kme2 hill

time for a change

2011-11-09T22:17:00.001-07:00

So I thought it would be fun to have a change of scenery - I will be over here now.

http://www.emyhill.com/

religion and politics

2011-10-31T22:14:00.000-06:00

It is Monday night and a very Mondayish Monday it was. I've always liked Mondays as it is a new start to an unwritten week. This week has a very full calendar but no worries, i've got it covered with my new phone. Seriously, what did I do before this? Ah, technology at its finest. Do you ever wonder if we'll laugh at ourselves fifty years from now just as we do at records and the 888 computers? It remains to be seen.
This week is crammed full and while the phone is great it unfortunately cannot teach my children (although I did get a math facts app), cook dinner (although I did use siri to find a recipe for oatmeal this morning), or run errands (although amazon.com is one of my dearest friends). It is also very bad at cuddling sweet babies who need lots of caring for - looks like I am not losing my job to the iphone quite yet. Whew.
I meant to do a run down of our school week last week but here it is already monday and I didn't get it done. Perhaps it is better for me not to remember all the details after all. We took a video of Kaiden expounding on the lessons of the week but as it ended up five minutes long I decided not to bore my kind readers with it. Lets just say the Mongols made quite the impression and even Ellis remembers what we learned about last week.
I feel we are getting in to a groove with lessons and such. We have our "core" work and Tapestry and we alternate days on what we start with. I love the idea of consistency but the truth is if I did the same thing in the same order every day I really would get so bored with it. So we mix it up a little. It usually goes something like this though: God's Names, CC Timeline, FLL, WWE, NAC, PL, SP, MUS, SM, REAL, TOG. Okay, I just had to write it out like that as that's my code language in my lesson plans. Some of you might have gotten some of that. The rest of you - consider yourself blessed with more brain cells than I am currently working with.
Now, politics. They say there are two things never to be discussed at a dinner party and that would be religion and politics. After having had a close relationship with both for a little while now I am fully aware why this would be the rule. Religion I hold near and dear - my heart is fully engaged and I will never belong just to me. I have been bought with a price haven't I? Politics on the other hand - be careful not to hold it too near as you will most likely acquire some damage. Hold it firmly though with a strength given to make a difference in a crooked world.
I am the last person on earth one would expect to be involved in politics and the truth is my involvement flows out of an ever growing love and admiration for Owen. Have I said lately how absolutely amazing he is? I have never met anyone else so naturally gifted with an ability to lead graciously and yet with strength. He recently announced his candidacy for State Rep. here in Colorado and over the past few weeks we have had countless discussions on the way things are, the way things should be, and the way we can create a culture that encourages others to flourish. The powers that be don't seem to support our Divinely inspired decision to take a risk in order to be salt and light. Ah, Republican party, how...funny you are to me. It is mind boggling, baffling, and past my mind's understanding the game that politics is. Even odder is that these people love to play it. I am a simple girl and an outsider in this arena and I will just say here and now that I have every intention of remaining that way.
That being said I have surprised even myself at how strong my thoughts and opinions become when Owen is criticized. Again, I am amazed by how kind and gracious Owen always is in his response towards those who are trying to turn him from this direction. His example of perseverance and determination in pursuing something that really has very little personal gain has inspired and challenged me. He really does love people and wants to see others do well.
There, all that tells you why I am not in politics. It was completely emotional and said very little. Oh wait, maybe I would fit right in right now. Ha! I like what I do and I am thankful Owen is pursuing something that will continue to give me the right to do what I love.
Last year when he ran I was a basket case as I always am when pregnant so it was hopeless to try to keep track of anything. It was survival mode. This year is a new year though and while supposedly I lost another 25% of my brain upon the birth of another child I am going to make an attempt to at least try to make an effort to remember this time in life. Hmm, on the other hand, maybe just as with school documentation perhaps it would be for the best just to have a vague recollection of these days. Ah well, for better or for worse God has called us to great things for His glory and it is a joy to walk in them.
May His Shalom be your's this evening my friend.

pumpkin carving at our friend's Autumn party

of course she would want the baby one

Happy Birthday Kitten Baby

2011-10-29T22:17:00.001-06:00

When I woke at 6:30 this morning I smiled as I thought back to a year ago today and a sweet, brand new, minutes old baby, that I had held in my arms. Time, how quickly you run away with my days. That lovely tiny baby is now a year old and walking, jabbering, and showing us the joy of being the baby of the family. She is amazing and has stolen my heart. I can't get enough of her.

Norah Jane holding her new baby doll that grandma gave her

Dear Kitten Baby,

You are lovely my dearest little one and there are times when my heart aches with the beauty of being your mama. I love how you come toddling to me with arms outstretched knowing I will scoop you up and hold you tight. I love the way you laugh when I tip you upside down and kiss your sweet neck.

I breathe in and want to capture the minutes and days of your babyhood. No longer are you the tiny baby meowing at us and calmly taking it all in. You are a busy girl always on the go. You like to wander around the house and follow your brother and sisters in their play. You always find them wherever they are playing and join in the fun. They are so sweet to you and we all think you are our doll baby.

It has been so fun to watch your personality growing. You shake and nod your head to let us know exactly what you like and don't like. You wave bye-bye and cackle at mysteriously funny things. You are happy and you make us happy. Sweet girl, your name means Bright, or Shining Light and you have been that to us this past year.

I love you baby of mine and I pray that as you grow He will bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

I love you,

Mama

snow day

2011-10-26T21:59:00.002-06:00

The first snow of the year should always be celebrated. One can always find beauty and while cold weather isn't my favorite, today I am thankful for our warm house, four beautiful children who like to snuggle, and lots of craft supplies.
School was somewhat put on hold as we just enjoyed a snow day together.

school news

2011-10-25T17:45:00.003-06:00

As homeschooling takes up the largest chunk of time in my life right now I thought it would be fun to document some of what we are working on right now. Some day I will be able to look back and smile at the simplicity of preschool and first grade.

I'll admit it - I am one of those go overboard with school moms and in fact I just had a friend remind me of the importance of just finding joy in learning and not being concerned about getting everything done. I don't think we have had a school day yet that we have gotten everything done. My days are actually planned this way and instead of feeling behind I like to think that we always have so much more to learn. I know I am having way more fun with this than Kaiden is and I have already learned a ton.

So, this week in TOG we are studying the Mongols and Marco Polo. My friend Erin and I are using the same curriculum so it has been great to pass ideas back and forth. She saw a deal online saying if you dressed as Genghis Kahn today and went to Hu Hot Mongolian Grill you'd get a free meal. The timing couldn't have been better as we just learned about Genghis Kahn yesterday! So after CC we did an outfit change and transformed into Kahn. No, I didn't dress up - the things I make my children do that I won't. They loved it though and the restaurant was really fun as they got to choose their food and watch it being cooked. I will just say for the record that I am so very thankful for God's mercy in that we had seven children seven and under who all were lovely to eat lunch with. No fits, meltdowns, whining or arguments. You know, for today, that's is enough.

I just bought a new science curriculum and the answer is no to the question, "Should you have added one more thing to your school day?". I couldn't resist though as it looked like so much fun...and it has not disappointed. Isn't this what science class should look like?

My school room is mostly together. I would love for the walls to be a pale aqua but that will be for the next house. Other than that I am quite happy to sit and do school for hours on end in here. (side note - the room only looked like this while everyone was sleeping this afternoon. It usually looks a little more...shall we say lived in?)

Don't you love my Keep Calm and Carry On canvas? Owen picked that up for me when he was in Oxford, UK last week. He just got back on Saturday from a 10 day trip across the pond. Isn't that fun to say? All those things....Owen got back, ten days in the UK, and trip across the pond. All very wonderful things.
While Owen was away we had our first sleepover - which means a friend came over with her three girls because her husband was out of town too. It was a lot of fun and we had a great time having a girl's + one boy night.

What else with school? I decided one of the flaws with Tapestry of Grace is that there is no real clear point to each week so I feel Kaiden isn't sure at the end of the week what exactly he learned. So to remedy this we decided to start a book - each week we will make a page that says one thing we've learned, one famous person, and one date to remember. Add a picture to this and at the end of the year hopefully we'll have remembered a few things. Owen wonders if you really need to remember this many things at six. I wonder the same thing. All this wondering doesn't seem to stop me.
Speaking of remembering - we are coming along with our CC memory work. Whew, this is a lot to remember. Do any other CC moms just kind of a mumble along and pretend you're doing the memory work along with them when the truth is your memory left you when your child made his/her advent? So far we are about 1/3 of the way through the timeline and we've also got things like the War of 1812, Henry Clay and the Missouri Compromise rattling through our minds. Um, and don't tell anyone we don't practice the tin whistle. How awful sounding is that? I may be an overachiever but I do have a limit.
Kaiden is coming along in music and having so much fun with it. He loves to practice and serenades us morning, noon, and night with music. Miette pulls on her ballet slippers on while he practices and I feel quite the mom-of-big-kids now with lessons and school. It has been lovely to see Miette's grace and balance grow with ballet - she dances through the house like a sweet little ballerina and we smile at the girlyness of it all.

2011-10-20T03:36:00.001-06:00

It is three in the morning and while sleep is enticing I wanted to say thank you to the friends who so kindly wrote encouraging notes to me. You cheered my heart.
The dryer is humming and clicking, the washer drumming - second time this week for an impromptu bath in the middle of the night due to a girl throwing up in bed. The first time both Ellis and Miette were thoroughly covered (Ellis being the culprit) but this time roles were reversed and thankfully Ellis was far away from her sister and avoided the worst of it. I see God's goodness this morning as I felt frustration mounting as I tried to contain the mess, get my girl downstairs and in the tub, strip the sheets, all the while wishing I was warmly buried beneath my down comforter. I had just gotten her in the tub as out loud I prayed for patience, love for a sick girl. I felt it steal over me - that peace, Shalom - and I smiled at that pale, not-feeling-well, my-belly-hurts girl of mine and knew that He was good. I was also grateful for warm, running water at that point. No, never even once in my life have I wished to be a pioneer homesteader.

I love this girl so much. She is the most like me which encourages me to pray for her all the more:-) Last night as I followed the nightly ritual of walking around the house picking up pieces of the day after they had gone to sleep my mind rehearsed the joys of the day and my heart gave thanks. For: a little girl chanting, "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!", for not having to cook dinner, for amazingly beautiful colors of autumn, for warmth inside, for having a schoolroom I love and getting to teach, for music that stirs my heart and fills me with worship, for Him, from whom all blessings flow.
Good morning!

2011-10-19T15:07:00.002-06:00

I read yesterday that there are an estimated 40 million moms who blog. All different people, many different reasons, backgrounds, goals, thoughts, and purposes but nevertheless I am one of 40 million. Makes me feel unique and special to know that I am in this one way the same as 39,999,999 other girls in the world. (heavy sarcasm)

My flaws glared back at me as I looked at my face in the mirror this morning. The list of how I wasn't who I thought I should be grew and demons I thought had been put to rest whispered contentiously in my ear. How easy I find it to compare and fall short. How quickly old struggles resurface and wounds scarred over throb in memory. Wanting to be more than this I find myself settling for less in the fight just to measure up to someone else. The funny thing is that most of my comparing is not with the people I know but with a few of those 39,999,999 other girls in the world. How I wish I was beautiful, how I long for my home to be organized, my children breathtakingly lovely, as well as sweet, kind, obedient, and loving to one another. How I yearn for an obvious passion for Christ, patience and grace with all, creativity and the ability to create beauty. Wouldn't I love for my children to be brilliant, my homeschooling planned and thorough, my house like something out of a magazine and somehow could I add loving exercise instead of dreading it?

