Menu plan Monday

We are trying to eat up what we have here this week, except for the stapes we need every week, but here is what we are trying out for dinner.

Monday: Spaghetti, garlic bread and green salad
Tuesday: Bulgogi green beans carrots and rice
Wednesday: Crockpot Shepherd's pie
Thursday: Easy breakfast for dinner, Popup Pancakes, regular pancakes or Eggs and sausage and a salad.
Friday: Meatloaf, i change that recipe up all the time and it goes over very well with everyone, or i might just turn it into burgers with a green veggie and corn.
Saturday: Homemade PIzza
Sunday: Lunch is out for Chinese (usually)
Dinner at my folks for Bible study after

Organizing

So I'm in serious need of deep cleaning and organizing the house, all of it! It is frustrating, but I'm going to start and next week we are having a garage sale, so that should motivate me!

I want to get it all up to date, rearrange the living and dining rooms and maybe prepare to paint the bedrooms so we can switch rooms with the boys so they can have a bigger room and all three can sleep in there! M still sleeps in our room, in a bassinet. Which he is growing out of at a rapid pace. He just had his 6 month check up and weighs 18 lbs. He is in the 90th percentile! I haven't been really trying solids, but he seems pretty interested. I will start again. I feel like I start and stop, so I just need to keep with it, at least once a day.

Bugs first year of school is coming to an end. Monday is his last full day and then he has two half days to make up from snow! He is so glad to be done. He started his summer Tae Kwon Do class and Love went with and got to do the stuff along side Bug. They both came home so hyper, so I think it's going to be so good, for both! Bug has also started Cub Scouts. His first event is tomorrow where they learn to shoot the bb gun and archery! I'm really excited about this, I will be teaching the pack and helping out. Love just wants to be a parent this year to get the feel, I think I can talk him into helping me...

Summer begins! I'm so excited. Guitar lessons for Bug as well and I'm hoping for swim lessons. He did start riding his bike without training wheels earlier this year! So, I'm thinking some bike rides are in our near future!

Lent

So it has come upon us once again. This year I thought it would be great to take part in Lent, told my husband to think and pray about what God is telling him to give up. He came home and said, Beer, which he taken to mean an alcohol. He isn't an alcoholic, nor does he choose it over his family. But he does part take every so often. I thought this was good, and I kept thinking to myself, "Why isn't mine to apparent to me?" I should give up chocolate or sugar. But I kept feeling God tell me something else, not to give things up, but to put my soul focus on Him. I have a list that I feel is what He wants me to do and refocus my priorities. For the last year I have been a say home Mom, something I don't really take pride in. I'm not great at keeping the house clean or organized, I don't always plan or even cook dinner. I have been feeling quite lazy these days. I have weight to lose and I haven't really put my whole heart into it, to take care of myself, watch what I eat or to keep myself involved whole-heartedly in all the boys' lives. My oldest, I think, has suffered the most from this, when he is home, he runs around helping me out, getting diapers or the forgotten something in the other room. I have found myself saying many times, "I'm coming". I think that has been my auto pilot.

My attitude needs to change, I may not be good at the house stuff, but I am determined to put my family first, organize papers that have been put off and look at being home with my children as my job. I haven't looked at it quite like that before. I want to be interested in what they are interested.

Pickle loves animals, we should go to the zoo once a week, we have a membership! Nugget smiles a lot and has started giggling, what a pleasant sound. I want to make toys and fun crafts for and with my children. First on my list is to make a bag out of a t-shirt for Bug, he has been asking since before Christmas, so off I go!

I will be making a list of things we should do, but I think one fun family thing out of our routine would be a good place to start and to keep God in the center of things that we do. Out youth went to a conference this weekend and the theme was LOUDER THAN WORDS. I think that we all can take something away from that. What actions have you taken today to show Jesus to someone?

This is my Lent Season...to give.

