Meet the Smith's

New Skills At Our House

2012-01-26T14:59:00.001-06:00

Brahm is catching on quick. Here he is posing for his senior pictures. (What he doesn't know is that those are still 17 1/2 years away!)

He is learning to play with others, too. Especially when they just lay there like he does!

Ah yes, and sleep. He is doing very well sleeping for naps and at night...last night he slept 9 1/2 hours in a row! Hip hip hooray! I think part of that success is because he found his thumb a week or two ago...and now, he can pacify himself right back to sleep.......ahhh. Love those thumbs!

Today is...

2012-01-19T12:48:00.000-06:00

BATMAN DAY!!!

Catching Up

2012-01-16T16:08:00.001-06:00

I am FINALLY finished blogging about December! We had so much going on...and blogging was NOT at the top of my list...so here I am in January finishing up. But IF you'd like to read about our Christmas, you can find them here:

Christmas Programs

Our Small Group Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Christmas with the Johnsons

Christmas with the Smith's and Hooton's

Here's to a slower January! :-)

outnumbered

2012-01-10T17:28:00.000-06:00

Our boys are sure tight. Soon they'll have their own secret language...one that involves only burping and..., well, other noises.

(Oh wait....they're already doing that!)

Brahm is in on the action, too, as evidenced by this video. This is Brahm to a T! Smiles and talking, spit-up, and other (ahem) noises.

Lily and I are gonna have to stick together.

Brahm--2 months

2012-01-08T14:22:00.003-06:00

Brahm is two months old! I love to see the changes that occur in the weeks following their birth...(especially the ones involving me sleeping longer...)

Brahm continues to capture MUCH attention throughout his day--whether he's being held, carefully watched, or talked to. And having lots of family around over Christmas certainly added to that! We were so thankful that Joel's family was able to come and meet him.

At two months, Brahm:

*REALLY tries to talk to us. He moves his mouth and sticks out his tongue in an attempt to voice his opinion. And we eat it up! He also smiles so easily, too--during his awake time, it's hard to pull myself away from those cute grins!!!

*has a definite best friend. He and any ceiling fan hit it off immediately. In fact, that's how he stays entertained while I get ready in the morning--he talks to the fan in our room!

*eats every 3 hours, almost on the dot.

*is completely unpredictable with sleeping. (My mom was right--3rd children throw everything off!) ;-) He HAS slept 7 hours at a time....but also can still wake up every 4 some nights, so we just don't know what to expect. But thankfully, he continues to go right back to sleep. (And the grunting has finally *almost* stopped!)

*is getting really good at taking naps. His first 3 naps of the day are usually nice and long...and then his late-afternoon/evening hours are spent being more awake. He sits in his swing or on his boppy a lot...and is usually entertained well there.

*is still getting mixed comments on who he looks like. At first glance, he definitely resembles Oliver--but so many of his features are similar to Lily, as well. He might just be a perfect mix of both!

We have his two-month appointment this week, so I'll be curious to see how much he weighs, too. He's definitely filling out and getting those cute chunky legs and arms!

Lily's New Bike

2012-01-06T19:43:00.002-06:00

Lily got some really fun gifts for her birthday--she is so into girly stuff right now! Barbies, kitchen stuff, clothes, snacks...she loves it all! When my sister called to find out what she got for her birthday, Lily answered, "pink cupcakes". Of course, the food was the main attraction.

But the BIG gift she got from Joel's family was a new big girl bike. She LOVES it! She wakes up and (when its still dark out) asks to go outside to ride! Thankfully, we've had a super warm week and had plenty of time to practice:

And...we finished out her official birthday day yesterday with a visit to Norm's with her little friend, Luke. She dressed up as Strawberry Shortcake (well, the best she could!) and ordered a strawberry smoothie!

Happy Birthday, Lily Mae!

2012-01-05T02:30:00.000-06:00

Lily turns 3 today! How fast these years have gone!

We love our little girl SO much--she is spunky and sweet, helpful, kind and fiercely independent.

We called her our little "hurricane" when she was one and would go from item to item, causing destruction and chaos wherever she went. We're still seeing that two years later! She doesn't sit for more than a few minutes--but rather jumps from toy to toy playing with everything!

Lily loves to play with babies: feeding them, singing to them, reading to them, and putting them to bed in her new cradle from Grandma and Grandpa J. She also will frequently go to Walmart or Walgreens with her shopping bags, and spends lots of time playing in her play kitchen.

She loves having dance parties in her ballerina clothes, and will almost always have music playing...VERY loudly. (She's known for turning on the CD player, and then going to play somewhere else, leaving us to listen to her music.) She especially loves "rockin' music", and one time played the entire "Newsboys Going Public" CD.

She loves her brother, but knows JUST how to bug him. When they're getting along, they play so well--creating rocket ships, playing mommy and daddy, or building with legos.

Lily is incredibly observant, noticing exactly how Joel takes medicine, exactly how I get ready in the morning, and will often tell us just how to have our hands on the steering wheel to drive "both on top". She doesn't miss a thing.

We are so thankful for her--she brings such joy and laughter, silliness and sweetness to our family. We pray that we have many more beautiful years with her--and that she'll grow to love the Lord and others in her very "Lily" way.

December {Christmas with the Hootons and Smith's}

2012-01-01T15:52:00.000-06:00

The last week of December was spent celebrating and hanging out with Joel's oldest sister and her family, and Joel's parents. We had a house-full--but it was SO much fun! And with the beautiful weather we had, it made it a perfect week.

(You'll notice Ollie is stocked up on Cubs gear for the year!)

Lily and her new (but vintage!) cabbage patch doll. His name? Zach.

And Lily's early 3rd birthday party with lots of family! It was a Strawberry Shortcake themed party...

Clara and Abi were a huge help and decorated these cupcakes for me!

We Survived 2011

2011-12-31T07:30:00.005-06:00

2011 was the most CRAZY year we've had yet. Let's hope 2012 calms down a little bit! Many UNEXPECTED things happened...leaving us floundering at times...but we are so thankful that we always had what we needed, when we needed it. God again and again proves his faithfulness.

Just so WE don't ever forget, here's a brief recap of SOME of the craziness of 2011:

*Jan: My Grandpa Epp passed away. My family made the 1500-mile trek into the polar ice caps (otherwise known as Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) in January through snow, ice, and -25 degree temperatures...but it was a wonderful time of remembering and seeing family again.

*Beginning of February: We got our new house AND basically sold our old house all in the same day!

* End of February: We closed on our new (FORECLOSED) house, and lost the contract on our old house. (We ended up finding renters--hooray!)

*Late-February - Mid-April: We worked furiously on our new house (all new paint, all new flooring, new electrical lines to the house, new exterior doors, new banister, pulled out shrubs and trees...) AND found out we were expecting #3. You can imagine how well that went, as Joel was putting in LONG hours at the new house and I was cooped up on the couch at the old house with 2 kids. EXHAUSTING. (And I am not the most gracious and loving person in those situations, I found out.)

*April 15: Move in Day!!! We moved into the liveable new house...and the next day...our truck died. It needed a new $2000 transmission. So....that sat in the shop for a month before we were ready to do that. Down to one car...

*Beginning of May: Our Subaru overheats while Joel was heading to a photobooth in Wichita...and so begins the gradual breakdown of our last remaining vehicle. Turns out, it needed a $1500 head gasket. SO...we borrowed vehicles to head anywhere out of town, and drove the Subaru JUST close to home for a while, prolonging the obvious...we needed a new vehicle.

*End of May: Bought a Honda Odyssey, fixed the truck, sold the Subaru. Hooray!

*Relatively uneventful summer, thankfully...except the part about fleeing the tornado with two kids while Joel pulled our photobooth into the basement of Century II.

*The fall brought preparations for baby, a new roof, getting the basement pinned, and lots of little projects on the house, not to mention a FULL line-up of photobooths each weekend. (We had 17 in the two months leading up to Brahm's birth...)

*November: Brahm is born! (And finally, things slow down and we REST.)

The last two months have been wonderful, seeing lots of our family, resting at home and enjoying our 3 kids, and settling down for a slow-er winter photobooth season. Although we weren't laughing at the time, it really is crazy to look back and see all the things that happened this year. My mom suggested we write it all down so we don't ever forget...so we've done that.

One thing this year really emphasized for us is the importance of NOT trusting in ourselves: our capabilities, our resources, our finances EVEN when we think we're prepared...and instead making sure that our ultimate trust is in the Lord.

Goodbye 2011, ...Welcome 2012!

December {The WHOLE Johnson Clan}

2011-12-26T15:19:00.000-06:00

The day after Christmas we officially celebrated with my brother and his family, my sister and my parents. It was a fun-filled day! We got there in time for lunch and naps (for the kids)...and then Tyler's family arrived mid-afternoon. We had lots of presents and eating to cram into a short time--so we got right at it!

Grandpa J., Asher and Lily (in their new pj's)

Brief explanation here: I had the idea to take a picture of our 3 kids together: Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. This will be the ONLY time that would work, right? Well, Oliver insisted he was a wiseman, Lily didn't want to dress up, and Brahm did a mighty fine job of acting the part. So this was the finished product...

Getting the kids in one spot for our annual "kids in PJ's in front of the Christmas tree" picture...

Lily giving Grandpa a BIG hug for her new pj's. She was THRILLED! I suppose there will come a time when the grandkids will have to stop stripping and immediately putting on their new pj's in front of us all...but for now...it's still okay.

Christmas Day {with Grandma and Grandpa J.}

2011-12-25T21:03:00.000-06:00

We spent Christmas Day with Grandma & Grandpa J. We went to church with them, then spent a relaxing day at their house. That evening, we opened stocking gifts with them:

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:22:00.000-06:00

We have started the tradition of going to eat donuts and see Santa each Christmas Eve. This year, Oliver was brave enough to sit on his lap, but Lily was still very nervous!


After Druber's, we went home to open gifts!

That evening, we attended a Christmas Eve service at Grace...and ate supper at Arby's. Festive, right?

