THE LAND OF CURLY HAIR

2/2/12 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2012-02-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for Carol, Connie, Debbie, Kit, Linda, Sherry (just realized I've never seen her name in writing and I'm not sure how she spells it), and Ruth, otherwise known as Tyler's church grandmas. Not only were these ladies a lifeline for me during my hard pregnancy with Tyler, but they wait with open arms to snuggle him (which is the nice way to say they argue over who gets to hold him first), dote on how cute he is, and some of them made blankets that he is regularly wrapped up in.

What's something that you're thankful for?

FUNNY FACES

2012-02-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

BOOKS I FINISHED - JANUARY 2012

2012-01-31T20:33:00.000-08:00

I haven't done any reading the last few months, not even for school, but decided it was time to get back in the habit. I didn't read much, but at least it was something.

FOR SCHOOL

The Great Turkey Walk, by Kathleen Karr
Read aloud for Silas. It's the fictional story of a fifteen year old boy, one who makes up in street smarts what he lacks in book smarts, who ventures out to walk 1,000 turkeys from Missouri to Colorado. We both enjoyed this book.

FOR MYSELF

Sisterchicks on the Loose!, by Robin Jones Gunn
This was on display at the library and I'd heard about the author's books, so I snagged it. It was a good choice for delving back in to the world of reading. Funny and light-hearted in places, a little more serious with life lessons in others. It's the fictional story of two close friends, one mellow and predictable and the other adventurous, who go on a last minute trip to Finland to meet one of their relatives.

p.94, Is it possible that arrogance can masquerade as being "more experienced"?

MENU - FIRST HALF OF FEBRUARY 2012

2012-01-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

I actually got this menu done ahead of time and went shopping on Saturday. It's nice to be a little bit ahead of the game!

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x9
smoothies or fruit x2
breakfast burritos
waffles
Rebecca's granola
lemony sour cream muffins
blueberry oat muffins

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x2
chicken tortilla soup (crockpot)/cornbread
olive and feta pasta/salad
baked potatoes/best bean salad
turkey pot pie
new burger recipe/potato wedges
Tig's black bean chili (freezer)/cornbread
bbq chicken salad/toast
new chicken recipe/rice/peas & corn
egg salad sandwiches/fruit
Thai chicken & coconut rice/Leslie's salad
turkey/stuffing/cranberry sauce/mashed potatoes
new sandwich recipe/coleslaw

SNACKS & DESSERTS
produce
popcorn
muffins (doubling the breakfast ones so we can snack on extras)
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
s'mores bars

THE COOLEST QUILT EVER

2012-01-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Tardiff and Mrs. Brannon, two of the teachers at Tim's school, had their students make a paper quilt for Tyler in the days before Christmas break. Here it is hanging above his crib.

Here's a closer view of the squares the students designed.

I've never seen a paper quilt before. Isn't it awesome?

1/26/12 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2012-01-26T12:02:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful we have so much food that there are usually leftovers after dinner and that those leftovers make easy lunches.

What's something that you're thankful for?

TIM WON A PRIZE

2012-01-24T08:51:00.000-08:00

This was given to Tim by one of his students when he returned to work after Christmas break. Cool trophy, huh?! He brought it home to show us, but it's now back in his office at school. Tyler, the real prize has to stay home, but now Tim has a replica to make him smile at work.

A BASKET OF MONEY

2012-01-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

I have a basket that I got on a trip to the Philippines several years ago and every coin I get goes straight into it. I don't remember when I started collecting change there, but it's been a while. The basket had gotten pretty full, so I decided we'd cash in all the coins at the end of 2011 and do something fun as a family with the money. I'm truly horrible at things like estimating how much money was in the basket, but I was hoping we'd have enough to take the kids out for dinner, miniature golfing, or something like that. Maybe fifty bucks?

Well, Tim and the three oldest kids headed to the bank a few days ago to have the coins counted. They came home and told me there was over $250!!! Yowzers! I had no idea there was that much money in our coin basket. Needless to say, we've got a little more wiggle room in our planning now.

We've already started collecting coins again, but I'm not sure when we'll cash them in. We may do it annually or just wait til the basket is full. Either way we'll have fun thinking of how to spend the money as a family, even if it's only enough to rent a movie and pick up a couple cartons of ice cream.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to at least having a few handfuls of coins in the basket again because that money entertains the kids for hours. They dump the coins out, then sort them by value, date, or state (with quarters), sometimes with each other and other times on their own. It's also a perfect activity for them to do while I'm reading to them for school.

Do you save coins? How do you determine when to cash them in? What do you do with the money after it's been cashed in?

JUST A GOOD DAY

2012-01-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

Tim got to have breakfast with a bunch of other guys at someone's house.

Silas and Devon got to attend Forts & Floats, which is one of their two favorite events of the year.

I, along with the two littlest Ws, got to visit with Michelle at Starbucks after dropping the big boys off at church. It was my idea, but she generously picked up the tab and brought Naomi some of the cool soaps she makes.

We swung by our old apartment complex after Starbucks so that the office ladies, who we love, could meet and snuggle Tyler.

I napped.

A friend that I haven't talked to in a few months called. She's in love.

The sun came out.

I did a load of laundry.

The kids play outside together for over an hour between the big boys returning home and all of us sitting down for dinner.

We ate one of my favorite dinners.

A couple we met in Ashland, who now live in Newport, offered to help a group of school kids from Vancouver, one of whom goes to our church in Wilsonville. That kid's mom had asked me to post a request on a site I run for folks from our church, but it didn't meet the criteria for the site. I passed the message along to the Newport folks on the off chance they knew someone who could help and it turned out that they had a solution that hadn't even crossed my mind.

I got the freezer organized.

I finished reading a book I enjoyed.

Tim and I watched a Thou Shalt Laugh movie.

SALEM, SCHOOL, SPLITS, STITCHES, & SILVER LININGS

2012-01-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

Many areas of Salem are flooding this week because of heavy rainfall, so Tim's school decided to cancel a training session that was supposed to happen last night. Of course, my ringer was off and I didn't know Tim had called to give me that update. About 4:20, which was five minutes after the training was supposed to start, I was surprised to see him pull into the driveway. We'd had two very long days and I hadn't slept enough, so I was happy to find out that he would be home for the evening and I wouldn't be single parenting as psycho mom.

Silas was entertaining himself, Devon and Naomi were happily goofing off together, and Tim was snuggling a screaming Tyler. About two minutes before I was going to feed Tyler and put dinner on the table, Devon tripped.

And landed on his face.

And put two teeth through his lip.

All the way through.

It was now ten minutes after Tim came home and we had rice done cooking, a pot of chili ready to take off the burner, a seven year old with blood pouring out of his face, a nine year old who wanted to know what's going on and how he should help, a four year old was weepy because her brother was hurt, and a six week old baby who was still screaming his head off. Loudly.

Chaos.

We got Devon to the sink with ice, a rag, and a bowl to spit in, took all food off its respective sources of heat, gave Naomi a hug, had Silas get some Tylenol for Devon, and nursed Tyler.

Calm.

The first time I looked at Devon's mouth I could tell that teeth had penetrated his lip, but things were still so bloody that it was hard to tell how bad it was. I know that mouth injuries are often left alone because they heal quickly on their own, but I wasn't sure how bad it had to be to get stitched. We were debating whether or not he needed to be taken in, so I hopped on Facebook to ask how bad a cut had to be for stitches to be required. A few minutes later Tim told me he thought Devon needed stitches. One side was punctured, but the other side had a pretty decent gash in it. I went back to look and realized my Facebook question was pointless. The bleeding had stopped and it was clear that he definitely needed to get things stitched up.

Tim loaded up the boys - Devon for medical care and Silas because he wanted to come along - and headed off to immediate care. I stayed home with Naomi and a crabby Tyler. Naomi and I ate dinner, then watched a movie while I held a sleeping baby. After two very long days of parenting, it was actually nice to sit in a dark, quiet house and relax. It's not exactly how I'd have gone about getting that mellow time, but we've got to play the hand we're dealt.

Devon ended up getting three stitches in his lip. He's the only one of our kids to require stitches and it's the second time he's had them, both times on his face.

Silas got dropped off at home to eat dinner, which was now two hours late, while Tim and Devon went off to pick up antibiotics. And a milkshake, per the doctor's orders. Devon had to be on a liquid diet last night and the doctor thought he may as well make the best of it. By the time they got home it was time for him to get ready for bed and for Tim to eat a very delayed dinner.

Quite the grand finale to two lousy days, huh?

I was exhausted, getting quite irritable and weepy, but Tim had news when he came home. The district had called while he was out and school was cancelled for today because of the flooding.

Cloud? Devon tore up his lip. Silver lining? The two teeth in question, which are permanent teeth, didn't get knocked out.

Cloud? An extra day will be tagged on the school year in June to make up for today's cancelled one. Silver lining? Tim was home today while we all regrouped and having two adults home meant extra things got crossed off the "to do" list.

Cloud? A town is flooding. Silver lining? Tim was home last night, which meant I got parenting support. It also ended up meaning that I didn't have to haul a screaming baby, a bleeding kid, and two other kids off to immediate care right at dinner time by myself.

Never a dull moment around here! Actually, there are lots of dull moments, but stuff like this keep life interesting.

Of course, a post like this would be incomplete without pictures, so without further ado ....

Split ....

and stitched.

MENU - SECOND HALF OF JANUARY 2012

2012-01-19T21:39:00.000-08:00

Here's what the Ws are eating these days.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x9
smoothies or fruit x2
pumpkin bread (from freezer)
breakfast sandwiches
Tam's granola
poppyseed banana muffins

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x3
lentil bean chili/brown rice
tomato navy bean soup (from freezer)/new muffin recipe
lasagna (freezer)/salad
Mexican casserole/cornbread/salad
crispy chicken/wild rice mix/Napa cabbage salad
chicken & black bean soup (freezer)/cornbread
upside down pizza/Leslie's salad
creamy shells with ham & broccoli/peas & corn
peanut butter noodles/peas & corn
quinoa & black beans/tortilla chips/salad
Seattle cream cheese dogs/fruit

SNACKS & DESSERTS
produce
popcorn
cherry oatmeal muffins (from freezer)
sesame cookies (didn't make these last time)
oat & almond bars

1/19/12

2012-01-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for the person who paid our bill at Red Robin last night.

What's something that you're thankful for?

DECORATING THE MAIN BATHROOM

2012-01-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our main bathroom! I just used the toilet in this bathroom for the first time last week and discovered it's the shortest toilet in the world. I apologize in advance to anyone taller than myself who has to use it. Maybe we'll get a taller one someday, but that's at the bottom of the priority list. Short toilets work well for short little Ws anyway and they're the ones using that bathroom every day.

Enough about the short toilet.

Here's what we're working with. This is the entrance to the bathroom. The orange is not something we have to keep, though all the kids are fine with it. It's a happy, gender neutral color, after all.

This is what you see as you stand in the bathroom door.

The seashell wallpaper at the top of the wall? It will be removed. Absolutely. Gag-o-rama. The uneven towel racks that are also different sizes? They've also got to go. I really like symmetry and balance, so those racks drive me batty. Not a huge fan of silver either. I'd like to keep a white shower curtain, partly because I like white and partly because it keeps that room bright. I think I want a framed print of some sort above the toilet, but I'm not sure what I want it to be of. Something bright, maybe a little random or funky.

Moving on to the left side of the sink.

The previous owners installed some shelves here. The two rounded ones are fine, I suppose, but the one that extends the counter bugs me. I understand the desire for extra counter space, but I think it looks tacky.

Want to know what's ridiculous about this bathroom? The toilet paper holder is mounted to the left side of the cabinet. See it peeking out in that picture? There's really no great place to put it, but lame, lame, lame!! A person shouldn't have to turn nearly 180 degrees to reach the toilet paper. Right now we're keeping the toilet paper on the counter so that the kids can reach it. Eventually I want to get an adhesive holder and mount it on the inside of the cabinet under the sink. I know that's an odd place to put it, but an adhesive holder wouldn't have screws that bust through the cabinet door and it would be easy for everyone to access.

The biggest problem we have in this room is that we need somewhere to hang four towels, but there's very little wall space. I saw a towel rack on Pinterest and got inspired on what to do with this corner. Here's the rack.