New Year

Our church decided to read our Bibles together and the church got Life journals for the congregation to challenge us to read our Bible daily, something I have always struggled with. I always say that is something that I am working on. I am encouraged by my husbands faithfulness in this area. So have picked up one of these Journals. You are suppose to read the reading for the day, which can be up to four chapters in Old and New testament and sometimes includes a Psalm as well. It has been nice reading before bed. Love is taking a theology-type class and does his readings and book work while I do my readings. After you read you are suppose to get the "notebook" and write down what God speaks to you from your reading, what stands out to you the most. Observation is next, write what you have observed, next is application and how you can apply this to your daily life and lastly, prayer. Pray. I haven't been doing the whole journal thing for the last two weeks, but I have been reading my Bible and retaining what I have been reading. I have also taken my prayer life to the next level. I feel that I have been slacking as a mother. I have been diligently praying for my children and their futures, each of them. It's been exciting to see God answering these little prayers, even about the childrens sleep!
Sorry this is so long, it's really for me to look back at as opposed to reading for others.

So as my prayer list is growing and my family becomes more open to prayer for one another, it gets more exciting to see how God is speaking. I have been challenged by Him to listen to Him more. I know our future is in His hands. I am so blessed to have my family!

The Lord has been laying on our hearts what is next for us and how do we get there. I feel change is coming, in our location, in our jobs and as our children grow, our parenting. I pray for guidance in all these areas and that Love and my relationship continues to grow and include God in every step, even when we stumble, His Grace Is Enough.

A few photos

Pickle with his new home made hat (my first one)
Love and Pickle having a moment.
Cousins meeting for the first time, how sweet.
The diaper cake for my sister's baby shower that Love made.
Notice the wet shirt of mine, all because Nuggets DR. can't put a diaper on properly! Thank you Dr. Kim. We still love her and all had a good chuckle. This was Nugget's two week check-up. 7lbs1oz! Wait to go!

Thanks giving

We have had a crazy past month...I am trying to catch up with the blogging. Nugget has been home for just over a month now. I know that Thanksgiving has gone, but we had an exciting week then. We found out that week that Pickle was cutting 4 top teeth all at once! To make the total up to 6!

That Wednesday he (Pickle) took his first steps, and they were towards his Daddy, which made it all the more sweet. We spent time with Loves family for a nice time, especially for the kids, the weekend before. And the crazy buzz of the Gracey family for Thanksgiving at my Aunt's house. Fun and loud, as usual. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberries, cheesey mashed potatoes, baked brie, beer bread and Love made and brought Scottish Eggs, yum!

Sunday night Pickle decided that he wanted to walk more, so now at almost 15 months old, he is taking more steps, getting into everything, pulling things off shelves, loves to laugh at Bug and the cats playing. Pickle, we have also found out, is a lover of all animals. We have been trying to capture a photo of how he hugs the cats, practically lays on top of them, and they let him. It is quite the sight.

So we are thankful this year for a good job for Love and that I can stay home with the boys, be a part of Bug's PTA, watch Bug attend and enjoy learning different things (math, Spanish, music, memorizing scripture, playing the Wii), not have a car payment (which will probably change as we look for a mini van), and have loving family and friends that write letters, call on the phone, and those who we get to see often. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives.

P.S. Bug asked me when we can visit the ocean again! And we love the candy ribbons Gma K made for us, I mean, the boys!

Third boy welcome!

Since I last blogged, we have a new addition to our family, Nugget. He is great, had no complications, both of us healthy from the get go. Even though my OB wanted me to get a flu shot, nothing bad happened during labor, except it was fast and furious, which is fine. All in all, we have our third boy! Beautiful and healthy. He came to us on Sunday November 8th at 11:22 am, during church, just like Pickle. We got to bring him home with us right away, even though he was 5 weeks early. What a blessing to us all.

Pickle's 1st Birthday!