I think often of the Screwtape Letters and my own demon working out his strategy. I will not even begin to compare myself to Lewis but perhaps today's note might go something like this:

My dear Wormwood,

It sounds like your patient is beginning to think too highly of what they would call, "The Cross". It is important for us to work very hard for this so called Love to not take deep root. I would encourage you to jump in quickly with reminders of small failings, ways she does not measure up to others who she might consider better, or higher up than her. Remember, your goal is not to make her aware she is questioning the Enemy's supposed Grace in any way. She is to continue on in a state of supposed belief in His Love but at the same time you will be able to bring her closer to our side as her thoughts of personal failure drag her away from thinking He is enough. This usually works as a great distraction and will quickly take her eyes of our Enemy and onto herself.

Your affectionate uncle,

Screwtape

Oh blast those demons that persuade and whisper; the sin that continually crouches and begs to be let in. May the desire for more only be for more of Him. May the longing to be beautiful be a longing for a beauty created out of Love itself. May my eyes never falter, never turn away from the light of His countenance. My Glory, the Lifter of my head will time after time again reach down to cup my downcast face in His Father hands and draw my eyes back to Him and it seems that as my eyes find His the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and Grace. May this day be a day of looking.

But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

...and how could these sweet faces not cheer one's heart?

2011-10-14T22:00:00.001-06:00

This day started not like others. Owen was gone. Ellis has been sick and woke up still sick. Stomach bug. Gross. His mercies were once again new. Cereal for breakfast. Baby down for a nap. Baby up from her nap after fifteen minutes because Ellis is in the bathroom throwing up all over the floor and crying very loudly. Cranky baby. Sad Ellis. Baby pulls down the fireplace door onto her head. Baby has a bad bump and bruise on her head. Phone is dead as the baby found it, chewed on it, dropped it. It is no longer functioning. Please don't call or text as I will not reply. Did Owen's plane crash into the ocean and his body get eaten by sharks? Blender broke. Smoothie fell out the bottom all over the countertop. Ha, that one was kind of funny. So we laughed, at the whole crazy-everything-went-wrong day and realized that part of considering it all joy is considering it ALL joy.

Whatever my God ordains is right,
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, or need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken,
My Father’s care circles me there,
He holds me that I shall not fall,
And so to Him I leave it all.
~Samuel Rodigast

pumpkin patching....

2011-10-06T15:13:00.003-06:00

The penny in my washer somehow got stuck in the load of clothes as it was switched to the dryer so it fell out while I was gathering clothes from the dryer to the basket. Not to worry though - I promptly dropped it back into the washer so it is safely back in its home. I'm feeling very lucky that I have two more loads of laundry to get through today.
We went a pumpkin patching again today. For the last few years we have visited the Venetucci pumpkin farm down south just a little ways. It is my favorite pumpkin patch as they have animals, a garden, how to make compost, digging for worms, grinding corn and off course a beautiful pumpkin patch with a free pumpkin per child. The only rule is that each child has to be able to carry their pumpkin out of the patch. Of course Kaiden tries to find the biggest one on the field but thankfully Miette and Ellis decided that cute, little pumpkins were in vogue which made my life easier as there were no tears regarding having to carry your own pumpkin out.

our friend A grinding corn

crocodile tears because she was not strong enough to turn the corn grinding handle

I am not at all going in order here but ah well. Autumn is here in full force and I love it. The other morning I stopped Owen and said, "Do you hear that? Leaves rustling down the street." We were walking in the park the other day and Ellis says to me, "Look mama! The trees are dancing!" and indeed they were. Dancing and swaying with yellows and oranges. October is lovely as the days are still warm with just a bit of nip. Fall is melancholy with remembrances of summer and the premonition of cold days ahead. We ate breakfast outside a few days ago - enjoying our new deck and the cool morning.

A first here - the dentist. I know, I know, before anyone goes off on how you are supposed to start taking your children to the dentist when they are a year old please know that I am very aware of that but to be really honest I just hadn't gotten around to it. I just kept having babies and you know I don't do anything useful when I am pregnant. So, now that my brain is somewhat back to functioning I figured it was past time. I Googled pediatric dentist and went with the one closest to my house. The were amazing! I figured Miette would have a bit of a hard time as new situations aren't her best friends and my hunch turned out to be correct. She lost it - freaked out when I took her back to the exam room. At that point I was so very grateful that I decided to go with a children's dentist as the hygienist was so kind and encouraging Miette eventually overcame her fears along with some let's-pray-right-this-minute help. After it was all over both Kaiden and Miette decided the dentist was so much fun and they can hardly wait to go back. Hmm, maybe it was because you got to watch a movie while in the chair and then they gave us free coupons to Chick fil a. If you're looking for a good dentist - Simply Kids was a wonderful experience. I even made Ellis an appointment for next week - aren't you proud of me?

She warmed up to the chair once Tangled was put on over her head....

Waiting for the dentist is fun!

And did I say they painted the girl's nails while they waited for the x rays?

Getting x rays. The hygienist was surprised that his teeth were in such great shape for never having gone to the dentist. Seriously, I do brush their teeth every day;-)

Ellis and Elinor were go great. Just observed and commented on everything going on.

I've found myself thinking of my children's neediness lately. I am not sure if it is because the older they get the needier they seem or if my eyes are just now opening to it. When they are babies like Elinor it is so easy to meet their needs. All I have to do is care for her physically, hug on her, snuggle up and scoop her into my arms when she cries. Kaiden is another story. I am studying him these days - and Miette - to try to figure out what I can figure out and working on letting go the things that are past finding out. He has so much energy, such a love for life and knowing, learning. Miette is so sensitive, she needs a gentle hand yet firm enough to encourage her to go for it sometimes. I want so much to be there for them. My heart wants to give them everything they need to flourish and grow in love and I often get discouraged with the demands placed on me that hinder me from being all I would like to be. I was reading a blog post by another mom and found myself challenged and encouraged by a reminder to pray, "Christ, be to them what I cannot, when I cannot." Doesn't He love them more than I could every hope to? Don't I only love them because of Him?

romancing the task

2011-09-30T15:06:00.000-06:00

I was reading about someone today who was traveling internationally. I don't even remember who it was or where they were going but all of a sudden I felt an strong emotion of defensiveness. Whoever this unsuspecting person was will never know my brief animosity towards them but through that split second of, "How dare you be traveling the globe while I travel to the Happy Apple Farm with cranky children who stayed up too late and ate too much candy last night." I was again reminded of the sheer happiness of what I do. Funny, I know, you would think it would have the opposite effect but I suppose that is my Father's great mercy in using a moment of discontent to remind me of His gift of my own, one life.
This is it. This is the time in all of history that is allotted to me. These are the years, the days, the very short moments carved out for what I am to do. There is a very great, big, wide world out there full of beautiful and amazing sights to be seen and experiences to be had and here I sit, surrounded by piles of various sizes of clothes, toys left out, books read and forgotten to be reshelved, cheerios crunched by little feet and the assurance that this is exactly where I want to be. This is my place and I am loving being in my own place. Today is the day that He planned I would walk in His past-finding-out way and faithfully do this. This, what I do, is beautiful and makes a difference. Do you see it? Are your eyes wide open? Don't miss it.

kaiden and the lizard he caught promptly upon arrival

checking out the boxes of apples

it is officially documented that we were at the pumpkin patch. that is all that can be said for this picture;-)

love these two and their antics

riding the tractor

goodnight

2011-09-30T13:53:00.002-06:00

We were out late tonight at a production of Annie that our church put on. After we got home and the babies were all tucked in and sleeping I slipped in their room for a last kiss goodnight. Do you ever do that and feel your heart stir and swell with an affection you never thought possible? I watched Kaiden curled up on his side with Sam, his almost "real" purple hippo that has slept in his arms since he was a baby. He is a beautiful boy and sometimes I can't even believe that he belongs to us. He is growing up so quickly and six seems so big.
Miette and Ellis cuddled up next to each other in their bed seemed so small and sweet as they smacked their lips a bit and squirmed a little as I brushed their hair off their foreheads and bent to kiss them gently. I love those two - best friends, worst enemies. Sisters are a mystery to me.
These are the days of tired, of raisins ground into my bedroom carpet, deep chuckles from Miette, "I wuv yous!" from my Ellisy and fierce affection from my boy. The challenges come with joys and for that I give thanks. Goodnight beautiful world.

eleven

2011-09-29T13:42:00.002-06:00

Happy eleven months to my sweetest of babies. Every day she brings me so much happiness and joy and I fall more in love with each new smile, chuckle and even cry.
She is so close to walking that I think it is going to happen any day. She takes three or four steps here and there and actually walked eleven baby steps the other night. She just has to work up the courage it seems.
She has five and a half teeth and loves to eat nearly anything including paper, rocks and any tiny little crumb that made its way to the floor. She loves to wave her arms, climb the stairs and play with Kaiden. What a joy it is to watch this little one grow and grow.

She is such a happy baby and I praise God for her.

cookies

2011-09-29T10:16:00.005-06:00

Thursday morning is our morning off of school. School is done in the afternoon and the morning is spent running errands or doing something fun. I am supposed to be off adventuring this morning but as I sit here in my pink and gray flannel shirt and green sweatpants I think it will be a little bit before I make it out the door.
The last Thursday of every month we have lunch with my grandparents. I love that KMe2 have the chance to grow up with their great grandparents in town and it really is a special time that we get to have with them every month. So if you're curious as to what our lunch plans are - that's where we'll be.
Last Thursday (has it really already been a week? Crazy.) we went up to my other grandma's house to bake cookies. I forget exactly what brought them memory on but I was doing something the other week and I commented to Owen that I have this very fond memory of going up to my grandma's house in Manitou and making molasses cookies. They are still to this day my favorite cookies. I remember the baking soda bubbling in the molasses and sugar sprinkled over the rolled out dough. Acting on this lovely memory I called my grandma up and asked if I could come up with KMe2 and make molasses cookies. It was so much fun and we ate the entire batch of cookies in two days. Mmmm.....

No pictures of this but on Saturday night Owen and I got all dressed up and attended the Life Network gala at the Broadmoor. Steven Curtis Chapman performed and it really was a lovely event. Owen recently joined the Life Network board and I was blessed to see the work that they are doing to save the lives of so many sweet little babies. It was also great just to get out with Owen to a wonderful event and know KMe2 were safe at home, snug in their beds.
Kaiden and I recently started a monthly date on the last Sunday of the month. This month he wanted to go hiking in Palmer Park so off we went. You know, hiking with one six year old is amazingly easy. You just walk down the trail. You might stop to look at things or throw a handful of rocks or perhaps even have a rock throwing contest. I love going out with my sweet boy.

I've been thinking a lot lately about resting, abiding in Him. Owen reminded me yesterday of the lightness of the burden we have been given and it was very timely as so often I get weighed down by just the amount of what I feel needs to get done. Owen asked me the other day what I expected of myself. Perfectly clean house, thorough homeschooling of my children, gracious hospitality, faithful in the Word, expanding my own mind and heart through extensive reading, always being a respectful, loving wife an encouraging friend and a blessing to all I come in contact with. Hmm, good list but not to make a rule out of. I'm thankful that He doesn't expect all that of me. So, I keep on being faithful, one day, one step at a time and ask Him to show me what I should be doing at any given second of that day.

