WE'RE HERE!! Taking a walk in our new neighborhood :)

Atlanta!

St. Louis!

That feeling right before you jump.

I've never been skydiving.

Wade has, and while I'd love to, at this point I can only imagine what it must feel like the moment right before you voluntarily leap out of an airplane that is 12,000 feet in the air.

While I haven't jumped out of a plane, I have jumped off of a 40 ft waterfall. It was the worst feeling in the world, followed by the best feeling in the world. Thoughts included, "What the heck are you doing? I should just get down from here right. now. This is crazy. What if you get hurt? Or worse, die!!!! Okay, you probably won't die, but it's still probably not a good idea. All right, I'm just gonna do it! Here I gooooo..... No, I can't. This is waaay to scary. I've never done anything like this before and I feel like I'm gonna be sick. But it does look kinda fun... I wonder how long I'm gonna stand here before I actually jump. What if I chicken out and it's something I always wish I'd done, I'll be so mad at myself. Ohmygoodness, THIS IS AWFUL!"

That's exactly what I feel like right now.

I feel like I was brave and made the decision to put on the suit and get on the plane, and it now I'm at that moment where they open up the big door and say, "Okay, there's nothing left to do now but jump! Don't worry, it'll be awesome!" And the my only thoughts are, "AH! WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!?"

I love this little town. I love my friends here. I love that my family is relatively close. We are making decent money. We could buy a big house with all the money we have saved up. Wade still doesn't have a job. We'll be renting again, which means this next place won't be completely "home" yet. Why on earth are we doing this again?

But back to top of that waterfall in Japan, I did eventually jump. Twice. And it was incredible. I'm so glad I did it, even though I was scared. Because that's what being brave means - even if you're scared, do it anyways. I always tell my swim lesson kids when they are afraid to jump in to me, "It's all right to be a little scared, but I want you just try it anyways. You'll see that it'll be alright, and you actually might like it!" I need to listen to myself a little bit right now!

At this point, there's no turning back now. The paper's have been signed. The money's been sent - a whole year's worth of rent! We're moving to Florida. I know everything will be okay. But still, I feel like I'm on the edge of that plane looking down and saying, "AH! WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!?"

Storytime at Hartman

Yesterday the kids and I met some friends at Hartman Reserve Nature Center. (The kids and I are often doing little stuff like this, but I rarely blog about it, so I'm going to try to get better about remembering to document the littler things). This was our first time at this little activity. A staff member read a book about snowmen, made a 'Snowman in a Sack' for a craft, then made little snowman snacks out of mini doughnuts!

Then, since it was not so freezing cold it's painful relatively nice out, we took a little hike to explore. Well, in December everythings pretty much dead, so there's not much to really see but we poked around nonetheless.



We asked a friendly deer to take a picture of us. ;) Poor baby Jasper looks like he's hanging on for dear life!

Everyone was hungry and worn out when we headed back to the van. On the walk back, I felt something sharp against my finger that wasn't normally there. I didn't even have to look down at my left hand because I instantly knew that one of my diamonds was gone. YIKES!!! And we had been hiking through the woods, so I knew there was no way I'd be able to retrace my steps and find it. So sad :(


The prong on the right is completely broken off.

Good news is I have a warrenty with the ring that says the jeweler will replace any diamonds should they fall out! Yay!  Bad news is it's going to take 4-5 weeks for it to be completed. Boo. We move in 2, so I had to pay $25 for them to have it shipped down to me when it's done. $25 is better than $1000ish, so i guess I'll take it. My left hand feels naked and awkward without it and none of my other rings fit that finger. Maaaaaaybe I'll just have to go find something pretty to take it's place for a bit ;)

Jasper is 6 months old!

 Woah, that was fast.

At six months old, my {big} little man has two teeth, is sitting up, rolling all over the place to get where he wants, eating pureed sweet potatoes, avocados and bananas, is constantly laughing and grinning, chews on everything, and steals my heart every. single. day.

He weighs over 19 lbs, still sleeps in bed with us, recognizes his daddy, and thinks his brother and sister are hilarious. Did I mention how smitten I am with him? 

We all call him Jaspy, although I try not to call him that in public because I know it's weird. Unlike my other kids, he'll smile for anyone - flirting with people in the line at the grocery store and distracting people behind us at church. It's like he knows this is a good life and he's happy to be here.

I know he's my kid and all, but seriously, isn't he just the cutest!?

I Want a Dog

Our neighbors just got a puppy.

