Sometimes the shoe is on the other foot!!!

My wonderful son has done a great job of teaching his sister many things. How to give great big bear hugs, how to say many words, how to have a blast and very much how to be tough. Now, he might start to rethink this course of action! She actually climbs into him to roughhouse and she's only 18 months old.

Note:I wrote this back when she was 18 months but now another one has gone by and she's 19 months old in the blink of an eye.

Eighteen months old already! So much has changed, I'm starting to mourn for my baby girl while I rejoice for the toddler she is becoming. Oh, she is still my BABY but I've been around a few other tiny ones and I'm kinda jonesin' for a wee one. *****SMACK***** Yes, I am perfectly happy with the two I've got, I never (I know about saying never) want to be pregnant again but all the while I can't help but wonder if or when more kids will enter our family.

Back to my baby girl though, she's going through this verbal explosion at the moment. Everything used to be "mine-O" just a few months ago she put the words "mine and "no" together to make that wonderful phrase! Daddy thought it was the cutest little thing and she would say it at the drop of a hat. Now she's out of that phase and has moved on to saying, "owwwww" anytime anyone touches, tickles what ever - she's learned what gets a reaction.

She has a love for accessories, shoes especially. I have some pictures that I'll upload eventually. She loves getting my heels out of the boxes and puts them on her hands, but now she'll try to put them on her feet (not very successfully) but she's very determined.

A very, very busy girl she is becoming as she rarely sits still for long and loves to spin around while Adam plays the piano. Oh, and now (at 19mo) she will sing key words of songs with him like "me" and she'll do a lot of Hey Jude especially the "na, na, na" part. I do have to say that it is the sweetest thing to hear her little singing voice she actually changes pitch and everything, I'll have to upload the video one of these days.

Just like her Mommy, she loves to be outside, even on some of these rather cold spring days she begs at the back door signing and saying "play, play, play" until I oblige her. I will never, ever tire of her walking into the kitchen signing raisin and saying "ples" or saying "zezl, ples" (pretzel please.)

My heart is again out on my sleeve with her, words cannot describe the love that I have for her. And remember when I was pregnant with her I (for a fleeting moment) wondered how my heart would grow to love someone as much as my son. Certainly I know that the heart is just one of those things that can grow exponentially, DAILY!

My little Goose, I "la,la" you too! And I love your "ugs" and cuddles and everything about your soft, pudgy, smiley, charming, wonderful you! A true blessing!

Rotten Candy

You might be able to guess just what this is. It's pink and blue and sticky. We gave it to our kids for the first time in San Diego at Sea World. Sort of felt bad giving it to my 19 month old since we held off with my son until he was 4.5! LOL! It was so funny though when we got back to my Aunt's house and he told her he ate "rotten candy" possibly the funniest thing to happen on our 2000 mile adventure!

Life just keeps happening regardless of if it is recorded here or not. So far this month I've gotten another year older, got a preschooler beginning to recognize words, and my 19 mo old to sleep throughout the night. Well, really my husband did this last one but I'm certainly enjoying the benefits uninterrupted sleep for the first time since the middle of my 3rd trimester.

I really do miss writing about our silly happenings around here and I'm trying to figure out if there is time enough in the day to keep up with this place or not.

We leave in the morning for a marathon adventure to Las Vegas and then San Diego. It should be an exciting time driving - our drive time tomorrow I believe is about 11 hours so. The travel time will be up there pushing the "happy envelope" but I've got some stuff up my sleeve that will hopefully keep the kids occupied for much of the time.

Or so I pray.

I just loaded a Twitter app to my phone so I'll probably be twittering our doings when we have service. If you want to follow me, I'm heidibutterfly. Plus there's always facebook which sucks me in occasionally...

I have been writing drafts about all the rapid changes my baby girl is going through that I hope to complete before she changes too much more! It's hard to imagine her as tiny baby anymore, she walks, is starting to talk, and wants to do whatever her big brother is doing. Very fun!

Hope to twittter with you this week or see you on facebook -it's going to be a long car ride peeps :)

Quote for today...

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. - Anne Frank

May I have this dance???

Valentine's pancakes

When my husband travels (once every three months or so) for work I always try to make things extra fun because I know the kids miss him. Usually breakfast for dinner is a way to make the evening a bit less stressful too.

