January Picture Updates

This month seems like the longest month of the year in a lot of ways... Getting back into a routine after holiday life is always hard. I started jogging again and cut out sugar from my diet this month. I feel like making it a whole month doing these two things is going to feel monumental if this month ever ends...
Here are some fun things we did this month as well...
sorry for the poor picture quality... all of these came off my phone. that's just what I have handy while we are living life.

We played this awesome game.

Owen excavated a Dinosaur!!

We got rid of 20 some odd bags of stuff we didn't
 need or use anymore...and continue to purge as I
write.

Caught Hank making a mess with his mud biscuit  

We got back into our home schooling....
Owen named this turtle Henry.
such a sweet big bro.

.

Henry took the plunge and crawled through the tunnel! 

And...I finally learned to build LEGO's totally fun!

And finally... We are now getting our selves ready for valentines day and Henry's 1st birthday!! 

Oh yeah!! I almost forgot...
 I took up this exciting pass time...cross stitch...
Don't hate...
its cute and you love it!

Parenting and Stuff About It.

It seems like every single decision a parent makes these days is under scrutiny with multiple people debating its merits and scientific validity. Everyone has opinions on child rearing and how it should be done... even those without children.

Yesterday I took Henry to the naturopath for his eczema... and the man seriously wasted the entire appointment lecturing me on sleep training and on all the ways I was doing it wrong...And I thought "doesn't he understand I am doing what I think is best and that I am not an idiot? That I have spent loads of time and energy researching this thing and I am trying my best here?"

I am a mother and I have loads of opinions(I'm sure you never noticed) I rarely blog about my parenting style as to avoid any unwanted attention or even worse... advice(ahem that's for you Mr. naturopath)... But I want to shine a light on some of the things that we moms have to think about and some of the hard choices we make to do what is best for each of our children and why some of us may even seem a little crazy with our endless opinions...

It all starts at birth...no...wait...it all starts before birth when we find ourselves pregnant and have no idea what to do about it.

Do we use an obgyn or a midwife? Hospital, birth center,or home birth? Pain meds or not? What kind of prenatal vitamins are best? What can I eat? How should I really prepare my home and heart for this new life...can I?

Then after birth: Delayed cord clamping or right after birth? Circumcision or not?  Vaccines or not?  Which vaccines? When will they be given? Will you breastfeed or bottle feed? And what on earth do you do about all the crying? Swaddle,swing,shush, baby wear? All of the above?

Cloth diapers,seventh generation or pampers?

Will you co-sleep or use a family bed approach or will your babe use a crib in their own room? When will you sleep train or will you sleep train at all? Will you help your baby sooth them-self during nighttime wakings or leave them to learn that lesson for themselves?

Pacifier or no? Which kind and for how long will you allow it?

When do you start solid food and what kind of feeding system will you use? Will it be baby led weening or purees for your babe? Will you hand blend all organic veg and fruit or buy the jars?

When will you potty train and what kind of system will you use for that?(oh yes there are multiple systems for learning to use the toilet)Will you wait till the child is 3years old and he just figures it out, or do a fast paced 1 week program at 20 months?

What kind of discipline will you employ? What will guide your choices on how to help your child learn appropriate behavior but also teach them to love Jesus and learn to obey out of a heart of love?

What kind of education will they have? Public school, private, christian private, or home-school?...Or un-school for that matter?

Will you celebrate Halloween or not?

Will they be allowed to watch TV? How much and what types of shows? Can they play video and computer games? How often and what kinds are age appropriate?

Makeup or not?

 Guns or no guns?

How much time should they spend in extra curricular activities and how much with friends out side the home?
When will you give the talk about sex... and what will you say/what resources will you use so that they will understand the sacredness of it but not be naive to realities of this world at the same time?
When will they be allowed to drive? To date?(help me Lord),
What kind of college will you encourage? Community,state, private,distance learning form home?
Will the kids be allowed to live at home through out college? For free or will they pay rent?

Theses are all I can think of  right this second and that is honestly just scratching the surface of the ice burg. Moms(and Dads) have a lot of things to think about when it comes to their kids and how they should be brought up... It is hard to remember that not everyone shares my opinions on any number of these things... I know that lots of these are hot topics... and honestly I am still unsure about 99% of this list and how I will approach the realities of growing boys in my home...

But what I do know is I love them...and I want the very best for them.  I work hard to be present in the little moments of their lives as well as the large milestones, I play with them, and read to them, and hold them when they are hurting(or just anytime). I do my best and I pray for them and for wisdom on how to do the very best I can for them. And at the end of the day that is all I can do.

It isn't that none of the above things are important...they are. Some of them are extremely important. It just isn't important that we all agree on what is right and what is not...It may be better to search diligently and find what is right in your home for each of your own children than to worry about what others are doing in theirs.  People may not understand why we choose to do what we do. That is fine. I will follow the Lord and His plan for my family.
Because lets face it... it is a hard task not to try and convert someone to our way of doing things...and I am no stranger of trying to get someone to come to my side of an issue either...or just ranting about how my way is better-in my head-while your talking about yours...