This particular rack connects to the door hinges, which wouldn't work in our bathroom. However, I could use the same idea with swing arm curtain rods. I'd just tear out the shelves that are mounted to the left of the sink and hang the rods in that corner, pointing toward the toilet. I like that the towels would hang flat against the wall, but that we could pull them out and stagger them when they needed to dry. Brilliant, huh?

Here's the view of the sink.

There's not a lot to say about this part of the bathroom. I love the white cabinets and mirror!! The mirror is also a cabinet, in case that matters to you. Still not digging all the silver, but I could swap out the knobs at some point.

This is a similar shot, but it shows you the light fixture. It's very pretty and silver. Not bad, necessarily, but not what I would have chosen. Even the standard row of round lights would be more up my alley. I'm kinda plain and simple when it comes to that kind of stuff.

Here's the right side of the sink.

That's another rounded shelf. One rounded shelf. One rounded shelf that isn't even with either of the two on the other side. AAAAAGGGGHH!!!

And towel racks. Two different kinds, a hook and a ring, right next to each other. At least they're even.

But wait, we wouldn't want to leave the bathroom without throwing in one more towel rack. Or hook, as the case may be. There's one mounted to the right side of the cabinet.

And that, my friends, completes your tour of our main bathroom.

So, here's what I want.
* Suggestions for paint color. This is the only room where I truly don't care (within reason, of course) what color we go with.
* Pats on the back for my towel solution or other ideas that are equally brilliant.
* Pats on the back for my toilet paper holder solution or other ideas that are equally brilliant.
* A fun print that could be framed and hung above the toilet. It's entirely possible that I would choose the paint color based on the print. Keep in mind that it's for both genders and that I don't want it to be childish. Just fun. I think I'd rather have one larger print than a collection of smaller ones, but I'm open to all suggestions.
* Sympathy for the fact I have to see such an assortment of mismatched and uneven towel holders on a regular basis. It's traumatic, I tell ya!

HELP ME DECORATE!!

2012-01-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

We've lived in our house for over three months now and I've done nothing, absolutely nothing, to decorate or make it look like it's our house. Now that I'm not hugely pregnant or recovering from surgery I'm ready to start decorating.

I'd love to have some help, though. Why? Because I know what I like when I see it, but I'm not good at pulling all the pieces together to create what I like on my own. Not at all! I actually created a Pinterest account about a week ago so that I could look for ideas and I've found some, but I'd love to hear or see what brilliant ideas you can give me.

I'll start by telling you a little about what I like. I like colored walls, a bit of light or medium wood, and a lot of white furniture. I'm always drawn to rooms with that combo, even if the style doesn't strike my fancy.

As far as style, I'm not solidly in one camp or another. I like the rustic look of farmhouse decor, but am not into roosters, apples, or Americana. I guess it's just the furniture, particularly the old (or old looking) wood stuff, that appeals to me. I like the comfy, airy look of cottage decor, but don't like ruffles or tons of floral prints. I love the blues, greens, and touches of nature that are in coastal decor, but don't like lighthouses, anchors, or boats. I also like the occasional touch of whimsy, the little random things that say something about our family.

So, there's a little idea of what I'm looking for. My goal is to have a plan for each room, then slowly pull the rooms together as I find what I want, budget the money to buy what I need, and have time to paint walls. Your job is to help me come up with the plan.

I think what I'm going to do is just tackle one room at a time. I'll post pictures of the room, explain what I want or need, then let you guys give me feedback. Sound like a plan?

We'll start with the main bathroom tomorrow. I figure a small room is a good one to do first. Right?

I LOVE OUR HOUSE - #3

2012-01-14T22:29:00.001-08:00

I haven't told you about our house in a while. Honestly, I'm having to work really hard at not having a bad attitude about our messy garage, bare walls, and rooms with poorly arranged furniture. So I'm going to show you some more things I like. It will help me to keep my focus on the good stuff while I wait for the time, energy, or inspiration to tackle everything else.

Ready?

The center of our home has the kitchen, dining room, and a little bonus area. It's a fairly long room with a sliding glass door that opens to a covered patio on one end and a window that opens to a covered porch on the other end. Needless to say, there's not a lot of light that comes in that area.

Except for one thing.

The solar tube.

That glowing circle on my ceiling brings so much light into our home. I love it! Even in this dark time of year, we get enough light that we are usually able to do school and eat lunch at the table without turning a light on. On sunny days it's so bright that you'd think we had a light on if you walked into the room and it works like a nightlight when the moon is big.

1/12/12 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2012-01-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for sun shining in the windows and the Stevie Wonder station playing on Pandora when it's time to clean house.

What's something that you're thankful for?

WE HAVE A CAMERA... AND A CUTE BABY!!!

2012-01-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

Our camera died a couple days before Christmas, right as we were opening our family gifts. Huge bummer! We bought one on Christmas Eve, but it took horrible pictures and we returned it. Last night Tim bought another camera and we're back in business.

It's just about killed me that we have about five pictures of Tyler. The unexpected hospital trip, surgery recovery while parenting three other kids, and death of our camera more than two weeks ago resulted in him having very few pictures taken in his first month of life. Oh well. We're moving on and plan on making up for lost time, so brace yourself for more frequent pictures.

I thought I'd post a quick picture of him before I make dinner, just to satisfy the requests I've been getting. Here's the little man at five weeks old.

We originally said he was colored like Silas, but we were a little off. His skin color is definitely the same, but his head hair is a shade lighter and his facial hair is super light. Silas, on the other hand, has always had really dark hair on his head and face. So Tyler may end up in the middle of the color spectrum we've got going on. Time will tell!

THREE SMALL GOALS

2012-01-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

I'm a list maker. I'm a box checker. I'm a lover of productivity.

I recently had a very uncomfortable pregnancy. I recently moved. I recently had an unexpected surgery.

These little details add up to someone who expected to have things happen more slowly than usual and was fine with that, but eventually got really discouraged that the "need and/or want to do" stuff was adding up much more quickly than she was able to tackle it.

My home, which I knew wouldn't be decorated as quickly as usual, felt impersonal, and that frustrated me. My ongoing "to do" list, which I generally find handy, was overwhelming. My house was cluttered and dirty, which stresses me out when not taken care of on a daily basis. My stack of papers to deal with was growing taller by the minute and that was discouraging.

Basically, I've been really overwhelmed by all I need to do and discouraged that I have no time for the stuff I want to do. Something had to change or I was going to lose it.

A couple weeks ago I grabbed a little white board and wrote "THREE SMALL GOALS" across the top. Each morning I write down three things that I must get done that day. Some are things where time is of the essence, others have been waiting to be done for months. Some are about cleaning and organizing, others are about paperwork and scheduling.

Can I just tell you how great this has been for me?! A list of three things is easy to make. Three is a manageable number of things to do at this point in time. Being able to cross three things off proves productivity. Being productive makes me happy. A happy wife and mom means a happy home.

I still have my ongoing "to do" list because I need a place to write down all the things that need to get done and Tim uses it for ideas when he's wanting to help with stuff around the house without having to ask me for ideas, but the having a short list has saved my sanity. Even if the house is a wreck or our living room is completely undecorated, I can remind myself that I did get something done over the course of the day. Three somethings, to be exact. And in the midst of all that productive happiness, I often end up getting some extra things from my regular list crossed off.

Do I ever fail to complete my three small goals? I have a couple times. One day I didn't do a single thing on the list. However, that was also the day a friend spontaneously took the three older kids out for a chunk of the morning and I napped in the afternoon. Another day I totally forgot to do something until the kids were in bed, but it was something I needed them to be awake for. I didn't mind my uncrossed list either time. Mature of me, huh?

I decided not do do my three small goals on weekends. Of course, I refer to my ongoing "to do" list and we still get stuff done, but things are just more relaxed.

The walls of my house are still bare. I haven't figured out how to arrange the furniture in a couple rooms. There is a laundry basket in my room filled with random things that need to be dealt with. The kitchen counter has a pile of paperwork to go through (hmmm ... maybe I'll throw it all in that laundry basket). There are some things on my "to do" list that have been there for months.

However, I'm way more relaxed because I know I'm making progress, even if it's slow. I think I'm balancing my forest tendencies with three trees a day.

TWENTY YEARS

2012-01-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the twentieth anniversary of my mom's death. Twenty years! That's a long time!

The last year has been a hard one for me in regards to her death.

I've had a friend reach what she called "the beginning of the end" of her battle against breast cancer. I've never met her in person, but we've known each other online for years. We've had conversations about being the child of a mom with breast cancer, as she's made decisions about how she parents her kids, who are about the same ages as our boys, in the light of her diagnosis - info they may want to know later in life if and when she dies young, ways to share her wisdom and practical info after she's gone, etc. Those conversations were hypothetical when we had them, but things change. The day I found out that she'd gotten a bad update I just sat at the table and sobbed. My heart breaks for her. For her husband. Especially for her kids. She is my first peer to reach that point with cancer and it's a really unnerving for me.

I've had another friend just get diagnosed with ovarian cancer last weekend. While it's a different cancer than my mom had, it's still a reality check.

A gal I'm acquainted with at church is going through chemo. She's about my age with four kids about the ages of mine. Another reality check.

While seeing women in my life, my peers, battle cancer has been hard for me, there are two other things that have been harder.

First, I'm getting older. Not just older, but very close to my mom's diagnosis age. She was 36 years 8 months when she got diagnosed. I'm 35 years 7 months. I'm 13 months away from the age she was when she found a lump in her breast. Only 13 months. That's not very long.

I often think about how I'd feel if I got a diagnosis at the same age. Specifically, I wonder about what kind of regrets I'd have as I faced the possibility of dying at a relatively young age. Sometimes that helps me keep things in perspective, other times it makes me beat myself up more over the areas I feel like I'm failing.

Second, I just had a baby. As I've said before, my worst fear is not living long enough to raise my kids to adulthood. The older our kids get, the less anxiety I have about that, as they're more likely to remember me and the time I spent with them, but I'm back to square one with Tyler ... with less time on the clock. That bothers me a lot.

I realize what happened to my mom may not happen to me, but you just never know. If she could die in her thirties of breast cancer without any family history of the disease, then it's obviously possible that I could, especially since I do have a family history. Ugh.

I hate that these thoughts are always lingering in the back of my mind. I hate that they're based on something that could happen, not something that is happening. Sometimes I feel a little crazy.

WEEK ONE? DONE!

2012-01-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

This was our first week of real life since Tyler was born. Tim went back to work, the boys started school, and I had to get dinner on the table each night. At this moment all four little Ws are napping and Tim will be home shortly after they wake up, so I'm declaring this first week finished.

It went well, actually. My attitude was significantly better this week than it's been in months. I think that feeling well physically (no gargantuan stomach, aching back, or fresh incision), having structure to our days (oh, how I love order and routine), and a few new tricks I'm trying (I'll get back to you about those on another day) have made a big difference in my outlook on life. And naps. Can't forget the power of a nap for a mom who gets up a couple times a night to lactate!

My house is messy, I haven't checked science worksheets or math, I have unfinished projects, some of our meals came from the freezer, and there were only four days in the week, so it's not like I was some overachiever or anything. But I was an achiever. A fairly happy and content achiever. I consider that success.

1/5/12 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2012-01-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful to be sitting alone at my table, listening to the Pepe Romero station playing on Pandora, eating a bagel sandwich, and enjoying some solitude. In other words, I'm thankful that Yvonne showed her love for our family today by picking up three little Ws and taking them to burn some energy at the McDonald's playland and that Tyler is napping for part of the time they're gone.

What's something that you're thankful for?

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

2012-01-04T21:51:00.000-08:00

Tonight was time for the walk of shame.

I am the parent of four children who have lived a combined total of nearly 22 years and have never had to be called out of a church service to attend to one of them.

Until tonight.

Tonight I got paged because Tyler was crying and the nursery workers, who are fantastic, couldn't make him happy.

I got paged while sitting in our usual spot on the center aisle, about the third row from the front, in a full sanctuary that probably seats 1,000 people.

I got paged right when our pastor was in the middle of explaining why our church doesn't let babies stay in the service.

I was waiting for him to make a perfectly timed wisecrack about me walking out of the sanctuary right then, but he didn't.

