Thursday, December 20, 2012

Christmastime is Here....

I can finally exhale (for the most part) and enjoy the rest of the week knowing that I am completely ready for Christmas to be here! All of my gifts are purchased, made, and wrapped under the tree! Don't get me wrong- I've enjoyed every minute of the season so far! I haven't been stressed out to the max or anything. It's just nice to know that it's all done. The list has been checked twice and I'm excited for people to open the gifts we purchased or made for them.

I can't get too relaxed, though. There's still 17 things on my list of things to do today! Sheesh- I will never be ahead again. That's okay.

In other exciting news, Jim surprised me two nights ago with a note and a gift. He said it's the 12 Days of our Anniversary. I mean- what a guy! Sweet notes and little gifts... love my man! He didn't even use Pinterest... Yesterday, I went all around the house looking for my gift, but it turns out I get them at night. Ha.

Oh, shout out to my little brother, Alijah. He turns 11 today! Happy Birthday Dude!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday! Happy Birthday Mom!

Jacob and I took her Starbuck's and flowers this morning. After Jacob's nap, we're taking her to lunch. She didn't want a big party, so I honored that. Instead, she wanted some golf lessons. Yup, golf lessons.  Plans are being made for a trip to DFW to get that done. I could seriously go on and on and on about how awesome my Mom is. If you know her, you know these things. She is one of the most giving, selfless people I know, she's a great Mom (I know she would disagree, but I turned out pretty good!), she's a great nurse and soon to be Nurse Practitioner, she loves her kids and her grandkid (probably more than us kids somedays- but he's still all cute and no "real" work save for carrying him around), and love her animals!! She's a good cook, a great listener and gives super awesome wisdom when you need it.

Today is also her sister's, (and my aunt, obviously) Lisa, birthday! Kinda cool that they were born on the same day 4 years apart, huh? Aunt Lisa is just like her sis in many ways- sometimes she's a little bit crazier (in a good way of course!), but she's had a tough year of taking care of her husband and dealing with everything that comes with that and still gives to her church and her family with a smile!

Happy Birthday Girls! We love you!




Sunday, December 16, 2012

When the To Do List gets put on Hold

Zero things got done this weekend. I woke up Saturday feeling incredibly nauseas. I then spent the rest of the day not being able to keep ANYTHING down (not even water) and was afraid I was headed for a repeat of an August trip for IV fluids because of dehydration.

Instead of shopping on Saturday and annual sweets baking day with my Mom and sister on Sunday, I was in bed or in the bathroom.

Shout out to my awesome husband who spent his entire weekend single parenting it with Jacob. It's hard enough to do all day on your only day off, but even harder when you're not used to having to do it all day by yourself. I knew he'd be an awesome, hands on Dad (that's one of the reasons I married him) and it just makes me love him even more when he shines at it!

Now, I have a lengthy to do list, days to complete it, and a headache that only goes away while I'm dosed up on Tylenol. Maybe I should just not worry about any of it since the world ends Friday, right?

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Christmas Vacation

Christmas vacation has officially started for me. Save for picking up my siblings next week, which really isn't that much "work," I can now completely focus on the to do list that is filled with mostly holiday tasks and some first of the year projects.

To start off my vacation, I cut a couple of inches off of my hair. I was wadding it up into a messy bun on the back of my head every day and never fixing it because I would rather do other things than fix my hair but I also felt like a slob. That was a bad sentence, but it was my thought process. Now, it's shorter and thinned out so I can wear it down and curly (which is what will happen most days)' pulled back for dance and working out and straightened for special occasions. I also got some side bang things that are going to drive me crazy for a while.

I'm not finished buying/making Christmas presents which is a must. Then, they will need to be wrapped. I really haven't thought much passed that and probably don't need to as it may cause unnecessary anxiety for my OCD personality. PS: I love Amazon. Not only do I get free two day shipping on most things, it's sometimes cheaper and you get a free box. Could not be any easier.