It looks kinda like this.  Don't you just want to sqeeeeeeze it!?

 It's a little bichon (I think) and it's crazy ADORABLE. And they named her Cubby, after the the Chicago Cubs. And the kids think she's awesome and run/roll around with her in the backyard. AHHH! I can hardly stand it.

We've been thinking about it for years and have always said, "Oh, we'll get a dog someday. Maybe when the kids are older and can help take care of it. We kind of like the freedom of not having one right now. It'd be like having another kid. There would be additional costs like food, vet visits, shots, grooming, boarding, etc. that we just don't need right now. It would chew on the baby's toys." You get the point.

And when we talk to people who have dogs, the overwhelming majority of puppy parents tell us, "DON'T DO IT!" (Like 99.9 %) Then they proceed to tell us how they just get annoying and eat stuff they're not supposed to and bark and jump on people and so on. So why have them? What's the point?

If we do get a dog, I don't want it to be like that. I really want it to be like another little member of our family, not some little piece of crap furball that we have to feed every once in a while.... I'm not trying to criticize anyone, I really just don't understand.

Me with my dogs, Holly & Kasey. 

Ten years ago, I used to be an aspiring model. (AKA I think my middle school sister was into photography way back then, too.) No idea what this photo was about, or why on earth I still have it, but it's me and my puppies. I adored them. Granted, I wasn't the one who really had to take care of them, walk them, feed them, pay for their vet bills or let them out, but still. They've been gone for a long time now but they were such a big part of my childhood. I want this for my kids, too!

Who knows when we'll actually get one. But I want it to be soon. Like, shortly after we move I want to start looking. Wade thinks little dogs are stupid. But I say it's kind of like a little 'trial size dog'. (Not that we'd return it if we didn't like it, but we could kind of get our feet wet with the whole canine thing.) We're not getting a mastiff or anything just yet. Although maybe someday....

oh. my. word.

Advice? Thoughts?

Play Kitchen

It's coming along, slowly but surely!

We bought an old entertainment center from craigslist about 18 months ago and since then I've been collecting stuff to build a kitchen for the kids. In the meantime, it's been more of a flimsy storage unit, simply taking up space. With only weeks before we move, I decided it was getting ridiculous for me to keep hanging on to this thing - we needed to transform it or get it out of here!

I don't have a true before picture (although I might have one that I can dig up from old files) but here's an 'in progress' shot. The missing door on the right will be the oven, above that will be the stove (just picked up some old knobs for free this week!), the top left side will be the microwave, and so on.

The kids are already loving it. I'm just sad it took me so long to actually do it! Better late than never, I suppose :)

Hopefully I'll have a finished kitchen to show you in the next two weeks or so!

Brother+Sister

Happy Thanksgiving!

10 Things I am Thankful For:

1. chilly days. for they make me appreciate the warm ones.

2. little fights with my husband. for it teaches me grace & helps me grow.

3. my 3 year old peeing his pants. again. for it teaches me patience. 

4. my current sore throat. for it gives me an excuse to rest a little.

5. a sink full of dirty dishes. for it is evidence that we had food to eat. there are some who are hungry.

6. my 5 month old keeping me up last night. for it reminds me that i am lucky to have him. some mamas' arms are empty.

7. being lonely lately. for it makes time with true friends even that more special.

8. my ghetto gold minivan. for it means no car payments or debt, which equals peace of mind.  

9. annoying politics. for it means i live in a country where we all have the right to vote.

10. You. Yes, YOU. Because if you're reading this blog post, that means that God has put you in my life for a reason. whether that is to annoy, help, frustrate, encourage, or love me - all of that is teaching/has taught me something. old friend, new friend, family, or total stranger. i truly am thankful for you. 

[image from here]

Florida FAQ

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Okay, so as most of you know, our days here in Iowa are numbered. It's for real and it's actually gonna happen. We are so excited! We are also a bit nervous, sad, and hesitant. But did I mention, EXCITED???

This has been in the works for years, but we've been dropping hints about how serious we are to most of you within the past few months. We've been careful about what we've said to who, as to not damage any current work situations. We've also been limited in what we've said because we didn't have all the answers to all the questions that we knew would follow. (Gosh, I'm making it sound like we're part of some secret government operation! We're not. Or are we? ;) )

And of course, as we expected, the questions are coming on strong. I jokingly told Wade that I was going to make a blog post of all the Frequently Asked Questions, print it, and hand it out to everyone who wants to know the scoop.

