critiques you and when you think that you are doing a good job and have finally started to turn a corner and make some headways things erupt and you are right back at the bottom of the mountain. A couple of months ago a friend of mine gave me a card and in it she had written down a vision that she beleived God gave to her for me. When I first read the card I couldn't really piece that together but the past couple of weeks I never felt that vision to be more true! I have really been growing in my walk with God this past 6 months and He has been revealing Himself to me in some incredible ways. The vision was of me at an old well pumping water tears running down my cheeks but I didn't give up I just kept on pumping. That is how I feel tonight. I feel like giving up and saying oh well does it really matter? But it does. Do you think that Jesus said "does it really matter?" the night that he hung on the cross for me? Yes it did matter and yes it does matter for me tonight! One of my favorite songs is by Natalie Grant "I will not be moved!" and that is what I'm claiming tonight. I will not be moved from my purpose in this life. I will carry on and keep on climbing up that mountain! With God's help and his strength and grace I will keep on!

Created to be his Help Meet

2008-12-28T08:32:00.000-08:00

Today is Sunday and I decided to stay home from church today. I was so tired this morning that my bed won me over! (it didn't take much convincing) I am reading a book right now called 'Created to be his Help Meet'. I'm on the second chapter and it is really a challenging book to read. It's about being a helper to your husband and the biblical views of how a wife should be. Talk about a shock...I mean I was going along in my life thinking that I was a pretty good wife and that my husband just didn't appreciate everything that I did! Oh my how shallow my mind is! Ladies...let me tell you if you are married or are thinking about getting married you should pick up this book! It is a wake up call but in a good way. At times it's hard to hear some things but when they soak in and I can take some time to absorb them it's like a light turns on. Yesterday when I was reading I had a highlighter out and I was going to highlight things that stuck out to me but I think the whole book would be highlighted! :) So I think my church today is going to be tackling a couple more chapters of the book. So here's to a relaxing day! Tomorrow we are at Mom's to celebrate our Christmas. Just what the kids need...more toys!

Cute Words!

2008-12-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were getting some breakfast ready for Allyah and she said "can you make me a cheese grill?" Now I know that is probably only cute to her mommy but I thought that was so cute that I had to blog about it! Sometimes she amazes me with the things she comes up with and I have to wonder what all goes on in that little head of hers! Sometimes I just stop and look at her and it just washes over me again how grateful I am that God has blessed me with such an amazing little girl! She has changed my life and I look forward to going through each phase of her life with her good and bad! I pray that God molds her into a beautiful person inside and out. She will always be beautiful to me! Just recently my cousin and his wife lost their little baby (she was 7 1/2 months along) and then I also read of another family that lost their 3 day old baby. I have been somewhat emotional since and it has just given me a new appreciation for all the messes and the chaos that comes with a 3 year old! I truly am blessed!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-25T16:25:00.000-08:00

We got Bianka a My Twinn doll that was made to look just like her! It was really neat!

I decided that I should start a blog now that I know that I will be able to keep up with it. My most wonderful husband got me a laptop for Christmas! I was totally surprised! But, not only did he get me a laptop but he also surpised with an awesome new desktop! I about fell over! When he does something he definitely does it BIG! Our old computer was not a fun thing to be on the internet with! I would spend half the time waiting on it to load or do anything so I'm totally excited about having something that works! :)
So today is Christmas and for the first time I think in 26 years I have stayed home the entire day! It was just Pat, the girls' and I! It was a really nice change. The girls woke us up this morning around 6am and we went downstairs and they opened their gifts. After that they just played with their gifts and Pat made us a yummy breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and eggs! Then the girls played some more and then I made ham, mashed potatoes, and corn. So, it was alot of playing and eating and family fun! While I set up both computers, Pat played with the girls and helped them set up their toys and put them away. I felt extremely blessed today to have a husband who helps me like he does! His girls' are the joy of his life and he does anything and everything for them! I love him! If you know Pat he doesn't like to be around alot of people so today was a great day for him as well! I enjoyed it so much that I hope more years turn out to be like today! I just thank God for blessing me like he does!