So that's what I have planned for the weekend along with some family things. I'll be back Monday to let you know more about it. I know you're dying to know.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

So Thankful for my Church

Yesterday, I had one of those weird moments where you feel like you're walking through a flashback in a movie or tv show. I was at my church getting ready for our dance recital and I had to go in a different entrance as they were doing some exterior work at the main one. I was walking down the long hallway and all of these memories flooded my head.

I set foot in that church for the first time to attend the funeral of my teammate and friend Lacey. She had decided that the world was more than she could handle and had ended her own life my freshman year of high school.

I didn't start seriously attending services there until my junior year. From that point forward, God began great things for my life that were, well, life-altering. My journey on this earth took a drastic turn from where I thought it would be going.

I graduated from high school and decided to stay home and attend school here, met a guy who would be instrumental in involving me in children's ministry and introduce me to my mentor, Julie. Walking down that long hallway, I remembered walking into offices and getting schedules and tasks, helping out and learning new things about ministry. The walls were a different color and the break room for the janitors was filled with faces, some who still work there, others who have moved on in jobs or from this world, and I half expect one of them to come around the corner.

I would move on from children's ministry to youth ministry. There is a special group of girls that hold their place in my life when I felt so alive and really loved what I did. They're all in college now, taking on their own journeys. Julie would introduce me (in a most embarrassing way) to my husband. I became an assistant after directing the sports ministry and learning that being in charge is NOT my thing. Being an assistant was hard, but I was so appreciated by my bosses and loved what I did that it made it worth it. Now, I'm just a volunteer and love doing what I can to help out and teaching dance to four sweet girls.

As I pushed Jacob down that hallway, I just connected all those dots and got a little sentimental. Of course, it was God's plan all along, but my life is what it is in part because of all of those memories and circumstances that the hundred year old building holds. I am who I am because God used them for my good and His glory. There are some rough spots and some spots that weren't very fun, but I'm so thankful for each of them. I'm thankful to be on this journey with my Lord, and it makes me excited for what's down the road: the good and the bad, but all beautifully orchestrated.

Taco Soup and Missouri Cookies

Last week, it was eighty degrees and yesterday it snowed 2 inches. My favorite tweet yesterday came from a girl in our college group that said something along the lines that there were two types of people: those who freak out about the snow online and those who complain about those posting about the snow online. Like I said yesterday, this wasn't Jacob's first snow, but we got out and took a picture anyway.



For the record, the roads were pretty bad yesterday morning as it was in the twenties and school got canceled for high school down (two area colleges went on with finals scheduled as normal I believe). We took Jim to work around 8:30 and then came home for our morning routine of playing and napping. We went to my Mom's house to visit with her and my sister, Lexie, ran some errands with me. We did some grocery shopping and Christmas shopping, and I took her home before Jacob's afternoon nap. I made Taco Soup for dinner and we gave Jacob a bath after picking up Jim for his office. We did our Jesse Devotional and put Jacob down and then watched Monday Night Football. Jim and I are playing each other in our Fantasy league this week. I won. Boo ya!

Oh, I also made some delicious Missouri cookies yesterday during Jacob's afternoon nap. Yummy. Here are those recipes:

Missouri Cookies

2 cups sugar
Dash of salt
3 tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
3 cups oats

1. Mix cocoa, sugar, butter and milk. Heat until bubbly.
2. Turn off heat and stir in salt, vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well.
3. Gradually add the oats
4. Drop onto wax/parchment paper.

My Grandmother's Taco Soup

2 lbs. hamburger meat
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 can each undrained pinto beans, ranch style beans, corn, rotel
1 can drained diced tomatoes
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

1. Brown meat and onion together.
2. Add pinto beans, ranch style beans, corn and rotel and stir until combined.
3. Add tomatoes, taco seasoning and ranch seasoning and stir again.
4. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes and serve with cheddar cheese on top.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Baby It's Cold Outside

This month is flying by and the weather has finally caught up with the calendar. Temperatures have been in the 60s and 70s during the day and 40s at night. The windchill last night got down into the 20s! There is actually snow on the ground this morning and schools are delayed. This isn't Jacob's first snow, though, as it snowed randomly in February just days after we came home from the hospital.

