Our Newest Addition

We just got the best Christmas present ever! Here he is!

He came in the biggest snow storm the Portland area has seen in 30 years on Sunday, December 21st. B and I trekked over to Alma Midwifery Birthing Center in full winter gear, mom pausing a few times on the steps outside for contractions, standing in a foot of snow. We made it there a little after 7 am and he was born at 8:41 am, weighing in at 8 lbs. 5 ounces and 21 inches long. We are so blessed, and fully in love all over again.

Lil' B was so excited to finally meet her new brother, who she lovingly calls "Moose Truck" or "Jo-Jo", and on here he will just be "moose". Bug is surprisingly accepting of his new little brother who he refers to simply as "baby".

We're snowed in for the holidays, reading lots of stories, changing many diapers, cuddling a lot, drinking plenty of tea and cocoa, and playing in the snow. Papa B built a six foot snow slide in our backyard with Lil' B. Our neighbors built snowball fighting forts at two strategic locations on our block. I love watching people skiing through our neighborhood streets, and families pulling kids in sleds to go to the grocery store.

Merry Christmas to you all!

SNOW!!!!

Making A Gingerbread House

We made out first gingerbread house over Thanksgiving break with Grandma Mern. It was so fun and adorable. It was just a kit, but still fun and really yummy(Trader Joe's rocks!! :).



These pics below are pictures of our Safari Hunt. It's a really fun game for the kids. You hide stuffed animals around the house, turn off all the lights, have the kids climb on Dad's back, give them each a flashlight, and you search for the animals. They had a blast, although Bug is still a little small to fit on Dad's back.

Conversations with Lil' B

Overheard this afternoon, conversation between Lil' B and her dearest friend Sam.

Lil'B: Don't squish my baby!

Sam: Ok, I'll squish my baby.

Lil'B: I can squish my baby.

Sam: Can I squish your baby?

Lil' B: No, my baby only likes it when I squish her.


Four year old females are are so fun.

Cell Phones vs The Bible

I know it's been too long. I just can't seem to think about blogging right now, and it always seems good to take a break every now and then. We're busy getting ready for BABY, preparing for Christmas, stocking up on food, cleaning random things and areas, sorting through kids clothes, always doing laundry, and trying to remember my focus in life is always to know my Creator and become more like Him. With that in mind here's a thought I liked.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Ours was spent in Corvallis with my wonderful mother in law, and it was so peaceful and nice. Oh, and I can't wait to have this baby!

Cell Phones vs The Bible

Cell Phones vs The Bible
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our pockets and purses?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back around to go home and get it when we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages?
What if we treated it as though we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to others, to our children, as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is a post snaked from a blog I read from time to time called A Plain and Simple Life.

Wordless Wednesday: My Little Man

Nesting

Recently, I realized that I am going to have a baby soon. Six weeks actually. I've been a little carried away at the thought of meeting this new person, and ignoring the disorganized house in which I am living. I get so excited to have the baby, that I forget about how much work it will be and how I should get some work done around the house before he gets here. So most days I ignore our bedroom, the basement, any closet, any kitchen drawer. They are all my enemy. Oh, and organizing kid's clothes. Don't even get me started. I have a wardrobe of clothes for a boy and a girl through age 6, for only two children age 1 and 4. Seriously. It's a lot to store. But you never know who's coming next, so I'd rather keep it all in case I need it, right?

I've been hearing other pregnant women talk about how they are "nesting." I know what nesting means, but maybe someone else doesn't, so here is a beautiful definition of "nesting." The dream day of a mother!

Nesting :To create and settle into a warm and secure refuge.

Or you could think of it as meaning de-cluttering your house of all the crap you don't need and organizing. I do like the first definition, because it is so serene, I will admit that the second is very practical. Combination of both, I'd say. So, I should be nesting, but I rarely feel like nesting, although after reading that first definition, maybe I do. Creating a refuge that's warm and secure for our new little one and the months ahead which contain lots of family time, home time, and rest.

Yesterday, I let lil'b watch a movie(GASP) and Bug napped. With all that free time I thought, I should get something done. I walked into the kitchen and thought, "I'm nesting, what do I do?" Then my mind got overwhelmed with all the little projects I'd love to accomplish before baby gets here, and then...I stopped myself. One thing at a time. One project today. That's easy right? So, I open one drawer and dumped out all it's containments and organized it. It felt good, and I felt like I was nesting.






Before :(




After :)

Stellan

Over the past few months, I have been reading this mama's blog called My Charming Kids. She is a wonderful God loving momma, who has a great husband, and until recently three kids-3,2,1 and pregnant with fourth. She has just been through the most testing/ faith-building time of her life. While pregnant with her fourth child, at her 20 week ultrasound, she was told that her baby had a horrible heart condition and would surely die, and if he made it full term, he'd be still born.

