sanders stories

skin and potty

2012-01-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

This week has been CRAzy!!! Yesterday I went to my dermatologist and got a mole removed on my back... because of my family history with Melanoma, I took no chances... this one mole had some not so normal look to it, so she removed it ! So now, I have stitches in my back, and I feel like every time I move, they are pulling or popping... such a gross feeling (side note: I am so grateful I never had a C-section, How do you do it with way more stitches?) OUCH!
Anyway, I just want to remind anyone who thinks that they should go to the dermatologist to just GO... the #1 killer of Females between the ages 18 - 35 is Skin Cancer... it's something that is VERY preventable. My sister has a story to tell, one that we never thought could happen to someone so young! So anyway, watch those moles, see the Dr. and NEVER USE THOSE TANNING BEDS!!!

On a different note...
Another little one in our family is being potty trained this week.... being 2 1/2, and an absolute charmer, IT IS TIME!!! I think this next step will help our trash keep to 'normal' aromas and me in less bad moods when "someone forgets to take it out" haha. I can totally take the trash out, but I just don't.... and if I leave it outside, the raccoons think it's Christmas once again.
So far, Caleb has had one little accident but did everything else where is should go... after naps, we will watch the beloved potty video and read the book... and then he will be an expert...haha (not really)

The cutest thing is seeing the girls encourage him every minute of the day... he must have been asked the "Do you need to go potty, Sweetie?" 1295743 times today. We all stood and clapped as he bashfully hid his face under his gigantic smile... potty training the third is WAY easier than I could have ever dreamed... then again, this is still the first day {grin}.

happy new year

2012-01-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

christmas in virginia (part 2)

2011-12-29T21:23:00.000-08:00

The weather in Virginia was wonderful... I didn't wear a coat most of the time, the kids went on daily walks around the cul-de-sac and we even spent the day after Christmas in the DC zoo. It was so nice!!

Christmas morning was wonderfully relaxing, we got up around 8:30, had a very simple breakfast of cereal and milk (these are fancy times) and read the Christmas story, went for a walk and FINALLY around 11am we opened pressies! I think I was the ONLY one excited for this... I couldn't wait to give Dave his gift!!

Little Joyful Hannah giving Abby a huge hug for the gift Abby got her... I can't remember what, but something to do with nail polish or hello kitty... haha.

We got Abby another bible, this time she will be able to read it to the others. Her reading is coming along very well... so proud of her, what a great student she is:)

This was the gift I gave him!!! Vibram five finger shoes!!! Haha. They are hilarious and so silly looking but according to some friends, they are worth looking ill for... I really contimplated getting these for a while and even thought about the way I would look having a husband dressed like a hiker while sitting in church or attending a wedding... haha. I then realized my complete vanity and got what he has been eyeing for a very long time. He actually didn't keep this exact pair, I returned it and we ordered different ones online... yay for Christmas gifts and affording them too!!!

Because my dad travels so much, it was really nice that we got him for a whole week... the kids love my parents but my mom is often the only one who can make the trip to visit us... Caleb and my dad did lots of "puzzeled" together.

My girls sang some Christmas song... I felt like I was reliving my life through my girls, I remember the day I stood there with my dad and sang away while he played... except it was in a different country, different song, different time.... BUT the same piano, the same dad, the same great memory:)

Caleb is an expert in "operation" I think he thinks that the aim is to touch the sides as much as possible... I really hope he doesn't become a brain surgeon...

At the DC Zoo... this place never gets old, especially when its FREE!!! The kids were looking at the animals, the men were keeping kids away from climbing in the exhibits and my mom and I were doing all that AND on the look out for new Christmas gifts that people were wearing.... spotted some brand spanking new UGGS EVERYWHERE... haha. PS. It gives me the greatest thrill seeing new stuff people wear with the tags or size stickers still attached... haha, I don't know why but it just about kills me every time... haha... every time meaning - I have only seen this ONCE!!!

I'm sad Christmas is over!

christmas in virginia (part 1)

2011-12-27T20:04:00.000-08:00

I have a bit to catch up on... December ran away from me, but I was enjoying every minute of it and didn't care to find the time to blog about it. I was with family and I was in Virginia and those two things keep me busy and simply happy!!

My sister Sarah had us over to decorate a ginger village with all the cousins... it was colorful, fun and complete chaos... I found out just how disgusting those rainbow-twisler-candy-licorice-things are - totally gross!!

Abby with the most candy, decorating her house.

Hannah trying VERY hard to make a ginger bread house with some fake nails... she is something else. haha. Most of the trip down (7 hours) she sat perfectly still so her nails wouldn't come off :)

I don't think Caleb has ever seen so much candy, he didn't stuff his face... he asked permission for each tiny thing he put near his mouth. so sweet!

Are you supposed to eat the thing? I didn't let my kids cause the icing was so gross, it got hard as a rock within a day. What a waste of all that candy. Ha.

The village complete.

My moms birthday is on Christmas eve, so we celebrated that night with dinner at Sarah's house again...

Dec 25th

2011-12-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Today my savior was born!

Dec 21st

2011-12-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

We are leaving for VIRGINIA (sometime today as planned)..... but the car isn't cleaned out, the bags have not been packed, laundry is still going, kids are not napping, I am (right now) not cleaning the apartment, I need to change a diaper, eat lunch, and PACK.... plus, the car failed inspection earlier today and now Dave is fixing something on it so we can go...

maybe we will probably be leaving tomorrow...

which means I have time to clean out the car, pack some bags, finish the laundry, let the kids nap in their beds, clean the apartment and change that disgusting diaper and eat my lunch and PACK.... Dave will then be able to fix that van!!!

I can't wait to see my family again even though I was just there.
Until next week...

Dec 17th

2011-12-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to give Dave his gift. I know he might take it back, but this year I actually have the money for a "better" gift. A while ago, I went to this website called comptroller.com where you could see if you have any outstanding money owed to you though jobs that you might of not claimed taxes for.... anyway, I put my (maiden) name in and sure enough I had some money, each state has there own site, so I have two amounts owed to me. I got a check in the mail a couple weeks ago for $71.00 and I am still waiting on Virginia to send me another check... I was sooo pleased cause now I can buy Dave's gift this year:)

I bought it today and Dave hasn't a clue, the shops were crazy but so happy to came home to these lovely kids singing Christmas carols... haha. I love each of their cute singing faces. Tomorrow Hannah is going to sing again a verse in Away in the Manger with another cute little boy named Kyle, I can't wait to see it!!

Dec 15th & 16th

2011-12-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

I spent the day trying to catch up... I guess there is no explanation for this, except after a trip there is always more to do. I seriously needed a day to just get back to some sort of routine. I also had to do some shopping for the up coming cakes I was doing.
That evening while I was still making dinner and vacuuming, my mother-in-law came to play/watch the kids so Dave and I could go out with our home group. We were meeting at the Cheesecake factory and rushed like a crazy lady trying to get things done before we left. We made it, and had a wonderful evening...

we did try and get some pictures, but because the place is so dark there were none that were great. I did manage to get a group picture of the ladies.... minus two ladies - one had already left and another couldn't make it.

Dave and I went to get some Christmas shopping done afterwards.... we were both so tired, and just wanted our beds.

BUT, I had a cake to do for the morning, so I didn't get to go to bed until FIVE in the AM...

In the end, I woke up, and had to make something to take to a Christmas breakfast for Dave's work. I was SO baked out... but the Christmas thing was fun, and our kids scored big on the white elephant gift exchange.

So this is the cake.... half is Chocolate and half vanilla on vanilla frosting. I was making this for a neighbor who was having a birthday for all her great nephews and nieces. I was trying to include everyone so we put the initials on the stars... and she wanted a 'J' for Jesus cause it was His birthday too :) I was more than happy to put this sweet thing in her car... I was having a HARD time keeping my kids from poking or breathing on it all morning.

When every last bit of frosting was cleaned up, I got out my cupcake recipes to prepare for the 110 cupcakes I am making for our churches Christmas service this Sunday... good thing I love to bake.

Dave had some of his friends over to watch Elf... I love that movie, but I was MORE than ready to hit the sack, I was one tired mom.

Dec 14th

2011-12-14T21:23:00.000-08:00

Today was long, no pictures, just me and the kids... I got through some home school with Abby, got Hannah from school, ate lunch, changed Caleb's diaper too many times (he needs to be potty trained...NOW) naps, laundry, cleaning, dinner, friends over until late.... this day was one of those ordinary days.

I kinda made a wish list in my head and this is somewhat how it went...

-I wish I started shopping for Christmas already
-I wish I did Christmas cards like I have done every.year.before... what happened?
-I wish I could go back in time and shop earlier, and get those cards out:)
-I wish I never made mental lists in my head just to throw myself into panic mode...

I scratched my list out in my head and remembered that tomorrow is another day, full of promise and hope. I now am ~~wishing~~ hoping for a nice long sleep and joyful mornings. I have one long busy day tomorrow:)

Dec 13th

2011-12-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

I have a few pictures from the weekend... such a wonderful time.

It all started when I turned 30 this year (October). On my birthday I received an invite from my sisters and mom to a girls weekend away and that they would fly me down so we could have fun together.

Trying to coordinate a weekend where all our husbands didn't have to work and take the time to watch the kids was a little complicated, but at the end, Dave did just great working this all out without me:)

This last Thursday, I was getting ready when Dave came in and said he hurt his back....
He actually couldn't move. He lay down on the floor and then couldn't get back up, with the accompany of many loud painful moans... poor guy. I was completely torn... should I go, should I stay???

After many frustrating minutes and tears, a nice neighbor, a ride for Hannah to school, Dave's mom and countless others willing to pitch in, I went to Va... I really was a mess!

I arrived, I saw my parents and suddenly I felt so young again, like I was 16 and waiting to be picked up from one of my trips... but I was 30, and my parents have really white hair and go to bed way earlier and they did back then. HaHa

In the morning I visited Emma for brunch with my mom and Sarah... it was so nice:)

She has a gift of hospitality and a wonder in the kitchen... a talent to have for being a pastors wife.

My sweet nieces coloring quietly until the other cousins came... J was in school, I missed seeing him.

These cuties are the most well behaved little boys ever, so sweet and polite... just like little monkeys in a cage:)

After the brunch my mom and I went shopping to Nordstom Rack, it's like a TJ Max but only for clothes.... my mom bought me a new jacket and boots! Happy Birthday to me!!

My dad and I went to breakfast on Saturday... good ole Silver Diner.... one of my high school hang outs!

After breakfast my sisters arrived and then we were off. We hit the road and discovered that my dad had left each of us a note and some spending money... Leesburg Va has some outlets so we wondered around for hours after a quick lunch at Panera. I was so happy to find a duvet cover for Caleb's twin bed at Pottery Barn... what a deal:)

We were outside my parents window... the neighbors were watching and we were dying...

We got into our hotel... The George Washington in Winchester Va... such a cute little town with quaint shops, all decorated for Christmas.

We ate at a Thia restaurant down a sweet alley covered with lights... my picture doesn't do it justice... I was trying to be 'untouristy' with my camera so it was taken on the move. haha.

I haven't eaten Thia for such a long time.... so delish.

Our hotel was having a wedding and I was gasping at what people were wearing, not to be mean, but I really felt cold and exposed for them... I forgot that when you dress up and go out, comfort is the last thing on your mind. grin.

After a little breakfast at the Daily Grin, we headed home, I had a plane to catch and I was ready for some sleep. The hotel/wedding went on until 2am, and then for whatever reason they bought the party up to our floor and sat outside our door talking and laughing... I (like the rest of my fam) was too tired and sleepy to complain at that moment.

It was fun, glad I did it, I don't want to fly again in a tiny plane... it.freaked.me.out. So worth it for the laughs and joy it was to hang out with family.

Dec 12th

2011-12-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

I am back, so happy I went, it was a lot of fun... I just need time to go through my pics, but the best feeling the whole weekend was when I saw my little family when they picked me up. I didn't realize how much I missed them all until I saw their faces:) obviously I missed Dave more than ever... he did an amazing job here - even with a bad back... poor Dave:(

Dec 8th

2011-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

So... I am off. Virginia here I come.
I get to see my too very pregnant sisters, my wonderful mom and dad, hug some awesome nephews and nieces and then us girls leave for Winchester, VA.
I am going to miss my man, and those sweet girls.
I have never stayed away from Caleb even for 1 night (he is 2 1/2), he will be missed and I guess I need a life:).
I can't wait to create memories with my sisters, while we reminisce about others ones...

p.s. I am not AT ALL a lover of flying, it scares to half to death.... if you think about it, please pray for me... I only hope I don't start crying. haha

Dec 7th

2011-12-07T21:10:00.000-08:00

After cleaning the house, laundry and having my mother in law around to visit, I couldn't resits taking a picture of Caleb eating his dinner...
We serve our veggies first (most of the time)
I really felt so sorry for those beans... they didn't fold a chance to that mouth.
To think that a week ago, he sat in that same chair and pushed those beans around his plate for over an hour, but we still made him eat them, we are MEAN!
This was his 3rd helping tonight.... I gave up serving him on his plate and just gave him the bowl, we must have a growing boy:)

I love him.

Dec 6th

2011-12-06T21:42:00.000-08:00

- Abby went to the Home School Academy, she LOVES it there.
- I had little Emma over to play with Hannah.
- Caleb and I played Lego's forever on the floor.
- I turned my back for a minute and I than had to wash the walls cause he thought drawing on them was way better than playing Lego's with me (for that minute)...
- I tried to make a mental list of all the things I need to pack for this weekend.... family pics, baby gifts...
- I tried to make a list of ALL the things I need to do BEFORE I leave :(
- Spoke to Emma's mom about everything and anything when she was picked up... I really love living in this community!
- Went to lunch
- Kids went down for a nap (I was happy) (I should of napped) (I was then sad I didn't)
- Did some laundry
- Woke the kids up (BAD BAD idea)
- Drove to pick up Abby and Sebastian from school
- Ran to Walmart.... and forgot to buy toilet paper
- Got ready for Dinner with friends
-Picked up Dave on the way to the library and dinner.
- Ran into my friend Sally (could of talked to her for hours) (lets make a plan, OK:)
- Got the long awaited book "the Help" I now had a book to keep me from thinking I will crash in the airplane.... I strongly dislike flying!
- Went over to friends for Dinner.... wonderful:) Even though I see Rachel three times a week while picking up our preschoolers, it was nice to really catch up.
- Laughed and spoke about everything including eating your placenta after having a baby.... I think I might have turned green as I wrote that, but it's a known fact and I googled it... Yes- there are recipes for that too.... anyone want some placenta stew??? HAhaH.
- Re highlighted my hair... Christmas pics tomorrow:)
-Sleep.... 12:38am

Dec 5th

2011-12-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

We had some very fun students over for dinner and games tonight. My mouth hurts and my lips are cracked.... which probably means I had that wide open and my poor lips stretching to keep it all together.... it was definitely my ugly-face laugh...what a sight I must of been. Haha!!!

