Sadie

Toddler girl wearing romper and rain boots by garden

Much Needed + Trash

Jimmy and I went on our first date since the onset of COVID restrictions! Whew did we need that time alone. My mother-in-law graciously watched Sadie for a few hours on Friday night while we went out to eat and walked around a few stores.

Toddler with rubber band bracelets

Sader Tot had a blast with her Grandma!

Of course with mostly came home with toys for Sadie (this animal set has been a big hit, as have these puffy stickers), but Jimmy also picked up spirograph and has been having a blast unwinding with it at night and reliving childhood memories. 

On Saturday we picked up trash! Our church gathered together and headed to a local park with a bike trail and picked up litter. 

Group of people picking up litter on trail

I was thinking that we have so much fun with our church family that it doesn’t really matter what we’re doing together.

Sometimes there are hard things, hard work, and hard times, but fellowshipping with our family in Christ makes it all so much better. It’s such a blessing to have a community of believers to spend time with and share our joys, hardships, and everyday life. There’s just nothing like it. 

Other happenings around the Zottola house lately:

  • I planted more mums to spruce up our front porch and literally every time I see them I smile.
  • We filmed another vlog and my favorite part is Sadie helping me plant the mums. 
  • We are on week two of homeschooling and loving it so far. 
  • Our garden is slowing down big time, with mostly tomatoes and peppers growing at this point (sad!). 

How about a few photos?

Mom and toddler smiling

Sadie is going to be two-years-old soon. She is growing and changing so much lately. I can’t wait to share her two year update.

Also, if you could say a prayer for her eye to heal, that would be so, so appreciated! I mentioned that she has a nasolacrimal duct obstruction and that we were trying eye drops for about a month before doing anything invasive.

Her eye hasn’t had any progress so we will be talking to her doctor at her yearly checkup later this month. I know the procedure to unblock the duct isn’t too bad, but who is excited for their child to go through that, you know? I watched a video of the procedure and totally shouldn’t have, LOL.

Purple and orange mums in a black planter

Here’s a look the mums I planted. It’s just a planter filled with happiness for me, haha. 

Toddler girl wearing romper and rain boots by garden

My little garden helper ❤

When we went to clean up litter on the bike trail on Saturday we brought Sadie’s trike along and she was so happy to be pushed around and stayed in it almost the whole time (<– miracle).

I totally thought it would be a disaster to bring a toddler to clean up litter, but she surprised and impressed me! 

Toddler girl riding Radio Flyer tricycle

Last but not least, our Niva girl has been loving the cooler weather lately. She stays outside longer when it’s below 60 degrees and just lays in the yard. It’s adorable and I’m excited to see how she likes the snow this winter.

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but she truly is great with Sadie and we are so incredibly thankful for that. Case in point, Sadie put Niva “night night” by piling her with pillows and a blanket and she just laid there like “okay, sure!” haha. 

Siberian husky with pillows and blankets

Alright, I am signing off here. We’ve got a busy day ahead. Sadie is going to be learning the color yellow today, I’ve got real estate work and some cooking to do, and I’m taking Sadie to her first chiropractor appointment (outside the womb, lol) this evening! 

What are your plans for the day?

Reunited + Things That May Surprise You

Our little family was reunited on Saturday evening after Jimmy’s trip

Family laying on porch swing

My sister and brother-in-law dropped him off, so we hung out with them for a bit. Sadie and Caroline snuggled under a blanket at it was the sweetest thing.

I just adore watching their relationship develop as they grow ❤

Toddler snuggling under blanket

That evening, I crashed. The 3:30 am wakeup finally got to me and I fell asleep outside while reading this book after Sadie went to bed. 

It has been so nice to have Jimmy back at home! He wasn’t even gone for a week, but I missed sharing smiles with him during everyday moments of joy with Sadie, rolling our eyes together at the antics of the pets, and having coffee with each other in the morning. Marriage is such a huge blessing. 

We spent Saturday catching up around the house and just hanging out. It was a sweet weekend 🙂

Onto things that may surprise you. Or maybe they won’t. 

I heard a great sermon about how it’s important to examine why we believe what we believe. With things that are faith-related, is what we believe based off of a religious group, a religious leader, a book, what your parents believe, a tradition, or something else? 

I can remember when I first realized that my faith in God was my own faith in God, if that makes sense. My parents raised my siblings and I in a non-denominational christian church and we were required to attend church if we lived under their roof. What was being taught at our church lined up with the Bible and it really clicked into place for me when I was in high school. The Bible, which is God’s Word, is what I base my life and beliefs on. 

This kind of got me thinking about things that are practiced in some religions that claim to follow the Bible, but the practices don’t line up with scripture. I will never claim to be an expert on the Bible, but you won’t find these things in God’s Word:

  • Infant baptism
  • Lent and Ash Wednesday
  • The Sinner’s Prayer
  • Baptism that involves sprinkling of water
  • Confessing sins to a pope
  • Salvation through belief in Jesus only

Were you surprised by any of these things?

What’s your favorite part about being reunited with a loved one?