it's a sweet life

Pictures

2012-01-17T14:06:00.000-08:00

Jovie and her hot chocolate.

Pear with her hot chocolate.

Trevor & Livi with Jovie & Audrey.

Jovie & Pike snuggling & reading a book.

Enjoying a brisk day playing outside.

Jovie has a hard time smiling naturally. :)

I'm tired.

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

A lot has been going on. I am exhausted. Not just in the physical form of being tired, but mentally and just in general, I am exhausted.

Sleep- Ever since we transferred Pike to a big boy bed in mid November, I haven't slept through the night, nor has Pike, you might guess who's at fault here. On top of adjusting to a big boy bed and waking up and running down the hall at random hours of the night, Pike has broke 4 molars over the last 8 weeks. His darn teeth take their sweet time and cause us all grief. Oh, and besides not sleeping through the night, he wakes up between 4:30 and 5:30 every morning. Not only does he wake up at this awful hour of the day, he begs for breakfast at this hour. I hear friends say that their kids come in and snuggle and drift back to sleep at this hour. I've heard friends say that their kids wake up and play for a while in their crib. I've heard friends say that their kids wake up and cry for a while and then go back to sleep. No. Not here. I have learned to accept it and I can't wait for the day in a couple of years that I actually get to sleep through the night and sleep in until 7am! Oh, and another thing, my kids (including Pike) go to bed around 8pm. Jovie is usually the last to fall asleep and is often up until close to 9pm. If you do the math, consider that I'm awake most nights for 1-2 hours trying to get Pike to go back to sleep, I'm up by 5am and I usually don't go to bed until 10:30pm, I'm averaging 5 hours of sleep per night. I'm also pregnant and rarely have a chance to take a nap...there's no wonder I'm tired!

Mentally- I don't have to use my brain a whole lot at my job. Talking to kids, training kids, teaching the alphabet, basic math, counting and doing crafts doesn't wear me out too much. But there is something mentally wearing about being the constant go-to for all of these little whims coming from my children. "I'm hungry." "Mom! I need wiped!" "Can I have bubble gum?" "Num-num? Num-num?" "I'm bored." "Mom! I was playing with that first!" "Can we watch a movie?" "She took it from me!" "Pike's wrecking my tower!" I hear all of these phrases at least 5 times in a day. And there are many more. It's not that they are difficult to handle, it's simply that it is hard to have a focused train of thought when you are constantly interrupted and that is mentally exhausting.

And then there is my amazing husband. Stephen is such a hard worker. He comes home from his job, many days cooks dinner, plays with the kids for a bit and then works on his side jobs. And most days he manages to spend a little bit of time with me too! He really is amazing and I'm looking forward to all of his hard work to pay off in the years to come. That being said, I am exhausted by all of his hard work. I feel selfish saying so but it's the truth. He is my best friend and as such, I enjoy his company. Not only that, I don't get a ton of social interaction with adults, (other than with kids in tow and all of the above interruptions,) and so I depend on him to be my companion to talk to at the end of the day and when he is working so much, there is only so much talk that can squeeze into 15-30 minutes.

Stephen's parents are building their house across the street from us. His grandparents are building the house right next door to us. His parents should be moving in in a week or two. And his grandparents should be moving in in April. I am really excited about a lot of aspects of having them close by, (close babysitters are nice!) And I'm a little nervous about some aspects, (I'm not real outgoing and though I love people, I am not a "people" person.) Currently it's adding a little bit of chaos to my life (well, not really chaos, just a new phase) because along with all of the interruptions I have with the kids, I have been having random packages coming to the door. (Jovie now calls the UPS man the "Ding-Dong Man" because we sometimes get a couple of doorbell rings a day.) And then there are random bathroom needs as their bathrooms don't work yet and these things may or may not coincide with nap time, (which is my time to sit down and rest without kid interruptions.) None of these are big deals just little things that add to my crazy life. I am sure it will all mellow down a little when they are moved in.

Bottom line- I am blessed and tired!

Holidays

2012-01-09T15:08:00.001-08:00

I don't know how I managed to not post anything over the "most wonderful time of the year"! We had a lot of fun over the holidays. We hosted our first Thanksgiving in our new home with Stephen's family and then my family joined us for dessert. We intended it to be just our immediate family (parents and siblings) as we don't have a whole lot of furniture yet but somehow we managed to squeeze in a few extras.

At my second appointment with the midwives in the beginning of December, I was given the thought that I might be pregnant with twins. My midwives suspicions were because I was measuring big and she thought she may have heard two heartbeats. At my ultrasound two weeks later, we were relieved to find out that we have ONE healthy growing boy in my womb. We have yet to find a name for this little guy but I am so excited to have another little boy around.

I had an enjoyable birthday as my mom offered to watch the kiddos and let me take a trip with the hubby to Seattle. We browsed an antique store, ate lunch at Ray's Boathouse and purchased a (much needed) dresser from Ikea. I am 26 now! I feel so grown up.

Christmas was a whirlwind, as usual. I tried to soak it up as much as I could and I am already looking forward to next Christmas. We got the kids a wooden kitchen set from Ikea and I made a bunch of felt food to go along with it. All three of them love it! Tara and Brian flew home on Christmas Eve and spent 5 days here. I spent as much time as I could at my parents' for those few days.

a monkey birthday!