So, she has been pregnant the rest of these 20 weeks and been believing God for a MIRACLE!!! And many, many, many...I mean we're talking thousands of people, around the world have been praying for this little baby, and believing with this mama and her family that God would do a miracle. And yesterday HE DID! Stellan was born yesterday, by c-section, and at same hospital where this family was told their baby would die is the same place where he is now alive and well, and the doctors who say he should have died, can't find anything wrong with his heart at all!!!? Isn't that amazing? Our God is a God of wonders and miracles. I've been so touched by this story, and I really can't do it justice in this little post, so check out her blog. The story is amazing and in FULL detail. This mama blogs like crazy :)

Fruits of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

"I Could Kick Your Butt" and other thoughts

Recently, while perusing the Target aisles I found my daughter some clearance undershirts that came in a pack of three of white, pink, and lavender. I'd been wanting some ever since my mother in law bought her some when she was 2, but those undershirts are a couple inches above her belly button now. At the time, I thought they were useless, but they turned out to be extremely handy during the winter season. Anyways, she finally has some more, and wears them under her clothes almost everyday. Each time I see them sitting in the laundry basket I think, I should sew something on them, but then I feel silly because nobody will see them under her clothes. Tonight while sweeping the floor, I thought of a shirt idea for them. I was thinking about embroidering on them "I could kick your butt" and "I ain't no sissy." This gave me a good chuckle while I worked away, and then I thought, "No, that's a good idea. That really sums up Lil'b."

Someone reading this might assume that I am very modern and maybe a "little gender bending," if I may use the term, but the humorous thing is I am not. I am also known to have read and enjoyed Mary Pride's The Way Home, devour my "No Greater Joy" magazine when it comes in the mail, and frequent blogs of Christian women known as "living the grid," keepers of the home, help meets, homeschooling etc.

Still, I think that it is a great shirt idea, especially for any energetic little girl, which I happen to have. If you know Lil'B, you know what I mean. I do not think it means she won't be feminine. It's just that she CAN kick your butt and it's sometimes funny (other times not :). I also thought of a shirt for my son, who is quite the momma's boy which would say, "I am a sissy." I think these things are funny. I'm sure someone else might not, but stay tuned for her new shirts. If I ever get around to them, I'll post them on my craft blog.

Other thoughts:

I've been reading a lot about "Off the Grid Living" recently, I find it very intriguing. Could I ever live with a compost toilet or wash my clothes with a bucket and plunger or grow all my own food? I think about these things a lot recently and I have no idea what will become of these thoughts. I like aspects of off the grid living like: low environmental impact, no mortgages, less city government dependence, lots of outdoor times, simple life, more time at home for everyone. B said no compost toilet, and he likes a washing machine. We'll see if he changes his mind.

Things to Love

This is definitely a fluff post. It's just a bunch of random beautiful things I like right now.

Sunday Morning with Gramma and Grandpa and Playdough Recipe!!!

We had my folks over for breakfast this last Sunday morning. We all had a truly wonderful time. After munching down all the omelet and roasted red potatoes one could eat, I put Bug down for a nap and lil'b and I got working, making some playdough. Grandpa and Gramma thought this was so fun.

Grandpa really got into playdough fun and started creating a little world of creatures with lil'b. They made a snowman and our whole family with a bed to sleep on. Lil'b appropriately named the snowman Kim.

I'll share my playdoh recipe with y'all because it's the best, I think, and it was given to me by a good friend Jamie.

Playdough-

In a sauce pan mix-

1C flour
1/4 C salt
1 Tbs Cream of Tartar

Add-
1C Water
2 tps Oil

Mix

Cook on Med/High heat for 5 mins. Stir till ball forms in middle of pan. (It looks like it will never turn out, but it does, and it's wonderful to play with:)

After it's done, we put in food coloring and glitter!!!

Craving Crisp

I've heard a few people talk about "craving crisp" recently which led me, extremely pregnant woman, to "crave crisp" also. Last night, in the middle of dressing the kids for bed, I decided to start making myself some crisp. B had left for worship practice a while before, and I was alone in the parenting duty. The kids busied themselves by practicing cutting on little pieces of foam at the table at 7pm while I threw together a naugthy snack for myself. I had some apples that were about to be on the bad apple side, so threw them in, a nectarine or two, and then some frozen blueberries at the last second.

Put a yummy crisp topping on top, and put it in the oven, while me and the kids had story time. The timer went off right as we finished our last book, put them to bed, and took a look at my yummy feast. It was delicious, and yes I'm that mean to not share it with the kids :) and I had some by myself! Is that even legal? I figure, the kids really don't need any sugar right before bed, and the last time they had crisp they didn't like it, and B wasn't going to be home till 930pm! Something had to be done. The crisp was hot and must be eaten. B did have some when he got home, but crisp isn't his favorite either. I enjoyed every bite, and had some after lunch today too.

I was a good mamma and didn't eat it for breakfast, although it was really hard not to.

Really funny video

B and I ran into this video and laughed pretty hard. B would spend most of his time making videos like these if he had the time. Give it a watch, and tell me what you think.

Have you seen this man lately?

This used to be my husband. Nice somewhat clean shaven face(when he does shave-it's once a week.) But pretty fresh faced most of the time :) Over the summer and his hair continuing to outgrow mine, he decided to grow a beard. I'm not anti beards, I just don't like them when they get soooooo burly! Can any women blame me? Anyone out there a burly beard lover? I should ask for your help. I need to learn to love the beard.












So here is my husband today! Burly beard and still growing. I LOVE this man, but the beard is hard for me. I tried to be supportive in the beginning, and that was easy because I like a little scruff, but this is way beyond the scruff. I'm starting to feel like we should move to Alaska and start a fishing business-(for anyone living in Alaska owning a fishing business, no offense). The other day at work a co-worker of his said he looked like a rabbinical student, and he took it as a huge compliment. When he returned home to tell me, I was less than pleased. I'm not a bear of a wife, seriously I'm not! But the beard! WHY! Okay, that's enough complaining. Sorry you had to listen to all that.