Friday, Jim was starving when we got off from work, so we called an audible and had sonic for dinner. We played a board game on the iPad (Ticket to Ride) and watched a movie that was on TV. I also finished sewing our stockings and so the house is as decorated as it's going to be for Christmas.


Saturday, Jim took Jacob to his parents' house so I could have some "me" time. I mostly worked on the house and cooked a delicious lunch. Jim came back home to lay Jacob down and then went to watch our high school alumni make history and get the farthest in the playoffs in football. (I feel like that is a terrible sentence.) When Jacob woke up, we braved the mall and did some Christmas shopping. My sister and her boyfriend were in town, so they came over that night to watch Jacob while Jim and I attended a church Christmas party.


Yesterday morning was a normal Sunday for us. Jacob woke up a little earlier so he went down for his nap a little early. It worked out because we actually got to church on time and I got to take a nap after feeling like I couldn't keep my eyes open. He wore a sweater vest for the first time (Jim's Dad loves sweater vests) and looked super handsome. After church, an afternoon nap for Jacob, we bundled up and went to look a local lights display.


Tomorrow night is my first dance recital as a teacher. I've got a few things to finish up before it and we've also got grocery shopping and some people to visit.

What did you do his weekend??





Friday, December 7, 2012

Blogging's Been on the Backburner

I haven't been blogging regularly. It's not because I haven't had time; it's just because I've been spending on it things that were more important to me than the blog. I'm a firm believer in that you make time for what's important. 

There's lots I want to blog about. It's Christmas and with that comes the usual hustle and bustle of the holidays. It's our first Christmas as a family of three and I want to make is special, but not go crazy. After all, Jacob won't really remember this. But, it's important that we make Christmas special for our family with our traditions and for the right reasons. We've been doing an activity every day to count down the days until Christmas. We've also been participating in a Jesse Tree devotional. I'll share all about it when we're done.

I'm excited for some time off from one of my jobs to completely refocus and plan for next semester. I'm excited for Jim to get some time off to to hang out with us. We've got fun Christmas plans ahead and I can't wait!

Today, Jacob and I made some Edible Arrangement deliveries for my Mom. She's finishing up her FNP degree and had to do some clinicals. She wanted to thank them so we made the deliveries for her to save her the $24. Jacob was a rock star on the two hour errand. He played with his toys, talked to whatever was out the window, and we listened to the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from the Holiday Traditions station on Sirius. We made a stop at small town Sonic to eat lunch. He deserved a car seat break and I was hungry. I put him in the front seat facing the highway and he watched the cars and trucks drive by while I ate. 



We did a diaper change and headed home. He ALMOST fell asleep in the car but I kept him awake until we got home. I laid him down almost 30 minutes ago and he's still in there talking to Mr. Grinch. Hopefully he gets a nap in before we have to go pick up my siblings.

I'm going to try to update on a more regular basis, even if it's from my phone or iPad. Getting behind makes it more overwhelming to start back up! 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Jacob :: 10 Months

My baby boy is 10 months old. I can't believe in 2 more months, we'll have a one year old! I better get planning for his baseball party!!



It is so fun watching Jacob learn new things. He has a toy that requires two steps (putting a toy on it and pulling a lever) and he does it without help (and then claps for himself!). He is waking up just once a night (sometimes two but we cry it out) and napping so well now (two naps a day anywhere from 1-2 hours each). He is talking constantly and saying "da da" ALL THE TIME. The only time I ever hear him say "ma ma" is when he is crying. We got a different diaper to try (for chunky thighed babies, but it didn't work out.

I got out a tub of clothes that I purchased last summer. They were clothes I assumed we'd be wearing next year, mostly 24 months and 2T, depending on the brand. The table food thing didn't last, as he constantly gagged and is having trouble with that pincer grasp (guess the few times he did it last month were just lucky!) He loves playing in the floor with his toys and jumping in his saucer.

He scoots on his bottom to move around. He's made the crawling motion a few times. Last night, he even pulled up to a sitting position in bed (while he was sleeping). I'm not sure he realized what he was doing and then couldn't figure out how to lay back down so he started crying.

So excited to be getting ready for his first Christmas!