2011-10-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

My little Jovie is 3. I took her to Target to pick out some birthday stuff (plates, napkins, etc.) in full expectation that she would want a Tinkerbell, Princess or Butterfly themed party. What did she pick? The Paul Frank monkey stuff. That's my Jovie. My sister, Piper, nicknamed her "Monkey Girl" a while back and ever since, she has taken to monkeys. So, a monkey party we had! I found the cake idea on Smitten Kitchen and since I originally had no idea I would be making a monkey face, I didn't make ears. Instead, I improvised by using ladyfinger cookies we had in our cupboard, stood 3 of them upright and simply frosted around them for the ears. It worked great!

Jovie is such a joy. She has a terrific attitude and shares with Pear so nicely. Jovie really has a giving heart and it is neat to watch her go throughout her day and bless her family. I love that anytime she forgets what she was going to say (example: she comes up to me, "mom...mom...mommy," I finally say "yes Jovie?" ....pause) she looks at me and smiles and says "I love you." I love that she is so girly. I adore her big blue eyes and the chubby cheeks that she's holding onto for a little bit longer. The way she talks makes those around her smile. I've enjoyed three years of my little girl's life, I am looking forward to the rest!

It's 5:45am here. Good morning birthday girl!

My little monkey.

Waiting for her guests to arrive with her monkey mask.

The monkey cake.

My beauty in her birthday dress.

Pretty girl.

Libbi.

Pin the tail on the monkey. Props to Stephen's mad drawing skills.

Make a wish!

The boys, being boys in the back yard.

1 little, 2 little, 3 little pumpkins...

2011-10-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. The time that Stephen tries as hard as he can to skirt around going to the pumpkin patch. The time that the kids and I anxiously wait for the sun to peek out in hopes to go to the pumpkin patch. And finally, the day comes that I convince Stephen that we will go to the big dirty fields full of pumpkins. We really had fun! Pear went from one to the next debating whether it was the right one for her. Jovie seemed to gravitate to pumpkins that were rotten, had no stem or some other such flaw. And of course Pike simply loved the fact that there was a field full of "balls." He'd pick on up and carry it a couple of yards, then drop it for another. What fun it is to celebrate life with the changing seasons!

hope...

2011-10-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ground is shaking all around me. I have several close friends that are suffering from cancer, miscarriage, infertility, and disease and it is breaking my heart. I don't understand why these sweet people have to go through this. I don't understand why I am healthy. All that I know is that I don't know the end to the story that God has written for each individual. I am proclaiming this today for both my life and those around me suffering:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Image found here on Etsy

Our new house

2011-09-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

These pictures are long overdue, I know. But, let me just tell you, it is a feat to get this house cleaned up AND take pictures before it's a mess again! And then to upload them to the computer and post them...but alas, here they are:

The front of the house.

The family room.

The dining room.

The kitchen.

The back of the house.

The playground.

The backyard and my lovely raised edible bed.

What am I?

2011-09-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

I don't like coffee.

I have an amazing sense of smell.

I am constantly hungry but a very picky eater.

I love to sleep.

....Did you guess that I AM PREGNANT? Ding, ding, ding! You're right!

Is she in preschool?

2011-09-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

This post from A Magical Childhood hit the nail on the head for me. As the school year is starting and I now have a four year old, I am often asked if she's in preschool. My response is that we are homeschooling. Sometimes I wish I could go into more detail as to why and what my strategy is but usually it ends there. The bottom line is, I find my kids to be at such a vital stage of life. Each of them need as much attention as I can give them. They are sponges soaking up everything around them and I want the things that they absorb to be good character, a loving and compassionate heart, a desire to share, creativity, an excitement to learn and read, a desire to obey, friendships and memories with those that will be with them forever (their siblings). I want to use every situation throughout our day to exemplify and explain God's goodness and love. When we sit down for lunch, we thank God for our food. When someone hits or does something that is wrong, I explain God's desire for us to be kind and gentle and to not get angry but to be patient. When one of them takes a toy or does something wrong, I explain how we need to ask for forgiveness, not only do we say that we're sorry, we ask them to forgive us and the other child gets to offer up, "yes, I forgive you." I know, parents can do all these things and their children can still go to preschool, but for me, those few hours of the day that they are being molded at preschool by other children and other teachers (whom I'm sure are wonderful but they are not "mom" and they don't know my child like I know my child) are just too precious for me to spare. Yes, Pear knows how to read. She can count upwards of 40. She can write letters and numbers and she knows what an octagon is but none of this REALLY matters. I have no doubts that all of my children will excel in their education, not that I am a great teacher or that they were born with Stephen's book smarts. I truly believe that when you have a child that is balanced, has parents that care and invest in their children (time not money) the education will naturally come. It is human nature to desire to learn and when given the opportunity and encouraged by those they love, they will exceed.

At the end of the day

2011-08-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

I think of these things:

Pear: "Mom, I want to have 4 kids. 1 boy, 1 girl, 1 more boy and 1 more girl. And the girls will be twins and the boys will be twins. And I will name them all fruits! One girl Orange, one boy Banana, and a girl Raspberry and a boy Huckleberry."

Jovie: "Mom. Mommy. Mommmm! Mommy." Me: What Jovie?" Jovie: "I love you." And then she grins. And I can't help but grin and say "I love you more!"

Pike: Walking around saying "Ma-ma, Mama, Ma-ma." Grabbing my leg and giving me a hug. And then when I pick him up, he says "Mmmmmm-uh!" Basically his way of giving a kiss and saying I love you.

In case you couldn't tell, I love my kids and I think they love me. Even though I am impatient at times. Sometimes I'm lazy. Sometimes I lash out and say something I regret. God's grace is big. I am still learning the whole mommy business. I am still learning this whole life business! Thank you God for your grace. Who am I to be blessed with such gifts?

I want to be...