People who don't know me probably think I was walking out because I was offended, but I wasn't.

I was just doing the walk of shame. The loooong walk of shame. One of the perks of parenting that I'd never experienced until tonight.

MENU - FIRST HALF OF JANUARY 2012

2012-01-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

We've had three weeks of being blessed with meals from various friends and family members and I never made a menu or went shopping in the second half of December, but now it's time for me to get back in the swing of things. Thankfully, we were given some freezer meals over the last couple weeks. I'll be using five of them during the first part January in an attempt to make life a little easier while I get more active, school starts again, and we get used to our new normal. I made a menu on Friday, we hit WinCo and Franz on Saturday, and now we're ready for the following meals.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x9
smoothies or fruit x3
apple buttermilk bran muffins (from freezer)
leftover oatmeal pancakes
egg & potato scramble
cranberry granola

DINNERS
leftovers x3
tacos x2
calico beans (freezer)/rice/salad
orange lentil soup/garlic bread
chicken enchiladas (freezer)/rice/salad
rice, kale, & eggs/fruit
taco soup (freezer)/cornbread
birthday party with dinner served
quinoa & black beans/tortilla chips/salad
Cajun sausage & beans (crockpot, double & freeze half)/rice
new chicken recipe (crockpot)/rice/broccoli
upside down pizza (freezer)/salad
chili (freezer)/cornbread

SNACKS & DESSERTS
popcorn
produce
Christmas candy
sesame cookies
oat & almond bars

FOREST OR TREE? WHICH DO YOU SEE?

2011-12-31T12:53:00.000-08:00

Tim and I see life differently. I see a forest. He sees a tree. Neither is better or worse than the other, but they're definitely different.

I see a forest. Not only do I see that task at hand, but I see all the other circumstances that influence or are impacted by that task. I see a timeline of events and pace things accordingly. My ability to see a forest is a benefit when it comes to paying bills, scheduling things, and balancing household, school, and kid stuff. It's a burden when there's a lot going on and I get totally overwhelmed by the fact or feeling, depending on the situation, that I'll never get everything done.

Tim sees a tree. He sees a task that needs to be done and just does it. He stays focused on the job and isn't distracted by other circumstances. His ability to see a tree is a benefit when there's a lot to do because he calmly tackles one thing at a time and when decisions need to be made because he doesn't overanalyze the situation. It's a burden when other people or circumstances are negatively impacted by his failure to factor them into how or when he completed the thing he was working on.

Needless to say, our opposite tendencies have been both a blessing and a source of conflict in our home. No one likes it when I'm crying and barking at everyone because I'm stressing about how much there is to do, how little time there is to do it, and how one thing not being done right will stop the world from spinning. No one likes it when Tim can't see past the moment to consider the broader perspective of a situation. Everyone wins when I make sure the schedule allows our nappers to get adequate sleep and non-monthly bills are factored into the monthly budget. Everyone wins when Tim ignores the never ending "to do" list and just does something useful like cleaning the dirty kitchen or running a load of laundry.

What about you? Are you more of a forest or a tree person? What about the people you live or work with? How do your similarities or differences play out?

CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-30T06:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas gave us the opportunity for our first road trip as a family of six. We loaded up and headed to my dad's on Christmas Eve for a quick, noisy, fun weekend with grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. We chatted, ate, exchanged gifts, and passed Tyler around. The kids played games, danced, sat in the hot tub, and ran around like maniacs. Good times!

Here's the first picture we have of our family since Tyler's been born. In fact, it's the only picture of he and I or he and Tim together. Such is life when you unexpectedly spend your first few days in the hospital without a camera and your first couple weeks in a home where mom is moving slowly and dad is taking care of her and everything else. Oh well, such is life. We'll start catching up on pictures soon!

Here's the grandparents, who were also the awesome Christmas hosts, with four of their five kids, three spouses of kids, and eleven of their dozen grandkids.

And because it's our family, there's a silly picture.

My dad is doing a series of posts about the weekend with truckloads of pictures. If you want to check those out, then head over to his blog and read all the "CHRISTMAS NOTES" posts.

12/29/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-12-29T09:33:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for husbands who get together with their friends and take their children out for the day.

What's something that you're thankful for?

SIGNIFICANT INTRODUCTIONS

2011-12-22T21:50:00.000-08:00

It's been a very busy week for Tyler!

Pam - I grew up with Pam's sons and she was a friend of my mom's. Now she and I are friends and she's seeing my kids grow up. She actually met Tyler at the hospital, but I didn't have a camera handy, so we snapped a picture when she brought us dinner last week.

Ashley - My step-sister made a little detour at the start of her Christmas break to come meet the youngest kid that calls (or will eventually call) her "aunt".

Tom & Linda - This is the couple I refer to as my pseudo-in laws, as Tim lived with them for a significant part of high school and they've continued to be an important part of his life. Linda and her daughter came to meet Tyler at the hospital, but there was still that pesky problem of the camera being at our house. They brought dinner over last weekend and Linda got lots of snuggles.

Linda - Tim's mom got to snuggle her newest grandchild. He was wide awake for the whole visit, which was kinda fun for her.

Greg & Lisa - Greg has been an important man in Tim's life since he and Lisa were Tim's youth group leaders. He and his family brought dinner over and spent a couple hours taking turns snuggling a very tired little baby.

This weekend the little guy will meet more grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. So fun!

12/22/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-12-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for some time alone with Naomi this morning while the male Ws were still sleeping - snuggles on my bed, watching old Tom & Jerry clips on YouTube, and fixing her hair for the day.

What's something that you're thankful for?

THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

2011-12-20T21:52:00.000-08:00

* Church - I went on Sunday morning and it was the first time I'd been there in 3 1/2 weeks. While I've been able to ustream the services on the weeks I've stayed home, I've really missed seeing people. It was great to be there Sunday and chat with everyone!

* Cute babies - He may have a raging case of baby acne and have a tendency to cross his eyes when he's pooping, but he's still cute. Bonus for the fact he loves to snuggle!

* Dylan's The "it" Bar - A friend gave me a candy bar that I slowly ate over the course of a week. Milk chocolate, toffee, sea salt. Delicious!

* Kids who do their part - I love seeing the kids laughing and chatting as they work together, especially when they've butted heads for a significant part of the day.

* Magic dinners - It's sooooo nice to have meals just show up in the evening. Tim can, will, and does cook, but in the wake of my unexpected surgery, it's nice that he hasn't had to worry about preparing dinners. He's just been available to help me out more than I've needed with past births. So thankful for the people who have taken the time to bring food to us!

* Nipple shields - If I'd have known about them when I first started having children, then my life would have been spared oceans of tears, phenomenal amounts of pounding fists and stomping feet, incredible tension in my shoulders, a fair amount of profanity, and then a few more oceans of tears over the torture of the first couple weeks of nursing. They are essential for anyone who blisters, cracks, bleeds, and scabs. TMI? Sorry. Actually, I'm not. I seriously wish I'd known about them before last week and maybe mentioning them here will spare someone else the misery I've endured four times.

And I guess that's it for now. What makes you happy?

GORGEOUS

2011-12-16T07:37:00.000-08:00

These pictures don't do it justice, but the bouquet that was delivered to us was absolutely beautiful, both as buds and as open roses. So pretty!

12/15/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-12-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for magic meals that show up after you have a baby. The generosity of others' time and resources is a blessing!

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

TALKIN' ABOUT TYLER

2011-12-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

Tyler is five days old and we've been home two days. I think that means it's about time to do a post about the little guy's birth and share some pictures of him. Agreed?

Without hashing out every detail of the ordeal, I'll give a nutshell of Tyler's arrival. I started labor late on Tuesday afternoon after having a few days of early labor signs. I was dilated to a seven and my water was about to break when my midwife arrived at 8:00 that night. It looked like we'd have a speedy delivery if we just broke my water, so that's what we did.

Then we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And realized the baby was not going to arrive on 12/6, which was my grandma's 88th birthday. She'd been hoping for a birthday baby and it would have been cool for that to happen. Oh well.

And waited.

And waited.

Contractions were irregular and weak, so I had an IV to give them a boost. They immediately kicked into gear and eventually I was pushing.

And pushing.

And pushing.

And pushing.

The problem was that he couldn't get past a bit of cervix and all our attempts to help him weren't helping.

We decided to transport to Providence Portland, which is where my midwives' favorite doctor was going to meet us, and arrived there just before 9:00 on Wednesday morning. I got an epidural so I could rest and some Pitocin to encourage productive contractions.

Contractions increased in strength and frequency, but I sill wasn't dilated enough and Tyler wasn't descending. Then his heart rate dropped.

We cut the Pitocin and started changing my position. His heart rate came back up. Not knowing whether the drop was because he couldn't handle the Pitocin or because I just needed to be in a different position, we gave it one more shot. Pitocin started again and I stayed in the position that made his heart rate return to normal.

Contractions continued to improve from where they were when I arrived, but weren't where they needed to be. And Tyler was a little crooked. And he was trying to turn posterior. And my cervix wasn't changing. And then his heart rate dropped again. And it took longer to bring back up, despite turning off the Pitocin and changing my position, though it finally did come up again.

It was time for the birth enforcement officials to evacuate my uterus!

We headed to the OR with me making a spectacle of myself. They had me on all fours, then dropping my head down as low as I could go, as that was keeping Tyler's heart rate where it needed to be. Can't picture that? It's kinda like the praying position that Muslims get into, except my butt was higher in the air. They, of course, had me covered with a blanket as I paraded down the hall, but I despise being hot and they granted my request to have my feet sticking out from the blankets. Ha! Wish I could have been a bug on the wall seeing that. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

Surgery went quickly and smoothly. In fact, the anesthesiologist would tell me each time I was going to feel pressure, but I never felt any at all. They got Tyler squared away, put me back together, handed me the surgeon's marker as a souvenir, and sent me on my way.

Tyler's birth was my first surgery of any kind and I have to say it's totally bizarre to not have any feeling from the chest down. Neither good nor bad, just odd.

Anyway, Tim stayed a couple hours and we called family members, then he headed home to our kids. They'd spent the day with Yvonne, who had come over immediately that morning when Tim called to tell her we had to transport. They had a blast and I'm pretty sure they'd be up for me getting hospitalized on a more regular basis if it meant they got a Cherry day out of the deal. So thankful for her!

Tim brought the kids to meet Tyler on Thursday. Though they all love him, Naomi wouldn't leave his side. Pretty cute ... and predictable.

The family came back again on Saturday to bring us home and we've just been hanging out ever since.

Naomi thinks this is a funny picture and asked me to include it. Big mouth, big eyes.

Peeking over Daddy's shoulder.

Sleepy boy.

Crazy hair that looks like it may be Devon-ish, starting out pretty straight and curling up down the road.

I'm doing really well. In fact, I was telling Tim last night that this has not been any harder of a recovery than my other births. The discomfort level is the same, just a change in location. Either way, I just lay around and do a whole lot of nothing in the days after delivery (actually, I've been doing a whole lot of nothing for weeks now).

Many have commented that they're sorry I ended up with a c-section and I just want to say that I'm fine with it. Totally and completely fine.

I love, love, love birthing at home. I love being tucked into my own bed at the end of the day and not being interrupted multiple times a day (and night, for that matter) by medical staff. Unless I'm having a medical problem, then I prefer not going to a hospital. Personal preference and I'm thankful for the two births that have allowed me to stay home from start to finish.

That being said, I also love, love, love medical professionals who can step in and do what needs to be done when my body or my baby's won't cooperate with the birthing process. I love nurses who will help me out with every little thing when my husband can't stick around and people who bring me whatever meal I want just minutes after I ask for it. I'm thankful for the hospital staff who have been just what I needed for my two births that ended in transports.

And that's that. I'm doing well, Tyler is cute, and the 6 Ws are happy.

I forgot to mention that my failure to give Granny a birthday baby was balanced out by the fact that Tyler was born on my niece's 10th birthday. At least I got one of them, which is pretty impressive when you consider that either date would have been the shortest pregnancy I've ever had.

