Seeking Wool and Flax

Turning Over a New Leaf

2010-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Actually it's more like getting rid of the unnecessary leaves.

We're trying to simplify our life and one of the measures we're taking is consolidating our blogs. I will no longer be posting on this blog. I'll keep it around so you can see old photos or search for a recipe but if you'd like to keep up with our family please visit our Family Blog.

Wrapping up the Week

2010-11-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

I'm glad it's Friday. The kids and I all have a little runny nose cold and we're ready for more time with Chuck. We're also going to try to be more disciplined with our rest this weekend. Last night at our Home Group (bible study) we talked about the Sabbath. If you haven't gone through Tim Keller's "Gospel in Life" study you should. It's the best Bible study I've ever worked through.

The last few weeks I've been trying to work on my dreads a little everyday or two so they stay tight and don't get out of hand. When I don't give them any attention they get loose, hairs work their way out and my roots don't lock up on their own yet so my whole head looks droopy and frizzy. Blah.

It's a lot of work (and therefore expensive if someone other than Chuck does it) to fix my whole head all at once so Chuck and I really have to give it an hour or so of attention every week to avoid that. It's not the most exciting date ever but it really shows me that Chuck is devoted to me when he works on my hair.

No Added Sweetener

2010-11-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Ruby has been doing much better tolerating wheat lately so I haven't had to be as careful with it. I still make mostly gluten free muffins and limit her cracker intake, etc. so that I don't have to limit so much when we eat out and so she can eat goldfish crackers at church.

I have been working more at limiting her (and my) sugar intake. For more than a year now I've been realizing that there's too much sugar in too many things. I no longer feed the kids regular breakfast cereals or even baby and toddler marketed products because they contain too much sugar. I've found, however, that the kids don't mind eating rice puffs with no sugar or corn flakes sweetened with fruit juice! It's been relatively easy because they're still little and don't really know any different which is all the more reason to limit their sugar - it does their bodies no good so why give it to them!?

The easiest way to limit sugar is to make things from scratch. At first I began cutting the sugar in recipes or replacing it with sweet fruits like applesauce or bananas. Then, several months ago, I was introduced to coconut oil and it's become so much easier. I have found that when I use coconut oil in a recipe (in place of veggie oil or butter for example) I don't need to add any sugar (or alternative sweetener) and you don't miss the sugar at all!
Here's a website about coconut oil - there are lots out there but this one is pretty measured and basic.

Even Chuck agrees that the best pancake recipe of all time is the one that contains coconut oil and no sugar!
I've been so excited about this because not only is it important to limit white sugar but all added sweeteners. That means honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup or whatever! Your body treats them nearly the same - it has to work harder to break them down because they don't have anything good for your body to use.

I've found that the less sugar I eat, the less I need to make something sweet and the better I feel. I can really feel my body react if I drink a soda or eat a piece of cake because I don't do it often.
Here's a quick article about recommended sugar intake.

Here are a few of our favorite no added sweetener recipes:

Best Pancakes Ever:
1 cup flour (any kind really, we've used white whole wheat, regular and oat flour)
1 cup yogurt
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon if desired (we've been adding cinnamon and nutmeg lately - I love fall!)

Mix everything together adding milk if it's too thick. Enjoy!

Apple Banana Muffins (the kids current favorite)
This recipe was adapted from one my sister posted recently - it was her brilliant idea to add apple pieces instead of applesauce.
1 1/2 cups chopped apples (really small!)
1/4 cup almond butter
1 3/4 cups flour
2 eggs
3 bananas
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut oil
Mix all and bake for 20 min. at 350 degrees. These turn out really soft so make sure you cook them until the tops are nice and brown but don't worry when they're soft in the middle because the apple pieces are in there.

And because it's fall - Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread (revisited)

I made this last year but have tweaked the recipe again this year and it's even better

If you're making this for a party or dessert add 1 or 1 1/2 cups sugar but the kids and I can eat it without or with just 1/2 cup (which means there's only 1/4 cup in each loaf) which is way better than the 3 cups the original recipe called for. Yikes!

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)

4 eggs

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup applesauce (or pear-sauce - that's even better)

1 cup peanut butter

3 1/2 cups flour (making 1 cup or so oat flour adds to the sweetness and depth of flavor)

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Mix all together and bake for 60 minutes (or so) at 350 degrees. This recipe makes 2 loaves or try baking it in wide mouth, quart mason jars. I did that for some neighbors and it was really cute! Be careful to only add 1 cup of batter, though or it will rise over the top. :)

And here's my new fall ornament tree.

Ruby helped me paint fall colors and then I drew and cut out the leaf shapes.

Hiya

2010-10-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

We played at the mall a few days ago and even Enzo got to play a little. He's growing fast. He's started pulling up on things, although not very often since we don't have a coffee table (we did when Ruby was in that stage).

My lack of posting is directly related to my lack of free time. I don't have enough time each day to get what I need done so I hardly do anything unnecessary (let alone get all my needed stuff done). I can't even really articulate it without complaining so I'll just leave you with a cute photo.

1 Corinthians 15:19

2010-10-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

^{1 Corinthians 15:19}

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

If Jesus wasn't who he said he was, and didn't overcome death than my faith in him to save me from my sins and death is futile and naive.

If, however, Jesus is who he claimed to be, the son of God who died to pay for our sins and rose from the dead, than he's not only the God I should be putting my faith and hope in but the only God worthy of my worship.

Jesus said a lot more than "love thy neighbor" and I'm trying to fill my heart with all his teachings and promises.

Today's "Slice" also really spoke to my heart this morning. (Oct. 11th)

http://www.rzim.org/resources/read/asliceofinfinity/todaysslice.aspx

Fall Colors

2010-10-07T18:18:00.001-07:00

Philippians 2:14-16

2010-10-05T18:11:00.001-07:00

I didn't make time to read until this afternoon but was immediately convicted by what I read.

"Do all things without grumbling..."

How often do I complain each day?

I'm not a really negative person but if I really pay attention I'm quite to find fault or inconvenience.