Well, it was just a couple days before valentine's day and I made (very pitiful) heart and mickey mouse shaped pancakes.

While I was making them I told him that the heart ones didn't really look very much like hearts, but more like triangles. When I brought them over to him he said, "You did it Mommy, you made hearts, I knew you could do it!"

Then, holding one of the triangular hearts up to his chest he says, "Mommy, you make my heart SUPER happy!"

I am so very very blessed!!!

Pardon Me?

Whoever is stealing precious minutes from my day please, please, PLEASE return them to their rightful owner. Moi! Seriously, this is my first blog post for the month!

Sigh, I don't even have anything going on I'm not planning a wedding or awaiting a new arrival or anything fun I seriously am just loosing time.

Ugh, here are a few photos because it's what I have time for!

Encouragement

Check out this wonderful post: My Life Is... what an inspiration!

Reading things like this is why I keep blogging!!! I love to be challenged, encouraged, inspired, and lifted up!

Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday!

Reading

Sending a big thank you to all who left awesome comments about what story and chapter books you enjoy reading with/to your kids.

I wish we had more time in the day for reading because so many of the suggestions took me back to my childhood. I started looking them all up on amazon to order a bunch. Then I got smart and looked up which ones my library had and put a hold on some of them.

We picked a few up today and began reading A Bear Called Paddington. On deck are Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Children's Classics to Read Aloud.

He LOVED reading the chapters of Paddington (one yesterday and one today) and is looking forward to another installment tomorrow. So, I thank you for your suggestions and am SO excited to begin the next step in our reading adventure!

"Horsing Around" Photo Contest

I couldn't resist entering this picture into the contest that Susan and Janice have playfully titled the "Horsing Around" photo contest. Sponsored by A Rocking Horse To Love there are already some fabulous entries to check out.

The story behind the photo can be found if you click here!

And if you really love it, you can go leave a comment on the contest post at 5 Minutes for Mom and let them know you like mine (Butterfly Mama!) Thanks!

Volcanoes

This post could also be titled "The ah-ha moment where I see how unschooling really does work." Oh, and if you think unschooling means unlearning or not educating think again and click on the above link for a plethora of definitions and explanations.

About a two weeks ago now my son asked me to tell him about volcanoes. I was able to put about a dozen sentences together about the topic to tell him about hot lava bursting out and cooling into rocks.

After him asking me to tell him again and again over the course of a few days we made a trip to the library last Monday where we picked out some volcano books. I now know more than I ever wanted to about volcanoes, and ash clouds, molten magma, pahoehoe (said pa-hoh-ee-hoh-ee) and 'a'a (said ah-ah) lava.

He knows more than I wanted too! One book has a section about Mt. Vesuvius. They cast the voids in the lava where the decomposed people were. Ah, yeah I didn't read that part, but he's a bit analytical and won't let me skip over any pages so he looked at the pictures and asked me, "what is that?" I said it was a concrete rock and he looked at me and said, "Mommy, it looks like someone dead." I just said "yeah, it does" while prying the page to turn it.

Long story short, he still can't get enough information about volcanoes and is just eating it up. It's really neat to teach them stuff when they want to learn it! One of the books had instructions to build our own volcano.

Of course we had to try it! What fun to teach him to gather the equipment and follow the steps of the experiment. It is more of a demonstration of the way an ash cloud works and it is proves it's point quite well. Just a bit of flour blown several times through out the day can cover an entire kitchen!

"Mommy, get on top of the ball!"

This morning, I found myself at the computer, you know on Facebook, reading other blogs and random stuff.

I'm not sure how this happened, but the kids are getting along. I should have known better because a few days ago when they were getting along they made THIS mess. But they were happy. They were happy cleaning it up together too, it was an afternoon affair to remember. Seriously, miracles are happening here!

Back to this morning, I hear my son telling the baby, "follow me" and "bring the toilet paper." To this my silent alarm rings enough for me ask what they are up to. And he tells me that they opened the case of toilet paper and are distributing it to all the bathrooms. He's done this for me before, so I think nothing of it.

Yeah, you're waiting for something right? Well, here's the kicker. Apparently, they weren't just stowing the tightly wrapped new rolls under the sink for when we ran out. They helped the current roll run out all over the floor. Then my creative four year old took the old tube off and put a new roll on. In all three bathrooms!

