Sunday, February 28, 2010

church solos

Adam, Ben, and Brad all sang solos during the offering last week. It went well, I hope it's something they want to continue to do, singing is a gift God gave them. I was surprised Adam wanted to sing, he tends to be more shy in front of a lot of people. But his was the loudest. I was up there with them holding the mic, which made it more comfortable for them. And Krista played the piano.

Brad:Ben:


Adam:

Thank you boys, mommy will never forget this day.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

School...

Deciding where or if to send your children to school is a big decision! Adam can go to preschool this fall, but Rod doesn't want to send him. So that made that decision easier, But i'd still like to do a cirriculum here at home with him and not sure which one. I've had a couple suggestions, which i will look into. If i enjoy teaching, the cirriculum, etc. i might consider homeschooling for the first couple years. I asked Adam the other morning "When your old enough, do you want to go to school on the bus like Meg (neighbor), or do you want to stay home and let mommy be your teacher?" He said right away "I want to stay home because you are my goodest teacher!". My first thought was, that was so sweet! My second thought was, if i'm a good teacher, then how do i teach him to not say "goodest" :)
Adam is so smart, but he's more interested in goofing off then learning to spell or read. So it may be hard to get in a good routine, but luckily it's just preschool for the first year. I think i will still get a feel for it and know whether or not it's the right fit for us. It's certainly not for everybody, but I'm willing to give it a try since so many mom's really seem to enjoy it and all it's benefits.
I'd welcome any cirriculum suggestions..

Friday, February 19, 2010

big bellies and more...

Last Saturday was my good friend Nadene's baby shower. This is her first baby., she's 2 weeks ahead of me. It's been lots of fun being pregnant together. I'm excited for her. She's going to love being a mom and will do a great job! I thought we were the same size until I saw this picture. Guess i'm a hair bigger :) In the evenings lately we've been watching the Olympics. Adam loves the Olympics. Just today when we were outside, he started sledding down our hill on his knees and says "I'm snowboard racing"! I love seeing the imagination at work. Speaking of imagination, the boys were outside for about an hour yesterday as i sat and watched right against the house with the sun beating down on me the whole time, and i think i got a tan! :) Is that possible?
snow is melting, which makes for better snowmobile riding. rod's been going out a lot. i wish i could join him! he took the boys out today, brad was excited this time and really liked it. I finished up Ben and Brad's stuffed animals..Here's the little fellows:
Tomorrow Ben and Brad are scheduled to sing a solo during the offering...I'm nervous!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Crochet

I took a trip to Michael's Craft store the other day for yarn and got distracted... I saw a booklet on crocheting little stuffed animals. SO, after debating for a little, i ended up buying it. I got my first animal done, it was fun and didn't take real long. Adam claimed this one..Today he got up from his nap and asked if I had it done yet. I said not yet and he cried! wow, I didn't know purple hippos meant that much to him!...
It's about 8" long and 4" tall. I put him in Adam's bed last night, so he woke up with hippo. He named him "mippo". nice.
Here's the other animals in the book. Ben wants the elephant and Brad wants the monkey.
It's fun to do things like this, I might as well do it while i have the time!!!

1 Corinthians 13

I Corinithians 13 paraphrased for Moms (from the book A Mother's Heart by Jean Fleming)

If I keep my house immaculately clean, and am envied by all for my interior decorating, but do not show love in my family---I'm just another housewife.

If I'm always producing lovely things---sewing, art; If I always look attractive, and speak intelligently, but am not loving to my family---I am nothing.

If I'm busy in community affairs, teach Sunday School, and drive in the carpool, but fail to give adequate love to my family---I gain nothing.

Love changes diapers, cleans up messes, and ties shoes---over and over and over again.

Love is kind, though tired and frazzled.

Love doesn't envy another wife---one whose children are "spaced" better or in school so she has time to pursue her own interests.

Love doesn't try to impress others with my abilities or knowledge as a mother.

Love doesn't scream at the kids and apologizes when I do.

Love doesn't feel cheated because I didn't get to do what I wanted to do today---sew, read, soak in a hot tub.

Love doesn't lose my temper easily.

Love doesn't assume that my children are being naughty just because their noise level is irritating.

Love doesn't rejoice when other people's children misbehave and make mine look good. Love is genuinely happy when others are honored by their children.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

"Immeasurably more"

Our church body just ended a 3 week time of fasting and praying around the Scripture in Ephesians 3:20-21, and even though i missed all 3 sermons during that time for one reason or another, it was good and spoke to me.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Eph. 3:20-21

I went through a dark time when the twins were pretty little, having absolutely no hope that they would ever lead a normal life, and thus i was never going to have a normal life. Some reasons for thinking this were 1). things the doctors said to me about preemies, 2). thinking the drugs i was on to stop their labor were just too strong and certainly would effect these little babes, 3). picking up on their delays and seeing how different they were then Adam was, or other babies their age. I had them pegged for several different illnesses/disabilities and was sure it was going to be a tough road.

