.stuff.

Yesterday, we went blueberry picking and I forgot to bring my camera, but a month ago, I did bring my camera when we went strawberry picking, and I figured that I should post those pictures before it becomes apple picking season!

Getting my boys to take a picture together is often more work than worth the picture! They end up kissing, tackling or falling over before I can get a single shot! This was the best out of 10 tries! I finally gave up! I think it is funny how much strawberry juice ended up on Jack!

This boy is one climber. He can climb the ladder to Tyler's bunk bed with ease. He was up on the fence before I could stop him! Crazy boy!

love his big tummy...
yummy goodness...
Little touble maker, would pick the berries out of my box and take one bite, then throw it right back in the box. We left a trail of half eaten berries everywhere!


I promise more picts to come. I have been neglecting taking and posting them, and hope to get better at it!

Trip to California- Part 2

I am just as surprised as you to see the rest of these pictures done and up already!! So I am just going to pick up where we left off, leaving the Muir Beach Overlook. We headed back into the city for dinner and when we reached the Golden Gate Bridge, to see the fog just like a blanket was crazy!


The next day we hung out down on the piers and walked around for a while. We saw Alcatraz and the famous seals, and some cool sights.




When Jordan went to go feed our meter, I sat down and watched a fun break dance group. They did some crazy tricks, and I didn't even take a picture till they were done!

That night we drove out to have dinner and hang with our friends, the Buzzards. They took us on a 2 mile hike around some beautiful trials and then to dinner. The trails were so nice and we had a blast with them and their two boys!

Here is Jordan and Justin and the two little boys. Jordan was a servant and carried the little tyke the whole hike!

This path reminded me of the cover of the membership book our church used to use!


The next day was another fabulous day. We drove down the coast to a beach town called Carmel. The drive down was mostly highway, but we had a blast talking and being together. A few miles before our exit, we saw signs for Pebble Beach and the 17-Mile Drive. Jordan knew about both places, so we took a detour!


After a windy drive through some expensive real estate, we had tons of views of the beach. We came to a beach area and took a little walk, to find some awesome sights, right next the golf courses.
This is Pebble Beach. Where the famous and rich golfers play....where Tiger Woods has played... kinda a big deal to my love!


Self-timers are the best! We could have sat there all day!

As we were driving around, at one of the overlooks, we saw an old man lying on the ground with people all around him. Since I know CPR we stopped to see if he needed help. He was fine, and his legs had just given out on him, but we got to see this lovely view.

Along the drive were all these Cypress Trees which were amazing. This one was called the Ghost Tree.


So we finally left the drive and headed to the beach. The beach houses were like out of a movie. Little cottages everywhere. here is a little sampling, that does not do the cuteness any justice at all!

Ahh the beach... would have liked to stay there a whole lot longer!
We stopped at a fruit stand on the way, and devoured the berries... they were the best I have every had!




After a yummy dinner and walking around the cute town, we headed up Rt. 1 and boy was it worth the drive. The coast is amazing, the cliff drop offs were crazy high, and it was just breathtaking.


It was really high!
Just a quick shot of my handsome honey... I love him so!



Then we decided to stop staring off at the views and stop somewhere to catch the sunset- which we ended up waiting and hour for -- we were a little early! Us waiting and shivering... it got real cold!The Cali sunset we waited for!


And then the next day we were packing up to head home! We were not ready to leave! So we made time for one more hike, on a path around the corner from the house we were staying at. I think it was called Lands End Path. Anyhow it had amazing views (like everywhere else)!

My last view of the bridge! Oh San Fransisco, I miss you already! One day we will go back! I am so grateful for the trip, for the sweet times with my Love, the rest and the memories made! It was a blast!

Trip to California- Part 1

This is part one of a multi-part post! It is also a LONG time coming! My love took me away to California for our 5 year anniversary back in the middle of May! We had some friends, who were going to be out of town and offered for us to stay at their home and use their car while they were gone. We really couldn't pass it up! So we packed up the kids and sent them off with grandma! Off we went for 4 delicious child-free days!

Our first day, we had a VERY full day. We got up early and headed to Napa Valley to tour a vineyard. After much discussion, we decided on Rubicon Estate. We loved it! Not only was the drive out there absolutely amazing, but the vineyard itself was pretty much perfection. Here are some pictures from the valley and the vineyard.


This was the entrance to the estate house... nice huh?The estate house.
Just a small portion of the 1600 acres of vines they have growing there.

Olive trees everywhere.




My love and I.