So maybe you care, maybe you don't, but hopefully this will answer some of your questions!

1. Wow! You guys are moving to Florida? Why? 
     We're moving there just because we want to. Because life is short and we want to take this risk. For some reason, we feel like God is calling us to live down in Florida right now. I know it sounds crazy, but we've been thinking about doing this for years and we have every reason in the world to stay here, but that nagging feeling just hasn't gone away and we feel like there must be a reason for that. There are so many other reasons, like the weather and pursuing our dreams of a sports related ministry and teaching swim lessons from my own pool, but basically, we never want to look back someday and wish we would have done this. And if it doesn't work out, we can always move back!

2. Cool, so is Wade relocating for a job?
     Nope. That would be fantastic since he currently loves what he does here, but his company is based out of the Midwest with not really any career opportunities in FL.

3. Okay, so does he at least have a job lined up down there?
     That would be another negative! He's submitted a ton of applications and has talked with several people, but so far nothing yet. Yes, ideally we'd like to move down there with him already having a job. Obviously. But our lease is up on December 31 and we are not renewing it, so we either find somewhere to live up here or down there and we've decided to move regardless of a job or not.

4. Are you crazy?!?! 
     Yes, possibly. And I feel a bit like a hippie when I say that I truly believe that God will provide us with what we need. We have a little bit saved up and we are both able to work, so we acknowledge that it may be hard for a bit if we can't find something right away, but I think we're gonna be okay. :)

5. **stunned silence** (this is when people don't really know what to say to that, thinking to themselves what idiots we are)


6. This has always been your dream and Wade has a great job. It sounds to me like you are dragging him down there.
      I actually had to ask Wade if this one was true. Thankfully he said no, because we sure as heck wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't 100% on board. In fact, there's been times when he's been more about this whole crazy idea than me. (He even changed all his passwords to FLORIDA couple of years ago.) And no, this hasn't always been my dream. Yes, I did live in Florida for a year in college and loved it, but I also love Iowa too. I really do. I love almost everything about this state (especially where we currently live), except for the freaking SNOW and COLD and WIND. And I would always get annoyed at the people who complain about it but do nothing. Well... this is me doing something. And don't worry about Wade. We are completely a 50/50 team. He is absolutely the leader of this family and he definitely wants to do this. Just ask him yourself. He'll tell you exactly what I've told him to tell you. (KIDDING!)

7. So when? where?
     Right after Christmas, to a town North of Tampa, right on the Gulf Coast. Wade found us a 3 BR/2 BA home to rent a few weeks ago while in the Tampa area for a business trip. It looks lovely and it's in a development that has it's own pool! (And best of all, after 10 years of washing dishes, IT HAS A DISH WASHER!!!!)

At this point, people's reactions have been varied. We've seen excitement, sadness, confusion, and disapproval. We know that this won't affect just us and we've definitely taken that into serious consideration. Change is never easy. Wherever we end up, just pray that His will is being done.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Matthew 6:26

Our new home!

 We'd greatly appreciate your support. It would mean so much to us! I'll keep you updated on more details throughout the next month. :)

Happy Weekend, Folks :)

Jasper's Birth Story, The Final Chapter.

Oh you guys are funny. I didn't intend for it to be such a dramatic story. Like my title? ;)

I left off with Wade holding our tiny babe, observing helplessly the events happening in front of him. I was scared and confused as well. I remember being curled up on the bed, uncontrollably shaking from wet and in pain, when I look to my right and saw my midwife, Anne, who had broken my water at the clinic earlier that morning. She had only stopped by to chat and meet the baby after work, but she had gotten there just in time. The nurses had already called Kim and she was on her way, but Anne got to work trying to help.

While in the bathtub, I was given a shot of Pitocin in my leg to get my uterus to clamp down. A shot that I had originally didn't want. Big mistake. Should've taken the Pitocin! Anne told me she was worried that a fragment of the placenta may have been left behind, and my body wasn't reacting well to that - clotting and trying to expel it? I don't know.  What I do know, is she told me she needed to "go in and get it." Yeeeeah.

I'll remind you, I didn't have any pain medication at this point. And I'm not sure why I didn't get any before she went in. Maybe it would've taken too long for  to go into effect? I don't know, but IT. WAS. AWFUL. For about 60 seconds, I screamed, cried, and squeezed so hard my nails dug into those poor nurses hands. (Okay, Wade just informed me it was only about 10 seconds. It felt like 10 minutes.) Folks, it was probably worse than childbirth. She got out another softball sized clot. They told me later that she was in almost up to her elbow - just diggin' around in there. (I am SO SORRY for the amount of detail!!!)

