New Year's Resolutions

I'm not one for grand resolutions at New Year's, but there's something about starting a New Year with little ones (especially an almost 3 year old, what?!?) that makes me want to set some goals. Life flies by so fast that it makes sense to have a few specific things that you want or need to accomplish before it's too late. Here are a few of mine in no specific order:

1) Potty Train P (He will be three in June so that's the deadline! I will most definitely have some funny anecdotes coming with this process. He's a stubborn one and very verbal about it.)

2) Find a replacement program for Picnik. Seriously my poor blog has suffered like crazy since Google bought Picnik and took away my access to the free, easy, photo-editing world. I have tried lots of other things and it's all just blegh.

3) Speaking of the blog, I want to keep it up more regularly like I did last year (and before baby was born) but am considering a new blog name that includes more aspects of my life--not just the sewing/crafting part--because there is so much more going on right now!

4) Teach my child some skillz. We are setting aside 30 minutes to an hour every morning to draw, memorize, look at maps, count, learn letters, sit still, etc... every day. It's been good so far and something that both I and P enjoy, it's good for us to have some one-on-one while V is sleeping.

5) Work out! I got an elliptical machine for Christmas so that's also part of the daily routine, so nice to be able to work out at home. It's definitely the easiest way to consistently exercise with kiddos.

6) Be more consistent and intentional about studying scripture, add memorization to my routine.

7) Keep my tone of voice kind no matter what the scenario, with friends, husband and little ones.

8) Projects: Re-vamp the first floor bath, paint and fix up my bedroom, pare down and fill in gaps in my wardrobe, make a lap quilt, work on summer/spring clothes for P, start some musical projects (arranging or writing or something).

9) Work on being positive. Negativity and criticism goes a long way (not a good thing) and can be so poisonous and contagious--it's easy to get in the habit of being negative in conversation and about life in general. I want to be infectiously positive (my friend Caris is like that!).

Happy New Year! Have fun everybody!

Christmas

Merry Christmas! It flew by too fast as usual and is a bit of a blur. I don't know how much of that is going through the holidays for the first time with two babies and how much was my poor sick two year old who was up every few hours with a cough and fever every night leading up to Christmas.

This Christmas a cough, last Christmas pinkeye...

2012

2011

Poor little man was pretty miserable both years, but after a few doses of good medicine he was up and about and playing with Christmas toys again! I'm really grateful for antibiotics--it's a terrible, helpless feeling when your baby is sick. Next year I'm going to put him in isolation right after Thanksgiving. 

P was a really fun age this year! He loved the Christmas tree and Christmas cookies and Christmas music, we talked a lot about Jesus' birthday. I got some electric candles for an advent wreath, which he didn't fully understand, but he called them Jesus' birthday candles and carried them around the house. Santa was super exciting too, he wasn't terrified. 

He got really into the old clay-mation Rudolph, from the 70's/80's. This is his "very, shiny nose."

Me, mom, sis and sis-in-law did our annual Christmas lunch at a great little place out in the country. Baby V is swaddled up and lying on the floor behind us for the photo :).

We even had some snow this year (before Christmas). P said it was "yucky."

Baby V was baptized on Christmas Adam (Dec. 23). It was a really sweet celebration and covenant with our church family. The church was decorated beautifully!

V is starting to look so big and be really interested in what's going on around him. He grabs at toys and smiles and laughs constantly.

Christmas Eve!

V was a party animal on Christmas Eve, but...

...he slept through Christmas morning.

P had a ball (even with his cough)! This is the train board we made for him. I painted water and roads and trees and such, then we glued down the pieces. It's really fun and he seems to like it. I'll post some more info on how we did it in a later post.

It was a wonderful Christmas spent with family. We are blessed beyond belief and rejoice wholeheartedly in God's great mercy, Christ came to dwell with us and to restore us to the glorious presence of God! Though there is pain and sadness and broken relationships here on earth, He will wipe all that away when He comes again. Come soon, Lord Jesus!

Thanksgiving Think it Through Thursday (a week or so late)

This is what I wake up to every morning. I am incredibly blessed. 

I am so grateful for the three sweet boys in my life and I praise God for the way he sustains us every day.