It's so hard to dress during this weather, the kids were really fussy today, and my dreads are looking like they need some attention were just three of many complaints I made today about things that have clear bright sides!

This weather is beautiful! I really enjoy drinking a hot cup of coffee on cool mornings.

My children love me and want my attention. I have to opportunity (and calling) to teach them about God's love through my own.

My hair is symbolic of my freedom in Christ. I can choose to find my identity in Him or struggle to create and maintain it apart from Him. I'm glad I have dreads and although they take a little work in the beginning it's nothing compared to the time and energy I disliked putting into previous hairstyles.

Rather than comment about the less than perfect weather, irritating moments of childrearing or vain frustrations I'm going to try to praise God for... Well, for being who He is. Regardless of circumstance He's praiseworthy and any complaint I have fades quickly when I consider Him.

¹⁴Do all things without grumbling or questioning, ¹⁵that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Philippians 2:12-13

2010-10-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

Ruby got a new sweat suit yesterday and she was very interested in the hood. Here she is informing us of that.

I continued reading in Philippians and while I've read verses 12 and 13 before and even heard a sermon or two on them I still feel like there's some mystery in them I still don't understand.

I know that God is the author and perfectly of my faith but what part do I work out? However, the thought of getting to heaven and having Jesus say "I never knew you" is frightening and does cause me to take my faith and relationship with Christ more seriously.

It also blows my mind to think about what it mean that God is working in me for His good pleasure.

I'm encouraged today to ask God about these mysteries and also to rest in His peace because even if I don't understand them He does and He's said that I just have to ask.

Fall Morning Snuggles

2010-10-02T06:10:00.001-07:00

It's a chilly fall morning (finally!) and my sweet family is all snuggling in our warm bed. Have a wonderful weekend!

Philippians 2:3-4

2010-10-01T17:57:00.001-07:00

3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Jeremiah 29:4-14

2010-09-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

We started a Tim Keller study titled "The Gospel: Grace Changes Everything" in our home group last night and I've already learned new things. We discussed Jeremiah 29:4-14 and talked about how we can love out city.

I would like to expand on all that I learned but I need to get some rest. I encourage you to read those verses and think about how you can love your neighbors as yourself.

Morning Glory's

2010-09-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

These add to the gloriousness of this fall morning. Thank you God for this change in seasons!

Philippians 1:27-30

2010-09-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

The weather is wonderful this morning. It's cool and crisp and such a welcome change from the stuffy, hot days of late summer. I'm still not used to summer days lasting until nearly October and I miss the color changes in MN, but Texas is growing on me. I love Denton and am grateful that God brought us there.

I am really being encouraged by studying Philippians. I'm left feeling empty and even jilted when I get the "it's ok, you deserve better" kind of encouragement. I know deep in my heart that life is not that easy and also that there's something more important than my comfort and desires.

When I feel weighted down by my troubles and frustrated with my relationships it's often because there's something that needs to be addressed. Often it's that I'm not trusting God and not loving someone like I should (more than myself).

These verses stood out to me because it says that our salvation is from God and that our belief in Him isn't a guarantee that our troubles will end, we might even suffer for the sake of the gospel. So we might even get more trouble but how we react to those situations will show others that we believe that we're ultimately saved from them.

I'm realizing more and more as I blog about my study that there's so much to talk about but a lot of what I'm reading and the holy spirit is stirring in me is that I want to live and listen. I'm learning too that it's easier to do both of those when I'm thinking about Christ and love all day.

Philippians 1: 27-30 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Dreadlock Update

2010-09-27T07:15:00.001-07:00

My dreads are about 20 weeks old (5 months!).

They're still really fuzzy but they're coming along. I'm enjoying not having to do so much to my hair everyday but it is tough to find a time each week to tighten them because I can't do it all myself. I'm still glad I have them, though!

Philippians 1:9-11

2010-09-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

I'm reading through Philippians 1 again this morning and am going to try to keep in mind today that the reason I do and the reason that I should increase my knowledge is to give God glory.

That's hard for me to keep in mind and/or strive for sometimes because I'm sick of being in school. I really enjoy reading about and learning about topics that interest me (or are at least interesting) but when I get a dull class or less than engaging professor it's hard to give it my all.

And then my tendency is to become prematurely stressed out. For example, I have two papers to write. I'm getting pretty anxious... But one is not due for two weeks and another isn't due for a month. Besides, even if I only had a day, worrying isn't going to help.

Sometimes I hear people say that worry is ok and even good because it means you're taking it seriously. I think if you don't know God or you're not trusting Him then you can only hope in yourself or the situation and that is pretty serious. Worry, however, still doesn't help you, it just shows others that you don't have your hope in God.

If I know I have a paper due in two weeks and I know that it's serious, I want to do well on it, I have to start working on it so I don't run out of time. I trust that God knows about my paper but I also know that my relationship with Him and my witness to others is more important than my paper. Am I making sense?

Here's a few verses to help:

Phil. 1:27-28 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

No longer sure why I'm counting...

2010-09-25T15:02:00.001-07:00

I missed my blogging the last few days. It really helps me process my Bible studying. I finished reading 2 Peter and moved on to Philippians. I really like verses 9-11 (ch. 1) because it reminded me that we can always love more but it's not the love that the world talks about that's flighty, impulsive and often selfish but a godly love that's knowledgable, discerning and abounding.

I'm going to read chapter one again tomorrow.

My dreads are doing well. I just need to keep palm rolling them and be patient!

40

2010-09-22T19:55:00.001-07:00

I've been tired lately. Today more so than a few days ago, but here's my post! I didn't forget it! I thought about the verses I read today but am still working on them. They made me think of several other verses and I haven't taken time to look all of those up yet.

I read 2 Peter chapter 2 today. It spoke about false teachers and people that know and believe the gospel but turn away from it. Pretty heavy.

