adventures when ruckels renovate: His glory in our story

if you haven't heard the news, we are renovating a foreclosure. you can see how crazy we truly are by checking out the before pics here.

i know i keep joking about how crazy you all must think we are for this undertaking, but can i just say, what is one man's crazy is another man's call. here's the deal, i want to share how awesome God has been in this process & also want to encourage you today. this is by no means an outlet to brag about what The Lord has chosen us responsible for, but what i want is to show you how His faithfulness spans time...His time,

when it comes to where our family will live, it's always been in God's hands. what i mean by that is, that's the nice way of saying that we've trusted & waited...and waited & trusted. every house we've lived in has had a story of God's crazy miraculous timing & plan. we've had houses pulled off the market for us, we've had offers rejected, we've had shortened timelines, extended timelines & favor.  if you want details on those adventures, check out these stories.

the purchasing of this house seemed quick to some, but honestly it is a dream that has been brewing in our hearts since we got to Florida 3 years ago. there were so many small details that had to line up for us to even find this house, let alone buy it. like the fact that my parents came to live with us just last year & before then we would never have needed a house this large. or the fact that it is a fixer-upper. now i love HGTV as much as the next girl, but i know those houses don't find that kind of beauty during a commercial break. over time, the desire to have a home to make my own has grown {and so have my children}. still, when reality started to set in about the amount of work on this house, my doubts began to grow bigger.

then The Lord reminded me that He had set this house apart FOR US by opening my eyes to some things in the natural...

like how it resembled our sweet little house in VA...the single dormer & the right side extends

 

the molding in the living room being the same as the built-ins in  house VA...the one on the top.

and this green color that showed up under all the wallpaper & trim, that was the same color that was in our first home  & then we painted our old living room the same.

and here's the kicker...the roof got replaced {thats the new roof in the top pic} & the septic tank is getting fixed...and we aren't paying for either.!! those were 2 high cost items that The Lord took off of our plate and eased my anxious heart of the amount of work. now if you asked my dear husband who is caring the burden of doing the majority of labor {after he is done with his workday}, he may answer you differently.

as a woman it's hard to not know where to make your "nest". trust me, the nesting instinct is real! in the time you may be feeling in limbo & yearning for the next step or place, refocus that yearning towards the One who is ALWAYS faithful. seek Him & what He has for you where you are, not a pinterest perfect house. i have learned to not only live with what i've got, but to enjoy & be thankful for it.

nothing that i have is mine.

it's all been a gift given to me & i will steward what i have, for as long as i have it. you give honor where honor is due, and that is how we honor The Lord. that is how you find favor in His eyes.

the adventure when ruckels renovate: before pics

so i'm back...
life has changed...a lot, but let's just start with whats happening now...

we've moved here, there & everywhere. it's been since 2011 that we've owned a home but that's all changing. we are putting down some roots! we have a house folks!

we bought a foreclosure via the site hubzu. it was...a process to say the least. we didn't have the smoothest experience, but it also wasn't the worst according to horror stories we read. {i'll share more on that experience later.}

here's the deal: we've got matt & i, the 4 boys, my parents + 2 dogs to fit in a house. we have been searching for a property to buy since we moved to florida almost 3 years ago. but the timing, finances, and perfect house just weren't lining up, including getting beaten to an offer on the house we thought was gonna be the dream house. we expanded the search to include a small portion of the next town and there it was in all it's abandoned, run-down glory.

she fit the budget, so we went to take a gander & thats when we all went into varying forms of shock. there was excitement, awe, amazement...and mold. yep, you read it right, MOLD! in fact, almost an entire ceiling of a room was on the floor. the carpet and some of the rafters were growing mold. despite the mold, the house could be an amazingly perfect fit. literally it had all the things on our must-have list & a lot on the dream list as well. even the boys got their wishlist items which included: stairs & a pool.

we sat on it. we prayed about it. we did our research & read reviews. we stalked the auction site like y2k was about to happen. and then we did this weekly for a month before we finally won the auction & set the ball in motion to close. and close we did! we closed on the house december 29, 2014 & set straight to work!

don't worry! before all the work began, we snapped plenty of before pics. the ones below are just a general overview of each room of the house {from the appraisal}. i've got other pics to post as we go room by room.

now for your viewing pleasure, i present our house on Forest Rd...

the front view. i think the middle shot is her best side.