One thing that really is the sweetest, is hearing Caleb talk... his words, the way he says them and his thoughts that make up which words he chooses is just too cute. I wish I could keep him this way forever.... Dave and I heard him singing "Away in a Manger".... he had the tune, and some key words, but for the other words he just made noises.... he is trying so hard to keep up with the girls and sing like his 'big sittsers'. I really should catch that on video... another thing is that he is so excited to go to the airport on Thursday, every time he hears a plane, he runs to see it out the window and tells me that they are going to the 'air-porch'...I am flying to DC for this coming weekend, to have a girls weekend away with my sisters and mom, but I am not so sure he knows that I am actually leaving on the airplane for those days... he just thinks that its a fun place to go to, I really hope he doesn't hate airports after this... or maybe he will love them more? haha. First trip away from all three kids and Dave.... I hope I survive :(

Dec 3rd & 4th

2011-12-04T20:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday, Dave and I sat watching some friends boys for the day so that they could go out and spend time looking, eating, soaking up "America" before they move. I will miss them when they move back to Switzerland. Their boys are the same age as our girls and really get on well with them, even their personalities are similar... the firstborns will sit straight backed as they play a complicated card game, while the other two are yelling, laughing and destroying the toys in the other room:)
I was so grateful that the weather was so nice and that they could burn off some energy... if not our house would have been a pile of rubble!

Hannah was inside for a minute while I took pics, poor Abby (haha)
They were making leaf piles for the "bomb" fire that they were going to make.

The joys of childhood.... after naps (yes ALL three of my kids still nap) Hannah thinks she doesn't need one but is probably the only one who really does need one, Abby protests daily but nearly always falls asleep (and yes, still goes to sleep @8pm and wakes after 8am), and Caleb will practically put himself to sleep on the floor as long as he has a certain blanket.....
back to the story.... the kids enjoyed a movie on the wall until their parents came back. I could have gone to bed right then and there, but we found ourselves having a friend over after the kids were in bed and eating cookies with milk and talking until late...

Today was GREAT!!!! Dave and I only got out of bed after 9:45am.... I did have to get Caleb out his crib but he joined us in our bed for a.very.long.time. the girls (for the most part) played in their room. We have turned a corner in our family... kids can entertain themselves with books and games and even getting their own cereal.... this is LIFE CHANGING!!! Sundays are our family day, we sleep in, eat a wonderful breakfast, have family time, do a family thing or two and then go to church in the evening.... just wonderful.
Today I had to make 250 cookies for the service so that took a while and we wanted to decorate for Christmas, so we were putting up the nativity and starting our "Jesse tree". Our kids started watching "Toy Story" for the first time... so deprived, I know:)
I am really excited to see what we learn as a family and focus on the ONE who came down for us this holiday season...

Dec 2nd

2011-12-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

I'm awake, wide awake... I probably shouldn't have had that last cup of tea an hour ago... but the company of friends, laughter and stories was just too fun. I love having people over, I love how it energises me to clean, sort and throw... literally. I know Dave likes it too, so here I was teaching Abby the ~~stresses~~ joys of running a house, time management, laundry and entertaining... this was our school today, she needs to understand that life all works together in a home and here I sit, with a cleaner house, full bellies, kids happily sleeping, laundry folded and a husband sketching a picture behind me (yes Dave draws amazingly) I wish he had the time to do it more....

If you wondering if Abby did any "normal school work", the answer is yes.... She got a letter from a dear friend in the mail... She read the whole thing to us and smiled from ear to ear.... SO PROUD!!! Thanks SL for the encouragement, it was a welcomed "practice" of reading and excitement... her letter back will be soon:)

Dec 1st

2011-12-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

This is my attempt to write something small or long? everyday for the month of December... starting tonight, I want to go through a month in the life of us Sanders. Don't ask me why I picked a crazy month, but if I don't start back up again posting from this last year, I will never catch up. Some days it will be memories of this year cause I have lacked to post much, others it will be recipes or just pictures. I am and have been EXTREMELY busy... I guess this is just the life I have at the moment. I wouldn't change it but sometimes I just want to breathe:)

Today I was making homemade salsa and trying to throw chips on a place so I could drop Hannah at her pre-school Christmas-play class-room by 6:30pm, deliver the snack to the gym and then go find a good seat in the church and wait for the play/songs to begin. I did it with the dishes, clothes and laundry draped over the couches - threads, sewing stuff, trash and food all placed everywhere they shouldn't be to greet us when we got home. While our place might not be the neatest tonight, Hannah sure was... She sang "Away in a Manger" in the mic, all three verses.... SO PROUD.... I don't think I could even do that, she came home and asked when she could do it again... uummm, is she my daughter?? haha. I love her, I love her artistic side, full of laughter, full of emotion, full of life and love... she had made this family smile way more. It was also so cute watching all her friends singing or talking up on stage.... and that CJ sure has a knack for the mic and songs...haha. So CUTE!!

So my next thing to do, is get kids together one afternoon for a little caroling at the nursing home... Anyone wanna come??

4 months later

2011-10-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”- Marianne Williamson

counting the hours!

2011-05-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

We are off on Vacation tomorrow... cant wait to get my feet in the sand, feel the warm sun, listen to the waves, taste the sea... but especially be with our little family and create unforgetable memories:)
I'm so grateful for a husband that works hard and is able to save a little money here and there for us to take the trip. I love what you do for our family:)
See you all in 2 1/2 weeks....

happy easter

2011-04-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

my girls and their silly closed-mouth smiles.

Because of the rain and coldness, i didn't take a picture of all three of my kids on Easter. i am sad. but i can always re-do a pic this week when it warms up. My girls were standing at church waiting for Dave and I to set up the children's room, I quickly snapped a picture or two of them as they waited. Thank goodness for Old navy who has some really cute matching dresses in different colors. I never buy those expensive fluffy dresses that they wear once or twice, I guess I have lived and learned. I just get a sundress that I know they will wear to death until it no longer fits. Abby is going through a "no-pink" phase and wouldn't go near the idea of wearing it, Hannah will not wear anything else but pink.... go figure:) So I ended up buying these in 'their' colors! I quickly made the hair bows the night before while Dave and I watched the passion of the Christ. It was dark in the room, somber and I was sewing and hot-gluing fabric flower bows... What Easter really stands for has absolutely nothing to do with dressing up for the Sunday service, it's all about whats in your heart.... I guess we can't cover up and make our sinful hearts look anymore presentable than wanting our hearts cleaned from sin. Holidays have gone so far from the real thing... Not pointing fingures, I am one right in the middle, I was just thinking about it...mmm, just a thought.

Don't get me wrong, I like that my girls are still willing to wear dresses but still right on the mark when it comes to know all about what Easter really means. Caleb has no idea:) He just knows where the M&M's are on the counter and if you are anywhere near there he will come running and yell "Pleeesss, Pleeesss, Pleeeesss" This holiday is working in his favor of what not to believe in {grin}

The rest of the day was busy, we celebrated my nephews birthday at the Easter meal. There was family, extended family and step family all other the place. It was fun, busy and crazy with all the kids running around finding eggs. I made the cake and spend most of the afternoon getting that done for him! I am glad it's over:)
I am finally trying to catch up on sleep.

Early on Saturday morning, I volunteered at the Uganda Water Project 5K. When I woke up at 5:15am, it was pouring and cold... I didn't run it this year, I love the atmosphere, the cause and the people and will be volunteering when ever I can anyway. It was a great turnout and just before the run, it stopped raining and later the sun was out. It was a great day:)

Going back to Friday... we went to a friends house for a Easter egg hunt. There were over 45 kids that came, and about 600 eggs. I spent Thursday evening with some moms stuffing and hiding eggs all over the place. It was a candy wonderland on her living room floor:) I was in heaven!! The hunt was fun, with games, fellowship, food and LOTS of candy, hopefully my kids had as much fun as I did {sigh}

some of the kids before more came.

I wonderful fun filled weekend. Now back to homeschooling with aggression, I want to finish soon. We get so unmotivated when the weather is warm...

HAPPY EASTER, Jesus paid it all on the cross for you and me so we can live. I am thankful.

they stole my heart:)

2011-04-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Little Hannah asked Jesus to have her whole heart the other night. As I listen to her sweet prayer and sincere heart, it made me realize just how special she is. Dave and I can't get over how much joy she carries. Sometime that joy spills over so much in force that we end up having to carm it down:) But from the moment she wakes up, she is 100% happy. Sometimes sad - but only for a moment. She is a very sharing child (being a middle child doesn't let you be anything else:), she wants hugs and squeezes all day, you often hear her singing... actually always hear her singing and just praising Jesus. She can teach us a lot about resilience and peace, joy and beauty. We just love her, she is one of God's Children and will make her mark in this world. We can't wait to see how she continually gets used by Him.

This year has been one momentous year for our girls.

we're

happy

humbled

thankful

and amazed by grace.

two sweet things. cakes and friends:)

2011-04-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

This was for a friend who had a shower back in January... finally have the pictures out of my camera and on the computer. I had so much fun doing this cake. Even more fun knowing how much of a blessing and miracle this boy is to his family. And he is so cute:)

shower cupcakes

I recently had the privileged to make the cake for a wedding I will do in July. I loved how they came to me, to do the shower as well... I suggested cupcakes cause it's way easier grabbing a cupcake verses someone having to cut the cake into slices and then serving them. This way I gave my cupcake menu and they picked 3 flavors and fillings, it was sweet, personal and very very fun to make:)

What did they pick?
1) Lemon Zinger. Light lemon sponge cake, with a raspberry filling and a sweet lemon butter cream.
2) Strawberries and cream. Vanilla cake, fresh strawberry center, and sweet whipped cream topped with a strawberry
3) Chocolate-chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate cake, ganache filling, fluffing chocolate cream frosting, with white chocolate curls and chocolate drizzle.

I LOVE doing cakes, for any occasion. I also LOVE that with each job that I do, more potential jobs come in.

and another thing... my old freshman roomie from college came to visit!!! She invited some friends in the area over to my house and we got to see her for a few hours over tea/coffee and brownies. Some of these girls I haven't seen since graduation. It was really fun to laugh and laugh and reminisce on past times:) It was such fun. I really miss Joanna. She is such a breath of fresh air. She lives in Japan and was visiting the US for a few weeks, she is being used so much by God to a nation that really needs God more than ever. I can't wait to see what happens next as she continues to be a fantastic witness of God's love and joy:)

very bad picture, but at least there is one with all of us:)
Karrie, Joanna, me, Stacy, Melody.... that's Stacy's little baby boy!

Sally came over for a visit, she is so much fun... my kids LOVE her. I wish more days were like that, walks to the store for bananas and sweets, worm poking, laughing, and chatting, I can't wait to go running/walking with her more in the evenings after the kids are in bed!! Yay to fitness:)

So much has happened in our lives these past weeks... it is hard to find time to sit on here and post about it. But if I don't, I know that I will regret it in years to come. Can't wait for more spring days to welcome more busy schedules and fun:)

someone loves smoothies

2011-03-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

alive, but just:)

2011-03-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

We are doing well... extremely busy but doing good. I still need to update on our trip to Va to visit my wonderful Auntie Sue who was visiting my parents for a week from the UK. It was a fun, full week. I have had people over for meals, play dates, babysitting friends kids, family over, birthday parties, church (in which I do all the Sunday school), weekly community meetings (love), laundry (not my love), hanging out with students, keeping up with my husbands schedule, bonfires, game nights, three energetic kids, homeshool and of course many hugs and kisses, disciple and loud noices to keep quiet... I also have been getting back into sewing (kinda?) and I have a project that I will work on as soon as we have finished planning and planting our summer garden... yes we are going BIG with it this year. Thanks to Dave's mom, we have her whole back yard to plant and grow our food... after the indoor seed germinating process, deer fence installed, seeds growing and watered... I will be making this hat and blanket combo. it.is.so.cute. anyone having a baby girl???

so until then...
we are doing what life has for us. Living for Gods purposes, glorifying Him in ever busy and crazy moment that comes our way:)

on my mind

2011-03-11T11:51:00.000-08:00

My heart is heavy... can't really imagine what is going on in Japan right now after the earthquakes and tsunami... never again will I refere to the family room as if "a tsunami" went through... this distruction made by a couple kids does not compared to the absolute devastation made by Mother Nature... along with the explosion of toys everywhere, we don't have panic and fear, we don't have death and anxiety... my eyes are glued to the video images of cars and houses and airplanes being shoved effortlessly in the path of looming high water currents...

So today, as the girls and I watched in horror, remembering friends and family members of family members there in Japan, the girls asked why? I sometimes don't have answers to such deep questions and sometimes the easiest and best thing I can do is open the bible and see what's in there.... not that it will give us the answers about today's earthquakes... but it gives hope to an eventful world, a world crying out to be saved and as my kids and I look up scriptures of encouragement... their questions fade from asking why, to asking if it will happen to us, and then questions about the end times... maybe it will be like this? maybe worse, and with an even heavier heart than before I think of my sweet kids and what they might have to go through in these times... makes my life here as a mom even more burdensome to speak life and truth to them so that they can encourage a desperate world where little is found...

Turning our sorrow to gladness is hard to teach, but in this I know God will show me a way and He is more than capable in teaching my kids in His way... I do pray that I convey a message in simple truth that breathes peace and love.

We are praying for those hurting, those who have lost everything and those who want hope... may He bring hope to all who are hopeless. His grace is sufficient.

a newbie

2011-03-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

"mommy, can I talk to you now before I go to bed?"

"Sure... what do you want to tell me?"

I was looking at my sweet little girl, sitting cross-legged in our huge white fluffy bed... her eyes were bright, pleading to tell me something.... her skin so fair, so soft.... she wore a little smile... what is so important for her to wait so patiently to let me know? I slid down next to her, with her curls cascading down her shoulders and covering her favorite faded pj's.... I asked her what it was....

"I'm growing up, mom... I'm changing.... My heart is changing. All the bad that was in my heart has come out and now I have good stuff in there. Jesus forgave all my sins and now my heart is new."

