May 2013 -Mom and Dad's Visit

We enjoyed a visit from my mom and dad in May.  Dad and my brother Matt flew to OR to surprise Brandon and attended the service at he and Cindy's church when Brandon was licensed as an associate pastor.  Heather and I and our children (we missed Cindy and Anna, Adam and Ashton! :( )took the opportunity to surprise mom with a 60th birthday party.  By the time Dad and Matt got to OR and Mom's party was over I was so tired of keeping surprises!  You know that feeling where you don't even want to answer the phone for fear you'll tell someone something and ruin a surprise?  That was me for about 2 weeks.  It was well worth it. 

We moved to this house almost 8 years ago.  I've often dreamed of serving friends a breakfast on our back porch.  Mom's party was the chance I was looking for.  We invited a few of her close friends & family (from this area) and we enjoyed brunch and fellowship on the porch. 

Did I mention we missed Cindy, Anna, Adam and Ashton? :(

  While Mom was here she helped the kids and I make donuts.  Wow, were they good. Sorry about the weird color on these pictures.  Some day I'll learn how to use this camera! 

When Dad got back from OR he took the boys fishing.  They loved it.  Nate was very interested in cleaning the fish.  He did NOT get his interest from his mom.

This visit was the first time Dad got to meet Zachary (4 months) They liked each other just fine. :)

Saying goodbye. :(

Four generations 

Mom's visit

We were thrilled to find out last fall that my mom would be able to fly here soon after Zachary's birth to help out for a few weeks.  We decided picking her up at the airport would be a fun activity for us to do as a family.  I have fond memories from my childhood of picking up grandparents/relatives at the airport.  

I don't think it really hit us how "big" our family looks now until we were walking through Dullas International Airport with four kids.  We felt slightly out of place among all the hip business people on their cell phones pulling carry-on suitcases.  We were holding kids hands, diaper bags and a baby car seat.  It made us smile. We're just find being a little odd.  Speaking of odd, as we were getting out of the van at the airport we realized that the boys had brought along everything they thought they might need for their great airport adventure.  Items in their pockets included, binoculars, flashlights and pocket knives. Thankfully we discovered the knives before we entered the airport. 

We were in the airport about 10 minutes when mom called to say she was delayed in Toronto and wouldn't make it to Washington for another 5 hours.  We knew staying in the airport for that long was not going to work.  So we spent the afternoon at the Air and Space Museum that is very close to the airport.  It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.  The museum was very quiet with only a few people there.  Zachary and I spent a lot of time just sitting and relaxing.  

Space Shuttle Discovery 

Astronaut Roger Crouch 

She's finally here!

 I worked mom hard while she was here. :)  Sadly, I didn't take near as many pictures as I should have.  While she was here Jeremy flew to Phoenix for a pastor's conference.  I'm not sure I would have survived the week without Mom here to help.  Thank you Mom!  You're the best!

Mom and Callie spent a lot time together.  Here's just part of the batch of  granola they made.

Lovin' on Zachary 

I should have kept track of how many hours they spent playing with this doll house.  Callie absolutely loved all the attention Mom gave her.  She even got to go shopping with Grandma.  She came home with this new princess hat and gloves.  A true princess indeed. 

Now that's a talented and much loved grandma. :)  

Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas!  Much to the delight of the kids (big and small...) we actually had a white Christmas.  It started snowing yesterday afternoon and continued into the evening.  We didn't get much, but enough to bundle everyone up and head outside.  The picture of Callie and I is not great, but it's proof that there were 6 of us out there. :) Thank you Jeremy for letting me borrow your coat.

We all slept on the living room floor last night.   Jeremy drug our mattress out of our room so that I could sleep in comfort (thank you again!)

Our Christmas morning was spent listening to Isaiah and Jeremy take turns reading the Christmas story, opening gifts, skyping with my mom and dad and Jeremy's brother and sister-in-law in S. Korea (Brandon and Cindy are scheduled for later today) and eating French Toast casserole.   I had good intentions of adding fruit to make it somewhat of a healthier breakfast, but hey, it's Christmas after all. The rest of the morning was spent building Lego sets and playing with new toys.  

Jeremy made this doll crib for Callie.   She loves it!

Merry Christmas to all.  We have so much to be thankful for each Christmas.   I feel especially blessed this Christmas.  

Family time -Nov. '12

 Here are some pictures from when my whole family was together in November.   I apologize for the lack of explanation for these pictures.  Lots of good memories.