 the rear view. and for reference, yard on 1 side of MIL suite & pool on the other.

 top 2 pics are of the master/office combo. it's all one big room connected with wooden accordion doors. i know you're jealous, but stop. i'll send them your way when i take them out. 

middle right: that's side A of the beast of a fireplace

bottom row: side B of the beast. it's 2 fireplaces, not the see-through kind.

 and bathrooms. there are 6 of them. all have wallpaper.

 not one has a double sink...and only 2 currently have a sink at all. 

 here is where there was once a kitchen. 

top right: former garage turned utility room.

middle: mother-in-law living room...aka MOLD & bedroom

bottom: boys bedrooms upstairs

 top: these look like 2 rooms but really, is just one giant one split by a weird wall

middle right: florida room

here's a generalized floor plan to help get your bearings.

see! told ya she's perfect! never in my life did i think i would live in, let alone own, a house this large. but i will share all the God ways that made it happen in another post soon. 

for now, just be relieved that we know we now classify as "your-crazy-friends". 

but you know what i say...life is always adventure! come join in on the fun! 

{yes i will slowly be resurrecting this old blog...hopefully updating/beautifying it too}

adventures in 2nd law of twins

so the tone of this space has been a little unintentionally heavy lately...good but heavy.
so i'm gonna lighten things up a bit.

i previously wrote this post on the 1st law of twins. so this is my follow up & addition to.

while i was away MIA this summer tending to my boys...it was mainly because i was experiencing what i call the 2nd law of twins. what is it you ask, let me share.

2nd Law of Twins states:

you cannot have one twin without the other. 

especially if pertaining to, but not exclusively limited to,

A. if there is a mess to make

B. a lap to be sat upon

and because pictures are worth 1000 words, please review the following as proof in defining this law.

disclaimer: no twins were hurt in or during any of these events

see!
y'all these were just pictures i snapped in a 2 month time period. when i said this summer was busy taking care of my fam...now you understand i was just cleaning up the trail these 2 left behind.

these 2 have gotten in more trouble than my older 2 ever did at this age.
some may call it teamwork...
but in our house we call it the second law of twins.

it's not about me...except for when it is pt. 2

matt & i had the privilege of attending a live Love & Respect Marriage Conference at our church this past weekend. and no we aren't having marital problems. Marriage conferences are meant for more than just healing the broken relationships. we had read the book during premarital counseling and this was a great refresher course. because while 7 years isn't an exorbitant amount of time, its just enough to think that maintaining the status quo is enough. but i don't want just enough out of life or my marriage.

these are the basic sections they spoke about:

• we were created male & female, equal but different. and different doesn't mean wrong.
• the crazy cycle: without love she reacts without respect. without respect he reacts without love. 
• the energizing cycle: his love motivates her respect. her respect motivates his love.
• the rewarded cycle: his love regardless of her respect. her respect regardless of his love.

like i said, it's one of those "back to the basics" kinda deals. and i find that we all need those every once in a while because when we revisit them, there's always a new a-ha! moment. and while dr. eggerich had lots of insightful things to share on loving or respecting your spouse, my eyes were definitely opened in a new way, to my sons. you see i'm surrounded by males...out numbered 5:1. so it suddenly clicked that this respect thing is just about loving my husband, it's also about loving my boys.

we even got a date & a night away with friends.

while i think there definitely different ways to show love & respect {the 5 love languages}, i think that it still just boils down to how we were created, male & female. when teaching, correcting or discipling my boys, i need to make sure they feel respected so that they receive it. i want my boys to grow up feeling honored & knowing how to love. because one day they will find they actually like little girls and then they'll grow up & marry one. i get that there will be crazy & over dramatic girls that will come {& hopefully go}, but my hope is that their standards are so that they know someone who can & does respect them. ya following me?!

our marriage & families are our original communities. it's definitely a time in dealing/creating community that starts with you. it requires me to be intentional here at home & in my marriage in order to be role models for our boys. the fruits of {the labor of} my marriage may not be reaped until much later, but when they are, it'll so be worth it. to have sons who know how to love & to have daughters {in-law} that respect my boys. because as a momma, isn't that one of our biggest goals in life?

how are you respecting your husband & sons?