I sat there staring at a little girl that now suddenly was talking like a teenager, (along with the eye rolling and sighing)... she was telling me the one thing that is the most important thing to Dave and I.... the one thing that I have waited to hear her say since knowing of her existence....

she told me that she loved God.
she told me that He forgave her for all her yucky sins.
she told me she was different.
she told me that she was changed.
she told me that she felt better and all grown up.

Dave and Abby had been down stairs for a while, I was putting the others down to bed... when I went in to say good night she had come up and was sitting there waiting patiently to tell me the biggest and the best news of her life...

and this is how Abigail's testimony begins....

my heart swells and so does that lump in my throat as I think of what happened one week ago tonight:)

to God be the Glory:)

snow day

2011-02-25T09:08:00.000-08:00

he could watch snow for hours.

my three

2011-02-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

the anual school prom

2011-02-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

YES!!! My favorite time of the year:) hahahah. For anyone of you who know what I'm talking about, you wish you were me... I have attended so many of these ~~banquets~~ proms and I can't wait for the next!!! I have some pics of the last couple years and I am counting down until this years one.... it's on ... um, sometime in March? April?

So I guess I'm not counting, I just "happen" to look in the dress closet yesterday and find out that I have NOTHING to wear...

OK, I have about 7 dresses that I have worn either to the banquet or to weddings way to many times. I can always wear black (again) but I feel like being in color.... so I made a dress yesterday out of $1 teal colored, scrap material from the Walmart grab bin.... I have had this forever and so I made a dress. and I am so PROUD of it!!! It's a long maxi dress (now I can wear legging's and be warmer and not expose my pale skin to the elements of ice... and I am on the invention lookout to see how I can make a ruffle to the neckline (It's all about modestly and hiding secret places where the sun has never shone:) even if the rest of the women population doesn't agree...HaHA. I will post a picture as soon as I have lost 10 pounds and have worked out for about 20 hours a week.... I think I have time...mmm???

so maybe there will be no picture before the banquet. I also have no clue how to get the pics off my new camera and into the computer to post them... too busy taking the pictures and sewing to even try... when Dave's home and we have nothing to do...mmm... I will ask him then:)

As for my day... Abs was supposed to go to the homeschooling academy today... but it's Feb break and so there wasn't any school... so we decided to go off to the Kanga Jump place thingy... I dropped something off on my way to my sister-in-law and see told me about her adventures in the ER the night before with her son.... there is a horrid virus going around(what's new) It's a stomach bug that can last up to 14 days... NO THANK YOU. I have plans on going down to Virginia next week and I will be sadder than ever if I can't go, so Kango Jump Place thingy can keep their germs and I'll keep my kids tummy bug free.

we went to McDonald's instead.... the drive through:)

and Walmart

and Sam's

... and applied a TON of hand sanitizer.... hope that helps??

Going to McDonald's was so fun, this is the second time I have ever given the girls a happy meal EVER(including any kind of kids meal from any other fast food place) Chicken nuggets and chocolate milk is like giving diamonds and jewels to my kids... they nearly vomited with excitement when they saw it came with a toy... haha.
Poor Caleb cheered away and was given a prepacked peanut butter sandwich from home... poor boy, he was so happy for a bite of some fries...
for your information... we went to get a Shamrock Shake form McD's and our whole family shared ONE shake... yes, yes... we are that kind of family:) HA

So that is whats going on today

tonight we have community group and we LOVE it:) more on that later!!!

a new look:)

2011-02-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

I finally figured out how to make this thing look somewhat ~~cute~~ cuter than it was before:) I have read so many tutorials and even though I didn't apply most of what I learned on this blog - I will hopefully in the future... maybe designing blogs will be another thing to get into one day:) Ha. Dave will flip cause everything I am interested in seems to turn my crazy brain into a great business idea. Don't worry - I will stick to cakes, but I can help anyone who wants a "new look" on their blog!!
Dave got me a new gift - something I never thought was coming my way anytime soon. I LOVE it... it was expensive but thank goodness I have a husband who is a saver and not a spender. He got me this for Christmas, Valentines, Easter, Mothers Day and for my 30th Birthday... and I am trying so hard to not think about the cost of it every time I use it, but we have never been in debt so this is truly mine to keep and enjoy:) Thanks Dave - you truly know my love language... and thanks to our tax return:)
p.s. Dave has threatened to take it back the second I start to think I will become a photographer for other people.... as if the world needs ONE more of those. HA.

Canon T2i

some more cakes

2011-01-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

I don't think I posted these..from some weddings I did last year. I have a cake I'm doing this Saturday and then a couple is coming to do a cake tasting on Sunday... fun fun. If anyone knows of anyone that needs a cake... let me know.. I LOVE DOING CAKES!!!

I also have a baby shower cake I did, but having problems on loading it.... post it later with the other cakes...

day in the life

2011-01-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

so this is a day in our life...

Update: I didn't think I was writing a book when I started to write this... it might take you 12 hours to read it... Ha. or... you can come and visit for a day and live life with us and watch it first hand. It's not the most interesting day... just a normal one, I want to remember these days...

6am... It's early - way to early for me to get up. I think about running and how I'm supposed to meet my sister-in-law at the gym. I'm glad that I will be starting next week so I can sleep longer... I hear coughing and realize that Dave has gotten up to get Hannah. He has a elders meeting for breakfast and has to get up anyway... I hold my breath willing my self to get up... Zzz. While I rest, Dave leaves with a kiss.

7:30am. I hear a faint plee from the bathroom, Hannah has gotten up and needs my help, I attend to her. She is all smiles and wants to tell me all about the pictures she is going to draw me, She tells me I look beautiful this morning... what? how absolutely wonderful, did she even look at me.ha. I love her. I smile and tell her to be quiet not to wake anyone else. I see my bed and want to get back in.... why did Dave and I stay up until 2am? I surrender to the white, fluffy bed and doze for another 15 min...

7:45am. I hear Caleb calling me. "Momma? Momma?" How can I ignore his sweet voice? I go into his room and find him standing, waiting, clutching his blanket with three fingers while the other two are in his mouth... he blinks and reaches for me with a grin. I love this sweet boy:) I hold him and tell him wonderful things, he laughs and points towards our room asking for "Dadddiiii?" Sadly I tell him that he is already gone. I place 13 books in his crib and put the light on. Put him in and leave to take a shower.

8am. I'm showering. I have about 2958 interruptions... the girls are up, talking, going wild and have a million things to tell me. I get out and dress. Caleb sees me and starts to bounce in his crib.... I go and get him.

8:15am. I'm dressing Caleb, singing and hearing him laugh. He comes with me while I make my bed and straighten up the bathroom. I see Hannah wearing a little tank top and summery skirt. I tell her to change, it snowed a couple inches and she will never get rid of her cough if she dresses like that.

8:30am. I go to see where Caleb has disappeared to. I find Abby hugging him ever so tenderly. She is so sweet to him. Always. I love her compassion, but that sweetness is now-a-days running thin with Hannah. I tell them to hurry and dress in warm clothes and to wear socks, I remind them to make their beds and fold their blankets. After that I want to see them down stairs.

8:45am. I feed Caleb a banana. I haven't gone grocery shopping for a while so I don't have the usual wheat n' bran Post cereal... I go for the Oats and start to make it. Caleb is happy, chewing his food and giggling. I call to the girls who have told me they are just starting on folding their blankets. I don't hear arguing so I let them take their time. I give Caleb his oatmeal and head for the downstairs bathroom to get ready.

9am. I emerge from the bathroom feeling better that I put makeup on and dried my hear Before 9:30am... the past morning I had a early visitor stop by and give us cookies and I think he left feeling shocked and slightly embarrassed at the sight of me. haha. I don't think he will come knocking in the am again:) I see Caleb with an empty bowl and a foul smell about him. He managed to do his hair and make up using his breakfast... I clean him up, then finally change another diaper.

9:30am. I hear the girls coming down stairs. They are both chanting "here comes the cheerio princess". Hannah is in front wearing some odd end clothes (I forgot to ~~throw~~ pack away) under some angel dress-up, with a blanket trailing like a queens cape, sparkly red shoes and a princess crown. Never a dull moment with her. Abby is in sensible clothes with socks just as I asked her. Apparently she was playing a prince.... They sit and eat their breakfast after ordering orange juice and bananas, will the "mommy may I" ever be learned?

9:45am. I'm giving Caleb blocks to build towers... I need to run up stairs and collect some laundry and put it on. I run down stairs to stop the girls from an all out war over markers... I tell Abby to get her own upstairs and for Hannah to share (Did I just contradict myself... again?) I settle the rage and pop in laundry. I then remembered I left my neat piles of folded laundry on the couch... where Caleb is... I find abandoned clean laundry piles, on the floor in a heap while he sits and grins... his blocks have yet to be touched:(

10am. It's late for starting school but I am determined to complete it before lunch. I send Hannah to the kitchen to draw some ballerinas and keep Caleb with me in the living room. For some reason today, Abby doesn't want to do schooling right away... she is engrossed in an epic drawing project. I finally get her to sit at her desk... Caleb is restless, he want on my lap.

10:15am. Abigail is writing her name on all her work sheets, she is so precise and detailed. Asking for my approval, I gladly give it. I love her. She talks my ear off about the next home school outing in which I tell her she gets to go to. She is super happy and more enthusiastic to start with school. I start with a math quiz. Ha.

10:30am. She is done with the quiz, she has mastered the way to grade by giving herself an A+ before I have time to review it. I do, and she is right... another A+ on a quiz. Addition comes so easy to her, counting money by 5's and 10's, less than or greater than a numbers, time to the hour or half hour were all on her quiz... I thinking she is ready for a new math book... she is already two months ahead. She is like her Daddy... very good at numbers:)

11am. Hannah is singing full volume in the kitchen while drawing, Caleb decides to copy her in our room. Abby and I have a hard time reading her short stories... we end up listening to Hannah and quietly snicker at the nonsense she is making up. Caleb thinks we are laughing at him and starts attacking my neatly folded x2 laundry piles on the coffee table. I spring into action to keep the piles clean...I call Hannah to help me take it upstairs and into their draws. I hear a "Yes Mommy" and little footsteps. She can be so obedient sometimes:) Abby helps too.

11:15am. I give them a late snack. Apple slices and gold fish. I call Dave to ask if he is coming home for lunch. He calls back... no he wont... Boo! I go and find Caleb cause he is being quiet. He has managed to get in to the Cd's again, pulling them off the shelves one by one.

11:45am. I finish with Abby, she is reviewing her sight words..."the" "to" "a" and wants me to listen, I remind her of the silent but violent "e" at the end of words that changes vowels... "Nate" "ate" "time" nine"... she is getting it... finally:) She finishes with copying out our address and phone number.

12:15pm. Hannah has changed back to her normal white bride dress-up with sparkly red shoes... she wants her hair up like a princess so she can eat her peanut butter sandwich. Caleb munches happily. Abby stuck into another project at the kitchen table. She takes a few bites and then at it again. I eat cheerios cause I can't remember if I ate breakfast earlier.

1pm. Clean up time. We unpack the dishwasher and then pack in all the lunch and breakfast things. The kitchen gets a good sweep. The Markers get put back into their case for a break... poor markers. Ha. We head for the living room. Caleb managed to turn the place upside down in the minutes I was doing school with Abby. We put away the cars and blocks, puzzles and paper, little people and Lego's, books and magazines, shoes and dolls, Cd's and socks... the list is long.

1:30pm. I put on Hillsong for some dancing. Caleb is instantly bopping and jumping and can't contain himself, Hannah glides around with arms above head, looking stunned and overwhelmed. Abby sits and watches me, rolling her eyes at my cool moves. She can't handle the amount of creative interpretation dancing that I am doing. Caleb begins to sing. Sooo cute.

1:50pm. Caleb killed the dancing with polluting his diaper, we all head up stairs. Caleb gets fresh, and into bed. Before I'm out the door, he is asleep. Hannah strips down (again) with her clothes thrown around the floor and jumps into bed. Abby neatly piles her clothes and tissues and chap stick and socks next to her on our bed. (those too are separated for bed time... too much talking) I walk down stairs... I sigh with tiredness.

2:15pm. I switch the laundry. I then curl up on the couch and read my bible and pray for strength for the next few hours. I drift to sleep for a min. My mom calls and wakes me. We chat for a while about homeschooling and her visit in two weeks. I miss her.

2:45pm. I hear footsteps upstairs. I will myself up and off the phone. I know it's Hannah and go up to discipline her. She is up with the light on and looking out the window at the sidewalk. Brad is plowing it, she is giddy watching him. I do the discipline deed, thankfully she is sorry. As I'm going downstairs, Abby calls out (she is still awake?) she wants to come down... I don't give in.

3:pm. I'm tired. I get on the computer to research homeschooling things... I find the curriculum for next year, I'm thrilled cause it's not as expensive as I thought. I answer some emails, check FB, read blogs. I hear footprints... back up I go for more discipline. Even if they don't sleep, they must stay in their rooms, quietly ~~with their light off and eyes closed~~. Ha. I come back down to the computer again...

3:25pm. Caleb is up and crying. I get him, he is all hugs and snuggles. Pure sweetness. I find the girls are still awake. I decide to put them to bed early tonight and tell them to get dressed and come down stairs. They do and we sit to read library books on the couch. We read the bible and quiz each other on previous memorized bible verses. They get beads in their jar for remembering... I'm impressed. We go over the fruits of the spirit and talk about "love" today. They are full of answers and great ideas. We pray. They then go and play:) I keep Caleb with me while I fold laundry and sing. He plays with chalk on everything but the chalkboard.

4:15pm. I remember that we are meeting Dave in the Cafeteria for dinner. I rush around putting some mac 'n cheese on. I yell at the girls from down stairs to try and find their original clothes from the morning and put it on. Find some socks too I yell. They have been busy playing in the bathroom sink, with water and toys. They make a mess, and I ignore it. They come stomping down the stairs with their babies, they are dressed well, with stick on earrings and all... they gobble down their dinner while I do their hair. Caleb inhales his from his highchair. They love that stuff. I pass out carrot sticks and water cups.

4:50pm. They are all dressed for the snowy cold. Hats, gloves, jackets, boots, babies, and hoods, we set out for a quick walk. The snow is cold and blowing in all our faces. We all start to cry, I count each step with them until we reach some warmth. We made it, and covered in snow.

5:05pm. Dave walks into the cafeteria and gets a million dollar welcome with hugs and kisses from us all. Now we can eat. We notice red bumps on Hannah's face... they seem to get worse every minute. What in the world?

6:30pm. we head for Dave's office down stairs. The kids are excited to play on his spinning chairs and eat gum and mints. They draw pictures while Dave and I catch up, It's been a long day. We watch a little Americas funniest videos on his computer. It stops working, we get ready to go.