Be Still

2011-09-28T07:55:00.001-06:00

Still, my soul be still

Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend

Still my soul be still

And do not fear

Though winds of change may rage tomorrow

God is at your side

No longer dread

The fires of unexpected sorrow

God You are my God

And I will trust in You and not be shaken

Lord of peace renew

A steadfast spirit within me

To rest in You alone

Still my soul be still

Do not be moved

By lesser lights and fleeting shadows

Hold onto His ways

With shield of faith

Against temptations flaming arrows

Still my soul be still

Do not forsake

The Truth you learned in the beginning

Wait upon the Lord

And hope will rise As stars appear when day is dimming

2011-09-17T11:13:00.003-06:00

Good morning! Happy Saturday. Three out of four babies are outside with Owen doing something useful. I consider blogging and editing pictures useful - not as useful as other things but definitely useful. I have Pandora going on some Michael Buble/Norah Jones/Frank Sinatra/Harry Conick Jr. list and I am enjoying my Saturday tremendously.
So, this week was the Boston Tea Party. According to Miette, "In 1773 Colonists dressed as Mohawks 'humpty dumpty' (dumped tea) from the British East India company into the Boston Harbor." She is hilarious in her memorization attempts. We also dissected a chicken wing which was really fascinating...to me at least. Kaiden thought it was disgusting and Miette couldn't care less. I felt very homeschool momish though. Not sure I will be cooking chicken wings any time soon. Oh wait, I have never cooked chicken wings before.
Just a quick note to anyone reading this who is doing CC - I am making a timeline that has all 166 of the events from the Veritas Press cards and most of them will be the same picture as the cards. I am using this blank timeline as my base and then adding what looks like miniatures of the VP cards. You could also fill in with any other events that you might be studying. I threw this in just to say if you are interested in this I would be more than happy to email you a PDF of the cards.
My mom went to Ikea yesterday and I asked her to pick me up a couple things for my school room. I think the room is just about together now. Just need to put our timeline up and alphabet flashcards. I also have dreams of this print - I already have the frame I just need to order the print. Maybe next month. Seriously, I need a constant reminder to Keep Calm and Carry On.

So this morning I walk in the kitchen and find this -
Yes, she had helped herself to the new container of strawberries. How could one resist red, juicy strawberries just sitting there for the taking?

Elinor enjoyed several as well....

Love this mischievous face

A couple pictures of the new deck....

Miette's latest thing is carting Ellis and Elinor around. Ellis is her baby and this game provides hours of entertainment.

2011-09-12T22:25:00.000-06:00

I've been neglecting this blog and not from lack of goings on. It has been a whirlwind of activity here but I am actually enjoying a quiet evening home with Owen and while of course I could think of enough things to do to keep me busy tonight I am pushing them to a mind corner somewhere and just sitting.
School is going swimmingly well. I just saw that word somewhere and have been anxious to use it as it conjures up walks across the English countryside and biscuits with tea. The truth is I love homeschooling - it really does just make me happy. Of course there are the difficulties that come along with anything in life but they seem to be smashed by the joys and I am enjoying every day. I had better as come March and April i'll be reminding myself that I actually do love this. Elinor is the most difficult part of it all as she is just so crazy busy these days. She is just a second away from walking and is always on the go. Love that girl so much.
I think I like CC more with each passing week. Kaiden and Miette have learned so much and really seem to enjoy it. This week we learned about the Pilgrims and the Mayflower so we had a lot of fun making a paper Mayflower ship and playing some Sailing the Mayflower game that I found online and printed out.
We also learned about the axial skeleton and made a life size skeleton whom we name Larry. He is currently hanging from one cut out eye on the light switch in the school room.
Here is my funny story for the week - Kaiden and Miette are learning a timeline which will eventually include 166 events in history. Well, the other day Miette was saying the timeline for me...."Creation, The Fall in the Garden, Cain and Abel, The Flood, Tower of Babel, (Okay, so at this point it is supposed to say, Unification of upper and lower Egypt by Pharaoh Menes but she proceeds to say...) Unification of upper and lower Egypt by fairy minnows...we laughed so hard. Got to love the fact that upper and lower Egypt were united by Fairy Minnows. Sweet, sweet Miette. She is actually doing really well with the memory work.
I shot another wedding last week on Labor Day. I was the third shooter which means there was absolutely no stress whatsoever. A little different experience from being the primary photographer. It was a lot of a fun and I am looking forward to having more opportunities to be a part of photographing the story that a wedding unfolds. The gal I was working with is an exceptional photographer and I am anticipating growing in my photography skill as we work together more.
So, good news on the house projects....the deck is finished. Praise God! It is so nice to be able to send KMe out to play and not be concerned about them falling through the deck, acquiring huge splinters, etc., etc.. Now we just need to get the bathroom done and lots of painting. I must admit I was rather overwhelmed with it all last week as the constant mess was really getting to me but to be very honest I was rather overwhelmed with much more than the house last week. God in His great mercy brought great conviction to me in several areas in my life that I was desperately seeking to hold on to or at least have a little bit of say in.
In school we are going through the book God's Names and one day last week I was brought to tears as I was reminded of who this God is. As I look at the struggles I face and then see Him I am overwhelmed by the strength, hope and might of who He is. Why would I worry about tomorrow knowing He is my Creator, my Sustainer, my Mighty God? Good lesson for me this week - one I very much needed to hear.

first day of school - CC

2011-08-30T14:16:00.000-06:00

First day of school here. I have to say - I absolutely loved it. We started CC this morning and I had so much fun watching them learn and interacting with other children. Kaiden was so excited this morning and it carried him through the entire morning. He was so funny to watch in class and if there was an award for participation he definitely would have won it. One of the things I am thankful for is the opportunity for Kaiden to learn how to act in a classroom setting. You know with homeschooling you are always the one to answer the question, you can talk when you have something to say and you don't have to sit and listen to other children talk.
They started off the morning with an opening where all the children are together and then they break up into the different classes and then rotate through the subjects. Kaiden loved Latin the most but they also did science, geography, art, history and math.

It was really fun for me to just be in their classes, talk with other moms and feel like I was in a community.

2011-08-27T15:37:00.000-06:00

I have a penny on the bottom of my washing machine - it has gone through hundreds of loads and i always look for it every time I take a load out to switch to the dryer. I like to think it is somehow lucky. Lucky me - another load of laundry washed. Just think, that's one less load of laundry on my timeline.
So, I shot my second wedding today. I was supposed to be the second shooter but my dear friend that I was going to back up ended up not being able to shoot for health reasons so it ended up being my first solo wedding. Note to self - always have a second shooter. The wedding was lovely though and it cheered my heart to see a couple so in love with one another and with Christ. The whole wedding was very Christ centered. Next note, not to self but to Owen - I definitely need a 70-200mm. Not maybe, definitely. The 24-70mm was a little tricky to work with from the back of the church. Good times.
As I write this we've got some major hammering and loud noises coming from different parts of the house. The upstairs bathroom nearly has walls and the deck has cross beams or whatever they are called. Amazing - we are actually doing something to our house. I use the term we very loosely; our neighbor and his son are building the deck and a friend from church is doing the drywall today. Owen is helping, I have done nothing. Owen has been amazing and I am once again completely impressed by his ability to set his mind to something and do it. Neither one of us are in the least bit handy but he has really taken this project on and has torn down walls, put in a subfloor, walls and some durarock for the tile. He is even going to do all the tiling himself. Now tell me that's not impressive. He's amazing - really. Oh, and he even fixed my card reader which is almost better than a new bathroom. Not quite though.
If you can't tell I am just sitting here writing to pass time as my pictures from today download. So all the random things that I think to blog about but never do are now being transferred from my brain to yours. Enjoy.
We are starting school next week. I am sure this deserves a post of its own but as that may never happen and as I am sitting in my schoolroom as I write I'll just throw this in now. We are starting quite a few new things this year which I am really excited about. I love homeschooling - okay, I think i've gone on about that before but I really do. Although yesterday when I was disheartened because my school room didn't look like something out of a Pottery Barn Kids magazine you wouldn't have known it. God in his ever present kindness reminded me that I am training hearts and teaching minds - not doing design for a Pottery Barn photo shoot. So my school room looks like a typical homeschool classroom but you know, I think my children will still learn okay and I am grateful for this space that is dedicated to learning. I love it.
I think children should be surrounded but beauty and while yes, I can go overboard sometimes in attempting to make things aesthetically pleasing I do see the importance of beauty, light, simplicity and order in my children's learning environment. So whether that is inside our home or outdoors I am always working on wrapping these four things around KMe2. Every time I drive by a school that is just a cement block with small windows I comment to Owen that they should knock some holes in the walls, put in huge windows, raise the ceiling for some breathing room, fill the classrooms with shelves of good books, and hang beautiful pictures on the walls.
So for anyone curious and for the sake of posterity here is the plan for the year. We'll be starting Classical Conversations this year which I am super excited about. I really think it will be a great supplement to what we have planned at home and will also give us the opportunity to get together with other families every week. I love the fact that I get to stay with Kaiden and Miette in their classes and be a part of what they are learning. CC really emphasizes that the parent is the teacher and they are simply there to come along side and help in the teaching of the child. Sounds great to me - especially as Kaiden and Miette will be learning science and art there which are two subjects that I tend to let slide some.
Our main curriculum at home is still Tapestry of Grace. I know it seems kind of crazy that I am doing TOG and CC but I love TOG so much that I really have to keep going with it. We'll do both through December and if it is too much I might have to let TOG go but we'll see. Okay, here's the rest:

Bible - Names of God
Math - Math U See Alpha (yes, I am going to give it another chance. Maybe it will prove itself to me this year.)
History - Tapestry of Grace
English -

Foreign Language - Prima Latina
Science - Nature Journal
Miette -

Hmm, that should be enough to keep us busy. I'd love to hear about your school year or any ideas you might have for a classroom or what to do with a two year old and baby while one teaches.

2011-08-26T15:16:00.000-06:00

There is a spider living under my bathroom rug. It kindly made its way down to the floor the moment I walked into the bathroom to take a shower and then scurried quickly under the rug. I have left it in peace as I have made a pact with the household spiders. If you will go where I cannot see you I will leave you alone. The truth is I cannot kill spiders. Something about the crunch or crack of that final smash that gives me shivers down my spine.
This week has been, well, interesting; challenging in many ways but mostly my own heart needing to be changed. It seems I can come up with excuses all day long about having a hard day but as I sat in my schoolroom this afternoon cranky with life it was as if God was looking at me as my gracious Father and saying, "You may not have a bad attitude ma'am." "Yes, Sir." So I did what always helps - I cleaned, prayed and loved on my babies. I forgot about myself and the stirrings of hormones and emotions and He again showed me that battles will not be won sitting around wishing and hoping for something.

2011-08-22T10:02:00.000-06:00

Elinor has been sick this past week. Of course it is the typical go to nursery on Sunday get sick on Wednesday. Sweet baby girl. She ran a 102 temp for a couple of days but it finally broke on Saturday. She still hasn't seemed her cheery self which means lots of fussing and wanting to be held. She's been on my hip for the past three days it seems. She seems better today though so i'm thinking she is on the mend.
Today is just a stay at home and get things done sort of day. I feel like He is teaching me so many things all at the same time through so many different circumstances and people. Hard, and yet a joy to know that the work He has begun is being refined. Right now I am feeling I am the clay and His hands are pushing, prodding, molding.
A friend and I went out to dinner last Thursday in keeping with our birthday tradition - she takes me out for my birthday and I take her out for hers. The perfect gift for girls with sweet and noisy little ones. A quiet time to talk late into the night and I didn't have to cook. Yes, I realize my birthday was in May but schedules collide and it was the first date that worked for both of us.
We had a lovely, real, time. Sometimes the conversation is real and that makes a difference. We talked about struggles, joys, difficulties, and even flaws. So, all this to say that one of the things I came away challenged in was to work on showing the beauty of growing. No, I don't always have it together. My children do not always match, my home is not always clean, there is no such thing as pristine when it comes to people. I am growing - sometimes painfully, sometimes without joy but always with thanks. I have days when the fight seems harder, the good something searched for and yet the growing, the stretching is something that opens my eyes to the awesome greatness and goodness of God.