My first thought was about a verse that says nothing can take us from God's hand after we've put our faith in Him but maybe we can jump out? There are lots of verses that talk about the fruit that we'll show when are faith is in Christ and that we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Also that some people will get to heaven and God will tell them He doesn't know them. Those thoughts furthered my thinking that we can't just say a few words or do any special action, we need to truly believe in Christ and spend the rest of our lives loving Him and serving Him.

If I really believe that Christ is the only way to heaven and I put my hope and faith in him then my actions will reflect that. Whenever they don't it's because I'm hoping or trusting in something else (like myself, or Chuck, or money or whatever).

I'm not going to copy all of 2 Peter 2 so I'll leave you with James 2:14-18.

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

39

2010-09-21T13:13:00.001-07:00

I finished reading chapter one of 2nd Peter. Verses 16-20 caught my attention because Peter says he witnessed Christ's majesty first hand and heard God say "This is my son." He also says he believes the prophesies concerning Jesus to be God's voice heard by others.

The teaching pastor of our church did a sermon about the authority and inerrancy of the Bible this past Sunday. He talked about the men who penned the Bible using the phrase "God said" over 300 times. If you're interested you can listen to the sermon at www.thevillagechurch.net

I don't have a hard time believing that Jesus was God and did all that He claimed to do, including rise from the dead, but I've always thought that if someone can believe God created everything from nothing anything else is easy.

I struggle with understanding in other areas but believe that the Bible is true.

I had some other thoughts about seeing, believing and following movements but I'm a bit tired today and currently have a little boy draining me of nutrients so I'm finding it hard to form complex thoughts.

I love you and hope you have a peaceful day.

38

2010-09-20T12:03:00.001-07:00

I starter knitting again today after a long break. I've got two Snuggler orders to make in the next few weeks. I'd much rather be knitting than doing many others things but I am going to try to balance it.

Knitting this afternoon got me thinking about fall, Thanksgiving and cooler weather. I don't think I'll bring my fall decorations out quite yet, however, as it's still green and 90 degrees outside.

Today I read more of 2 Peter 1, verse 9 specifically . I'm still praying and thinking about it but my initial thoughts were about how I so quickly forget how amazing a gift Jesus sacrifice is. I am very easily forget that all people are made in God's image and the only reason He accepts me as his child is Jesus. I too quickly measure myself up to (or against) others instead of finding my identity in Christ.

If I kept the gospel in the front, rather than the back, of my mind and made effort to supplement my faith with the attributes listed in 2 Peter 1:5, I think I would be better able to love others first rather than judge them.

Apron

2010-09-17T12:08:00.001-07:00

I have had this apron in my head for a long time and after wearing my old one all morning I decided that during nap time today I would make it. It only took about 45 minutes because the bottom is a dish towel!

Technical Difficulties

2010-09-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

For some reason when I email a post from my phone photos work most of the time but not if I put more than a few lines of text. I'm not sure what the deal is but if you read my blog via a reader or something like that I apologize for the extra posts as I'm trying to fix things.

Also, I've decided to take the weekend off from blogging. I'm still experimenting with the best balance of life and blogging and while blogging has really helped me the last few days I have a feeling if I don't take a few days off I'll end up falling off the wagon like I did with the original Photo a Day project.

Have a fabulous weekend!

37

2010-09-17T09:14:00.001-07:00

I'm wearing an apron this morning. I have yet to find or sew the perfect apron but this one that I made several years ago is working pretty well. I'm also trying a new system for getting this done. I work hard on one task for 5-10 minutes and then give the kids some attention for a few minutes (get Enzo a new toy, give Ruby some more peanut butter, the usual) and then I tackle the next 10 minutes. I don't always get 10 minutes but sometimes I get 15 and if I work hard for that time then while Enzo takes his morning nap and Ruby plays I'm able to have a cup of coffee and read the Bible rather than feel like I've gotten nothing done.

I'm continuing reading in 2 Peter. I thought last night and this morning again about my struggles but also about idols. Things I think about more often than I think about Jesus. Most of the time it's me and my plans like I've talked about. The verses today tell me that i should think about Jesus and focus on being fruitful and serving Him.

We all know that a negative attitude never helps our days go better and that worrying doesn't make things go smoother it just makes us feel worse. That's the case because it's not how God designed things. If we think about positive things and remember that the reason is because God gave us Jesus so that we may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:4b)

2 Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

36

2010-09-16T16:14:00.001-07:00

I read in a book by David Tripp last night that in Jesus we have all the strength and patience and power we need to get through our struggles and our sin. It's not that when we get into a situation we need to wait for Jesus to recharge us or get our message and send back-up, he's given it to us. It's ready, we just need to accept it.

When I think about my struggles, the common everyday ones, it's not that I find Jesus peace lacking, it's that I accept. I don't go to it for comfort. Instead I sit and wallow in my inadiquicy and the frustration I have in my situation. I prefer my ideas of entitlement to His plan for my life.

I thought about it all day and was even more frustrated at myself thar I still got angry with the dog chewing Ruby's shoe and dinner not going as planned.

Thankfully He forgives me and loves me. I have hope to overcome my struggles because He has overcome the world.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

35

2010-09-15T13:05:00.001-07:00

Both kids fell asleep in the car this afternoon. It was lovely. Neither one of them stayed asleep upon our arrival home. Two cranky babies is not so lovely.

I, however, was reminded this morning that God doesn't owe me anything. And on a more comforting note, that Jesus knows I'll have troubles in this life but he over came even death and is willing to give me strength to overcome my struggles. Jesus is with me through an afternoon with cranky kids just as he is through a tragedy. (Phil. 4:11-13) Neither of which is worth comparing to the glory of eternity with God (Romans 8:18).

Romans 4:1-5

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

34

2010-09-14T11:48:00.001-07:00

*I had my numbering all off because I really wasn't keeping very good track. This is no longer the 34th day of photo-a-day, it's the 34th photo... kinda... but we're going to go on from here and in a few weeks no one will remember what the numbers really signify anyway*

This apple came from the tree in our backyard! I thought it was just crab apples the last few years but Chuck trimmed it yesterday and found this one so maybe with a little attention we could get more! It was quite tasty.