DWC worship staff & wives.
i fully realize this is what my future family pictures could look like.

it's not about me pt.1

it seems as of late i keep hearing the message "it's not about me." and while part of me says "i get it. i get it!" but He keeps sharing it, so obviously i'm missing something...missing the bigger picture here. when we are self focused we can't see what God is doing around us. and when we can't see what He is doing around us, we don't know how to fall in line with what He is calling of us where we are.

it's like when we go to get an eye exam. for those of you who have perfect vision, let me explain what happens.
the doctor places varying prescription lenses over your eyes asking you to tell them when it's perfectly clear. and while with some you can't see anything but dark blobs, others allow you to see some shapes...they would allow you to function to some degree. but once that perfect prescription lens hits your eye, everything makes sense. it goes from being able to just see the outlines & shapes to being able to make sense of what those things are & how to continue on.

i think that is what God is trying to tell us. when we focus on where we are, we have limited vision.
if you focus on yourself or your personal struggles or how YOU are going to take care of something, it's like walking around with glasses that are just good enough, but still make you squint. you can function just fine. and we function that way because we don't know that there is something better for us.

but the Good News is that He does have something better for us.

i remember when my best friend got her first pair of eye glasses as a child. {well, maybe not the exact moment like she does, but i've heard her recall that day often.} and how when she put them on, she realized that trees were actually full of leaves and didn't just look like the lollipop trees we drew in elementary art class. she could see & her clear sight brought her better understanding. see how that works? clearer vision brings understanding to where you are. afterall, isn't that what you are trying to figure out?

i realize that this is one of those simple ideas that comes with lots of layers. so stay tuned for more...

but today what are you so focused on that you limits your vision of greater things?
instead of throwing yourself a pity party or trying to get yourself out of a fix, stop. focus on pouring life & love into someone else today. and wait to see how God restores your vision & understanding.

an update on my scare with breast cancer + a winner

if you've been around at all during the past year, you may know of my breast cancer scare.
over the past 11 months i have had 4 mammograms, 2 biopsies, 1 surgery & lots of doctor appointments. and in the end, it wasn't even breast cancer.

in late august i had the 2 masses removed. 1 because it was...well, pre-cancerous. and the other was just large. while it was the first time i'd undergone surgery {besides the c-section with the twins}, it all went well. and in the end, the masses were still benign. thank you Jesus!

and while i'm cancer free...
my heart goes out to those who have to endure so much more.
chemo. sickness. shaved heads. wigs. fear. shots. lots of doctors. multiple surgeries. headaches.

at this moment in life, i know 3 women that are fighting with all they have to beat this ugly disease. y'all, 3 women that are directly connected to me...connected so that i can help carry that burden for them. and that burden is heavy. {even though it was only a day, i know it's weight!} and the only way i made it through was on the powerful prayer of others. i pray that their hearts are filled with peace & grace. that they feel & see that God has a larger story in play. and that He might be glorified in & through them.

today as a part of SheReadsTruth {an online devotional community}, we started the book of Phillipians. and it starts with a bang! Paul being held prisoner & yet pouring his heart out to encourage others. that's just powerful. if Paul can love despite his chains {both physically & spiritually} we can too. but here's the kicker, in verse 9 it says that we can love well despite our chains, but we can love MUCH if we have a kingdom focus instead of a self focus. so let love flourish by taking your eyes off your circumstances & focus on God's bigger story!

WINNER OF THE STELLA & DOT ODYSSEY RING...

JEN CHAPPELL...
who commented on my instagram feed due to technical difficulties here,

earrings are her favorite go to piece of jewelry. 

congrats jen! 
you have 24hrs to contact me with your address so i can send you your new ring!

everyone deserves some sparkle + a giveaway!

as i mentioned in this spring, i joined Stella & Dot. 

and i've been loving it and all it has to offer me!

awesome company. awesome product. awesome community. awesome opportunity.
{and i'd say awesome again, but it might start to lose it's sense of meaning.}

as a stay at home mom, it's totally easy to get lost in the non-glamourous life of dishes, diapers & making dinner. but that doesn't mean that we have to dress the non-glamorous part!
i have a pretty straight forward & versatile wardrobe.

and the easiest way to mix up any outfit is with accessories.

i wore this tank, skinny jeans, colored sandals {remember i live in florida} & some bangles to a school carnival & Chickfila last friday night. glamourous life, i know!

i think we all need a little something pretty to put on with our daily uniform of jeans & t-shirts. 

if you haven't worn anything besides your wedding rings in a while, go dig those baubles outta your drawers & give it a try. 

seriously, you'll be amazed at what it does to your outlook on the day!

nothing pretty to wear you say?! well THAT i can help you with!

 i'm offering my 1st giveaway on this blog!
and i'm giving away this beauty...