2011-08-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Soma Communities - Missional Community Profile - Tacoma, WA from Soma Communities on Vimeo.

This video inspired me. I want to BE the church. It's not about a Sunday service. It's not about singing songs. It's not about 5 people or 500 hundred people. This life, my life, is about serving Christ. About worshiping God through every aspect of my life. I want to live my life with purpose- to love people, to reach the lost, and to worship my God.

Thanks, Rebekah, for the link!

What to do? I know what!

2011-08-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled across this list and I think it's great! So many times I want to spend quality time with my kids and I just can't figure out what to do. Here are a hundred simple things that will make your toddlers giddy. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

The process of buying OUR house...

2011-07-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This is long and probably boring. But for my records, it is here.

I hope that when you buy your house, it's not as stressful as when we bought ours. The past two months have been a roller coaster. When we began looking into houses and I called our lender to get pre-approved for financing, she advised me that there was no way we would be able to buy a house right now. We either needed to make more money, pay off our van and/or have a lot more cash to put down, and/or look for a house in a much lower price range. As none of those things were really an option, I advised our realtor that we might have to stop looking at houses and wait a little longer to buy. He suggested that we contact a lender that he works closely with as she has been able to get a lot of people loans when they were told no elsewhere. I called her. She didn't blink an eye. She said we could get a loan NO PROBLEM! She guaranteed an FHA loan requiring only 3.5% down and she actually second guessed as to why my lender said there would be an issue.

I'll give you a little bit of our scenario:

We purchased our duplex 3 years ago. We have rented half and lived in the other half. Lenders will only qualify rental income as part of your income if it's been rented out for a year and is on your previous year's tax statement. So basically, on paper for the lender, it looks as though we are losing $1200 a month on that duplex (after paying the mortgage payment, taxes and insurance.) In actuality, we are cash flow positive with the duplex but like I said, the lenders have to do what their guidelines say and because we've been living there for the past 3 years and not collecting rent for the upper unit, we can't include that as income.

We have an FHA loan for the duplex. We were advised by our first lender that you are not allowed to have two FHA loans at the same time. The second lender advised us that we are an exception. FHA allows two FHA loans 1.) if your family outgrows the home, (which ours most definitely did,) and 2.) if your first FHA loan is an investment, (which ours most definitely is.)

We proceeded on with the lender that didn't blink an eye, has 25 years experience (as compared to the first lender having 5) and put in an offer on a home. After some negotiating we came to an agreement on price and negotiated a budget for the builder to pay for our choice of appliances, our choice of window coverings, our choice of landscaper (thanks Uncle Dean!), granite countertops and wood floors. All this was good but it required a $5000 non-refundable deposit in order to continue with our choices. This deposit would go towards our down payment at closing. Before signing the dotted line and writing the check, I checked with the lender, she said we are golden. She re-ran credit checks, re-looked at all of our info, we were golden. So, we took the jump and 4 weeks later, the house would be done and be ours...so we thought.

Once signing the dotted line, we put our duplex unit on craigslist. The first person to look at it wanted it and they met all of our qualifications so it was set. We were to close on 6/24 and they were to move in on 7/1. That would give us a week of buffer to move and clean the old place out. Well, time passed and all was well. The house was done. We called Nora (our lender) daily to check and see what the progress was, ask if any info was needed and if we would close on time. The answer was always yes. Until 6/24 came along and there was a hiccup. The underwriter had a problem with us having 2 FHA loans. Nora assured us that we should be closing the next day. We are fine. We can TOTALLY have two FHA loans! Basically a week went by and we heard the same thing every day. We moved out of our duplex, on 6/29, as agreed and moved our stuff into our new garage to allow our new tenants into the duplex. HOWEVER we weren't allowed to move anything in the house as our builder's bank will not allow it. So, we spent the night with my folks.

On 6/30 Nora called and said not to be freaked out that everything is still going to be fine. There's nothing wrong with our file, we were just in the stack to be underwritten and they were extremely busy. Most likely it would be the next day. Oh, and that we may have to go conventional but that's a worst case scenario thing. (This meant more $ down and more time for a new application.) I freaked out. What?! Are you serious? How can this be? Oh, and she was leaving for 6 days for the 4th of July weekend. Stephen flipped. He called the regional manager and gave him a piece of his mind. He was helpful and responsive and he said that he would do everything in his power to speed up our loan process. Also, he said he was pretty certain that we would NOT be able to have a second FHA loan. But we'd have to wait until the underwriters get to it. Oh, and did I mention that our underwriter also went on vacation? Yep. She did. And left us homeless.

7/7 came around and we were still homeless everyone was back from vacation. The regional manager advised us that morning that we heard back from underwriting and we were going to have to go conventional. Nora advised us that this process would be much faster and we would be able to get it hopefully within a week. That is... if we could come up with the extra cash. Praise God and thank Uncle Rick! Otherwise we would've been out the countless hours and thousands of dollars invested in this house. And we still would've been homeless! So, on the path of conventional loan.

We were given an underwriter with cancer and was out sick for a couple of days. (Bless her heart and I do have pity, but please, can't you give us someone that is actually in the office?) So our file sat there. Once approved by her, it had to be approved by another set of underwriters. A week went by and NO progress. Another weekend. Another week and we were finally beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel but no! They now required us to refinance our van (to get our debt/income lower because they couldn't count our duplex income!) So, we rushed to get that done and of course, the loan officer that started our process Thursday morning, left early that day and then was out on Friday! So, we proceeded with the office manager who normally doesn't do loans! But we got it done so that we could move onto the next phase of our loan. (I'm not going to go into the detail of that afternoon. It was one of the worst days of my life.) Nope, we still couldn't close yet. It had to clear underwriting again. Monday came and oops, the underwriting manager who had to sign off on our file WAS ON VACATION! Are you serious? Yep. I am. Another week and still homeless. Monday came and I told Nora that we had better be signing because Stephen has lost 10 lbs in a month, I am going crazy and my kids have slept on the floor long enough. Not to mention the inconvenience we put our families through for the past month! "I know, I know." is what she said. I have never been so frustrated with someone in my life! The reason I was so frustrated with her is because we trusted her as a professional and she failed us. Big time. We could have been out a home and not had any $ to put towards another home. She promised us something and fell way short.