MEET THE 6TH W

2011-12-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

Well hey world. My name is Tyler Bruce. I am 9lb 8oz, born at 12:51 earlier this afternoon, and I am 22" long. I gave my mom a heck of a time with my enormous 15" round head that she was reduced to a C-section being her only option for bringing me into this world. All that aside, dang, ain't I cute! =)

You have to admit, I'm even cuter nestled tight in my warm blanket.

NOT A HOMESCHOOLING MOM

2011-12-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

I've told a few people lately that my kids are homeschooled, but I'm not really a homeschooling mom. This year has just been hard, due to pregnancy stuff and moving, and I haven't put a fraction of the effort into school that I usually do.

Thankfully, our boys have always done a lot of their work independently, which means they're making progress without much help from me. And, thankfully, we do school all year, which means we were six weeks ahead of the game when public school started in September.

I sat down today to make sure we were still going to be able to finish this school year in mid-June and was pleasantly surprised to see that we haven't wasted as much time as I had feared. We'll definitely finish on time, will give ourselves a week of wiggle room in January as we adjust to life with the 6th W, take a week off for spring break, and still have a couple days of wiggle room each month.

I know that interrupted nights will make me tired post-baby, but I think that being physically comfortable is going to make a huge difference in my motivation to get school done. I just haven't felt like doing much the last few months and household stuff has trumped school for me. I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove of doing some of the boys' school with them, though!

But, for now, I'm not really a homeschooling mom. And that's ok. The boys are still doing well academically and life goes on.

40 WEEKS

2011-12-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

We're heading out the door to a Christmas party, but Kore requested a picture. So, here I am at 40 weeks.

Yes, I'm actually going to the party in jammy pants. Nothing else fits comfortably and it's a casual party anyway. I figured that if I'm going to go in red jammy pants, I may as well be festive and sport a green shirt and Santa hat. It's a nice look, don't you think?

Since this is my actual due date (though due dates don't mean much) I'll also include a full belly shot. I don't think I've done any of those this time around.

Yep, I'm huge. Think I'll have a 41 week picture to show next weekend?

LAST PICTURES OF THE 5 Ws

2011-12-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Our realtor, Tom DeVilliers, invited us to a Christmas tree giveaway that his office was doing for their clients. So we headed out to the tree farm this afternoon, the kids picked a tree and someone else cut it for us, we all ate cookies and/or candy canes while drinking cider or hot chocolate, visited with some family members that were there, and Naomi spent a considerable amount of time shooting the breeze with Santa while sitting on his lap. That was actually kinda funny, as we've never done Santa and our kids know the scoop. She was having a ball, though, just chatting the afternoon away with him.

Anyway, I'm not in labor, but the baby will arrive in the next week-ish and there aren't any reasons to take family pictures between now and then. So we snapped a couple last pictures of the 5 Ws, both serious and silly.

12/1/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-12-01T12:30:00.001-08:00

I'm thankful for three kids who were amazing this morning while their very pregnant mom hauled them around on various errands. Dentist appointments for two kids, both of which had excellent reports. One kid had an hour wait while the other two had appointments and two had thirty minutes of waiting, all three kept themselves quietly occupied in the waiting room. A quick stop to fill the gas tank, followed by a trip to the Franz outlet where they got the things I needed off the shelves and loaded them onto the counter. Final stop was WinCo for a bunch of groceries. They're always great there, with one kid always pushing the cart and maintaining the grocery list while the other two help get the groceries we need. Then we headed home and they unloaded everything from the van for me. Thursdays are, by far, the hardest day of our week, so I appreciate all their help even more than usual today.

What are you thankful for?

CUSTOM ORNAMENTS

2011-11-30T22:13:00.000-08:00

We give each of the little Ws a new Christmas ornament every year when we decorate our tree, sometimes specific to their interests and other times generally festive. The goal is that they'll each have a stash of ornaments for their own trees when they move out. I'm a sucker for traditions and this has become a fun one.

In my attempt to be off my feet as much as possible this year, I was looking for ornaments online instead of at the stores. I came across some cute ones on etsy that I really liked. They were wooden blocks, the exact type of thing my friend Rachelle makes and sells as baby/toddler toys at NurseryLove, but with hooks and ribbons attached to turn them into ornaments. I immediately shot Rachelle a note and asked if she could make some for the little Ws. We exchanged a few messages to clarify exactly what type of look I was going for and she delivered three of the ornaments to us tonight. The fourth will get made after the 6th W arrives.

Check them out.

Aren't they cute?! I love, love, love them!!

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT ... FOR FREE!!

2011-11-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

I don't like buying movies because we never watch them enough to justify storing them. I'd much rather check them out from the library or use a freebie Redbox code. I recently made an exception, though, and bought some movies. Now, when I say "bought" I mean that I purchased them on Amazon using gift cards I'd earned by doing all my online searches through Swag Bucks. I love Swag Bucks. A lot. So, Swag Bucks just bought some movies for us. Five, to be exact.

Tim and I got Thou Shalt Laugh from the library a few years ago and enjoyed it. We eventually saw the second movie, but our last two moves have taken us to library systems with fewer or no editions of the series. The little Ws have seen the first one and loved it, but we just can't get access to the newer editions. So, last week I cashed in some of those gift cards I earned from Swag Bucks and bought all five videos as a surprise for the fam.

Tonight I said I had a gift for everyone and that they all had to be on the couch at 6:00. They cooperated and I busted out movie numero uno. They've already seen the first one, but they love it and quote lines from it all the time. They were delighted! Needless to say, I earned major "cool mom" points tonight.

Lots of laughs. No money spent. It's a good night ... with many more good nights to come!

MENU - FIRST HALF OF DECEMBER 2011

2011-11-27T21:02:00.001-08:00

I know November's not quite over, but I'm fantasizing about having a baby this week, earlier than my usual 41 weeks, and got the next menu finished in preparation. How's that for wishful thinking? Ok, so realistically I've got another couple weeks-ish, but at least the first part of the month is planned out and the baby will definitely come during that time frame.

Of course, all meals are subject to change, depending on when the 6th W arrives, but some of them are from the from the freezer and we'll just use those whenever we need them most.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x10
smoothies or fruit x2
cherry oatmeal muffins (from freezer)
cold cereal
apple buttermilk bran muffins (from freezer)
pancakes from a boxed mix (shocking, I know, but someone gave us the mix and it will come in handy in December ... and it's yummy)
banana bread (from freezer)

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x2
grilled ham & pineapple sandwiches/carrot & celery sticks
Mexican casserole (from freezer)/salad
tomato & navy bean soup (double & freeze half)/whole wheat drop biscuits
Jen's chicken (crockpot, from freezer)/rice/salad
lentil & ham soup (crockpot)/e-z drop biscuits
rice cooker mac & cheese/peas & corn
upside down pizza (base from the freezer)/salad
tuna couscous salad (with tuna caught by someone my sister knows)/cranberry sauce
Seattle cream cheese dogs/carrot & celery sticks
turkey & black bean salad (taking to potluck)
salmon chowder (Tim's catch, from freezer)/toast
Cajun sausage & beans (double & freeze half)/rice
olive & feta pasta/peas & corn

SNACKS & DESSERTS
produce
popcorn
oat & almond bars
pumpkin bread
big soft ginger cookies & honey mulled cider (crockpot)

I'M TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE, BUT SO SATISIFED

2011-11-25T13:23:00.000-08:00

I just worked in the yard for two hours.

Let me repeat that.

I just worked in the yard for two hours.

Irresponsible? Absolutely. I'm about 39 weeks pregnant and my lower back hurts so badly right now. Oh my! I'm in bed and will probably stay here most of the day.

Satisfied? Absolutely. I haven't had a yard to work in for about 18 months and I've missed it so much! I clipped, raked, and filled the yard debris bin. Of course, I really want to mow (don't have a lawnmower yet) and start filling a compost pile (making one has been at the bottom of our priority list lately), but just spending a chunk of time in the yard today, despite the fact that I'm working at about half-speed, was wonderful. Totally wonderful!

WHEN A PERSON BECOMES A PUMPKIN

2011-11-23T22:17:00.001-08:00

I made the following comment on Facebook earlier this evening as I walked out the door.

If one is 38 weeks pregnant and decides to wear their husband's big, orange fleece (it's one of the few things that completely cover the belly, after all), then one will look like a giant pumpkin when they leave the house. Just sayin'.

I came home to find demands for pictures. So, without further ado, here I am in all my pumpkin glory.

'Tis the season!

OPEN LETTERS

2011-11-21T23:16:00.000-08:00

Dear 6th W -
Starting your exercise routine when I crawl into bed for the night is inconsiderate. Please go to sleep when I want to sleep.

Dear heart -
Bitter people are a drag to be around. Please let some stuff go so that you don't end up being one of those bitter people.

Dear mind -
You've been busy. Please maintain perspective, prioritize wisely, and turn yourself off every now and then.

Dear insomnia -
Two nights in a row is two nights too many. Please don't visit me without permission.

Dear energy & ability to move around easily -
I miss you both. A lot. Your absence is worthwhile, but please come back soon.

Dear 6th W -
I wasn't joking. It's 11:30 pm. Be still. Please!

Dear mouth -
You're impulsive in what you say. Please show some self-control.

Dear couch -
You're so dependable. Please remain loyal to me, a place I can go when my tossing and turning is bound to keep Tim up all night.

Sincerely,
Someone who is very pregnant, struggling in her attitude toward a situation, feeling quite overwhelmed at times, unable to sleep tonight, waddling everywhere she goes, getting repeatedly kicked internally, saying things she shouldn't, and hoping to drift off to sleep soon on her trusty couch

38 WEEKS

2011-11-19T16:04:00.000-08:00

I technically have about two weeks to go. Realistically? About three weeks. Either way, we're almost done!

11/17/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-11-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful our church has a couch to sprawl on & a TV to watch the service on when pregnancy has made me too uncomfortable to sit in the sanctuary. I'm also thankful they u-stream the services, in case I needed to stay home, but it's really nice to have the option to attend and visit with people before and after the service.

What's something that you're thankful for?

MENU - SECOND HALF OF NOVEMBER 2011

2011-11-16T14:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast November is going by! I actually got started on my menu for the first half of December while I was doing this one, as we'll be having a baby soon and I want to be able to shut my brain off more and more as my waistline gets bigger.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x7
smoothies x2
apple buttermilk bran muffins (from freezer)
leftover oatmeal pancakes (from freezer)
morning glory muffins (freeze half)
egg & potato scramble

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x2
death by garlic with kielbasa/salad
orange lentil soup/e-z drop biscuits
black bean chili (from freezer)/cornbread (from freezer)
smoked turkey & black bean salad/tortilla chips
cracked wheat & rice pilaf/chicken & green bean stir fry
creamy white chicken chili/tortilla chips
honey lime chicken enchiladas/beans (crockpot & freezer)/salad
pizza with friends & we'll bring dessert
Thanksgiving - haven't been given our assignment yet

SNACKS & DESSERTS
popcorn
produce
new bar cookie recipe (not bad, but not good enough to make again)
carrot pie (Silas will make it)
pumpkin bread

PLAYDOUGH - A MOM'S BEST FRIEND

2011-11-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

We busted out the playdough a couple days ago. It entertained Naomi for nearly three hours, Devon for two, and Silas for one. Love it!!

SHOWING OFF FOR PAPA

2011-11-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

Naomi has been a one-sided skipper for quite a while and finally figured out how to do it right. Needless to say, such an accomplishment had to be shared with Papa and I figured I'd let the rest of the world see it at the same time.

11/10/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-11-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for a postal service that charges very little to take our things anywhere we want them to go, doesn't open and/or steal things from our mail, and gets the job done in a timely manner.

What's something that you're thankful for?

MR. FIX IT

2011-11-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

The previous owners of our home left a paper towel holder in the kitchen, screwed into the cabinetry. No big deal, except we don't use paper towels. I kept meaning to take it down, but would only notice it when I was already busy doing something else in the kitchen. One day I was cooking and asked Silas if he could take care of it for me. He got a screwdriver and happily set to work.

It's nice that he could do it for me, as this is not a position my body could get into these days. Or, if I could manage to get there, then I'd probably be stuck forever.

I'm sure thankful for kids who pull their weight (and mine, when I can't) around the house!