I will try harder to let people have their own ways  from now on because I like to have my own ways and I hate being told I am "wrong" or not doing whats "right" for my boys. I feel I have learned a lesson about myself and how relentless I can be at times pushing my own agenda...and I will try and remember to let you do your own thing too, with nary an inner rant or any judgment, even.

Some Goals

I am sitting here working on a list of goals for a family planning meeting with Mg. I am coming up totally empty. Well not totally... I have-feel better-written down. And really that's what I want... I want to feel better. I have felt tired and haggard for 3 years now and I am ready to feel better. Thyroid disease is a huge part of the problem but there is also my consistently poor attitude and some lingering sadness as well.

I know there are ways to deal with all of it and I plan on doing those this year. As well as trying really hard to love my family in a new and refreshed way. I have been slacking on the loving again. Falling into the old pit of selfishness and laziness that accompanies bad attitudes and the sadness lurking at my door.

So that's it: Feel better. Love the people who God has given to me.

Looks short on paper but I can see the outline starting to trail off of these two things. I know the amount of work my heart needs and how hard it will be to surrender the junk in there...Doing these things is not really something that will be "accomplished" this year-tho I hope for great progress-but something that will be worked on over the entirety of my life. I know I have a long road ahead of me and that I will have to work at it. but I want to enjoy the work...and I'm smiling thinking about how much grace I'm going to need...

Owen 5yrs and climbing

"Everyone to whom God has given wealth, and possessions, and the power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil-this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy in his heart." (Eccl. 5:19)

a stream of conscience

I haven't felt the desire to write in a long time. I keep thinking I should really update my blog... but the task seems cumbersome and I cant make myself want to. I want to get back to the place where writing is cathartic and something I feel passion for... I guess I will just start by writing more often and see if those old feelings return.
My life lately has seemed slow moving and hurried all at once. Slow because our lives have been rather metered, rushed because I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.
 I started homeschooling Owen and although  it is not as hard as I thought, it still seems to be a mental challenge to rise to the occasion everyday. I know some of you are probably more than a little surprised that I am homeschooling-and honestly so am I-but it is the right thing for our family in this season of life. Owen loves learning and is disappointed the days we don't do school. I am less passionate about it... still I know it is the best thing for us... so I am muddling through it day by day.
Its funny how my days seems to drag on then fly by. We have a great routine right now... we wake and have a family snuggle up on our bed. Then we eat brecky and tidy up a bit. Then Henry naps while Owen and I do school. We then do whatever the day calls for and the have lunch then rest and then a little more of this or that then dinner, bath, stories, and bed. Some times I think that the day will last forever that the bed time and kissing the boys goodnight is a far away dream. Other days I cant hold on to the sweetness of the the passing minutes to save my life.
Its nice... and yet my heart longs for adventure on a grander scale. I don't know what business my heart has longing for such a thing when we are doing great with  the simple things in life...but there you have it. I find myself dreaming of travel and hiking and open sea sailing-I have never even been on the open seas-I want to sail! Maybe not literally... but I have the yearning that I always get before a big change.
I want to be out there -you know in the world-making a difference... but doing what? For whom? With who's energy? All questions yet unanswered.
Yes I feel a change brewing-something is happening in our lives-and I don't know when but I sure know its a-coming. This season of simplicity is good, its a gift, a rest before the big adventure ahead. I will enjoy the slow pace while it lasts instead of impatiently fidgeting for the end of the day. I will drink in the smell of little heads and blowing bubbles. I will let the sound of my children's perfect laughter fill my soul with joy and I will wait and see what our-certainly interesting-future will hold.

Better late than never

Christmas 2010

We spent Christmas morning at my moms house with the whole clan of siblings,cousins, parents,grandparents and great grandparents. The kids did pretty well with sharing and taking turns and it was a joy to be able to spend Christmas with my lovely family and grandparents(this is the first time we have all spent Christmas together in the same house).
Not sure what Owen is doing with his face here but it was the best of the photos of him...



my sweet grams

Oh and the dogs and cats were there too...they all watched a movie after lunch together. such sweet littles.(Owen has his shirt off all the time these days...if he can swing it the shirt and as many other articles of clothes as possible are off)
Happy Holidays!!

Cousins

They really love each other... they always have. Even before Mia was born Owen used to lay quietly on my sisters pregnant belly and listen to his sweet cousin move. Now he sits and listens to her talk and recite nursery poems and lets her tell him what they will do next. She snuggles him on the couch and shares her princess toys with him.



They love to have a sleep over and they never get bored of being together. I hope it stays this way the rest of their lives. I hope he always wants to listen to her talk and that she always wants to snuggle up to him on the couch. I know someday they will be teen aged and it won't be as cool to hang with each other all the time... I hope they don't care.

