Dear restless heart

Dear restless heart, be still; don't fret and worry so;
God has a thousand ways His love to help us show;
just trust and trust and trust, until His will you know.

Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is Gods own smile,
His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile;
just love and love and love and calmly wait awhile.

Dear restless heart, be brave don't moan and sorrow so,
He has a meaning kind in chilly winds that blow;
just hope and hope and hope, until you braver grow.

Dear restless heart, recline upon His breast this hour,
His grace is strength and life, His love is bloom and flower;
just rest and rest and rest, within His tender power.

Dear restless heart, be still! Don't struggle to be free;
Gods life is in your life, for Him you may not flee;
just pray and pray and pray, till you have faith to see.

Edith Willis Linn

Tea time

With Aunt Erin and the teensy-weensy tea set...

Cuteness. Pure cuteness.

Discovery Center- Round 2

My sister-in-law, Erin came for a lovely 5 day visit. We took her to one of our favorite places- The Murfreesboro Discovery Center. :)

Prepare yourself for a little picture madness....

Such a fun place.

And so hard to put the camera away..

If I did, I would miss this. And that's just not like me.

She's super serious about the grocery store.

Painting with Auntie Ewin is always fun.

They loved the mini kitchen.

The boys had fun too. ♥

 

Resemblance

                                  Dads senior picture-1983                           Brothers senior picture- 2010                           

I had to share these pictures. It's to much of a crazy resemblance not too. The chin, smile and nose especially.

Things I love lately...

Proud faces.

Post nap faces. And sunglasses.

Upside down girl.

Beanies and squished ears.

  

When she walks up to me like this and says- "Can you see me mom?"

 
Finding a lovely string of drool on a perfectly cute picture.
See it?

Taking fun pictures. Of sweet girls.

Toddler bellies and cute lips.

Rain boot wearin, milk drinkin, cheek showin boys.

When she does this.

 Last but not least, this guy.

He is a fantastic daddy and an absolutely wonderful husband and we love him!

The scoop--

WE ARE MOVING BACK TO PORTLAND!! 

Just so you don't read this whole blog post wondering what on earth I am talking about...a "post-doc" is a 1-year entry level position that provides specialized training and assistance during the process of getting licensed. My husband has been talking about the Portland VA post-doc position for literally about a year and a half now, how it's such a good program, it would make us a lot closer to family, (2,001 miles closer I might add) and how it's just the perfect fit for him...yada yada yada. He ended up applying to 7 post-doc positions plus submitted his application to the California prison system to make sure he "cast a wide net" as he would put it, 'cause you just never know, really. The post-doc sites usually contact their applicants on the 25th of February to make job offers. But it didn't play out that way for us...

The line of events for my husband are as follows:

Feb 10th- Phone interview with University of North Carolina.

Feb 11th- Leave for Denver at 8am for another interview, arrive at hotel- 1 hour and 15 minute phone interview with Portland VA in his hotel room that evening

Feb 12th- Interview all day in Denver. PHONE CALL from Portland at 1 pm offering him the post-doc position, two weeks early! Alex accepts, cancels all his other interviews, hops on a plane and comes home.

Wow! Praise the Lord! I am so proud of him.

It all happened so fast and we're kinda still in shock. We're so happy to be moving back to the Northwest, although we will really miss our super nice neighbors, the fireflies, the big beautiful puffy clouds, and the thunder and lightning storms here.  And we (I) am going to be happy to get away from the miserable humidity in the summer and tornadoes. I don't like 'em one bit. Call me crazy. They say that April is the big tornado month so I'll keep yall posted.

Living in another part of the country has really made us appreciate the Northwest and all its beauty. Don't get me wrong, we have really enjoyed the south- southern hospitality is great, and Cracker Barrel is our friend. But we miss things like.....going to the coast, fresh seafood, good beer (my husband), delicious coffee, mountains in the distance, evergreen trees, Trader Joe's, Costco, Ikea, no humidity, and most importantly all our lovely family and friends.

Photography....?

By no means do I claim to be a photographer. However I will say that I am VERY interested in the idea of taking pictures. Good pictures. Especially of my kiddos. I absolutely love the idea of capturing those sweet expressions and moments of my kids. And taking neat pictures of iced over branches and big red barns when I can...

Having the title "photographer" associated with my name is fun but also very intimidating to me. I guess I feel like there are so many amazing photographers out there to say that I am one too just seems a bit premature.  I would absolutely love to eventually say that I am a Mom first and a "photographer" on the side. But for now, Ill just take pictures and edit them as I see fit.

Here are a few pictures I  took in and of Murfreesboro a couple weeks ago when we had our snow/ice storm.  It was freezing but absolutely gorgeous out.

 

Sad to think I only have 4 more months to take pictures in Murfreesboro....

Pooh cars and firetrucks

Bubbas little friend Xander came over (across the street)  to play.

They swapped cars and went on a little drive. 

"Bub look at momma!" "Smile!"

Nothing from John. 

All smiles from Xander.

Still nothing from John.

 Xander was smiling the second I got the camera out. I didn't even have to work for it. 

My kids on the other hand....

 

Cute, cute boys.

The tree God plants

The wind that blows can never kill
      The tree God plants;
It blows toward east, and then toward west,
The tender leaves have little rest,
But any wind that blows is best.
      The tree that God plants
Strikes deeper root, grows higher still,
Spreads greater limbs, for God's good-will
      Meets all its wants.

 There is no storm has power to blast
      The tree God knows;
No thunderbolt, nor beating rain,
Nor lightning flash, nor hurricane;
When they are spent, it does remain,
      The tree God knows,
Through every storm it still stands fast,
And from its first day to its last
      Still fairer grows.


                                                       -Selected

Snow ice cream

Snow ice cream.

   

If you have never had it I highly encourage you (whoever you are) to make it. 
Its super fun to make with kiddos, seriously delicious, and seriously cheap.

Ill show you how us "Pattersons" make it--

Get a big bowl and fill that sucker with freshly fallen snow.

And pour in your can of sweetened condensed milk.

The higher the better. 
See- the kids think it looks cool. 
Ok so do I.

Add a little vanilla extract. 
By the way- my husband took these pictures, didn't he do a great job?!

Give it a good stir.  They are SO ready to dig in.

 Almost done guys...

He couldn't help it.

I added a little heavy whipping cream.  It tastes better this way trust me.

 We ate our snow ice cream off the floor. And it was heavenly.

 Snow Ice cream recipe:

8 cups of freshly fallen snow

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place snow in large bowl. Pour condensed milk over and add vanilla. Mix to combine and serve and enjoy!

Murfreesboro winter storm

Our neighbor Letha wrote this on my facebook page: 

Can anyone point out the Northerners? Oh, oh, I can! There the ones out in the blizzard making a snowman while the southerners are rushing to the grocery stores. =)

I literally laughed out loud when I read that. Too funny.

 Yes. Our snowman has ears.

Sorry Frosty. But Hannah thinks you need pink polka dots.

 

Try it, I found it in a magazine- Give your kid(s) spray bottles full of water that's tinted with food coloring.  Clever right?!
Hannah absolutely LOVED "painting" the snow.  We even had some neighbor kids come over to check out our pink polka dotted snowman. :)

 

Bubba sized Frosty. 

With a milk-cup-lid-hat and everything.

Loved the snow.

Loved eating the snow.

We will never forget you, Frosty- from Murfreesboro.