I LOVE OUR HOUSE - #2

2011-11-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

Tim was the first one to see our house online. We were on separate computers, both looking for houses, and I heard him say, "Oh, you're going to love this!"

Here's what "this" was.

Tim was right. I love it.

The previous owners used this bookshelf as a place to display various trinkets and had a TV sitting on a little table in front of it, but we have regular books, board and card games, several years of school books, and other stuff stored on it.

The shelf is in some extra space off the dining room, which is nice. I love that it's easily accessible, but not smack in the middle of the living room.

I also love that all the totes I used to store unused curriculum in are now free to hold the kids' dress-up stuff.

I LOVE OUR HOUSE - #1

2011-11-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

I've been promising pictures of the house for weeks, but the reality is that getting settled takes a lot longer when you're hugely pregnant than when you're not. So, I'm just going to do it in little spurts. Deal?

Let's start with my favorite room in the house. The laundry room.

I spent 10 years in an apartment that had coin-op laundry in another building. I spent 4 1/2 years in a house that had the washer and dryer in the kitchen. I spent 1 1/2 years in an apartment that had the washer and dryer in a laundry closet in the hallway. Now I have a laundry room. Honestly, the kitchen and hall options were fine and the coin-op worked, but I love our new laundry room! It's less about the fact that there's a room specifically for the washer and dryer and more about the massive amount of storage the room has.

Check out all those cupboards on the wall and below the counter. Glorious! They hold wrapping paper and gift bags, a laundry detergent stockpile, playdough, extra school supplies, water bottles, and serve as a pantry. Plus, there's still room to spare. Such a blessing!

The window? I love all the light it lets in and that I don't have to turn the light on in there unless it's totally dark outside. Even then there's usually enough light from the adjacent room for me to do whatever I need to do.

The washing basin? It's not something I've ever wanted, but it will be nice to put freshly harvested garden goodies there, rather than the kitchen sink, once summer rolls around again. Completely unnecessary, but a luxury we'll put to use.

The yellow walls? We'll eventually paint almost every other room in the house, but that yellow is the perfect color for that room. So bright and cheery!

Yep, I love our house. Especially the laundry room.

IT'S FRIDAY. IT'S NOVEMBER. LIFE IS GOOD.

2011-11-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Whining - Do you ever realize how much time you spend complaining about something and know it's just too much? That happened to me on Wednesday. Life is good, but I've been griping about the one hard thing every chance I get. Wallowing in self-pity. It's pathetic and I'm done.

6th W - I had a prenatal appointment this morning and the baby did a complete somersault while the midwife was feeling for its position. Little acrobat. Speaking of flips, there's only one more flip of the calendar til the 6th W is here. My itchy, stretched skin is loving The Custom Soap Shop's body butter. We still haven't finalized names. Grrrr. Hopefully that will get done this weekend.

Narnia - I let the boys watch the movie on Monday, though they didn't really know anything about the story. They loved it! Silas then read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on Tuesday and Wednesday. Devon started it yesterday and Silas moved to Prince Caspian.

"DO NOTHING" - That's what our calendar says for tomorrow. It's the first Saturday in five weeks with nothing going on. We've had some fun Saturdays, but I'm really looking forward to a day where no one has to go anywhere.

Nails - Naomi started biting her nails a months ago. I have no idea what prompted the habit, but it drives me nuts. This morning, though, she's been begging me to paint them and add some nail stickers she got for her birthday. Maybe we can use the bling as an incentive to stop eating her body parts.

11/3/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-11-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful that we'll all be home and have nowhere to go this Saturday.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

MENU - FIRST HALF OF NOVEMBER 2011

2011-11-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

We got a freezer last week and I'm so excited to have that extra storage space again! I made a triple batch of leftover oatmeal pancakes today and will be making black bean chili later this week, all for the freezer. So thankful for that gift!!

Anyway, here's what we'll be eating for the next couple weeks.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x9
smoothies x2
cherry oatmeal muffins (double & freeze half)
banana bread (from the freezer)
plum bread (trying it with frozen plums that I'll thaw, we'll see how it goes)
nutty fruity granola
apple buttermilk bran muffins (making all four dozen & freezing three dozen)

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x2
salmon chowder (Tim's catch)/refrigerated biscuits (this meal got skipped last time because of a harvest festival)
chicken noodle soup/toast
broccoli pesto (from the freezer) on French bread/salad
chicken tortilla soup (crockpot, double & freeze half)/cornbread (double & freeze half)
creamy rice with broccoli & ham (switching from pasta and seeing if we like it)
baked potatoes/fried ham/peas & corn
Mexican casserole (freeze half)/salad
upside down pizza (double the base & freeze half)/peas & corn
salad with Jen's chicken (crockpot, will freeze the unused portion of the chicken)/garlic bread
six layer casserole/peas & corn
Italian sausage with rice/salad
quinoa salad with apples & almonds/chicken nuggets (freezing half)

SNACKS & DESSERTS
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
snickerdoodles
oat & almond bars

BOOKS I FINISHED - OCTOBER 2011

2011-10-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

FOR SCHOOL

Caddie Woodlawn, by Carol Ryrie Brink
Read aloud for Silas that I pre-read and he listened to CD. The stories in this book come from the life of the author's grandmother. It's similar in style and setting to Mandie and Grandma's Attic books. Silas enjoyed it, frequently laughing throughout the book.

FOR MYSELF

White Chocolate Moments, by Lori Wick
Tammy loaned me this book after reading my comment last month about non-cheesy fiction that doesn't have gratuitous sex scenes and I enjoyed it. It's the story of a girl who is raised by her grandfather after the death of her parents. Conflict in the family and her own insecurities cause problems as she enters adulthood, but reconciliation is found in later years as she matures and as people's lives are changed by Christ.

Raising a Soul Surfer: One Family's Epic Tale, by Cheri Hamilton & Rick Bundschuh
I saw this online when I was reserving Soul Surfer, which I read last month, and put it on hold. It was pretty much what I expected - a family member using something that happened to their family as an opportunity to tell their own history. Not a bad book, but it didn't do much for me.

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, by Nujood Ali & Delphine Minoui
This is the true story of a Yemeni girl who fought to get out of the abusive arranged marriage she was forced into. Quick read, good story.

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom
I try to read this book ever couple years. In case you're unfamiliar with it, the author's family, who lived in German-occupied Holland, hid Jews in their home during World War II. As a result, her family spent time in Hitler's concentration camps, with she and a sister spending the longest time. It's an incredible story of a commitment to do what's right, the love of family members for each other, the ability to see good in the midst of horrific circumstances, and a faith that God is bigger than anything we face.

10/27/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-10-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for the flexibility in our schedule that homeschooling gives us.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

HANDYMAN

2011-10-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

We picked up a crib on Sunday night and I wanted it put together yesterday. I started assembling it, but needed someone to hold a piece for me. I called Devon in and he held the piece while I put in one screw. Then I was done. Why? Because Devon turned into Mr. Handyman and assembled the rest of the crib himself. My involvement was limited to holding one piece for him and double-checking the tightness of the screws when he was done. So thankful for helpful kids!

34 WEEKS

2011-10-24T13:09:00.000-07:00

Due dates are based on 40 weeks. Full term is 37-42 weeks. I've always gone 41 weeks. I'm now at 34 weeks.

I'm feeling a bit like I'm at 54 weeks. I'm guessing that has something to do with being 35 years old this time around.

BABY BLESSING

2011-10-23T11:50:00.001-07:00

A little group of friends and family got together yesterday to bless me with some baby stuff. Being super responsible, I charged my camera batteries the night before and set my camera on the counter so I'd remember it. Being less responsible than I thought, I completely forgot to bring the camera with me. Fortunately, Tracy snapped a few pictures of the decorations with her camera.

Aren't all those "W" onesies cute?! Michelle, who hosted the gathering, had flowers out, candles burning, a ton of great food served in white dishes (I love white dishes!), and had decorated the living and dining room beautifully. It was wonderful!

We're so blessed by everyone who has been showering us with things, both practical and fun, for the 6th W lately. Thank you!!

10/20/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-10-20T11:49:00.001-07:00

I'm thankful that the unpacking and organizing is almost done.

What's something that you're thankful for?

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!

2011-10-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

Christmas is right around the corner. Can you believe it?! In an attempt to encourage everyone to plan ahead and to avoid the chaos of the malls and big stores, I thought it would be fun to plug some of the smaller businesses that we like.

As long as the business sells something suitable for gift giving, then it doesn't matter what kind of things it sells - big or small, ready to wrap up and stick under the tree or perfect to tuck in a stocking, consumable or keepsake.

The first rule is that you are not allowed to toot your own horn. We're only sharing the places & people we like doing business with as customers, not advertising our own companies.

The second rule is that you can't link anyone whose product or service you've never used or experienced yourself, regardless of how great you know they are. Fair enough?

I'll start ... and hope I'm not forgetting anyone.

It's Annmade For You: website - Ann's site has a variety of hats, but you can show her a picture of any hat or describe what you want and she'll be able to make it perfectly. She recently made a custom hat for Naomi, based on the things Naomi liked in hats she saw online, and it's super cute!

Knittin' Peace: etsy site - Robin can sew, knit, felt, etc. I have a quilt she made for Naomi & a bag she made for me. I've also purchased aprons from her, both off the rack and custom orders. Everything has been fantastic.

Ocean Breeze: etsy site, blog, Facebook page - Linda's jewelry is beautiful and affordable. She's great at making custom orders and is willing to tweak items already on her site, such as switching from silver to gunmetal.

Smarty Bars: website, Facebook page - Elisha makes some gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, vegan and raw snacks. They're bite-sized and super tasty!

The Blissful Stitcher: etsy site, blog, Facebook page - Heidi can embroider just about anything, can sew some items if what you need can't be found anywhere, and makes cool, woven monograms. She's been great to work with each time I've ordered a custom item, both for personal use and for an event I co-planned.

The Custom Soap Shop: Facebook page - Michelle makes a ton of different soaps (standard bars and fun shapes), body butters, lotions, etc. that I've both given and received as gifts.

Now it's your turn. Leave a comment with the name of the business, website, and any information you think would be good to add for those who are ready to do some Christmas shopping. You don't have to have a Blogger or Google account to leave a comment, so everyone can join in the fun.

RANDOM, RANDOM, RANDOM

2011-10-18T12:40:00.001-07:00

Bags - Remember the sneak peak I gave of the embroidered money bags I ordered for the kids? Well, they're all done .... and they're awesome!!! Check them out at The Blissful Stitcher. Just don't mention them to the little Ws, as they won't see the bags until Christmas.

Corn maze - Getting settled into our home is taking all my extra time & energy these days, so I haven't blogged about our annual trip to Baggenstos Farm with my dad. My sister's family is in the country for a year, so they came along with us this time. It was a fun day, but I haven't loaded any pictures yet. You can, however, see plenty of shots on my dad & sister's accounts of the trip.

Hair - There is no longer any funky hair at our house. Silas wanted to keep the "I-5" for a whole year, but I cut him off at 9 1/2 months. I don't mind the funk at all, but I was getting really tired of maintaining it. So, we're back to normal hair until our house is put away and I'm no longer pregnant.

Refrigerator - We've been here nine days and I still haven't figured out where to put stuff in our fridge. It's a side-by-side unit, which I've never had, and I'm not understanding what makes people love them. Feels so cramped. Want to assure me that I'll eventually figure out how to organize my food in it so that I can once again know where everything is?

MENU - SECOND HALF OF OCTOBER 2011

2011-10-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

Due to the fact that we moved in the middle of the last menu, there were a couple nights & mornings where plans got tweaked. We basically stayed on track, though. My biggest complaint is that I didn't get to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, so I've thrown them in the mix again this time because I'm craving them like crazy!!!