6:50pm. We are home, we left Dave in his office to finish working... he says he will be home really late (hopefully not 2am like before). He has some studying to do for his classes and internships to complete for the students. I miss him on these long days. Thank goodness there is only a few of them in each semester. I'm grateful he works hard and loves what he does. He misses us though.

7:00pm. I give the kids a snack. Crackers and milk, I read them their bible story while they munch. They are tired and feisty, they need rest. Upstairs we go. I change Caleb and get him ready. I sing him songs, but he is only interested in his crib. He fights me to get in there... I surrender, he is half asleep as I pray for him. Light off and so is he.

7:20pm. The girls get ready... Abigail asks how babies are born. I tell her that I will tell her tomorrow if she asks me in the morning and not at bed times. Hannah is looking rashy. They get put to bed after one prayer or... six. Hannah itches so I look at the rest of her body again... welts on the top of her legs. I kinda freak out. This has never happened.

8pm. Abigail gets really worried and asks Hannah a gazillion questions. I call around trying to see what to do. I put them both back to bed and search the medicine cupboard for benadryl. I'm glad I find some, she loves it and wants more. Only my children will think medicine is like candy. HaHa. I reason with Abby why she should not have some, she is sad I refused...Ha.

9pm. They are both finally in bed. All is quiet, Hannah is rolling around cause she probably itches. Poor little girl. I get a call from my sister-in-law about Hannah's birthday, she wants to buy Hannah something sparkly and pink, I think that's a perfect idea... we talk about her rash, she reassures me.

10pm. I'm pooped. I finish picking up the last little kids scraps around the house... I want to work on my cake website but need the pictures off the other computer. I don't bother to get them. I think about painting the girls new bunk beds... umm, way to much work for now.

12am. I'm sitting at the computer and finishing typing this... Dave calls and tells me he is coming home in 30 min. I would love to see him now. It's been a long but good day. When he comes, he will probably want tea, while I talk his brain off about every detail of my day. I then will want to know every detail of his day... finally when we are in bed and ready to sleep we will pray together. We have done that nearly every night of our married lives. We will pray for our children, our family, the people in need that we know... sometimes I drift to sleep in these peaceful times together........ but he gets a lil annoyed at me for doing so... haha.

I would do this everyday again and again and not replace it for anything... now I should go and check on Hannah and her lumps again before Dave comes through the door:)

you are invited

2011-01-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

These last 3 weeks have been busy... busy in a lovely way. We have had people over for meals, play dates, coffee, and house guests... we have been out on dates, dinners and parties. Something about these last weeks have made me remember the importance of friends and what you do with them and for them...

There was once a time back before I moved over here when people lived in houses surrounded by walls, locks and guard dogs, security systems, intercoms and barbed wire, yet there was so much community and open friendships.

In this country where you can see in each window of a house, find keys in their car parked in an open garage, front doors left unlocked, or kids playing in the unfenced yard... I find closed hearts, closed to friends, neighbors and acquaintances... no invites - non received... it's sad! Their is an invisible wall between us, so big and so thick.

We have had people over, our lives have been enriched. We like it, and will do it again:)

our messy house - over looked
differences - put aside
food and drink - shared
memories - made
childhoods for our kids - richer
deep conversation - thought provoking
laughter - free flowing

Life is too short for closed hearts and friendless days

go ahead, invite someone over...

There is a lot of happy in this googled picture... that uni brow man to the left is Dave... I'm the jolly, paled faced one eating away...HaHa. Seems fitting for this time of year!
PS. Dave doesn't actually have one eyebrow!

life in numbers

2011-01-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

{one} new bunk bed purchased and lying in the living room, ready to be painted and put together for the girls "new" bedroom. Hannah turns 4 at the end of the month, so in our home, 4 year olds get a BIG bed.

{two} more days until we go to our community group... we are amazed at Gods faithfulness. Back in November of 2009 we told our current church that God was "moving us on" we just didn't know where. For a year we waited and visited different churches In September we were approached to come alongside GraceLife, God couldn't be more clearer in the direction for our family. (more on that later)

{three} reasons why I decided to go private with my blog. Reason being... Abigail, Hannah and Caleb, I want this for them, ourselves, family and friends... not really in this business to try and get my life (or children) out there:) too many crazies... even in Lima.

{four} cuts on the tips of my chapped fingers, so it's really hard to type... cold weather + excessivly cold hands = a miserable mommy at times. Golly. I use my hands A LOT!

{five} family members came and visited last week. It was a joy to have EmmaSeitaJKaiyaMia here. It was great fun.

{six} hours today, Abigail was at The Home school Academy for the first time... she loved it but was a little apprehensive (she told me that her tummy didn't want any cereal this morning)... of course I was a little nervous for her. I MISSED that kid too much, the house was lonely without her and the others missed her too. Thank goodness it is only 1 day a week!

{seven} the number of ingredients to make my favorite SA Crunchies... a cookie made with no eggs...
1 cup flour, 1 cup coconut, 3/4 brown sugar, 2 cups oats, 1/2 coup butter melted, 2 TBS maple syrup, 1 tsp baking soda. Mix together, press into 9x9 dish... bake 350* for 15 min. I LOVE THESE!

{eight} loads for laundry to do tomorrow... Wednesday is WASH day, plus I'm washing sheets and towels! Help.

{nine} more months until.....September, which means..................... my birthday will be the next month... in October. HA HA. God knows what you were really thinking:) Don't worry, I can only handle three kids and three kids it is... for now:)

{ten} wedding cakes completed - is my goal this year. I have a few booked later in the summer... booking more and getting more excited to launch a website soon... I LOVE doing cakes... especially cakes so sweet.

the tree

2010-12-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

Enjoying the season, but somehow wish I did more to build up to Christmas day other than what i have done... next year i really want to do the Jesse Tree. We are not catholic, but like the Advent calendar to celebrate Christmas.

"The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots." It is a vehicle to tell the Story of God in the Old Testament, and to connect the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God across 4,000 years of history. The Branch is a biblical sign of newness out of discouragement, which became a way to talk about the expected messiah (for example, Jer 23:5). It is therefore an appropriate symbol of Jesus the Christ, who is the revelation of the grace and faithfulness of God."*
We don't have a Christmas Tree at our home. Don't roll those eyes, but for us it's something we felt convicted about... actually it was Dave, but after many wishes on my part to have a tree in our home over this time of year, I really respect Dave and his decisions/conviction for our home- our family (the origin is something we don't want to celebrate) ... it was a hard one for me to follow at first (cause we were not really "celebrating" the origin) but I really looked at it in a way of rightful submission and a fight not worth fighting... I guess I'm happy that I don't have to buy the thing yearly, keep up with the vacuuming, yelling at the kids to keep off it, storing all the trimmings when done (cause we have no storage room) and our place is small so I wouldn't want to make it even smaller with a tree!
BUT... I do think they some are beautiful:)

You can read about it's origin here there are lots of other sites explaining more, but I don't have time to look! We are not preaching against the fact you have a tree. This is our decision for our family, and the reason I'm writing this is because lots have asked.
Funny... the kids have never asked me why we don't have one... maybe it's because we don't let them ever see one... hmmm... blindfolds come in handy when we are at friends houses over Christmas time.. HA!

on a lighter note... the reason I posted all about Shutterfly last time was because I got 50 free cards doing so... like the ones that cost $2.75 a piece, we got FREE!!! I'm happy. Somehow I managed to dwindle the card list down to just 50! If you got one - you must be special, if you didn't - you must have been naughty.. jk! I had only a few to spare after all the hoards of family and work friends got first dibs. Or I just don't have your address... either way, I sent them out yesterday... Late, I know:( here is the one I finally picked.

Hope everyone (the two of you who actually are reading this :) have a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS... and a wonderful NEW YEAR!! (hopefully i will post before then!)

*http://www.crivoice.org/jesse.html

so... why shutterfly?

2010-12-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

I am an absolute Christmas (photo) card junkie... I love receiving photo cards, I could sit and stare at a pic forever, even if I have seen the people a day ago, but if they friends & family from far away - it makes my thrill even more thrilling to see them in a personal pic sent to me by them! What gets me every time is the card they pick... it really expresses who they are, their style and how they display their family:)
So for our family this year, I sat and visited sites that had photo cards... ever since we were married, Dave and I have sent out a photo card.... This year we are all about the shutterflys cards. I just love them... did I mention that I just LOVE stationary... especially these... they will last a long time on our fridge because of the quality...

I think I just spent more than a hour looking through all shutterfly's collection and found it really hard to decide... anything brown and red for me was a top pick... but I might have made up my mind on something completely different this year.... i gotta check out the pics my sister took over thanksgiving to see what might look best... I might even keep the photo in color... (gasp)!

There is so many cute designs... One thing I know I'm doing is ordering a calendar. Dave made me one last year and every month we have a great picture of the kids to look at as the days march by... I can't believe this year is over and another about to begin... I better start cracking on making that Calendar:)

I wish I had time to scrapbook... I do feel the need to express myself somewhere... but scrap booking ain't it! Ha, I would rather get another photobook documenting our lives as a keepsake for all our kids. One a year? I started a "school year book" for Abby on this homeschooling adventure, I can't wait to order it (makes for a great grandparents Christmas gift) so we can look back at all the fun happy memories of the year behind us... I even took pics of some art work that will make it in there too... I don't need another pile of paper in this house:)

So if you are looking for a Christmas card selection that's stylish, fast to create and loved my all who receives one (like me)... I think you should check out shufferfly's stuff (they are giving away 50 free Christmas cards)... I even think there designs will make your family look cuter. HaHa!

Anyway... off to decide on a card to send!
Email me if you want one...

a picture...

2010-11-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

It's crazy to think that just 7 years ago, there were only 5 of us.

Within a year, all of us girls were married.

A year or so after that all the babies kept coming and coming.

So thankful for this family... and happy that we got to see them this last weekend.

Thankful to an amazing God that loves each one of us.

Happy as anything to belong to two amazing parents.

And exceptionally grateful to my husband for his love and service towards me and the kids.

And... I'm so thankful for all our sweet friends.

I'm one thankful lady:)

what you don't know

2010-11-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

Last night at our community group - we went around saying something about ourselves that others might not know... you learn some hilarious things about people you would of never thought... ha.
I was kinda stuck (not in a bad way)... I couldn't think of one thing...

until last night in my dreams.

I tossed and turned andin my sub-consciece I thought about things.... so much to say I think I will write done some 10 things about myself you would probably not know about me...

- I have a BIG obsession with laundry detergent smells... I go down the detergent isle and even if I don't need to buy any I sniff away... I think I have come up with the best (my opinion) smell combo. Gain (original) fabric detergent with Suavitel (field flowers- concentrate) fabric softener and bounce (outdoor fresh) dryer sheets. So far, we have not come out with a hideous rash and scales so I think we are good... and I'm a happy-dorky-laundry-women:)

- I am fascinated with the AMISH... secretly I wish to be one (not wanting to be in their "religion" though)... I love the idea of a simple life, living off the land, having kids fill big houses, a community life, quilting parties, a farm,.... BUT I think it's more of an idea than a desire... ha, If you asked if I have taken any strides towards this dream... the answer is sooooo NO... I killed the only two herb plants I have ever had within a week of getting them, I don't do well pregnant, let alone having more than two kids in diapers, cooking all day would make me cruel but I could spend the day baking if I had a choice, no electricity seems simple but so complicated too,... maybe...I think that is a very distant dream :)

- In High school we had to make a list of jobs we wanted to do in our lifetime to make myself appreciate those people in those positions (our high school was kinda a rich kids school and I think they were trying to breakdown "rankings"). I chose these jobs... bus driver, cashier and janitor... so far I have been a cashier at TOPS for 1 1/2 years, been a janitor for 2 summers when I was a teen and have yet to be that bus driver. Maybe that will be fulfilled when we eventually have all our kids and the only thing left to drive would be a bus... ha.

- I used to draw blue prints of orphanages when I was way too young to even know what that a blue print was... I even drew in the plumbing pipes and electrical outlets.... (can we say that I might have missed my calling..haha??) I would dream about building and designing everything in it along with a house attached where I would live and love on all the orphans... growing up in South Africa, I would want to steal (not kidding) all the little black kids that held signs up stating that they had no food or family, I even would actually plan (in my head) ways I could just take them and give them free stuff...

- I love tennis, I would and could play it all day long... I love watching it, I miss it and hope to pass that love-of-a sport on to my kids... I've played since I can remember and got about 4 years of private coaching when I was about 8-13years old... you would think that after all that, I would be on my way to Wimbledon... Um, no... I wish I played more after high school...I have about 3 times:) the saying is true... Practice makes perfect.... I. need. practice.

-I'm a twin - (not to make this too sad) but my mom miscarried my twin. The ultra-sound had just come to South Africa when she was pregnant (29 years ago)... so when she lost the baby, automatically they would of given her a D&C but instead they saw me in there and so my mom continued the pregnancy... I am so incredibly happy for that ultra sound machine and obviously Gods hand over my life...

-Shoes and socks literally make me feel claustrophobic, in the fall then the weather turns cold I wait for the last possible time to stop wearing flip flops and put my feet into constricted shoes... ha. I'm cringing thinking about it right now. I find myself wearing socks and flip flops (so awkward I know:) out and about... haha... don't worry I'm not too embarrassed... yet... if you are not wanting to hangout, I know why now:)

- I am not much of a animal person and have no compassion or sympathy for them... I grew up with pets (never cats- can't handle them:) and loved them because it was cool to look after a pet... but I hated trying to connect with the fluffy fur ball... or even a bird... especially if they fly low towards my head (they scare me to no end).... but big dogs are OK... when Dave and I were just getting to know each other, a huge group of friends went over to his house to watch a movie... there was about 15 pairs of shoes in the kitchen door... the cat needed to throw up so she nicely chose my pair of shoes to throw up in... maybe the reason cats and I don't do well :)

-I play the guitar... or I playED the guitar, just recently got back to it... just love worshipping my Creator with the family in our sweet way... whatever we sound like... I know it is pleasing to the Lord :)

-All my dreams are in black and white... I made this connection when one day I dreamt in red and now when I do remember a dream.. it's back to being in black and white like an old movie... I still wonder what that red dream was all about...weird huh?

So that's me... I have hundreds of things to write, but need to clean up the house:)

the gift of an ordinary day...