Inside the estate house. It is now owned by Francis Ford Coppola.

We took a special tour that took us down to the vines (the other tours wont let you touch the vines without a guide). They told us how vines are grafted, grown, and a lot about the wine making process. The grounds were something out of a movie.


On our way out of Napa Valley, we ate at a mountain top restaurant, and then just drove around the Napa area for a while. The landscape was just amazing...




One thing we had hoped to do, but weren't sure how we would fit it in, was to see some redwood trees. The National Redwood Forest was 5 hours north of where we were staying, but our hosts found a smaller forest much closer to where we were, and happened to be on the way back from Napa Valley. So we stopped at Muir Woods and hiked a little over 2 miles around the lush forest. It was amazing. So quiet, so peaceful, and so massive! I tried to capture a little of the size of these trees, but my pictures just do not do it justice!






On our way out of the forest, we saw some signs for the Muir Beach Overlook. We decided to take a chance and go for a drive and see where it led us! That was one nice thing about being child free! And boy, are we so glad we did! The coast line was amazing! We parked in the overlook lot, and came around the bend to find this!


Notice, Jordan is wearing a jacket.... we went from tanks and t's to sweaters and coats in a matter of seconds! The air was so cold on top of this cliff, and the fog was beginning to roll in... I was so surprised at the temperature difference! But it was so worth shivering for the views!




This ends part one.... no promises on when the next installment will come... but I will promise that it will come! And a belly picture too!!!

way behind...

I am so bad at posting these days. There are just so many other things vying for attention most of the time, that I get so far behind in pictures and life! I am glad to report that after a tough 1st trimester of nausea, I am feeling SO much better! So, now the only thing keeping me down is fatigue (which I think is a state of existence of mothers of small children) and the occasional cold!

We have filled our days with loads of outings and playgroups and trips to California and North Carolina! I think we are staying in MD for the next few months, so no big things on the calendar, but soaking up this wonderful weather we have been having.

So.... what is new... well, not too much. Baby is growing, the boys are now trying to wrestle... which is cute and scary at the same time... life is just blessed and rich. We are all adjusting to our new home, and it has been so much better than I could have expected! So, here are some picts of the kids from the past few weeks. They range from our backyard, to Jordan's Alumni baseball game, to playgroup. Hopefully I will get the picts from Cali done soon to share too!

Life since the move...

This update is kind of backwards, moving from latest to oldest... sorry BUT: Here is the latest from life in the basement:

Well, I guess since this IS baby #3, I shouldn't be too surprised to see a little bump sooner than later. Although, I KNOW that it isn't baby we are seeing, but more a relocation of my chubby tummy. My little 1-inch long baby is pushing what was once nicely flat to the subtly pooched out position. So when someone told me I was "showing" I am happy to say, that yes, I guess I am! It doesn't help matters, that I have such a short torso, that there really is no where for any changes to go, but out!!! Still pretty sick in the evenings, but hoping that all clears up in a few weeks.

My boys seem to becoming more and more playmates, than just in each other's way. I think sharing a room has been good for them, and I look forward to seeing the fruit of it a year from now.
mmmm, sweeet boy...

looking at his momma.... love him.

The day after we moved in was Easter Sunday, and we had a relaxing afternoon at our new home. The kids did an Easter Egg Hunt too, which is ALWAYS a big hit. This year Tyler really got excited when he found eggs.

So, the boys are adjusting to our new home. They love playing in the backyard, and especially anything that has water on it. I have found them both silently splashing together many a time.

My sweet little chubber.

The weekend of the move, my parents graciously took Tyler and Jack for two nights, so we could get things done. What a huge blessing that turned out to be. Once we were all settled in (as much as can be done the day of the move) they brought the boys over. Tyler could not be more excited! He was so happy about sleeping in a bunk bed and his new room.

The day of the move was a nasty cold rainy day. We are so grateful for the friends that came, even the ones that got there late and just sat around...

It was so strange seeing my home all emptied like this. It went from cozy, to covered in boxes, to empty. Weird.

It was a little overwhelming to get everything put away and set up, but the basement has been so much more a home than I thought it was going to be. It is actually more cozy that I could have imagined, and we are adjusting quiet well. Even the boys are sleeping well in the same room. God is kind, and I am so grateful for the grace for each day and our new "home."

More to come!

Baby Update!

I had my first appointment this past Monday, and it could not have gone better. I love to hear the baby's heart beat each visit, but there is something amazing about that first time! So far, my little one is looking good. This baby had a very strong heartbeat at 163 BPM. It is amazing to see how tiny they are at first. Here are the sono's I got to take home.