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x4
Tam's granola (crockpot) x8
blueberry sour cream pancakes (double batch & freeze half)
Alton Brown's granola
yogurt streusel muffins (double batch & snack on extras)
breakfast casserole

DINNERS
leftovers x3
tacos x2
pork chops in sour cream/rice/peas & corn
olive & feta pasta/broccoli
grilled Hawaiian chicken/rice/tropical salad (yes, this is about the third time on the menu, but it keeps getting bumped)
garlic chicken (crockpot)/couscous/salad
salmon chowder (Tim's catch)/refrigerated biscuits
chicken salad sandwiches/raw veggies
chili dog casserole/peas & corn
quinoa & black beans/lemon garlic cucumbers
Asian orzo chicken salad/salad
potato soup (double & freeze half)/toast
cracked wheat & rice pilaf/chicken & green bean stir fry

DESSERTS
ice cream with toppings & cookies (a "celebrate your house" gift)
cinnamon rolls made with refrigerated crescent rolls (Silas thought this up & is making it)
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

FOUR PLUGS & SOME BLESSINGS

2011-10-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to plug some people that made our home purchase possible. I'm not getting any sort of reward for giving you their info. I'm just thankful for them and figured their expertise could be useful for some of you. Their websites are linked in green.

Tom DeVilliers - realtor
West One Properties Group/Keller Williams Realty
503-594-0805

Steve Berger - mortgage
Envoy Mortgage
503-698-5800

Ross Hulbrock - inspection
Apex Home Inspections
503-650-8999

These three men and their co-workers who we dealt with were great - gave us regular updates, answered all our questions quickly, etc.

I also want to plug the program we used.

USDA - home loan
100% financing

And, now a couple more neat things about this process, though I promise to start talking about other stuff after this post.

* Our earnest money was gifted to us. Not only is that a blessing in and of itself, but it's the same amount that Tim had to pay in tuition for the classes he's required to take this term for his new job. Coincidence? I think not.

* We were told the washer & dryer would not be included with the house, which was totally fine. We bought a set on Craigslist in the week preceding our move, then discovered upon getting our keys that the washer & dryer were left after all. Now we'll get to sell one set and put the cash toward school debt or pay the surprise forward and give a set to someone truly in need of one. Either option is great.

* We ordered a chest freezer last week. It's a splurge, but a practical one and the only one we're making. I ordered it one morning and that afternoon someone told us they'd planned on getting us one. In fact, they'd looked at the exact one we had ordered. So, they reimbursed us the cost of the freezer. I've missed having that extra bit of storage space for stockpiling deals and cooking meals ahead of time. It's not here yet, but I'm excited about that gift!

This process, if we start at the first discovery of mold in our apartment last December, has been long. Very long. But I'm so thankful for how it turned out!

10/13/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-10-13T11:26:00.001-07:00

I'm thankful for the man who just came to hook up our internet. I'm also thankful for ...

* Mike and Tiffany W. (and some of their crew), Jeff and Geeta (and some of their crew), Neil, Pam C., Pam R., Jay, Charles, Roy, and Mike S. who loaded and cleaned our apartment with Tim on Sunday, then unloaded everything at our new house while my big belly and I did a whole lot of nothing.
* the staff at our apartment complex who were so understanding, assuring me that they'd work with us when I was stressed about closing dates and move out dates not coinciding.
* the beautiful African violet that was snuck into our new bedroom on moving day.
* Tammy, who came over on Monday to put my kitchen away, unpack a bunch of boxes, gather the remaining boxes into a pile, and feed me lunch.
* the autumn bouquet and movie night package that was given to us on moving day.
* the wives/kids who gave up their husbands/dads on Sunday afternoon so that we would have plenty of help with our move.
* a house that is totally perfect for our family.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

LATER, ALLIGATOR

2011-10-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

We're moving at 1:00 tomorrow. Can you believe it?! I found out today that we aren't going to have internet until late in the week, so I'll be offline after tomorrow morning. See you on the other side!!

10/6/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-10-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful that I slept well last night.

What's one thing you're thankful for?

SOME FUN NUMBERS

2011-10-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

2 flips - We only have to turn the pages of our calendar two more times and we'll be in the month of the 6th W's arrival.

4 days - That's how long until we move into the first home we've owned. Exciting stuff!

10 minutes - We started something new last week. When Tim comes home, we spend ten minutes chatting in our room, just sharing about our days. It's kinda like the 15-20 minutes of "couch time" that others do, but without the distractions of being in the living room and not so much time that it's a huge interruption to getting dinner on the table. It went well last week, though moving-related things and a class Tim's taking have made it impossible this week. That's ok. Life happens and we'll get back in the groove next week. The kids are good at holding us accountable, which is kinda fun.

12 bags - Our kids use regular envelopes for managing their money, but we frequently have to reinforce them with tape or replace them and money spills out if they aren't careful to hold them right side up. Drives me batty, but such is life. A couple weeks ago, though, I had a sudden brainstorm. What if they had fabric bags that were sturdier than paper? How would we label the bags, even if I found what I was looking for?

The answer was clear. I needed The Blissful Stitcher, otherwise known as my friend Heidi. I shot her a note describing exactly what I wanted and she's currently working her magic. I needed four bags per kid - tithe, save, give, and spend - and let her know the color scheme for each little W. She just finished the first bag. Want to see?

These are actually going to be Christmas gifts, so the kids don't have a clue they're being made, but I'm really excited! No more money dropping or envelopes falling apart!!

18 hours - The male Ws stayed up all night last Friday playing video games with each other. The boys have pulled all-nighters before and usually take a good nap the following day to get them through til the next bedtime. This time, however, they could not be woken up. They went down for naps at 1:00 on Saturday and slept until 7:00 on Sunday morning. They were pretty confused when they woke up, not having any idea what day or time it was. So funny!

READY? SET. MOVE!!

2011-10-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

It's official. We're moving on Sunday!! We've had several people offer to help, but until now we haven't known exactly what we needed or when we needed it. So I'll tell you what we need and you can let Tim or I know if you're available.

CLEANING
This is usually a breeze for me, but the combo of a bulky belly and some major discomfort I've had lately are making this an area I could use some help. There are a couple options here. One is that there could be a deep clean (scrubbing bathrooms, cleaning window sills, etc.) on Friday and then a final touch (we'll have had to use the scrubbed bathroom through Sunday, floors will need to be vacuumed, etc.) as the apartment gets emptied on Sunday. The other option is that everything gets saved for Sunday. Either way is fine with me, though I will probably be at the new place on Sunday to tell people where to put stuff and wouldn't be able to help with cleaning the apartment.

TRUCKS
We're prepared to rent a moving van and realize the weather may make that the best option anyway. However, there's been chatter about people being willing to load their trucks with our stuff. If you and your truck will be available on Sunday afternoon, then please let us know as soon as possible. That will help us figure out if we need to rent a van and, if so, what size to get.

MUSCLES
We don't require huge muscles, just ones that are big enough to put stuff in or take stuff out of a truck or moving van.

Those are the needs - arms to lift, vehicles to load, and hands to clean. We'll be at church Sunday morning, then will need to eat lunch and possibly get a moving van, so we'll start the move at 1:00. Of course, if you want to help, but can't show up til a little later, then that's fine. Our move last year took 3 hours from start to finish, so we should be done before dinner. If you want to help, then just let us know what time to expect you and we'll give you directions to our current and new homes. Thanks a bunch!

POUNDED

2011-10-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Our month of getting pounded has come to an end. It was great to stockpile staples and enjoy some treats. Here's what we got, including repeats of some items, which was great because they were things we use regularly.

beans - blend
beans - kidney
beans - pinto
chocolate chips
cinnamon rolls
honey
muffins
pumpkin bread
raisins
rice - basmati
rice - harvest medley
samoa brownies
spaghetti
tomatoes - diced
tomatoes - sauce

If you've never given someone a pounding, then I'd encourage you to pick a recipient and rally the troops. Lots of fun and endless options for ways people can particpate. Thanks again to Lisa for coordinating our pounding and to everyone who participated!

THE POWER OF A SHOWER

2011-10-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Back in the early days of this pregnancy, which was also when I was nauseated, exhausted and depressed, Michelle whisked me away for an evening of dessert and chatting. It was a wonderful escape from reality, exactly what I needed at that point. To top off a wonderful evening, she also let me know that she wanted to host a baby shower for me later in the year. All she needed from me was a list of people to invite, as we don't know all the same people. Super thoughtful!

Well, coming up with that list proved the power of a shower.

A shower has the power to make you feel loved. This is our fourth child and I'm a minimalist mom when it comes to baby stuff. Between those two facts I had no expectation of being given a shower this time around. I was totally fine with that. Michelle, however, decided that this baby needed to be celebrated and wanted to host a shower. Loved.

Making a list of the women in my life took a long time. There are so many whose lives intersect mine in big and small ways. Thinking of who they are and how we're connected was awesome. Loved.

A shower has the power to stress you out. We know a lot of people and it became increasingly difficult to trim the list down to a number that would fit in the space we were working with. Would everyone who was invited actually come? Of course not. But, I did need to consider space, which is a little tricky when you easily interact with 100 different women over the course of a month. Stress.

There's no one I don't want there, but who do I invite? Church friends were the hardest to narrow down because they're the biggest source of our friendships. When you go to a large church, have been there for six years, and are well-known it gets a little tricky. The people I've known for years, but don't actually see that often or the ones I chat with regularly, but never about anything of substance? The people I see face to face or the ones who, due to attending different services or having lives that don't naturally intersect ours, I primarily interact with online? The ones in the metro area or the ones within a day's drive? The ones who know me well because my life is an open book on my blog, I'm involved in various things at church, and tend to be just a wee bit chatty, even if I don't know them very well or the ones that I'm close to because we both share our lives with each other? The ones who walk through rough times with me or the ones who I stay pretty light-hearted with? The ones who will be hurt if they're not invited or the ones most likely to attend? Where do I draw the line, because I certainly can't invite everyone? Stress.

I'm not a people pleaser by nature and will have fun no matter how few or many people are there, but figuring out who to invite stressed me out. I mean, really stressed me out.

Anyway, it took me months, but I finally got a list to Michelle. In the last couple weeks, though, I've had a handful of people who weren't on the list ask me when I was having a shower, been asked why specific people weren't invited, etc. AAACCCKKK!!! Exactly what I wanted to avoid, but didn't know how.

That's the power of a shower. To simultaneously make you feel super loved and super stressed.

The solution? Michelle and I talked today and we're just making it an open invitation. If you want to come (it's on 10/22 at 11:00) and didn't get the invitation, then please do not take it personally. Know that I agonized over that list and had to draw a line somewhere. Then invite yourself. Seriously. Just talk to Michelle or I for the location. We'd love to have you celebrate the 6th W with us. If we have enough space, then great. If we run out of room, then we'll say so.

And with that, I'll ditch the stress and stick with the love.

MENU - FIRST HALF OF OCTOBER 2011

2011-10-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Here's how we'll start October off.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x4
Tam's granola (crockpot) x7
almond poppyseed muffins (Costco, no recipe)
pumpkin bread
leftover oatmeal pancakes (freezer)
baked oatmeal
egg & potato scramble

DINNERS
leftovers x3
tacos x2
Tig's black bean chili/cornbread
rice cooker mac & cheese/peas & corn
Papa Murphy's/salad
grilled Hawaiian chicken/rice/tropical salad
new salmon recipe (Tim's catch)/new couscous recipe/peas & corn
black bean & couscous salad/tortilla chips/raw veggies
summertime orzo & chicken/salad
marinated chicken/new potato recipe (need to tweak & try one more time)
vegetable barley soup/garlic bread
Cajun sausage & beans (crockpot & freezer)/cornbread
new soup recipe (flop)/whole wheat drop biscuits

DESSERTS
apple brownies/ice cream
pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

BOOKS I FINISHED - SEPTEMBER 2011

2011-09-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

FOR SCHOOL

Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt
Read aloud for Silas that I pre-read and he listened to on CD. I'm not drawn to war stories and it took me a few chapters to get into this one, but it was a good book. It's set during the Civil War and is about a boy, who due to relatives fighting for both the North and South and family members with health issues, is forced to grow up faster than most kids. Not only is it informative as a piece of historical fiction, but it's also a neat story about family, coming of age, and dealing with things that aren't completely right or wrong.

Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder
Pre-read for Silas. Good story, easy read, probably one of the kids' school books I've most enjoyed over the years. It's the fictional story, set immediately after the Civil War, of a boy who has lost his whole family to the Yankees and is then sent to live with relatives, including an uncle who wouldn't fight for the Confederacy. Good lessons in respect, courage, and understanding those who make different choices than our own.