December {Christmas Party}

2011-12-15T20:20:00.000-06:00

We've been with our small group now for almost two years...and they are SO MUCH FUN!! This year we repeated the ever-popular "ugly-sweater-and-white-elephant-gift-exchange" idea...and, well, the pictures say enough!

okay...I should explain these two...somehow the dog collar/taser thing made it's way inside...and a good 20 minutes was spent shocking each other.

Reverting back...

2011-12-14T15:35:00.001-06:00

Our big kids have done a great job adjusting so far...although not without a few incidents...but I'll spare you the gory details. (but it does involve cherry chapstick)

Anyway...this past week, they've been reverting back to baby behavior...hence the baby carrier. Thankfully I'm not the one carrying them around! :-)

December {Christmas Programs}

2011-12-13T20:04:00.000-06:00

We had three programs this month! Oliver had two preschool programs, and then he and Lily had a Sunday School program at church. I never get tired of watching though...these are so sweet!

And the the one at church...we really sat in the wrong spot for these...so this is what we saw...

(Lily is just visible laying her baby down...)

Holy Knit Booties, Batman!

2011-12-10T14:46:00.000-06:00

Our sweet neighbor Helen brought over the cutest little gift yesterday--knit Cubbies booties! Brahm will be so warm AND showing off his team spirit!!! Can you believe she MADE these?

Brahm (Month One)

2011-12-08T14:18:00.001-06:00

Brahm is one month old already! So hard to believe--and yet, he fits right in with our family--just like he's always been a part of it.

We are totally smitten with the little guy...

At one month, he:

*sleeps 3-4 hours at night

*eats like a champ! (Weighs 8lbs 9oz.--but started at 6lbs 13oz)

*still sleeps so much during the day--and is really taking good naps!

*definitely has his fussy times. From about 5-7am he grunts...and wriggles...and burps...and shows off other noises... He is extremely gassy!

But once he's gotten it all out--he's happy as a lark!

*loves to smile! Has just started this week smiling consistently for us.

I love seeing those silly grins!

*loves his brother and sister. He is starting to follow us with his eyes--

and often sits in his boppy watching Lily and Oliver play

*has every need met quickly! Oliver and Lily love to help

by grabbing diapers and wipes, wiping his spit up,

and sticking his pacifier in every. chance. they. get.

What loving siblings he has!

We can't wait to see what month two brings, little boy... What a fun Christmas this will be!

three

2011-12-07T14:00:00.001-06:00

I absolutely LOVE being a mom to 3 kids.

It feels like such a nice 'full' number. Our van is full-er, our table will need the extra leaf soon, our little bedrooms are full. There is always something to do, someone to hold, something to be cleaned...Most of the time, it feels really nice.

But sometimes, it's really overwhelming. (take this morning, for instance) Sometimes (or often) I start to think that I'm pretty capable of being a good mom on my own. And then when I have rough days, I'm reminded again that, even on my BEST days, I need God's help for this! I lose my temper too quickly, spend too little time with them really listening, try to do too much, and get frustrated when it's not going as I pictured.

I'm thankful that we get a new day to try it again. Thankful that God doesn't require us to be a 'perfect' family, but rather, to learn how to love each other more each day. I'm thankful that God can use the good and the bad to grow Oliver, Lily and Brahm into people who know His grace and mercy and love.

Being a mom to 3 (or more!) isn't easy. It's not always fun. And it certainly doesn't always go the way I'd like. But it is good.

Coffee Filter Wreath

2011-12-01T15:45:00.000-06:00

I had seen this wreath on Pinterest and LOVED it! It is SO easy, and cheap. All you need are coffee filters, a foam or straw wreath...and hot glue! It took a couple of hours and was easy enough that Oliver could help!

Brahm's Lullabies

2011-11-29T14:54:00.000-06:00

Both Oliver and Lily love to sing and read to Brahm. One night, I captured their songs on video. They were so sweet...and Ollie's? Well, it's hilarious. Let's just say I was laughing so hard the camera was shaking. And when we showed it to Joel--he about died laughing, too. Luckily, Oliver found the humor in it, too--and will now occasionally break into song about two octaves too high.

Brahm's Name

2011-11-28T14:31:00.001-06:00

Brahm is a bit of an unusual name, we realize. But when your last name is 'Smith'--you have to be creative! Truth is...I saw it on TV one night. Worse yet...it was on a grave stone...the name of a boy who had died. But I loved the name immediately! Originally, they had spelled it "Bram". They even referred to him has "Bram-y", which I thought was cute. So I shared the name idea with Joel, who promptly asked, "Like the ice cream?" Yep. Like the ice cream. He didn't love it.

We didn't talk about names again for a while, which is typical. We are HORRIBLE at picking out names, mainly because we both like so few...   But two weeks before the baby came...we talked again...and I offered another name choice. He said, "I like Brahm better!" and suggested we spell it with an 'h'. I LOVED it! Just like the composer! (NOT like the ice cream.) :-)   I googled it to make sure it was a real name (sure enough, it is!) and found out that it's origin is Hebrew, from the name 'Abraham'. I liked that.   So we settled on a first name.

The middle name was easy--Arthur is my grandpa's name--he passed away earlier this year. I hadn't realized fully what a special man he was until his memorial service--where we heard story after story of how Grandpa 'walked with God'. He wasn't showy and didn't talk about it a lot...but the way he lived his life each day--spending time with God, loving and serving his wife, praying for his grandchildren and children--was such an example of a life well-lived. We want that for Brahm--for him to live a long life trusting God and learning to love and serve others.

(And some pictures from the last couple weeks...)

(He REALLY hates the swaddling process....)

(I think my sister stole my camera and took this one...)

(napping with Daddy on Sunday)

Brahm (Week 2)

2011-11-18T14:25:00.001-06:00

Sorry...no pictures this week. I know I've taken some...but the idea of going to get my camera, upload photos, and try to pick a few sounds a little bit TOO ambitious right now...so just some words.

I should clarify first that the last two pictures on the previous blog post WERE both of Brahm. I tried to stick a picture of Oliver in there, but the angle of his face (plus the fact that he was yawning a HUGE yawn) made it impossible to tell how much alike they look...so I took it off. I PROMISE to find some of the pictures that will illustrate their similar looks SOON.

For this week, I have a few observations:

*I am once again surprised at how much infants sleep. It's like it's all he does! :-) But it's nice to have some time during the day that feels more normal, with just the two big kids.

*Our big kids are LOUD. Seriously. I think we have never worried much about how much they talk/sing/yell because it's just us. They're talkative...and that's how they've ALWAYS been. But now that we have a little newborn in the house...it's REALLY noticeable. We're really trying to institute the "inside voices" rule, as well as the "no singing at the table" rule. I know...we're mean. But they sing constantly--and otherwise, no one else gets a word in!!!

*It feels like we've always had 3 kids. So nice that the transition has been quick and pretty easy so far. We are very thankful for each beautiful little one in our house...and can't wait to see what Brahm ends up being like! (We're crossing our fingers for 'quiet' and 'calm'.)

Hopefully I'll get more pictures taken this week...and maybe go back through the ol' archives to find Ollie's. Next week's will be a little more exciting....surely.

Baby Brahm (Week One)

2011-11-11T12:44:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the world, Baby Brahm!

Proud sister Lily visiting at the hospital...

Oliver with Brahm...

Brahm's first bath...

Sleepy Brahm...

Brahm was born Monday, and thankfully--he and I were feeling well enough to all come home Tuesday. It's so good to be together as a family of 5! The kids LOVE him...and they have been very helpful this week.

The nights started off rough, as he only wanted to be held ALL NIGHT LONG for the first 2 nights at home. But thankfully, he did very well last night. Maybe we'll get some sleep after all! We are so thankful for Joel's sister Sara who is here for a few days to help out, too!

Here are some random pics from the week:

Oliver LOVES to hold him. This morning, he and Brahm bonded for about 15 minutes!

The kids love being close to him...so we watch that very closely. :-)

But today they were just watching him together--it was so sweet.

Lily is getting some good bonding time with Sarah, too--this morning they painted toenails!

I have a picture of Oliver in his same outfit at 4 days old--I think they look SO much alike!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T14:41:00.002-05:00

I decided it was perfectly okay to do some serious slacking this Halloween (not knowing if we'd be a family of 4 or 5 by then!) so we kept our costumes simple.

Oliver decided long ago he was going to be Buzz Lightyear. I originally was going to attempt to sew wings and a helmet for him...but one day he woke up and spent two hours making buttons for his shirt and wings and a gun for his arm...so we called it good. (And BOY was he proud of that costume!)

Lily didn't really know what to be, so we bought her a set of wings and let her be a fairy/butterfly/princess. Whatever she felt like calling herself. (And at one point of the night, she commented, "I'm just so pretty.") Yes you are, Lily. Yes you are.

Joel found some really handsome teeth at Walmart while shopping for fruit, so he bought those and decided they go perfectly with a wig from our photobooth props tub. I am so thankful I didn't marry THIS guy! (I was seriously grossed out by the nasty teeth, sideburns, and hair...)

We went trunk-or-treating with a large group of friends from church which was a BLAST.

(Buzz contemplating life...)

Then, we came home and walked the neighborhood--and picked up LARGE amounts of candy. Apparently things were slow around Rolling Hills--because the sweet neighbors were handing out handfuls to our children.

Now...to just keep them from eating it all this week...

confessions

2011-10-31T14:19:00.001-05:00

Before Lily was born, Joel and I gave every.single.second to watching/playing with/talking to Oliver. He loved it, we loved it. So, when I was pregnant with Lily, I started worrying about how unfortunate it was that she wouldn't get that one-on-one time with us.

I talked with a mom at church about this, soon after Lily was born, about how badly I felt that she wasn't getting ALL the attention that Oliver got--and the mom assured me--"It can be a really good thing! They learn from their siblings!" I hadn't thought of that before! And you know what? It's proved to be totally true.

Lily is really fortunate. She's learned early how to stand up for herself, how to say "no!", and has developed some 'street smarts' a little sooner than Oliver did... But she also has a wonderful playmate around almost all the time, has a peer to talk to and share a room with, and has learned firsthand how fun school and AWANA (our children's Wednesday church program) really are. She is READY to go to both! (But needs to wait another year...) Instead of having a smaller vocabulary--she talks as much as HE does!

