random family update

...a third of the summer is over.  but we've still 2/3 to go...

here are some random thoughts and updates thus far...

Our garden isn't doing so hot.  It was growing fine in May when we had oodles of rain.  I don't really care much.  I don't like gardening.  Our expert gardener neighbors garden is thriving though.  I'll just look at theirs instead.

Talking about the weather is lame I know, but I'll do it anyway.  We had 10 inches of rain in May alone.  Now we are on day 10 of record degree temps of 98-102 degrees.  Unusual for Minnesota.  But, I'm not complaining.  I have central air and lakes to keep me cool.  My ankles are still crazy swollen though.

Once again it's time to enjoy the free water here--lakes and pools.  It was fun to watch Jude in the lake the other day.  He is definitely more confident in the water than he was last year and was perfectly content to just float around in his life jacket.  He told me with his arms stretched out in the water that he felt like a bird.  Hmmm.  Figure that one out.

Jude took a week of tennis lessons a couple of weeks ago.  He really enjoyed it.  It was good to see him want to run out there on the court, come back to me for water breaks and then not hesitate about running back out on the court.  He has one more week of lessons next week.

God is teaching me patience.  I am a very impatient person.  Enough said.

Steve is working 60 hours a week at two different jobs.  It sucks, but we're thankful at the same time.  I'm thankful that he's willing to work.  I'm thankful that he has two decent jobs to work at with great insurance and maternity coverage.  One of them has to go though--just aren't sure which one will go and how it will all play out so he gets enough hours (40) with just one job.  God knows.  And my patience is tested.

Though our social life (family friends, etc.) has suffered because he is working, I have to say Steve is doing an awesome job at being dad.  Every other weekend he doesn't see the kids because he's working overnights and days and then sleeping in between.  But, the other days he has time in the afternoons and evenings and he spends it WELL with the kids.  Sure, we have projects and stuff that "need" to be done, but spending time with the kids is much more of a "need" than dumb house projects.  I am so so thankful that he is a family man.  The time is now and we can't get that back.  Ever.  

Jeneva and I started working through a book together at night after the youngens go to bed called How to Study your Bible for kids by Kay Arthur.  Each lesson takes about 30 minutes.  She is excited about it, but I think I might even be learning just as much as she is.  Maybe I can get more excited about studying the Bible myself through this study.

I figured out a system for chores and allowance for the older two.  We went on a date to Caribou the other day and I let the kids tell me what they thought they should be doing for chores--and what their attitudes should be like when asked to do things that aren't on their official chore list.  They were right in line with what I was thinking--except I had to add a few things, so we made our lists and allotted an allowance (Jeneva gets $3 a week and Jude gets $1).  I didn't ever follow through with the things I've tried before, but I think it will work better this time.

I am so ridiculously tired.  I know it's pregnancy related, but seriously.  Can't I just take one big long nap until this baby arrives.....in October?  It's called hibernation.  Bears do it.  Why can't humans?

We signed Jeneva up for soccer camp for 5-12 year olds at Northwestern College.  We haven't had her in an organized sport yet except for a few years of tennis lessons.  Steve really wants our kids to learn a sport at a young age (I do agree with him) so he's always been good about tossing the ball around outside with Jude and playing basketball with Jeneva.  We'll see how she likes soccer and next year she can do basketball at her school.

We went to Kalona a couple of weeks ago.  The kids had fun as usual visiting Grandma and Grandpa and Matt and Libby too.  We also got to see Great Grandma and a couple of second cousins and aunts and uncles.  Jeneva keeps telling everyone that grandpa built a really cool swing in the hayloft.  The kids had fun running around together and helping grandpa with the baby turkeys a couple of times.

Our dear friends, the Kenows,  have been on our hearts so much lately.  This past year they have suffered the loss of two boys--Bobbi was approximately halfway through each pregnancy when the miscarriages occurred.  And now just over a week ago they found out their 3 year old son has something called a Wilms Tumor.  He had it surgically removed (and the surgery was very successful praise God).  He will have to go through chemotherapy now for several months.  Such heartache, but such hope they have.  They are a sweet example of God's goodness amidst trials.  Love them Kenow's!

Jeneva has been wanting to learn how to type, so I found a typing website online.  She went through about the first 15 lessons on the homerow keys and the upper keys and didn't want to stop.  Now that she's on the bottom row it's getting too hard and she wants to quit.  I think I'll let her.  She's only eight.  Won't let her quit violin though.  :)

All of the kids have had Fifth Disease in the past couple of months.  First Jude, then Jeneva, now Josie.  Random.

