274. Exercise after a 2 week break

275. Dinner with neighbors

276. Birthday gifts

277. Holy week reflections

278. Heart preparing for Easter

279. Kellan’s proud smile

280. Finally making call to get Marley’s birth certificate fixed.

281. Watching Jason play baseball with Gavin and Marley

282. Walk with Kellan

283. Bubble guns

284. Sunshine on Easter

285. Family dinner at Grandma’s

286. Charms

287. Quick line at airport security

288. Uneventful plane ride- all kids were good!

289. Cousins meeting at Laguna Beach

290. Park at the beach

291. New book for Marley- “One Love”

292. Medieval Times Dinner

293. Sweet rental car

294. Taken away by Disneyland…that’s a whole other list of blessings

295. First In and Out Burger

296. Orba Park

297. Got to sneak away for dinner and drink with Jason 

298. Courtney’s help on the trip

299. California sunshine 

300. Swimming at hotel pool

301. Angels game

302. A good night’s rest

303. Joovy Caboose stroller

304. First time at Chick Fil A

305. and cookie monster showed up!

306. Warm apple streusel 

307. Hertz drop off at airport terminal-made things sooo much easier.

308. Return flight home went well

309. To be home

310. Small boy saved from river

311. Small town support

312. Pulling weeds

313. Plants planted

314. sunshine filled weekend

315. BBQ

316. Kids enjoying time with Uncle Josh

317. Girls night out

318. Jason running to get coffee

319. Lunch at friends

320. Afternoon at park

321. Bumping into an old friend at the park today

322. Yummy crockpot dinner

323. Sleeping in until 8am

324. Kids catching frogs

325. Kellan is okay-thank you Jesus.

326. Nurse that helped today

327. Direction

328. Grace given

329. Forgiveness

330. Movies with friends

331. Grocery Outlet finds

332. Costco

333. Jason’s car

334. Longtime prayer answered

335. God providing a job for Ruthie

336. Seeing God work in a friends heart

337. Farmers Market

338. Meeting friends at Farmers Market

339. Kids playing in water

340. Clothes found at a store closing sale

341. Jason playing legos with kids

342. Kellan’s looonngg nap

343. DoTerra Essential Oils party

344. Toms

345. Another weekend spent outside

346. Kellan’s spunky personality showing

347. Energy to keep up with busy kids

348. A birthday gift received late.

349. Camping scrapbook from Terri

350. Tball games

351. cupcakes for coach

352. Jason’s determination

353. one hour for an important call

354. The ugly made beautiful

355. Contentment learned

356. Listening

357. Jeremiah 29:11

358. Lunch with girlfriends while kids play

359. Crocs….can’t believe I wrote that but seriously the easiest shoes for kids!

360. Clean clothes

362. Dress up clothes

363. Summer on the way…

181. The quiet time do to this.

182. Matching foot tattoos with Ali…”walk by faith” 

183. Restful sleep

184. Warm stew

185. First day of spring….newness

186. Growing, healthy kids

187. Dinner w/friend

188. Snow falling on last day of winter….

189. Heating pad for sore back

190. 30 minute massage- no appointment needed!

191. French toast

192. Courtney visiting

193. Azure standard

194. Norwex dusting mitt

195. Mom’s warm coffee cake..mmmm

196. Almond flour

197. Coconut flour

198. Kids playing nicely together!

199. Gavin’s buddies

200. Dress up clothes for kids

201. Hairspray from sister

202. Starbucks gift card from Nanny and Pa

203. Starbuck’s free drink certificate for birthday

204. Once Upon A Child consignment store

205. New, good recipes

206. Energy Bites

207. New puma’s!

208. Loud, happy kids

209. Radio in kitchen

210. DVD player in car

211. Comcast onDemand

212. One car- teamwork :)

213. green smoothies

214. Ninja Blender

215. God’s unfailing, unending love that never gives up

216. God’s direction…always seeking

217. Ruthie dropping off stick for slider track…makes me feel more safe :)

218. Baseball gift to Gavin from Karla

219. Volleyball games

220. Kellan’s long nap today..

221. Amy running to the store for me to get pedialyte …we’ve got the flu!

222. Cuddles from a sick baby…he’s usually waaaayyy too squirmy for cuddling

223. Pumpkin muffins made with almond flour

224. Gavin and Marley playing outside with neighbors…one of my favorite things to hear…

225. Garage for kids to play in on long, rainy days…

226. Ordered 1/4 cow…yummy, grass fed beef…healthy food for family makes me happy

227. strength from above

228. found pearl earring! …again :)

229. Finding an old picture of Ali

230. hot bath

231. helped person in front of me at grocery store pay for their groceries today. Thankful I am in a position to be able to do that.

232. Finally ordering pictures on SnapFish. 

233. Rearranged furniture

234. Tango…how much Gavin loves it!

235. 93.9 Radio

236. Visit from my college roommate Mandy! 

237. Library in downtown Vancouver…it’s awesome…

238. Meeting friend at said library

239. flameless candle

240. Gavin collecting money for homeless

241. Giving money to homeless

242. Gavin so curious about God

243. Gavin “reading” Bible stories….he’s learning!

244. Marley’s special weekend with her dad.

245. A new perspective on life. God changing my heart. New eyes.

246. Smile from sick baby- first in a few days :/

247. Flowers blooming

248. Sunshine for t-ball pics

249. Sharing a banana split with Gavin

250. long, quiet drive in the country

251. Jason and Marley home safe

252. Spring clothes from consignment store

253. New fiesta ware dish from Natalia

254. Toms shoes…buy a pair, give a pair…

255. hot baths

256. candles

257. rainy night

258. health restored

259. Katie’s pregnancy news

260. Change…I can feel it.

261. Hope for the future

262. Morning out by myself

263. new cut and color

264. Melting Pot for dinner

265. Long, uninterrupted conversation with Jason

266. Surprise visit from the Blodgett’s 

267. Tulips

268. Revive gift card

269. Birthday message from my Grandma

270. Airline miles

271. Gavin spent a few days with his cousin Brody

272. Birthday gifts received…

273. Love given…love received…

94. visit with an old friend

95. fun afternoon with girlfriends and kids at Bauman Farms

96. Warm sunshine on my face

97. perfect song at perfect time

98. prayer group

99. learning to trust more

100. freshly bathed babes

101. new bath toys

102. filtered water

103. a clean house

104. chocolate wine

105. clean sheets

106. hot, un-rushed shower

107. peanut butter cookies fresh out of the oven

108. a husband who works hard for his family

109. i can be home with my babies

110. “let it go….”