Seeing all of this, I am thrilled to add a third child to our family. I love that, although more people can also equal "more conflict"--it also equals more peers, more laughter, more opportunities to grow, more silliness, and more FUN! I can't wait to see how Lily and Oliver take to their new little brother. From their interactions with other little babies recently, I know they'll be super helpers. And what a good thing it is for all of us to learn how to love, to live with and to care for other people--NOT just ourselves!

BRING ON THE BABY! :-)

Fall FUN!

2011-10-27T15:10:00.002-05:00

We've had such BEAUTIFUL weather this fall! It's been perfect for mowing...

...and visiting the pumpkin patch!

This pumpkin patch we found is so amazingly wonderful!

Free admission, plenty of pumpkins, hayrack rides, toys, a corn bin, a toy/climbing area, swings, and a GIANT slide! And the pumpkins are CHEAP!!!

The kids absolutely LOVED it.

the tree is done.

2011-10-24T15:14:00.000-05:00

Finally! The tree is finished! The baby room is ready for the little guy...except one more minor detail which is certainly not a necessary thing for him to survive! But here's the finished tree picture:

I love how it turned out...however, if you'd come visit and look up close, you'd see that it could've maybe used 3 coats of paint in some spots. But I was sick and tired of all that detail work...so I called it good!

And I'm super-excited about when Lily moves back into this room--then I can add cute felt birds or little pink 3-D blossoms to the tree. But I think for a boy, I'll keep it plain and simple. (Maybe in the next couple weeks I'll even get a full nursery shot posted...)

A Pumpkin Craft

2011-10-21T14:22:00.001-05:00

I had seen this in a magazine and it looked SO cute...so we tried it at home. All you need is orange paint, canning jars (one for each person) and some tape!

First, you stick masking tape on the jar in the shapes you need: triangles, mouth, nose, etc.

Then, paint over the whole thing with orange paint.

Once it's all dry, pull the tape off and you're DONE!

Stick a little candle inside and light it--and instant jack-0'-lantern!
(My night pictures didn't turn out so well...I'll spare your eyes.)

September House Progress

2011-10-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

Things have once again been BUSY around here! With the picture perfect fall weather, comes lots of opportunities to finish up projects that we hadn't done yet.

First, the bathroom. Our main floor bathroom is ALMOST finished--we're still looking for the right black tile, and have a few more hardware things to add. Trim will hopefully come this fall/winter...and then we're DONE!

Second, the yard. Grass is growing (thanks to perfect temperatures!) and it's so fun to have a green yard again. Joel yells "GROW!" at it each time he sees it, so I'm sure that's why it's doing so well.

Third, our roof. We are having our roof reshingled as I write...and it looks super! Now, to lighten the color of our siding....I'm afraid that project will come NEXT year.

Fourth, our kitchen cupboards are FINISHED! I have three more to hang though...so my picture isn't a complete 'after' yet...

Fifth, on a rainy cool weekend, we made a trip to Wichita and picked up LOTS of new lighting and hardware for the house...so all the ugly lights have been replaced. Now....what to do about that dining room light????

Finally, I started drawing the tree in the nursery and just got started painting it...so that FINISHED picture will come later, too.

(turns out...this will be a longer project than I anticipated! This is all I got done for day 1...and it's going to need at least one more coat!)

Pregnancy Comments

2011-09-30T16:01:00.001-05:00

Men and women are inherently different.

This pregnancy, I've noticed that's true even in the way they comment on pregnant women. It's hilarious, actually.

Women are always kind and understanding IF they say anything.

Men say...well, the oddest things.

It has been men EVERY time that have asked if I'm having twins. (Many times I've been asked this--especially with Lily and Oliver)

Several times, while working at a photobooth, I've been asked, "Is that a prop?" (again, always men)

Several times, I've been asked if I swallowed a watermelon for lunch. The other day, the locksmith (who got me back INTO my van after I locked myself and the kids out...) mentioned that my diet wasn't working very well.

I find these comments hilarious and in no way take offense to them...but as I was recounting them to Joel...it struck me that women don't comment in the same way.

If we did, we'd probably get a punch to the face!

Happy Birthday Joel!

2011-09-23T07:31:00.002-05:00

Happy 32nd Birthday, Joel!

We love you!

Family Pictures At the Lake {2011}

2011-09-18T15:06:00.000-05:00

One benefit of seeing Joel's sister Karla each year is getting to take advantage of her amazing photography skills! This year, we took pics out at the lake. And we happened to have a perfect cloudy day to do it!

Here are a few highlights:

Hip Hip Hooray for Hardware!

2011-09-16T14:49:00.001-05:00

How's that for alliteration???

Today, I am afixing our new hardware to my newly painted cupboards. I am SO EXCITED to have hardware!!! It definitely finishes them off and makes them easier to open.

Whoever invented these things should nicely rewarded with a giant jelly-filled donut.

I LOVE a good deal!

2011-09-13T11:27:00.002-05:00

This morning, I went out to run a few errands. Cereal was something we desperately needed...but I've started trying to only buy it REALLY cheap--so I was waiting for some good deals PLUS coupons. Well, this morning I found some! Combining sales at Walgreens, a raincheck for cereal from LAST week, and great coupons...I got 9 big boxes of cereal for $17! Now, I'll admit--this is a lot of cereal--but it will last us MONTHS!!! I was very excited. (I'm not a super-couponer yet...so I'm SURE there would have been a way to get this even CHEAPER--but I thought less than $2 a box is a great deal ANYTIME!)

Another thing my kids and I are hooked on for breakfast is Cream of Wheat. My kids ask for it most mornings! We make it and then add cranberries, blueberries or raisins to it. It is YUMMY. Normally, it's almost $4 at Walmart--which is okay, cause it lasts a long time. But I found a box in perfect condition at Meridian Grocery (a damaged goods store in our town) for $1.09! What a deal! So I bought it. I LOVE that store!

If you haven't tried Meridian Grocery yet--I'd recommend it--today they had boxes of Cocoa Krispies on sale for $.50 a box! (If I hadn't bought 9 boxes right before that...I would've grabbed a few!) Most of their inventory is VERY discounted--like 50% or more!

First Day of Pre-K!

2011-09-07T15:24:00.003-05:00

(And DON'T you call it preschool....it is Pre-K!!! insists Ollie.)

Today was the first day--and BOY has he been ready. We've have our supplies packed in his bag for almost a month now...and he's been talking for weeks about what he'd wear the first day. (Although that changed suddenly last night.)

I finally convinced him to let me take a picture with his teacher...and then of course, he wanted a few with some friends of his. (Funny how he doesn't just give a nice smile, huh?...that's Joel's genes.)

Here he is with Mrs. Helsel. Wow does he love her!!! He talked about her all summer, and when pointing her out to us in pictures, just grins. We absolutely LOVE her: she is the most sweet, giving, loving teacher. He is SO BLESSED to have her a second year in a row!

Here is his friend, Cooper. Cooper is Mrs. Helsel's son--so these boys have spent LOTS of time together. They both love to help set up and take down after preschool. (They can be pretty ornery, too!)

This is Taylor, our back-door neighbor. Taylor and Oliver go WAAAAY back--they played together starting when they were just 4 and 9 months old! So it's a lot of fun to have them together in pre-K this year.

We're hoping for another super year--where he'll learn a lot, have fun with friends...(and be a little bit more worn out at home....)

Main Floor Bathroom

2011-09-03T17:45:00.004-05:00

Our main floor bathroom was BY FAR the most interesting when we moved in. It had AWFUL wallpaper, a vintage mirror (which I can't wait to repaint!), and some really ugly lights. Oh yeah, did I mentioned it didn't have a floor? Just the old plywood sub-floor.

Instead of taking the time to pick the wallpaper off piece by piece, my dad (wisely) suggested that we just re-sheetrock....so we did.

We had to tear some of the wall out anyway to address some slight plumbing issues...so it was easy to just rip it all out.

Last weekend and today, Joel and my dad worked to hang sheetrock and then mud over it all.

Hopefully this week we'll paint it and get the sink and counter tops in! (It will be nice to NOT have to walk upstairs every 30 minutes to use the restroom...)

The "yard"

2011-09-01T15:05:00.003-05:00

I use quotation marks because it's more accurately a field of loose dirt...but eventually, once the jet stream moves and Kansas receives rain and cool temperatures again...we'll be planting grass. Hence, a 'yard'.

Joel has been busy prepping this mass of space for what will certainly be a beautiful expanse of grass in the near future:

Kill the yard: Check. (actually, mother nature effectively did that, too--but Joel had a good excuse to walk around with his pump and chemicals.)

Till it with the tractor: Check.

Kill the yard again: Check.

Hook up the pump: (YES, we have a WELL!!!) Check.

Drive a 4-wheeler around and around and around for 3 days to make sure it's smooth: Check.

Dig a trench to connect the well to the sprinkler system: Check.

Rake up mounds of grass: Check.

Scoop up mounds of grass: Check.

And my piddly contribution? I drew a fantastic map of our sprinkler system zones for Joel.

I should mention....all of this hard work was done in 100+ degree weather...so yeah, Joel's a rock star. (literally...)

Today--the basement pins are being installed to every-so-slightly pull back a wall...so now--LET THE PLANTING BEGIN!

Paul is my new hero....

2011-08-30T16:30:00.004-05:00

But I'm sure he wouldn't want to be.

I have a new-found appreciation for Paul in the Bible. (Saul of Tarsus--you know the one, who killed Christians until he met Jesus?)

I just finished reading the book "Paul: A Novel" by Walter Wangerin Jr.
It is an incredible story based on the real-life players of the New Testament: Paul (of course!), Titus, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, Lydia, James....as well as real-life historical people: Nero, Claudius, etc. Although it is a novel--it weaves together Paul's writings and journeys in a way that makes his life (and therefore the spread of the Gospel) come ALIVE!

I used to read Paul's writings and think he was a bit of a pompous, sexist guy. (Women can't talk in church??? SERIOUSLY???) But after reading this, (and his New Testament letters again and again...) I'm starting to see instead a guy who was absolutely transformed by Jesus Christ. Who didn't give a single thought to his own life...or his reputation...or his own past, for that matter...but rather, was so consumed with sharing and preserving the TRUE gospel that he stopped at nothing to make that happen.