2010-11-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

I have posted this on my facebook months ago, but after watching it again and wiping a tear or two (more like steady streams down the cheeks) I realised that life does not stand still, memories of our little ones will soon be remembered and not lived. I hope that this week I will cherish my ordinary days and count them as blessings. I really want to thrive in these moments and make a difference, not just survive :)

fall fun

2010-10-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

Late September/early October has been so busy for us... in such a good way... I love that every Saturday we have done some kinda fall activity and combined it with "school"... I like it this way, David gets to join in on the fieldtripping...

We had fun picking our own concord grapes in Naples NY

we got a little picking happy... came home with one huge box.

If this is a glimpes of what Italy is like... I would just LOVE to go... too bad I can't stand the taste of wine!

picking your own grapes is only $0.33/lb... 25 pounds was only $8.25

we made grape pies... and lots of grape jam... this was a first for me :) Dave and i were up late enjoying being so domesticated... haha!

next time I will make sure I seal the edges... my oven was a mess.

it tastes wonderful... and makes some great gifts... not bad for our first time:)

a piece of home.

2010-10-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

I went walking the mall today... I had to get out, Dave has been gone for a while down to New York City and I have had my parents staying for a few days... needless to say that I was busy at home catching up with them while they over-stimulated my children with books and games and swinging and nature walks and laughs and food (that i didn't even prepare)... can you tell that i LOVE when they visit... too bad they missed Dave altogether!

Fall it turning very quickly into Winter... but Caleb still thinks he can catch summer flies with that open mouth... sadly this is the only picture I took while they were here.... someone forgot many times to recharge the batteries... aauuggg!!

So... back to the mall... The kids don't really love shopping, I don't understand why? HA. but I love looking to see what I like and then moving on... I hardly ever purchase anything partly because of our budget and partly because I always think I can find a better deal on the same item some place else... So there we were going from shop to shop wondering in and out until I came across...

I was SOOO happy... This cute clothing store originated from South Africa... but there it was in Rochester NY... all the way from their original store at the Water Front in Cape Town. Before we moved to the States... close to 15 years ago... my aunt would dress my cousins up in Naartjie clothing... different prints, comfy clothes, bell bottom leggings with mismatched tops... it all was colorful, all cute, very practical and so fun!! I was so far from becoming a mom in those days but wanted to dress my kids the same when I was older...

When Abby was born, my parents would shop from the Naartjie store in SA and bring me home some cute dresses... now I can shop here and I'm excited...

SIDE NOTE: the clothing line has kinda changed (a lot) but the true mismatched-fabric-collide of styles are there in some outfits... just a selected few, I don't care... I saw that they were having a sale and can't wait to save my penny's and buy the girls a dress from there soon...

Anyway... just thought I would give a quick shout out for my homeland

YAY!

this is sweet.

2010-09-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

These two are my sisters kids.... "i love that i just found them doing this. they were just too happy to stay up past their bedtime....and they didn't know what to do with themselves." - emma

I miss them so much... and my other nephews and niece who all live 7 hours away. One day soon I will see them again, but for now, I just enjoy the pictures they send me. How did people do it years ago before Internet and cell phones... i guess I'm just too impatient:)

AND...

If I can just add... that my other oldest sister ran a half Marathon this weekend in DC and did AWESOME.... ran it (mostly uphill) in 2 hours and 3 min!!! She is such an inspiration to me in many ways and now it is time to dust off my new running shoes and hit the trails. Time to get this body into gear :)

school days

2010-09-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

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Going into "school

This last week was GREAT!!! School was fun, the kids adjusted well, some more than others... (poor Hannah will hopefully get used to this soon) We reviewed over that she did in pre-school (how I loved that she learned so much there) and now each day brings something new... I love that we can go ahead and do "more" if everything is going smoothly... and take a morning off if family is in town, like last Thursday... homeschooling is great and I feel better and more confidant everyday we do it! (plus I have a wonderful student)

Cute little sibling bunch

On their donut date with daddy

my big girl

daddy's little girl

the "H' word.

2010-09-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

So this is the blog I have been putting off for a while... I have been busy preparing the house and myself!!

Because I'm about to start

homeschooling Abby.

This is when I know that readers either continue reading or switch blogs... haha

like breastfed moms verses formula giving ones...

it's a big deal, either an instant like or dislike with strong bias's towards each other for doing it... haha!

Back in the days of my high school years, I knew a few homeschoolers - the odd teens who spent their free time reading historical battle stories and engaging into adult political conversations... it all seemed so wrong, until I was friends with some other homeschoolers in college who you could never tell if they were or not... this was the first glimmer of hope in my world that they can survive in a "normal life"

If you were homeschooled than my hat is off to you... I seemed to forget the things that were in front of my eyes in high school... I went to a school that had students of money (McLean VA)... they could afford new BMW's at 16, drugs, drinking and sex. I saw kids snorting drugs in lockers and a teacher being paid to "baby sit" teens @ private homes where anything and everything was permitted... (I wasn't invited... thank you Jesus) but it was ramped throughout and I just thought it was "American" so I stuck around my youth group friends, the sports teams and close to home... in the last 12 years since graduation I think things have changed and not for the good, mind you!

When I met the homeschoolers I cringed, rolled my eyes at their "limited experiences" and over enthusiastic mothers... they were missing out (I thought). I was never going to be that denim-jumper-wearing momma, with a tote bag fill of educational devices followed by a herd of awkward teens and infants wearing matching outfits... NO THANKS!!!

Fast forward to the present when my mind is made up and I have totally changed!!! Thanks to my ever supportive husband and his family who have all gone through this and some still at it... you are all my inspiration! And to my family... I hope I don't disappoint you in the migration to the unknown, I do hope you still love your grand kids, the ones reading historical battle stories for entertainment.. haha.

At the beginning of this year when Abby had to go with her pre-school to the local primary school- for a "tour" I just about died at the thought of her wearing a tag with the words "homeschool" under her name (so they knew she wasn't going to attend in the fall)... I couldn't find a "name tag" so I was going to make one... nothing like a old cut-up cereal box tide with recycled string to proclaim our intentions for the next leg of our academic encounter... CRINGE!!! I think I could of seen other moms rolling their eyes and dying inside at our poor little Abby's horrid future... haha...

until...

I decided to change that day (my attitude)... If I was going to do this, than I needed to do it well... I am so grateful that I have a hard working man to "let" me work at home on our family. I get to give these kids everything for this time, I don't want to fall short of the little time I do have while they are little. I think Abby is a VERY secure kid, but not at all ready to face the world and to be taught without the biblical view on life... isn't this the reason we live anyway, to worship our creator in everything? We don't want the state to raise our kids...

back to my attitude... kids pick up on the smallest little sarcasm and I think I was displaying plenty of it when other moms asked... I seemed to just say it with a sigh and big eyes. I didn't look prepared, I had no confidence. Abby was beginning to ask if she could go to real school and see other kids . I was wishing I could just say "mmm...ok". Even she had lost hope in the "fun" I was telling her we would have together. It burned me to think of the work I would have to do, three kids to keep occupied and expectations to fill...

but...

we are taking homeschooling one year at a time... Abby is more than ready to jump right into the books and start learning, she can't wait. I have had some excited moment myself as I think about the times I get to do things together and learn with her... including all American and world history that I never learned, stories I never read and learning styles never taught. This is fun and I can't wait for next

TUESDAY.... the day some new fun begins...

p.s. I will not be looking too hard out the window for the big yellow school bus to pick up the other cute kids... (i don't want to have homeschoolers envy for a few seconds) instead we are hitting the local Duncan Doughnuts to start the school year tradition of Daddy taking us for a Donut Date... don't be jealous!

Enjoy your school year!!

end of summer fun

2010-08-31T07:25:00.000-07:00

Dave and I decided to go to six flags on Sunday. We had a free ticket and asked if Dave's mom and Bruce wanted to join us... they did :) I am a HUGE fan of rollercoasters and to my complete joy - I still love them even though I thought I would not after having kids. I LOVE them and so does dave!

silly faces with grandma

The day was perfect, not a cloud in the sky, no humidity and little wind.... but there were tons of people. The girls were so much fun. They went on all the rides that they could get on for their size. They went on rides that made my hair stand on end... I don't remember ever going on rides that wild at 3 or 5 years old... it was delightful to see there response. We only got pictures of them on the little kiddie rides, cause by the time they got used to the big rides, we were with them on it!

first ride...

For once there is a negative for being really tiny, Abby is really small for her age and missed a couple rides by an inch or two. Poor little Caleb watched us most of the day waiting in lines and getting thrills off speeds... (next year little buddy) He too was such a trooper.

he looks so big to me, enjoying a train ride with daddy

Hannah on the swings, probably the first time she stopped smiling :)

Abby after a long, fun, hot day...

When we told the girls that we would be missing naps, they were more excited about that then the amusement park (ha). The water park was so crowded and the lines were so long, it was a waste to have a bought a ticket for both parks... it is kinda too much to do everything in one day, but it made for a wonderful family day and a busy, happy end of summer activity...

out on the water

2010-08-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

one similar to our boat

It's time to say goodbye to our boat... I'm happy and sad to see that thing go. Many wonderful memory's have been made on it. This last weekend we went out with a friend while Dave's mom watched Caleb... we all went out for some tubing/eating/swimming. I missed Caleb so much but knew he was better on shore than with us... what do other boaters do with their young? I can't strap a car seat to a boat seat, I can't hold him, I can hardly get myself sunburn free so taking him would be a nightmare. The girls had a blast... we tried this new tube thing, I honestly think I lost 5 pounds by laughing. I was thrown into the air, spun, sprayed and jolted. I couldn't decide if I loved the thing or hated it... but by the end of the ride - i was sold... if i could have yelled "FASTER" I would of, but I had half the lake in my mouth. mmm... nice! This next weekend is the last day on the boat... we get to have fun, picnic and enjoy a concert at the park. I love summer and I will miss the boat. I hope it brings it's new family as much joy as it did ours these last few summers.

the inside cuddy.... (never judge a book by the cover :)

this is more like the inside... haha

We will miss you boat... thank goodness we are friends with the new owners so we could always have fun again.

days gone by

2010-07-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

Life has been full... busy with family, busy researching schoolwork for Abby, busy playing with the kids, busy re-doing the kitchen (painting and all), travelling, busy making a home, spending time with David and busy doing nothing... it has been great!

The biggest thing that happend this summer is that Abby turned 5!!! She is getting so big, so grown up and so sweet... strong willed... a great thinker... excellent communicater.... wonderful sister and a TERRIFIC daughter... I dare say how proud I am of her. Love her to bits and pieces and SO happy I can still hold her on my lap and kiss the day lights right out of her. It has been the BEST 5 years of my life having her little self around... Happy Birthday girlfriend!!

Birthday Breakfast in Virginia

Her first bike!!

Birthday wish to swim in the pool after a long time riding her bike.

nice bonfire with s'mores to end a fantastic day.

Getting ready for her "wacky" birthday once we came home from vacation.

Playing games with all her friends

her wacky cake...

Making crazy paperdoll crafts

opening all her gifts... what a blessing.

good for auntie heather to come dressed the part and was "super wacky"... says abby

It was a great birthday!

happy fathers day

2010-06-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

To my husband... you are just amazing to our kids... I didn't have the perfect gift for you (just breakfast, friends over, biking, cheesecake and a day you called ALL the shots (haha) shouldn't it be that way everyday??), but I do have the most grateful heart ever so thanks for being the bestest father to our little crazies... thanks for keeping me sane and for ALL you do for our family. You are great. I love you so much.
To my dad... you are incredible, I have missed talking to you today... with your travelling schedule all over the world, has made it a little difficult, but I am so thankful for all you have done, and the father you areto me... I am so grateful. Love you too.

My amazingly talented sister posted her first video for her husband... and I love it... so cute.
I thought you would like it too....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPinMVFZC_k

that would be my sweet nieces and nephew...

cakes take 2

2010-05-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

I did a wedding cake for this last weekend... lots of hours and late nights, but happy it came together and all in one piece :) on friday, the day before when it's crunch time... to keep things fresh and delish, life gives you a birthday cake (you have to make) cause it's your little BIG boys 1st BIRTHDAY!!! I was more than happy to put the other cake on hold while I did this one on Friday... It was kinda thrown together but came out bright and colorful the way I wanted it to... the fish are molded with starburst candy, the seaweed was fruit twislers, icing was buttercream.

the wedding cake was vanilla sponge with raspberry cream filling... the fondant (second atempt) was homemade MM fondant. my arms still hurt from rolling it out :)

never a dull moment...

2010-05-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

Well, there is never a dull moment with three kids, especially when one of them is like hannah. She is a delightful kid, full of surprises, sings everywhere about everything, loves to color and draw people she loves, loves to cuddle and gigle, loves kisses, 'special things', altoids or mints, lipstick, stories, dressing up, being silly, pretty skirts, bows in her hair, being loud with shreeks and shrills and most of all...her siblings...

hair cut week...

2010-05-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

we all got some much needed clips... dave and I included, but no before and after shots of us.
yay for straightening up our house, our lives and our hair! ha :)
I have only trimmed abby's hair twice in her life, Hannah I kinda trimmed once and little caleb needed a cut really badly... when the wind blew, his ~~clear see-through~~ blond hair would tickle his ears and drive him crazy... in some areas on his head, I cut off three inches. He is so fair that you can hardly see it... haha

BEFORE and AFTER

BEFORE, during the 40 minute haircut (poor kid), and AFTER

my little prince turns 1 this week... where does the time go?

celebrating 6 years!

2010-05-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

May 1st was our anniversary, it was also graduation here at school... it was a busy day... a beautiful day (cool with pending rain showers) but beautiful... it bought back some wonderful memories!!

i love you david.

thanks for my flowers.

we ate great food, went shoppong (sorry babe), sat by the canal and listen to blue grass music, then made smoothies at home. just lovely :)

what do you call it?

2010-04-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Abby just said ever so sweetly... "why do some people call 'bottoms' - honeys (translation = heinys), or mutts (butts), or 'sit ons'...?"
Then I heard Hannah say... "some people call them 'buns' and 'seeds' (seats) and even bumps (rumps)"....
I had to laugh especially when I asked that were they talking about and Hannah said that they were having a very "pivate convatation"... abby added that they were just talking about where everyone gets their disciplines, "you know on your 'sit upons'"... hahah

I love my girls....

a first for everything....

2010-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

including my first 5k!!!

Before the race

and we are off...

The sweaty picture to show that i actually crossed the finish line :)

I was happy with my time.... my goal was to run it under 30 min...