Friday, November 30, 2012

Day 30 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

I'm glad it's the last day. I know that probably sounds horrible- but it's been a lot of work and sometimes stress to do this everyday. BUT, it has made me more thankful, even sometimes if it's for silly things. Just like our purpose statement says, we want to be a family that is characterized by gratitude.

Day 30: On the Wall (Our Family Purpose Statement)


Thursday, November 29, 2012

Day 29 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

So thankful that today is Thursday! It's been a crazy week and I'm so ready for a normal weekend!

Day 29 : Big

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Day 28 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful that Wednesdays are a day off for me and Jacob! We can get back on our schedule and do things on our time and just hang out! Love Wednesdays!

Day 28 : Vehicle
Cleaning out the car is on our to do list today!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Day 27: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for the news that Scott Feldman is no longer a Texas Ranger!

Day 27 : Tree (Christmas, of course!)

Monday, November 26, 2012

Day 26 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful for my step-mom! Happy Birthday, Stacey!

Day 26:: In the Cupboard

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Day 25 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, on this last day of Thanksgiving vacation, I'm thankful for a day home with my little family and time to decorate for Christmas. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday (fall is my favorite season!) because it means we get time off to spend with family and doing lots of fun things. It is after all, the MOST wonderful time of the year! I'm excited to spend Jacob's first Christmas with him.

Day 25: The Sky

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Day 24 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

I'm thankful that Christmas season is finally here! It's going to be Jacob's first, so I'm excited to decorate and start and continue traditions. Today, Jim went to his parents' house and I had time to clean the house and de-autumnize the house in preparation for decking the halls!

Photo A Day: A Sound I Heard

Friday, November 23, 2012

Day 23 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful that the day wasn't any worse than it was. I'm not sure that's something to really be thankful for, but it's what I got today. My mom's key fob for her Altima was run over by a lawn mower which made for an interesting day of towing the car to the dealership and my child not napping.

Photo A Day: Black

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Day 22 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful today for an ENTIRE DAY to spend with family and friends!

Photo A Day: Grateful for my ENTIRE family!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Day 21 :: Photo a Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful for the means to be able to "cut back" to save some money. It's never fun eliminating luxuries, but some people need to cut back, but have to pick between much harder things, food or heat, car or house payment, etc.

Photo A Day :: What I Wore

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Day 20 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful that vacation from work has officially begun. I have no dance classes this week and my Mom is off the rest of the week, so no kid duties (as far as "work" goes!) Of course, I'm learning that as a Mom, vacations don't really exist anymore. Even if I get some time "off" I can't not be in "mom" mode. He's totally worth it, though!

Photo A Day: Work/Play
Like I said, I'm "off" work, but we did have some things come up today and I had to go assist with the siblings. I went to get my little brother (he was home sick) because he was scared and when we left, I unknowingly locked my older siblings out of the house. After some magic and Zac skinnying through a window, we got in. I don't have a picture, but I do have the text from my Mom that was going on.

Play time always happens during nap times (after the necessaries are done, of course!)

Monday, November 19, 2012

Life Update

You know what happens when you wait too long to write an actual update on life? You stare at a blank screen because it's so overwhelming. So, let's start at the beginning.

I love my job. Sure, some days are trying, but that's life with 3-9 year olds. The only problem is that it was a serious pay cut and now we've got some decisions to make. THEN, our garage door broke twice and our gas dryer went out. Thankfully, the garage door company came and repaired it for free since it had been less than a month between breakings. However, on top of purchasing new appliances, we had to have an electrician come out and run electricity to the laundry area because our previous dryer was gas; we needed more power!

So, we got all that taken care of. And, we're trying to wisely pray through the process of where our family is headed. Thankfully, my husband is a rockstar steward of our finances and we have taken the steps to be ready for this situation. And more than that, GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES FOR US. Sure, it doesn't mean he provides for all our little luxuries, but it means we'll have everything we need. And folks, you don't really need much. And yes, it's way easier for me to type this on this blank page. Sure, I'll probably have to be reminded of it, but it's the truth. It will be a good exercise in the discipline of contentment and not comparing myself, my belongings, my life to others.