I was reminded through this book that:
1. God can use ANYONE to accomplish His purposes....
and
2. An encounter with Jesus Christ is JUST as powerful and life-changing today as it was 2,000 years ago!

Ohio/Indiana 2011

2011-08-20T20:37:00.006-05:00

We were fortunate to be able to take a relaxing trip to visit Joel's family again this year. It's always so fun to spend time at the lake house! It's so fun to see the cousins (all 8 of them!) playing so well together....and we are very thankful that Joel's family is able to come up to the house when we are coming.

We left at 3:30am both trips (there and back) which worked WAY better than trying to sleep in a motel. The kids were PUMPED that we were getting up "in the middle of the night"....so excited that Oliver didn't sleep until Kansas City. (2 1/2 hours later)

But they traveled VERY well, and really were so good for the whole trip. Here are some highlights--we were so busy having fun we didn't take a great variety of pictures--but boating and swimming was DEFINITELY a highlight!
(playing Polly Pockets all together...)

(supper out on the deck)

(jumping and swimming off the boat--couldn't get a good 'in the water' one...)

(jumping in the water...this guy got so good he was turning somersaults UNDER the water! A big step for him!!)

(Oliver mid-dive)

(playing in the sand)

(guess who decided to pull out the cherries in the van on the way home?? Me. It got a little messy...)

(Thankfully, we all got lots of rest on the way home!)

A Visit

2011-08-02T15:03:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, we had a special visit from my aunt and uncle, and grandparents! It was so fun to see them, and Oliver and Lily loved seeing Grandma and Grandpa GG again! ("GreatGrandma"--that's where the GG comes from)

Oliver played catch with Grandpa GG and loved sitting by him at supper. Those two are buddies!

(These are NOT great pictures....and my camera must have been on a funny setting...but you get the idea!)

It's too bad they had to come during July--we couldn't even spend time OUTSIDE!

Swimming in the BIG pool

2011-07-27T21:34:00.005-05:00

We are SO thankful for cousins with an incredible pool in town! It has really helped us beat the heat this summer. It's fun to see the kids have so much fun in the water, too--Oliver is slowly gaining confidence, and it's all we can do to keep Lily in a life jacket! Gotta keep our eyes on that girl!

Lily's favorite thing is to J-U-M-P into the pool and "go underwater". (She gets upset if she DOESN'T go under.) It's hilarious how she jumps a HUGE jump and jams her feet out to get more distance. She's now started adding a spin so that she enters the water backwards or partially laying down. She calls it a 'belly flop'.

(*Oh, and YES she's wearing her swimsuit backwards. She dressed herself and refused to turn it around.)

Oliver is getting really good at going underwater and 'swimming'. He still really keeps to the shallow end where he can hold on...but is SO much better in the water than he was last year!

And here's a video of Lily jumping off the diving board. She'd jump, then swim (in her life jacket) to the ladder and get out. Wow, that girl is fearless!

Oh, just a few refreshing pictures I found...

2011-07-27T14:54:00.003-05:00

I realized last week that 6 months prior to this month, I had been in Canada in sub-freezing temperatures. It's amazing that the human body can withstand temperatures of -25 degrees (plus arctic wind) AND temperatures of well over 100 degrees.

Anywho--these pictures brought me cool refreshment today...and I thought I'd share them with you.

Here's to cooler temperatures next week. (I saw a 97 in the forecast!)

Resurrecting "Theme Days"

2011-07-26T14:45:00.004-05:00

Usually about mid-July I get some motivation to plan some theme days for my kids. It breaks up the monotony of the week and is a fun way to have friends over, too!

Today we had "Rainbow Day".

We started with a rainbow scavenger hunt (but I didn't take my camera out). We tried searching outside for things from each color of the rainbow...but given the state of our poor Kansas earth right now...we mainly got different hues of brown. Thank goodness for leftover fireworks littering the streets!!!

Next, we ate a rainbow snack. My friend Jill came up with a very colorful way to celebrate--rainbow-colored fruit! And the kids LOVED it.

After that, we made a rainbow craft using stiff felt and cut fabric pieces. The kids did really well with this and it was so fun to see their different personalities emerge.
Sophie's was very colorful and haphazard...

Oliver and Hannah's were EXACTLY like a rainbow should look...
And Lily liked glue. But all of them turned out to be SO colorful and pretty!

We included a science experiment (making a rainbow using water, a mirror and white paper) that didn't work REALLY well...but it was a good chance to talk about what might have worked better.

Finally--a dip in the pool and a yummy lunch! Theme days are SO fun and a great way to pass the summer days with a friend!

See anything different? {It's FINALLY here!!!}

2011-07-22T15:51:00.002-05:00

#1

#2

(and a sneak-peek of our cupboards in progress: still need the doors to be put on, but we're waiting on getting hardware for the entire kitchen. What a BRIGHT change it is! I LOVE it!)

Nine Years

2011-07-20T09:17:00.002-05:00

Nine years ago, Joel and I tied the knot. And since Joel is such a 'numbers' person....here is "Our Marriage In Numbers":

In 9 short years, we've...

*run into 0 deer with our car
*had only 1 major fight that was started by corn
*birthed 2 (almost 3!) beautiful children
*lived in 3 houses/apartments
*remodeled 3 (almost 4) bathrooms
*driven 5 cars
*visited 6 countries, 3 provinces, and 22 states
*visited 7 baseball fields together
(although in my defense, my rapt attention during those games totals just under 1 hour.)
*watched "Dumb and Dumber" 9 times (probably)
*eaten 42 pounds of chicken wings
*washed 972 sinkloads of dishes

...which brings me to some very exciting news...we are installing a dishwasher tomorrow! Hip hip hooray! It's our 9-year anniversary present.

I'm very thankful for our years together--and hope for a large NUMBER more!

Re-thinking Food

2011-07-16T14:55:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not giving it up. (what reason would I have to wake up in the morning?)

I'm rethinking how to cook for two kids who eat like there's no tomorrow. I can hardly keep up with these kids anymore!!! (I should pause and say that I am EXTREMELY grateful for two healthy kids who have bodies that work and have big non-picky appetites. REALLY.)

But what I WAS doing just isn't working anymore.

Let's start with a few observations:

1. Thank goodness for coupons! I am saving BIG money on cereal using coupons and finding sales. BUT, we still go through BOXES every week. (My kids eat 2-3 bowls a morning...I kid you not.)

2. Oliver now eats a full sandwich and a half for lunch. Every day. That's 3 pieces of bread JUST for him. Plus fruit, chips, yogurt/cottage cheese, and whatever else I can find. Yesterday I had to make 2 eggs for Oliver and Lily EACH because they were still hungry after the other food was gone.

3. Food is not getting cheaper.

So here's some things I've decided:
*I am going to (thanks to advice from a friend) start making breakfast 4 mornings a week. 3 mornings a week the kids can have their cereal and eat to their heart's content--but the other mornings I'll MAKE something--oatmeal (actually, we make this almost every day once it's cold outside), eggs, pancakes, waffles, omelets, etc. Because really--that stuff is pretty cheap compared to cereal.

*I need to start making a loaf of bread (or more!) each week in the bread machine. It's so easy and cheap--and that way, once it's a little less soft (after the first day), I can use it for french toast or something like that.

*Joel and I will be eating meals every other day. That should do the trick. :-)

Do you have any great ideas for how to make food go further? Or how to save MORE money at the store? Please do share...we're always open to ideas!

Before and After

2011-07-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

Progress is happening at the Smith house.

We are moved in, settled, and finally finding time and energy to tackle those not-absolutely-crucial projects like renovating bathrooms, painting kitchen cupboards, and starting to think about decor. The heat is a good excuse to stay indoors and work, too!

Here are some before and after's of rooms in our house--some are at a later stage of 'done-ness' than others....but hey, it's something!

Living Room
Before:
After:
This is one of my favorite rooms! The only thing we still really need to do is to make some nice heavy blinds to pull in front during hot sun (early morning/early evening) and move that darn stereo on top of the mantle downstairs...we've been saying we need to do that for months.

Dining Room
Before:
After:
This room needs some decor work on the mantle, as those pictures will eventually join lots of black and white pics on the red wall of our stairway...but for now--it works! I'm also going to eventually add one of those nice big framed magnetic 'task boards' so we can hang calendars, job charts, pictures, etc. It will go on the wall when you first come in (but you can't see that wall here...)

Kitchen
Before:
After:
This room is a work-in-progress. I've starting painting the cabinets this last week which brightens things up in a HUGE way! But the lighting needs work, and the trim needs another coat of paint. Along with new paint, we'll also replace all the hardware and hinges which should update things nicely.

Main-Floor Bathroom
Before:
After: (AND before!)
This bathroom is gross. We just couldn't get all that pesky wallpaper off, and had to dig into the wall to fix some plumbing issues upstairs--so the easiest way to fix it all is to just start over! That was Joel's project this weekend: to tear all the sheetrock out. Now, we'll re-sheetrock, tile, paint the vanity, and paint the vintage mirror that was in here. I'm thinking red. I'll post pictures of this one later!

Kids Bathroom
Before:
After:
Thanks to my dad and Joel--this room is finished! New floor, toilet, sink, countertop, and a coat of new paint sure made it bright! We love it--and so do the kids!

Master Bathroom
Before:
After:
(don't strain your eyes--this room is basically 'untouched')

Master Bedroom
Before:
After:We had to hang up a giant thick blanket over those beautiful new doors to the deck because the sun was so HOT in this room! It's helped tremendously--and now we can get dressed in our room! (I'll be adding blinds here, too!)

Office/Guest Room
Before:
After:
In this room, we added carpet and raised that light way up (you can't see it here). We'll be replacing that, along with many other 'trendy' light fixtures in the house. We closed in a wall so that there's only one opening, and we plan to add french doors in the future.

Kid's Room
Before:
After/After:
This was Oliver's room, and then, as of last week, became "their" room. We figured now was as good a time as any to transition Lily to a big-girl bed, and back into Oliver's room. So they share a space...and eventually, baby boy will sleep in the nursery.