This Is My Father’s World

 Psalm 69:29-34

But as for me, afflicted and in pain;

let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving,

This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.

When the humble see it they will be glad;

You who seek God, let your hearts revive.

For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise

His own people who are prisoners.

Let heaven and earth praise him,

The seas and everything that moves in them.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we have a lot to be grateful for: a nation in which we are free to worship and where we have incredible opportunities; churches and pastors who treasure and proclaim the gospel; a God who is supremely worthy of praise, who is the author of “every good and every perfect gift” (James 1:17), who is “infinite, eternal and unchangeable” and who embodies all “wisdom, power, justice, holiness, goodness and truth” (WSC). We can see His glory in the beauty of creation, trees that are a riot of color and an earth that abounds in good things to eat and drink. He has blessed us with tongues to taste delicious food and good wine, mouths to laugh and sing, eyes to appreciate the beauty around us. We can enjoy and take comfort in relationships with friends and family.

Some of us this year can thank the Lord for good health, others may be battling illness, have lost pregnancies, have sick children or are grieving for lost loved ones. Many people have bills that can’t be paid, have lost jobs and homes, or have a struggling marriage. There is real pain and sadness in our lives and it can be difficult to lift our hearts in Thanksgiving. Some of us are pleased with the results of last week’s election, others are sad, angry and fearful of the future—unable or unwilling to see the hand of God in this decision.

Psalm 69 is a Psalm of David, through the first 28 verses he cries out to the Lord—describing his desolate physical situation, his sadness, shame, and fear. Then, at the end of the passage, he writes: “BUT.” A resounding, “BUT”—a dramatic change from the attitude of the previous verses. A declaration that regardless of pain and affliction, yet will he sing! God’s salvation still raises David from despair and revives his heart. Like David, in the midst of trial, our focus must be on the greatness and majesty of the Lord, who does not change and is always worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. The Almighty is not deaf to our struggles, He hears our prayers and sympathizes with us in our weakness.

Above all else, God is sovereign. He has not left the world to its own devices.

This is my Father’s world,

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,

His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world

And let me ne’er forget,

That though the wrong seems oft’ so strong,

God is the ruler yet.

God is the ruler yet! No decision, ruler or government is outside of His sovereign control.  We live in a broken world, BUT our good, loving God is in control. We experience real pain and affliction, BUT God holds us in the palm of His sovereign hand. “I rest me in that thought!”

Lord, this Thanksgiving, let us be reminded that we are blessed beyond anything we could ask or imagine because we have the gift of your Son and the salvation that He made possible by His blood. When we are tried and hurt, remind us that all things work together for good to those who love you. Let us come before you with hearts ready to praise and with gratitude that flows from our lips and hearts in joy and irrepressible song! Amen.

Baby Shower and Gal's Weekend

Last weekend I helped throw a baby shower for my friend Brittany. She was my first college roommate and she's having her first baby, a boy! I'm excited, her little guy will be friends with Baby V, they will only be about 3 months apart. Here are the gals, the same group of ladies who helped with C's shower last year around this time. 

Right after the shower, we took off for girl's Christmas weekend. It was fun! We did the usual: ate a lot of great food, played cards and charades, exchanged Christmas gifts, and laughed a lot! See more photos of gals weekend HERE)

I set up the camera to take pictures automatically and it fell over...

Better...but I hate looking at pictures of myself. I'm growing my hair out and it is at such an awkward length.

Sidenote: I had a weird allergic reaction to my favorite shampoo (your body does weird things after having a baby) and my head and ears are all red and swollen. Wonderful...especially combined with the lack of sleep AND (sidenote #2)  my car was broken into while we were in church on Thanksgiving weekend. Shattered window and missing chocolate brown Longchamp, with wallet, nursing cover, lots of diapers and a handful of loose goldfish. Thanks a lot, criminal. I know without a doubt you are an Obama supporter and that makes me even more furious. In a year or so he will be taking what belongs to me and giving it to you anyway, just be patient.

On our last night, we drove up to the top of a hill to watch the sunset and drink a "sundowner"-it was a beautiful night. (Baby Sandwich!!) Overall a great girls weekend, I'm lucky to have such lovely friends.