I still wasn't really feeling any better. By now, Kim had gotten there as fast as she could. She talked with Anne quietly in the corner. I overheard Kim ask, "Did you use a sterile gauze? No? Just a glove? Gee, I really think we need to use gauze to really go over the entire surface to make sure we get it. Let's also give her a shot of Methergine" [Methergine provides sustained uterine contractions rather than the more intermittent contractions of Pitocin, hence an immediate, strong response. Similar to the final transition stage in labor. Given to prevent or stop postpartum hemorrhage. source] Basically a dose of PAIN and some more PAIN. 


Yup, Kim had to repeat what Anne had just done. I remember crying, begging her to stop, yet knowing she had to do this. The Methergine had also kicked in and was excruciating. Before I knew it, a nurse was poking me for an IV, I had an oxygen mask over my face, and another nurse was giving me a shot of Demerol (similar to morphine). I had a blood pressure cuff on my arm and some heart rate thing on my finger. I felt exhausted and upset since everything on me was exactly what I didn't want. 


The contractions slowly faded away and I felt embarrassed by what had all just happened. The room calmed down and I was able to relax a little. It was over about as quickly as it had all happened. I talked with Kim and Anne before they left and found out that it's more likely to happen with larger babies - and this little guy was 10 lbs.


I ditched as much crap on me as I could and Wade helped me get some clothes on. By now, Jasper was starting to get fussy. I heard the nurses trying to decide what to do, figuring I probably wasn't feeling up to feeding him right now. I piped up, and said confidently, "I'm fine. I can take him." All I wanted, more than anything, was to nurse and cuddle my new son - and for the next few hours, I did exactly that.  


I'm so thankful for great midwives who helped me get through all parts of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and all the not-so-fun stuff after. I'm thankful for my husband for being by my side through all of it. And most of all, I'm thankful for my God, who blessed me with a healthy, baby boy and protected me from a situation that could have been much worse!

Halloween 2011

This year the kids dressed up as Jake and Izzy from their favorite television show, Jake and the Neverland Pirates. And Jasper (who looks enormous, by the way) is a puppy, a costume I found and put on him 5 minutes before we left!

Jasper's Birth Story, Part Two

We made it back to the van where I quickly called Wade, who was at work, to tell him what was going on. We decided to meet back at our house, drop the kids off with Mary (who had miraculously just gotten into town, without a clue as to what was going on) and assess the situation. We got home around 11:30ish and I was hurtin'. I ate little McDonalds, and we were only home for about 15 minutes until we decided we'd better head back to the hospital.

Once we got checked in and got "comfortable" I was getting pretty uncomfortable pretty fast. I'll probably never do a home birth, but I was highly considering it during my labor with Jasper.  As I was working through contractions, I was flooded with annoying questions from a dozen or so nurses. (All just doing their job, I know, but asking me what my best learning style is during the middle of an intense contraction just about sent me over the edge)

I labored for a couple hours and it was TOUGH. I walk around the room, listened to Pandora, squatted on the toilet, sat on the birthing ball, talked with Wade and my midwife and I don't even remember what else I did to get through it. Kim had a student with her that day who was observing and at one point she said to me, "Wow, I'm really enjoying this - this is so neat!" I wanted to punch her, and I'm pretty sure I smiled and told her I was so glad this was entertaining her. Mean, I know. I'm sorry Student Lady! It was towards the end and I had little patience or any tolerance left for anything.

I hate labor, but it's such an empowering feeling to do it without pain medication. It puts all other physical pain in my life into perspective and it blows my mind every time of what my body's capable of - it's so intense that you think you can't stand one more ounce of agony and you're ready to give up. And yet, you don't (or pretty much can't) just throw in the towel. You keep on, keeping on. And it's AWFUL. and PAINFUL. and somehow beautiful all at the same time. It really is amazing. I've learned to not fight the surges of pain, but to be calm and relax through them. I don't yell, scream or moan. I basically just shut up and get through it. And seriously, the gift that God gives you at the end of it is so incredible and so worth it that I would go through it a hundred more times. 

Pushing took about 15 minutes and Wade held my left hand the whole time. With Beckett, he was able to guide him out/catch him (okay, I don't really know what he actually did) but with this time, he wasn't able to do it. :) He he he. Kim told him to come on over, it was time for him to help and I remember, out of the corner of my eye, seeing him with big eyes, shaking his head no and telling her, "That's okay, I'll just stay up here with Liz."