This pregnancy has been a bit different than the other two. I have been real nauseous for the past few weeks, much more than with the boys. And it started much earlier (like 5 weeks) where as with the boys, I did not feel sick at all until the end of week 7! And this sickness has been much stronger than with the boys. It has me in a rough place from around 3 pm- bedtime. Generally, during the day, I am just real tired. But all of these symptoms are happy symptoms, and I am grateful that the little one in my womb is growing! Praise God for new life!

We told Tyler about the baby, and he is so curious and wants to see the sonogram all of the time. He talks about our baby a lot, which is just so sweet to me. He keeps kissing my tummy and telling me he has a baby too.

And I am hoping for another fit pregnancy like with Jack and not like with Ty. So far, I am in the same weight I was with Jack and I think if the nausea keeps up, I will likely stay in this place! We will see! Every pregnancy is different, so I am just hoping to avoid all the junk food that sounds good most of the time!

So that's it for baby news for now. I will post a "move" update soon!

Snip-Snip

Last night, while Tyler was supposed to be in bed sleeping at Mimi's house, he found a pair of scissors and took it upon himself to give himself a little trim. When I asked him why he did it, he said, "The hair was in my eyes..." Little stinker! I am not sure what the follow up hair cut is going to look like.... I might just take him to a barber shop this time!

Our new favorite number is...

I'll give you a hint.....


Did you guess??? It is THREE! And the reason we now love that number..... drum roll please.... is that, Lord willing, we are going to have 3 kids in about 8 months!

I don't know about you, but I am still in shock! Still crazy surprised, and don't really know what to say! I am getting more and more excited each day that passes, and grateful every time I feel queasy and exhausted (which both seem to be happening more often than not!). God has a way of doing things that we cannot prepare for or would not have planed, and yet I know this new life is surely from his hand, and could not be more grateful! I can hardly believe we have been blessed with another little one to care for, to love on and to adore. God is kind in his blessings.

So, Lord willing, this new addition to our lives, will be making an appearance some time in November! I think I am 7 weeks along tomorrow... but my first Dr.'s appointment is not for two more weeks. This baby and Jack will be exactly 2 years apart! Wow! I still cannot believe it! Here is the proof I keep looking at over and over and over again!

New Favorite Recipe

My friend, Jessica Gallo, made this delicious recipe for myself and some friends a few weeks ago and I was craving it immediately after we ate at her house! Once I got my hands on the recipe, we have had it 2 times and have loved every bite! It is so easy to make and the results have been consistently good! The recipe was enough to have for ourselves as well as for our next door neighbors during the week of the funeral two weeks ago. I love it so much, I wanted to share!


Dijon Chicken

8 chicken breasts

Marinade:
1/4 c butter (1 stick)
1-2 cloves garlic (crushed)
5 teas Dijon mustard

Saute garlic in butter. Let cool a bit. Blend in mustard (best if cold). Whip vigorously until mixture thickens (this takes a few minutes for the two to incorporate together. I suggest pouring the mixture into a cup or small bowl while mixing).

Cover both sides of patted dry chicken breasts with marinade and bread with following breading.

Breading:
2 T fresh parsley
5 T Parmesan cheese, shredded
11/2 cups Panko (must use Japanese bread crumbs)
Seasoning salt

Lay in baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. (Also can be prepared and then frozen until ready to cook. Just thaw and bake).

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

"Dijionaise Sauce": 1 part mustard to 2 parts mayo

Life these days

Has been full of packing!!! Hard to believe we are moving in a week and a half. There is still so much to do! I have not had much time to do anything recently, other than clean and pack! And if you saw the inside of my house right now, you would certainly think that I have not done one minute of cleaning! We are having a yard sale this Saturday morning, so if you know where we live, come on over from 8-12 and help us get rid of some stuff!!!

Last week our next door neighbor died suddenly of a heart attack, and it left our neighborhood in a state of shock. He was only 45 years old, and was the glue of our community. I had the honor to serve our neighbors be designing the program for the funeral as well as take photos of the funeral. You can see them here. It was a hard week. We also had the honor to host the reception at our house for the many friends and family who came to mourn the loss. This past week, gave me such a deep love and heart for our community and the coming move, has only become sadder to me. I know the Lord has a plan, yet I cannot help but wonder why now.