It and my reading today got me thinking about arrogance and pride and how, although it's easy for me to see Adam's foolishness in Eden (eating the only fruit he wasn't allowed too when there were so many delicious ones that he could) I don't always see my foolishness.

Rather than revel in the awesome gift that He's given me I covet control.

Like Pharaoh, rather than heed Moses warning and letting the Israelites go (repenting) I stand defiant and require discipline. Which reminds me also of Ruby and Hebrews chapter 12.

Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Hebrews 12: 3-11

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives."

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

33

2010-09-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try to get back into the photo a day routine. I also want to add a verse or thoughts about a weekly verse to remind me to be reading and applying the Bible each day.

It's too easy to overlook it when there are more immediate needs (like kids diapers and food and the like) but I'm so much better equipped to do all of those things with patience and love when I'm focused on God each day.

One way of doing that is to read some scripture each day.

Here's a great post about this topic for mom's from Passionate Homemaking.

New clothes

2010-09-13T07:00:00.001-07:00

Ruby and I were both wearing recently acquired clothing (her outfit and my skirt) but she wasn't posing very well. Here's the best photo we got. She's still pretty cute.
And my dreads are about 4 months old!

32

2010-09-09T14:40:00.001-07:00

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

31

2010-09-06T17:41:00.001-07:00

Liz just roasted some coffee in a popcorn maker. She's so cool.

Contentment in All Circumstances

2010-09-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

I read this post the other day and my previous post reminded me of it. It's a really good post by Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking.

Contentment in All Circumstances
Pure exhaustion. That would describe me right now. Having found little sleep last night leaves me feeling pretty drained. Fear has been attacking me lately at the thought of trying to sleep. I was up folding laundry, reading, and simply crying out to the Lord. Can I possibly joyfully serve my family today when I have no brain? Where can I find the strength necessary to just focus on today, rather than worrying about tomorrow?

What does it mean to be content during these challenges seasons?
... Click the link to read the full post ...

30

2010-09-04T07:20:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my loving, thoughtful husband I get a few hours to sit and read by myself this morning.
Thanks to a friend at my favorite coffee shop (Jupiter House) I get a sweet treat as well.
I pray that these sweet times remind my heart even more how to be grateful during the hard times.

29

2010-09-03T12:16:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful day yesterday that reminded me that summer won't last forever. I am so excited for fall and riding my new bike. Chuck is building me one - I'll update all about this weekend - and this would be a perfect outfit for riding it.

28

2010-08-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

We played with blocks today.

27

2010-08-30T12:16:00.001-07:00

Having a snack. Naked cookies, according to Ruby. Ruby knows she's being silly and it makes her giggles even more enjoyable.

26

2010-08-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Enzo's first time swinging!
I missed a few days but want to keep it up so instead of everyday I'm going to try to better document the activities of our days. Like this milestone. So sweet. They're growing every day!

What day is it?

2010-08-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised that I missed Sunday AND Monday! The days are flying by. Chuck and I begin at the University this Thursday. We got our books yesterday and I'm a little daunted by how many and how thick but trying to stay positive that the professors will be thorough and engaging and the subject matter interesting (history or fashion and history of surrealism should be pretty interesting). Also that neither is ultimately important and that God will get us through this busy season so I can choose to rest in his peace and strength or stress myself out trying to hold it together by my own strength.

Have a good Tuesday and keep an eye out for a few photos today. :)

25

2010-08-21T18:44:00.001-07:00

I iz the champagne of kittiez.

24

2010-08-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

Enzo has been eating more and more semi-solid foods each few days. Today he had some bananas and Ruby helped him eat them for dinner. So sweet.

23

2010-08-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

We took a walk yesterday and I snapped a few photos of the Opera House building. I'm really liking purple right now.

22

2010-08-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Enzo in his upcycled t-shirt screen printed by local artist Jenn Gooch. We got it at the Denton Community Market. She was having a sale before moving out of state.

He's really trying

2010-08-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

He is determined to make sleeping in the bumbo work. I'm not convinced it's worth it.

21

2010-08-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

There's not much going on tonight. We had a full day but I (not unpredictably) didn't photograph any of it. So here's a high contrast picture of our dining room ceiling fan.

20

2010-08-16T06:15:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon treat. Rebu loves ice cream. She's loved it since before she was born. I wonder if that means that Enzo will love chocolate cake? Too bad for him he's not getting any until he's 10 years old. Ok grandparents maybe 6... No younger than 3!
We made a lot of progress on the kids room yesterday. Chuck got a nail gun kit which makes building bunk beds and bookcases way easier and I'm working on picking out the perfect wall color.

19

2010-08-16T06:11:00.001-07:00

Technically Ruby took this photo on Saturday but it's better than any I took.

18

2010-08-13T13:37:00.001-07:00

Ok, I'm caught up. Today is #18.
I'm still liking my dreads but there are days when I feel impatient. I just have to give myself a quick peptalk, though, and I'm glad I'm taking this journey.
This photo is evidence of the living room's cavelike quality. It's in line for renovations. Our goal is to finish the kids room before the fall semester (a couple of weeks) and I'm not sure what's next. Eventually he living room will get new Sheetrock (no more paneling) and a pleasant gray color on the walls at least. We have ideas for a skylight or two so it's less of a cave as well as a built in bookcase with a ladder!

17

2010-08-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

16

2010-08-12T06:22:00.001-07:00

Little blue eyed baby

15

2010-08-11T06:54:00.001-07:00

I'm contemplating hanging a pot rack above the stove. Specifically a bicycle wheel that would act as a pot rack. What do you think? Would it look too cluttered? Would it be good only if I had really attractive pots?

14

2010-08-09T18:27:00.001-07:00

I didn't take any photos yesterday. I get an F minus for the day but am back on track today. I'm not giving up! Here's Ruby talking on the phone to her Grandpa Mike. She's so big.

12

2010-08-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

Enzo helped Gus open his presents. Happy first birthday Gus!

11

2010-08-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

Stripes. I love the back of that little pudgy head.