Stella & Dot Odyssey ring in Labradorite

silver & natural labradorite stone. adjustable band fits size 5-9. lead & nickel free.
and that's my little sister showing off her ring. isn't she cute?!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Giveaway is open from Friday, Oct. 19 thru Sunday, Oct. 21.
please leave a comment below for each entry
all entries will be numbered and a random winner will be announced on monday
the winner will have 24hrs to contact me to claim prize.

so let's get down to it...here's how to enter:

1.Answer this question...
when it comes to jewelry, what do you wear most often:
earrings, necklaces, bracelets or rings? {1 entry}
2. follow this blog via Google Friend Connect {1 entry}
3. become a fan of Adventures with 4 under 4 on Facebook {1 entry}
4. follow @kristiruckel on twitter {1 entry}


good luck to all!

hello to a new season! and i don't mean fall...

The summer has long come & gone. Although here in Florida we are only just now catching glimpses of fall weather. like wearing jeans during the day doesn't make me sweat bullets anymore.

The summer months were definitely a busy & full season. But the biggest chunk of our time has been our transition back into full-time ministry. Yep. No more sales job for matt. And back to single-parent Saturdays & Sundays for me. But this round we are feeling more content in knowing it's where we are meant to be.

It was definitely a process, one that the hand of God was truly evident. I'm always amazed at how perfect His timing is and how He prepares our hearts even if we aren't always aware at that moment.

When we first visited the church back in January, I saw a table in the lobby for the Emerge Leadership Academy and told Matt that it would be perfect for him. He loves playing music, but he is most definitely called to discipleship...mentoring others and discovering & developing their gifts. While I just said it in passing, it planted a seed in both of our hearts. 

Through a crazy list of happenings, here we are again in full-time ministry. Matt is currently a worship leader/band director at our church & the Co-Director of Emerge. It's been an awesome time of being stretched & used, developing new relationships & putting roots down. This place is home and that feels soooo very good. 

Matt leading worship last weekend.

While Matt was more than ready for this transition, I was a bit hesitant. I know the irregular hours, the tightly budgeted lifestyle, and the extra events that come with being on staff at a church. But the Lord has been re-directing my heart back to Him & His people instead of my own selfish desires. I'm finding my middle ground between my ministry being my family & my family being there to do ministry. 

In August I attended a Dare to Be event at our church with Natalie Grant & Charlotte Gambill. It rocked my world & readjusted my perspective to a completely different angle. {If there is an event near you, GO! you won't be disappointed!} While these ladies were here to minister, they had traveled with their families for a little vacation. After all  we do live in a vacation paradise. Charlotte, in speaking to one of her kids, said that we go to church to help fill others up & in that we are filled. While that may sound selfish to some, it was so reassuring to this tired & drained momma. Because when we go to church, I'm corralling, feeding, dressing & buckling in 4 kids by myself. That is exhausting! But knowing that because I go and let the Lord use me, He will renew my strength. And in the mean time I get my heart filled to overflowing with grace. 

So now both Matt & I are walking in a place where we are called to use our gifts for the Lord on a regular basis. What more could we ask for?! When we are faithful with the little, He gives us much...even in time & rest. I feel like the women the Bible talks about in 1 & 2 Kings who have nothing "except a little". And God takes that except & makes it exceptional. 

seriously. read it!

TRUTH: 2 Kings 4:1-7

The woman only had a little oil to give, but out of her obedience & faith she gathered all the oil jars from her neighbors and poured into them. She then sold the oil & was rewarded for her obedience, not just to cover what debts she had, but with extra to live on. Only a gracious God can orchestrate something like that.