TIME: 28:19

Not bad for the first time!! Thanks Cindy H for the pointers - next year I would love to run it with you :)

Abby ran the kids fun run. We didn't even tell her about it until 2 min before they started the race...

we signed her up, pulled up her jeans (yeah, not even prepared with comfy pants) and told her to follow the big kids... she ran the whole way and LOVED it... she is so cute!! and she told me that she wants to be a runner like me... hahah.

bad shot, but there is our star !

easter

2010-04-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

my sweet girls and the little man in the middle... love them so much!!

cakes take 1

2010-03-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

here are some pics...

my dads 60th birthday

vanilla bean cake, chocolate creme filling, chocolate icing

baby boy shower cake

vanilla cake, vanilla icing, rolled MM fontant, gumpaste

sweet, sore and sweat!

2010-03-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

My house has exploded into the sweet smell of cakes, cupcakes and butter yummo icing... my hands and wrists are like lead from rolling fondant, my back hurts from leaning over so much and my legs/hips hurt from running... I LOVE the sore (no complaining here), cause it means that I'm doing something with this out-of-shape-body...

I'm doing a shower cake for two young girls who have decided to HAVE their babies instead of getting them aborted (it is an amazing story of some students here at school who have been involved in their decisions)... so a lot of prayer and thought has gone into every crumb and sugar crystal that has been placed on the cakes...they are both having boys and I can't wait to finish this project to take some pics. I still have some pictures of my dads 60th cake somewhere in the camera, so hopefully I can put those up too.... until then, I'm busy making cakes and eating lots of "broken pieces" and tasting the icing to see if it's "just right"!

To compensate for the mass of intake... I'm getting up at 6am three times a week to run. With the time change, it has made the early rise something awful but I'm getting up cause my sister-in-law runs with me and it's great when someone’s waiting... makes you never want to go back to sleep. It's so dark and cold in the mornings (last week was a major tease that spring was near) that we are now running in the gym :( round and round we go, with a few other students... hopefully the sun comes out earlier soon, so we can enjoy our 3 mile run outside... my goal is to run this 5K in 30 min!!! That might be a wild hope, but for someone who hasn't exercised in 6 years, I need some goals.... haha.

For those of you who want to have a tangible training schedule, my sister recommended this site... she has done many races and loves the manageable training routine... here I go, following her footsteps.
We are doing the intermediate, but if you are a beginner, stick with the novice 5K...

http://www.halhigdon.com/5K%20Training/5-Kinter.htm

For those of you near me... happy running, hope to see you around town at 6 in the morning, I'm the girl with a BIG RED sweaty face.(grin)

moms night out...

2010-03-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was "moms night out" It was fun, full of laughter, smiles and quietness. I so enjoyed the company of quietness and hands-free... I think I even stopped smiling once!! So I think this new move about giving me a night every once in a while has some nice perks. I managed to pop into 3 stores and get a drink without having to unbuckle a car seat, hear a whine, tell anyone to be quiet, have a potty break at every store or bring out the wipes (I don't think I even brought them along)... this was wonderful. I do admit that by the time I was buying my treat drink for the evening... I didn't take one sip until I got home. I HAD to share it with someone and a McDonalds Shamrock Shake couldn't be consumed by only one participant in our house hold so Dave was a happy camper that he got to slurp a little reward after his not-so-freeing night.

My first destination of joy was target... I must confess that I took a shopping trolley but by the time I was down by the sale clothing items (and having acquired a little load of must-haves) I realized that the stupid cart was missing a working wheel and squeaked/ bobbed and rattled a lot (why mine?) So I did the most Christian and unselfish thing to do... I ditched it right in the middle of the sale items! I don't think target minded, and they got my little bundles of necessity pick-ups in the mean time...-I guess I didn't really need those (this was the point of the evening where I didn't smile, but it was short lived ;) I ended up walking around the store with no basket or trolley and quite pleased that I was only getting what I went in for... which was... mmm... can't remember? I did manage to hold on to...the cutest bathing suit for Hannah, 3 bags of their amazing chips, 10 juice boxes, wipe refills, toms toothpaste, 2 pairs of girls flop flops, Caleb's tooth brush, fruit snacks, marshmallows and icing sugar all the way to the checkout... I looked like a freak but I am used to holding ALL that AND Caleb, a hand of another child and verbally instructing the other kid how to walk with out bumping into things and to not fall. This was a vacation, and I did it with smiling :)

Next trip was to Michael’s...I LOVE THAT STORE!!!! For those of you that don't know, I am doing cakes (seriously)... wedding, shower, special occasion, you name it kind of cakes... so I looked like a kid in a candy store - looking at all the delightful gadgets and gizamabobs that would turn my cake dreams into reality... I'm doing a cake this weekend so I needed the last few items. I just love that store, but I couldn't make up my mind which item I wanted to use my 50% discount on, so I bought a few things and left... I could have been in there for 4 hours, giggling in each isle at the endless opportunity of craftyness I could get myself into...

Marshals was the last store, I had to return something so I was thrilled to stop in without everyone and look around. I wanted to buy something new (haven't since my birthday last fall) for this weekend so it was a good time... I walked around with 5 different clothing items and kept putting them back (in the right place) and repeating until I saw the time... I thought of my dear husband back home with all the kids... I left the store with nothing (pat on the back) but annoyed I didn't get anything. Have you ever left a store with nothing? I have lots of times, but when I walk through the exit door, I always feel like I just stole something, cause who would go into that store and leave empty handed, with a grin on their face? not many... and the fact that I was holding a bunch of things at different times of my shopping quest makes me think others could of thought that... my silly conscience.

So thanks to my husband for the "night out"... I returned to a tired husband, tired-er girls who had given their dad a 'full' evening and one semi-sick boy (the girls never took naps that day)... I put little Sir. Sanders to bed and shared the green, Mickey D's with my hero! We were in bed by 10... so it was a great night!

60 years young!!

2010-03-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Dad

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

What a privilege it is to see you turn 60, a lifetime for some, a halfway mark for others... this is your halfway mark, so now you can really show us what you are made of.... {grin}. In all seriousness, I love the fact you are my dad, I have belonged to you and you have made really great decisions for my life - for the family... and I am grateful.

If there was one thing that has stood out from all the rest, it has to be the fact that many people have commented about how similar you and I are... what does this mean? I, being a girl, nearly half your age, half your size, having a higher voice (hopefully), no glasses, different accents, and having more hair on my head - would make us opposites! Maybe the things they see are things I can only hope and pray I resemble now or in my future... besides your "nice legs", you are thoughtful, generous, godly, funny, serious, loving, steadfast, gentle, truthful, seemingly always carm, kind, friendly and loyal. These are some of the many things I know about you. I do hope others see that in me too. You are quite the role model... and I am grateful.

When I was young, we would walk around our house and pick snails and put them in bags or wake up early and go swimming at the public pool before school. The fondest memories I have had was that you always made things fun and spontaneous.…

When I was a bit older, falling asleep to your piano playing was so peaceful; I enjoyed playing my recorder along with you when I got the chance. You and mom were stern when you needed to be, (I got the most smacks) but always made me feel like I was the favorite. Never once did I not feel your love, even when I had to eat that pilchard’s pie.

And now, that I have grown, I remember the trips we went on and all the memories and fun that that involved and the many more trips we will share - with and mom and my family. My complete love towards Dave and the kids was learned from the lessons you taught. Because of the husband and father you are and have always been-I knew exactly what kind of man to look for, when I found him, I married him. Thanks for not scaring Dave away.

Although, my absentness from home has been replaced with some quietness, I make up for it when my three wild kids try and get your attention when we visit, the most important things have not, our father/daughter relationship, our “cango caves”, our special private chats, and my love for you….these remain the same… and I am grateful.

Lots of love,

Alice the Queen

Even though he looks ~~the happiest man in the world~~ saddened in this picture, my sister captured it and I just love it... shows many years of hard earned love and work for our family.

Can't wait to visit them this weekend down in Virginia.

in the stillness

2010-03-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

In my reflection to the last post, things are changing....

I made up my mind to go down every last avenue of my life - in this journey to find myself -

If you want to stop reading and resume browsing other more entertaining blogs, than farewell to you... but if you are one of those that will stick around cause there is nothing better to do with your time, start reading along. You too might have an adventure in your own life, finding the real you and be challenged to live life purposefully!!

Normally, after I read my daily devotions... I have a hard time applying it to my own life. This is with reading from the old/new testament and then reading a Proverb or Psalm. I do find myself reading it at times cause it is the right thing to do (legalistic, I know) and I need to have a steady reading habit... but I just need more. I remember the days I would have a burning desire to 'want' to sit, read, pray, worship and just meditate on the Lord, but what happened? I was a bible school student for a few years... but even before then, my desire was purposeful and fulfilling... can anyone recommend some study notes that has helped them get back 'in'? I want to gag at the thought of doing a women’s devotional, but that could be the best thing for me to do.... mmm?

One amazing thing I did stumble upon that really was encouraging... funny enough that it actually came from my daily ~~legalistic~~ reading...

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
He lifts his voice, the earth melts... The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress... Come and see the works of the LORD... "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us...

I guess my question is not who I am, but who is HE?.. than the rest will follow...

On a lighter note...

Happy march! The air is warmer today even though the ground has no life to show that spring could be right around the corner... hard to imagine that I actually wear flipflops/tanktops in and out our apt and that I sometimes wish it was cooler... Ha!

Sunday was so beautiful... I happened to notice out the window in the early morning that every stick/branch/nugget on the trees were holding snow ever so gently, can I say WINTER WONDERLAND... I loved it, by the evening outside looked a little blobby, but still splendid and amazing. I guess spring can wait if there are more of these days!!

who am i?

2010-03-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Here goes…on some thoughts...

I'm feeling like my life is not mine, somewhere between when I was younger and now - I have lost my own grip on it. I feel like I'm living in the passed (or want to be) - not really seizing the now... having no direction for the future.

Most days I'm just "living"!

I live in a complete contradiction... I love too many things and hate too many things and can't make out which is which... I have too many interests but nothing to hold my interest... I have friends, but never seem to be a good one to them... little kids that want me to play with them, but sometimes doing the dishes or laundry seem more important... one day the asking will stop and I again will want to go back in time... I have a husband who I can't live without, my whole life I have been training to care and love the man I would marry, he loves me, he adores our kids, provides for me and encourages me, am I the same to him?

I have a God who loves me... a God who has been there, is here and will always be, how can I easily forget this when I think sometimes he forgot about me and my 'once dreamed' dreams? My days are so long... months not long enough and the years over too quickly....

I am so selfish, so wasteful, so lazy, so forgetful, so consumed, so tired....

but

I am joyful, I am thankful, I feel loved, at peace, so alive, and empty... how can I explain this?

... What makes me me? Why was I created for this time? Life is too short to be selfish... what can I do to make life better for others around me? Who am I, and where am I going?

I’m writing this for me... I want to see my life change... from being a wife, a mom and a friend... things need to change, I need to change and prayerfully my life will change!!

cute as ever

2010-02-21T20:18:00.000-08:00

my sister took this when we were visiting...

i. love. it.

It will be great to see them all change and grow up together, with more little cutes added one at a time...

abigail.tamia.kaiya.miles.caleb.hannah.john.liam

things i loved in January 2010

2010-02-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

- A husband who makes me laugh and is always ready to say sorry if he wronged me in some way (I could learn from him)
- A warm house... sometimes too warm (we live over the boiler room)
- After Christmas sales (I like the fact all things were on sale, but I didn't purchase much - I think)
- Abigail’s love for learning (loving preschool)
- Caleb’s EEG test coming out fine (we had a little scare of possible seizures)
- Hannah’s addiction to anything sparkly and pretty
- Our new storage system (to hide the toys as if we don't have children - when everything is put away :)
- The new psalty the singing song book DVD my dad sent us (brought back happy memories of my childhood)
- Comfort food to eat through the cold winter days
- The Grovers who spent their January with us (fun, but crazy... 6 kids under 5, and two small apt)
- No sickness (finally a month without it!!!)
- Hannah’s 3rd princess birthday party. (She is growing up to be one sweet little girl)
- Our new king size bed... now we can all fit (in the mornings).... we DO NOT have a family bed -grin-
- Beautiful snow covered coldness (from the window)
- Abigail and her imagination and willingness to help me (she loves playing, coloring, beads, fun, setting the table and organizing things)
- My comfy slippers
- A crawling baby (Caleb is now on the go, and within a couple hours of crawling for the first time, he was pulling himself up) my life has just gotten crazy..er....
- And a husband that encourages me to walk closely with Jesus (he leads by example everyday) -thanks babe

a promise

2010-01-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

Dave proposed six years ago today.... i can honestly say that i have more love for him today, than the day he promised to love me back... forever!! This engagement ring on my finger has been my constant companion (took it off for random swimming adventures and such..) but through the six years since given to me, it's been loved, looked at more than a million times, shone, tightened, polished, straightened, fixed, held, smiled at, talked about, cherished, twisted, snagged, worn, scrapped, some things replaced, shown off, faithful and constant... most importantly it has been loved. I’m not only talking about my ring but our marriage too.

Dave and i have been through the same things in our marriage... but all i really remember is being loved through every fun time and every difficulty! Thanks dave for asking me to marry you, this 4th of January after two long (grin) years of dating.... i would do it again.... and again and again!!!

i have a blog??

2009-12-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

somewhere in this crazy life, i had a blog... but with too much craziness the blog was lost and not a priority... maybe next year, maybe not?
merry christmas
happy new year
and happy-everything-else-holiday that i miss in the future...

it has been far too long

2009-11-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

just a couple pics... there are too many words to write, our past months stories might never be told, so when i get into this again words will come... i'm busy with kids and i'm busy having fun... sorry blogging friends, my family life has taken my priorities... even now, my left hand holds a sleeping baby and my right is trying to type quickly... i give up :)

caleb is 6 months in a week and today he ate some solids for the first time...

abby and hannah are too sweet, we love those girls so much.

new one

2009-09-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

my sister Emma had a baby this morning...

one minute short of 9:29am, Tamia Jane was born via c-section on 9-29-09 haha!! thank goodness she didn't weigh 9.9 pounds

she was only 7lb 1oz and 20 inches...

we are all thrilled to welcome another healthy niece to our ever expanding family!!

I love her already, and can't wait to meet her in 2 weeks!!

Welcome to this world, Mia or Tami??

4 months

2009-09-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

Life kinda comes quick, so here is my quick update....

- Caleb is 4 months today... he is so sweet. Full of personality and huge!! He is already in 6 month clothes. I think I only had him in 3-6m clothing for 2 weeks... he is well over 15 lb (next week I go to his peds appointment) so we will see...