And after that last push (one of the weirdest sensations EVER), my big little man, Jasper Bentley, was born. I don't even know what time it was. Maybe 4ish? He was 22 in long and 10 lbs exactly. Perfect, chubby, adorable, and ours. There's no special reason for the name Jasper, it was just one that Wade was enamored with (I was pushing for Cullen or Ryder). Bentley, again just because we liked it, but going with the tradition of all the boys having a LEE sound in their middle name - after Wade Lee.

This is where the excitement happened: We enjoyed that brief time with just the 3 of us after he was born. With Beckett, I passed out after I took a hot bath so I knew I should take my time this time. When I felt up to it, I got up to take a bath and rinse off. While in the tub, my stomach started cramping up and I felt urges to push again. I passed a couple of softball sized blood clots and the nurses were starting to freak out. The water was bright red and I was starting to go downhill fast. I was still in a lot of pain and began to get light headed and short of breath. Wade was quickly by my side and knew that things weren't good. Before I knew it, they were getting me out of the tub and back to the bed. I don't really remember how that happened as I was only half conscience. I couldn't breath, was wet, naked and in pain. As nurses were rushing around me trying to figure out what was wrong, Wade sat helplessly in the corner of the room, holding our son, tears in his eyes, not knowing what was happening. 

Okay, above mentioned child is awake, so looks like there will be a part three. :)

Combine Ride

Having a Daddy who works in the agriculture field has its perks. Yes, this time of year means we don't see him as much, but it also means he can hook the kids up with a ride on a combine harvesting corn! It was a gorgeous afternoon and they had fun.

Gotta love Fall in Iowa :)

PS that's pirate Beckett in the picture . :)

Jasper's Birth Story, Part One

Mr. Jasper is almost 5 months old now, almost sitting up and cutting his first tooth. Better late than never I guess! Here we go...

(Since it's so long, I've divided it up into two posts, and I've included lots of boring details, but it's mostly for me to remember anyway. :) )

This little guy's pregnancy was uneventful and boring (Thank you, Jesus!) but this being the third time around, I knew what to anticipate for labor and delivery so I felt pretty prepared for for his birth. With Reese I wanted to go all natural, but ended up having pitocin and an epidural. With Beckett, I was able to deliver naturally but my midwife broke my water when I was dialated to about 9 cm, about 1-2 hours before he was actually born. (Reese's was broken about 12 hours before birth and at 4 cm.) Since I knew that the contractions greatly increased in intensity once the bag was broken, I was curious to see what would happen if everything was just left alone. Also, with both kids I had my membranes stripped (when the doctor or midwife runs their finger around the cervix several times to get those labor horomones going - can help labor progress or get started.) And again, this time I wanted to see what my body would do if everything was just left alone. (Hint: This is called foreshadowing. :) )

Fast forward to the end of May. Jasper was due on May 30, but my other kids had gone past their due dates so I had anticipated a June baby. I had been feeling random contractions all week, but nothing consistant. On Tuesday, June 31, our day was normal but after supper I was having contractions every 12 minutes or so. They were pretty mild and the kids were a good distraction so I was doing okay. They kept coming and coming, getting a little stronger, and I thought, wow I might be having a baby tonight! But I told Wade not to make any phone calls yet. Lo and behold, just like last time, I went to bed and woke up with - nothing. No contractions. Not a thing. :( Annoyed, I thought well, I might as well get on with my day. Wednesdays are the day that we usually go to storytime at the library, so I planned on heading over there at 10:30.

Around 9:00, my mother-in-law, Mary, had randomly sent me a text saying she had the day off and wondering if she could come down and hang out. Besides storytime, I didn't have much on the agenda for the day, so I told her that would be just fine. Maybe my contractions would kick in again and she could watch the kids for a bit.

The contraction thing was still bugging me though. I wanted to know if last night's little tease had done anything! I'd heard that the third baby can come faster, and I didn't go to the doctor until I was dialated 9 cm with Beckett, so I was worried that I wouldn't have that much time when it did actually start to happen. I reeeeeeeaaaally didn't want to spend most of my labor at the hospital, so I was hesitant to even go near that place, but my midwife told me I could always come in to get checked and then go back home. So I called and got an appointment for 10:00. (Still no contractions, mind you.) I figured I'd find out how many centimeters I was dialated and quickly be out the door on my way to the library. So I packed up the kids, and off we went.