To end this long story it was not until the following Monday, 7/25 that we officially closed on our house. We were finally allowed to move in on 7/19. I love my new home! That wretched, stressful month is over and I will never go through that again, (please God!) Our family was so gracious and helpful. I owe you all! My kids woke my parents and siblings up at 5:30 am for far too many mornings. We emptied your refrigerator. We put Stephen's brother out of a room for a few days. We were stressed and most likely grumpy most of the time but alas, it's over!

Freedom!

2011-06-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, we do live in a free country and I have been freed by Christ, but that is not where I am going with this post. It has been 5 years, folks, 5 years of being attached to a baby as either the womb in which they grew or their food source through nursing. Since my kids are only 20 and 19 months apart, I was pregnant both times before I had even quit nursing. And this week marks freedom for me. I am neither pregnant nor nursing! Yay! It is a little bitter-sweet but mostly just sweet. Nothing says that I won't be pregnant again someday, (other than Stephen, but what does he have to do with it! ;) Seriously, Stephen and I disagree on this subject. I continue to want a couple more of these adorable monkeys running around and he continues to enjoy getting out of the baby stage more and more. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying the seasons and getting out of the baby stage but I just see our family having even more fun with even more children! Our agreement is that we will discuss the subject of more children when Pike is 2 years old. At that point we will hopefully agree one way or another.

We shall see....

just one of those days!

2011-05-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

You know, the kind that you roll out of bed with a fussy baby at 5:30am after a long night of receiving next to no sleep. The kind that after refereeing a couple of squabbles you decide to go and fix breakfast only to run out of pancakes because the kids wanted thirds. Once the kids were cleaned up, the baby crawls to you crying due to messy britches. You change that. Figure out something for your own breakfast (you didn't get pancakes) and then your second child hollers, "mom, I went poop!". Fix that. Come back to eat your breakfast standing up just to insure you can swallow. Mid-morning snack time now. Second child spills water all over the clothes you just put on her. Change those. First child doesn't like the cartoon you picked out so she throws a tantrum. Fix that. Take a shower. Baby's awake from nap. Poopy again. Change that. Second child wants lunch (yes, even though it's only 10:30am, she's been awake for nearly 5 hours!) Lunch time everyone! Oh, bummer. All we have are apples and peanut butter. That works. Apples and peanut butter everywhere! Second child has peanut butter from her head to her toes- literally. Once she is washed and her clothes are changed AGAIN, I hear the toilet lid slam. Yep, second child did not close the toilet lid and third child decided it was a fun bucket of water to play in. Not cool. Clean him up. First child is now hollering, "mom, I'm all done and I need washed!" Clean her. Sit for two seconds and hear a crash. Third child fell down the stairs and was stuck between the rail. Bloody lip. Soothed that. By this time, it was time to just go for a drive. Everyone gets locked in their seats. Nobody gets hurt. Nobody makes a mess. Just peace and quiet...at least one could hope. Second child goes into hysterics because her skirt is too puffy in her car seat. Pull over, fix the skirt, fix the seat belt and continue on. It's 11:30am and I wonder why I'm ready for bed....

Going to the Dentist

2011-05-26T15:38:00.001-07:00

For most parents (and kids) going to the dentist is a drudgery. Thanks to my siblings positive outlook on it and Small to Tall Pediatric Dentistry here in Olympia, my girls loved their visit and look forward to the next! Both Pear and Jovie passed their first visit with flying colors. I think picking out their tooth brush was their favorite part.

Here is a video of them re-enacting their visit to the dentist. Snippets in time like these really make me smile. They push me through all of the squabbles and messes and training times. The video may be boring to you, but to me, it's a joy. Enjoy!...or be bored.

Am I dreaming?

2011-05-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

I know you know I haven't been posting on here very frequently. Well, that is, if you actually come here to see what I'm up to frequently. But, you may not know why. Let me tell you. WE ARE BUYING A HOUSE!!! A NEW house! With plenty of space! With a private back yard! On a dead end street! With a beautiful kitchen! And....a playground in the back yard! Am I dreaming? It still hasn't sunk in yet. It probably won't until a few months after we move in. But I feel like I'm dreaming. But if I'm dreaming, I probably wouldn't be so tired by the end of the day. You see, we are still working on projects to complete this here duplex we are living in. In fact, I really shouldn't be blogging but rather painting the final touches in the kitchen. Ah, oh well, I'll get to that. Yes, so we are finishing the remodel on the duplex, taking care of 3 kids, figuring out the finishing touches on the new house, Stephen is working his day time job +2 side jobs and we are packing and organizing so that we can move in approximately 30 days. We are busy. I don't mind a bit! I will be posting more on the new house and the completed duplex soon. But for now, I'm off to finish more projects!

Happy Birthday Baby Dude!