Life definitely ain't all bad, though!

  • I'm super excited about the Thanksgiving holiday. I love having the whole day to spend with your family and eat good food. We'll be spending this Thanksgiving primarily with my family as Christmas will be spent with Jim's family out of town. 
  • While spending the money wasn't fun, especially on something boring like a washer and dryer, it's nice having new stuff that works! We can actually dry our diapers now! The gas dryer was either on or off- but this one has a high, low and medium setting! It's the little things....
  • Christmas decorating and the Christmas season officially begin Friday. I'll be taking a hard look at the Christmas stuff we have and paring down the collection.
  • I've become quite the chef if I do say so myself. All the Food Network watching has paid off a little bit. Just ask Jim- he'll tell you. He'll also tell you that my watching Food Network has paid off way more than when I watched HGTV all the time and was constantly discontent about what my house wasn't.
  • Oh yeah....and there's these things that I'm super thankful for and I've been picking one thing a day; and even on the bad days, I still have something to say "thanks" for. 

Day 19 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, my photo a day and "thankful thing" go hand in hand. My Mom bought us dinner and gave us some beautiful flowers just as an extra thank you for "everything." My Mom pays me for my "work" for her, but sometimes things come up, so she just wanted to make sure we knew that we were appreciated. Of course, she doesn't realize that sometimes things come up on our end, too, and we know we can always count on her for help!


Sunday, November 18, 2012

Day 18 :: Photo a Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Day 18- Today I'm thankful for my church and my Pastor. I don't know first hand, but I've heard from lots of people that our body of believers is unique! I love where I serve, I love my table and the challenge and laughs as well as they joys and sorrows they bring, and the Bible Study I attend!

Today's photo: Happened this weekend, the installation of our new washer and dryer!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Day 17 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful for the help my in laws gave us in getting our new washer and dryer to our house and installed!

Day 17 :: The Last Thing I Bought

Friday, November 16, 2012

Day 16 :: Photo a Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I am thankful for my sweet cousin, once removed (but let's not get technical!) Jett! We celebrated his first year of life tonight (his actual birthday is on Thanksgiving) and it was super fun getting to hang out with family and friends and expose Jacob to lots of kids! He loves feeling like a big boy! I'm of course thankful for his whole family (Justin, Amber & Lila-Kate)- but it was his day today! We love the Bindel family!

Photo A Day :: View from my Window
We have a window inside of our house that looks out onto the sunroom. A window that doesn't look outside. I was bathing Jacob and saw these sun streaks streaming through the blinds.


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Day 15 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I am thankful for the people in our lives that we look to as mentors! Jim and I both have been blessed with great ones who speak truth into our lives, help us view our circumstances wisely, pray for us and encourage us!

Day 15 :: In your Bag
This is what was in Jacob's diaper bag while we did a 3 mile mall walk this morning.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Day 14 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for an entire day off so that Jacob and I could accompany Jim on a quick business trip! Even though it was an early morning (4:30 AM wake up!) we had so much fun and Jacob was so good! I love hanging out with my family!

Day 14: Man Made
I actually made these a couple of days ago, but it was a Pinterest recipe and it was oh so good!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Day 13 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I am thankful for the ladies that make Tuesday Morning Bible Study happen! We have been studying Covenant this semester and it has been awesome. It has caused me to look deeply at things in my life and has changed the way I look at the Bible. Thanks for your obedience and hard work, Anne & Rebecca (and everyone else involved behind the scenes!)

Day 13 Photo: Where I slept (my unmade bed!)

Monday, November 12, 2012

Day 12 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I am thankful for the random days Jim has off. Jacob and I love having him home during the day!

Day 12: Drink
I'm pretty sure I've officially become a Coca Cola drinker.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Day 11 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, as we celebrate Veteran's Day, I'm thankful for those who have and who are serving our country. Closer to home, I'm thankful for my late Grandfather, who fought in WW2 and Jim's grandfather, who I only knew for a short time. I wish Jacob could have known his great-grandfathers.

Day 12: Night
(Indiglo function on my watch so I can see it at night!)