Where & how are you trusting God to make your "except" into EXCEPTIONAL?!

psst! stay tuned for a giveaway tomorrow! you won't want to miss this!!

fanning a flame deep within my soul

i've been gone...for a while now. {sorry.}

truthfully, i'd lost the vision for this little space here. or rather, maybe i was just fighting it to the death. trying in vain to hide from things so deeply rooted in my soul that it was just easier to shut down rather than to try to avoid it while writing. ya know, cause out of the heart the mouth speaks...or the fingers type.

but it's been welling up lately. it's caused a restlessness in my soul. and as my pastor said a few weeks ago, "the enemy uses restlessness as a means to kill, steal & destroy our souls." as i tried to squelch it, it surfaced in other areas. until it flat out hit me in the face a couple of days ago when i realized that all of my efforts had failed.

the Lord creates us all to work together as the body of Christ, each performing unique & equally necessary roles. and what you are created for, you can't escape. {sorry.} it eventually leaks out without you noticing. that's exactly what happened to me. the Lord began to whisper names of friends into my ears. i reached out to each person via a text, phone call, social media, etc. leaving each of those conversations feeling complete & encouraged. i immediately began to think that i was just lonely & longing for more intimate friendships. wrong! i realized that loneliness was just the mask the was covering my restless soul...truthfully, my soul that was longing to use the gifts that God had created it for. as i reflected on these conversations i realized that He had used me to speak life & truth into hearts. even though i didn't try to "use" my gifts, He sure as heck did!

exhortation..

speaking truth in love.

communicate. challenge. comfort. console. cheer on. counsel. community. conflict. choices that are God-honoring.

ya wanna know the funniest thing, i'm totally an introvert.
i'm an introvert & God has chosen to use me with a gift of communication. i mean seriously?! i have to stretch outside of myself & my cozy little comfort zone so many times in just pure obedience. like the "i'm tired & i don't want to but i'm gonna do it anyways" kinda obedience. but when i feel something pulling my heart away, i know i need to dig in even harder. because i choose Christ & His truth, in my life & the lives of those around me, over the believing in the lies until they just aren't enough any more...because in the end, they never are.

and another realization, yet totally a sign of God's intricate design at work, my love language is words of affirmation. that means i receive & show love best by speaking it! how incredibly awesome is that?! if you can't find a sense of purpose in something like that, your eyes might not be totally open.

ok back to my vision for this space...this place where i'm transparent about motherhood, being a pastor's wife {yes, matt's back in the ministry again}, raising boys, life with twins...i was afraid to be too "preachy. but i've come to realize & understand that part of my personality & giftings, is a personal & practical application of the TRUTH. i will still share all the parts of my life because as i've shared before, i know that the Lord has asked me to go before others in circumstances in order to be able to speak into their lives. because out of our trials, come our testimonies that touch hearts of others.

i also know that i have not been communicating His truth as loudly & clearly as i should. not every post will be a preaching, but i hope you will find some comfort {& laughs} in my mishaps. some companionship in knowing you aren't doing this crazy life alone. and definitely find me cheering you on, even if from afar. just know that there will be a little more Jesus showing in this place.

so here's the truth i'm leaving you with: read ephesians 4:1-16. it speaks truth of our gifts & how we are called to use them...all of us together.

   He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

what has He gifted you with? and are you willing to use them? 

flashback friday: an adventurous june

in our family, over the last 7 years june has proven itself to be a big month for our family.

i wouldn't say good things or bad things, just life-impacting/changing things. 

for instance...

in 2005 we got married

in 2006 we got pregnant with ben

in 2007 we moved into our house

in 2008 we got pregnant with gabe

in 2010 matt traveled to nepal & we got the scary news about the twins

in 2011 we put the house on the market & became minivan owners

and i'd say those are just the highlights.
phew! i'm tired just reminiscing.
so as you can see, i wasn't just mincing words when i said life-changing things happen.

and as today is the 1st day of june,
i'm anxiously awaiting what this month has in store for us. 

one thing i do know for certain is that ben graduates from preschool tonight. 

i'd be content with that for our life-impacting occasion of june for 2012.
that...or my bestie {who was also born in june} has her 1st baby!

HAPPY SUMMER!

giving up on good adventures: sunday morning church

you know how sometimes there are good things in life that just aren't the best things for your family?!

well recently, we've discovered going to church on sunday mornings isn't the best thing for us.

now, wait a sec!

it's not that we are skipping church altogether. we are just choosing to go on saturday nights instead. and it's been an awesome surprise!

truth: for several years, i went to church out of duty. 

the duty of a good christian woman. the duty of a pastor's wife. 

the duty of a mom trying to raise God-loving little men. 

and that was all fine. 

sometimes i think you have to just get up & go even if you don't want to or feel like it. 

but i longed for more...