2011-05-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

My little Pike turned one year old today. As overused as this phrase may be, it is true, I am amazed how fast time flies. This year has been very hard, very fun, very trying and extremely blessed. Pike has giving me more kisses and snuggles than both of my girls combined. He is the sweetest little boy. His laughter is contagious. And, as annoying as it may be to have your hair pulled and your belly kicked in the middle of the night, when he turns over to cuddle, it almost makes up for it! (He doesn't sleep with us all the time but lately it seems more often than not.) Pike loves to push toys and furniture around the house to support his chubby little legs and their attempt at walking. However, when he lets go, he drops to the ground and crawls as fast as a race-horse. Pike loves food and continues to let the world know that by making loud grunting noises and squeals as he eats. Unfortunately this love of food drives him to pick up every scrap and crumb he can find on the ground and the scraps of bread or other items containing wheat don't agree with his little body. Pike loves to be outside, he'll crawl with bare knees on concrete or gravel but if you stick him on grass, he won't move an inch. Don't even try to get those toes to touch the grass, he'll bring his feet to his chest and begin to squirm immediately! I have so enjoyed my baby boy this year. Happy birthday little Pike Henry.

I can taste the memories...

2011-05-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

Do you have certain foods that bring back memories? Fried chicken- Grandma's house. A slightly under-baked chocolate chip cookie- an afternoon snack made by mom. A fresh croissant- the air in Paris. And a Mocha Coconut Frappuccino- the days over 7 years ago that Stephen brought me my favorite treat from Starbucks while at work. Before we were dating. Before I knew he would one day be my husband. I had a crush, but nothing more at that time. The fun thing is, they stopped making the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino after that year and just now are bringing it back! I went to Starbucks the other day with every intention of getting an iced mocha but when I saw that, I just about jumped out of my seat! The barista asked me as I pulled up to the window, "so you've had this before, huh?" I didn't give him my life story and the memories it brought back I just said, "yes! And I'm so glad I can have it again!"

cinnamon rolls

2011-05-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon rolls have always been a favorite of mine. As a child, on occasion, my parents would treat me and my siblings to Cinnabon cinnamon rolls. Most kids would probably start with a half, maybe end up eating a whole. I ate 2! I ended up sick on the way home. That didn't taint my love for the sweet rolls of goodness! Here is my tried and true recipe:

Rolls:
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2/3 cup sugar +1tsp sugar
1 cup warm milk
2/3 cup butter melted
2 tsp salt
2 eggs slightly beaten
7 cups of flour

Filling:
3/4 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp cinnamon

Icing:
4 oz butter
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:
In measuring cup dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in warm water. (I can tell the water is just right when I can swirl my finger in it and not be scalded.) You will know your yeast is active when it bubbles and becomes foamy.

In mixing bowl with paddle attachment combine 3 cups flour, salt, milk, butter, eggs and yeast mixture. Beat on med-high until well combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl and change attachment to dough hook. Add additional 3 cups flour. Knead and add additional flour as kneaded to create slightly sticky, ropy dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and turn dough a couple of times to create a smooth, elastic ball. Place in buttered bowl, cover and let rise 2 hours or until doubled.

Roll out dough into a 15"x20" rectangle. Spread softened butter over entire rectangle. generously sprinkle filling onto dough. Roll up dough. Cut into rolls approx 1 1/2" thick. (I use dental floss to cut my rolls. Get a strip of dental floss. Slide under dough gently. Cross the floss to create an 'X' and pull tight. Voila!) Place rolls in buttered pan butting rolls up against each other to encourage upward rising. Cover and let rise 1-2 hours, until just reaching the top of the pan. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, generously top with the icing and then devour these delicious rolls!

These can also be made the evening before if you wish to serve them for breakfast. Once you roll them up and place them in the pan, refrigerate over night and then follow through with the rising in the morning. You may have to add an additional 30-45 minutes to the rising time though. Or, if you keep your house cool as I we do at night (60-65 degrees) you can prepare them right before bed and let rise overnight. (So long as your house is cool, they shouldn't rise too much.) Then bake them as soon as you wake up!

Facebook Envy

2011-04-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Have you read any of the recent articles on Facebook Envy? I find them slightly funny and all too true. Do you have certain acquaintances who seem to have everything together and the perfect life? I have a few that make me mad (not really, but I do get a little envious) because their kids are on the perfect routine, they get solid sleep, their house is always clean, they are always having fun and they are cute to boot! Really? How do they do it? Or do they.... I don't really buy it. You know, the more I think about it, we are all sinners. We all have issues. Some are more evident than others but none of us live a perfect life. So, just in case any of you thought even for a second that this messy life I'm living is better than yours, I'm doing this post just for you. To make you happier about your own life, though mine is greatly blessed, it is nowhere near perfect. And I want to take you into the nitty-gritty, the part that most don't see or hear:

For the past 4 years, I have rarely slept for a solid period longer than 3 hours. My average total sleep per night is 6 hours.

I have some days that my kids nap well. Most of the time though, I'm lucky to get Pike to sleep for a solid hour.

I complain daily about how tired I am, (Obviously this is a HUGE crutch in my life right now,) how much I wish my kids would sleep, how much I need a break!

I sometimes send all three of my kids to their beds, they all three cry, just so that I don't yell or spank them in anger. Sometimes I just need space to think, gain patience and move on.

My toilet is dirty right now.

My floors have had spilt milk under Jovie's place at the table for 4 days now. Maybe I'll get it mopped today...maybe not!

We have termites in our wall. Gross! And it's expensive to treat. Don't worry, we're getting them treated this week. There goes my shopping spree!

Jovie asked this morning, "mom, you happy?" to which I responded, "yes. I'm happy." She then said, "you just grumpy." This conversation takes place regularly. Sometimes she responds, "you just grumpy." Sometimes it's, "you just tired." Either way, she's right.