Saturday, November 10, 2012

Day 10 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I am thankful that we live less than 10 minutes away from grandparents! They're always eager to watch Jacob so that Jim and I can go on dates and spend quality time together. Dating still happens after you're married.

Day 10: Something I can't (won't) Live Without
Ponytail Holders...My hair doesn't go a full day without being in a ponytail. Most days, it's wadded up on the back of my head wet.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Day 9 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful for the wise encouragement of a great friend in helping me deal with Jacob's completely unpredictable schedule these last couple of days. It's such a blessing to have people to walk this road of motherhood with.

Day 9 :: Something Small

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Day 8 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful that I was able to find a sitter (thanks, Tiffany!) to come sit with Jacob while I taught dance. Growing up, babysitting was such an easy job for me and I always felt like people over-payed me for what I actually did, but now I completely understand the peace of mind you have when you leave your child with someone you trust. I would hate to not have ANY other choice and have to leave Jacob somewhere I didn't feel comfortable.

Photo A Day 8 :: Something I do everyday is drive a car.

Fall Decor in My Home

I liked decorating for seasons and holidays, but I don't want to stress myself out about it. I also don't like having a ton of stuff to store, so I try to keep things simple, but still fun! After all, part of our family purpose statement is that our home would be a place of love, safety AND FUN!


Our mantle has some tiny artificial pumpkins with our fall smelling candles. I made the banner last year; it says "Thanks." The back of the banner says "Autumn" (double duty banner!). I changed it from Autumn to Thanks once November showed up on the calendar.

The wreath on our front door was an after-season buy from Target a couple of years ago. I got it on clearance. Before November, a happy Jack o Lantern hangs on the door, but I change it out, obviously, once Halloween is over. 

The bottom left picture is our entertainment shelf that houses our cable boxes, game systems and movies/video games. I just put these three candle holders with that I got for my birthday from my Dad a few years ago to make things a little more special.

The bottom right picture is a picture of my table. The picture above it more closely showcases my centerpiece. The brown table cloth is from Target, the table runner (with embroidered leaves) is from Wal Mart. The black tray is from Jim's cousin and the glass pumpkin from Jim's Mom. The artificial leaves, gourds, pumpkins and pine cones are also from Jim's Mom. I just filled the pumpkin with the pine cones and put it in the middle of the tray and added the leaves and other stuff around it.

So, thats Fall at our house! Do you decorate for seasons?

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Day 7 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Today, I'm thankful for the means to be able to seek out healthcare (specifically dental care, as I went and had my teeth cleaned!) and to be able to have a role in deciding who we see for our medical care. I'm also thankful for the nurses in my family (Mom, Aunt, Cousin and my late Grandmother) who always give us their honest opinion with a dose of love!

Day 7 Photo A Day: Reflection
I didn't want to take a picture of myself, so I tried to think of other ways to interpret the word reflection and decided to do a search on YouVersion.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Day 6 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Day 6: Today I am thankful to live in the United States. We have the privilege and right to vote and take part in our governmental process. We have many freedoms that were bought with a high price that others in the world don't enjoy. I really have no reason to ever complain about anything because I'm better off than like 90% of the world. While all the debating sometimes annoys me, I remember that there are few places in the world that people could openly debate such things and I'm thankful.

Photo A Day: A Favorite Thing
I always prefer to right with Sharpie Pens

Monday, November 5, 2012

Day 5 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Day 5: Today, I'm thankful that we did the hard work of making Jacob learn to put himself to sleep. Sure, he still wakes up in the night to eat, but putting him down at nap times and bed times are most of the time stress free. We do it about the same time every day, following his cues as well. We went through some hard weeks of letting him cry a while. He still fusses a bit, but puts himself to sleep.

Photo A Day: 5 o clock
I was at my nanny job and this is what it looked like at 5...