Priest Lake 2010

Every year in August we go to Priest Lake in Idaho with M.G's family. There is something magical about this place for me. Maybe it is because M.G proposed to me there or maybe its just the lakes peaceful natural beauty, or it could be watching Owen grow up in the same tradition M.G grew up in every summer on this very same lake. Whatever it is I love it there and am extremely grateful to M.G's family for letting us come along every year.

One of Owens faves the lake side sand box.


This year Owen was fearless about jumping into the lake(into waiting arms) he would just fling his little body off the dock over and over again until he was shivering and blue lipped.






Owen watching from the dock as I save his papa (who is floating in this little floaty) from going too far out to lake



M.G's cousin John took us out on his boat for a fun ride around the lake. He did swivels and bumps for Owens sake but it was fun(and a little scary)for all of us. Owen loved it!




Owen and Uncle Daniel had fun together in the paddle boat. They went on adventures to the nearby water spring and played basket ball-from the paddle boat-which was funny to watch, and they even came to the swimmers rescue when we got too far out in deep water and needed a tow back to the shallows.


I haven't done any research on the matter but I honestly think this may be the most scenic sand box around. Owen loves the proximity to the water and the plethora of toys for building cities. We all had fun helping him make good use of it.

We had such a lovely time together at the lake this year. Owen is so much fun to play with and to watch as he finally grasps the wonders around him in this beautiful place.

48 hours

This weekend my big brother Devon and his film crew-which included M.G this time-entered the 48 hour film fest in Portland.They got the genre of movie they were to make on Friday night and then worked like mad men to produce a short film in 48 hours.

While they were doing this my sister and I were busy watching the three cousins.

It was a weekend to remember for sure. we made pillow forts and watched Elmos green plant and drank lots of caffeine.

We read princess stories and watched movies about ballerinas. We all piled in the car together.



They were three peas in a pod all weekend-mostly because we kept stuffing them in to tight spots with each other-even if they did squabble over toys,books and random things like the highly coveted tape measure.


By the end of the weekend I had a new found respect for mothers of multiples(like twins or triplets)and thought hats off to you ladies who have three three year olds all day long for your whole life! I feel extremely blessed to have only one little who will be four years, two months and 1 week older than his soon to be sibling...nice big gap. Not sure I have the temperament for triplets(which means I don't at all). But it was fun and the cousins loved having time with each other and there favorite aunties.

This week

This week has been a doozy.. do people say that word any more? Doozy? Well I do so here it goes...

My sweet father in law has been in the ICU at providence since Sunday. He was on a road trip to Cali with my two brothers in-law when he got really sick. They took him to the hospital in eureka California and he was admitted. He had internal bleeding in his esophagus and his liver was some how to blame(its a really long complicated explanation). There was a space in time when we didn't know what hospital he would end up in(but the doctors thought probably San Fransisco) so MG and his mom started driving to Cali on Saturday night. Charlie(my father in law)was life flighted to providence in Portland early Sunday morning. He under went a couple of pretty intense procedures and a few really stress filled days in the ICU.
Charlie is out of the the ICU and recovering really well now so thank the Lord for that(every step of this process has been in His hands and I can see that as I look back).

During all this mayhem my amazing Grams (who is fighting off some really gnarly cancer in her whole body)fell down and broke her hip. She under went hip surgery and is doing well in recovery. She may have to spend some time in a rehab facility-which will not suit her-but I'm sure will help her be able to move much better which she will like.

Needless to say we have been stretched this week. Owen and I spent a lot of time alone and a lot of time up at the hospital visiting MG and his family. We are all together now(at least in the evenings) which makes things feel so much more normal.

I have been thinking a lot about things to be grateful for during this time of upheaval. Blessings to ponder and to praise... and remarkably there are SO many!
#1 Charlie is in Portland only 20 minutes from his home.(not San Fransisco like they originally thought)and is recovering like a super hero!
#2 My grams has a great attitude and is recovering well.
#3 I am able to comfort those around me and love them through this all.
#4 Owen has been a really easy kid during this time.
And here are some other praise worthy images...

#5 being a member of CSA(community sponsored agriculture)-if i would have had my own garden it would have gone to pot a long time ago.

Getting flowers from a sweet husband just because I have felt the pregnancy yucks for so long.

Cousin sleep overs! These are some seriously good times.


Unyielding love for his papa. This kid LOVES his papa more than anything!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things
Philippians 4:8

Happy B-Day M.G and Gramps!

This is my big wonderful Family all in my tiny house. We celebrated my Grandpa's birthday along with MG's. Owen has two cousins Dagny and Mia who are both awesome kids! They love to play together. Its really fun when we all get together to watch everyone's personality shine. We ate Gluten free pizza(and regular pizza) and home made ice cream and hot fudge!


The Birthday Boys (men)

Grampy and Owen taking my picture

MiMi helping uncle M.G

My Sibs Lindy and Devon

My sexy birthday Man!

My Mom and My Mark

My Grams and Gramps (a.k.a G.G and G.G.P)

My Bro Devon and sweet Dagny