Can I just tell you how much toilet paper we go through here? It's like the four year old has regressed to a toddler and recalled just how much fun it is to TP a house. Despite my begging him to be the good example for his sister, if she's into mischief, she's the leader and he's happy to be the accomplice!

On a tangent I'm on pace to raise the first male in history that will change a toilet paper roll, not just set it on top of the spent one. Sadly, my husband promised to have a talk with him when he's of age, lest he make the rest of the male gender look bad! :)

And to finish the above tangent. The mess eventually made into the best work table for the little ones. They sure love their gift Grandma, thanks!

Look carefully, they both still have styrofoam pieces in their hair! Enjoy your day!

Slurp, slurp...

My son loves his Tag reading system that we got him for Christmas. He plays with is multiple times a day.

The other day, I saw the cord that downloads the books onto the pen and remembered that I could sync it up to see his progress. I did and according to them his reading comprehension is on a 1st grade level. My 4 year old.

By no means am I trying to brag or boast in my son, or what I've done with him at all but this did surprise me at first. Now that I've thought about it though it really doesn't. (Also, I don't really know what they are basing it off of either, it will ask him questions, but who knows really.)

In the reading department, my kids are polar opposites. From a young age (6 months) my son would sit on my lap for as many books as I could read, my daughter, on the other hand, has just now upped her window from about 5 seconds to maybe 3 minutes.

Usually on days we come back from the library with new books my son and I will sit and read for my daughter's entire nap 1-1.5 hours.

This week he found the Little Bill book series (he knows the tv show very well) and even though the content is a bit old for him they separate each couple pages into chapters and have more words than pictures.

I've been reading many places lately about people who read chapter books to their young children and I really want to fit this in. If anyone has any suggestions about good ones I'd love to hear them. I was think about CS Lewis but would love some other suggestions.

He just eats up reading and stories so I might as well give the sponge something to soak up!

Little snitcher...

One Cold and Foggy Day

Today is like a Saturday around here, Adam has the day off and usually we are slow to get going. This morning I made coffee (not an everyday thing for me) and followed a different recipe than normal for pancakes, just to change things up.

Somehow the combination of smells combined with the relaxed atmosphere took me back to the lake.

On our yearly summer trip from NY to Central California, where most of my Mom's family lives, we'd always fit in a weekend trip to my Grandparents' cabin up at the lake, as we called it. It was filled with hot and dry days followed by cool nights and mornings. Leisurely walks down to the dock and pontoons skimming the water as we rode wrapped in wet towels. Watering young trees, hammering dried wood onto the old tree house and sampling tender, juicy barbecue.

I stood in the middle of my Idaho kitchen this morning, overwhelmed by aromas, sounds of kids and delicious pancakes. All of which became, for a fleeting moment the air conditioner humming in the cabin, my Gram in her robe and slippers sipping coffee and making pancake batter. The small stand alone pantry full of goodies that we'd only ever eat up there (like canned cheese LOL!) topped with Gramp's sunscreen, his hat there and his boots by the door waiting to be filled as he took a rare opportunity to sleep in past the sunrise.

The lazy-susan overflowing with eggs, pancakes, bacon and fruit. The dark blue drapes pulled back to reveal a view of the lake, smooth as glass, waiting for the early boaters to make the first waves. Feelings of anxiety, similar to Christmas morning, to hurry down to the dock and get to water playing!

For a minute, as I tore my daughters pancake into bite sized pieces, I was out on the deck in the silent, quickly warming air tearing leftover pancakes to feed to the birds. For a moment I was giggling with cousins on the tire swing watching my Gramp throw horseshoes down by the barbecue pit where he worked his magic nightly.

I had a glimpse of my Gram sitting with my Mom on the dock, watching all the fun we were having eating chips, making mud castles, and just being kids. My Dad out with my Gramp on the boat came around to see who wanted the next ski. In general, my Gramp was one of those men that emanated confidence and diligence to us kids, almost unapproachable. But these times at the lake, he kicked back, laughed a laugh that you could see rejuvenate his soul and had patience as if time would stand still. Especially the time I was determined to learn to single ski, he let me keep trying until I was fed up, and then he let me have another go.