Nursery
Before:
After:
Not much going on in here decor-wise. I have plans to add a white tree (below) above the crib, and make a curtain for the closet. I don't want to make it too boy-ish, because in a year or two, this will once again be Lily's room. Anything I do nursery-wise will be fairly neutral.
(I want to paint a white version of this tree above the crib--eventually, I can add pretty pink blossoms or something when Lily is in the room!)

Entryway
Before:
After:
Flooring made a HUGE difference here, as did the new banister. We need to replace the horribly outdated light fixture...but that will happen someday.

We are thrilled with our new home and are enjoying having projects to work on. The kids love the house, too--and we especially love our neighbors!!!

Weekend in KC

2011-07-12T20:24:00.001-05:00

Joel and I learned W-A-Y back last fall that the Cubs were coming to Kansas City this year to play the Royals--so we knew that game was a MUST. It ended up that my sister was able to come stay with the kids--so we got a weekend with just the 2 of us!

We found TONS of fun stuff to do--and we ate just as much. (We visited McDonald's *NOT ON PURPOSE* 3 times in one day.)

First, we went shopping at the Legends Mall...(but not being big shoppers...we mainly just walked around for a while!)

Then, we checked into our hotel--the Westin at Crown Center! Wow, was that nice. We were on the 15th floor--our view from the room:

The fountains were right across the street, and so was a Panera!!! (Yummy breakfast the next morning!)

We chose to go to an evening game, and I'm glad we did--we were dying of heat--and the next afternoon's game would have been WAY worse! It's always fun to visit another ball field--I'd never been to this one.

One highlight of a weekend away in a hotel for us is....the cable TV. Seriously. We watch a lot. This time, our newest obsession was the show "Dual Survival". Those guys are CRAZY.

The next day, we ate breakfast and then hit the College Basketball Experience. It was like an interactive museum (but not very museum-y). Joel LOVED it.

(*this was his 3rd pose, and his only non-gangsta pose. Sheesh.)

He tried to set really impossible records on every game so that no one could beat him. (I bet they didn't, either!!!)
*Can I just say--we were SORE from all that shooting??? I hardly did any--and my hip hurt for 2 days!

We also got to try our hand at sports casting. I'd say we did QUITE well.

*This was our playback. We didn't even know it was being recorded!!!

Next, it was my turn to pick: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art! It was a lot of fun, but as usual--you could spend HOURS there...so we just picked a few favorite areas and wandered through those.

Here I am in front of one of my favorites--a Georgia O'Keefe painting!

Finally, we left for lunch at Jack Stack BBQ. Wow. The BEST ribs we'd ever had! We cleaned the whole plate!!!

(eating this many ribs takes I.N.T.E.N.S.I.T.Y)

After all that excitement, we drove home exhausted. But what a fun weekend--and a great chance to get away!

Real Men...

2011-07-10T20:13:00.000-05:00

Drive Pink Barbie Jeeps.

(Oh, and Lily really likes it, too!)
Funny story about Lily--she hasn't figured out the whole 'driving' thing yet...so she'll get in, sit there, and slam on the pedal.

E-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y she'll put her hands on the steering wheel and decide to steer...somewhat. I just DIE laughing anytime she drives it.

Swimming

2011-07-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

Since the summer has been, a bit, *warm* so far, we got our pool out early...and swim in it OFTEN. Actually, our poor pool from last year bit the dust, so we bought a new one at the end of May...and now that one is on it's last leg, too.

But either way--water is FUN!!! And the kids love to run, and jump, and splash and play in it.

Oliver bought a snorkeling set with his birthday money (and bought Lily one, too) so they spend their time looking for sharks and other assorted tropical fish underwater. (He's gotten quite good at putting his face in the water, thanks to that $5 set!)

Lily likes the water, but prefers to jump in, jump out, and run to find comfort in her towel. (It's much like a glorified "blankie" to her). Her favorite spot is on the trampoline, laying in the sun. (But usually covered up by the towel)

(this is a happy face...)

They also love to run as FAST as they can and JUMP into the pool--splashing all the water out. One day, they decided to do it together:

"One, two, three....GO!"

We LOVE swimming!!!

Girl's Memorial Day Get-Together

2011-07-04T14:38:00.000-05:00

While in college at Bethel, I had the opportunity to live with 6 other girls in the mods one year. We had such a good year together--and since most of us were dating our future spouses at the time, we got to know them quite well, too!

Since college, we've gotten together at least once each year for a girl's weekend away. But, once the kids started coming...that became difficult. Now--we see each other 2-3 times a year, usually WITH kids. But it's still so much fun, and it's amazing how quickly we can catch up again!

This time, we were missing a couple girls--but we had so much fun talking, watching the kids swim, eating lunch together....so we had to get some obligatory "look how big they're getting!" pictures in.

Oh, and here we are with our kids: (from left to right)
Lori (with Emily), Tina (with boys Noah and Levi), Me and the kids, Yvette (with Corynn)

**Tina T. and Kara--we missed you! Maybe next time???

Ducklings

2011-07-02T14:21:00.003-05:00

Who knew that when we moved a mile south, we'd be entering a whole new ecosystem???

Since we're just a 3-minute walk from a little lake, we often see geese, ducks, frogs, turtles, even a crane! in our neighborhood. One morning, we woke up to the sound of a goose, sitting on our garage roof, just 10 feet from the kid's bedrooms.

About a month after moving in, we suddenly noticed a duck that had come to make a nest 8 feet from our front door, right next to a prickly barberry bush. A day later, we noticed 3 eggs in the nest! Then, another, and another--until later that week, the duck had laid 11 eggs!
(ducks must have amazing hearing--if we were just standing at the window watching her, she'd cock her head like this and stare at us...)

At that point, she started sitting on them almost constantly. She thankfully became quite okay with us leaving and coming, the kids screaming and playing, and stopped flying away every time Lily would scream at her.

She got to the point where she was sitting on those eggs the ENTIRE day, except for a little while each evening, right around dusk. We did a little research on the web, and found that typically, the incubation period for ducklings was 28 days. So, we knew that somewhere in the 3rd or 4th week of June--we'd have eleven little ducklings walking around our yard! How exciting!!!

Finally, on a Wednesday evening, we noticed that one egg had a small crack in it. Would this be the night??? The next morning, when Ollie and I came down just after 7am, there were ducklings!!! We opened the door, snuck out to take a peak, and found 4 or 5 little heads poking up. We took pictures, and went inside to eat.

By the time Lily woke up (an hour later), the ducks were gone!!! All that was left was a few broken eggs.

We have no idea what happened to the other 6 eggs, and haven't seen a duck since. We DO get to peak at little families of ducks on the lake, and we're assuming one of those families is ours...but hopefully next year the momma duck will be back to build another nest! (And maybe this time, Lily can see them, too!)

Baby Smith #3

2011-06-22T14:22:00.000-05:00

Is a....

BOY!!!!!

Preschool Work

2011-06-17T15:28:00.000-05:00

Ollie finished preschool in mid-May and decided that he wanted to continue "homework" throughout the summer. Typical first-born.

So, thankfully, we have a few books that he can work in. This particular page asked him what four things he wished for. He drew pictures in each box: (from upper left clockwise)

"preschool (desk and chair), a hug and a kiss (circle and lips), Jesus, candy."

Riding the Tandem

2011-06-15T13:21:00.000-05:00

One fun thing that came out of the move was...our tandem bike! It had been hiding in the shed for several years, and Ollie was so intrigued by it, that Joel took him for a ride. He LOVED it. Now, occasionally, you'll find Joel and Ollie whizzing through the neighborhood on "a bicycle meant for two".
(and obviously, by their attire, this was NOT taken recently...)

Oliver and Lily's First Storm-Chasing Adventure

2011-06-10T14:16:00.002-05:00

(Or better titled, "Oliver and Lily's First Storm-Fleeing Adventure")

Last night started out like a normal evening: help Joel set up the photobooth at Riverfest, go eat at Chipotle with my family, see a wall cloud....?!?!?! WHAT?!?!?! It was true. I saw a wallcloud as we were coming out of Chipotle--rotating and everything. Dad and I were fascinated, and we all headed over to Starbucks. On the way, I heard that parts of Sedgwick and Harvey Counties were under a Tornado Warning. "I knew it!" I thought excitedly. We ordered our drinks and headed out to the patio to keep our eye on the cloud. It was then that we noticed (with our 5 children under the age of 5) that the cloud was getting CLOSER to us, not further, as we had expected. (Everyone knows tornadoes move to the north and east!) But this one was sure moving south and east...and soon enough, the sirens in Wichita confirmed that.

Majorly bummed out that we couldn't spend more time with my bro-and his wife...we left. They all went home to El Dorado, and I, with Joel at Riverfest, decided to call him and pick him up. Soon after turning west onto 96, however, I realized that that wouldn't work. The rotation was MUCH closer to us than I had previously thought...so like any good mother, I turned and ran from the storm...with my two kids in tow. We headed straight east and then south, and stopped at Target to watch the incredible clouds move. Seriously--they were incredible. Probably the best I've ever seen: churning purple, pink, black with all kinds of weird hangy-down parts. I was SURE we'd see a tornado! Once we sat there for a few minutes, I finally got a hold of Joel and found out he was headed for the basement of Century II. Knowing he was safe, we headed south again, hoping to get a better view. We kept moving south and east, staying ahead of the part of the storm--when we got to Andover. We pulled over in a gas station to watch...when I noticed some conspicuous rotation above us...time to move again! I pulled onto the road and headed south just as the sirens were blaring. Heading to Rose Hill...I heard on the radio that there were tornado warnings north of us (home), east of us, (my parents home), and to the west of us (where Joel was). Our only choice? Keep heading south! I got some fun pictures on my phone of clouds while we parked in Rose Hill, (but these don't begin to do it justice) and then we headed south again.