2011-08-21T23:25:00.001-06:00

First time for everything - tonight all four babies are sleeping in the same room together. We did a bit of rearranging this evening and have switched all the rooms around. Our room is now upstairs with KMe2 across from us. This is also the first night with M and E in the same bed. We'll see how that goes. So far so good although it took a little while for them to fall asleep. As far as I know they are all out now.
Someday we'll get two sets of these beds and pile them all in....wouldn't that be fun? I love them.

It must be a time of growing up as I am sad to say Ellis has learned to say her "Ls". This is rather a disappointment as we are going to miss, Eyis, yion, daddy yong yegs, yoyipop, etc. She still can't say S and N together though so we continue to get a lot of laughs out of that one. "Ellis, say, 'Snow White is a snipper snapper.'" "Hno White is a hnipper, hnapper." Love it.
I spent most of the day yesterday painting a table to use for school. The room downstairs that used to be Owen's and mine is going to be transformed into the school room. I have visions of grandeur which are in no way going to become a reality but no matter, it is still fun to think it might.

a new friend

2011-08-18T16:16:00.000-06:00

2011-08-17T11:49:00.001-06:00

We had some friends in California that loved tag sailing. When I first heard they were going tag sailing on a Saturday images of a romantic sail through the Pacific were conjured up in my mind. Then the truth was discovered. It was tag sale-ing, not tag sail-ing. A bit of a let down I say. Guess the term is a Northeast thing. We say Garage sale, Yard sale, Please let me buy all the stuff you don't want sale.
Yes, I hosted my first Yard Sale this past Saturday. As Kaiden so aptly put it after about an hour, "This yard sale is not a success." (emphasis on the not) Actually, in my mind it was a success. I decided on Wednesday that I would have the sale, drug out everything I wanted to get rid of, posted it on Craigslist on Friday afternoon, used masking tape for price tags, turned old campaign signs inside out to paint YARD SALE and an arrow on them and got to sit on the front porch of my house all Saturday morning with my mom. Throw in the fact that I did indeed sell almost everything in the yard and the rest went to Goodwill on Sunday and I would call that a success. Now, did I make any money? Hmm, no, not really as my items were priced to sell not to make it on the Fortune 500 list. Yes, the train table went for free, the Ikea desk for $5 but they are no longer in my house so I considered it a huge success.
Speaking of Ikea - out with the old in with the new. Denver just opened an Ikea and I have been waiting for the crowds to die down before I headed up there. It is on the south side of Denver so really not to far for us. I had forgotten how crazy that store was. I really think this one is bigger than the ones I have been to in California.
Yesterday I took the kids up to Denver to the Museum of Nature and Science and we stopped by Ikea on the way home. It was a spontaneous thing and was tons of fun. After walking through the entire showroom and warehouse I ended up getting two little shelves. Yes, the self control as well as the fact I had four children with me. I did get ideas that I will follow up on in the future though. I am planning my schoolroom right now.
School planning is coming along nicely which means I haven't looked at a school book or planned anything in the past few weeks. The house projects have taken precedence. The deck is now officially out, as is the upstairs bathroom. Our neighbor is absolutely amazing and tore the entire deck out himself and is helping to rebuild it. His son does plumbing so he just re-plumbed (that's not a word is it?) our house which will be a great selling point for an old house. The downstairs bathroom is finally finished, just need some sort of decor - no, I didn't see anything at Ikea for that.
And so summer continues on and we are soaking it up. I am wearing a sweater this morning as it is beginning to be a little cooler come morning. I am not quite ready for that but the seasons never ask my permission to change. We are finding beauty everywhere right now. We've gotten a lot of rain lately and everything is overgrown and green (except for our grass). The end of summer is my favorite time of year. It is gold and warm and beautiful. Flowers still bloom and we still throw on bathing suits to run through sprinklers yet there is something inside that knows another summer is closing so we fill every day from sunrise to sunset with joy and laughter and sunshine.

a bit long....

2011-08-09T16:06:00.000-06:00

The cream in my coffee curdled this morning but I drank it anyway. The lengths I will go to in order to drink my morning cup of coffee. I only make enough for one cup in the french press so making another cup seemed too much work so here I sit with lukewarm, chunky coffee. I am thinking I may not finish the cup. This was my breakfast the other morning though - freshly made peach pie, perfect Kaiden-made coffee and a good book.

I ran my first race last Saturday. Two miles and I finished strong. I thought that wasn't too bad for not having run that far in, oh, over six seven years. A friend was looking for someone to run a 5k with so I volunteered. I am actually pretty excited about it - should be fun. I am working at getting back into shape after four babies/six pregnancies. While in VA I did CrossFit three days a week (am I the only person in the world that hadn't heard of CrossFit and its rather cult following?) with two of my sisters (in law) and had so much fun with it. Hmm, might look into it here, we'll see.
Should I go into the list of the busyness of life right now - my excuses for not blogging? We are renovating our house, starting school soon, Miette started ballet, Kaiden starts music lessons next week, Bible study church, I shot my first wedding and have several more coming up. Whew, it has been an adventure and we're just getting going. The bathroom is torn down to the studs, there is a hole in our bedroom ceiling as well as in the study walls, the bathroom is waiting, primed and ready to be painted, the deck is half torn out and we've got a pile taller than my head that is headed to the dump as soon as we double it. I'll keep you updated on the house progress...maybe I should do some before and after pictures.

chewing on old knobs

We have been working in the yard as well, planting flowers and grass seed as well as pulling an overabundance of weeds. I love being out in the yard with them and have been wishing for a few acres for a garden and plenty of run around space.

Miette started ballet yesterday which was absolutely adorable. Her hair pulled back into a sweet little bun, pink leotard and slippers in place, she was as brave as could be in class and came out saying she, "Loved Miss Amy." and wished she could go to ballet every day. There was only one other little girl in her class and I think I had as much fun as she did watching through the observation window. She did so well and followed directions wonderfully. When we got home she showed the whole family all she learned and we all joined in for some private lessons.

I photographed my first wedding a week ago Saturday and had so much fun. I loved it and am looking forward to more opportunities to be a part of some lovely celebrations. Having a nursing baby made it a little tricky and Owen was so sweet to load KMe2 in the car and bring them out to the chapel I was shooting at so I could feed Elinor half way through the day. The whole day was a great experience and the bride and groom lovely to work with. Fun times!

What else....Ellis came in the other day and told me she pricked her finger on a spinning wheel. Hmm, maybe she'll start sleeping longer. Kaiden's first pet, a hermit crab named Sam, ended up going to his final resting place and is now buried in the back yard. Owen's sister Hayden bought it for Kaiden while we were at the beach and I think the cross country trip might have been a little much for him. Kaiden kindly wrote a note to Hayden after the untimely death of Sam saying, "I am sorry to say that Sam has died. Don't worry though, daddy is going to buy me another one. Warmly, K.S.H." Love this boy's sweet heart. I have really seen God at work in him and I am staying on my knees for these four.
We love summer here and with my extensive to do list I am reveling in the beauty of warm weather, green trees and just being together. Owen and I were talking the other day about how much we've got on our plate right now and came away from the conversation smiling as we realize that this is the adventure. No use being overwhelmed or stressed as our heart's are growing, stretching and falling deeper in love with Him.
I give thanks today for:
Sunshine
New paint
Coffee
Hide-and-seek
Four children who sleep all night long
Growing vocabulary
Princesses
Music
Laughter
Bear crawling baby
The library
Books on CD
Friends
Good neighbors

There and back again

2011-07-29T21:25:00.000-06:00

We're back, and home, and here again. It was an absolutely lovely holiday and I was happy to be there and happy to be home. We are getting back into the swing of things full force which means lots going on but not too much. We won't be starting school until the sixth of September so we have a whole month to enjoy the end of a Colorado summer.
I love summer in Colorado. To tell the truth I love summer everywhere, or at least the places I have been. Even the heat and humidity of South Carolina didn't bother me a bit. After we left the beach we headed down to see our dear friends in Columbia. We had so much fun with all seven of the children together and even had quite a bit of time alone as Shinny has the most amazing babysitter ever. Seriously, this girl got all seven down to bed and asleep in less than thirty minutes. I could never have done it. I've got a bunch of pictures from our zoo outing while we were there as well a couple more from Shinny's and my day trip down to Charleston. Then it was home again which we made in about 25 hours. Not bad, not bad at all.

2011-07-17T11:41:00.000-06:00

The Saturday before we left for the beach we celebrated Owen's grandfather's 84th birthday. They have a cabin near their farm so the whole family headed over there for some friend chicken and homemade ice cream. If everyone looks hot and muggy....it is because it was hot and muggy.

Hill family - 2011

Hayden and Elinor

Cassie and Ellis

McKenna and E2

Hill family + grandparents - Left to Right - Hayden, Emily, Kenny, Cassie, Steve, Trena, Ellis, Owen, Ruffin, Elinor, Kiera, Rex, McKenna

Miette and Kenny

2011-07-17T11:35:00.000-06:00

Picture catch up. The week before last we headed down to see some friends from our CA days that are now in NC. It was great to catch up with them and spend a little more time at the beach. Their youngest baby and Elinor were born the same week so it was a fun adventure to have all eight of our children together. Daniel and Lisa were our first friends we met in California and we've been blessed to be able to keep up with them over the years.

Fun to just cram in as much as you can when on holiday so after our trip down and back to NC we went to the Marine Science Museum and Aquarium in VA Beach. KMe2 absolutely loved it, well, not sure about Elinor but she was able to crawl around enough to be happy and the other three really had a great time.

2011-07-17T11:25:00.002-06:00

2011-07-16T09:10:00.000-06:00

I had the previous post saved as a draft as I had typed it out and then realized I wasn't able to put any pictures up here at the beach because of the slow internet. I am actually just using my father-in-law's phone as a hot spot.
Today is our last day at the beach which always comes with sadness as you realize that the summer is on the downward slope. It has been lovely with a few twists of challenge thrown in for good measure. There is a cold that has made its way around to everyone so we've all taken turn sharing that but everyone has been a good sport about it and made the best of it. The food is amazing, the conversations real and inspiring and the beach, ah, the beach is beauty that makes its way into your heart and even when I go home it will still be there a bit.
Owen and I have been going out nearly every night after KMe2 are down to sleep and walking along the wave sloshed sand. The moon has been out in full force and we watch the light pouring over the sea, lighting our way as we scuff along, kicking sand out behind and watching sand crab scuttle out of our way. It is the the only place in the world that I feel truly free. The beach at night is magic, I am unseen and unburdened by the cares that weigh on me at other times. There is nothing to do, nowhere to be. I walk, I dance, I run and grin and feel like I am the child I never truly was. I have always been serious - looking at life through the grid of what I should do and be and so to feel unencumbered by what other's think or see or released from the thoughts of what I should be doing is a gift that I never looked for but has been dumped in my lap. Truly, all is grace.

2011-07-16T08:32:00.000-06:00

I am sitting off in a corner of the screened in porch at the beach cottage. It is a very muggy night and nearby there is a table full of family playing Taboo. I’ll just throw in my guesses here and there but I am enjoying a bit of alone-but-not-really time. Inside there is another group watching some soccer game on TV and my sweet babies are all sleeping – hopefully. The six of us are sharing a room which means Miette is in the closet, Kaiden on the floor and Ellis and Elinor in Pack n’ Plays. Love it. I like to consider the beach upscale camping.