December 11, 2012

My friend Rhonda used this blogging format on her blog.  She found the idea here: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/  I have to admit I don't know much about The Simple Woman's Day Book, but I loved this idea.


TODAY

Outside my window... Dark with the exception of Christmas lights.  Isaiah and Nathan think we are the only house on the street that doesn't hang lights.  I love the idea, but the work...

I am thinking... this baby is running out of room in there, but I love all the kicks and movement.

I am thankful... for a quiet house.  Sleep is not a favorite thing around here lately.  I can't figure it out.  We're trying some new things.

In the kitchen... is a stack of recipe cards for Christmas cookies.  How many should I make?  What kind?

I am wearing... anything that fits.  I'll be 33 weeks tomorrow!

I am creating... oh this one makes me sad.  I long to create something, anything.  I'm a pinterest addict, but rarely find the time (may or may not have something to do with pinterest addiction) or energy or money to put things together.  I did sew a dress for Callie for her birthday.  I have to say I was pretty proud of myself for starting it and finishing it all before her party.

I am going...to have a baby someday.  I won't be pregnant forever.

I am wondering... how to keep priorities straight.  how to say no to things that suck life and energy and how to gain vision and insight for what I am called to do.  Daily.

I am reading... "Boundaries" by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.  I need it.  Also read about the first ice boxes and steam engines today.

I am hoping... for a relaxing, peaceful, joy filled Christmas.

I am looking forward to... holding this baby, starting a New Year

I am learning...that I can't control very much. Also, learning that if I really want my kids to know how to fold laundry and clean the bathroom I'm going to have to take the time to show them, with patience.

Around the house...there's laundry that's folded but not put away, piano music, Christmas CD's, Legos, books, so many books.

I am pondering... what I don't know.  As I look back on this year I can't help but remember days when we thought life was so hard only to be hit later with something harder and deeper to tread through.  And yet those low times have made the simpler times sweeter; kids birthdays, decorating a Christmas tree, family times. I'm mourning loss, celebrating life, reaching for something deeper, but scared of what it might take to reach it.

A favorite quote for today..."OK Mommy".

One of my favorite things...our nativity set, hope, quiet evening

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Hopefully make some Christmas cookies, wrap some gifts, slow down

A peek into my day... I'm on the wrong computer to post pictures, but if you have an imagination:  Callie leading Nate around like a dog, piano lessons, two kids in pj's at the supper table (no they weren't in them all day and no I didn't ask why), strawberry lotion squeezed into several different play bowls and pans, sad little girl because her birthday lotion is almost gone, a frustrated mother, a quiet evening, the second in a row.  So needed and so enjoyed.

Catch Up

I knew it had been awhile since I updated this thing, but I didn't realize how long!

Here's to catching up, because I'm too lazy to do it moment by moment.  In the last months we've..

celebrated Nate's 5th birthday.  I don't think I blogged about it, but it did happen. As you'll see, this cake did me in.  Isaiah and Callie did not get anything this fun.    

did a lot of dreaming

 

we even dreamed in style 

we took some risks

 and we took some pictures

We've done lot of living, laughing and crying, a lot of school, and a lot of talking about the new baby boy on the way -only  about 7 weeks to go! 

Thunder Bay 2012

I'm only a month behind on this post. Not bad.  We had a great time!  Some of these pictures may see a little odd, but they bring back memories for me so I'm posting them anyway. :)  

The view from about 2/3rds of the way to top of "The Sliding Board".  You'll know it if you've been there.  It's great.

We spent a couple days in Nipigon.  So peaceful and quiet.  We sent the mighty men fishing while us ladies stayed home and did girly things like soak our feet and paint our nails and drink  Tim Hortons coffee and eat Tim Hortons Timbits.  Someone had to keep the bears away from the trailer.  The fishing trip was a huge success.  The boys are spoiled for life I'm afraid.   Isaiah told me when they got home that if they  had more money they could have brought home about 40 walleye.  Oh the pain of learning about your "limit".  

The might tree thrower

Nate the Great.  What's it to you? (Like the cape?  Mom made it out of a t-shirt!)

We didn't go fishing, but we did get a boat ride. 

This picture just makes me want to take a deep breath and sigh a happy sigh.  The  water, the sky the people.  

Paddle to the Sea park

We tried

Don't mess with my S'more! 

Grandma time

More from Thunder Bay next time I get around to posting...