The only time I really got freaked out was when, south of Rose Hill, we were traveling down a road and ahead I saw dust being picked up and swirled around. Although I KNEW the warnings were not for that area--it looked freaky enough to warrant a turn back east. Sure enough, no sooner had I turned than a deer ran out in front of us! Yikes!!! We finally got back onto a road (and my dad said that those winds were likely the gusts blowing back out of the storm) and headed to Udall where we stopped for a bathroom. By this time, we heard the warnings were canceled. We were free to start heading back to Wichita--where we were hearing of massive rain and hail! Trying to avoid the hail, I drove west, then caught the turnpike north into the city. The rain was torrential, but thankfully- no hail! And we reached Joel just two hours after our ordeal began. We were all safe and sound and together at last. Joel finally asked, "Why didn't you just stay put at Starbucks?"

It hadn't even crossed my mind.

Lily in the Morning

2011-05-26T15:09:00.004-05:00

She is something else in the morning.

Her hair is as wild and unpredictable as her mood.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*On another note, I am slowly reading through a series of books I received a few years back, by Dorcas Smucker. They're just short stories about life (raising 6 kids and living on a farm!) by they are so therapeutic for me. Her perspective of having raised 6 (and yet remembering the REALLY difficult days) makes me remember that, as hard as some days are, this time is short with little kids.

I loved how she put it in one story, reminiscing about a few weeks one summer where only her two youngest children were at home: "The fewer kids I have, the better of a mother I am. Imagine how good I'd be if I had NO kids!" I loved that.

Moving Day!

2011-05-24T15:08:00.004-05:00

(Oh, and did I mention this was over a month ago?)

Yeah, well, we moved.

We probably could've planned things a bit differently in regards to moving, fixing up a house, having another child, and 2 of our 3 cars breaking down...but hey, we like to live on the edge.

But here are the "day of" pics of us packing and moving--and thankfully, the weather was PERFECT.
(a baseball break)

And our caravan arriving at the new house...
Unloading...

*That evening, our small group came over to help us move furniture and boxes. And Aunt Marge supplied ALL 14 of us with supper. I almost teared up watching this caravan of people who we were just getting to know follow us from our old house to our new house...carrying all of our 'stuff', helping us move in. It was such a sweet moment and we are SO GRATEFUL to each of them for helping out!

I'm hoping to eventually post 'we're in the house' pictures... but that may be December before that happens.

Preschool Programs

2011-05-18T14:52:00.002-05:00

They are FUNNIEST thing in the WORLD!!!

Ollie's end of the year program was a couple weeks back, and they helped tell the story of Noah's Ark. It was so cute. (Okay, actually, I was there as a teacher since I had my own class...but I'm showing pictures of MY little guy!)

They had just a few songs and some actions--but the highlight BY FAR was when the techies in the back engineered lightning during one song. The kids were SO SURPRISED and just laughed and giggled and could hardly sing! It was hilarious. Ollie was laughing SO loud Joel could hear him in the back row. Funny stuff.

Here are the pictures of my silly yellow giraffe and his friends:

Playing Together

2011-05-09T15:30:00.003-05:00

Oh, these two are funny.

One day they decided to ride together on their bike...and they actually both liked it!

(It hasn't had the same effect since, though...apparently it's not as fun when your brother hops on WHILE you're already on it,)

Later, they made a "tree house". Here they are inside it.

Feeding the Ducks (a few weeks back...)

2011-05-02T15:08:00.004-05:00

In one of the moments of mandatory sanity during the months of March and April...we decided to take the kids for a walk and feed the ducks.

It was a beautiful evening, and although we found plenty of ducks, they weren't interested in eating any of our bread.

(maybe whole wheat, no high fructose corn syrup isn't appealing to ducks?)

Much to their delight, Oliver and Lily got to finish the uneaten pieces of bread...which made the evening quite a success...

Moved In.

2011-04-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

We're moved in.

We {heart} our house.

We have boxes everywhere.

The kids frequently ask when we're going home.

We'll blog more when things settle down a bit.

The end.

Birthday Party #2

2011-04-09T21:26:00.004-05:00

Oliver got a bike from Grandma and Grandpa J. and Grandma and Grandpa Smith. He was SO excited! And while we were picking it out...he kept saying, "I need a helmet, too! I can't ride without a helmet!"

(Little did he know, Aunt NeeNee was getting him one the next day at his family party!)

Also, a Lego plane that Grandpa J. helped him build...

And ice cream cake!!!

Ollie's First Birthday Party

2011-04-08T14:28:00.003-05:00

On Oliver's birthday, we had a small celebration with just our family. Since we were in the middle of crazy-house-progress, we waited on a bigger party for a few days.

Here he is at school eating one of his yummy strawberry cupcakes with chocolate frosting that he chose.

That night we ate supper and opened gifts--
His Buzz Lightyear Lego set...

His Stomp Rocket from Uncle Tyler and Aunt Erin...(HUGE hit!)

Blowing out candles...

More birthday fun to come!.....

I might possibly be obsessed with...

2011-04-04T15:15:00.005-05:00

Thunderstorms.

It's true. And last night reminded me of that. I just LOVE a good thunderstorm. Or even a CHANCE for a thunderstorm. I never feel more alive than when I'm watching massive lightning fill the sky.

My love of storms MIGHT come from the fact that my parents would put us into the car (even in our PJ's) when storms were coming, just so we could see them better. We'd drive around the countryside just enjoying the lightning.

If you're ever spending time with me and a thunderstorm pops up...don't take it personally. I really can't focus on you. Or anything. I just want to enjoy the storm! (and watch the clouds, and see a radar, and be in the country.)

In high school, I used to walk or drive up to a certain spot in town that overlooked the town so I could watch the storms move in. It was so peaceful.
I wanted to become a meteorologist in high school, but then realized I had to use science AND math. Shoot. There went that dream.

When Joel and I got married, I dragged him out a couple times so I could watch for tornadoes. He didn't believe me that the safest spot during a storm was OUTSIDE--you know--so I could see which direction the tornado was coming from!
I might possibly have once (as an RA in college) helped to usher our entire dorm of people down to the basement during a tornado warning, only to have them come back OUT when I yelled, "I see a funnel!" It was true. But probably not very safe.
I also might have prayed that we'd have a massive thunderstorm during my labor with Ollie (what's more fun than that?) only to have that prayer answered...my dad had to drive home before meeting Ollie because of the threat of large amounts of water in his basement. (He asked me NOT to pray that when Lily was born...)
Joel and I actually attended a spotter meeting REALLY hoping to become trained spotters...but unfortunately, I was 9 months pregnant at the time, and we weren't quite sure how that would work with a baby.

I have several favorite meteorologists (and will be the FIRST to buy their trading cards when those come out. I'm SURE they'll be coming soon, right?)

It's my very favorite thing about spring.
Mostly--I feel more alive during a thunderstorm than any other time. Even more alive then when I'm drinking coffee. Maybe because it reminds of God's incredible beauty, power, and creative nature--all in one.

I sure hope there are thunderstorms in heaven.

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

2011-03-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Oh, Oliver J....you are certainly growing up to be a funny little guy.

(1 month)

There isn't a day that goes by that you don't surprise us with a new word...
funny sayings...
or deep questions that you have.

You are creative and thoughtful,
always trying to make something new,
draw something better,
or write a new word.

(1 year old)

You are such a kind, affectionate brother when you want to be.
(When you're not playing legos or cutting or gluing with glitter glue...)

It's fascinating to watch you build and create,
Read and write,
Run and play,
Reason and think.

I love that you came home from preschool and washed Lily's feet the other day, simply because you had learned that bible story.

(2 years old)

I love that you talk to Lily like an adult and are so gentle with her. (most of the time)

I love your fascination with worship leading and hope that someday you find great joy in playing music and can find ways to use it to bring glory to God.

I love that you talk about your (imaginary) grandma and grandpa all the time and tell outrageous tales about them. (it's like you live vicariously through those stories!)

I love that you ride your big wheel SO FAST and always turn at just the right time--before you go into the street, and ALWAYS fast enough that you almost tip. It's even funnier when you wear your Santa hat while riding.

(3 years old)

I love that you often ask me, "So mom, what have you been up to?"
when I've actually spent the entire morning with you.

I love that you come out of bed most nights
claiming to have to go to the bathroom (while really wanting another HUGE hug and kiss).
I love that you are 4. And look so big. And act so big.
And are turning out to be such a handsome, kind, thoughtful little boy.

We can't wait to see what this year brings!

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

So, you're probably wondering what our kids DO while we work on the house...

2011-03-20T14:10:00.000-05:00

Luckily, we have some wonderful neighbors behind us who come over to play most of the time. The kids LOVE to spend the afternoon together! (And we are SO thankful for wonderful friends so close by!)

One particular day, Taylor and Mason left their bikes in our yard during nap time, so once we came back to the house, Oliver had a great time carrying Taylor's precious baby while riding around the driveway.

It didn't bother him in the least that he was wearing the princess helmet either.

Lily comes inside to ask me to hold her every 3-4 minutes...but in between those times...she entertains herself outside pretty well.

Thankfully with warm weather, the kids spend much of their time there exploring...trying to feed birds with sand, and chasing a neighborhood cat around. Lily is still learning where our yard ends...we've found her on the neighbor's back porch before.

I hope our neighbors aren't tired of us already! :-)

Banister

2011-03-19T14:01:00.001-05:00

The banister is DONE!!!

Dave and Joel finished the top half last Saturday, and then my dad and Joel used SUPERMAN powers and finished the rest in an afternoon.

Hooray for safety!!! (and for tremendously talented men!)

Oliver's First Cooking Experiment

2011-03-18T14:04:00.000-05:00

Oliver told me two nights ago that he really wanted to make cotton candy. So, he got out the ingredients (an apple and chocolate syrup) and went to work cutting up the apple into tiny pieces.

Then, he poured syrup on top and microwaved it for about a minute and a half.

The finished product:

He and Lily ate this for dessert that night. What a proud little chef!

Painting Party

2011-03-17T13:40:00.004-05:00

What better way to get lots of painting done then *tricking* your gullible friends into coming over to your house and painting FOR you???

It worked! (Oh, and this was a LATE NIGHT party, so the lighting is horrible.)

(and did I mention my friends are VERY athletic and BRAVE?)

Here are some of the rooms with better light..they're a little more accurate on color.