What a blessing to have the First Birthday of my second son! We went to dinner for Italian and had a few gifts and a few family members, we didn't want such a to-do....Bug and I made cupcakes earlier when he got home from school and had a nice time doing so. I don't think the day even fazed Pickle....but we had a nice evening with family that ended with cupcakes and lots of hugs and kisses......He eats lots of foods that we give him (pnut butter and bananas seem to be the fav right now), crawls non-stop, is "cruising", and wanting to walk more and more each day, started drinking from a cup, and says lots of fun sounds, and even seems to whistle a bit when he gets really excited about things!

To my Pickle, my Bubba...I love you, my dear sweet boy!

Internet issues

I needed to post this mostly for myself so I don't forget, I haven't really kept a baby book for either one of my children, but would like to put something together in the near future with #3 on the way, no we still don't have any names picked out. Pickle got his first tooth in two days ago! What an exciting time, he started dancing and can wave "hello" and "good-bye". What a joy, I have been enjoying our time together alone, without anyone else around. It's been nice.

Yesterday a huge truck drove by our house and somehow cut our cable for t.v. cable and our internet, so I am over at my folks checking on things on facebook and email, for my sister and her family are making their way back state-side and will be coming into Chicago tonight. I have been thinking about just going out there to meet them at the airport, but we will see them next weekend and the week after. It has been just over two years since I have seen her and my brother-in-law. They celebrated thier 10th wedding anniversary this last July and had their first son in May (quite early, he was due in July). I am excited to meet Ezra Jude and hold the little guy, he weighs just over 9 lbs right now, born just under 4lbs. What a man already, he has survived heart surgery at one week old and the infection after the surgery. Can you tell I'm excited?! I don't have a clue where to go to meet them at the airport, so I'm trying to get in contact with their best friends and Pastors in Chicago. I do like the drive out there and it looks like I might make the drive by myself, if I go, with the kids! Love might like the mini break from the kids, but we still hate being away from one another. It's the way it is, we like each other. You know, some people like to have their "girl time" and "guys night out", but we would rather just have spend that time enjoying eachother, without kids maybe. We have been getting a little more of that with school nights we try to be really good about not getting Bug to bed late, actually, we have done great with that. It's nice and relaxing at about 8pm now a days!

I'm going to end for now, I seem to just be rambling...I love my family, everywhere.

Kindergarten

Bug started kindergarten last Thursday. Yep. I thought this year would be homeschooling/unschooling. This summer he asked about school, and I let him choose if he wanted to stay home or go to the school. He decided that he wanted to try out school...and with baby on the way and an almost 1 year old we thought it would be best. Bug and I are so much a like that we can jump on each other pretty easy to stir the pot more often than it should. But we also have a good time with each other, we know what makes the other laugh. But I must say that him being gone for some of the day is nice, I just have one child to look after for the time being and that will be our only "mommy and Pickle time" so I am taking advantage. I do miss Bug and try to find out what "special" classes he has for each day (art, music, p.e., you get the idea), usually he just telss me that they got tplay outside today! He talks about a few friends already and has gotten into trouble a couple of times, one for playing when he was suppose to be sitting and another for hurting a girl that was an accident.

So Bug's first day was my last day on a missions trip to Mexico with our church. I didn't really pay attention to that little detail until the day we were leaving, somehow I had it in my head that I was coming back the day before, so that bummed me out, leaving Love to send him off his first day and with G'pa to help. It was nice to know both of them wanted to be a part of Bug's first day! Very cute and my only request was pictures!

G'pa walking over the bridge with Bug for the big day!

pics

My first sewing project: diaper soaker for new baby!

Bug at V.B.S. painting the world to remind him of John 3:16!

Our first camping trip ended with the boys taking the canoe out on the lake! What fun!

Pickle and his new love, those blocks and the cube of fun!

Bug at V.B.S. again, doing the obstacle course. His favorite!

Pantry Budget week

We will be doing most of our menu this week from the fridge and pantry, and our garden...

Mon: Dinner salads! And left-over birthday cake!

Tues: Spinach quiche! (My first one!) and Fresh bread!

Wed: Asian noodles with Sunflower seeds and any other veggies we have.