Strawberry Girl, by Lois Lenski
Read aloud for Devon. This was our second time through the book and I'd forgotten how much I liked it. Maybe I was better at the accents this time around ... or maybe I just didn't care so much about getting them perfect. Anyway, it's the fictional story of a family living in the backwoods of Florida during the 1800s and dealing with business ventures, neighbor problems, etc. Both of our boys have enjoyed this book.

The Minstrel in the Tower, by Gloria Skurzynski
Read aloud for Devon. Roger and Alice, the two main characters, are siblings whose mother is very sick and whose father never returned from battle. They set off in search of an uncle they've never met, in hopes that he can help them care for their mother. They get kidnapped along the way and have to demonstrate some courage in order to get help for their mother. Short chapters, lots of illustrations. Both boys have enjoyed this book each time we've read it.

FOR MYSELF

Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, by Bethany Hamilton
I'll eventually watch the movie, but wanted to read the book first. Bethany has an incredible story to tell, as any shark attack survivor would, but the book itself wasn't particularly amazing. Talking about the attack and days immediately following was interesting, but the other 150 (or whatever) pages are just about her life. It's a pretty ordinary life, except that she's a good surfer.

Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids, by Kip Fulbeck
While I did read the text, this book is primarily pictures of mixed kids. Cute kids and it was interesting to see what the particular mix of each kid was. I learned two new terms from this book - Blaxican (black & Mexican) and Jewpanese (Jewish & Japanese). Random, I know.

The Secret to True Happiness: Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow, by Joyce Meyer
Lots of "duh" stuff and some chapters I just skimmed, but also some good reminders about the attitudes we choose to have and the way we deal with our circumstances.

Quoted:
p.108 - I like to define wisdom as "choosing to do right now what you will be satisfied with later on."

p.187 - As we move beyond saying, "I'll be glad when ..." we need to begin saying, "I am glad now. I am going to be happy and positive today. My life may not be exactly what I want it to be, but I choose to be glad today."

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living, by Tsh Oxenreider
I just skimmed this book, as it's filled with a lot of things I already do, but it would be an excellent read for someone whose home holds more stuff than they can keep track of, schedule is jam-packed, spending is not accounted for, or who otherwise needs to get some aspect (or more) of their life under control.

The Peach Keeper, by Sarah Addison Allen
Romance, mystery, friendship, memories ... this book has a little of everything and I enjoyed it. That being said, I'd love some books of a simiar style that don't have sex scenes. I hate getting super far into a book and then having a sex scene show up. I realize Christian books don't have sex scenes, but those books are often so corny that I can't bear to read them. So, any suggestions for books, Christian or not, that aren't cheesy and avoid sex scenes?

Not My Daughter, by Barbara Delinsky
A group of high schoolers make a pregnancy pact. The mother of one of the girls is the high school principal and was also a teen mom. The pact and resulting pregnancies rock the community and strain various relationships, both personal and professional. I got totally sucked into this book, curious to see if the community would be successful in removing a woman from her job because of the decisions her child made and wondering how all the relationship dynamics would play out.

Lucky, by Alice Sebold
With an incredibly graphic beginning, the author tells the story of being beaten and raped, the way it changed her relationships, and how she was ultimately able to help convict the man who attacked her. Violence, language and sex (not just the rape) are part of this book, but it's not gratuitous. It's real and relevant. It's the author's life. For me, that makes a difference in my willingness to read it. It's a hard read, though.

THE BOOKS I BAILED ON

All Sail Set, by Armstrong Sperry
Read aloud for Silas. Between every other word being ship lingo and most conversation taking place with heavy accents, neither of us could get into this book. We bailed halfway through. It's the first time we've ditched a school book out of boredom.

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Compassion, by Gregory Boyle
Random pick from library shelf. It was the book's disjointed feel that made me bail about a third of the way through.

9/29/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-09-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful that the apartment office is willingly and cheerfully working with us as the lack of a closing date has us possibly needing to stay here a week longer than planned.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY

2011-09-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

I think all long days should end with something that makes you smile. So, here's my smile inducer.

FAITH IN A JAR

2011-09-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

* I'm having a hard time living in this apartment.
* I'm having a hard time wondering if there will be problems in underwriting.
* I'm having a hard time not knowing our closing date.
* I'm having a hard time not knowing when to schedule our move.
* I'm having a hard time living in a home that's being packed.

Today I left for a few hours. I had some errands to run, gift cards that had been sitting around for months, and a strong desire to just be alone for a while. Here's a picture of one of my gift card purchases.

To the naked eye it looks like a candle. To me, however, it's faith in a jar.

We're not allowed to burn candles in our apartment and you know I'm frugal enough to not spend money on something I can't use, so buying a candle, one specifically suited to autumn, was my feeble attempt at having faith that things will work out and that they'll work out soon. I'm going to leave this candle out where I can see it during my day, a reminder that the season we're in won't last forever.

TWENTY BUCKS WELL SPENT

2011-09-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

Tim took Naomi shopping for a friend's birthday gift over the weekend and the boys went along for the ride, bringing their spending money "just in case". Not only did Naomi find a gift, but the boys split the cost of a Perplexus. Ever seen one? Here's what it looks like.

They spent about $20.00 for it and it's already provided hours of entertainment for each boy. They love it! It has a quiet marble noise. That makes me happy. It has a little stand you can rest the ball on to save your spot in the game, which is handy if you need to stop for any reason. That makes me happy. Each boy is having fun trying to improve on his previous game. That makes me happy.

Why am I telling you this? First, because I'm happy with their purchase. Second, because it's something to consider as a Christmas gift for the kids in your life. The boys got theirs at Target, so I'm sure it's available at most department and toy stores.

9/22/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-09-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for the change of season that turns so much of the greenery we see to reds, oranges, and yellows.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT

2011-09-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy - We're cruising along. This picture was taken at 28 weeks and, yes, I'm huge. Despite what some say, it's not all baby. I can actually suck my stomach in to make it smaller. Babies can't be sucked in. Fat can. Evidently spending two months on the couch in the beginning and, perhaps, being preggo at 35 resulted in the most thickly cushioned baby I've ever carried. Oh well. It's just a season and I'll get a cute little W out of the deal.

Dessert - S'mores bars, plum buckle, and plum bread are new recipes we've tried recently. Yum!

School - This is our ninth week, which means our first quarter is almost done. I love the free time we have built into our year when we do some school over the summer!

Road trip entertainment - We took a drive to Medford last month and Devon worked on a little project as we traveled. He's the W most likely to notice little details, so I printed out an outline map of America, wrote in the state abbreviations, then gave him the paper and a colored pencil. He spent the trip coloring in the states of every license plate he found. Starting out near a metro area and having the whole trip be on a freeway made the activity more fun than it may be on other road trips, but he kept busy looking for plates.

MY FAVORITE CONTORTIONIST

2011-09-19T15:15:00.001-07:00

9/15/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-09-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for a PE teaching husband who has a lot of gym shorts that aren't exactly fashionable on me, but are one of the most comfortable things I can wear these days.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

MENU - SECOND HALF OF SEPTEMBER 2011

2011-09-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

Cookin', schoolin', packin' ... that's what I'll be up to for the rest of this month. Here's the cookin' part.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, raisins, and energy mix as optional toppings x4
Tam's granola (crockpot) x6
coconut almond muffins (freezer)
cream cheese banana bread (skipped last rotation because someone brought us cinnamon rolls)
leftover oatmeal pancakes
plum bread (freezer)

SNACKS
fruit
veggies
popcorn
oat & almond bars

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x2
Vidalia chicken salad
black bean & rice burritos/green salad
Cajun sausage & beans (crockpot, double and freeze half)/tortilla chips/raw veggies
chili dog casserole/green salad
grilled salmon (Tim's catch)/rice/green salad
chunky potato soup (crockpot)/whole wheat drop biscuits
creamy white bean chicken chili/tortilla chips/raw veggies
Jen's chicken (crockpot)/rice/Cricket's coleslaw
steak (from a friend's stash)/baked potatoes/green salad
tuna couscous salad
garlic chicken with more garlic (crockpot)/couscous/peas & corn
tuna melts/raw veggies

DESSERTS
plum buckle
s'mores bars

THE MAP OF MY DREAMS

2011-09-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Cathy has a big, honkin' map in her living room. Huge! As in, over 9'x6'. It comes in three sections, which are intended to be wallpapered to your wall. She, however, wallpapered them to three sheets of plywood so that she can take them with her whenever she moves. Brilliant, I must say.

Now, I know coveting is wrong, but I openly confess to a case of map envy. This envy is not keeping me up at nights, though, so I'm not going to worry about it.

Check this baby out!!

Cathy's, in browns and other earth tones, is nice, but I want the brighter one in blues and greens.

Aren't they cool maps?! So, do you have map envy now from looking at Cathy's map or are you thinking I'm a world-class nerd for coveting a mural map?

UPDATE: Ok, folks, Tammy gave me a heads up about a warehouse sale that National Geographic (that's where my dream map is from) held in Portland last year where everything is majorly discounted. There doesn't appear to be one scheduled this year, but here's the link for those who want to see if there's one in their area. Just click the drop-down arrow under "special events by location" label to see if there's a pre-holiday warehouse sale coming near you.

SNEAK PREVIEW

2011-09-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

While everything is going smoothly with this house so far, I'm not doing any happy dance until we have keys in our hand. It will probably be ours, but sometimes things fall through and no one sees it coming. So, I'm happy, but trying to be realistic.

That being said, I'll give you a little teaser of what the house looks like. These are pictures from the flyers at the "For Sale" sign and they should get slightly bigger if you click on them. I know the house looks blue or gray, but it's more like a cream color. The lighting was just weird for the picture, but you can get a better idea of the real color if you look near the garage.

Anyway, here it is. I'll post more and better pictures when it's officially ours.

BOOKS I FINISHED - AUGUST 2011

2011-09-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

August was a crazy month for us, which means I barely read for fun and we did very little school. In fact, I didn't even do Devon's read aloud (Ginger Pye) with him at all, opting to get it on CD instead. I consider that an improvement, though, as we skipped the book entirely with Silas.

FOR SCHOOL

Moccasin Trail, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Read aloud for Silas. The fictional story of a white man who spent much of the latter part of his childhood being raised as a Crow Indian, then later reconnects with his three pioneering siblings. He has to adjust to life in the white culture and they have to accept that he is, in most ways, a Native American. It started slow, but we enjoyed the story and Silas laughed at various crazy or sarcastic things throughout the book. Bonus points for the fact that the story takes place right where we live.

William Wilberforce: God's Politician, John Holzmann
Read aloud: History/Geography for Silas. Good info about an important figure in history, but a fairly dry read.

FOR MYSELF

Letter to My Daughter: A Novel, by George Bishop
I'd heard about this one in various places and thought I'd love it. I didn't. It was fine, but nothing to write home about. It's a fictional story about a mom writing a letter to her daughter after they get in a fight and the daughter leaves. The mom recounts her own coming of age story.

9/8/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-09-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for kids who like to pile under blankets and read together, whether individually or to each other.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

SIGNATURES

2011-09-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Tim and I signed papers for a house tonight!! Of course, the inspection still has to happen, but I think everyone involved would be in shock if anything bad was revealed during that process, so I'm just going to act as though we've got keys in our hands and tell you about it. If, for some reason, things fall through, then we'll just pretend I never wrote this post.

So, about the house. It's simple, but in immaculate ... and I mean immaculate ... condition. New roof, new windows, clean as a whistle, and beautiful yard. This is truly miraculous, as every house in our itty bitty price range has been trashed, needed a ton of cosmetic work, had an ugly yard, etc. Where is it? Let's just say it's in the general neck of the woods we're currently in and we won't have to change churches. Things it has that we've never had before? An attached double garage. A laundry room, which happens to have a gazillion and one cupboards for storage. Air conditioning. Space to walk around our dining table. A huge built-in bookcase.

The best part? It may close by the end of the month. If not, then it will be no later than mid-October. Either of those options is fine, as our lease is up at the end of the month, but we haven't given notice yet. So, if it closes by the end of the month and we give notice tomorrow, then we'll actually have a week of overlap, which will take a lot of pressure off me to get completely out of here and into there in one day. We did a one day move last year, but I wasn't six months pregnant and had lots more energy than I do now.