I'll Admit It...

2011-03-10T14:14:00.007-06:00

I'm a little overwhelmed.

This house project, although we KNEW it would be a lot of work, is turning out to be a lot of work. :-)

It's nothing new, nothing big, just ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

The kids are handling it all fairly well. It's amazing how easily entertained they are by a scraper and a broom. Good thing, because that's about all that's there.

I'm really trying to be intentional about giving them lots of good playtime at home, but we are up at the house more and more as things are getting done, and now that the weather's getting nice.

We ARE making progress--and to prove it, I'll post some pictures:

Stairway minus the banister (we have all the parts for the new one...just not sure how to begin tackling that...)

(oh, and I might possibly be slightly stressed (read: TOTALLY PANICKED) by the fact that we have no banister rail up there...so that makes our adventures at the house a little more tense for me...)

*see the red paint on the wall? That will be the new bright wall when you enter!

Master Bedroom
This has ended up being the hardest room to remove wallpaper on...it has taken us a week to get it all off...and there is still a little glue residue left to sand...

The "play room" wallpaper came off surprisingly well. Uncle Ed came over yesterday and he and Joel just pulled that stuff off with the help of Dave's steamer. Thanks Balzers!!

Oh, and double bonus: a painted giraffe on one wall. The kids frequent this room to say hi to the giraffe, and I heard Lily asking the giraffe to "hold her" yesterday.

With the exception of two bathrooms and the rest of the glue on our master bedroom, we are finished with wallpaper and ready to paint. Thank goodness!!! I have a group of girls coming tomorrow night to help out!!!

Joel finished pulling up all the rest of the linoleum flooring...

And now, he and a friend will be figuring our why our kitchen flooded this morning once our water was turned on.

It will be a beautiful house for us. We are THRILLED. And this was a sweet moment yesterday, once Dave finished pouring our new cement slab out back:

I think tomorrow, when it's 70 degrees out, I'll feel a little better.
And a vanilla Dr. Pepper wouldn't hurt, either...

A few things I've learned about couponing...

2011-03-08T13:54:00.003-06:00

I'm two months in to my coupon-ing adventure. I've had some successes and some definite failures...and I've realized a few things:

1. It is SUPER fun and relaxing to cut coupons on a Sunday afternoon!

2. Organizing them well is key. (I haven't quite mastered this, though)

3. Going to the store with a specific list and meal plan is STILL crucial.

4. I have to really watch the prices for things--because usually I spend MORE with coupons. Here's why: I can STILL usually get off-brand products for cheaper than name-brand items with a coupon--UNLESS that item is on sale.

5. I have to really be careful to NOT simply buy something because I have the coupon--because I end up spending more.

I have saved MAJOR money on toiletries: razors, toothpaste (ALWAYS free!), shampoo and conditioner, etc. I get cereal MUCH cheaper now...(but have to stop buying it for a few weeks until we can move through our supply...)

I really have to learn the prices better at Dillons. Here's why: Most of the time, Walmart is cheaper. Even when Dillon's doubles coupons--unless there's super good sale. Case in point: I can buy Kraft Singles cheese (24-pack) at Walmart for $2.98ish. Dillon's? $4.25!!! So even when I had a $.50 coupon (which would have been $1 at Dillon's)--it's STILL cheaper at Walmart!

I'm no expert. I know there are people out there who save INSANE amounts on their grocery bill. But for me--I'm still learning the in's and out's of coupon-ing.

Someday He'll Hate Me...

2011-03-04T14:16:00.002-06:00

But this is TOO hilarious to pass up.

Yesterday, Oliver came into the kitchen and announced that he was dressed up as a "polar bear". (I think he is using that term QUITE liberally) But with his tail and costume ready, he could go into the living room and 'dance'.

The polar bear's choice of music? Kirk Franklin. From the early-90's.

House Progress #2

2011-03-02T14:45:00.005-06:00

Here's what's happened the last two days at the new house:

Brand-new front door:
Window Wells:

Digging out the rotted boards from the wall in the basement (behind the brickwork):

Digging out tons of cement and steps to fix the area back here--we'll eventually pour a cement slab that slopes AWAY from the house, not TO the house (novel idea, isn't it?)
Cut out another HUGE bush. And guess what? There's a sidewalk under there!

The kids kept busy spraying water...

And putting rocks into a bucket. (Apparently Joel has memories of doing this as a child, too...)

And my incredibly productive day included picking wall-paper off the bathroom wall. Again.
Someday, when I'm old and gray, this bathroom will be painted.

Progress!

2011-02-28T07:06:00.004-06:00

Well, we closed on our house Friday.
We sure were hoping for 80 degree weather...but instead, it was FREEZING.

That didn't stop Joel! Saturday he spent the day trimming our trees (I mean, shrubs).

Then, yesterday, when the weather man said, "66 degrees" it thunderstormed and hailed and was really cold. But we still managed to do a few things over there:

Joel knocked out the cupboards over the bar,

and over what will be our fridge...

took out some flooring...

And I did my part by pulling wallpaper.

The thunderstorm was lovely, and even better? We had friends stop in to see the progress!!! We look forward to many more fun times in this house (especially once we get the heat on!).

It's A Bird...It's a Plane...It's BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!

2011-02-21T14:11:00.003-06:00

Oliver saw Toy Story and Toy Story 2, and has "been" Buzz Lightyear ever since.

This morning, while he was 'Buzz', we had the following conversations:

Buzz: "Woah, what's that?" (Pointing to our fire) "Is it lots of rockets blasting off?"
Me: "No, Buzz. That's our fireplace. It's keeps us warm."

Buzz: "Mmmm, I just love coffee."
Me: "You drink hot stuff?"
Buzz: "Oh yeah. I even like hot sauce. I have that on my spaceship. And I put it on my tortilla roll-ups--they have beans, rice, chicken...They're really good."

Buzz: "Mom, say, 'Buzz, do you have a Walmart?'"
Me: "Buzz--do you have a Walmart?"
Buzz: "No." "Say, 'Where do you get food?'"
Me: "Where do you get food?" (I really LOVE conversations that go like this...)
Buzz: "We grow our own pumpkins. We eat pumpkin seeds."

(and to Lily) "If I came to college, maybe I'd marry you. But I married Woody."

(climbing into his spaceship) "I gotta get in. I need to go to Shipshewana."

Weekend in Nebraska

2011-02-19T14:41:00.006-06:00

We got to go visit some friends last weekend from Nebraska. Kara and I roomed together in the same mod in college, and ever since we've been good friends. Unfortunately, they moved to Husker-land a few years back--but they make frequent trips here, so we stay in touch.

This was only our second time visiting them, but we decided it needs to become a yearly tradition--what a great weekend we had!

Braden (their little guy) is almost 3, and they have another one on the way in just a few weeks. Oliver, Braden and Lily played so well together the whole time! We enjoyed good food, Rook until late into the night, scrapbooking while the kids took naps, outside playtime (well, the boys did this), and great quiet evenings talking together.

Thank you SO MUCH for letting us crash with you, Brad and Kara!!!!

(Oliver and Braden spent two hours outside Saturday playing in the snow and mud!)
(Oliver's first 4-wheeler ride)

(Oliver and Braden "played" a game together...with the dad's help, of course!)

If Wallpaper and Gold Fixtures were Cool, I'd be Miles Davis

2011-02-16T20:17:00.006-06:00

Because this house is LOADED with that stuff. (And yes, I did just date myself by referencing "Billy Madison".) We finally have an official signed contract on the house we're buying so I feel okay to post pictures. Let's just say, we are PUMPED to get into the house and get started. Let me also say, it has "potential". (So when you see picture after picture of ripped-out flooring, old light fixtures, broken doors, ugly cupboards, and wallpaper galore...remember that. *POTENTIAL*)

Here they are:

The kitchen

The adjoining family room (which we'll be using more as a dining room/family room)

The formal dining room (which we'll be turning into a guest bedroom/office)

The entry way

(yes, that IS the storm door lying on the floor.)

The living room

Master Bedroom

(yes, that's Oliver wearing a mask. Don't ask.)

Kid's bedroom

Downstairs bathroom

(won't that mirror look cool painted red or white or something???)

We can't WAIT to get started replacing, painting, installing flooring...
but this is definitely a long-term project.

Feel free to stop by and see our progress!
(But wear your best work clothes--we'll likely talk you into staying!)

{Junior} Mr. Berean

2011-02-14T14:54:00.003-06:00

A few months back, Oliver was asked to be a junior attendant for Berean's Winter Homecoming. (This is the school that I teach preschool for) He was excited, but didn't really know what to expect. I was excited--but EXTREMELY nervous that he would chicken out at the list minute.

Thankfully, he did SO well!!! He and Ellie (a friend of his) walked hand-in-hand (in the dark!) and sat down on their little chairs, just like they were supposed to. (Oliver later told me that it was okay that he had to walk in the dark, since he's nocturnal.)

(sorry it's blurry!)

They sat quietly and patiently while the jazz band played, and while the candidates were being introduced. And when it was over? They got a present! (Ollie can VERY easily be won over with tractors.)

It was such a fun evening. And I STILL can't believe how brave he was.

Snow Days

2011-02-04T14:14:00.000-06:00

Snow days are fun...they're nice for a change of schedule, change of scenery, an excuse to make yummy treats and drink way more hot cocoa than I should...

But they can be a bit stressful, too. At least I found that was the case for me. Day one...we had some major melting down (by all 3 of us). So when I found out we'd be home again Wednesday...I made a plan. I announced that, even though we wouldn't be going to regular preschool, we'd have preschool at home. Ollie was hyper with excitement. He then announced that it was "pre-k, mom, not preschool". (Pre-K's are older...)

So, since it was Groundhog Day, we had a place to start.

First, we all got dressed.

Then, we looked up Punxatony Phil himself (online) to see what he predicted--sure enough--spring is near! (Plus, then the kids could see what the heck a groundhog was.) Oh, and we watched a couple short little youtube videos about groundhogs--they both involved highly cheesy singing..but the kids were VERY enthralled.

Then, we worked on the letter 'G' (for groundhog).

Ollie also made a picture for Cubby Bear.