Some books on the docket for summer reading when I find the time:  Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne and Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.  Have you read either of them?

The kids have a second bedroom in the basement.  Their room upstairs isn't air conditioned like the rest of the house, so down they go to the basement every night in this stifling heat.  It's so dark down there so they usually sleep until 8:00 every morning.  Nice!

And now for a few random pics...

Just lounging around reading a whole book in one day.

"I got a scooter!"

(repeat 3x in a high squeaky voice)

Jude and his friend Addie waiting their turns to smack the tennis balls.

Beach day number 2 so far this summer.

I told them no diving.  But jumping is definitely allowed!

A mini ferris wheel ride!

jude runs and jude bikes

We are thinking that Jude has the athletic gene. I'm not sure how "coordinated" he is, so we'll see how he does in sports like basketball or football. The boy sure can run though! He can go nearly a whole mile without stopping. And he's fast! AND he's got good form! I think the best part though is seeing him so excited to do it. This spring we have given Jeneva the freedom to ride around the block on the parkway side without an adult along. Jude can go too, but he has to be with her, not on his own. Sometimes he chooses to run while she bikes. The other day she went around the block 4x with him tagging along the entire time. One time around is about a quarter of a mile. It's so cute to see him chasing her all the way around and pushing himself to keep up with her! Now we just need to teach him to pace himself. He's also becoming quite proficient on the bike. Jeneva was 4 1/2 when we took the training wheels off and she's been biking fearlessly ever since. Jude is 4 1/2 now and I think once his legs get a little bit stronger we'll be able to take them off too. Probably in a couple of months. He's getting more and more confident on his big bike. The other night we went for a family bike ride. Josie was in the Burley of course, but Jude biked right along and did great! Needless to say all the exercise has wiped him out and he's sleeping just fantastically at night.

random family update

~Being pregnant with number four has brought about many unexpected emotional occurrences. Excited? Yes! Four has always been kind of our dream family size number. And I'm so thankful for God blessing us in this way. Overwhelmed? Yes! Four is a lot of little mouths to feed. Nauseated? MORE THAN EVER! Weeks 4-12 (I'm 12 weeks now) have been utterly miserable beyond description. I went on some medication for a while and that helped a bit. Tired? Of course. There's no way around that. I get out of breath walking up the stairs. Determined to enjoy this pregnancy? Yes! Once I'm over the hump of feeling sick, I think I will truly enjoy this pregnancy-maybe not the final few weeks, but hopefully everything in between.

~Jeneva very enthusiastically volunteered to play her violin for March Music Madness at her school yesterday. She only had to play one song--and I think she was mostly excited about the free t-shirt she got. We need to work on her performing skills I think. She played her song 3x faster than it's supposed to be played and then RAN off stage. It was hilarious!

~The weather this March has been unusually warm (mid 70's day after day!). I LOVE IT! It's been truly a gift from God just for me I think. He is relieving me a bit from my winter blues mixed with pregnancy insanity.

~Almost every morning for the past week or two Jude, Josie and I go down to the creek by our house after Jeneva gets on the bus. They spend an hour or two throwing sticks and rocks in the water, trapsing through mud, and hiding in the trees. It's awesome! I love seeing them play so nicely together AND it uses up some of their energy for the day resulting in nice long afternoon naps for both of them. Them taking naps is vital to me taking a nap. And naps for me are VITAL!

~We are so thankful that Steve has a job. He has never gotten laid off or anything, it provides for our family, and the insurance is good. However, he is not satisfied there and we hate his schedule (he works weekends and has two weekdays off). We are praying earnestly for a change and hope God answers that prayer soon. He has been applying for different jobs here in the Twin Cities as well as in Iowa City. Obviously if an Iowa City job happened, that would mean an out of state move and a huge life change. Trusting that God has a plan for us and trying to be patient and satisfied until he shows us what that plan is.

~We are headed to the North Shore (north of Duluth) next weekend for 3 nights. Some friends offered us their time share right on Lake Superior. We are excited for a little family get-away and love it up there. Minnesota at it's best!

~The kids are outside painting right now. I better go supervise before they end up needing bath number two for the day!

guess where...

first cousins

malachi (6 mo.), jude (4), jeneva (8), josie (2)

cousin love

jeneva and leanna sporting their new hats

uncle mike

Who chases the kids around the house? Uncle Mike!
Who scares them? Uncle Mike!
Who teases them and tickles them? Uncle Mike!
Who hangs them upside down? Uncle Mike!
Who puts them in laundry baskets and carries them on his head? Uncle Mike!
Josie is by far our biggest thrill seeker and became a huge fan of Uncle Mike this weekend.

christmas day 2011

i love...