Anyway, we're excited! We'd made an offer on a house in the spring and just prayed that God would close the doors if it wasn't meant to be. Two months of waiting (it was a short sale) and Tim got laid off. That was a closed door, alright! It worked out perfectly, though, as this house is the same price and sooooo much better.

LIMBO

2011-09-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Housing - Our lease is up at the end of the month and the latest we want to be here, due to mold in the rainy season and the impending arrival of the 6th W, is the end of October. We looked at four houses over the weekend and are making an offer on one today. If it falls through, then we're not sure what the next step will be.

Names - We chose names for the 6th W a month or two ago. I've since realized that Myron, our boy choice, will end with the same sound as Devon, which will bug me immensely for the rest of my life. I was also made aware that Raina, our girl name, is a little thematic when paired with our last name and will either set a girl up for years of teasing or a career as a meteorologist. How I missed those two details I'll never know. So, it's back to the drawing board. We've never re-named our unborn children and never chosen names this late in the game. It's proving to be a harder job than we expected.

School - Tim has to return to school part-time to get an elementary authorization for his new job. We still don't know where he's going or when he'll start, though some programs start tomorrow. Hopefully it will get worked out in time for him to get tuition reimbursement, which is available on a "first come, first served" basis, from the district.

I really like plans and final decisions. I really dislike limbo. Needless to say, I've had some freak out moments the last week or so. Small potatoes in the scheme of things, but I'm really looking forward to knowing where we're going to live (and living there!), what our child's name will be, and when, where, and how Tim will be going to school.

MENU - FIRST HALF OF SEPTEMBER 2011

2011-09-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

Here's what we'll be eating over the next couple weeks. Have you tried any good recipes lately?

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal x6
Tam's granola (crockpot) x4
blueberry sour cream pancakes (freezer)
almond coconut muffins (double & freeze half)
cream cheese banana bread
Mexican scrambled eggs

SNACKS
fruit
veggies
popcorn
deviled eggs
sesame crackers (can't remember if I like these, so we're going to try them again)

DINNERS
leftovers x2
tacos x2
Jen's chicken (crockpot)/cornbread/strawberry, kiwi, & spinach salad (double & deliver one meal)
teriyaki chicken salad/sesame noodles
church BBQ
rigatoni/green salad
tuna casserole/green salad
new soup recipe (it was a flop)/whole wheat drop biscuits
dinner at friend's house
cracked wheat & rice pilaf/veggie stir fry
chicken salad sandwiches/fruit
Silas' chicken/corn on the cob (Silas is cooking, double & deliver one meal)
chili dog casserole/raw veggies
Ranchero onion burgers (freezer)/potato wedges

DESSERTS
zucchini cookies (double batch, used for meal delivery, giving away, & our family)
apple cinnamon cake (taking to dessert potluck)

9/1/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-09-01T10:05:00.001-07:00

I'm thankful that Tim had a job to start this week.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

WE'RE GETTING POUNDED

2011-08-31T16:00:00.001-07:00

A couple months ago, in the midst of Tim's unemployment, my friend Lisa said she wanted to give us a pounding. I'd never heard of poundings before, but they're a great idea. In a pounding, a person or family is selected as the recipient (someone in need, a family that just moved, etc), then everyone contributes one pound of something. It could be produce, frozen foods, baked goods, non-perishables, or whatever. Just one pound per giver. It's basically a way to bless a person or family with food without any particular person having to spend lots of time or money to do so. The givers can either put all their stuff together and make one big delivery or spread it out in small gifts over a specified amount of time. Cool, huh?

Well, I sent Lisa a note after Tim got a job and asked if she wanted to give the pounding to someone else in a tighter financial situation. She said she really wanted to do it for us, regardless of Tim's job status. Totally sweet of her!

Anyway, she sent out invitations to the the month-long pounding yesterday and I've received a couple messages from people today who are taunting me with promises of delicious pounds later on, asking me if we like particular things, or letting me know they're bringing a pound to me at Bible study tonight. So fun! I'll be sure to let you know what random assortment of things we receive.

I've been the giver and recipient of various ways of getting food to people over the years, but poundings are new to me. While being on the receiving end is fun (and no pounds have even entered our home yet), I can't wait for an opportunity to be on the giving end. I love the freedom to give anything and the convenience of not having to do a lot of planning or work.

Have you ever been part of a pounding? Giver or receiver? What kind of occasions led to the pounding?

RALLY THE TROOPS FOR TAMMY & KYLE

2011-08-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

It's time to show some tangible love. Come join the fun!

WHO:
Tammy & Kyle

WHAT:
Tammy broke her wrist last December and recently had surgery to remove a bone from that wrist. Her doctor has said she is not medically allowed to work until the end of September.

Tammy is an elementary teacher who was laid off at the end of last school year because of declining enrollment. Though she has interviewed for some jobs over the summer, she does not have a job at this point.

WHEN:
The goal for the moment is to help get Tammy & Kyle through September with as little stress as possible. Whether or not they need help into October will depend on the status of Tammy's wrist and her employment situation.

WHERE:
Tammy & Kyle live in Wilsonville.

WHY:
We all need some help from time to time.

THE PLAN:
Between the lack of a job and being one-handed, this family could be helped in a variety of ways. I will post a list of ideas and you can do whatever strikes your fancy. If you would like to help anonymously, which is always fun to do, then I'd be happy to work that out with you.

Meals - It doesn't matter if it's homemade, take-out, or store-bought. It could be a hot dinner, frozen pancakes they can toast in the mornings, or a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat over a few days - any meal would work. The only restriction is on mushrooms, as there is an allergy in the family.

Groceries - A bag of food or a gift card to a local store would work. Thriftway, Albertsons, and Fred Meyer are all nearby. WinCo is about 20 minutes away.

Cooking prep - Chopping the vegetables, sauteing the meat, grating the cheese, and other various tasks for the week's meals.

Cleaning - Vacuuming floors, washing dishes, scrubbing bathrooms, doing laundry, etc.

Bills - Cash, direct payments to the apartment complex, gift cards to gas stations, etc. Chevron, 76, and Exxon are nearby gas stations.

Rides - Taking them to and from church, taking Kyle to and from Jr. High events, driving Tammy to the grocery store or on other errands/appointments. Technically she can drive, but she only has one hand to do it with.

Other - This list is just a brainstorm of ways to help lighten Tammy & Kyle's load over the next month. If you think of something else, then go for it!

CONTACT:
You can message me through the "Rally the Troops" Facebook page, e-mail me at bethanyandtim @ yahoo . com (spaces removed), or leave a comment here with any questions, to sign up for a meal, or to give anonymously. If you'd like to help in non-giving ways, such as rides or house cleaning, then you can either contact me or speak to Tammy directly.

8/25/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-08-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful that the three little Ws, on a stinkin' hot Thursday (which is always our hardest day of the week) with a "to do" list five miles long, just came out to perform a dance routine for Tim and I that they'd choreographed secretly.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?

GONE FISHIN'

2011-08-24T15:13:00.001-07:00

Tim spent yesterday salmon fishing with a group of friends and each of these guys caught one. Three cheers for successful fishing trips ... and for eating salmon!

Thanks to Tom for the picture!

WHERE ARE WE GOING TO LIVE?

2011-08-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

I get asked several times a week what our plan is in regards to where we're going to live. So, let me just tell everyone where things are at.

The lease for our apartment is up at the end of September. We really, really, really want to move out at that time. Staying here through another rainy season of mold does not appeal to us in the least.

We have two options for how to move - buying or renting.

Our buying budget is teeny tiny, which is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it's nice to not have to sift through 5.38 million houses we can afford. Efficiency always makes me happy, even when it means quickly looking at the handful of houses we can afford. On the other hand, most of the homes in our price range are short sales. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal to wait for a short sale to run its course, but we don't want to stay in this apartment into the fall.

Renting would cost us about the same per month as buying would. Yes, we could go for another cheap apartment to pay off school debt more quickly, but we're not willing to risk another mold situation. Evidently our place in Beaverton was a screamin' deal because I haven't seen any other homes and yards of that size anywhere near that price.

There are pros and cons beyond what I've mentioned for either option.

We also have two options for where to move - Salem or Portland-ish.

Tim has worked in Salem for five years and housing is far less expensive there. The downside is that we have absolutely no desire to leave our church and it would be at least a 30 minute drive twice a week and once December rolls around we'd have to drive the van, which gets worse mileage than the Toyota. Someone from our church has recently started a church in the Salem area, which would be another option, but all of us are really connected where we're at and leaving would be hard, especially for the four oldest Ws. It's not just about church services, but about the friendships we have with people there.

If we stay in the Portland area, then life goes on as usual. Tim doesn't mind commuting, though trying to keep his drive to 30 (ideally) or 45 (our max) minutes limits where we can look for homes.

Again, there are pros and cons either way and I obviously haven't listed all of them.

If we could buy a house in Salem through HUD's Good Neighbor Next Door program, then we'd do that in a heartbeat. A $50,000-ish house would be worth the move. We'd have to stay three years, but we could get the house and school debt paid off much more quickly than we could otherwise. (Sidenote: There's currently a little house in SE Portland that a teacher, police officer, paramedic, or firefighter working in that area could get for $43,000.)

All that to say right now we're looking at all options. We have to stay here through September, which means rentals that would be available when we're ready to move aren't listed yet because current tenants haven't given 30 days notice yet. I'm truly fine with either renting or buying. It's the deadlines and being in limbo that sometimes stresses me out, which I'm sure some of you can relate to.

So, if you know of a rental that's around 30 minutes from Salem and available at the end of September, then let us know. We lived five years in 1,017 sq. ft. and over a year in 1,067 (we gained a second bathroom). The space is totally adequate for us as long as there's a garage or shed to store bikes, camping gear, etc. and a yard. We don't need a ton of space, though 3 bedrooms are a must.

So, that's our housing update. Just pray that we'd have wisdom as we make housing decisions, that we wouldn't have to stay here past our lease (our rent will increase if we go to monthly rent), that Tim and I would be in agreement about whatever the next step should be, and that if we do have to stay past September, that we could still be out before the rain comes and/or I'm in labor.

MARSHMALLOW GUN WAR - SEVENTH EDITION

2011-08-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Our first (and probably last) Friday night battle and perhaps our smallest group yet, but still a great time. You really can't go wrong when you have food, marshmallow guns, and fun people!

The "taking it to another level" award goes to the boys who created marshmallow blobs.

The "pacifists can shoot guns" award goes to Catherine.

The "I'm not good at giving out awards this time because I kept my fueling station at the table, rather than on the field, because my belly was keeping me from getting comfortable on the ground and so I didn't have a good grasp on who was doing award worthy things" award goes to yours truly.

We've talked about squeezing in a totally spontaneous war sometime before the weather gets cruddy, but we'll see. If not, then we'll pick up our guns again next summer.

25 WEEKS

2011-08-21T21:31:00.001-07:00

Exhibit A - The outdoor shot where it looks like the park bench is coming out of me.

Exhibit B - The indoor shot with a shadow that totally distorts the size and shape of my head.

Neither shot will win any photography awards, but at least you can see how big I am these days.

MENU - SECOND HALF OF AUGUST 2011

2011-08-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the food we're currently eating.

BREAKFASTS
oatmeal x4
Tam's granola (crockpot) x5
blueberry sour cream pancakes (double & freeze half)
easy cranberry granola (taking for breakfast on vacation)
baked oatmeal (prep previous night)

SNACKS
popcorn
fruit & veggies
oat & almond breakfast bars
black bean dip & tortilla chips

DINNERS
leftovers x 2
tacos x2
meals provided by someone else x2 (on vacation)
smoked turkey & black bean salad/strawberry, kiwi, & spinach salad (taking to potluck)
barbecue chicken salad/cornbread (double of each - one for us, one to deliver to another family)
ranchero onion burgers/potato wedges
rice, kale, & eggs/fruit
enchiladas/beans (crockpot & freezer)/green salad
spinach lentil soup/toast
creamy rotini with broccoli & ham/green salad
salmon (Tim's catch)/frozen peas & corn

DESSERTS
lemon bars (taking to potluck)

8/18/11 THANKFUL THURSDAY

2011-08-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful for some time with my sister's family.

What's one thing that you're thankful for?