Can I just say here, that I love my midwives. I've got two - Kim and Anne. Kim has helped deliver all three of my kids. This was my first year with Anne, but she's the kind of person I would want to be friends with. That morning I saw Anne and she knew what I wanted and what I didn't want. I had explained how I'd had contractions, but they'd stopped. She checked me and informed me that I was dialated to a 5-6 cm. Not bad, but not overly exciting. Seeing that I was disappointed that the number wasn't higher she reluctantly offered to strip my membranes. I told her I didn't know, I really wanted to get this train a-movin', but I kind of wanted to try it without. I asked her what she thought. She told me if my body wasn't ready, it wouldn't respond to it, and only if I wanted, she could go around just once or twice, very softly. It was getting awkward since her hand was still up in there, so I just said, whatever- just do it.

I felt her go one time around and then she froze and said I think I just broke your water. WHAT?!?! I immediately regretted even coming in, because the two things I didn't want done, just happened. Anne felt so bad, and I reassured her it was fine. Not ideal, but everything was going to be fine. I was going to have a baby soon!!!! So I'm laying on the exam table, legs up, amniotic fluid everywhere on the floor as we game plan about what to do next. I wasn't even having contractions so I didn't want to go to the hospital, but I knew I would soon, so should I go home? I had known both sides and long labor at the hospital = uncomfortable and not good. While we were discussing, I remembered I had a 4 year old and 2 year old in that tiny room with us and they were getting antsy. The next thing I knew, Beckett was up off his chair and hopping around with his shirt off. We needed to get outta there fast. So she gave me her cell phone number and told me to call her in an hour to give her an update. I rolled up a towel between my legs and before I knew it, our trip to the library that morning was officially cancelled!

We made it back to the van where I quickly called Wade, who was at work, to tell him what was going on. We decided to meet back at our house, drop the kids off with Mary (who had miraculously just gotten into town, without a clue as to what was going on) and assess the situation. We got home around 11:30ish and I was hurtin'. I ate little McDonalds, and we were only home for about 15 minutes until we decided we'd better head back to the hospital!

(to be continued) ;)

My Little Soccer Star

This year Reese chose soccer (plus church night & swim lessons) over dance. She participated in a VBS soccer camp this summer and loved it so she wanted to try it again this fall. She did great!

Well, hey there.

*sigh*

It's been awhile! So many stories, pictures, and random thoughts that I've been meaning to catch up on. Needless to say, I've been just a little busier since Jasper has arrived. (His nickname is Jaspy and I hate it. But for some reason, can't stop calling him that. It's starting to stick. Poor Becky thought he had it bad...) Not busier in a bad way, but busier as in baby cuddling, supper making, swim lesson teaching, soccer watching, finger painting, baby feeding, coffee drinking, walk taking, diaper changing, book reading, BABY HOLDING, and so on. I love it.

I feel as if I have my hands full, but I'm currently reading a book I randomly picked up at the library called The Sane Mom's Guide to Raising a Big Family and this lady has like TEN kids. Her youngest is 3 but obviously she found time to write a freaking book, while I struggle to get something to eat beside McDonald's for supper. Other blogging moms share how they make their own deoderant and such. Basically, I haven't felt very productive. And this blog goes on the list of "Things I want to get done, but sleep is more important" (it's a long list...).

But updates. Soon. For sure. You can count on it.

Hopefully.

First Lost Tooth

Can you see it people?!?!

The huge, gaping hole in her mouth?!?!

What a huge step! We noticed that it was loose a few weeks ago, and I freaked out. One, because the new tooth was already starting to come in, behind it. And two, she seemed too young. I thought that was a first grade thing. I was so not ready to have a kid who was losing teeth.

She was brushing her teeth rather vigorously tonight before bed, when all of the sudden she gasped and froze.  I looked over at her and saw a mouth full of blood that was starting to drip down the side of her face. I immediately knew what happened and grabbed the tooth that was sitting on her lower lip and called for Wade since I was holding Jasper. She immediately started crying, confused why there was blood, saying it hurt. Once she was calmed down, she got all quiet and proud.

Such a big girl :)

Not an easy shot to get...

I just snapped this picture on my phone a minute ago to capture us today, exactly as we are at ages 27, 5, 2 and 2 months.

Right now:

We're watching a Handy Manny movie. The kids think it's hilarious. We've probably watched enough cartoons today, but when they asked if they could watch it this afternoon, I said okay just so I could hear them giggle over and over. PS, why aren't Manny & Kelly a couple? They'd be so cute together. I'm seriously waiting for the episode where they declare their love for one another. Just sayin'.