Thursday: 2 day Chicken (Crock pot for 2 days, slooooow cooking) salad sandwich?

Friday: Ratatouille

Saturday: Left-overs with Cous Cous added.

Needing to catch up.

Asher in his crib, and Magnet followed. Asher loves the kitties.

Korbin took this lovely photo of John while we were out at dinner.

Asher and his new food routine! It's going well.

Korbin's new haircut. "Do you like my new haircut?" He says to all who will listen.

John's artist touch while playing cards with family and friends yesterday.

A visit

Last week we were so excited to be asked to babysit! They boys' cousins came over for bit. Bug prepared for the visit. We ate grilled bean burgers and the kids had tomatoes and carrots while Love and I had grilled asparagus, which seems to be a fav right now. Here are some pretty pics from the evening! I couldn't get Pickle's pic to turn around, so it looks like he is flying! We had a nice time. Hope we can do it again soon!

Catching up

Easter Family Pic at my Mom and Dad's house with all the fam. The egg hunt was at our house/yard! Lots of fun and lots of boys!












We went to a freind house to paint eggs and I love this picture of Willow with Pickle. She got right up there without saying a word as soon as I put him up there. Willow just kept giving me this look.










We made our tie-dye for our Easter outfits! Finally got to tye-dye! Perfect!














Bug and I playing Harry Potter wizard wars. Got to take time to play!

Love's Birthday!

I keep forgetting to post about my love's 31st birthday. Nothing too exciting this year, but we did make him a present. I'm quite proud, seeing that I'm not artistic, I am crafty however and can make that work for me. So this is what I came up with, with help from Bug.

Love points!

My Love made great points! He does like to experiment in the kitchen and makes all kinds of concoctions! It is quite fun, except when I was pregnant with my youngest. My first trimester he did not earn any points for new dishes! But now! Oh wow! We were up late the Friday before Easter having a meeting with our Pastor and after he left I had to call my sister, in the Philippines, back. Love went into the kitchen and found avocado (love them), mango and marinaded artichoke hearts, put them on nice bread and we gobbled them right up! He can make that for me any day of the week! Sweet man.

Deodorant

I have thrown out the last of my secret deodorant, love the smell, and made my own, Thank you Passionate Homemaker
I found it much easier than I anticipated and after a week and a bit of wearing it, I'm so pleasantly surprised that I don't stink! All natural and no aluminum! Plus, it took me five minutes to make!
Natural Deodorant:
Equal parts of Baking Soda and Cornstarch or Arrowroot and add enough coconut oil to make it the consistency that you want. I put mine in my old dispenser and put it in my cupboard, I might need to put it the fridge over the summer though. Coconut oil becomes liquid in warmer temps, be is solid even in our kitchen. I am so happy with this, I made some for my great bff and my Mom even requested me to make it for her! Super great!

Two weeks have passed

Wow! I haven't blogged in two weeks. We have had lots going on around this nutty house of ours. Many play dates, parks, Art class, meeting new friends. I will slowly blog about the last couple of weeks to catch you all up on us!
Pickle has become very interested in crinkling sounds, and yes, he is playing with a bag full of cotton balls, fully supervised! He is so happy, 9 days away from 7 months! 15 +lbs! He is growing and laughing, enjoys watching people and smiling, shows interest in our food, so we have tried bananas, and enjoy them! You can also see the mess in our house behind him, I'm not the best homemaker, but we are happy and I try not to stress when people come over. We are lived in, that is my excuse!

Sunday Times

Today we had a nice day after church we went to my folks and had some friends over for lunch and games (Apples to Apples). The kids played and we had a nice time with our wonderful friends, as always. This pic is Love with Pickle after our friends had gone, a nice day to stay indoors. While church was going on (Love and I were in a short "play" at church) the snow started and it didn't stop til later this afternoon. We just didn't want to go anywhere and my folks welcomed us to stay as long as we liked!

 I like this pic of them...Pickle rolled onto his back this morning before we left for church, so we need to be on extra alert!