...that josie cut her bangs. (reminds me of our favorite sufjan stevens christmas jingle)
...that jeneva prays for her non-christian friends daily. and earnestly.
...that jude prays for snow every day so he can play in it with jeneva.
...that my house was clean yesterday and that today it's a disaster--life lived here.
...that i'm sitting on my couch recording my thoughts rather than washing dishes.
...that my hard working husband is snuggled up in bed...since 9:00.
...that we discovered memory foam. i can hardly wait to go to bed!
...that living in a city doesn't feel lonely.
...text.
...eating cooked spinach with sea salt.
...that it's 5 days post christmas and i'm still enjoying the light of our tree.
...that it's warm out and there's no snow (okay, i lied, i REALLY want snow).
...that so many people send out christmas photos.
...the quietness and calmess i feel right now.
...that i have such great parents who i enjoy visiting.
...jesus who is the giver of all good things that "i love" in this moment.

random thoughts as we enter a new year

I have blog posts swirling around in my mind of all the things I want to say about my three little loves. I've been writing on this blog for 4 years now and the first two years had much more content than these past two years have. I just don't want to forget it... the funny things they say...the changes they make...the growth I see in each one of them personally.... spiritually.... emotionally.... physically. This is really the only place I record it besides my piles of photo albums (not scrapbooks, just albums with plain pictures) and a few random baby books. So, I guess one of my New Years Resolutions would be to be more consistent with recording the stuff I want to remember.

The only thing is, I don't make New Years Resolutions.

BUT, if I did, here is what I would choose from (the exhaustive list):

1. Catch up on printing pictures and be sure to record milestones.
2. Go on a 10 day juice fast.
3. Read the Bible and maybe even STUDY it?!
4. Paint the dresser that is in my living room a fun color. Green?
5. Work through the My Father's World curriculum with Jude (we have started already).
6. Organize my recipe file and print off recipes I've saved online.
7. Volunteer at school more.
8. Try and spend more time with my immediate neighbors. Community building?
9. Recover my dining room chairs with oilcloth.
10. Label bins in my basement with a label maker.
11. Plan some field trips with the kids.
12. Paint the trim and the walls in the hallway.
13. Get a small group going (mostly Steve, not just me).
14. Sew some curtains for Jude's room and for my room.
15. Work through a personal devotional book with Jeneva.
16. Do Classical Stretch every day.
17. Figure out how to garden in the city with a small yard.
18. Read: A Praying Life by Paul Miller and put it into practice.
19. Find some more creative ways to be thrifty.
20. Encourage, love, and bless my husband more.

And this is why I don't make New Years Resolutions! I wouldn't know what to pick. My list is always too long and I always feel defeated if I don't accomplish things. I am a list maker though and making a list like this for reference is helpful (and daunting). These are things that I would love to accomplish over the next year. If I look at them more as "goals" or "options" I feel better. When I "resolve" to doing them then it's like making a promise to myself that I know I won't be able to keep. God help me. Give me the strength I need to get done what YOU want me to get done. And may nothing be more important to me than spending time with You and seeking Your will for me and for my family daily.

a new tradition

...cutting down our own tree for Christmas. We had a blast as a family doing it together on the day after Thanksgiving. Next year we will be recruiting another family to share that tradition with. We loved it! Our day began with a stop at Cabela's--Steve's 2nd favorite place to go shopping...and it was insane due to that awful day called Black Friday.

What on earth do I title this picture? I find it hysterical for some reason.

Calm and cool amidst the chaos in the background.

I love Josie. I LOVE that face!

THE PERFECT TREE has been found and chopped!

Can we ride home in the back of the truck?

Wow! I'm actually in a picture. Usually I'm the one behind the camera.

Free pony rides to follow.

The first time around for Jude was frightening. The second wasn't so bad. He begged to go on the third.

Josie held on to her pony and giggled nervously the entire time.

And that's all folks!

ten people

If you ever have the opportunity to have another family live with you for five or six weeks...do it. Especially if they are completely awesome people.

(no captions. just a few snapshots of what our life looked like in October)

*this one needs a caption: The first Saturday that they were living here, the girls were up at SIX O'CLOCK AM doing their homework. I'm not even going to try and figure that one out.

Packed up. Early in the morning. To China.
We miss the five of them so much!

biking in jammies

malachi

In July we welcomed new nephew/cousin Malachi Dean to the family!

what do you do.....

...on September 12th...

...when it's 92 degrees in minnesota?...



...you go to the beach!...

...after school...

...for one final dip of the season.