Sipping on a cup of Chocolate Caramel Mudslide coffee from my fabulous mother-in-law. Sooo good!

Trying to decide what to get for supper. Daddy won't be home until after the kids go to bed so I'm thinking a walk to Subway is in order!

Swimming

Today is our last day at the pool for the season! I love that my kids, at 2 & 5, are totally okay in the water by themselves now. I didn't even wear my suit today. Jasper and I are just chillin' in the shade while I write this blog post. I'm pretty sure it will NOT be like this next year!

Fun with Shaving Cream

Shaving cream + food coloring = quick and easy activity with the kids! This was our "after lunch, before quiet time" activity today :)

I always keep a cheap can of shaving cream on hand for when the kids are bored and I need something to keep them busy for a bit. It's a bit messy, yes, but I've found that using a spatula or a rubber scraper cleans it up super fast. Then outside we go to hose them off!

Something to think about...

Smiley Baby

Jasper has been my smiley-est baby so far. We're just having a lazy morning here, and cuddling with this mini dude is one of my favorite things to do!

I'm Pretty Much A Rockstar Mom/Wife

For example:

This afternoon I made homemade honey dinner rolls for supper because I know my husband will love them.

On my counter top I have a bouquet of beautiful yellow, pink and white flowers that picked from the roadside near our house.

We were out of baby wipes on Sunday, so I made my own using paper towels, soap and baby oil.

I am teaching Reese how to add numbers and she's catching on pretty quickly!


I love sharing our fun stories, activities, recipes, craft ideas on this blog, but what I don't share is:

Sometimes I'm too tired to get up when the kids wake up in the morning, so I let them go to the living room and watch cartoons for a bit. Yesterday, when I came out, they were watching MTV. More specifically, Jersey Shore. Not kidding.

I hate cleaning my kitchen and now there is an ant invasion. Crap.

I haven't been very nice to Wade the past couple of days because sometimes I get jealous that he goes on fun trips for work, eats out for lunch most days, and gets to talk to adults.


Don't be fooled. This blog is a fun place to show off my family and pretend I'm kind of a big deal, but in reality I'm such a work in progress, continuously asking God for grace in the places that I fall short.

Happy Friday!

Rainbow Cupcakes



 

I made these rainbow cupcakes this weekend for our family reunion and they were a big hit. The last time I made these was at Wade's birthday party last year. I think they are so much fun and so stinkin' cute! They are not too tough to make, they just take a bit more time than your average cupcake.  

The directions are simple: Take a box of white cake mix and mix according to directions. Separate the batter equally among six small bowls. Add drops of food coloring to each bowl. (I use AmeriColor's soft gel paste that I found at Hobby Lobby. You don't have to use very much to get bright, vivid colors!) When I first saw this a long time ago, the layers were all equally stacked and layered, but that seems impossible to achieve so I just plop a blob (ha, that sounded funny) of each color in each muffin cup. It's very forgiving- if you get more of one color, no big deal, it'll still look cool. Fill half full and bake as directed. Yes, it's a little time consuming, but so worth it!

I top them with a buttercream frosting. Once I discovered how fabulous homemade frosting is, I'll never buy store bought again!

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c butter

1/2 c shortening

2 tsp vanilla (or any extract)

1/8 tsp salt

5 c powdered sugar

1/4 c whole milk

Beat together butter, shortening, vanilla, salt until creamy. Gradually add sugar and milk and beat until smooth.

**Nicole McIntosh, thought of you when I made these! I know you appreciate yummy food and pretty things, and these are both. :) **

He's home!!!

Letters on Breastfeeding

Dear Current Nursing Mamas,

Yay for your commitment to breastfeed your child! As you know, breast milk is sooo great for that baby. And you don't need me to tell you that its not just that milk that's so awesome, it's that relationship and bond that just you and your baby have. You have exactly what that baby wants and needs at any given time of the day- to be snuggled close to you all warm and cozy while getting a little snack or a big meal. I didn't realize this with my first kid. It's really so simple. If your baby's crying or fussy, NURSE HER! With Reese I totally didn't get this. When she'd scream at me, I'd be so confused about what my baby wanted. I had fed her 20 minutes ago, she had a clean diaper, she wasn't too hot/cold, I'd pick her up and bounce her. I was worn out (and stressed out) from guessing what the heck she wanted from me. It wasn't until Beckett that I learned to just nurse him as often as he wanted, for as long as he wanted and both of us were much happier.