I am sick of figuring out meals and cooking. If there were better restaurants around here, we'd be eating out every night of the week. I just don't want to think about it!

We have weeds growing everywhere! The lower lawn (if you can call it that) is completely covered in moss and honestly, we'll keep it that way because we have to mow it less.

I feel so pathetic, I haven't read a book from front to back in years. And this isn't because of kids. It's because I am lazy.

I have belly fat. Yup. I do. Three kids does that to you. Well, and the fact that I eat dessert almost every night. I am working on getting it off BUT not hard enough.

My bedroom is only clean about 2 days out of the month. It's the last on my list. It's easy to close the door when company comes over and that's just the way it is. If you have seen it clean, consider yourself lucky!

I get mad at my kids sometimes. Even little Pike. I'm not proud of this fact, just being real.

Sometimes Stephen drives me nuts! (Again, just being real :o)

I like the idea of baking with my kids. In actuality, it's a ton of work and it doesn't happen very often these days. When it does happen, I find it stretches my patience immensely.

I've wasted about 1 1/2 hours on the internet today and my toilet is still dirty and my floors have still not been mopped. Whether these things end up clean tonight, you may never know!

There you have it. This is the honest-to-goodness me. I hope you feel good about yourself. Because tomorrow, I will most likely be posting the good things in my day...all three of them! Just kidding.

He is Risen!

2011-04-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we celebrated the fact that Christ arose and is alive. Celebrating with family and friends cannot be beat. I love it! Saturday morning we feasted on chocolate and almond croissants, scrumptious eggs and ham and an assortment of fruit, with Stephen's family. The kids had a blast searching for hidden eggs and they ended the hunt by finding the most treasured prize, God's Word.

These are the remnants of a breakfast enjoyed.

Opening their eggs and discovering all of the candy!

The kids on the hunt for the treasure.

Grandma Therese explaining why the bible is the best treasure. (Jovie found this special prize and it also had $5 hidden inside!)

Aunt Lolo and Pike.

The kids getting ready to enjoy the giant chocolate bunny that Great Grandpa Elven gave to them.

On Sunday, the kids woke up to their Easter baskets and an egg hunt in the living room. We celebrated with my family that afternoon. We ate braised BBQ beef, three bean casserole, an assortment of salads and desserts. I made a fresh fruit tart with pastry cream to share. The kids enjoyed another Easter egg hunt and we now have more candy in this house than we should eat in a year!

Jovie finding eggs.

Looking through their baskets.

I'm craving...

2011-04-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

vacation!

A night in a luxurious hotel.

A family trip to Disneyland!

A boat ride through the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.

Sipping a coffee at a busy cafe in Paris.

An exciting day of shopping in New York.

A relaxing day at the beach in Maui.

How about you? Where would you go?

all ears

2011-04-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Next to Stephen, my mom is my best friend. I call on her for anything and everything from how to make a pumpkin pie to how to potty train a child. She is all ears when I'm excited about some idea that I've concocted which may or may never come true. She is my help when I'm in desperate need. She is my sounding wall when I need to vent about kids and life. I've been thinking about how much I complain. Over the past few weeks, I've complained to my mom a lot about how little sleep I've had, how hard it is to take care of sick kids, how exhausted I am with everything. She simply listens and sympathizes and encourages me that it is a tough season and I'm doing a good job. You know what I was thinking about? Why doesn't she one-up me? Why doesn't she say, "oh yeah, you think you have it rough, think about me!"? Here's a brief example of one point in life in my mom's shoes: she had 3 teenagers (13,14,16) keeping her up late, a newborn baby (Racer) waking through the night, a toddler (Hutton) who cried in the middle of the night because he had to go potty, and a near 4-year-old (Piper) who had just been diagnosed with type 1 (juvenile onset) diabetes who required blood sugar tests and sometimes shots in the middle of the night. On top of all this, she and my dad had just opened a small business (United Package Express) in Aberdeen on top of my dad's full time job as a UPS driver. Oh, and she home-schooled us all! Wow! And that was when there were just 6 of us kids, she has 3 more since that point in time. But, does she ever compare my little complaints which I make out to be huge with her chaotic life? No. She doesn't because she is the epitome of a selfless mother. And I have her to look up to. She simply listens and sympathizes. I want to be like my mom in so many ways and this is just one way that I hope to learn and grow from her. She is a good listener and her heart for her children (me!) is so big. I'm still learning how to be thankful in all situations and how to see the cup half full. Some days are better than others but I do know that I have it good. My life is blessed. And when I just can't take another squabble, or another cup of spilled milk, or another sleepless night, my mom is there with ears open to listen and tell me I'll get through. And if you ever need to vent or complain, call me, I want to practice being a good listener, encourager and sounding wall!

I want to be a homemaker...

2011-04-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to be a mommy. Getting married and having children was the one constant goal throughout my childhood/teenage years. I always envisioned staying home to keep the house tidy and to play with the kids. I never thought about the days that we might be sick and yet mommy doesn't get a "sick day". I never thought about the days that kids, or mommy might wake up on the wrong side of the bed and just not be able to kick of the grumpys. I never really thought about the times when the laundry would consume the couch. I thought about the adorable faces, the giggles, the cuddles. I thought about the tidy house and the wife that is all dolled up in an apron with dinner coming off the burner right as daddy comes home. Everything was so perfect...in my mind. I don't write this to express how horrible it really is. It's not. In fact, I think that all of these slumps and the outrageous amounts of clothes consuming my couch, the fact that I have a crying kid at my feet if and when I do have dinner coming off the burner shows that my life is real. I have a good life and it's REAL. Perfect, no. Wonderful, yes! And in this reality Stephen loves me. God loves me. My kids love me. My parents love me. Even my in-laws love me (I'm pretty sure.) I am so thankful that all of these people in my life have supported me in my desire to be a homemaker. As much as it may be looked down upon by some, I have had nothing but encouragement. When people ask what I do, I hold my head high and say, "I stay home." I hope to encourage my girls to do the same, if they desire so. Currently their favorite book is I Want To Be A HOMEMAKER by Carla Greene published in 1961. I'll leave you with the closing line from the book:

One day Tom hung over the fence and said, "I'm going to be a pilot when I grow up."