now that matt isn't preoccupied on sundays, i thought things would change...until he got asked to play on the worship team. i knew it would only be a matter of time. i just hoped it would take longer i guess. either way, it's happened. in all honesty, him being a part of the worship team is what helped make our shift from sunday morning church-goers, to saturday night church-goers.

when it comes down to the facts, saturday night allows him to be more available to help me with the unloading/loading up of kids. the church also serves a family meal before service. so we meet matt there {as he's gone ahead for practice}, eat dinner together, put the kids in childcare available for the worship team, and then i sit. i sit & unwind. i'm able to prepare my heart before worship. it's been a long time since i've been in a place where i'm ready for what God has in store before service starts.

y'all this was me on mother's day weekend...before church.
awesomeness!

y'all know what i'm talking about right?! the hustle & bustle that seemingly only comes on sunday mornings as you bust out the door, usually running just a little late. yeah, that. and doing that for years by myself with my growing tribe of boys {and my trusty sidekick of a stroller}...it exhausts me to think about it.

but now our sundays leave room for rest & recouping from our saturday family adventures. we hang out, watch cartoons, pick up toys, catch up on laundry & go to our small group. i suppose in essence that our sundays have turned into what most do on saturdays. and coming from a season where we never really had weekends, this is a new experience.

i'd say that now we are in a season of refreshing. and that includes things like worship team childcare. and saturday night dinners & church. and small group meetings. and no more single-parent sundays.

adventures as His chosen people

sometimes we all just need a little reminder...

that He chose us.

that we are HIS.

that He calls us out of the darkness

and when we respond, we walk with Him in truth & light.

He speaks all of these things to us in

1 peter 2:9

what a great counter to the negative thoughts that can eat through us so quickly. 
the ones that say we don't belong.
we don't deserve. 
we are condemned & hopeless.


because they are all lies!
our lives were created with purpose & destiny.
we are blessed beyond measure with no other reason
than we are His.
and that is reason enough to declare His praises!!

i've always loved this verse. and i often times couldn't recall it correctly.

and then my amazingly talented husband wrote {& recorded} this song. 


go on now...click it & listen!

 chosen people by matt ruckel

now you all can join with me as it gets stuck in your head.... and hopefully your heart as well!

you're welcome!!

some of my adventures the past 29 years

long ago i had started a list of things i wanted to do in life by the time i turned 30. 

that was back when i thought life was taking me on a MUCH different course & that 30 was old. 

it definitely included things like start having kids & save money to buy a house.

welp...it's more like

 be done having kids

and find our 3rd house to buy.

i tried to come up with a list of things i wanted to do in this last year of my 20's. the last year of fun, or like my sister said, before i have to be responsible. but truth be told, i've lived a lot in my short 29 years. and frankly, i think i've already made a list of goals for the year & amendments to that list. 

so instead here are parts of my life that i want to celebrate! 

29 things i've done...no particular order

1. graduated from high school & college

2. travelled outside of the US {mexico, guatemala & spain}

3. lived in 4 different states

4. bought {and SOLD!} 2 houses

5. worked a full-time job

6. bought myself a car

7. been in a beauty pageant

8. learned to ride a bike

9. raced my dad's corvette around the texas motorspeedway

10. travelled to 34/50 states...maybe its 35

11. been proposed to 

12. got married to the love of my life

13. got pregnant & birthed babies 3x 

{yes only 4...remember, the last time was twins?!}

14. was a pastor's kid & then a pastor's wife

15. had cancer invade my life

16. experienced not 1, but 2 miraculous healings of my body

17. been a passenger in a car accident

18. been pulled over

19. driven at speeds over 100mph {see#9}

20. dyed my hair

21. learned how to snow & water skiing

22. played soccer

23. looked at colleges as a soccer recruit 

{even thought i didn't end up playing}

24. was a model

25. learned how to develop & print film

26. got my boating license

27. learned to play the guitar

28. also played basketball, softball, volleyball & ran track

29. started a business of my own

8 more days to vote!

adventures in the law of twins

does this happen to anyone else?!

i mean how am i suppose to keep up with twin toddlers without a fence?! 

it's gotta be the 

law of twins: 

move in the opposite direction of your sibling,
without stopping & as fast as possible.

thankfully, i have found a park with a fence!
it's a rarity & such a blessing.

bonus:
bathrooms & a picnic shelter

i'm calling it my little slice of heaven on earth.

at least with a fence i have a fighting chance of keeping up.
and the only way i can take all 4 boys to the park by myself.