111. a friend’s perspective

112. baby legs

113. warm sweatshirt on windy day

114. a weekend away with my man…(and the baby) :)

115. living so close to the oregon coast

116. the smell of the ocean

117. a break

118. breakfast at a cute coffee shop in manzanita

119. one hour massage

120. shopping at the outlets

121. baby tylenol for teething baby

122. encouraging conversations

123. a connection

124. a good morning i love you text from traveling husband

125. God’s guidance and peace

126. Grandmother spending the weekend with the kids so we could get away

127. playroom for kids to play in.

128. space in our house

129. our home

130. a recited bible verse from gavin

131. friends to pray with

132. my faith

133. new baseball shoes for gavin- almost t-ball time!

134. pinterest

135. iPhone

136. Fiestaware

137. toaster

138. red shoes

139. green lights on

140. bedtime stories…precious time

141. marley love

142. kellan crawling -2.12.12

143.  kellan’s new tooth. -2.24.12

144. clearance clothes

145. an easy trip to the dentist

146. health insurance

147. library books

148. dinner out

149. sore muscles from a hard exercise

150. playing volleyball again

151. family birthday party- love time with family

152. hearing gavin pray

153. mom’s curry chicken

154. flowers left on doorstep.

155. outback takeout

156. a quiet conversation on the couch with gavin talking all things little boy.

157. jason home safely from work trip

158. small group

159. meeting neighbors

160. parents celebrating 41 years of marriage…awesome

161. jason painting our office

162. new desk for office

163. spin class

164. ymca

165. sink full of dirty dishes-we have plenty.

166. strong coffee

167. a quiet day at home

168. shelter from the cold

169. warmth

170. reflecting on what God has done-trust for the future.

171. music

172. diaper bag

173. a new direction

174. change

175. hope

176. distraction of washing machine…we have one that is working

177. warm blankets

178. sonicare toothbrush

179. companionship

180. goodnight kisses

I am dedicating this little blog in 2012 to taking the Joy Dare. You can read about it at www.aholyexperience.com, but the the goal of the dare is to record 3 gifts a day for the entire year. I finally finished reading Ann Voskamp’s book, “One Thousand Gifts” and am inspired to give this journey a try. I started  a list of “gifts” on my handy iPhone when I first started the book but for the sake of following this dare..I’m starting the list over. I wonder what my 1,000th gift will be? Here goes- January’s list…

1. My height

2. Empathy

3. Wisdom

4. Peppermint Mocha Creamer

5. Burning candle given to me by a dear friend

6. Disposable diapers

7. Chap stick

8. Abulie (our sponsor Child from Ethiopia)

9. A family to love

10. Fresh fallen snow

11. Snow days

12. Snow clothes

13. My Bible

14. Security in Christ

15. Gavin’s preschool teachers

16. Mom’s gluten free red velvet cupcakes

17. New prayer journal and matching pen

18. Sunshine pouring through windows

19. Kombucha starter

20. Our chest freezer 

21. Quesadillas

22. Chocolate Jason brought home

23. Jason

24. Macy’s gift card

25. Butter

26. Yellow bar stools

27. Electricity

28. Dirt for digging

29. radio

30. Coffee brewing

31. dishwasher

32. Washing machine

33. A beautiful sunrise

34. Circle of friends

35. Crock pot

36. Nursing Tanks

37. Baby Carriers

38. Skinny Jeans

39. Boots

40. A friends birthday party

41. The drive-thru at starbucks…or anywhere for that matter :)

42. YMCA!

43. Coffee with a friend

44. A 10 minute massage

45. Kellan’s giggles

46. Marley’s giggles

47. Gavin’s giggles

48. Tacos

49. A smile from a stranger

50. The care of another

51. Sweats

52. A starry night

53. Heat

54. Car

55. Home

56. Health

57. Relationship with Jesus

58. Generosity

59. Our California King bed

60. A playroom in our house

61. Heavy whipping cream

62. Family visiting

63. Compassion

64. Sweet baby smell

65. love…

66. Nursing going well

67. Brothers

68. Sisters

69. Ali

70. Adalyn

71. Nieces and nephews to watch grow…

72. Vancouver Mall on a rainy day

73. Pinterest

74. Health! ..again..but just so thankful for it.

75. A quiet afternoon

76. Kellan snoring

77. Sweat

78. Book- The Power of A Praying Parent

79. Book- One Thousand Gifts.

80. Salvation freely given

81. God’s grace

82. God’s mercy

83. God’s redeeming love…not by us

84. A new perspective

84. Helping hands

85. Scentsy

86. A covered patio

87. Clean floors…

88. Dishes done by my husband..

89. A good meal

90. Energy bites.

91. My Mom

92. My Dad

93. Great neighbors

nothing to say. You know what I mean. All poured out but…my cup runs over. My heart is full. Been learning so much lately but there is a traffic jam in my brain. So much in there but it’s stuck and needs to find a way out. It will come. Ya dig?