I am sure that heaven is going to have lots of beach front property. We actually aren’t quite beach front here – about two blocks away but it is close enough. The days look something like this – wake up early because that’s what you do when you have young children, eat breakfast, watch cartoons, go to the beach, play all morning, come back for lunch, take a nap, go back to the beach, come back for dinner, play games, go to bed, repeat. Well, that’s KMe2’s schedule and they are loving it. I love watching my children living life fully and happily. I love watching the family love on them and them loving in return.

I suppose I should back up just a little bit though as it has been so long since I’ve been here. Of course I forget most things but that’s okay. Really I want to remember Miette squealing as she chased a rabbit across an open field and Kaiden finding a perfect dead crab on the side of the rode. Yes, we took it home and it quickly lost all of its brittle legs. I have a lovely memory of celebrating the fourth of July by last minute deciding to go to the beach and spend the morning at VA Beach. I’m thinking of piles of freshly picked corn steaming high on a platter, of peach pie and chocolate pie and blueberry pie. Amazing. Okay, we didn’t really have all those pies for one meal.

Hmm, what else? Last week we drove four hours down to North Carolina to see some dear friends that we had met in CA and have kept with for the past years. They had their fourth baby the same week we had our fourth. It was fun to catch up and watch our eight play together.

2011-06-29T19:14:00.000-06:00

The sunset glows in a different way than it does back home. Perhaps this is because it makes it all the way to the horizon before slipping away to greet another land but perhaps it is just because it is summer and the warmth from each day holds on as long as possible.
I told a friend today that I've had writer's block lately. It is all there, bottled up in a jumbled mass of thoughts and yet is seems there is so much that I can't make sense of it. I want to tell you about the bright mr. cardinal who stops by the bird feeder attached to the window near the kitchen table. We say hello every morning and good night at the end of the day. He doesn't seem to mind our comings and goings and flits in and out throughout our day. Or the smile on my face as I watched the laughter bubble up, spill out and go on and on as the baseball team mascot shook Kaiden's hand up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down. The anticipation of Miette in tasting cotton candy for the first time. "I wonder what it will taste like." Of course she chose pink and it seemed to live up to every expectation she had. I think I might have pretended to be quite grown up - not liking the cotton candy all that much but the truth is I do secretly like it.
I want to tell you about the sweet curls that crown Ellis's head - it is as though a wreath of curls was set on her head to add to the loveliness of her face. And the pretending that goes on here and how amazing it is and how much fun the children are having and how they are a bit out of sorts and how much I am learning and wanting to learn about life and loving what I have.
Can I say how hot some of these days are and how much I love it but only because I can then come in to the air conditioned house? And let me tell you about the bees that are always buzzing over the sand box (volleyball court) so really they can't play in it but it doesn't really matter because we all know that a week at the beach isn't too far away.
But mostly my thoughts have been filled with grace and feeling overwhelmed by it and all of a sudden feeling completely inadequate in everything I am doing. Today I feel that I don't know how to parent as I should. Today I wonder what it is all for and how do I show them Love as a person? When a situation comes up I just stop and pray because suddenly I wonder if I am saying words that don't just tell them what to do but really show them Jesus. Do I see Him?

Curly hair baby girl

Ah, sisters - so much to learn about life

Many hours are spent on this front porch with grandma. When they wake up in the morning and come downstairs they head out there to chat, check out the front yard and hear the scoop for the day.

Checking out the Clydesdales with Papa

why so serious my dear?

Seriously, she put plastic cheese (that's what we call it) on her hot dog. Of course, she didn't actually end up eating her hotdog which in the long run was probably a wise choice.

first taste of cotton candy - he wasn't as thrilled as Miette. Hmm, tastes like sugar he says. Yes, yes it does.

Should I throw in here that I just ate three cupcakes with white frosting. No, probably not. Hmm, Owen, don't read this last bit here.

Happy 8

2011-06-29T13:12:00.001-06:00

I blinked and the newborn is eight months old. I am astounded and amazed by the absolute joy and cheer this baby of ours brings this home. She is our kitten baby, sweetums and lovely in every way.
I started her on solids this week and while she may not have been thrilled to begin with I think she may be coming along. I do believe she got nearly three spoonfuls down her throat this morning which is an improvement. Her first food was avocado, second - banana, third - sweet potato, fourth - carrots. Oh right, and a little watermelon thrown in for good measure. She pretty much said no to the avocado and banana but seemed to like the potato and carrots.
I keep thinking she is going to be crawling like a champ any second but it is still a mix of up on her toes, crawl on all fours, scoot on the belly, repeat. Cute as can be though.
I just noticed yesterday that one of her top teeth is just about to come in so she will have a lovely total of three teeth which seems a funny number to have but i'm sure she'll have a mouthful soon.

Isn't it amazing how quickly the time passes in babyhood?

I'm sitting here watching Kaiden play with Elinor. The other girls are sleeping and he is entertaining himself with the baby. He is rolling artificial lemons around the house while she chases after him, pulling up on things occasionally. She pulls up on everything which seems to be the latest thing to keep her happy. Toys don't hold her attention but give her things to pull up on and she is as happy as can be. I love to watch the interaction between the babies. Kaiden is rough, as boys are, and yet there is something there being shaped and molded into caring. God is at work.

Read this poem this morning and was encouraged:

Let me but do my work from day to day
In field or forest, at the desk or loom,
In roaring market-place or tranquil room;
Let me but find it in my heart to say,
When vagrant wishes beckon me astray,
"This is my work; my blessing, not my doom;
Of all who live, I am the one by whom
This work can best be done in the right way."

Then shall I see it not too great, nor small,
To suit my spirit and to prove my powers;
Then shall I cheerful greet the labouring hours,
And cheerful turn, when the long shadows fall
At eventide, to play and love and rest,
Because I know for me my work is best.

Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933)

happy monday

2011-06-27T20:49:00.000-06:00

first food?

2011-06-25T12:35:00.001-06:00

2011-06-24T11:59:00.000-06:00

Another afternoon. Today was the park and library as it was actually a little cooler today - 80 and humid. Not bad, not bad. Overcast though which isn't as great for the pool. Who am I kidding - it is summer which means it is always great for the pool. I will say though that I like it to be hot and blue skies to get in the pool. KMe on the other hand, any time.
One of the things I love about coming here is that it gives me an opportunity to think and read and talk. I love living with my mother-in-law for a few weeks. We have some great conversations that are totally unplanned and just happen because we're here.

checking out the crabs from the boat dock

crazy amount of crabs and snails under here. quite the entertainment.

I am about 1/3 of the way through a new book - Give Them Grace. Please read this if you find opportunity. What a reminder and encouragement for me, not only in my parenting but for my own soul. I'm thinking of grace today and finding myself humbled, again, by the depth of His mercy.

2011-06-23T12:46:00.000-06:00

It is quiet here. Three girls sleeping and one boy reading. I wonder how many times I will say how much I love the stillness of afternoon rest time.
I let KMe stay up late the night before last and definitely paid for it yesterday. Of course Kaiden and Miette were fine but Ellis, oh my word - I have never seen her quite so out of sorts. She cried at the least injury or insult and ended up sobbing herself to sleep. I think it is one part lack of sleep, another part new environment and another part just Ellis. She seems to be on the mend rather today although not quite herself.

coloring pictures of butterflies

Kaiden working in his nature journal after discovering a lovely caterpillar which will soon be an Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly

These caterpillars are all over the parsley plants out front.

So, you'll never believe this but things actually grow out here - amazing.

Picking peas in grandma's garden

this girl is crazy - she loves to go get in the deep end and just paddle around to the shallow end, hop out of the pool just to once again run down to the deep end and get in another time. She looks hilarious - this wee, tiny girl paddling around the pool.

getting braver...

these goggles crack me up - hours of entertainment

tea party at the pool

after jumping into the pool when no one anticipated it she needed a little rest with grandma. thankfully grandma wasn't too far away when she decided to go "swimming".

sweet baby girl face

Nail painting is almost an every day occurrence around here. Yesterday Miette ended up with two coats - blue on top of hot pink which then became a rather unsightly, smudged shade of purple but she was quite content with it. Seems there is always someone willing to slap on another coat and with the ins and outs of the pool we're always needing another top coat.

waiting for toe nail paint to dry

got to love a princess dress and freshly painted nails - is this utopia or what?

Kaiden helped serve at the Salvation Army today with his grandma so the girls and I held down the fort and went swimming and snacking. I took Miette out this morning to Old Navy as I needed to find another bathing suit for them (for whatever reason Land's End bathing suits are great quality but very poor fit for both of my girls, ah well). So my deal of the day was $5 suits at Old Navy and also....yes, jelly shoes for both M and E. I couldn't help myself. Miette found them, tried them on, came walking over to me in them...they are fun and pink and summery and I myself always wanted a pair when I was growing up. I told Owen I was living vicariously through my daughters. He replied that we have known that for about four years now. What's not to like about hot pink jellies?

Farm

2011-06-21T11:58:00.000-06:00

From past years you may remember pictures of Owen's grandparent's farm. It is like stepping back in time and finding that simplicity, beauty and making things grow still exists in the world. We stopped by for a visit last Sunday night and all the children had a wonderful and sweaty time exploring the farm.

Owen's grandmother is always picking up things for the children at thrift stores and such and never one to disappoint she had a big bag of "stuff" for them when we got there. Got to love princess dress up at the farm.
IT has been overcast the last few days so there hasn't been as much time in the pool as Kaiden might like but we still find plenty of things to do. Owen's sister Kiera is here for about a week and she has been amazing - playing with KMe for hours and quickly becoming a favorite. According to Ellis, I mean, Snow White, Kiera is Cinderella. Cinderella plays along quite nicely which is lovely for me. I was able to spend an hour or so this morning working on school plans for this fall. Hopefully I will have most of my summer to do list checked off in the next few weeks.

Summer is...

2011-06-18T19:39:00.002-06:00

vacation.
sunshine.
heat.
curly haired girls.
humidity.
swimming pools.
sand.
sea.
sand castles.
waves.
sun-kissed babies.
little one falling asleep on my chest outdoors.
sun burn.
smiles.
laughter.
good food.
best friend by my side.
lots, and lots of help with the babies.
snow white taking up residence (ellis, er, I mean snow white.)
sea shells.

magic. everywhere. (Merriam-Webster def. of magic - a : an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source)

We are here in VA for our yearly holiday to visit Owen's parents. We will be gone for six weeks which I realize is a very long time but as it took us 30 hours to get out here we figured we had better stay awhile. We left last Tuesday night at about 7:15pm and drove for 20 hours straight. The children were amazing and did a fantastic job in the car as we drove. We had originally planned on leaving early Wednesday morning but as we were ready to go we figured we might as well just go for it. I am so glad we did as we made it to Lexington, KY and were able to take a break at a hotel there. We all slept for 12 hours straight - it was amazing.
We pulled into VA around 6:30 the following day and of course KMe had to get in the pool first thing. They absolutely love coming here and I will just go ahead and confess that most of it is the swimming pool. Of course they dearly love Owen's family as they all make great playmates. Today Owen's sister Kiera spent the evening as Cinderella as Ellis was Snow White. Seriously, I have never met a child so amazing at entering into character as Ellis - she will correct you if you refer to her by any other name. "I am not Eyis, I Hno White." (I don't quite know how to type how she pronounces that word.)
So here I am, soaking in sunshine and beauty and summer. It will be over in a blink and then the loveliness of Colorado will be mine again but for now I breathe deeply, nearly choking on the abundance of oxygen, and praise God for this day.
(and for those of you who are reading this and freaking out about me publicly stating that I am going to be away from my house for six weeks, thinking that I am just telling the world to please vandalize my home and cart away all my dearest possessions, I will set your mind at ease by saying that we do have someone staying in our home guarding our untreasures. I always take my dearest things with me or leave them at their own homes.)

loved this ~

2011-06-18T17:44:00.000-06:00

2011-06-12T13:20:00.000-06:00

Life has taken over my time to blog. Ah well. This week was crazy with six photo shoots, Bible study, dates with friends, house cleaning, errands to get ready for our holiday (we have decided that it is rather fun to say you are going on a holiday) and of course just everything else that we do just to make life go. But here I am on a Saturday night sitting next to my dearest friend on the couch with the crazy week behind me.
Here are just a few pictures from this past week. I hope to be able to catch up some and fill you in on the comings and goings.

this is what you do with leftover campaign paper

News - Elinor has figured out how to pull herself up on things. It is still a work in progress as she can't quite get all the way up and is still so unsteady in it that she always ends up crying because she gets stuck. I cannot believe how mobile this little one is though.