"I'm going to be a cook, cleaner, nurse, teacher and an artist," said Jane.

"You can't be so many things," said Tom.

"Oh yes I can," said Jane. "A good homemaker is all of those things."

better late than never!

2011-04-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a project where you set a timeline to complete it only to watch that timeline come and go and you never even started on the said project? That's pretty much the story of our lives. When we purchased this house 3 years ago, the deck was rotten. The kids couldn't go out on it and we were hoping to complete the deck before our second summer in the house. But that didn't happen. Life happened. Kids happened. Nearly a year after we were planning to complete the deck it is done! Stephen continues to amaze me with his skills. Sometimes I wonder if there's anything he can't do. The kids absolutely love having a deck! I can't wait to let them eat picnic lunches out there. For now, they go out for short bursts to watch the birds or play with toys out there. Oh, and don't you love my girls' middle of the day outfits? Jovie dug that dress out of my baby clothes bin (it's just a little small) and Pear is wearing her staple- pajamas.

Calvin and Hobbes

2011-04-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is in honor of Philip, Stephen and all of the other guys who discovered the fun of Calvin and Hobbes throughout their childhood.

We're starting Pike out young.

Baby dolls and Racer

2011-03-31T10:13:00.001-07:00

My girls love to play baby dolls. They love changing their clothes. They love brushing their hair. They love naming them. They love being mommys to their babies. You may be wondering where Racer comes into play here. Racer is my brother. He's 11 years old. He is one of the sweetest kids I've ever met. When I go down to visit my parents, Racer comes running out, rain or shine, sometimes barefoot, sometimes without a coat, and he greets me at the car door, "can I help carry anything?" Both of my girls love him (Pike too for that matter,) but Jovie especially. When I ask if they want to go to the girls' house, Jovie chimes in "and Racer!" He has left such a good impression on her, that the little cabbage patch kid in the orange shirt on the left is his namesake. Even now, Jovie came up to the computer to look at the picture and she said, "oh, there's Racer!"

Under the weather

2011-03-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

The past week has been a week that I hope to forget, soon. I have had sick kids, a sick husband, long days and even longer nights. And wouldn't you know it, I seem to be the caboose of the bug. On top of being sick, after a long night of basically no sleep, Pike woke me grinding his teeth! Yeah, his little body decided it was a swell time to cut his top teeth. This was the first bug that really had me worried for my child. Pear contracted the flu on Thursday night. She had a fever and aches which lead to a sore throat and cough. And with Pear, when she has a cough, a couple episodes of coughing so hard that she gags herself and throws-up are bound to happen. I began to get concerned when after 3 days she still had no appetite and she still didn't want to do anything but sleep. Jovie, on the other hand was back to normal after 48 hours. But here we are, this is day 6 for Pear and this is the first morning she's played. She is also slowly starting to eat more. And of course we made sure to keep her hydrated through it all! Praise God we are on the mend!

Shabby Apple

2011-03-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

I'm on a kick! I want to go shopping. I want to buy dresses. I want to dress up. I want to be feminine. But, I'm not made of money. I don't have time to shop. And honestly, it's not extremely realistic for me to wear dresses every day. With 3 kids in tow, well, it's just not practical. A Few of My Favorite Things is hosting a giveaway for a dress from Shabby Apple which is a new favorite place for me to window shop. Ahhh. Dresses!

Coccodrillo

2011-03-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

If you know me well, you know I love to bake. It is a hobby and something I do to relax, to keep me busy, to enjoy and to share with others. Baking is one of those things that when you find a good recipe, whether it be for cake, bread or cookies, you stick with it. Why mess with a good thing? Lately I've been baking some bread and I'll be posting some of my favorite recipes. Today I'm sharing a rustic Italian loaf that has a hearty crumb and a robust flavor.

This recipe was adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking
Makes 2 large loaves

For the sponge:
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup dark beer
3 cups room temperature water
1 cup semolina flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 tbsp sea salt

About 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for the work surface and pan

The night before you wish to enjoy this bread, prepare the sponge by mixing all ingredients until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.

To make the dough, transfer the sponge to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flours and salt. With dough hook, knead on low speed and add a little (I usually have to add about 3/4 cup) more flour as needed for the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl after a few minutes. (Note that this makes a wet dough so don't be surprised by it's softness.)

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise 1 1/2-2 hours.

Flour a cookie sheet with about 3/4 cup additional flour. Bounce dough in flour to make a nice big ball. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.

Gently cut dough in half down the middle to make to loaves. Carefully turn loaves onto their sides to have the ruff cut end facing up. Bake immediately for 35-45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the breads sit in the oven for 10 more minutes to set the crust. Enjoy warm or cooled!

artwork

2011-03-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Someday, I hope to have nice artwork adorning my walls. I could fall asleep gazing at a print such as this classic Van Gough:
Or this modern, simple piece by Piet Mondrian:
Or even a moment caught by Norman Rockwell:

But for now, nothing could make me smile more than these:

In case you couldn't tell, from left to right: Me, Pear, Pike, Stephen and Jovie.