10

2010-08-06T09:08:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Chuck took a personal day and we had some much needed family time.

9

2010-08-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

There are two photos today but I couldn't pick just one.

Where's Ruby?

(She had just gotten her nails painted)

Peek-Boo!

8

2010-08-04T12:43:00.001-07:00

Walking home from school.

7

2010-08-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

Ruby was a bunny with her shirt on her head for her ears.

6

2010-08-02T06:36:00.001-07:00

I unfortunately made it through yesterday without taking any photos but I was holding Ruby while Chuck took this one so I'm going to count it.
The air vent was blowing on Ruby and she was experimenting with how it blew her hair, fingers and face. She's so fun.

Artsy 5

2010-08-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

This is the photo I was going to post for yesterday's photo cuz it's kinda artsy but truthfully I didn't take it and the photo of Chuck with a cake in a Dutch oven is way for fun. :)
But here's proof that we had a fancy date out for our anniversary and that I, on rare occasion, where something other than jersey and Toms.

5

2010-08-01T09:25:00.001-07:00

Day 5 - and 5 years of marriage!
Chuck surprised me with a night away for our anniversary. (it's officially in Aug but we won't have a free weekend for a while so we're celebrating early)
Kind of a long story but he surprised me with a cake while we were out to dinner. It's in out dutch oven because he couldn't keep it in the box and keep it cool in the car so he put it in the pot in a cooler. He's ingenious and so sweet.
The cake was pretty sweet too. And it's still in the Dutch oven cuz we couldn't figure out how to get it out without mashing it. :)

4

2010-07-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

Enzo's started pushing up, he'll be crawling soon!

3

2010-07-30T11:35:00.001-07:00

I promise I took this yesterday. I just forgot to post it!

2

2010-07-28T11:08:00.001-07:00

A cheerful gift from my sweet husband.

Day 1

2010-07-27T15:19:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about doing a "photo a day" challenge of sorts and arbitrarily chose today (just now) to begin. I'm not sure how long it (I) will last but we'll deal with that later.

Reusable Snack Bags

2010-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this super easy snack bag tutorial! Amy's narration for the video is quirky and entertaining too!

I'm going to make a whole bunch in different sizes because we eat a lot of snacks around here and I don't enjoy buying plastic baggies.

Fur Family

2010-07-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

We added to our fur family this past weekend. We decided our dog Vinnie needed a friend. I thought that a dog of similar size or breed would be ideal and while Chuck agreed he wanted a cat. So we comprimised and got both.

We found this little guy via a rescue group (similar to how we got Vinnie) and after a few emails they put him on hold for us. We just had to drive to Rockwall to adopt him. Totally worth it. He's the same kindof mutt as Vinnie - half chihuahua, half Italian greyhound. Naturally he got an Italian name from the cast of My Blue Heaven also.

Meet Dino.

While I scoured the DFW area (via petfinder.com) for Vinnie's little brother, Chuck searched Craig's List for cats. He sent several emails and got no replies until finally we heard that this little guy was ours! His owner had just rescued him but her new apartment didn't allow pets so we stepped in. He's in pretty bad shape but with a little love, some fattening up and lots of attention from Ruby I think he'll be a great cat. I'm really warming up to him quickly. We didn't think he should be part of the Italian dog mob so we chose a name from another favorite movie, The Fifth Element. A must see if you haven't already.

Meet Vito Cornelius (we've been pronouncing it Cor-nee-lee-oos)

Dreadlocks

2010-07-21T06:43:00.001-07:00

Good morning! This is how I've been wearing my hair lately. It's so nice to just throw it up in the morning and not have to fuss with it. I really do have more time for other things.
I've got to get breakfast cleaned up and ready for school. If you haven't heard, I'm taking two psychology classes at UNT this summer. I'm almost done and will hopefully graduate next year! Finally!

Remodeling

2010-07-20T11:24:00.001-07:00

We're doing some remodeling right now and have plans to for quite a while. We've started in the back room. When we moved in we had plans to make it the nursery because it was right across the hall from the master bedroom. Several circumstances including my sister living with us and our house's lack of closet space turned it into a catch all room. Eventually the other bedroom became where Ruby's toys were and then her crib also. But soon all that will change! The house is currently a mess and Ruby is sleeping in the pack'n'play in our room but she's ready to be back in her crib in her new room too. She's told us all about it multiple times. She's awesome.
And so is this guy.

Dreadlock Update

2010-07-15T16:08:00.001-07:00

It's been... I just counted... 10 1/2 weeks since I got my dreadlocks.
I still like them and while I've been wearing them in up a lot lately I like leaving them down and free.
They've gotten a little tighter and need some love (to tuck in the loose ends) but are doing pretty well I think.
My favorite part the last few days has been the little curl the bit of loose hair that was a braid left behind.

Visit from MN

2010-06-05T07:04:00.001-07:00

My parents and two younger siblings got here last night for a 10 day
stay. Ruby is loving it already and Enzo doesn't mind being held all
the time either.

Permanence

2010-05-20T11:16:00.001-07:00

I've been contimplating the permanence of my dreadlocks the last few
days. When I look in the mirror I have a hard time envisioning what
they will look like in six months. When I feel them, especially the
roots that seem to get looser while each dread gets tighter, I imagine
how much more startling it will be when I cut them off.
Compared to my past hairstyles, dreadlocks are pretty permanent. But I
could cut them off at any time and have a normal sorta bob in just a
few months. Even if I keep them for the rest of my life, compared to
God, they're just a blip. And isn't that part of the point? To remind
me that stuff, like my hairstyle, is inconsiquential?
I'm trying to find my identity in Jesus, rather than my hair or
clothes or job. It's ok that I enjoy my clothes and it's important
that I consider them, but ultimately they'll fade away.
I read an article today that dealt with this. You can find it here:
> http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2417_jesus__the_buddha_on_happiness/

New Cloth Diaper

2010-05-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

I just finished purchasing a few more cloth diapers online today. I got a few Fuzzi Bunz one size this time because although I really like the Bum Genius one size the velcro hasn't held up as well as the snaps after two years. As I was checking out the site I bought them from I discovered a new diaper that looks great!