2011-06-05T14:16:00.000-06:00

Summer inspires being outdoors, watching babies play, short skirts and tank tops but not as much blogging. Perhaps I am not recording some of the loveliness that is happening every day all around me but just because I don't write it down doesn't mean it isn't happening and I treasure these days up in my heart. Do you notice the scraped up shins - summer is here for sure.
I have been doing a bit more photography as my friend Mandy has inspired and challenged me to keep up with it and try to grow my skill. Of course that means I haven't quite been keeping up with pictures of my own children. Poor dears. I have five sessions before we leave in a little more than a week and then my goal is to take as many pictures as I can of these four this summer. I love summer light and can hardly wait for sunset at the beach for days on end.
I am going to be shooting my first wedding this July so just for fun and to get some experience I asked my brother and his wife of nearly ten months if they would mind dressing up and going out for a shoot. We had so much fun together! They are a lovely couple and I have loved having another sister. Here are a few from our time together.

This girl - she's a busy one for sure. Not a clear picture but she started crying right after this so I thought it only right to rescue her. She climbed over a folding chair with her arms and got stuck. Sweet Norah Jane.

improvement needed

2011-05-31T14:11:00.004-06:00

Remember when I went on that organizing kick a few months ago? It was amazing - I was so organized that week that I nearly didn't know what do do with myself. Sigh, yes, that was a good week. It really is too bad that is about how long it lasted. Augh, now I really don't know what to do with myself.

Laundry system - needs help, isn't bothering me too much though.

Meals and menus - hmm, improvement needed but having a hard time finding motivation.

Cleaning - happens sometimes.

Schedule - okay, so I really do need to work on this one seriously. I forgot a birthday party today. How does one do that and why am I admitting it for the world to read? We were supposed to be at a birthday party at 11:30 this morning. At 11:28 I remembered. None of my children were in "going out" clothes, I had just gotten out of the shower and Elinor was still in her pajamas. Ha! Can you believe we were out the door in nine minutes with everyone matching/coordinating and me dressed with makeup on. Hmm, tells me we really wouldn't have to be late for church every week. As it was we were still late for the party as I couldn't remember and be there at the same time but ah well. Seriously though - how do I forget a birthday party? I need some major calendar help. Being free spirited is good - being absent minded, um, not so much.

Next up, book recommendation. I saw this book quoted on aholyexperience.com and looked it up. They had it at our library so I've just started reading it. Amazing, really. Hold On to Your Kids is a book written to parents encouraging them to take a closer look at our children's heart orientation. I keep having to read paragraphs out loud to Owen as I find the thoughts expressed in the book so insightful into our culture and society today. Do you ever find a book and think it is everything that has been going through your mind but you were unable to express it? That's how I felt about this book. There - check it out and let me know what you think.

Anything else? Hmm, I had better go make a grocery list lest I wander the grocery store aimlessly this afternoon. Oh, and yesterday we celebrated eight years of marriage. It is amazing and blissful and magic and beauty and joy all together at one time. I love being married more than anything else in the world. My dad watched KMe2 and sent us out to dinner - you couldn't ask for a better anniversary gift than that.

we call this downward dog, right leg split - it's a yoga thing, she's pretty good at it

2011-05-31T01:04:00.001-06:00

Those who do not believe in magic have never watched their children play in springtime. Out in the grass, spinning around to an off key melody from the Sound of Music; I watch them and know that magic is in the air. The sun is slipping, sinking, and we laugh, that too is music. We pull out crackers, peanut butter and oranges for a make shift dinner. Ellis is Snow White, always these days. Miette will sing, loudly, boldly, looking me straight in the eye as she knows I will clap and cheer and hug her fiercely when the last note abruptly ends. Kaiden runs and tags and wraps arms around me - mine imitate and find his six year old growing body getting bigger. He is boy now, loving baseball and snakes and I love them too - only for him though. I look over - eyes catching Owen's and we smile and both know. We know magic, the secrets of the world, the beauty often overlooked right in front of us. Mismatched clothes, grass stained feet, crazy hair, sweet lips speaking lovely nonsense, warm wind calling, beckoning. It is nearly summer - when I will let responsibility slip my mind and we will wander and find and discover. The house will collect, the laundry pile up, meals become an afterthought to living fully each day. Happiness is sun kissing baby skin, no more jackets for months, baths every night as babies are so dirty, sand piles and dirt piles and grass piles and anything else they can find to make soup, cake and ice cream out of. We eat our fill of nature's food and though perhaps our bellies are more empty our hearts are fuller come summer.

remember

2011-05-30T21:10:00.000-06:00

My grandmother Aliene

My dad serving in Vietnam

My grandfather Walter

My dad Carl (army) and grandfather Carl (Navy) in uniform

For the brave service by those in my family as well as the thousands who have served our country - I give thanks.

2011-05-26T21:22:00.000-06:00

You know what my greatest weakness in life is? Would you believe me if I said children's clothing? Augh, it is terrible but I love dressing my girls and I really think God is sitting up there chuckling away at His amazing sense of humor in giving me three. I might actually stay in budget if I had one girl and three boys but no, girls clothes just put me over and I don't really see that changing in the near future.
My mom asked me today if we ever go out without the girls matching and I must admit I can't remember the last time. I love it. I love the challenge of finding (now) all three sizes, matching, on sale and cute. It is harder than it looks. I did pick up some less than cute pajamas from Carter's tonight for $4 each (only for M and E). Miette and I have a little bit different taste in clothing but I figured for pajamas it didn't matter and she is as pleased as can be with her satin blue and pink horse pajamas. Did I really buy satin pajamas with horses on them? She loves them - I love her. I'm good with that.

making a wish

so beautiful, this sweet girl of mine

happy tuesday

2011-05-24T17:35:00.001-06:00

The reason I haven't had many blog posts lately is because I haven't had any interesting or profound thoughts in the past couple of weeks. Every time I sit down to blog I end up deleting it and cleaning the kitchen or something concrete. My thoughts are abstract though which only works well for Facebook status and not blog posts. For example, you can't just blog and say - I wish I would have taken the meat out a little earlier so it would have been thawed by five. My sweater smells odd as I think I might have left the laundry in the washer for too long. I wonder how many times ellis can choke on something in one meal? I just did a double take when ellis sat down to empty her shoes at the park and I realize she has a dress on but no underwear. The baby is going to be crawling any second now. Every time I cut Kaiden's hair I tell myself that I will never do this to him again. Why do children grow out of their clothes so quickly? We tried a new recipe for baked oatmeal that was so amazing my children actually ate it. Oh right, we tried another new recipe this week too - chocolate torte with raspberry filling - it was even more amazing than the baked oatmeal. Of course, how can you compare baked oatmeal with chocolate torte with raspberry filling? Miette's thighs - that's pretty amazing too, love it. Give thanks, give thanks - for growing up boys who seem older overnight. For lilacs and spring that hasn't quite sprung. For learning something new every day. For growing pains which means being quiet when I want to speak and praying for wisdom when i'm just not sure.

So, as you see, that doesn't make for the most interesting or enlightening blog post, but there you have it - the inner workings of my mind. Take it for what it's worth.

Kaiden - six

2011-05-23T15:41:00.001-06:00

Dear Kaiden
You were the first of baby laughter and heart stealing and the welcome to motherhood. There is something about you, my firstborn that will always have that place. It is crazy for me to think that six years ago my sweet boy was swaddled up in my arms and the journey had just begun. God has used you like nothing else to grow my heart. We've had challenging days, good days, happy days, rainy days, i'm-going-crazy days and yet at the end of each of these days as I kiss your sweet little boy cheek I rejoice and praise the Giver of all good things that this boy is mine. You are a gift - boy of mine.
I've been amazed to watch you change over the past few years. Your heart is growing softer and for this I give thanks. I see God at work in you and your desire to do what is right is just there for me to see. We had a rough couple of crazy toddler years but as you have come out of that your love for God and your love for others is becoming more and more evident.
I love to see how very social you are even though sometimes it drives me crazy - you love people and have never met a stranger. You are always finding new friends wherever we go - whether it is the park or church or the grocery store. You'll just strike up a conversation and the rest is history.
You have been an amazing help to me this past year and I don't know what I would have done without you. You help me clean house, take in groceries, entertain a crying baby and make coffee and toast for us all. I love it when out of just kindness you decide you are going to clean your room or help with the girls.
Homeschooling has been fun this year with a kindergartener. You have done really well in school and even though many times I know you don't want to work on a certain project I've been encouraged to see you choose a good attitude about it. Language is your gift and you have been reading tons and tons of books this year - I can't keep up with you! This year you read The Hobbit, Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Little Prince, Dr Doolittle, The Magic Treehouse series, The Boxcar Children series and dozens more.
I know you aren't really too into toys so I am always looking for ideas to keep you busy. The girls have been good for you as they have encouraged imaginative play which is something that doesn't come very naturally to you but all together you have a good time pretending.
Kaiden, you are a strong boy and I continue to pray that just as your name means "fighter" you will be a fighter for truth and grow in the strength of the Lord. You remind me so much of daddy and I hope that you will be just like him as you get bigger and bigger every year.
You are my own sweet boy and I love you.

Making a wish

birthday weekend

2011-05-23T15:08:00.000-06:00

it was a birthday weekend in our home - my birthday being on Saturday and Kaiden's on Sunday. I must admit - I was somewhat dreading turning twenty-nine as it will be my last year in the twenties and yet come Saturday morning the sun still shown, Owen was still amazing as ever and my babies just as sweet. It was a lovely day that I consider one of my favorite birthdays yet.
I started off the morning going to breakfast with my mom and dad which was so fun. Growing up we had the tradition of going to breakfast with my mom or dad on our birthday but I haven't done it since getting married so it was really nice to just go and sit, drink a couple of cups of coffee and chat with my parents about life and all that.
After that Owen and I went for a long bike ride with me pulling Miette and Elinor and Owen pulling Kaiden and Ellis - whew, that's a load but it was a lovely morning and we so enjoyed the spring air rushing round us as we rode.
My wish for my birthday was for a photoshoot with all of us. So that evening we got ourselves decent looking and went downtown to take pictures - my battery died ten minutes after getting down there. Augh, too bad. Ah well, we still had a lot of fun just walking around downtown and Kaiden proved himself old enough to be the stroller pusher which was nice as well.

