For You, Grandma!

I really did try to capture a cute photo of the boys wearing matching shirts that Grandma and PawPaw gave us. Here's what I got.

 

This was my only photo with all three looking at me.  

 

Here's Joel showing off his bottom (literally and figuratively) while Clark protectively looks after Levi.

 

Then it all fell apart when Levi decided to go for the tambourine.

 

But this picture by far says it all.  

WATCH OUT HERE COMES TROUBLE. 

Oh, and thanks Grandma for the shirts!!

Peek A Boo! I See Me!

 

Here's Levi seeing himself for maybe the first time.  I think he liked what he saw.  

Oh how I wish we could all look upon ourselves with similar acceptance and awe.

 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  Psalm 139:14

 

Levi, My 5 Month Old Cutie Pie

Levi Joseph is now 5 months old and 21.5 pounds.  He loves bouncing, being held, and his momma.  So he spends much of his day being toted around in his momma's arms.  He is super smilely.  He loves to roll around the house and play hide and seek.  We have lost him a few times when he rolled under furniture.  He's wearing 12-18 month clothing and size 4 diapers.  He sleeps 10-12 hours a night (hallelujah) on his belly (by his choice not, ours).  He hasn't started solid foods yet, and we don't have any plans to start soon.   He is almost sitting up by himself.   He is a delight and a joy to us all. 

Enjoying the Little Years

I am so blessed.  I often feel unworthy of all the goodness in my life.

I have an amazing husband who loves me more than himself.  I feel that love every day of my life.  I have three amazing sons who make my heart melt over and over and over.  Even with all this, I have to be honest, I get a little bogged down.  Sometimes, I let the little things steal my joy.  I often long for what I don't have like freedom, independence, quiet, time to think, and alone time.

           Lately I have had zero time alone.   I often long for moments of quiet or an hour to accomplish anything without having to tote a little one (by little I mean 22 pounds or more) around too.  I go to bed with my body physically exhausted from all my mommy duties--piggy back rides, races through the house, carrying loads of laundry up and down the stairs.

Lately I have been getting up in the 5 o'clock hour just to have a few minutes to myself to pray and think.  One recent morning, I had a revelation.  I needed to stop and be thankful for the lack of time to myself and the fatigue and the noise and the messes. 

Here's the truth:  

Holding my baby in the wee hours of the night and breathing in his baby scent is so much sweeter than browsing the perfume counters at the mall.  Playing good guys/bad guys and running around the house for the 100th time is by far more valuable than hitting the treadmill at an elite gym.   Reading Green Eggs and Ham with four wiggle worms on top of me is more precious than cuddling up with a good novel and cup of coffee.

If I am not careful, I will miss all these treasures of the little years.

 

Here's us during our little years.

 

My family in our true form--

Levi whacking Joel.  Joel being distracted.  Clark being goofy.

 

 

This is our miracle photo: everyone looking.

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for taking this one!

Claiming Tomatoes in Faith

Here's over 50 tomatoes I picked this morning.

I actually prayed over my tomatoes earlier this spring. I know that might sound crazy to  you, but that's what I did.  I am just being honest.  You see, out of my many weaknesses, I am definitely deficient in faith.  I know God is good and He blesses other people.  But when comes down to it, I take way too much on myself, and I do not expect much from Him personally. 

So this spring, while recovering from a c-section, I threw some tomato plants in fill dirt loaded with rocks and uttered a simple prayer,  "Please feed my family with this garden and let us enjoy your provision."

Well God has been merciful and blessed us with plenty. And it has been a joy to see our garden flourish.  As the garden grew, I could feel my faith grow as well. 

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” ...Mark 9:24

My favorite apology I pray all the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the 50 tomatoes canned making 10 pints of yummy diced tomatoes 

Levi at 4 months

 

Today Levi had his four month check up.  I adore my very seasoned pediatrician and the funny comments he makes.  Today he said that he predicts that Levi will be a super athlete with his huge frame and advanced physical developments.  Levi is a whopping 20 pounds at four months and is tall for his age as well.  Despite his extreme weight, he is bearing weight on his legs and can move about the room as he pleases which shocked the doc.  Heavy babies tend to not have the abilities to move as much as Levi.  Only time will tell.  One thing is for sure, that boy is going to eat A LOT. 

For that reason and that fact that I love gardening, I am attempting to learn how to grow a vegetable garden and preserve foods.  Today I preserved twenty of my latest tomatoes by de-skinning and freezing.  It only took a few minutes to put these up for the fall.  I'm planning to make soups, chili, and spaghetti sauce with these!!!



Rub a dub dub-- Three super heros in a tub

My three super powered boys LOVE to take baths together.

 

Here's the big boys playing superheros.  

They are now obsessed with superhero EVERYTHING.

Even Levi enjoys chewing on a super hero now and then.  Mr. Incredible's foot was Levi's chew toy today.  When I took him out of the bathtub, he cried so hard.  He was so sad that I had taken him away from all the fun.

 

Lastly, here is our real superhero, Joel, with the power to dive nose first into a brick fireplace.  Ouch.  You can't see all the gore, but his nose is scratched, swollen, bruised, and possible broken.  I'll ask the doctor tomorrow.

Happy Independence Day!

We had a great holiday weekend.  We played hard, worked hard, and ate GOOD!  Michael and I built another raised garden and planted three apple trees and two blueberry bushes. The kids enjoyed fireworks and staying up late.  Here's some pictures as of late.

Joel and Levi hanging out.

Levi was smiling and giggling like crazy, so I tried to capture it with the camera. 

 

I got it here.  This is a huge, belly shaking, toss your head back, and pee in your pants LAUGH!

This is supper.   I am so thrilled to be eating stuff out of our garden.  I made homemade salsa with the peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro from our garden!  It was DELICIOUS!!   And the stuffed peppers are home grown too.

Blueberry Breakfast

 

For an exciting food adventure this morning,  I made blueberry syrup and blueberry walnut pancakes.  YUMMY!!!  

I LOVE summer with all the fresh fruit and veggies!!

CHECK! One domestic goal completed....

Well not really completed.  Just making lots of progress.

This year, one of my domestic goals was to become a better chef. And the goal for being a kitchen pro is actively being persued. 

Clark is so thankful for my kitchen experiments--most of the time.

STEP ONE: Getting Organized

I have organized all my favorite recipes in a handy dandy binder with sheet protectors.  I have a list of 14 "go to meals" if ever in a pinch and in need of inspiration.  I even have a section for recipes I want to try.  My husband has commented time and time again that he has been impressed with meals lately.  I think it's because I have been really working  hard to be organized.  I can cook better meals when I have a handle on the contents of the pantry and frig and garden.  I also plan meals one month at a time with my self created meal planner worksheet.  I plan 20 meals that includes two meals to freeze for later.  I also plan several meals that I call hospitality meals for unplanned guests.  I think good planning goes a long way at meal time.

STEP TWO: Practice, Practice, Practice

One of my kitchen goals has been to start canning.  I have great memories of my grandma and I sweating it out in her kitchen for days canning all kinds of things when the harvest came in.  

So with the help of my domestic diva mother-in-law, I have learned how to "can".  I have made plum jelly under her supervision.  And today, I ventured on my own and made strawberry jam!!!!  And it's DELICIOUS!  I was surprised how easy it was.  The cost per pint jar of jam was 80 cents verses several dollars at the store. (That is not counting the cost of the jars since I will use them over and over.)  What a deal!

Next on my agenda is canning blackberry jelly and salsa from my garden veggies!!!!  :-) YUMMY!!!

So do you have any domestic goals?  I'd love to hear about what you are working on!