Well, the twins turned 2 and something happened. They came to life and became total sweethearts! And now they are almost 3 and amaze me every single day. But to a stronger degree then most mother's get amazed with their children. Because i went from not believing in them at all, to stunned at the things they can do. I'm not posting this to brag, but rather to say that God CAN and DOES and DID do immeasurably more then anything i ever imagined! And the twins are proof of that! I give Him the praise and the credit for the things they can do. Not me. I didn't do anything spectacular to get them to sing, say please/thank you/bless you/excuse me, or to use their imagination in incredible ways. So God has shown me a lot through them, He showed me in a real way that He is able! Next time i want to believe that. How much more He can do if we just believe! So be encouraged by Ephesians 3:20-21 for your situations as well.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Friday, February 5, 2010

Big boy beds

Having the twins in their big boy beds has been frustrating, amusing, and sweet...

Frustrating...at naptime! napping is the furthest thing from their minds. They instead wrestle, sneak over to adam's room, look out the window, pull all their blankets off the bed, etc etc. At nighttime they are fine though. It had been taking me 3 trips up their room, a spanking, and 1 1/2 hours for them to settle at naps so i have been splitting them up for naptime again. I can't blame them in a way. There are no blinds in the room yet, it looks like a greenhouse somedays, and they are bunking with their best buddy. Of course they won't settle!

Amusing...... in the mornings, anytime after 7:30, brad comes over to my bed and stands there, doesn't say a word, but breaths loudly until i open my eyes. He is now my alarm clock.

Sweet.....One night, before i went to bed, i went in and checked on them. I found them laying together in Ben's bed! So sweet. So i left them there. I turned on the light and got a picture. They will like this someday....

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Salon Fun

Went to the salon last eve, to once again get another thing off my before baby list. i brought the twins, so rod wouldn't have to have all 3 at home. seems like he's been helping me out in the evenings so much lately so i can get these appts out of the way. well little did i know this was going to be a 'hands on' field trip for the boys! the girls working there asked the boys if they wanted to help wash mommy's hair. they said yes, so they found aprons for them. and they scrubbed and rinsed my hair. then they got out little brooms and dust pans for them and let them sweep up all the hair everywhere. they were having a ball. when i was getting my hair cut the one lady read them books. needless to say there was a lot of tipping that night :) i was blessed by their kindness in taking the time to include the boys. i just thought they could play in the corner w/ the legos, but no, the ladies had other plans! so sweet of them.

she took a couple pics before her camera battery died... ben cheesing after getting his apron on.
whoa, i look interesting in this pic. huge, maybe is the word :) the down side to the evening is that i told her to cut it so i don't need to come back until after the baby comes. so she made it very short! mine grows fast though, no biggie.

so a standard appt turned out to be a fun adventure thanks to my hair salon ladies.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Updates around here....

Life keeps plugging away. Can't believe it's February. Time is still flying, even though i'm pregnant and it's winter time (that combination could tend to slow time down a bit).

* I had a dream last night about my C-section, and i woke up realizing i'm having a little anxiety about getting another C-section. This is my first planned one, the others were not. So it makes it different this time, since i have time to think about it. I don't like the feeling of not being able to move my arms and legs. In my dream i was panicking about that.

* Ben peed in the potty the other day but hasn't since. I wanted to train them this summer outside. Hoping they'd just pull their pants down whenever/wherever and get the job done (just around home of course :). But Ben's expressing interest right now, so we'll see where it leads.

* I'm reading the book "Tender Mercies for a Mother's Soul" A very good inspirational book about how busy moms need God during this season, but it often gets put on the back burner. The author is (or was) a young mom herself, with 4 young kids. She uses great examples and insight from her life. i read this book when i was pregnant with the twins and really liked it. Couldn't find it in our church library (who has it?!?!) so i bought it on amazon.com. It's easy reading and would speak to any young mom.

* A friend gave me some homeade laundry detergent (just 3 ingredients) and i love it! i'll never buy Tide again. It's found on the Duggar family's website. It's much cheaper and cleans just as good as far as i can tell. It's also low sudsing, which is good for my front loader. I was having trouble with too many suds, it was actually messing up the spin cycle.

* I'm excited to be a part of a young mom's group at church. It's for the mom's who have no kids in school yet. We met in the fall and are restarting next week. I'm encouraged and challenged each time I go. And it's nice to have the interaction and fellowship w/ our church women.

* Adam started talking with an accent. I have no idea what that's all about.

* Rod and I are really enjoying the boys ages right now and finding it a real joy to be their parents. I'm also enjoying the bit of freedom that comes with having "older" ones. So i ask myself "what were we thinking having another?!" No really, we feel blessed and thank God for this child that He's given us. Might have to makes some adjustments again, but "this too shall pass". Can't wait to meet him/her :)

*Our neighbors had twin girls the other day. Looking forward to meeting them and having some future chaotic play dates together!


Well, this got long. As you can see there's nothing too pertinent on my mind right now. Life is good and I thank the Lord each day for his many blessings!!! Have a good week.