so random. and a blessing.

life around our house has been a little nuts lately.

i've captured a few moments here and there but, i've mostly been savoring every moment.

our kids are growing up so fast.
mckinley isn't a baby anymore.
jett will turn FIVE in a few short months.
jonah is reading like crazy. and loving every book!
jake is nearly TEN!

a few shots from the last couple of weeks...
straight out of the camera.
i have no time for editing.


jake fell asleep reading his book.
mrs. o'bryan and mrs. d would be so proud!


mckinley and i were supposed to be taking a nap.


she opted to have a mini photog lesson.
{i love that she shares my love of picture taking!}


we went to our life group christmas social on january 13 and got this bath spa as a "white elephant" gift.
joke's on the gift giver!
little did they know it creates hours of bathtime fun!!!
{check out all the bubbles that baby works up!!}






those slippery bubbles also make boo'boo's if children do not obey their parents.
mckinley got out of the bath and was told to get back in...she slipped and hit her neck on the water spout. OUCH!




daddy's not big on bringing home candy surprises.
he'd rather not rot the kids teeth.
so, he brings home princess towels for our princess and peanuts for our boys!
and he surprised us all with the new smurfs movie!

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i had an amazing thing happen in the commissary this morning.

as i was checking out i noticed an older man {old enough to be my grandpa} checking out his groceries. {we were both in the self checkout lanes}
hubs will tell you that i have a hard time not listening to other peoples conversations while i'm out and about.
i call it being interested...not nosy.
i'm a self-proclaimed "people watcher."

anyway, i heard the old man tell the cashier that he only had $40 and he needed to take a few things off of his bill.
ugh...my heart strings were being pulled.
the holy spirit was telling me to not allow this man to go home without his jalepenos and shredded cheese. {these were the items he was putting back}
i slid over in his direction and asked the cashier if i could pick up the rest of his bill.
she looked confused that i would even ask such a thing but looked at the man to see if it was ok with him.
he obliged.

here's where it gets good.

as i looked in my wallet i realized i only had $3.00 in cash but said i would pay his difference on my debit card.
all of a sudden there was a lady behind me saying that she had cash.
she asked how much he needed and handed me $6.00.
ANOTHER lady then said she had the exact change. 55 cents.

oy!
i'm telling you i wanted to burst into tears right then and there.

God was at work.
spreading His love.
allowing us three ladies to shine a light.

the folks who were in line behind us looked a little annoyed that i was taking up a register and helping this man instead of ringing my own groceries.
i did not care.
i was being called to do something greater.

and do you know what that old man said to me???
with the sweetest smile on his face he said, "the Bible tells us to share in each other's burdens."

indeed, it does.

Galations 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

i pray for more opportunities to show and share God's love.
He has so much to give!


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i pray you have a super-duper monday!

saturday giveaway. {#myblogspark}

Now that the ball has dropped and the confetti has settled, it’s time to consider how you will stick to your resolution for the New Year and maintain your weight management plan, without sacrificing on variety or the taste of foods you love. Thanks to Progresso®, you can have your soup and eat it too!

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___________________________________________________________

i was so excited to get this prize pack from progresso and myblogspark!



i'm not one to make new years resolutions...
anyway, it's been my last-nine-year-resolution to lose these pesky 40 pounds that were put on when i was pregnant with jake austin.

this year is THE year!

i WILL be using this dvd at least three times a week.
i LOVE that progresso has so many varieties of soups.
and tasty ta-boot!

ready to win a prize pack of your very own?

you MUST leave a comment telling me your favorite activity.

for additional entries {leave a single comment for each}

*follow me on twitter @jonahbonah*follow this blog via google friend connect --->
*follow me on instagram @jonahbonah
*leave a comment on any other blog post here at overwhelmed
*follow progresso on facebook

that's a total of FIVE entries!!!

giveaway ends january 31.
winner announced february 1.

good luck!

Disclosure: The Progresso® Souper You® prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

a-photo-a-day, day 14. something you're reading.

i'm actually in the process of reading three different books.

leaving by karen kingsbury

not a fan. by kyle idleman

and crazy love by francis chan

i have to say that they are all amazing books.

but, so far crazy love is taking the cake!

i urge you to RUN out and get it.

a-photo-a-day-challenge, day 6: makes you smile.

it's hard to pick just one thing that makes me smile.

i look around my home at all that God has blessed me with and see many many reasons to smile.

*my husband
*my children
*my home
*my chalkboard wall
*my vintage pyrex collection
*my couch that wears a duck tape "band-aid", in more than one place.

what i chose to document as what makes me smile is... my blog.


because over the last few years i've placed so many memories in this here blog.
so many good memories.
and they make me smile.

a-photo-a-day-challenge, day 5: something you wore.

if you know me you know i'm a jeans and t-shirt kinda gal.
i only get dressed up when i have to.
heck, sometimes getting into my favorite jeans IS dressed up.

i would love to change this.
i see pictures on instagram all the time of cute ladies all gussied up in their layered tees and rossette necklaces, a floral dress and boots...the list could go on forever of the outfits i would love to have hanging in my closet.

here on day 5, though, i was wearing something a bit different.
a smile.
one that went from ear to ear.

you see, i ran into goodwill to try to thrift some jeans for the big boys. {who seem to be growing 4 inches a day}
no trip to goodwill is complete without perusing the store for things you don't need castoff's that would look amazing in your home.

i am, at times, blown away by what people "throw away."

want an example???
i thought you'd never ask!

this, THIS was at goodwill!
i was thrilled at such a find.
but, at the same time bummed.
my first though was that hubs would never approve.
if i were to bring this thing home he'd have my head.

a record player/stereo AND mary poppins AND the sound of music???
why would he say no?

and then i thought i would just ask him.
i did still have a little bit of christmas money in my pocket, afterall.

he said YES!!!

so, that smile that i was wearing was because my always fabulous husband told me that i could own that 1970ish record player/stereo.
YAY!!!

i posted a picture of it on instagram and my cousin {hi, laurie} said it reminded her a lot of the one that was in our grandma and grandpa's house.
i thought so too.
we weren't allowed to touch thiers.
that's ok.
i have one i can play all day long if i want!!!

a-photo-a-day-challenge, day4: letterbox.

we don't call them letterboxes here in the united states.
but, the gal who created this challenge is from australia where they do call them letterboxes.
those aussie's have the coolest little language all their own!

when we say we're going on vacation an aussie would say they are going on holiday.
we call a stroller, well, a stroller.
an aussie calls it a pram.

pretty cool, huh?
didn't think you'd get a little lesson from this here blog, did ya?

y'all don't get too excited about this letterbox.


she's military issued.
she gets the job done.
she brings me the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to mail.
i'll keep her.
{for at least the next 5ish months.}

a-photo-a-day challenge, day 3: something you adore.

i thought on what i would post for this picture for a better part of the day.

of course, i adore my children.
all four of them.

i also adore my husband.

and my best girlfriends.

and my camera.
and my iphone.

i truly adore my grandma's wedding rings.
and her jewelry box.

i adore all of these things.

but, when i laid down with jett and mckinley for naptime the sun shone through the blinds in such a way that i knew i had to capture the moment.
forever put it on film. {or digital file. whatev!}



i adore my sleeping kinley.
and i adore my ever persistent jett.
{i might add that he stayed awake playing his new dsiXL instead of napping. thanks, grandma!}

**are you participating in the #janphotoaday challenge on instagram? it's not too late to join in. just download the instagram app, take a photo based on the daily prompt, tag it #janphotoaday. and then, follow me. {jonahbonah}**