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Day 4 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

For today's 30 Days of Thankfulness, I'm going to lump my family in together. If I took a day to be thankful for each member of just me immediate family, well, that'd take up the whole month. I'm the oldest of 11 kids. That doesn't count parents, in-laws, aunts and uncles, cousins....you get my point. Sometimes, family members are difficult to deal with, but I know I'm difficult to deal with sometimes, too, so it all evens out. I wouldn't trade any of them for the world. Marriage is a beautiful thing for a lot of reasons, but one important one is the expansion of family. I have twice the love, friends, encouragement and support! Jacob is well loved by them all, and so are we.

Photo A Day 4 :: TV
Most every Sunday, we watch NFL on TV and watch our Fantasy Teams.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Day 3:: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Something I'm Thankful For:
It probably goes without saying, but I'm crazy thankful for my closet ally in the world, Jim. Sure, it goes without saying for me, but sometimes those things are the most important. I was just reading on Facebook last night about someone going through a difficult divorce and it hurt my heart. 
Jim is my best friend. There's no one I'd rather spend a free day with than him. He speaks truth to my confusing emotions and helps me sort out my thoughts. He is an amazing Dad and loves us both so well. He is the man of the house, the leader that I look to for guidance and I know Jacob will do the same. 

Day 3 :: Breakfast
Today was a picture of breakfast! This is what I eat EVERY MORNING.


Friday, November 2, 2012

Day 2 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

Day 2 of Something I'm Thankful for: So thankful for a healthy, happy little boy! He is the most challenging and yet at the same time the best part of my days! His smile and giggle make me smile, and when he shakes his fists at me because he wants me, even though it means he's probably a little bit spoiled, my heart is full because he loves his momma! I'm so thankful God chose us as stewards of his life; we seek His wisdom daily in doing our part the best that we can.

Day 2 of Photo A Day: Color
The Autumn color palette is by far my favorite of the year!


I realize the link may not be working from yesterday's post, so here's the list from her website (Fat Mum Slim).




Jacob :: 9 Months


Yesterday, Jacob turned 9 months old! We went to the doctor for his check up, so here's what we found out, plus some other important information in my favorite way of writing, a list:


  • He weighs 26 pounds 2 ounces
  • He is 31 inches long (that's almost a yard!)
  • He is still off the chart in height and weight, but follows a proportional curve above the graph
  • He can play Pat A Cake, Peek A Boo, give high fives, wave (sometimes at appropriate times) and has good control of the "pincer" grasp (using his index finger and thumb to grab things) and a good "vocabulary" (makes lots of different sounds with his mouth in response to things).
  • He is wearing 18-24 month clothes, but we've even had to venture into 2T for pajamas and some t-shirts.
  • He was a skunk for his first Halloween
  • I did find some shoes from Old Navy that will stay on his feet (as long as he isn't able to pull them off!)
  • We will start offering table food to him since he seems to be snobby about preferring nursing over baby food. Feeding my child has been the hardest part so far about being a Mom. I never know if I'm doing the right thing or when to change. That probably sounds weird because you would think eating would be something you wouldn't have much trouble with, but it's hard for me. I need a checklist!
  • He got a flu shot today and cried less than a minute.
  • Still loves jumping-jumping-jumping in his bouncer and is content to sit in the floor with toys to play.
  • Has made no motion toward crawling. He's got until 12 months to start or we'll have to do some physical therapy. I've been assured/encouraged that this is not uncharacteristic by other mom-friends. Things change so fast, anyway, I'm not worried about it at all. We'll be adding in some baby massage/exercises to see if that helps.
  • He still doesn't sleep through the night. We go 7 hours at the most, but some nights he wakes up 2 or 3 times. If I didn't have a job, I'd probably be more into to crying it out in the middle of the night, but knowing nap times are my only "me" time at home to get stuff done (like showering or Bible Study or cleaning) before I go to work in the afternoons just makes me want to get him back to sleep ASAP so I can go back to sleep, too. I figure once he weans from breastfeeding, I'll be more gung-ho about making him cry it out.
  • He's been wearing a disposable diaper at night- every diaper he was wearing was leaking and I was done changing sheets/jammies in the middle of the night. We're hoping for some different diapers for Christmas that will change that.
And now, for cute pictures:


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Day 1 :: Photo A Day and 30 Days of Thankfulness

I'm going to jump on two bandwagons for the month of November.