(Lily pretty much just wandered around during this part)

Next up was snack. If you use your creative imagination...you can see that this is a little dirt mound (biscuit with cinnamon on top) and the little prune is our groundhog peaking out.

Finally, we acted it out. We had our groundhog hide in his hole, then PEAK OUT!

Ollie and Lily both tried it, too. (Oliver was convinced he saw his shadow.)
(can you see her 'peaking'?)

Later, I decided it was center time. (Which means, 'you kids go play on your own for a while!') They found dress-up clothes to be quite entertaining!

And no morning is complete without singing and dancing.

Thankfully, we survived two days being snowed in.
And we are SUPER excited to be able to go back to preschool again!

He Grew A Pouch!

2011-02-01T15:13:00.003-06:00

A week or so ago, Oliver asked me if God would give him a pouch. So we prayed...and God answered!

This is where Cubby Bear spends most of his time: taking a nap, eating, playing, going to school (except he sleeps in Ollie's backpack DURING school), and pretty much any other time. It is pretty cute.

The funniest thing for me is that Ollie has conversations with Cubby Bear. (And Ollie does all the talking!)

"Where are we going?"
"We're going to school, Bear."
"What's that?"
"It's a place where I go to preschool."

"What's that sound?"
"It's the radio."

It's a little odd to hear him conversing alone with his bear, but I suppose that's normal.
And very entertaining.

I thought I was a SUPER grocery shopper...

2011-01-30T21:29:00.003-06:00

Until I read this book.

To be honest, I read the first chapter, took a 'how savvy of a shopper are you?' quiz, received a horrible score (making me an 'impulse shopper'!) and hated Erin Chase for implying that.

But then I became slightly intrigued.

Once I started reading, I realized that I have some things to learn! Her whole book is made up of how to plan meals, shop wisely, coupon (something I think I'll try), and then a ton of $5 dinner recipes. Now, in my defense, we usually eat supper for less than $5. But the reason is that I purposely make our meals last two nights. Once the kids begin eating more--that won't always work. But she has some really good ideas in this book.

And the coupon-ing thing? I'm hoping that I can figure out a way to make that work. To me--it seems like a lot of detail work. But through Erin's ideas (and some help from another coupon-crazy friend) I'm hoping I'll be able to save even more money and prepare healthier meals for my family.

I received my first Sunday edition of the Wichita eagle today, clipped all the coupons, and then stared at them wondering how in the world I'll do this.

Oh well...it's a new challenge, right?

OPEN HOUSE!!!

2011-01-27T21:38:00.001-06:00

That's right! We are hosting an open house for our house WHICH IS FOR SALE this Sunday. (See sidebar--"Our House For Sale") Come anytime from 2-4pm--and send your needing-a-new-house friends!

Also, check out house pictures here.

Building Stuff

2011-01-26T12:53:00.000-06:00

The other day, Oliver decided to build a shovel to scoop all the snow:

"Mom, I'm going to make a shovel with this piece of wood. How can I cut it?"

"Here! I'll use my saw."

"Hmm...mom, this isn't really working very well. Maybe I'll do it harder."

"Maybe I'll just color it."

"There mom! See? It's a piece of wood that I colored!"

My New Favorite Song

2011-01-24T14:22:00.002-06:00

Disclaimer: {I admit that I usually DON'T listen to songs that people post on their blogs...so I totally understand if you skip this one!}

This is my new favorite song. (He's Always Been Faithful... by Sara Groves) My cousin Karmyn sang it at my grandpa's funeral--and although it was so fitting for that, it is such an incredible song.

"This is my anthem, this is my song
The theme of the stories I’ve heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end"

My Grandpa Epp

2011-01-22T20:25:00.004-06:00

(Grandpa and Grandma Epp a few years ago)

Last Friday morning we received news that my Grandpa Epp had passed away early that morning. Even though he had been hospitalized and very sick over Christmas--it was still hard to hear.
My sister, dad and I decided to make the drive up to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada for the funeral. We really wanted to be there. (My mom flew up early Saturday morning)

We departed on our road trip Sunday after church, and drove all the way to Fargo. In true 'great-white-north' style, it began to get snowy, windy and VERY cold.
(This really fuzzy picture shows the temperatures the night we drove in. Believe it or not, this was the WARM day.)

We met my brother and his family in Fargo, ND where we stayed the night. Early the next morning, we left again. Monday we drove up to Saskatoon and arrived just in time to make an awkward appearance (We're HE-RE!) at the viewing...we missed out on hearing some fun stories of my grandpa, but luckily, we heard many more over the next couple of days...

The next day we had grandpa's burial (in -25 temperatures) and then his funeral service. Wednesday, we hung out with grandma for a little bit before heading out again. It was a good thing we didn't stay too late--as we met up with pretty bad roads in North Dakota! We FINALLY drove out of the bitter cold in South Dakota, and saw the sun again. Canadian cousins: stop reading here: {How can ANYONE live in that cold?????} :-)
(our view for MUCH of the trip--there's a reason they call it the 'Great White North'!)

I was so glad I was able to go on the trip (and that Joel was okay for 4 days alone with the kids!)
It was so bittersweet to hear stories about grandpa from daughters, siblings, nieces and nephews, and us grandchildren. There were LOTS of laughs, and quite a few tears, too. He was such a sweet man.

The thing I loved most was hearing from everyone how devoted he was with his time with the Lord each day. He read through the Bible yearly. I still remember hearing he and grandma pray each night (for each of us!) and listening to them have devotions each morning. He was a quiet, loving man...so patient (except when driving, I hear!) and kind. My cousin Karmyn read 1 Cor. 13 during her tribute to him, and it was amazing to hear how much he was characterized by love. I am so thankful for Grandpa's life and legacy--and that he is now finally free from pain and weakness, sickness and death. And I can't wait to see him again someday!

(our cousin pic--only Dallas, Joel and Adrian were missing!)

(thought this was fitting)

(Addilyn kept me company in the backseat for a few hours on the way up...she read "Green Eggs and Ham" in it's entirety!)

(Me and Grandma after the funeral)

(Grandpa and my siblings a LONG time ago...)

(Grandpa and my mom on her wedding day--1979)

(Grandpa and Grandma on THEIR wedding day--1949?)

New House...Model #2

2011-01-21T15:09:00.003-06:00

Here is another view of our new house: the Lego version.

So...we finally found a HOUSE!!!!!

2011-01-14T21:48:00.001-06:00

And this is what it looks like. (According to Oliver) I'll be posting more pics (the before's--it's a foreclosure, mind you!) once we take possession of it in February. But we are VERY excited!

Lily's Cake and party

2011-01-13T13:43:00.000-06:00

Lily had her two party with my family this last week. Since her birthday is the beginning of January--she'll forever be celebrating with 'winter' themes. This year--it was a snowman.

We celebrated with my parents (my sister was sick--boo!!!) and had a lot of fun. Lily opened gifts, and we watched highlights from the Veggie Tales movie, "The Wonderful Wizard of Hah's". Funny movie. Oh, and Joel made the most amazing brisket. VERY yummy.

(Aunt NeeNee--we missed you! Before naps, Lily said, "Neenee come to my house?")

a one-word vision for 2011

2011-01-11T13:35:00.000-06:00

Yesterday on the radio, I heard an idea for the New Year: Instead of making New Year's Resolutions (which I really don't like), have a one-word vision for the year--something you'll focus on. That sounded much more do-able for me. And actually, last year that's what ended up happening.

In January 2010 I remember writing in my journal that I felt like the focus for that year was 'surrender'. God had been working on my heart in a lot of different ways--breaking, softening, changing...and I really wanted to LET Him do that. I wanted to surrender everything to His work in my life. Obviously that didn't mean that it was a perfect year and that I became perfect...:-)...but it was a good way for me to have a focus.

This year, I decided that my focus is 'praise'. I think I too often try to take all the attention for myself. I like to be liked, and I like to be praised. But I have seen what an incredibly beautiful thing it is when God receives the glory through people's lives and situations--and I want that to be more true in my life. I want to point people to Him...not try to take the credit and glory for myself. This year, in my words and actions, attitudes and thoughts, I want God to be praised.

*oh, and as a sidenote- that takes a HECK of a lot of pressure off of me. I think I'll feel much lighter this year. :-)

Christmas {Joel's Family}

2011-01-09T20:06:00.000-06:00

Christmas Day we left and drove to Springfield, Illinois for the night. Thankfully, the weather was WAY better than last year's drive! We stayed in a hotel which is ALWAYS exciting...(especially since Joel and I hole ourselves up in the bathroom and entertain ourselves while our kids slowly fall asleep in the main room...

Sunday we arrived in Indiana after an easy morning drive. There was lots of snow there, so we enjoyed LOTS of sledding on our trip!

Ollie played games with Grandpa...

Grandpa and Lily were buds. They loved playing with the people toys together.

Drew was so sweet and had a tea party with Lily one afternoon...

All the kids in one picture--8 grandkids now!

Lily had her 2 party in Indiana and blew out a candle on a whoopie pie! (Her first one, I'm sure!)

Lily helped Grandma make supper one night...
Oliver, Drew, Joel, Mitch and Abi made fun race tracks with Hot Wheels...

One morning we even had a band!!! We had a guitar...

Drums...

And a kazoo. (Plus other singers and kazoo players) It was SO much fun!

Uncle Mitch finally made his way into Lily's heart. It was a long time coming...but I think she tolerates him now. :-)

The last night we were there we had a fight: two power rangers against a princess. Not sure really who won that one...

Our holidays with the Smith's are FULL of people and FULL of energy--but always SO much fun!!!

Lily's Playhouse

2011-01-07T14:34:00.000-06:00

I hadn't even HEARD of these things until I saw Debby's that she made...and then found TONS of super-cute ones on Etsy. It was NOT hard to make...but as always, don't look TOO closely...I'm not a professional sew-er. (That's the weirdest word ever--'sew' becomes 'sewer'. I guess I'm not a professional 'sewer' either...)

The front (with a mailbox and letters

Side #1 (with removable apples)

Side #2

The back (with removable dog, kitty, and two birdies)

The birthday girl!