It was a full day as after that we put kme2 down to sleep at my parent's and Owen and I went out to Shuga's which is one of our favorite restaurants in town. So, all in all it was the perfect day...even if I am twenty-nine now.

school year recap

2011-05-18T15:40:00.000-06:00

Just thought I would do a brief recap of our school year and add what worked and what didn't work. We really had a wonderful year together and my love of homeschooling has grown these past months. I am very glad to be through for the summer but I am already thinking about next year - it is good to look ahead.

Both Kaiden and Miette did very well in school this year and it is a joy to teach them. Of course we had our challenges - one of them being me learning to be disciplined and yet God really grew us all this year.

This was our course of study that was planned for the 2010-2011 school year:

Reading/Language Arts -

Tapestry of Grace Year One - We loved this curriculum and I will praise it very highly. This was our core curriculum for the year covering history, geography, social sciences, writing, and arts and crafts. We will most definitely be doing Year 2 for the 2011-1012 school year. Kaiden really enjoyed most aspects of this curriculum and we both learned a lot about ancient history. I wasn't great about getting all the suggested crafts done but all in all I think this curriculum does a great job at drawing together resources to learn about the studied time period.

From a teacher's perspective TOG is very easy to use and has a great balance between giving you clear lesson plans and letting you plan the week however works best for your schedule.

First Language Lessons of the Well Trained Mind - we started this book in 2009 but began again this past year. I think I like this language arts book but I will say I am not sold completely on it. That being said, most likely we will use the 2nd grade book next year. (The version I have combines 1st and 2nd grade in one book.) We didn't quite make it through the entire book - we have about 15 more lessons that I am hoping to finish up by the end of May.

Math

Math-U-See - I started this program this year after reading and hearing so many rave reviews about it. I must admit, I ended up with mixed feelings about it. We finished it quite awhile ago as Kaiden seemed to breeze through it. Math is definitely not Kaiden's strong point in school but he seemed to do well with it. He got really tired of having to build out each problem with the blocks so we abandoned the blocks after the first one or two problems of each lesson as it just frustrated him to have to use them. I am not sure I will use Math-U-See next year so I am open to suggestions and reviews if you have them. I will say though that all my children liked the videos.

Nature/Science

We started the Nature Portfolio at the beginning of the year but I have to say we didn't make it very far through. I really like it and plan on using it this next year again but unfortunately it was just one of the first things to go when we got busy. I loved all the suggested books though and am looking forward to picking it up again this Autumn.

Music

Kid's Music Playground - this was an amazing program and Kaiden learned so much about music. He is also able to play quite a few little songs on the keyboard. We are planning on attending next year as well.

We didn't do any sports this year as it was just too much with the campaign and pregnancy and I am not sure what we'll do next year for that as I don't want to get too crazy busy. I am already researching ideas and such for next school year so if you have any suggestions please pass them on. I will most likely be adding a formal spelling program as well as handwriting and science but we'll see what happens as the time gets closer.

I thank God for the opportunity to stay home and watch these sweet children grow. It really was a fun year full of adventure and beauty. I'd love to hear about your school year too!

2011-05-15T20:37:00.000-06:00

his missing tooth isn't so obvious as his adult tooth had already started to grow in behind.

It has been a week which feels like a long time. Hello.
I lost my entire folder of pictures that i've put on my blog for the past month - i think I threw them away and emptied the trash. That is just too bad. Not uncommon for me when I get on these organizing kicks. What really happened was I filled my entire hard drive with pictures and had to put them on an external hard drive. Hmm, i'm wondering if I transferred the folder. I'll have to check on that.
It was a toothy sort of week for us with Kaiden losing his first tooth on the 7th and Elinor getting her first on the 13th and her second popping in on the 14th. She is so funny as she keeps rolling her tongue around feeling that little tooth. Cute, cute. She is also just scooting around like crazy. I took a sweet little video of her that I will have to see if I can post.
Not too much else going on. I cleaned my house which was amazing feeling. Of course, it is messy again but no worries, I have one layer gone so I feel like I can breathe again.

for you

2011-05-08T16:09:00.000-06:00

A beautiful day was my Mother's Day gift. I am lying on my bed, a lovely warm breeze at random blowing in to say, "good afternoon. press on. the world is full of wonder."

You, my dear mother friends, are the beauty makers and I give thanks deeply to our good Father for you today. In my studying and thinking about self image lately I have been struck by how seldom I compliment and build up other mothers. I think this is common among young moms as we often spend time comparing or measuring ourselves among each other. Doesn't it start early on? Did you go natural or have an epidural? Do you vaccinate or no? Do you homeschool, public school, teach there is a santa claus, let your child stay up late, watch certain movies, call adults by their last names or first, use time out or spank, count to three? I know there are a hundred more things or even beyond that I could list as the different ways we parent. Yes, true, I choose a certain way because I truly believe it is best for my child and yes, there are some rights and wrongs. But instead of comparing myself to you and either feeling guilty for not being as good of a mother as you are or being prideful because I think I am better than you I see the grief this brings our Father and I repent.

Have you ever been in a situation where your children were poorly behaved and another mother's were sweet and kind and everything nice? Did I find myself rejoicing with that mother that her children were doing well? Or on the flip side - let's say it was your children who were doing well and your friend's little one was throwing a fit. Do I mourn the broken world we live in where children seek their own way from birth and find myself praying for grace for my friend and offering words of encouragement? Or am I embarrassed that my children are being so poorly behaved and almost wishing it were her children instead? Does my heart betray itself in being very glad it was her child that threw the fit and not mine?"I would never let my child get away with that!" "I can't believe her child is screaming and crying - I am glad my children don't behave like that." Ah the folly of pride and envy. I pray for my heart to change - that I will rejoice with the rejoicing mama, and know how to weep with the mama who weeps.

I see this is again related to what my heart values. Do I find value in my children being well behaved because I look like a good mother - and if they aren't it is a reflection of my poor parenting? Or do I value Christ's name being glorified through the raising up of a generation that loves Him passionately and seeks to redeem what has been broken? Do I rejoice when I see other mothers who truly are following hard after Him and bringing up their children to know Him? Instead of comparing myself to other moms who seem the "super moms" and finding myself coming up short I ought to look at them and give thanks that I am not alone in striving to teach my children the Way.

We are in this fight together my dear friend and for that I praise Him. I am thankful that you are better at many, many things than I am. I thank Him that He is doing a great work in you. I praise our great God that you are growing in your patience with your children each day, that your hearts are being knit together with your sweet ones that He has given you, and that His kingdom is being built through your endurance and patience.

So yes, you and I are different - and I am so glad. I pray that you find yourself being built up in Him this week. I ask that His mercy and grace will overwhelm you as you train young hearts to know and worship our Creator Redeemer.

Happy Mother's Day - may you laugh at the time to come.

My gift to my own mother today. Of course, she will alway be my dear, dear friend. I thank God for you mom.

I saw the tutorial for these silhouettes linked on another site and loved it so much I had to try it. It actually was very easy and I finished the entire thing in an afternoon. You should try it!

it's a little crazy round here....

2011-05-05T14:44:00.001-06:00

Let's just say this at the beginning and get it over with - it was supposed to be 67 degrees today but it is only 58 and I am disappointed. There, weather report for the day taken care of.
Thinking today about staying present. I have a little card on my refrigerator with these words on them that constantly remind me that I am here, this is now and God is good - always. My mom and I are going to be speaking at a bit of a woman's retreat next Thursday so I have had the given topic of self image on my mind night and day for the past few weeks. No, I still am not quite sure all I am going to say but rest assured, I will by next Thursday. Anyway, today we were discussing the fact that regardless of what has happened in your life or how your upbringing has affected your self-image the only thing that really matters is today. I guess we all have different backgrounds - some more positive than others and yet it doesn't matter in the whole scheme of Truth. The Truth is that Christ loves you passionately, overwhelmingly, beyond comprehension. The Truth is that He has given Himself for me and created me exactly how He wants me in this time and space to reflect His glory.
I read a great article by John Piper the other day that encouraged me to take a look at my values and desires to see if they were really Christlike. The place that we get so hung up with poor self-image is when we start to value things (looks, home, reputation, children, what people think) more than we value being like Him. I loved this thought as it is so true! When I start worrying about what people think of me (if my children aren't well behaved, people will think I am a bad mother. if my house is messy when you come over, I am a poor housekeeper) instead of truly resting and trusting in the truth that He isn't concerned about these things then I begin to be self-focused and lose sight of the bigger picture. He loves me, He wants me to love others and if I am confident that what I am doing is in the right I will let my fear of people's opinions go and revel in the joy of being loved by an amazing God. And if the house is a mess and the children are a bit wild, ah well, you can still drop by to say hey and i'll offer you a cup of tea and not worry too much about what you think. (This actually happened yesterday and my children had decided to make a mud hole and play in it outback. They were covered in mud - their hair, legs and arm plastered....whew. Hello, yes, hmm, they are actually often to be found in this state. Please come in and make yourself comfortable while I hose them off real quick, i'll only be a minute.)

from M's birthday - we went out for ice cream with nana

M going to bed with her birthday balloons

I was telling Owen the other day that KMe always get so crazy when people come over or even just stop by for a minute...then I paused and laughed. The truth is they are always a bit crazy and I love that they enjoy life and are rather wild and get dirty and yell and laugh and wrestle - yes, even the girls, although it often ends with crying as Kaiden seems unaware of his own strength. They are my sweet crazies and the only time it bothers me is when I start getting uptight about wanting people to think my children are perfectly behaved. I suppose it depends on what your definition of well behaved is. There is definitely a time and place for being calm and quiet and hopefully I am teaching my children that as well (They all sit through church and have to sit quietly when we have family reading time or are doing school) but to be honest we have lots of running around, falling over one another, loudness and happy hearts. Soon enough the weight of life will burden their hearts and age will calm young bodies but for today, the sun is shining, the dirt beckons and life is easy and beautiful. As Ellis told me the other day, "I got to get my energize out."

some sweet inspiration

2011-05-04T09:46:00.000-06:00

So I am not usually one to post links and such but I came across this bakery and I was completely inspired to do some amazing baking. Now whether that inspiration will ever take place beyond play-doh creations remains to be seen but don't be surprised if someday in the near future I plan a mini dessert get together. Check out the mini dessert gallery on their site and go make something fun like french macaroons. Yes, I have already googled the recipe and it is on the to-do-soon list. May the house be a mess and french macaroons be in abundance.

Another newsworthy note - I have a new lens which of course is always fun. I had ordered a 50mm a month or more ago but when I got it for whatever reason I couldn't get a single sharp image with it so I sent it back for a replacement. I am happy to report that the new lens is sharp and while the AF seems to not be as amazing as I would hope I am content with the added beauty of f/1.4 vs the f/2.8 of the 24-70.

Also - the weather is warming up and I can now commence with mentioning how much I love warm weather in nearly every single post until winter. Times are changing and right now the house is nearly quiet with a baby sleeping and KMe outdoors (except for the occasional pop in the house with a brief cry about something. Ha - love girls.) I am constantly amazed by how my children reflect my own heart. In everything, everything, give thanks. It is a beautiful day (57 degrees already!), most of my laundry is clean, my baby girl is snoozing away happily, I have yoga tonight and God is opening my eyes to Him and showing me some dirt inside that needs some cleaning up. Happy Wednesday to you my dear friend. He is Risen - today is a resurrection day.

2011-05-02T22:10:00.000-06:00

The colds still hang on with lots of tissues found in little white piles all over the floor and lots of crying....lots of crying. We usually have music lessons on Monday mornings but I figured it wasn't the kindest thing to take four coughy, sneezy, runny nosed children to a group music lesson - so we went to the grocery story instead where they sneezed and coughed all over the produce. I'm kidding, i'm kidding. Not about the grocery store but about the coughing and sneezing all over the food. Well, at least I think I am kidding. We now have food again in the house after what I think was the barest our cupboards have every been. I love cupboards full of groceries and happy bellies.