I look forward to seeing the Lord's plan unfold, as I cannot even begin to understand it! Isn't God's word so true when it says in Isaiah 55:8,9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

When I think of the early death of our neighbor, and when I think I know what the best situation for us will be, I keep coming back to this verse. His thoughts are not mine, and that is a good thing. Although I do not completely understand it, I am so glad God is not like me! That would actually be quite scary!

In the middle of all the craziness of packing and life, I managed a weekend trip to North Carolina to see my sister and have some down time. It was so refreshing and fun to be with her. How I miss her so! While I was there, the new camera that the Lord provided arrived (I had it shipped there)! I have been having so much fun with it! The pictures below were my official first shoot with it! There is much I will need to learn about this camera, as it it VERY different than my other one. So hopefully, the pictures will only get better from here!

Hopefully, I will get some more long overdue pictures and updates up soon!

.An Update.

If you have time time-- this is going to be a long post. For those of you just looking for pictures, well that will have to come on another post! But if you want an update, keep reading... there is much to report these days!

Life has been pretty crazy around here the past few weeks. We have been hit with the nasty stomach bug that seems to be making rounds through everyone we know! That in of itself would have been enough to keep us busy and tired! But that is not all of the lot the Lord has had for us! In the midst of kids throwing up everywhere, we had a few opportunities to show our house to potential renters!

One Saturday morning, they were scheduled to come to see the house at 10 am, the day after Tyler had been throwing up all day! I was sorely tempted to cancel this showing. In my weakness, I wanted to curl up in bed and ignore the messes from the previous days sickness. But we pressed through and boy am I glad I did!

We have renters for our home! After several months of various showings through Realtors and craigslist, we finally got a bite! We signed the lease this past Saturday! The family who came that day, loved our home and wanted to get the lease done as soon as possible! They were offering to write us a check for a deposit that day! So, now we have until April 15 to be out of our house!

So, now I am on the hunt for boxes and packing supplies! Anyone know where we can get our hands on cheap or free boxes??? I have been hoping to find some on Craigslist! We have not begun to pack, but that is the plan for the next... oh I don't know... month or so! The plan is to put most of our stuff into storage and the rest of what we will need to live with will come with us to Jordan's parents house for the next year. It is a daunting task to look around me at our home filled to the brim with toys, furniture, and just stuff! Anyone who wants to pack, is welcome to come!

As my flowers start to come up out of the ground and my trees begin to blossom, it has been sad for me to realize that I might not be here to enjoy the beauty of my garden, or ever live here again. The reality of the sacrifice is becoming more and more a reality, and as there is much grace, I think the reality of the coming changes are beginning to settle in. I have been in tears one minute and really excited the next. It has been a roller coaster of emotions, and I am seeking to not be governed by what I feel and more by truth.

In the midst of all of that, there have been many tempting situations I have been seeking to walk through. I have been hesitant to share them, as I am proud and don't always like to be completely transparent... but I know that there has been so much grace in the midst of these trials, and that it will only give more Glory to God to talk about his Grace and point back to him!

Three weeks ago, I found out I was pregnant with baby #3! I had taken an early pregnancy test and was so excited... sadly, this joy was to be short lived. I started to have a period just a few days later. I experienced an "early miscarriage." I only knew I was pregnant for a few days, and yet there was a sense of grief and sadness that I had a hard time shaking. I knew that the Lord was sovereign over the circumstance, and yet I wanted to be sad. A friend of mine very keenly shared with me that it was normal to feel that way no matter how long you were actually pregnant. As soon as you find out you are pregnant, your world changes and your thoughts attach to the idea of a new life. Grief was natural, but I didn't want it to rule me.

All that to say, there has been much grace, and I am living in the good of knowing that ALL THINGS HAPPEN for the good of those in Christ. I also think that I will refrain from taking an early pregnancy test again, the next time we try for a baby (which we are unsure of the timing of with our pending move and changed living situation). Lesson learned... for now at least.

In the midst of all the sickness, I had a birthday, and am now 29. Hard to believe. It seems like only a little bit ago that I was 25. This year, I wanted to buy a new camera for myself, with some money saved and given for my b-day. I listed my camera on Craigslist to sell to make up the difference for the new camera I was going to buy. To make a LONG and dramatic story short, I was scammed and my camera was stolen and I was left robbed. Yes, I was scammed. I felt foolish for falling for the scam, I was furious at the situation, I was grieved for having lost my camera... oh it was pretty much the end of the world.... I was a pitiful mess the few days the situation took place last week.