{and if you've ever wondered how i lost my baby weight...
this should give you an idea how. haha! }

psst! help us make the top 25!
you can vote 1x each day until may 23!!

raising boys: fighting sleep

when you're a little boy

you're days are full of:

running

jumping

climbing

wrestling

playing cars/trains

drinking milk

and you fight sleep...

until that moment it just overcomes you. 

psst!!
help us get into the top 25
by voting 1x daily until may 23!

adventures finding purpose in alone time

y'all i've had a revelation...

it's not just about getting me time away from my kids.

it's about doing something good, fun, productive, purposeful...in my time away from my kids.

yes, there is always the floor to vacuum, dishes to do, laundry to fold & toys to put away. or tv to watch, stores to window shop & the internet to surf. 

but truthfully aren't those things part of our everyday routine?!

i realized i was jealous of matt when he would slip out to the garage to work on "his stuff"...and i'd be sitting on the couch. alone. zoning out watching tv. 

he's out there playing music, making cables, working on editing music for others. 

his time had purpose.

i wanted purpose. 

i wanted to be sure of that purpose.

i wanted to have something to "work on". 

and i felt like i was 5 years old...i wanted a job to do. 

{y'all with kids know what i'm talking about!}

now i realize that not everyone understands where i'm coming from.

i was there in the not-so-distant past. and i was totally ok with it. 

my boys. my husband. my house. my friends. they were all more than enough.

but as i found myself in a new place, both physically & spiritually, i longed for something more.

and i just added this to the list of things i was searching for...

something to call my own.

there are few things i know about myself & it's that i'm no painter, seamstress, or crafty lady.

so an opportunity was presented to me. 

it's something i NEVER thought i'd do. nev.er!

and yet, it seemed to fit more than 1 of the things on my list. 

i'll be honest...i'm pretty stoked about it.

i've signed on to the stella & dot team!

it's boutique style jewelry sold at in-home {and online} trunk shows. 

i'm in love!

and since i have pretty things to wear, i'm doing it more often. 

i have several WHY's for diving head first into this. 

but for right now, at this moment, it's a hobby. 

i'm not in this to become top sales lady.

if by chance that does come eventually, then great. 

but for now, it's time for me to have purpose &

to have some girl time-apart from my boys.

so i'd love to introduce you to their great products. 

here are some collections i've put together of my fav pieces.

{maybe you'll even find some mother's day inspiration!}

while i know that this move is a bit extreme for some...

what are you doing with your time to make it purposeful?!

do you craft, knit, paint, sew?

**psst! here's a little reminder: 

vote for us to be a part of circle of moms top 25 blogs for moms of multiples

vote 1x daily until may 23!

adventures in the top 25!

We've been nominated for the 2012 edition of 

Circle of Moms Top 25 Moms of Multiples blogs!

and we're so honored! 
thank you to all of our readers...yes, all of you! 
{even you closet readers. you know who you are!}

you can vote 1x every day, now up until May 23!

oh how i love may! 


let me count the ways...
*may day!
*mother's day
*my birthday!! {the big 2-9}
*stella & dot kickoff
*memorial day
and now this!!

adventures in mommy style: denim shorts

as part of a follow up to my post the other day...i'm rediscovering my personal style

here's my 1st what i wore post...and i by no means declare myself a fashion diva. 

i mean i'm about to talk about jean shorts of all things. so not fashion forward!

i am trying to find cute stuff that fits into my lifestyle. for instance, i live in florida. it gets hot...and humid. and i'm outside corralling or chasing down boys on the reg. or lifting a giant double stroller out of the car. therefore, i need clothing that makes these things easier, but still allow me to look put together & feel cute.
ya know what i mean?! 

while i love summer dresses & skirts, sometimes a skirt ends up being one too many things to have to worry about.
{like on a windy day while hauling the stroller out of the car}

i'm not really a shorts-lovin-kinda-gal, but i suppose it's time to embrace them.  

so i've been on the quest for some shorts i like...jean/denim shorts specifically. 

{i have no good ones to cut off or else i would have done so first!} 

i failed.

i shopped every store at the outlets & the mall. and while yes, there were shorts aplenty, none that fit my specific criteria. you know, that list that you have made up in your head while searching for the perfect item...yeah, that one. it can get lengthy & thrown out altogether sometimes, but it's nice to know what you're looking for too. it's a process to say the least!

and then after i'd given up & when i wasn't really looking

...i found these...