Hit it! The boat would smoothly and seamlessly accelerate at my Gramp's hand as the cool water flowed over my face and past the shoulders of my life jacket. Faster and faster pulling me up out of the water slightly, as if teasing me, before slapping me back into the cold hard surface as my fingertips slip off the rope handle. Over and over, seemingly forever, as if the lake's refusal to yield it's grasp on me was stronger than my will. Finally, one last time victorious I'm up on the single ski, the warm air on my face, the water beads up on my goose fleshed skin a glorious smile on my face is mirrored in his!

It was a fleeting minute but it also held with me while I savored my breakfast and went about my day. There is this feeling of peace that I always found there that has come back to me today.

Maybe someday we'll get back there so my kids can play were we once did. Mostly, I pray for the special times with loved ones in their childhood to tuck away in the corners of themselves. Maybe on some foggy day in their adult life something will take them back and keep them warm and fuzzy.

On my way into the store today I saw a license plate that read

NO YNIN

Good reminder!

Life just keeps plugging away around here, hopefully sometime I'll start writing about it again.

Groggy New Year!

We hadn't planned on keeping the kids out 'till midnight but it just worked out that way. We had fun playing games (can you believe I'd never played dominoes before.) Yeah, either could anyone else, now it's on my list to own!

The bigger girls played with my one year old who chose markers over her "nigh-nigh" milk. And my 4yo played and watched a movie. Before we knew it, it was 11:30pm and what's the point of leaving then!

Thankfully, (people out there must have been praying for this) they both slept in AND went to bed early last night!

He ended up sleeping until 11am!!!

I'm up Mommy, really, I am!

2008 Snapshot!

Reviewing this place of my random mommyness I've attached some of my favorites from the past 12 months. Mostly, I just can't believe how much my kids have changed over these months. Nor can I truly fathom just how very blessed I am!

Happy New Year!!!!!

January:Five Beautiful Months.

February:Tonights Table Prayer and Grace.

March:Mommy A Flower For You and Pick Up the Checkers!

April:Eight! Eight! And we can skate!

May: You are my love!

June: While I was fixing lunch and I'm eating sweet potatoes...

July:When you set a date, it comes... and Enough said.

August: Opening Ceremonies and Since it's been a busy week...

September: Why was I lying on the grocery store floor?? and More Please.

October: 9 Quart or 2 Kid Canner and Embrace

November: Loving Fall and Gone in 10.3 seconds...

December: Today's Wisdom and of course Christmas Memories

Christmas Memories

Well, it's over, and it was a relaxing whirlwind of fun. We try to keep Christmas day as low key as possible but it still flew by like a winter breeze.

The kids are having a ball playing with new games like Hullabaloo and Hyper Dash. I seem to have a new spring to my step and have found a renewed joy in just playing with the kids. Not so much to do I suppose and so it's nice to be able to spend days in my pajamas playing games and dolls and building legos!

Some photo memories...

Christmas eve...

Proud of his creation, yet to him it's still not complete. A sunken roof top halted the decorating fun and Mom and Dad fixed it later adding icicles.

Christmas day...

Snow play!

Snuggly clean.

Perhaps,

the funniest thing my son did this year I forgot to blog about.

About a week before Christmas we wrapped his present to his sister, a princess phone (we've been inundated with princesses :) this year) and put it under the tree.

Because it was small or by chance she just knew it would be her very favorite gift, she'd been carrying the wrapped package around all week. I thought it was cute and she's not really into unwrapping (unless it's tissue paper) so it didn't bother me.

My son would feel compelled to very gently (perhaps the gentlest I've seen him be) and slowly remove the box from her tiny hands while saying in a sing-song voice, "No, no sweetie we have to wait till Christmas, it's a phone!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all my blogging buddies the Merriest Christmas and a very happy and blessed 2009!

Christmas Wishes!

This Baby is the reason for the season!!!

May all your Christmas wishes come true!!!!

Just call me the plagerized mama!

Since everything else this month has been from my 4yo why not continue the trend shall we? Here are some things I've written on the side of the fridge this fall, as he's said them, so I wouldn't forget.

"Mommy, there's frosting on the grass." (It was near our first good freeze and we had only had a few frosty mornings.)

"Do we have all the geridients?"

"Right on dude!"

"Holy Gannoli!" (I say holy cannoli a bit!)

We were pretend playing, "Mommy call the firefighters because you're all fired up!"