I buy my diapers from Nicki's Diapers because they always have the best prices, great customer service and free shipping on pocket diapers! (at least right now!)

In the next month or so Nicki's Diapers will have a full stock of made in the USA one size diapers that look great! Whenever they're available I'm going to give one a try. If you're new to cloth and would like to check it out I recommend a snapping one size diaper (such as the Fuzzi Bunz) and Nicki's Diaper s New Best Bottom Diaper - it's a great price and looks like (as they say) it has all the pros of other popular diapers without the cons!

One of the features is that the insert just snaps into the shell rather than needing to be stuffed into the pocket. Personally I haven't stuffed my inserts since Ruby was just a few months old - it saves time and diapers - but the fleece still soaks some up and an all PUL cover wouldn't have that problem!

Dreads Day 9

2010-05-11T13:31:00.001-07:00

9 days and 2 washes and my dreads are doing well. They're softer than
before and although they're still really frizzy I can crochet them
myself to tighten them up. I'm really looking forward to seeing them
evolve more. I'll try to get some good photos of them soon.

Dreadlocks

2010-05-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

They're finished! I've got a head full of baby dreads!

I haven't always wanted dreads but now that I have them I'm surprised that I didn't get them long ago.

Last Wednesday Chuck and I were out having a coffee date. He asked me if when we got home he could run me a bath so I could continue to relax. He immediately remembered that I don't like baths and quickly added that he would be glad to start a shower for me instead. I paused and looked up as I mentally calculated whether or not I needed a shower. He laughed, "Do you really not like taking a shower either?" I explained that no, I didn't particularly care for taking showers with small people hanging off me, then having to dry, straighten and style my hair. We discussed that a bit and decided that it's mainly the drying and styling of my hair after a shower that I dislike not the resulting cleanliness.

"You should get dreadlocks. Then you'd never have to shower!" Chuck exclaimed. We both made grossed out faces and then thought, do you really not shower? Surely not. We Googled it.

After a bit of research we realized you can and should shower with dreadlocks. Then after looking through flickr albums of people with dreads and both of us liking what we saw we decided that I should in fact get dreads. It made so much sense. Not only would it free me from having to "do"' my hair each day but I felt that it would also free me from the fear that I still held onto of what others thought of me and how they perceived me based on how I looked.

I realized (or at least finally admitted) that while I was shedding my dependence on clothing to define me I was still struggling with my hair (and thus overall appearance). Since going through recovery and taking inventory of my faith and lack thereof I've been aware that I fear people and their opinions. Shedding a "socially acceptable" hair style doesn't cure that, if I'm not careful I could fall into the same trap with another set of people. I could move from seeking acceptance in the minivan and soccer mom set to the no deodorant and pachouli set.

The only way to kill this fear of man in myself is to rely on God for my identity.

I want to enjoy Him and who he made me to be when I look in the mirror in the morning (or afternoon) instead of worry about the state of my hairstyle or the lack thereof. I'm sure that some days I'll wake up and love this freewheeling low maintenance do and other days I'll forget my reasons and not. Either way (feast or famine, laughter or tears) God is enough and I hope to grow into that reality as my dreads grow. As many people with dreads say, "it's a journey."

Canton (Dreadlocks coming soon)

2010-05-01T06:02:00.001-07:00

My head is only half done. We haven't had much time to work on it and
dreads take a long time. Oh yeah, if you haven't heard I'm getting
dreadlocks.

I'll put up a longer post about them and photos when they're finished.
If you're really curious you can check out Sara's site at www.walkslowlylivewildly.com
. She's a big part of my inspiration for doing them and has even
helped via some email chats. She's really sweet and if want to see her
dread journey check out this flickr set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyjanssens/sets/72157594476412897/

In the meantime Enzo and I are going to Canton with Suzanne, her mom
and her grandmother. This is my first time going so I'm really
excited. Rumor has it that even Martha Stewart (THE Martha Stewart)
goes to Canton.
Chuck's having a date with Ruby today and I think they're going to
have a blast.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Woah, nice

2010-04-23T13:07:00.001-07:00

Ruby has been saying "woah, nice" a lot lately. She didn't see them
but I have a feeling she would have said it when I discovered the
toads living in her swimming pool. I went to check out some flowers
and noticed it was full of water. I was going to dump it out when one
of the four toads jumped into the water. I was startled and then
laughed but am not sure I want to leave water in there for Mosquitos.
Or would the toads keep them away?

Recovering

2010-04-14T12:51:00.001-07:00

We made it home from our vacation Sunday evening and I'm almost recovered from our trip. I've still got a few loads of laundry to do, Ruby is slowly adjusting to the lower levels of attention and sugar and my cut is almost healed.

That's right, I got a cut to match Ruby's. Thankfully it's shorter, wasn't as deep (so no stitches) and my story is a little more interesting than a bedroom fall.

Chuck received a gun from his grandfather during our visit and took the opportunity to shoot it while at his dad's. He wanted me to know how and while I had little interest I had been talking up my abilities. The only trouble was that A. It had been ten years since I shot a gun (10!) B. Chuck's new gun was a higher caliber and C. I forgot the rule about scopes.

You see, when shooting a gun with a scope you don't put your eye right up to it, you find the sweet spot about two or two 1/2 inches back. That way the scope doesn't hit you when the gun kicks back and cuts your eyebrow like so.

Sprouts

2010-04-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

I arrived home from vacation to this beauty. In just a few short days/
weeks I'll have onion sprouts (like chives) for my salad!

I also had some garlic sprouting which you can easily plant and grow
even more but only in the fall.