LC Cuffed Denim $24.99 

they may not have been exactly what i thought i wanted, but 

i love them so much, i've worn them 2x since buying them. 

i would say that is SUCCESS!

and since, i was already stepping out of my comfort zone, 

i grabbed this shirt too.

 LC Asymmetrical Ruffle Shirt $16.99

it's totally not me...with the ruffles AND the floral print.
{i know some of you are quite shocked! hang with me!}

don't mind the bad phone pic or the cute photo bomber!

but i must say, it looks better on me than the mannequin. 

those ruffles do a girl right & hide all kinds of wrong.

and that v-neck is the perfect length for a momma who is always picking up little boys.

how cute is this outfit?! 

i paired it with some cute white sandals. 

try some like these

SO Sandals in white $23.99

totally able to run errands around town, 

play with the boys at the park

and make dinner

wearing this outfit!

so tell me, when was the last time you stepped outside your style comfort zone? 

it's worth the risk!

adventures in mommyhood: rediscovering things about myself

i'm definitely in a phase of life where

 i'm searching for & reevaluating a lot of things. 

i'm searching my heart & God's heart for me...for what He's calling me to do & who I am in Him. 

{i have drafts of posts that i've repeatedly tried to write for the last couple of months.}

and thus far, i've come up with these things:

my style as a mom of 4 active little boys. 

i'm no longer pregnant. i'm not longer breastfeeding babies. and i'm no longer just hanging out in my pj's every day just trying to survive. i turn 29 in a couple of weeks, so i need to remember to be age appropriate but still cute & stylish. and...i just moved a super humid climate. so what does my wardrobe look like now?

friends. 

i realize i keep saying that i don't have friends. that is INCORRECT. i DO have friends, a lot of them...all over the country. i realize that  i'm longing for friends here. someone to go out with: see a movie, grab dinner, or a shopping buddy. so far, my loving & willing husband has filled these rolls. but i cannot expect him to always do this or want to do this. but when you're at home or always have 4 little guys {literally} running around you in circles, how in the world do you meet people that want to be your friend?!

a little something i can call my own. 

not sure if you know this, but i live in a house with 5 other people who all happen to be male. yep, it's true. and for the most part i love doing the things that they love, yet part of me is yearning for more. i never thought i'd say this...but looking for something apart from them. something that just for me...yet within my very limited available resources of time & money.

a creative outlet of self expression. 

i love having a creative outlet & that looks different depending on the stage of life i'm in. i do not find myself artistic by any means but i have a good sense of design {what's pleasing to the eye}. confusing? well i mean, i can picture things in my head, but i can't always make things to appear as in my vision...does that make sense? in the past i've dabbled with doodling, photography, a little digital editing, home projects. so in short i like to re-edit or arrange not create from scratch. {you can follow me on instagram @kristiruckel}

rediscovering my what my strengths are & defining my passions.

i recently started to follow hailey at the tiny twig because she started a series about finding our passion in life. one of her posts was about discerning your strengths to help define your passion. i didn't take any tests this time, but from past tests & knowing my personality i'd say some of my bigger strengths are being relatable/relevant, adaptability & learning {or trying} something new.  now i'll be honest, my personality is one that is seemingly always trying to figure out what i'm passionate about. but in the end, i know it's young women...building relationship & through that being able to speak God's love into their life. i've come to understand that  i only know these things in part because i still am not in the place for the Lord to fully reveal his plan to me. but i will embrace these things as i know them & continue to always seek them out.

working on my weaknesses

ready for some truth?! i believe that we need all identify our personal weakness, otherwise, they can be an easy foothold to be used against us. i'm a slight introvert. meaning, instead of just running from one party to the next, i need some quiet to recharge before the next event. it also causes me to withdraw when things get overwhelming. these things are a constant battle, but one i know i can win with the right tools: a little quiet, a little bible time & some coffee. i've learned that i'm wanting some of the things above to help me overcome some of my weaknesses. and usually that means battling it out head on. 

so maybe this is my readjustment of my new year's goals. things for me to work & focus on.  i'll be writing on these areas of life in the near future. that means some what i wore & mommy style posts. hopefully some posts of playdates & things i'm doing to meet & develop relationship with new people. 

what about you...what are some things that you are searching for?