Family Easter picture - I laughed when I looked at it as it so reminds me of my family's pictures growing up - just swap one girl for a boy and it could be.

a note to my daughter on her fourth birthday

2011-05-01T14:29:00.000-06:00

My dearest Miette,

I was looking through pictures of all the birthdays we have celebrated together and my heart filled with the loveliness of having you as my girl. You were my first girl. You were the first of dresses and baby dolls and make believe. You have brought back to me the joy of simple things. You play with dolls and dress up clothes for hours and I get to be the nana and you the good mama. Someday I pray that God will give you the lovely gift of being a mama to your own children. Even now I see in you a maternal love that grows and swells with each passing day. Ellis is your baby and you two girls play this story all day every day while I watch the pages turn.

Your story has so much left to be written and I thank our kind Father that He has chosen to give me the task of writing some of your book. I want to show you the beauty of life, the loveliness of the world He has placed us in. Fashion and music and flowers and kind words and grace - the joy of being a girl. Femininity is a lost beauty that I pray you will pursue and dress yourself with the graces of who He has made us to be as girls.

Miette - my sweet little one who has brought me such happiness. I love that you love beautiful things as you will always be able to revel in the simplicity and complexity of His creation. I love that you are learning how to read and doing so well with it as you will soon know many stories that will shape you and make you more. I love that you are learning to love others as this is what we are here to do; your life will bless.

My prayer for you as you live out your fifth year is that your love for others will grow as you see the beauty of the life God has given each of us. May your love of beauty and things be refined so that you will desire things that are lovely and excellent and not just trinkets. I pray you will value things that have worth.

"I get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:18-19 (The Message)

I love you, and I always will, no matter what, my beautiful girl. Happy birthday Miettey...

Mama

my first sweet girl

Miette at three days old

first birthday

second birthday

third birthday - sponge rollers gone wild

six months

2011-04-30T20:06:00.000-06:00

My sweet baby girl:

scooting around to random places
my guess is around 14lbs
loves to smile - definitely knows me and gives me the best smiles whenever she sees me
in a bit of a fussy place and chews on her hands so i think she might be getting some teeth
almost sitting up but not quite there
loves Kaiden and Miette and will give them some great smiles
gives super cute raspberries
was sleeping 12 hrs a night but has started waking up in the night again
not a great napper as she seems to be a light sleeper
very spoiled - very. i don't mind a bit and she is held most of the day

Tomorrow is Miette's fourth birthday - I can't believe my sweet first girl will be four. We've done some fun things this week that I didn't document with pictures very well but the memories are in my heart. Going down to Monument Valley Park with friends and climbing trees and playing in the sand. Today Miette, my mom and I went out to lunch together which was fun. It was actually kind of funny to see Miette without anyone else around as she was kind of crazy. Excited to be out by herself and enjoying the attention.

All four children have come down with colds so it is looking like our Mayday will be a quiet, stay-at-home sort of day.

2011-04-29T10:10:00.000-06:00

Enjoying a good book. Love that he loves to read so much.

Read this post this morning and found myself challenged.

Little Girl Blue

2011-04-28T14:36:00.000-06:00

this romper was Miette's and I have always loved it. sweet little blue girl

stormy blue eyes

2011-04-27T15:08:00.000-06:00

And this is the promise that He made to us - eternal life! ! John 2:25

I wanted to do something a little out of the ordinary this year for Easter as my word for this year is unconventional. So a few months back I started thinking about some ideas for an unconventional Easter party. It couldn't be bunnies, or eggs or pastels or whites. I had seen some fun ideas for rainbow themed parties and that was the beginning - of course, rainbow colors would be quite unconventional for an Easter party. That is where this verse came in - the rainbow was God's sign of promise and what a better time to celebrate the promise of life than at Easter?
We have had so much fun over the last weeks coming up with all kind of ideas for our rainbow themed Easter party. Kaiden especially helped out a lot with all of the decorations and such and I am beginning to see how lovely it is to have older children who really understand and can take part of so much.
I have been blessed through all the getting ready as it has been a reminder to me of the joy of our life found in Him. Many times I have gotten teary eyed thinking of the life given so that I can know Him. The life wounded, the man who suffered agony that I may be filled with life - not just life here, but life forever.
We celebrated last Friday as Owen had the day off for Good Friday. We spent most of the day getting ready which I know seems crazy when it was just us but I wanted it to be a memorable event and KMe enjoyed helping get ready. Kaiden made this pom-pom garland for me which was really easy and he seemed to enjoy making it.
The felt garland was inexpensive to make and we actually still have it hanging as it is fun and festive. Just cut out felt circles and sew them together. Simple.

I love these paper globes and while they are a little time consuming I thought it was well worth it. Again, quite inexpensive to make but adds a lovely touch. Found the pattern on the sidebar of this gal's blog.

Nana joining in the celebration

rainbow fruit tray - yes, i forgot the blue....ah well.

a rare picture of me and my sweet rainbow baby

first activity was our homemade game of Twister. Kaiden especially loved it. I was thinking this would also be fun to do with chalk outdoors in the summer.

getting tangled up. Miette did end up winning the game. I won the game between Owen and I after I "accidentally" knocked him over.

next was stringing fruit loops into necklaces. Ellis definitely did more eating than stringing and my mom ended up making her necklace for her while she sat there and ate cereal.

Miette was a pro and did hers all by herself

finished product

next up - rainbow chain relay race. first team to complete their chain won.

Kaiden and Miette win! Daddy and Ellis come in a very content second place.

Owen made our amazing cake....

...with a surprise inside.

We all had a lovely time celebrating His gift of life and hope given through His death and resurrection. May we live daily as resurrection people.

2011-04-26T15:26:00.002-06:00

no explanation needed

story

2011-04-26T15:05:00.000-06:00

There's a place my children like to play - above the garage, a little attic full of old, dusty shutters, creaky floorboards and magic.

Planting Trees

2011-04-23T15:48:00.000-06:00

(from Thursday - I forgot to hit publish)
I kick the little sea creature counter out of the way so I can close the door on two little girls ready to sleep. The house is a disaster. I had food poisoning or something equally dreadful yesterday and found myself unable to get out of bed all day except to lose what little was left inside. How can the house get that messy in just one day? The truth is it wasn't just one day but an entire week of letting things go. Is your house like that too? You let it go for just one short week and you feel like you have years worth of cleaning to do? I am working on ten loads of laundry right now. Yes, ten. Feels like Mt. Everest.
I told Owen over the phone this morning that I would love to just have someone watch KMe2 for a couple of days, clean the house and then before they came home I would just sit for a couple of hours in my living room and enjoy the cleanness of it all. He graciously replied that "babies don't keep" and in just a few short years I would be calling up my children to bring the grandchildren over as the house needed some living in. Ah, how true and what a timely reminder that I am planting trees that someday will spread their branches and bless someone else. Love this song:

Kaiden was amazing yesterday while I was in bed all day. He helped Ellis out of the bath, got her dressed, made sandwiches for everyone for lunch, got the girls in bed and even sang to them, prayed and kissed them goodnight for their naps. I am not sure how I would have gotten through the day without him.

2011-04-21T09:16:00.000-06:00

waiting for breakfast

tomato biscuits - it's a southern thing

craft time

Found this fun tutorial for little books. Made some for KMe as an Easter gift. I actually sewed them instead of stapling them but either would work fine. As you can see I used different paper in each of them. Kaiden's has the smaller rule, Miette's a bit wider and Ellis' is plain white. For little pencils - I just broke a longer pencil and sharpened it.

kitten baby news

2011-04-13T13:15:00.001-06:00

where i found the kitten last night

big girl!

I have beans cooking in the crockpot - how very rare for me as I usually don't decide what to cook until around 5pm which is why meals these days are simple and quick. I am grateful for a husband who never complains and children who will eat anything. They aren't big eaters (probably because I am not a very good cook.) but they will eat whatever is set in front of them. I on the other hand am rather picky as my husband will wholeheartedly agree with and you know, I don't really care for beans all that much. Seemed a quick, cheap meal though.

So, this is the baby:

Sitting in the bumbo but getting bored with that pretty quickly. Actually, she gets bored with anything quickly except being held. I know, it is my own fault as I have trained her to like being held all the time. I don't at all feel badly about it though as the truth is - I like holding her all the time. Sweet baby girl. She is crazy though when you put her down on the ground and can roll and scoot herself wherever her heart desires or more often than not in a corner or under a chair where she will then be stuck until rescued. I don't mind being the rescuer though as whenever she sees me she gets a huge grin on her face. She definitely recognizes faces, voices and her name. She loves me the most;-), then Owen and then Kaiden. Kaiden can always get a smile out of her.

I don't have any idea how much she weighs as i've not taken her in since she was born but my guess is 14-15lbs? She is petite like Ellis was but of course with those lovely rolls on her thighs. No solids yet and probably won't start her until eight or nine months if she continues to sleep well and grow. She is a great sleeper...sleeps 12 hours at night, once in awhile waking up around five or six but then going back to sleep. She makes us all happy and that toothless grin would melt anyone's heart. She is magic and wonder and beauty all in one place. Her stormy blue eyes sparkle and we love our kitten baby.

2011-04-11T21:47:00.002-06:00

This girl...

2011-04-10T22:30:00.002-06:00

has worn this outfit three days in a row and it has finally made its way into the wash. She loves it and it makes her happy. We start the day off in some sweet pairing of shirt and pants and inevitably she comes downstairs a few hours later in this outfit. She asks me if she looks pretty and of course I say yes, she is lovely and beautiful and pink tank tops and tutus are very becoming on her.

She is playing princess and the stick is her horse - she rides around the yard neighing and then slips on a pair of pink sunglasses. She is Miette and yet not - she is whoever she wants to be at any given moment. Ah, imagination - may you long hold on to this sweet girl.

for Owen -

2011-04-06T16:01:00.001-06:00

- because he loves babies with flowers blooming out of their heads. Sorry love, I couldn't resist.

why, sure you can make your own breakfast....

2011-04-05T16:02:00.003-06:00

colored pencil shavings anyone?

hello springtime in Colorado - snow and robins

can you see the snow streak in the background?

maternity at sunset

2011-04-03T16:53:00.001-06:00

My lovely friend Mandi is expecting her second sweet girl and as I had an idea for a maternity shot she kindly agreed to model for me. My last post of KMe in the field was really just a practice shoot for the maternity idea. The day was absolutely perfect albeit a little bit windy. Not to be deterred we braved the wind, her husband Josh carrying my chair to the middle of the field and had so much fun working on some backlighting.

2011-04-01T16:05:00.001-06:00

The golden hour:

sisters (textured - which I am not at all proficient at)

dreaming of summer coming soon

in the fight

2011-03-31T08:50:00.001-06:00

There are some days that you don't quite feel the soldier in the battle. Somedays I am the traveler, the discoverer, the adventurer, the poet in this quest for seeing Him. Today I find myself in the thick of the battle fighting for a heart that gives thanks. The sink is backed up, cereal crunches under my feet, the bathroom is still not working so I can't dump out the water from the sink in the bathroom sink, the baby wakes in the night crying, the fence fell down in the wind. I wage war:
The sun is shining beautifully
Ellis says I wuv you mama
The coffee is amazing
Going to the park with a friend today
The laundry is almost finished

I breathe, Stay Present and bless Him for His mercy this day. What if His blessings come through clogged sinks?