Enzo Update

2010-04-14T08:10:00.001-07:00

Praise the Lord, Enzo's nose is clear!
His medicine did nothing so when it ran out we didn't refill it. The
week we were on vacation in NM and CO he had a few good days and a few
stuffy ones but since the drive home and the night we stayed in
Amarillo with Chuck's cousin Jessica (who's new baby boy is precious
and so little next to Enzo!) his nose has been fine!
We don't know what was wrong or if it will get stuffy again but we're
grateful for his breathe and clear nose today!
Tomorrow has enough worries of it's own.
Have a great day!!!

sigh

2010-03-31T08:08:00.001-07:00

I'm planning and running errands this week in anticipation of our
vacation. I'm really looking foward to seeing Mimi and Bipaw and Mike
and Maggie as well as relaxing.
A few days ago we got to get some Easter photos taken. Here's one of
the sweetest. Both kids are getting so big!
Have a great rest of the week!

Snoring

2010-03-19T12:21:00.001-07:00

It's been two weeks since we started Enzo on Prevacid and his nose is
the same. We've decided to give it one more week.
If he's better then we'll keep him on the medicine for awhile. If not
we're going to get a second opinion. If anyone knows of a great ENT in
DFW please let us know.
As always we're still (and will continue) praying for Enzo's nose, his
overall health and his salvation.

Update!

2010-03-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

Baby Sack Update:
Please email me at happypenguindesign (at) gmail (dot) com for ordering info. Thanks!

So changeable

2010-03-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

I have such a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine. When it
works properly and I don't mess up what I'm making beyond repair, I
love it. When it doesn't work and I can't seem to get my project
right, I hate it.
I actually experienced three wins today (after a pitiful sewing day
yesterday).
Here's one of the successes - a teal pillow cover from some ikea
fabric I've been saving for the perfect project. Thankfully I have
some left for another use. It's so pretty!

Simply Baby Snuggle Sacks

2010-03-08T12:21:00.001-08:00

I completed another baby sack! I'm calling them "snugglers" right now, which is short for Simply Baby Snuggle Sack.

I really like making them and am currently experimenting with an older baby sleeper version. It's neither convenient or entirely safe to put your little one to bed swaddled in a blanket and as they get older they easily kick or squirm blankets off. With a Snuggly Sleeper Sack you wouldn't have to worry about it! It would fit baby's chest, stay safely under their arms and keep their little bodies warm all nap or night long! Being open in the bottom would help with late night diaper changes also.

This one is knit in the University of Connecticut colors for a colleague of Chuck's. A far cry from the neutral colors I'm drawn too but still snuggly!

I've looked into getting an Etsy page but an already behind on orders so I think I'll hold off on that. If you're interested in ordering one please leave a comment or email me and I'll get back to you with more details!

*March 8th Baby Sack Update:

Please email me at happypenguindesign (at) gmail (dot) com for ordering info. Thanks!

Here are a few other examples.

Stirring

2010-03-08T12:13:00.001-08:00

Ruby is old enough to really help me in the kitchen sometimes although
I still await the day when she can do the dishes for me.
Today she helped me stir the granola.

Afternoon Nap

2010-03-06T18:38:00.001-08:00

Reflux

2010-03-04T13:22:00.001-08:00

We've decided that we're going to put Enzo on Prevacid for a few weeks
(2-4) to see if that helps him. Reflux makes a lot of sense and our
pediatritian agrees that it's safe and effective. Please continue to
pray that God would heal Enzo, give us wisdom and discernment and rest
and that Enzo wouldn't experience any adverse side effects.

ENT diagnosis

2010-03-03T13:17:00.001-08:00

The Specialist said this morning that in his opinion it's reflux.
We confirmed with a scope in Enzo's nose that there's nothing
structuraly wrong or abnormaly sized.
The Dr. prescribed Prevacid (name brand acid inhibitor) because in
cases of babies not being able to eat and breathe he feels it's better
to overtreat rather than risk babies bodies becoming overstressed (and
worst case "shutting down" - we're not anywhere near worst case but
American medicine often hits the hill with a bull dozer in case it's a
big hill, even if it's an ant hill).

Quick Goat's Milk Update

2010-02-27T09:20:00.001-08:00

Enzo was on goat's milk for a day but we decided to go back to
breastfeeding because we didn't see any change in his nose but he was
having a hard time processing and removing it from his system.
We've decided that we've seen the NAET stuff through as far as we can
and we're going to see an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist this coming
week. (Wed if we can't get in sooner)
I trust that God will heal him in His time and I'm praying that I will
see and communicate God's glory through all of this rather than praise
a medicine or procedure.

Bottle #2

2010-02-25T19:07:00.001-08:00

Chuck fed Enzo his second bottle and he did much better with it. Then
we tried a different bottle that had a slower flow (Enzo was drownding
a bit) and he drank it really well. It will probably be harder to pump
than it will be to feed him tonight. Things will get really
interesting when I have to do it all myself tomorrow. Thanks for your
prayers!

Enzo's Nose

2010-02-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

Some of you have heard about our journey with Enzo's nose and others only have bits and pieces. I apologize for not updating sooner but I didn't think about it until I realized yesterday that it's actually consuming a lot of my time and energy.

When Enzo was about three weeks (Feb. 1st) old we asked our pediatrician about his "stuffy nose." Enzo has had a stuffy nose/congestion in his sinuses since birth. Our pediatrician said the most common thing is a milk allergy so I should take all dairy out of my diet for a week. I did and nothing changed.
The pediatrician then suggested that I add wheat (gluten) because that's also a major allergen. I did that along with dairy for a week and nothing changed.

I then decided that I should look into allergy testing of some kind because I could take foods out of my diet for years and never hit on the right thing. We heard about an allergy testing that a chiropractor friend of ours did that would not only test for allergies but cured them. It's called NAET and while we can't really figure out if there's any science behind it (most people agree there isn't) everyone I talked to that had experienced it agreed that it worked. The best part was there are no side effects/drugs/etc. involved so I decided it was worth a shot before we put the time/money into seeing a specialist or something else.