I'd upload some pictures if I could only find the removable drive that one of my kids removed and promptly made disappear! Yes, both kids can remove it but really it's the littlest one I'm suspicious of...

Can't get enough of my 4 year old at the moment...

Tonight at dinner my son says, "I love Mommy and Daddy and sister and God and Jesus and all the angels."

Daily I hear, "Is it Christmas today." So I'm making a paper chain with him tomorrow and we'll cut the links off until Christmas. Mental note for next year, need some sort of advent countdown!

Oh, and today I actually had to say, "Please do not lick the snow off of the truck." Of course followed by the obligatory (on his part - being 4 and all) "whhhhhhhyyyyyyyy." "Ah, because it's gross!"

M.D. love...

Both my kids had physicals this week and I was reminded of something I already knew. I love my kids' doctor, she makes me feel like I'm the expert on my kids. Which of course I am!!

Seriously, she just asks if we are still wanting to hold off on vaccines and makes no comments to change my opinion. Not to mention she takes time with us and is upbeat and positive, never condescending.

She wanted to run a food allergy blood panel for my son after I presented some complaints and she's testing him for Celiac as well. So hopefully those come back with some more tangible answers.

I am feeling wonderfully blessed today. I got something in the mail that I'm giving to my husband for Christmas (he doesn't normally read here but he is sitting right next to me now) and it has a picture of the cutest kid in it! Anyway, I'm about ready to call it quits for the night, my baby girl hasn't let me sleep much this week!

Today's Wisdom

from my four year old.

"Everyone knows I'm good at anything I'm good at."

Talking

Suddenly my baby girl is a chatter box - apparently she'll fit right in to our family! Now, if you want to be able to understand you'd have to come live with us for some total immersion style listening. Otherwise the word "baba" might sound the same for diaper as for baby as for ball-ball to your amateur ears!

Pretty soon she'll be able to say the most brilliant things, in fact today after kissing her big brother she said, "ilala" just like I love you. (He always got the biggest smiles when she was an infant and now he gets the first I love you! Hmmph ;) LOL)

On a day when I'm convinced that I have super smart kids one of them, who shall not be named, goes and says, "Mommy, I love candy canes, they are sorta like candy."

Sunday

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."

2 Corinthians 8:7-9,12-16 (NIV)

The emphasis in the above verses is mine. I have been reading and rereading these words since August and I was thrilled back then when I found these verses. They were just like water to quench my thirst. My desire to give is great it is just the direction the generosity takes that shifts.

When I first stumbled upon them, these words spoke to me as to what I want to do with my life - other than Mommy - I feel there is another purpose for me that has not yet become. One where I can use my deep feelings of giving and compassion on a daily basis, perhaps starting up a not for profit, for now my focus is my young children and if I still have a blog in the future we all may see how this plays out.

Now that this Christmas season is upon us I've decided to use my desire to give to those who are truly needy. Basically, I'm giving things that I would want to get which this year are not necessarily tangibles. Yeah, I'd love a new dishwasher, some really nice gloves for gardening and maybe a couple fruit trees for the backyard. But really, truly I LOVE giving and feel awkward receiving.

My husband on several Christmases has lavished me with gifts and while I do adore that he does this for me, honestly it makes me feel weird sitting there opening up gifts. It's just one of those uncomfortable moments all eyes watching and then at the end of it all a feeling of emptiness that lasts through a massive Christmas feast that would feed an entire village elsewhere in the world.

He does know this about me now, he asked before our wedding if I wanted a $5,000 ring or to go on a honeymoon for 10 days to Jamaica - ah, yeah I'd wear a bottle cap on my finger every day to go back to the warm water scuba diving fruit loving beautiful Jamaican people. But I've gotten off point slightly.

This Christmas season, I'm choosing NOT to get stressed out about the stuff and hoping that my plenty can provide for anothers need. How do you keep yourself charged and at peace this season? Care to share, leave me a comment or link up if you post.

Seriously!

I have no idea how these things happen to me, but they do. Today making our family tradition cinnamon rolls recipe a bit of an incident happened.

See, I was excited, finally getting into the mood for all the work of Thanksgiving, feeling the energy of all my fellow women and men that have gone before me preparing feasts. The boys were out running a couple last minute errands and it was just us girls.

