Miracle on Avella Drive

WOW! Truly speechless. Today was Chavalah's follow up/brace fitting appointment. We walked in expecting to walk out with a new brace for her leg and walked out with NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you hear that?! NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God is doing some HUGE THINGS! THANK YOU for praying! Truly, this is miraculous. Her doctor looked at me and said, "You do realize today was her day to fit for a brace, right? Don't very often see this happen, I'm amazed, but pleased to say, I think her leg is healing and she still won't need a brace today." UNBELIEVABLE! Truly! He couldn't believe it! I also couldn't believe it! I had psyched myself up for a brace on that leg these last three months since our last appointment and was "over my pity party" about it and here God knew all along she wouldn't even need that brace because HE IS CAPABLE OF MORE THAN THAT!!!!! That's all I have to say! We serve a God of MIRACLES! PRAISE THE LORD!

Valentine's Day at the Baltzly's!

Our "first course."

Salad course.

Annual Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's!

WOW, this brings me to tears! My four favorite valentines!

Laine liked his cupcake!

Ezra

Chavalah was so intent on her cupcake. She doesn't like messy fingers, just like her brother and her Oma, so had a hard time picking it up! :)

I think she liked it! :)

Ezra's valentine from mommy and daddy!

Laine's valentine from mommy and daddy!

So, we didn't do a whole lot this year. I got the kids a cute little valentine each, I did my usual heart shaped Red Velvet cupcakes for the family and that's about it. Benjamin and I got a special dinner though the night before. It was FABULOUS! You can see from the pictures! :) My man was HAPPY! :) And so was I! I'll let the pictures do the talking! :)

Things I LOVE! (In honor of Valentine's Day)

Yesterday, as everyone knows, was "Valentine's Day." I was thinking all day yesterday of things that I love and thought I'd share a list with you so you can get to know me better. :) Although I think most that read this know a lot about me, but perhaps you will learn something new about me! :)

Here goes:

• Jesus
• Benjamin Alan Baltzly
• My children
• My mama!
• My God-given friends!
• Starbucks Double Shot Espresso over Ice, no classic, breve! :)
• COOKING
• BAKING
• ENTERTAINING!
• Naps
• Fondue
• Celine Dion
• PIZZA
• my nephews
• someone cooking for ME
• reading blogs
• HUGS
• Bible Study
• MOM'S home cooking
• board games
• COUPONS! :)
• Saving Money
• Author Karen Kingsbury
  

This is only listing a few things, I love LIFE in general, but these are a few specifics! :) So what's the scoop. Did you know most of this about me!? :) What DIDN'T you know about me that you learned from this list! Write me back in the comment section! :)

Catching Up

Been a pretty good couple of days! This week has been really busy! Have had numerous doctors' appointments for Chavalah, have had therapies, and lots of a few "extra" things. All okay, just don't particularly care for "busy weeks." Benjamin has worked ALL WEEKEND AND WEEK! Ready to have him home for the weekend! As is he!

Been busy firming up our reservations for our trip back to Iowa for Anissa's wedding! Getting REALLY excited! Super excited! Hard to believe we fly out 6 weeks from TODAY! Can it be real!? I was beginning to feel a little anxious about not having any place to stay reserved, etc. Also hadn't found a dress yet. Things are falling into place this week. We've now confirmed all of our hotels, and just today I stopped by a mall CLEAR NORTHEAST area and found a dress I really liked, but they didn't have my size. They looked to see if any other Dillards had it and they didn't. I was so bummed because I really liked it! It is REALLY HARD to find dresses that are DECENT! I mean, c'mon people. I'd like to wear SOMETHING to the wedding, not nothing! That's been frustrating. Out of an ENTIRE store, I find MAYBE 1 or 2 that are halfway decent, then to find the size. Oh well! So, today I came home and googled it! Not an easy dress to find. When I found a link that had the exact dress, I clicked on it only to find it had been SOLD OUT! Grrr. Did some more searching and FOUND one in my size! YAY! It's ordered, now hopefully it's right when it comes and the fitting is perfect! VERY excited.

Now, to find something for the boys! :) Then I'll be set!

French braided Chavalah's hair for the first time! SHE IS DARLING! Love this girl! Her hair is long, but just BARELY long enough for french braids. It was falling out about 2 hours after I braided it. It was fun though!

Have a wonderful weekend planned. Looking forward to it very much! Get to go out with my bosom friend tomorrow night, in the four years we've known each other, we've NEVER been out alone! We've always had our kids with us! So this will be a treat! Then Saturday there's NOTHING on the calendar except for a special Valentine's dinner that I've planned for my amazing hubby! The kids will be at something through the mom's group at church for a few hours and we're going to come back home and just have a nice quiet dinner at home together. Then Sunday is church and AWANA.

Probably won't have time to blog until Monday! Check back later! :)

Super Bowl Party

THE FOOD! :) NOT a Super Bowl party without it! :)

Banner above the tv.

The ladies! :) CLEARLY outnumbered the men! :)

Two of the many cuties. Juliet and Emma!

The Men!

Had a blast! Too tired to write about it! Thanks everyone for coming! Poor men were out numbered, but I think they still had a good time! :)

Alone Time!

Hair not looking the greatest, but at least you get to see I MADE IT TO THE TOP!

Benjamin works this weekend, so he had Friday off. Mom GRACIOUSLY came over to watch all three of our little monkeys! :) THANK YOU, Mama!

We left at 10:30. Stopped to get our favorite drinks from Starbucks on our way out of town, then went hiking South Mountain, Telegraph Path!!!!! It was GORGEOUS weather, and being outside was what we both needed in the worse way! I CLIMBED TO THE TOP! I was so proud of myself. Never climbed a mountain before. I FELT SO GOOD! My hips today are telling me something different, but nonetheless, mission was accomplished! The weather was low 70's. Perfect. After coming back down off the mountain, we stopped at a gas station for some water, then headed over to get some massages! WOW, those felt great after hiking! :) Each of us got an hour massage. Then we finished our time off by going to Paradise Bakery for a late lunch. It was delicious! Got home around 4:30!

Had a great visit with my in-laws last night via webcam! I think we talked 2 1/2 hours or so. All the kids got to see all the aunts, uncle, and grandma and grandpa! Very special. Gotta love technology!

Last night we ended our day with a movie. Just the two of us after the kids went to bed! Great day!

Today I've been preparing some food for a Super Bowl Party we're having at our place tomorrow night. Not a huge one, but some special friends. Cleaned up the downstairs. Set everything up tonight so I didn't have much to do tomorrow since there's church in the morning and the party starts at 4.

Good night for now! :)

I'm on a roll! :)

Our karate kid!

Granny & my sweet sweet boys!

How's this for a change! :) I used to be SO GOOD at this. Three little ones has been more and more challenging! :) But three days almost in a row of posts! :)

Today we had a special day with my sweet Granny! She comes to Arizona to see THREE of her daughters living here and stays and rotates between each daughters' home for about a week, then does it again. Usually stays between 6-8 weeks! WE LOVE IT!

I got her all to myself today and had so much fun! She keeps me laughing, she is an AMAZING Woman of God, and I don't know where I'd be without her. Certainly not here.

Both Benjamin and I had our physicals' done today to get our "Physicians Statement" finished in our re-licensing packet. I don't' know why, but I was procrastinating BIG TIME on getting in there and doing that and it was so easy and I literally feel so much lighter with that "huge task" checked off my list! It was so freeing. Odd, I know! :) It's the simple things in life! :)

I'm posting a few pictures from today with Granny and the boys, and Laine before karate class with his uniform on. :)