Until my husband, mom and friend (thanks ST) pointed me back to the fact that GOD was still in control and involved in my life. I had a choice to give into being angry, and bitter and charge God with not being fair and for not protecting me... or choose to honor him with my attitude and choose to have joy despite my loss. It has been a process, let me just tell you that. My plans have been changed, but God still sits on His throne and my greatest need has been taken care of. I am a sinner (which is quite obvious now) and I have a wonderful Savior. My plan is to still get a new camera. Not the big one I originally planned to buy, but God has provided a way for me to get something else. I have learned a tough lesson, and I pray not to make it ever again!

The truth of the song. Blessed Be Your Name has really been a help to me during this time. What truth it is. My life usually resides in the plentiful and abundant realm, and I have always hoped that when I was in the desert place to be able to sing the words of this song with full faith in what I was saying, believing and not just saying empty words. There is much grace in weakness.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

So here we are now... getting ready to move, training two crazy boys, shopping for a sweet deal on a new camera, recovering from sickness, and all the while seeking to TRUST the LORD for it all. God is good. He has not changed, nor will he ever! What peace, what confidence, what hope can be found the in the changeless one.

"You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end." Hebrews 1:11, 12

.good CLEAN fun.

Often, during our craft time, Tyler and I have found out the hard way, that things are just messy. Unnecessarily messy sometimes. So, I am very wary of paint activities, because in my experiences with Tyler and painting, it is usually more mess than I bargained for! But my boy LOVES to paint. He asks me almost everyday to paint. I have tried a lot of different painting things, from those little sun catchers, to water colors, to regular little paint in those little plastic holders to finger paint. All have been fun, but all have been messy and the paints all get mixed together despite my efforts to keep them apart.

Introducing Parents Easy Squeezy Paints. They were a gift, and we LOVE them. They are completely washable, and are clean! I cannot believe I said paint is clean!!!! Tyler was able to paint, mostly on his own for an extended time, and there was little to no mess after wards. And after (what I thought) he was squeezing the life out of them, he had barely made a dent into the amount of paint in the tube! The colors are bright and dry quickly. So fun.

I think I will be saying yes to painting more often now! Just wanted to pass this good craft time idea along. Happy craft time!

.starting out.

It is often referred to as "the wrong side of the bed" ... and the opposite would be "starting out on the right foot." I would have liked this day to start in the latter, and yet I find myself being tempted to be quick to anger at every turn. We are training our boy to stay in his bed until a certain time each morning, to ensure he gets enough sleep and we also get enough sleep. 

He doesn't like to do it though. In the course of 45 mintues, I was up out of bed 5 times this morning. The first was because he didn't want daddy to help him, but mommy. This was an hour and a half before the determined wake up time arrived. The second and third times, he just wanted to get out of bed because he just wanted to.

The fourth and fifth times, he was just shouting my name so loudly, I grew angry so quickly, my heart was beating fast before my feet hit the ground. I hurried into his room to silence his calls to keep him from waking his brother, and certainly not with a heart to care for his needs. 

So all this has me thinking about the choices I make. The fleeting moments that pass, and in those moments, there is a choice made... to give into anger and to be impatient or chose love and show kindness. I think that in those brief moments when the choice is made, my cravings for sleep and ease are having a shouting match in my head with the voice of truth that God's word is stating clearly in response.

I want so much the bedrock of the truth of God's Word to be what gives me faith to step out in kindness "on the right side of the bed" and to fight my sinful desires to be angry with my 3 year old. I want to believe with all my heart that He has given me my portion and my cup, that the day is sovereignly ordained by him, and because of that, it is for my good and there is grace for all of it! Oh to fight the wicked cravings of my heart and choose to give Glory to God by obeying his word and simply showing kindness to my child. I know I would be happier for it, I know it would satisfy my soul in a way that a few more minutes sleep never could!

Sweet temptations that they are... God is after my heart in all of it, and I am made more aware of my desperate need of him from the very rising of the sun. 

.baby steps.

I have two very messy boys. They are like magnets to anything dirty. They love it. And in a way, so do I. But this post wasn't meant to be about the messes they create, play in and are drawn to... it was to tell you about one of the little boys who steals my heart multiple times a day!

Jack (or Jackers as Tyler calls him) has finally begun to take his first steps on his own!!! He will be 15 months in one week, and I am have hope that he will start walking by then (just like Tyler did)! He is so cute and gets so excited when we cheer for him after he has taken a few steps!

He also loves to be with me, no matter where I am. And he has gotten very good at creating fun for himself....

I think he was going after his sock he had thrown in there...

I just love him so much! I cannot believe he is getting so old. Time is going past too fast!