He has rolled over plenty times (I seldom give him tummy time, I hardly ever put him on the floor, so this is a miracle :) He might be my late crawler... YAY for a mommy who knows how valuable a non-mobile infant can be!! I'm not doing this on purpose, just not finding the time to sit and watch that his sisters don't plow him over when on the floor... Hannah can be brutal! And He kinda hates it anyway...

He still nurses every 2 - 3 hours (for 5 min) and smiles huge after as if to say "thanks mom" it just melts my heart... He wakes up once during the night (a new thing) nurses for a couple minutes and then back to sleep for another 4/5 hours... I really don't mind waking up. His hands are in his mouth always, maybe a tooth - maybe not? I really don't mind if his first one comes in after 1 year (grin)!

He has out grown the bassinet, but we still haven't put up the crib, so he still curls up in the bed next to me... I personally think the time has come to send him to his own room but... that's another story...

He LOVES Abby and Hannah, follows them with his eyes everywhere, smiles when he sees them in the morning and keeps smiling even when there is no audience - giggles from the pit of his stomach whenever he wants - just loves his daddy, gets all serious when Dave plays with him as if he is still working Dave out... His expressions reflect his every thought. He grins while sleeping (probably dreaming of me) and hardly cries... no lie, I think I just might have the easiest child ever...

oh, he loves to sleep on my left shoulder... that I could do without (my poor, sore back at night) but he is a snuggler and I just can't transition him without him waking... I know I got myself into a rut, but he is cute and I can't resist rocking and hugging until he is sweetly sighing in my ear... long may this last...

PS. The picture is of Caleb months ago... thanks to Anna C. for taking a bunch of them (she is great at it). I haven't down loaded pics for a long time cause we have a virus thing and don't want any pics saved to the computer (they will be eaten) so there he is... so young :)

a visit

2009-08-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

My parents came for a visit, and finally my dad met our son... Caleb is one of 4 grandsons to be born in the last 4 years, so finally my dad is surrounded by some males (excluding all our husbands that obviously joined the family too). I think he is loving it, especially when I think that this is the first grandson that looks like him :) My mom came along too... it was hard getting around with her here because of her feet (she has some kind of disorder that I forgot the name of) so most of our weekend was doing short visits here and there from the car and a few short walks back and forth. I love my parents and happy that they got to see some nice areas not too far from our home. I will never complain about living here... I really think Western New York and surrounding areas are just beautiful... in the dead of winter we get so stuck inside that we forget the amazing beauty that we live in... every season has in it's change brings and awesomeness and perfection... there is so much to do, and grateful that I'm here enjoying it and bringing guests along for the ride...

It was a fun visit... I'm grateful they came!!

boating fun.

2009-08-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't written in forever, here is what we have been doing...

Yesterday our family (and us) hang out at the lake all day, eating, resting, running after kids, swimming, tubing, boating and listening to a free concert... it was great, and the girls slept in until 10am this morning... (they missed their naps yesterday and went to bed @ 10pm last night) Tonight will be an early one. And since I didn't charge the batteries in the camera I have pics from when my parents were here...

If you are wondering how we got this boat... I will tell you......

Dave and I were wanting to go on Vacation ourselves and we looked around... vacation (in season) is expensive, so we were kinda stuck. We looked around and then Dave came up with the whole boat thing... I wasn't sure (still not too convinced we did the right thing) anyway, I found a boat on the 4th July for less than a weeks vacation near water.... so we bought the boat (with someones generous gift that they gave us) and now we are enjoying spending days on the boat with friends and family... we sold Dave's fish tank (huge grin on my face) and bought some boating accessories... a four man tube, knee board and kids life vests. Now we have to get someone to watch our son while we go out. The girls love it, but most of the time I'm a little tense while we speed around, having non-swimmers onboard makes me nervous... so that's the story... did i mention that it is 25 years young :)

grandpa digs me

2009-08-04T07:54:00.001-07:00

I think these two are pretty amazing... and they even match!! Finally my dad met Caleb this past weekend...

gone

2009-07-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

We have been travelling... last week we were on vacation in the Poconos (Pennsylvania) and this week we are at a camp (Penn-York) with Kingdom Force. We stopped home for a breather and to do laundry. We are off again in an hour. We are having such fun and can't wait to post pics... no computer access is actually really nice :)

-Later

flab, flab go away...

2009-07-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

So I'm officially pooped at my weight loss... first off, I have never watched my weight, never obsessed with size, just never really cared to know the details, just wanted to feel comfy and look OK.... until now!
I know I have just had a baby, I know that it's only been 7 1/2 weeks but it's time now to pack those 'between size clothes' away... I defiantly don't want any maternity tops to be my regular clothes (how depressing :)
With both girls I was looking better at two months post pregnancy than I did before I got prego. What happened this time? Maybe it's the fact that I gained over 50 pounds from beginning to end, maybe it's the lack of energy to get moving off my butt, or maybe it's the "easier to make a PB and J sandwich than fixing a salad for lunch".
Dave and I had a packed before we got married that we wouldn't let the other let themselves go... Dave hasn't said a word to me about that but I would be horrified if Dave was me and I was him... haha.
Tomorrow is a new day, a day for change and a start to losing my built in boppy pillow, Caleb might not like it and the girls might not like to see the old white granny flab disappear, (in which they both like to poke and giggle at the wiggle)... but I would and should see it go and so would my clothes... muffin top is not my style nor should it ever be if I stop wearing those in between clothes and squeeze into my normals...

So, tummy crunching/body molding and I have a date tomorrow at 7am...

oh, and another incentive to get back in shape (and proportion)... is the fact that Dave and I bought something this weekend that will be fun for hot summer days while wearing a bathing suite (yikes) and being out on a Lake... yes... a boat!! yay!!

birth story

2009-06-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have a chance (all the kids are napping) to write out Caleb's Birth story... it has been seven weeks and if I don't stop now and put down the happenings, I will never remember. Three kids = all the details getting mixed up together (or maybe it won't in a month or two? I have a interesting night last night and an interesting day today so maybe it has to do with that...) but today I have time cause tomorrow I might not :)

My mom came up from Va on my due date. I don't know what I would have done without her... for four days she helped me with the girls and was a huge encouragement........ the girls got sick (croup, throwing up, runny noses, coughs - you name it, they had it) I was sleeping on the couch at night so that I could get rest and not catch whatever they had when they threw up... (I have a wonderful husband that always gets the puke on him)... my mom was trying to get sleep so she would have strength to face the girls when we were in the hospital. In the middle of the night, after one of the cleaning-up-the-puke episodes I lay on the couch and couldn't get to sleep. I was uncomfortable, tired but awake, sore, swollen... I was watching the clock every couple minutes slowly move from 4am to 5am... than I suddenly realized I was having a contraction... yay!! I timed the next and sure enough it came again 3 min later!!! I was nervous cause I had a fast labor with Hannah and wanted to actually have the baby in a hospital so I got up and showered, woke Dave and we were ready to go to the hospital by 6:30am... FINALLY!

When I got there (7:05am) I was 4 cm... waited for a room and checked again... 6cm at 8:30am... at this point I wanted an epidural cause I was convinced that I was going to have a huge son and I couldn't think of not having some "help" with the pain that comes with extra baby and extra tearing -yuck-... They wanted to break my water so I could just go quickly and have him without an epi... no no... I'm not that brave!! They gave me one around 9am and I was about 8cm... they just gave me the test dose I was feeling lots of pressure so a couple contractions later I was ready to push...

Little Caleb was born after 10 min of pushing. He was our smallest baby at 8 lb, 11 oz and covered in womb juice... nice :) I needed some repairs so Dave took time videoing him and taking pics... I felt great afterwards (better than after the other births), moved me to the recovery room and before lunch we were on the phone spreading the news of little Caleb.

I am so happy he came in the morning during a week day. Rochester has a annual Lilac festival and it's really hard to make it to the hospital through all the traffic especially on a weekend (another reason I didn't want to have a baby in the car :) He is so sweet, very carm, a great burper, great sleeper and looks a lot like Abby... His hair is light brown but some family thinks it's auburn, his eyes are lighter blue than the girls were at this stage... it's fun seeing how they will look and who they will resemble. So far my genes are stronger... haha.
He continues to change (like all babies) and becoming himself... one thing that has been great it his sleeping patterns... from one week old he was giving me a 4 hour stretch in the night between feedings. For a breastfed baby, I think that's rare??... for a while he was sleeping two 4 hour stretchers from midnight to 4am, and then after a quick feed he sleeps another 4 hours until 8am... Now at 6 weeks, it seems to be a 6 hour stretch and then another 4!! I'm happy as ever... I wake him up every two hours during the day (sometimes every 3) and the result is a great night sleeper...

We just love this little boy!

The girls adore him... Abby a little more than Hannah but both are excited to be big sisters of a little brother. Abby has been an amazing helper and does anything for him, always wants to get things and help change his diaper, Hannah loves to kiss him, not to keen to hold him like Abby, but wants to rock him (violently) and give him big toys... she is a little rough :) but sweet!

Because they were so sick, we made them wear this in the hospital room... they didn't go near him, just peeped over his sleeping thing and saw him quick. I was really disappointed they didn't hold him at the hospital and for us to get the classic pics of the siblings meeting the new one, but we rather wanted to have a healthy baby :) Poor Abby and Hannah... it took some bribing for them to keep their masks on, and they had to wear them even at home until he was way over a week old...

Even though he is only seven weeks old, I feel like we have had him longer... he has slipped into our family and made it worth the troublesome pregnancy!!

alive

2009-06-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

we are all doing great... I have had no time to blog, I have been busy with visitors, conferences, three kids, cleaning a never clean house, feeding a baby who seems never full (lately) and preparing to have family visit this week. I have so much to blog but I'm taking one day at a time and doing what I can. I need to post my birth story, just so I don't forget and post some cute pics of my wonderful kids!! Until then I will be doing what moms do... laundry, dishes, and cleaning...
PS. Caleb found his voice in the last 3 days... not a quiet boy so much anymore... mmm, but still a great sleeper!!

later :)

my son

2009-05-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

Caleb David Sanders was born on Thursday, May 14th @ 10:23 am.

8 pounds 11 ounces, 20 1/2 inches.

We are so happy he finally made his appearance but need some time to adjust before posting more details of the wonderful day :)

today is/was the day...

2009-05-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

40 weeks pregnant and no baby. I'm OK with it, I just need to remember that he will come in His timing... my mom arrived here safe and now all I need to do is wait. I'm not just sitting around so it's been fun going to the lilac festival, church, walks and tomorrow do some shopping after another doctors appointment. Hope it will be soon...

counting the hours

2009-05-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Only 3 more days to go... I never thought I would get here! I remember seeing 214 days on the ticker thing and thinking I will never reach single digits... instead of days it soon will be hours!! YAY... I see my doctor tomorrow and hopefully they have some good news that I'm dilated and ready. With Abby and Hannah, I wasn't anything until I went into labor, I never really dropped either (maybe it's cause I'm taller??) Abby was born on her due date and Hannah was born 2 days later... I have a feeling that this one will be born late too...

Please keep me in prayer, I'm really anxious (more than the last two times) and there is things going on with my mom's health that we really have been praying for. thanks!

5 years

2009-05-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

It's our anniversary today!! Celebrating 5 years of marriage...

I can't believe it. It's been the most challenging but also the most amazing 5 years of our lives. I can truly say that I love Dave more today than I did when we said our vows in front of our family and friends. There is so much to be said, but I am more amazed at God's goodness and His provision through the years as we have sort to serve Him through our marriage. There is no one else I would want to bring up children with than Dave and the stability he brings to our ever growing family. Thanks babe, for always striving for excellence and wanting more of God's best to shine out from our lives. Daily you are a example to me and our kids of a godly man and a servant willing and wanting to serve us.

I love you Dave more than ever...

one of our engagement pics a couple weeks before our wedding. (can we say "pale" haha)

good news...

2009-04-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

no, I'm not in labor...

BUT

the nesting thing has finally kicked in!!! I'm thrilled... maybe a little too thrilled!
I managed to:

- bake something for the moms group (7am)
- organize Dave's closet (sort out throw aways and keepers)
- change closet over to summer clothes (but who knows if winter is finally over??)
- do 4 loads of laundry, and put it away (rare all in the same day.)
- spring clean the bathrooms and scrub the nasty away thoroughly
- wash and fold all of Caleb's clothes in the new-elfa-closet-draw thing
- change all bed linens in the house
- clean the kitchen (a daily job)
- clean the living room (a daily job)

and

- go to a moms group for the morning
- eat in the cafeteria for 2 hours
- make dinner
- play with the girls, get them ready for bed, put them in bed and have a hour conversation with Abby covering everything on earth...

Dave was sick so came home and went straight to bed... if only he knew how sick I was feeling after the most productive day of this pregnancy :)

I'm sleepy, my ankles are the same size as my thighs (haha, for real) and my back needs serious adjusting...

I'm happy and tomorrow is another day, I hope it's as full, as wonderful and as rewarding as today....

GOOD NIGHT!

Our Easter pic

2009-04-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Waiting to go to church Easter morning...

all three of them

2009-04-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday... (that big white thing is my belly... please don't get blinded by the paleness...)

fun times.

2009-04-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

yesterday I was 35 weeks pregnant and I only have 35 days to go.... I'm excited and can't wait for him to be born!!

We spent the weekend at a camp with the senior class and it was fun! I just wish that if we ever get the opportunity to go again, I hope I'm not pregnant... there was so much to do (physically) but I couldn't do it... sad. But I had fun anyway and Sally came which was great!! It was a beautiful day on Sunday and I even got some color on my face :) I will have to post more pics later, I'm so tired and I am trying to catch up on the house and spend time with my girls. This next weekend I'm off to Virginia for Easter! Busy but fun life!!

thoughts on tuesday

2009-03-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

but a few randoms from my brain...