I get so sad watching some of you new mamas struggle to get your baby to quiet down, embarrassed because people are staring at you like, "Can't you make him stop!?" Or your at home by yourself, frustrated, not knowing what else to try to make your baby sleep or be happy. I know it doesn't work in every circumstance, but try it- wherever you are, just feed her.

It doesn't matter if your at church, at a restaurant, in a movie theater, or in your friend's living room. If your baby is freaking out, try nursing him. Don't worry about what people think. Get over being uncomfortable. It will be awkward and nerve wracking at first, but you will get better at it and therefore gain confidence. Start by practicing at home, then try it outside in your backyard. Then try it when your with a close friend and go from there.

Let's teach people that nursing your baby is something totally normal that shouldn't have to be hidden. Sure, cover yourself up, but stop acting like it's a huge secret how we feed our babies. It took me a long time to get here, but it's made breastfeeding so much more enjoyable when I know that I can go just about anywhere and not worry about if my baby is going to "act up". Let's stop sequestering ourselves to public restrooms for 30 minutes at a time and get out there and enjoy the activities and people you're with. The more of us who do it, the more acceptable it will be!

                                                                                            With love,
                                                                                                            Liz



Dear Everyone Else,

Women have breasts. (I'm guessing you already knew this, but I'll keep going...) Approximately 50% of the human population have them and their main purpose is feeding their offspring. *gasp!* There, I said it. Now it doesn't have to be a big secret anymore! And now that you know this fact, can we all just be cool when a mom nurses in front of you?

I truly don't want to make anyone uncomfortable, I just want to feed my baby while still feeling included. It totally stinks to have to go sit in a separate room by myself (or even worse, a bathroom-yuck) while everyone else is hanging out and having fun. As the saying goes, you don't eat your meals where people use the restroom, right?

You can still look me in the eye and talk to me while I'm nursing, you don't have to get all weird. That just makes me feel guilty, like I'm doing something I shouldn't be. Seriously, it's really not that big of deal! No one has ever said anything to me to make me feel bad, but for some reason, our culture has made it seem as if that's not something that's done in public. Well, guess what. Just because I'm a mom doesn't mean I want to stay confined to my house all day in case my child wakes up and wants to eat. So please, please don't make a big deal out of it. Be understanding and respectful. Don't gossip about it afterwards. And most of all, support that breastfeeding mama that you know. It's so crucial for the health and well-being of that babe which, really, is the most important thing of all!

                                                                                             Yours truly,
                                                                                                               Liz :)

A Reese Update

 Self Portraits :)

Oh, Reese. Sweet, sweet, five year old Reese.
What a journey this has been. It seems impossible that my daughter will be in kindergarten this fall. She is my right hand girl. Stealer of my camera. Often torn between going golfing with Dad or baking something yummy with Mom-she loves to doing both. Is always begging for sips of my iced coffee. Loves her brothers so much. Wants to hold the littlest one constantly and bosses the bigger one around. Actually...she's bossy, yes, but she helps me out a ton. She is such a great kid.

A few more facts:
She wants to grow her bangs out, so we're in that awkward in between stage.
She's really into Barbies right now. Dora and Princesses were so last year.
She can kinda swim and almost read.
Her favorite color is pink (crazy, right?) and her favorite food is lasagna.
She can count to 110.
She says the best prayers. So thoughtful and sweet.
She loves taking pictures.
Her mommy loves her more than she could possibly understand.

And just for fun, here's a short video of her dancing. We were just playing out in the yard one day, listening to music on my phone and she wanted me to record her dancing so she could watch it. It was a few days before her birthday and all I could think of was, "Oh, I wish she could just stay 4 forever."

My loves.

Thank you, little people, for the chance to be your mommy.

Grilled Pizza

Last night for supper, we grilled pizzas! I found this recipe (that whole site is amazing btw) and was excited to try it. We had a pretty good no-yeast pizza dough recipe, but I made her pizza dough last night and I'm not sure if I'll ever go back, especially since it makes 2 portions and I can freeze one for later.

They turned out to fabulous, cute, and super delicious! I loved the feta and fresh basil on them. I can't wait to make them again. 

And here's Beckett standing by our little cherry tomato plant. We picked our first ripe one last night. I'm sad we don't have our little garden like we did last year. Like, reeeaally sad. :( I loved tending to it and picking all those fresh vegetables, but at least we'll have our favorite, cherry tomatoes, to snack on all summer.