One of us wasn't really feeling the whole wonderful mood thing and I just had a few cups of flour left to put in so I thought I would nurse her in a carrier. I've never been able to totally do this hands free, usually her head rests in the crook of my elbow. Anyway, to make a long story short, for the first time EVER I was able to hands free nurse my 15 month old - yeah we have a slow learning curve!

I was doing two things at once, slowly adding in a cup of flour and nursing my precious beauty when all of a sudden the measuring cup gets violently sucked into the mixer, my split second reaction time was not quite fast enough to stop it before a bunch of dough ended up all over us and the kitchen.

I did clean it off of us before taking the picture. But it was ALL over the place! In my defense, when I've made this recipe before I've done it by hand and I had already decided that I didn't like using my mixer as the bowl isn't big or deep enough. So, I won't be doing this again!

Nursing worked out great, she couldn't have cared less what I was doing, even with raw dough in her hair, she just kept right on plugging along.

Finger painting was fun too.

Vivid Imagination

Last night after watching the American Music Awards I had the most fabulous dreams! Now, there is some history here that you might need to know. Back in college, (when tapes were still not totally archaic) I taped my friend's CD of Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Toward Ecstasy album. Over the course of the year I pretty much wore out the tape, not to mention my roommate's nerves, playing it over relentlessly. Since then, I've been hooked!

Anyway, in my dreams I was friends with her. Kick back, hanging around in our fuzzy pajama mama pants, drinking tea kind of friends. Her kids and mine were playing while we discussed kids, music, humanitarian aid, politics and whatever.

I would totally love to have those conversations with her in real life LOL! She rocks in my book. If you don't know why I love her so much the video for World On Fire is totally worth the few minutes it takes to watch. It's a few years old, I know, but still I LOVE the lyrics to this song. I could go on, but that might be fanatical!

"The more we take the less we become....."

On a side note Annie Lennox totally kicked booty last night singing Why on the AMA's, I don't think she's written a song that I don't like either!

iwantiwantiwantit!!!

I am going to preface this by saying: I am grateful for my husband, children and the many, many blessings we are given daily including the fact that my husband's Bell's Palsy is over 60% improved!!! Despite the gimmes, today was a fabulous gift of a day! More times than I can count out of the blue my son said, "Mommy, I love you." While coming over arms stretched out, he kept my bulging heart melting all day long.

I am trying - really trying here to give my children a spirit of giving. Maybe I'm trying too hard and not doing enough. Maybe we just went to too many stores today for all of our tolerance level, whatever the case I am tired of I want. For the record we bought nothing.

Maybe the fact that since Adam works at the mall and since we sold my car this week (bye bye car payment!) I drop him off in the mornings. Today I wanted to see if there was anything on my Christmas lists that I could have him buy on black Friday, you know since he'll have to go there to work and I can stay home by the fire with Grandma and the kids watching Wall*E or something!

We walked through plenty of stores this morning (carrying the baby in arms - hello - the carrier was in the car this time but I thought I would be quick!) including the Disney store which was the downfall for all of us. The baby girl quickly found phones just like Mommy's to play with and chew on and my wonderful boy having just seen the movie was ALL over everything Wall*E not to mention beloved Tow Mater.

I want this one and this one and this one... in utter desperation I told him to just calm down and that he didn't need every toy! He did mention however pleading his case that Wally and Eve (he says Eva) love each other very much and are best friends. I (this is where I get desperate) say, "Well maybe if you want them you can ask Santa for them." Now he's wanting to go talk to Santa today. I may have lied when I said he wasn't at the mall yet, I don't really know for sure but I was not going to lug the kids all the way down to find out. Huh, this from a boy who last week at the mention of Santa immediately stated he was not going to sit on his lap this year.

I know I'm planting seeds for giving, last year we started the tradition of giving away three of his toys to someone who needs them more. We will do this again after Thanksgiving and this year we've collected a shoebox full of things for a boy his age through Operation Christmas Child. We are dropping it off tomorrow but you have until Monday if you meant to do it! He's really enjoyed picking out toys for that little boy so I know that the seeds are there.

My frustration is also at our "material world" because really possessions are not what it is about.

Christmas after all is about Jesus, a baby in a manger, born to set us free!

A theme for the upcoming holiday season...

Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. -- Norman MacEwan

Why do I wear my babies?