NOVEMBER

The first is Photo A Day. I've tried this a few times, but it was before I got my new iPhone and so it's much easier to share pictures now. I'll be doing this Photo A Day Challenge!

The other thing is 30 days of Thankfulness!

Being thankful and focusing on the things you have and not the things you don't can do WONDERS to your attitude and perspective on life. It's pretty much a guarantee! Join with me?

This means I'll occasionally be posting twice a day, but it's my blog and I'll do what I want!

Day 1 :: Something That Starts With "C"



Day 1 :: A fitting place to start for being thankful is the beginning. For me, that's my Heavenly Father's love. All the rest of the good gifts (i.e. things I'm thankful for) are from Him through the work of Christ on the cross! Without it, I am dead in my sin, doomed to a life of hopelessness.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Sick Baby Boy

First of all, shout out to my brother James because yesterday was his 25th birthday! He works on a ranch hours from where we live, but got to come into town so we could celebrate! Looking forward to when he lives closer!


This picture is of my brother, Mom and sister from Easter 2012.

Jacob hasn't been feeling 100%. He's got a super snotty nose and a cough. Two nights ago, we were up every 2 hours. It was exhausting to say the least. Grandma saved the day, though, and kept Jacob so I could rest. He didn't nap and hardly ate. Last night, I was expecting the worst! However, he slept from 8 until 3:40 and then until 7. Hoping he gets to feeling better! Today is his first Halloween and he is supposed to be a skunk! Pictures will definitely be coming!

PS: Did you know I have another blog? I wanted to separate projects from personal life and so this blog is all about what's going on in the life of the Johnson family. The project blog, called a Neverending List (because I ALWAYS have a project I want to be doing) can be found here!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Baby Food Strike

For the last couple of weeks, Jacob has been on a baby food strike. I thought at first it was because he was teething and didn't feel good and then he got all congested. However, on Sunday, he went to my Mom's house and ate an entire large packet of baby food. Hmmm....

I've tried feeding him baby food multiple times this week and he'll eat about a tablespoon before he begins waving his hands (sometimes flinging baby food everywhere) and whining. I've thrown away at least 5 packets of baby food in the last couple of weeks because he won't finish them all in the allotted 24 hour time period after opening. I don't know what it is about ME feeding him the food- the only thing I can think is that he prefers breast milk, which is why he would eat for other people and not me. The other issue, maybe, is that because he hasn't been eating baby food during the day he also hasn't been sleeping well at night. It's like we've reverted back to a newborn schedule of eating every 3 hours during the day and every 4-5 hours at night. Exhausting.

Two nights ago, he ate an entire Gerber plastic container of food for Jim and last night he ate another one while we were out for dinner. Jim's parents stopped by at the restaurant we were at to see him and they fed him while we ate. I got some more of the Gerber plastic containers of food because they keep for up to 3 days after opening. I know that means they have more preservatives in them, but we aren't in a place to be throwing money in the trash! I guess I'm going to go back to square one and feed him breakfast, lunch and dinner and see how it goes. Not sure what else to do! Anyone else have this kind of problem?

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

A New Season, A New Space

I used to blog here- (<-- That's a link!) but, I needed more separation from the daily happenings of life that only some people care about (mainly family and friends) and the projects I wanted to share. I had 360 posts and I didn't want to just move them over without editing them and reorganizing them on this new space.

For instance, I homeschooled my five youngest siblings for one school year. I'm no longer doing that, but it's not something I want to delete from the internet. Also, for 8 months, I've been blogging about my baby boy and I want those to make the move seamlessly so that I can continue sharing about his life and remembering things!

The other big thing is that I'm making the move from Wordpress to Blogger. I have my whole life on google, (okay, maybe not my whole life, but email, documents on google drive, blog subscriptions, etc.) so it just makes sense to also blog here. They've made lots of improvements since I blogged here in high school!

I won't be deleting the old space because everything won't be making the move. Lots of things have changed since I started blogging over there (like the homeschooling thing), and this is a new space for the new season. I've got new priorities, a new schedule, and a new son!