We had Enzo adjusted because he was misaligned after his entrance into the world (which is normal) and that seemed to help for a day but then things went back to normal. Our chiropractor then said she would test him for the major allergens like milk and gluten but she thought based on her experience that it was Vitamin C. Based on the NAET testing he was allergic to Vitamin C! I didn't know that could even happen but I was glad to have something to go on. The rest of the process involves some acupressure and then I had to eliminate Vitamin C from my diet for 24 hours while his body readjusted to accepting it rather than fighting it. I did that (ate only eggs, plain macaroni and ground beef) but there was no change.

I took him back in in the morning (the 24th) and he was still allergic to Vitamin C. Our chiropractor said she's never had an infant not recover from that allergy the first time but would do the acupressure again if I wanted her too. I said yes lets give it another day. So I avoided it for another 24 hours but again nothing changed.

This morning I took him back to our pediatrician who looked him all over and decided that we should put him on goat's milk for two days to see if there's a change. If there is a change we know it's an allergen in my milk, if not then we go see a specialist. We might see a specialist anyway but right now we just have to get through two days of goat's milk bottles. I gave him his first bottle this evening and he didn't like the taste of it at all. I'm praying that he gets used to it.

I trust that God knows what's wrong with Enzo. I trust he empathizes with my hurt and frustration. I trust that even if Enzo's nose never gets any better that God is enough. I trust that God will be glorified in this situation and I want to be a part of that.

Also, please pray with us that God will heal Enzo's nose soon.

Enzo

2010-02-24T11:41:00.001-08:00

The Journey

2010-02-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

I've learned a lot about chiropractic, allergies, and being a wife and
mother lately - much more than I can type out with one finger while
holding a sleeping boy. Suffice it to say that I feel closer to God
and my family than I ever have and am looking forward to what he's
going to teach me next.

Hand-Knit Warmth

2010-02-15T08:21:00.001-08:00

Thank you Aunt Jana for knitting this beautiful hat that goes so well
with his snuggle sack. I love snuggling my winter baby boy.

Already a Month

2010-02-09T13:05:00.001-08:00

Enzo turned a month old on Saturday. Of course I can't believe time is
going so fast but it is and Enzo is growing every day!
He's still tiny and floppy-headed but I know before I know it he'll be
sitting up and laughing at Ruby's silliness.

4 weeks old

2010-02-03T05:42:00.001-08:00

Here he is, my four week old. It simultaneously feels like he was just
born and he's always been here. He's growing so fast.

Our current state

2010-01-29T14:24:00.000-08:00

I wanted to pop in to give a quick update. We've all got the sniffles
but nothing major. Ruby just finished medicine for an ear infection
and ruptured ear drum which added a bit of difficulty to our days so
I'm glad it's over.
I'm slowly but surely getting back into a routine around the house and
really feeling good about it. I've done a lot of organizing and
cleaning and have plans for decorating that I'm excited about.
Ruby is learning new words and skills each day which makes interacting
with her more fun but has also lead to some frustration for her when
she plays and she can't make something happen just as she wants. Any
advice on how to help her with that? I don't like having to discipline
her each time she throws a fit when she's frustrated but I know I
can't ignore it either.
Enzo is growing so fast and it feels simultaniously like he was just
born yesterday and that he's always been here.

My Favorite Baby Carrier

2010-01-27T13:15:00.001-08:00

I have lots of different carriers for kiddos. A pouch sling, an Ergo,
and a few others and I like them all for different reasons. For
example, the Ergo is great for bigger babies (Ruby still fits and
Chuck totes her around in it occasionally), but my favorite carrier is
my "Sleepy Wrap." It's soft and stretchy, holds babies in a few
different positions and my baby can even nurse while snuggly hitched
up in it! If fact, last night I peeled potatoes for dinner while Enzo
nursed!
It comes in lots of different colors (like orange!) and is very
affordable at $40. They even have organic ones now!

Little Post, Lots to Consider

2010-01-21T14:13:00.001-08:00

Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking has a wonderful post about a topic
that I have wrestled with and that she is currently hearing from the
Lord about, being careful not to make green, natural living, or good
stewardship however you define it, an idol.

I'd be happy to expand on my experience but currently have a feverish
toddler sleeping on me, meaning I'm typing this with one thumb on my
phone, so a longer post will have to wait.

Hanging Out at Grami's

2010-01-11T15:15:00.001-08:00

I was beginning to over do it the last few days so thank God we get a
little vacation at Chuck's mom's house so I can rest and not even be
able to see all the chores I need (or desire) to get done.

"Hold Baby"

2010-01-09T20:25:00.001-08:00

Ruby is putting more words together and expanding her vocabulary every
day. She has been saying "hold baby" often the last two days. She
isn't quite sure that the new baby is the Enzo from Mommy's tummy but
she does like to hold him.

Staying Warm

2010-01-08T14:54:00.001-08:00

I am so grateful for my time to rest and knit before Enzo came. This
is the piece that I finished the afternoon before he was born. I'm not
sure what to call it exactly. A snuggle sack, cuddle cacoon, baby bag?
Whatever its name, it's soft, warm, easy to put on him and keep on him
(unlike a blanket) and I can tuck the whole little package into a sling.

Seeking Wool and Flax

Turning Over a New Leaf

Wrapping up the Week

No Added Sweetener

Hiya

1 Corinthians 15:19

Fall Colors

Philippians 2:14-16

Philippians 2:12-13

Fall Morning Snuggles

Philippians 2:3-4

Jeremiah 29:4-14

Morning Glory's

Philippians 1:27-30

Dreadlock Update

Philippians 1:9-11

No longer sure why I'm counting...

40

39

38

Apron

Technical Difficulties

37

36

35

34

33

New clothes

32

31

Contentment in All Circumstances

Contentment in All Circumstances

30

29

28

27

26

What day is it?

25

24

23

22

He's really trying

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

Artsy 5

5

4

3

2

Day 1

Reusable Snack Bags

Fur Family

Dreadlocks

Remodeling

Dreadlock Update

Visit from MN

Permanence

New Cloth Diaper

Dreads Day 9

Dreadlocks

Canton (Dreadlocks coming soon)

Woah, nice

Recovering

Sprouts

Enzo Update

*sigh*

sigh