International Babywearing Week starts in a couple of days and Babywearing Steph is asking for our favorite babywearing photos. (Could I have fit in the word babywearing one more time into that sentance?!) Go link up your favorite pictures too and you can be entered to win a sling from Nonny and Boo. I have a couple from there already but can you really have too many slings?

I love my babies and I love having them close by me but really, really the main reason that I carry them on me is that kissable little head. I could (and do) kiss the little head many, many, many times a day. Oh, and that little baby head smell is just about the best thing ever to keep me happy!

My favorite pictures of my kids in various carriers!

Last November at the San Diego Zoo.

Last Fall!

This past Spring.

This past summer at Auntie's wedding!

Gone in 10.3 seconds...

The sweet precious moment that is.

I'm getting kids ready for bed when I leave my son's room to hang up towels and tidy the bathroom a bit. "Here, let me read you that book," I hear my son say to his sister.

I peek to see them getting settled in on his little chair and run down the stairs to grab the camera. I smartly turned on the flash and camera as I ran, removing the lens cap right as I reached the top of the stairs. I was bringing the lens up to my eye as I rounded the corner at the top and seriously if it took 10.3 seconds I'd be amazed as I was quite out of breath!

I found not quite the moment I expected. In fact just the opposite, but for some reason it was just what we all needed and looking at the picture still makes me chuckle. I just clicked the picture - seriously I couldn't come up with the stuff these two do! Truly, it was a good end to a crazy week full of difficult decisions, elections, emotions, and a stressful morning in charge of serving a big potluck today at church (luckily I had a TON of help with it).

I love these crazy kids!

Through Their Eyes

The TV's been on all morning (generally not something that happens around here) and my son was asking what is going on. We took the kids with us to vote yesterday and I explained the best I could that our country (America) picked a new president.

A bit later I opened the paper and it of course has Obama on the front page. My four year old gets all excited and says, "Mommy, he's the same as the one on TV, both presents are the same."

Loving Fall

Apparently once I lose my small chunks of writing time it is really hard to get it back!

A couple weeks ago we went to a local park and took some Fall pictures...here are some of my favorites. (I know there are still some people out there reading. right?!

You can tell I had a hard time picking my favorites!

They both were not very interested in looking at us - ducks are apparently more fascinating! It turns out this is one of my favorites even though they aren't looking, it brings back the relaxed feeling of our stroll through the park and gazing at ponds and leaves!

Even the baby girl walked with us!

Loves for Daddy!

Embrace

To give myself some time to more fully appreciate real life I'm taking a small blogging break. It's been a weird week as my husband was in the ER last week.We are glad it's nothing serious, it's Bell's Palsy. Which means the right side of his face is paralyzed - temporarily! It should resolve in a few weeks but I'm on over load for some reason.

Happy, no. Thrilled, no. Ecstatic, no. There isn't a positive enough word for what I am that he didn't have a stroke, doesn't have a tumor or MS or any other life altering/threatening issue. Just adjusting to what this is and praying it too shall pass...

In the mean time I'm just embracing my laugh lines, (and family a bit tighter) and making more! More laugh lines that is - not making more family members or anything ;)

Guess What???

My daughter took her very first unassisted steps while the two of us were away last weekend! It was fun.

I honestly missed her very first steps but a bunch of my very good friends saw them!

The beautiful fall days seem to by flying by lately between yard work, trips to orchards and curling up by the fire drinking tea. I just love fall!!!

Pumpkins, pumpkins!

Pumpkins

In between smiles!

The chickens!

The cutie pumpkins!

And she goes on and on...

After some wheat-free yummy peanut butter cookies (low sugar and honey sweetened) were baked and the sun shone in it was up to about 68 inside but now I'm cold again! We just might have to turn the heat on tonight.

Tried two new recipes for dinner Sesame Chicken Bites (but I left out the sugar - of course!) and Quinoa Pilaf and they both turned out very good. I do need to try not to plan two new recipes on the same night, it's hard to get the timing down. It all worked out though.

Thanks so much for all of your game suggestions I want them ALL! For now we got Sequence For Kids and Boggle Jr. and I have about 9 more on my wish list, maybe for Christmas! It's been fun to have other games to play!!