- I'm about to start working on the baby room. I have so much to do. Between organizing, sorting, throwing away, washing, storing, and painting... I have this family to keep feeding, washing, playing with, and cleaning. Life is busy but really good!
- I so want to paint Caleb's room but that requires so much work. I want stripes but I can't paint so that leave poor Dave to do it and it's not a priority on his list... sad!
- Hopefully this week or next I will transition the kids from one bed to another... Abby gets the twin bed, Hannah the toddler one and I can finally put up the crib in Caleb's room. What a change it will be to put blues and browns in it for him than the general pink it's worn for years :)
- We are travelling this weekend... going on the senior skip retreat to PA with all the seniors. It will be a nice trip without the girls before our family grows even more and travelling without them gets prolonged! I will really miss them though!
- Easter weekend we will probably be in Virginia visiting family and seeing my newest nephew Liam! Can't wait!
- I love watching The Amazing Race online the day after... this is the one show we watch and the one that I think is worth watching!! It's the little "TV" watching we do together on Mondays and it's fun.
- On Saturday Dave and I made our first fire outside... it was fun to just talk, and laugh and burn marshmallows together. We both needed the time together doing what we loved.... yesterday it snowed, so spring might not be here altogether!!
- I have had so much trouble sleeping. I can't get comfy, I use the bathroom too much, and I have had so much face/ear pain!!!
- Went to the Urgent Care on Saturday cause I was in tears the night before with this face pain and had maxed out my Tylenol intake... so I went to see that the heck it was... I have TMJ!! I'm so grateful it wasn't anything else like an ear infection or tooth pain, but TMJ couldn't be more sore... my right side is so achy and sensitive, and I have to limit my chewing... hard to do when prego :)
- I'm 34weeks!!
- This is my 100th post!! I think that it's taken a little long to get here but this is it, and I don't think it's going to increase... I don't want to spent too much of my time on the computer boring people with my nonsense... (but I do like reading others nonsense... so... lol)
- I like spring!!

HE is here!!

2009-03-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

So IT'S A BOY... my sister gave birth to LIAM EDWARD yesterday morning at 10:20am (3 1/2 hours of labor start to finish) and he is BIG!! 9lb 7oz, 22.5 inches

We are so happy to welcome him into our family, and now the boys seem to be winning on my side... (3 girls/4 boys) we will have to wait until my other sister has her baby in October to say for sure :)

he is so squishy!

new niece or nephew

2009-03-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

my sister in in labor, and sometime today we will have another niece or nephew in the family. I can't believe she waited to know the sex... I just couldn't handle not knowing, but they like to wait and makes it extra special for them when the baby finally arrives... I am SOOO excited right now, and can't wait to share their news!! As of 9am she was 6 cm dilated.... anytime now!!!

nice

2009-03-16T11:30:00.001-07:00

Today is beautiful. The sun is shining, the flowers sprouting, the kids are happy, we took a walk and after naps in a while we will take another. The house is clean, laundry is being washed, I'm eating ice-cream and I'm feeling good! I'm 32 weeks pregnant already and Dave and I finally made a list of what needs to be done before Caleb David enters the world... can't wait and life couldn't be happier. God is so good!

a little guilty

2009-03-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a little research, and now that I have this new info, I don't know where to go with it? I was calculating the amount of trash we throw away... is it me or are we the only family that throws away 6 bags of trash a week (a tall kitchen size bag) sometimes it's one a day? We don't recycle (don't really have the means to at our apt.) and we have tons of random things that fills a trash bags so quickly. I came to the conclusion that 1/3 of our trash is diapers... and it is only Hannah that contributes to that, soon another little contributor will add even more...

my point is that I have to change some how...

-I'm put off of following and hearing about cool new fads... like "going green" BUT

-I hate that we use so much plastic and even if it's paper, it gets sealed in a plastic bag!

-I have to do at least one thing to change our life style...

So I researched and I found something that just might work...

I'm NOT one for cloth diapering... I'm not against it at all, I am on to my third child, things need to be more convenient not more difficult and more time consuming, but I found something out.

I might be the last to discover the gdiaper, but it looks like it might work for us. It doesn't look less expensive, but it could be if you use the washable inserts and not the disposable ones, the ones that can be flushed and not impounded in plastic...

check it out...

gDiapers, which stands for green diapers (give me a break) consist of a washable, cotton outer 'little g' pant and a plastic-free flushable diaper refill. They are made of breathable material just like sports clothing. So, babies stay dry and happy and are far less likely to get diaper rash. You can also compost the wet ones or simply toss the soiled refill. It will break down in the landfill in about 90 days vs. up to 500 years for a disposable. The beauty of eco-friendly plastic-free diapers. We will just flush ours and not trow them out the window onto the campus... that wouldn't be too fair on the neighbors :)

I'm not totally sold... as soon as I tell my husband (the eco-friendly one of us two) he will be sold and there will be no turning back. Oh course we will still use some disposable diapers for church and baby sitters so I'm not 100% "green" and this is just a small dent into our over production of piling on trash.

Next you will see me wearing dreads, not shaving, eating bark and generating my own electricity with a hand held egg beater... like I said, I'M GOING GREEN!! hah ah ha. (no, no)

just sad.

2009-03-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today I am just sad. I got a call to say that my sisters niece (her husbands side) died yesterday... she was the youngest of 4 kids and only 16 months old. She was put down for a nap and when her mom came to get her, she was dead. Her cribs valance thing was around her neck. (She apparently had a canopy style crib and pulled the valance into her crib and twisted herself in it while sleeping.) Sorry for the heart wrenching details, but it happened... I feel so sick to my stomach, as well does my family. My sister just spent the day with their family on Saturday... it is so real and so tragic. Please pray for them... they are believers and stand on Gods promise to get them through.
and the father is supposed to be deployed on Thursday for a year...

I guess I'm just wondering why?

getting bigger!!!

2009-02-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

why was i so worried?

2009-02-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

So I had the glucose test yesterday. I had to psych myself to go, cause I HATE giving blood. I have had previous experiences of throwing up on the tech while getting my life drained from my arm... BAD memory while pregnant with Abby... so yesterday I went for the dreaded appointment. Dave has been sick (caught the stomach bug that has been going around) so while he was home with the napping girls I went off to the clinic. After drinking the wonderful, refreshing drink (I have told you before that I actually like it) I went and got fitted for TED hose (the kind that old people wear in nursing homes) yep... I wear them too. Thank goodness for winter and covered legs! I really was experiencing some leg pain and varicose vein issues so went and got them... then back to the blood sucking people to give them a sample (I sat there, talk about a few things and... it was over) What was I SO worried about? I really need to grow up! It felt like nothing and I was done before I could think, so off home I drove to find a very sick husband and my kids crawling all over him. I really hope they don't get what he has... or I for that matter.

Today I got a call from the Dr. office...
I don't have gestational diabetes (shocker) but I am very anemic....
That could explain the way I feel in the morning after waking up and can't figure out if I slept at all, cause of the tiredness... I thought that it was my aging body giving up on me being my third pregnancy... so now I know how to help it, Iron here I come... hopefully this will give me the boost I need to round out this pregnancy...

So now all I'm doing today is scrubbing bathrooms and doing washing... how else can I do to get rid of this "bug" that has made a home in our house?

when you leave a 2 year old...

2009-02-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

alone for just a few minutes in a room...

The oatmeal was all over the floor, highchair and her legs... but none on her shirt or in her hair. I guess she obeyed me when I told her to not mess her clothes... mmmm (smart cookie?)

She had a wonderful time putting marker all over herself, the shirt, her arms and the chair, floor and table. She is quick... I only checked on her when she said she was bleeding... thank goodness is was a dry erase marker. But how am I to explain that not all markers don't just wipe right off.... the following day, she found the red marker again (I don't know how?). She didn't get any on herself, the floor, table or chair (obeying well) but.... she drew all over Abby... blah

random...

2009-02-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

So, this weekend went fast - not much sleep and little done- but it's over and it's Monday again... here are some thoughts...

- The weather outside is great. After the girls nap, I'm going out there again.

- I'm suffering from little sleep. Abby woke last night (5 times) complaining of sore legs... oh, the memories of sore legs when you are little (growing pains), I remember them so well! The only thing my parents did was rub them and give me warm milk... is there something else I can do?

- Dave is coming down with something (a cold)... because of the lack of sleep. Poor thing. He was up more than me last night, even though I was awake he has more patience than I do with the girls in the middle of the night, so he feels yucky today.

-I'm having such a horrible time sleeping (did I mention that?) I wake up in a panic cause of the dreams I am dreaming (they all seem to be nightmares) and I am constantly worried that I'm not on my left side... it's an on going thing, silly probably but makes my sleep life so disrupted!

- We have finally come up with a name for this little boy... Dave doesn't want to broadcast it quite yet, because there is always the last minute "change of mind" thing that we have done before... but the initials might be C.D.S. so happy guessing :)

- My mom told me wonderful news a day ago... My grandmother of 88 years old has been cleared to travel... that means she might come to the states for an extended visit after the baby is born!! This is the women that is my hero in so many ways... I would do anything for her to come and see us and meet her great grand children face to face! The last time I saw her was for my wedding 4 1/2 years ago. Now she has 8 ggchildren.

- I'm so thankful that Sally came and watch the girls on Saturday so Dave and I could go to a thing at church... thanks Sally!

- I'm also happy that we spent time with some friends on Friday night playing games!! thanks Anna, I never knew that side of my husband! yikes! haha

- Hope this next week flies by so I can say I'm 28 weeks along next Sunday! The glucose test is next and I don't mind it... yum :) I actually like that stuff!! Hopefully that is not a sign of Gestational Diabetes... :(

photos

2009-01-31T10:15:00.002-08:00

I'm a little behind on the pics for this pregnancy, but here are some... I feel huge, very uncomfortable, and weak... each pregnancy is harder and more toll on my body (obviously). I just hope that all this extra weight comes flying off me like it did the other two. Oh, and did I mention the amount of huge purple veins creeping and bulging on my upper leg??? Gross, I know, but proudly they are a trophy of child bearing! The doctor told me that I was measuring big, but after seeing the size of my previous 9 pound baby, she wasn't too worried... and a little secret is that I already told them my LMP was a week earlier than they have on file so that I can be induced right on time if I have to be so that I wont have a whopping 10 pound son...... but he is still measuring BIG... heaven help me...

About 3 1/2 months pregnant.

About 5 months pregnant.

And that is all the pics I've taken like this! It's sad I know, but Dave is a sleep right now or I would have had another...

until next time, I'll just keep adding pounds to my back... eek!

birthday

2009-01-30T11:42:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was Hannah's 2nd birthday! I can hardly believe it. She truly has slipped into our lives and just made it more joyful in every way. My family (mom and sister with her two kids) were up visiting and so we have a little party get together Monday night. It was great, and Dave's mom and sister and their husbands and kids all joined in. It was a full house!

Here is a little peek of Hannah in her world!

- With your big brown eyes, fine light brown wavy hair, little button nose, huge grin and pudgy cheeks remind me of daddy. You are definitely his little girl...

- I actually feel like a kid again watching you, cause I would do the exact same. The way you walk, your hand jesters, your dancing, your running... everything is the same as me...

- You giggle all the time, there is hardly a moment you stop.

-You are tough... nothing can "knock you down" and when there are those times you are up and care free again.

- You are sensitive, you take greatly to discipline and often put yourself in the corner crying so that you can get whatever you deserve without us saying anything.

-You easily say sorry and try and make right things that have been wronged.

- You love to cuddle, kiss and hug.

- You never turn down affection and often offer Abby a squeeze in the middle of playing.

- You love Abby, you try ever so much to do what she does and say the things that she says...

- Abby makes you laugh the hardest and she makes you cry the hardest... but you are just two!

- You love to pray and thank Jesus for everything... EVERYTHING, it's so precious!

- You were shy but you have overcome and love to tell random people about our lives. Like "we are having a boy" and "we have a snowman" or "I love uuu". It's so sweet.

-You love asking us questions and "why" comes out more than we can handle at times...

- You draw so well and love drawing our family, complete with necks, two ears and huge noses :)

-You have a fetish for cleaning, I give you a wipe and you are off scrubbing the house!

- Your favorite foods are macaroni, cheese, chicken, celery, milk, peanuts and raisins, shredders wheat and bran cereal, olives, plain yogurt, apples and bananas. Anything you can "dip" you will, even dip your sandwich into milk and call that dip! You are a really good eater and a lover of chocolate... our special little treat...

Daddy and I are so proud of you, we are in awe that you have been given to us to raise. We will continue to pray that you will love Jesus with all your heart and serve him everyday! Nothing else matters! WE LOVE you, sweets!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HANNAH!!

free $20

2009-01-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

So Dave and I are getting a free $20 from Target, just for doing a baby registry there. If I show up with the mailed card I received and my printed registry to the service desk, they give me 20 bucks!! So I'm doing one not for people to buy stuff for me (cause stuff we have!) I'm doing it for the free money.... even if it was $10 i will still do it. When it's free and it's money, I'm happy... and who can't spend $20 in Target easily?

I'm off to make a baby registry online... how fun!

proud mom

2009-01-17T08:50:00.000-08:00

So, Abby has grown up before my eyes in the last couple months. First of all, she might not be normal to you by accomplishing some milestones, but to us she is who she is and we couldn't be prouder. Remember every child is different!

She is TOTALLY potty trained!! Which to me is day (has been for over a year) and night trained 100%. I never put a pull up or diaper on her and she doesn't want one on either. She hasn't had an "accident" at night for over three weeks, and "holds it" for over 7 hours! Great stuff... I can now concentrate on Hannah and her potty training! Maybe she will be day trained by the time the next babe comes!

I'm still undecided about cloth diapers... I know that they are cheaper in the long run, but am I willing to stop buying disposables (for convenience) and scrape, hand wash, soak and machine wash diapers, liners and clothing more than I do??? I don't know if it's a positive cause time is money... any advice? I first mentioned this to my family.... the response was funny. I think that my sisters deep down inside think that I'm a complete country bumpkin and want so desperately to have baby after baby, live in the middle of no where, home school, make my own clothes and be natural in every way! (secretly, that is somewhat what I would love... live off the land, have a big family, home school and do things simplistically... but not become a granola... that is not quite me) I don't think I have much of their support but I still want to be me and not become someone, someone else wants me to be... mmmm

All to say, Abby is potty trained, dresses herself (but I still pick out her clothes), brushes her teeth, washes herself in the tub, helps me bake and cook dinner, and "watches" Hannah for me while I'm doing things in the other room... what a BiG girl she is and I'm LOVING her independence! I'm feeling not so needed as much in her everyday routine. I never really thought that having another baby on the way would be this easy to welcome into our family. They actually grow up and help... I could get used to this really easily :)

Bring on a new baby..... and keep them coming.... :)

Yuck!

2009-01-08T11:41:00.001-08:00

There is nothing worse...

than enjoying some tasty snack or treat (using your hands and fingers) and when you finally take your last bite, you lick your fingers and realize you taste desitin diaper cream on that one finger.... yuck!! Don't get me wrong, I do wash my hands but the thought of that (and whatever it might be mixed with) makes me gag...
It just happened to me and now I didn't quite enjoy my tasty nacho cheese and chip snack....
I'm off to wash my hands AGAIN!!

2009!

2009-01-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!