I totally think October is going by faster than September did! I must have learned something from those 30 days, because I'm still menu planning, using or freezing leftovers and budgeting better! Imagine that behaving like a grown up and everything - 'bout time!

Well wasn't this just a bit of randomness...hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'll be up in the mountains at a retreat with a bunch of gals from my church. I'm taking the baby, but the boys are on their own!

61 and 28

That's what our indoor and outdoor temps were when I got out of bed this morning. I am cold.

Do butterflies hibernate? I'm thinking it would be nice to. Now, if only I could convince my kids it's heavenly to stay in bed on cold mornings instead of being so hungry at 7:18am. ;0)

I think it's a good morning to go bake some cookies!

Grab your parachute!

The other day in the car my son kept saying...

Mommy I really, really want to eat some jump food!

All you need is...

Love, love, love is all you neeeeeeeeeeeed!!! A sleeping baby never hurts either! Funny, I ended up taking this on the last official night I put her to sleep in our bed - it took forever too!

Last Thursday we started putting my daughter to sleep in her crib instead of our bed. While it has been a transition, night number three was the worst and it seems to be smoothing out. I'm always hesitant to say for sure though because they change their routines so quickly, once I get used to it I'll have to adjust.

For me to stay sane and get enough sleep with a new born co-sleeping is the only way, but there becomes a time when I need an evening with my husband without having to nurse my daughter every hour or two (thirteen and a half months seems to be the mark.) So down she's been going. We still care for her - I'm not a big fan of cry it out - so we go in and lay her down.

Yes, she starts to do the Stevie Wonder (as my husband calls it) she sits leaning against the side of the crib bobbing her head around like you or I would dozing on an airplane. At least she lets us lay her down and then settles in to sleep.

Following after her brother who used to fall asleep with his arms and legs hanging out the front of the crib with his forehead resting on the jail crib slats, but he was older and a much lighter sleeper so he would wake up at anything. I have no idea where my kids get their stubbornness from!

Oddly enough, she seems to sleep better, initially, in the crib. She sleeps for 4-5 hours in her initial stretch each night so it seems to be the right time to begin this transition.

Now, as soon as I'm in bed all bets are off, if she fusses it's back to our bed so that I can nurse her back to sleep and get some myself. Seems to be working for now, we'll see how it goes.

Game Craziness

I'm curious what your favorite board games are? I am SO very sick of Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders (pulling my hair our with boredom) that I've decided with some of the money my kids got for their birthdays in August I'm going to buy a couple new board games. What should I get???

My son likes to play his "big games" (board games) everyday. The card games, uno, go fish and old maid, he enjoys almost as much. I just saw on the uno box that it's 7+ but he does fairly well (kicks my butt!) He is only 4 but most of the games for that age group are so dreary for me! I'd really like your opinions, what games do your kids like best??

9 Quart or 2 Kid Canner.

If I could really bottle them up I would!

Not really them but you know, everything about the stages where they are right now. Mmmm I just love them SO much!

The last day...

...of the 30 day challenge. I am amazed at our progress and that we really lacked nothing this month. We are very rich with blessings.

At the beginning of the month I kept adding things to a mental list to buy at the end of the month, but as the month has gone on that is no longer the plan. For the most part. I will be purchasing a package of diapers (tonight my daughter is in the last one) we have been using cloth all day but disposables work better for us at night.

If I were to go out and buy everything that I wanted all month long it would just counter act any of the savings this month has brought us. It is VERY nice to have money in the bank right now, usually this is the week that we check the bank account to see how close we are to make it until Friday when the next check comes in. It's been nice to have some extra cushion. Must of which will be an extra payoff to our HELOC, yippee!

I think the biggest thing for me is entitlement. "I worked hard so I deserve it." Right?! Well goodness, my husband works hard for the money we spend so do I really need more shoes, hair things, or garden tools? Or can I make do with what I have for just a little longer. I think Mary spoke about this a week or so ago. But the biggest thing I am taking out of this is when something comes up that we need maybe we can get along just one more day, week, or month before we purchase it. Delaying the purchase may help squash the desire all together or heighten the need, making the choice a bit clearer.

I do deserve a nice hot cup of tea after a long day, peace and quiet once in awhile, a ladies retreat weekend away (with the baby, two weekends from now!!) and hugs, LOTS of hugs from my family. These things I know I am entitled too but the stuff, I'll leave it for now.