If I could...

2011-03-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

I would buy all of these things.

Pom Shift Dress from Anthropologie A complete cosmetic set from Laura Mercier

The Kapow! Boot from Modcloth

World Map from These Are Things

Berry Delight Tablecloth from House8810

The Lemonade at Lunch Dress from Modcloth

The Carly Chair from Crate and Barrel

Happy Birthday Towels From House8810

Clothbound Children's Classics from Anthropologie

But, what fun would it be to window shop if you could actually have everything at your fingertips? Yeah. It wouldn't be much fun at all...or would it? ;)

a hair cut

2011-03-10T21:20:00.001-08:00

I know. You probably thought I'd have pictures of my mangy hair turned into a stylish do but nope! I still have my old mangy hair. It's the platinum blond in this household that gets the attention today. I gave Pear kid-size scissors and some paper and told her she could cut shapes. I've worked with her before and taught her the proper way to hold scissors, I've watched her cut paper, I've left her alone before to cut paper. Last Thursday she had an urge to cut something other than paper-her hair! I was literally only out of her room for 2 minutes and in those 2 minutes she managed to lop off several chunks, each about 3 inches long. I walked in the room and she said, "look how short my hair is," to which my jaw dropped and I gasped and before I could even say a word her lips began to quiver and she cried, "I'm sorry mom! I'll never cut my hair again. Can we fix it?" No punishment needed. No anger let out. The poor thing was devastated by that momentary urge to cut her hair. Thankfully, it wasn't too bad. We went that evening to get her hair cut. The stylist managed to taper it around her face a bit so that it wasn't noticeable that a 4 year old had done the cutting. And of course, amongst the drama, Jovie wanted to get her hair cut so we treated her to her first haircut.

The way I am

2011-03-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

I like this song.

It's dinner time!

2011-03-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know what dinner time usually looks like in your home, but for us, it's, well, for lack of a better word, fun. Pike loves food, but we are currently avoiding all wheat as he seems to be intolerant/allergic. The girls like a variety of food but usually not when it's placed on their own plate. So, dinner time looks like this: We make the kids their watered-down version of our food (a little less colorful/less flavorful than ours) and give it to them. I feed Pike his mushier/gluten free version of our food. Then Stephen and I get to eat and feed all three kids off our plates like little birds. For example, last night, we made the girls their cheesy pasta rather than our onion basil pasta and we offered them steak but they turned it down. Stephen and I sat down with our gorgeous plates and of course, they started chirping for bites. Whoever sits by Jovie can usually hardly get a bite in edgewise! Either way, we are blessed. We are well fed and so are our kids. I am looking forward to getting to eat a meal with a little less chirping some day though.

My growing Dude

2011-03-06T08:12:00.000-08:00

How did he go from this:

To this:
Who gave this sweet little boy of mine permission to grow so quickly? This kid is so much fun. I tell people that he's the dream baby that everybody hopes to have. He's sweet and cuddly, he's content and happy, he's funny, he's healthy, he naps okay, he sleeps alright, he truly is a dude! I am having so much fun watching the boy in him emerge. He's been 100% boy from day 1 and it is a breath of fresh air! I love my little girls in all their girliness but there is something refreshing about the simplicity of a boy. Here are some facts about Pike:

He is 9 months old.

Pike loves water, he loves to splash BIG.

He loves to wrestle and squirm when you change his diaper, and if you really pin him down, sometimes he'll laugh as if he's playing a game.

Pike explores every nook and cranny in this house. He climbs in cupboards and attempts to jump off the couch.

He's already gotten into the plant and pot of dirt several times.

He goes through spurts of loving to take naps and hating to take naps. I can't figure out if it's something I'm doing wrong (such as missing his tired cues) or him simply going through different growing phases. Either way, he's fallen asleep sitting up a few times.

He LOVES food. However, he seems to have a sensitivity towards it. He breaks out in a rash on his face and chest with different foods. It seems to mainly be wheat and peanuts. So, we are a little limited.
Pike has two little teeth on the bottom that came in right at 8 months old.

He gives me lots and lots of slobbery kisses all day long and gives daddy snuggles every morning.
He says "dadda" a lot more than he says "mama" but he wants his mommy more often than daddy.
Pike pulls himself to standing position any chance he gets.

He is fascinated by the refrigerator, freezer and the dishwasher. Any time they are opened, he makes a run straight for them. He would love to just sit and play in the refrigerator!
Pear and Jovie are his favorite entertainers. He loves to play with them in their room and misses them any time they are napping or away.
He loves to ride in the car....most of the time.

cupcakes everywhere!

2011-03-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

It's been said that you can't have a cupcake and not smile...so why not have them everywhere on your birthday? That's exactly what Pear did. She had a "Cupcake Birthday". Pear is now 4 years old and what a spunky little 4 year old she is.

I really am reliving girlhood through my daughters, and it is so much fun! These kids of mine give me an excuse to do almost everything I want to do without looking like a dork. I made little cupcake softies, cupcakes pops, I even made a cupcake bunting! I baked my friend's (thanks Kamille!) recipe for homemade funfetti cupcakes, a simple old fashioned chocolate cupcake recipe from Chockylit, and a variety of frostings to make a fun cupcake tower. I think all of the kids were in awe of this.Ever since Jovie received her ballerina outfit for her birthday Pear has been requesting that she receive one on her birthday. I try to not let them dictate their birthday gifts as sometimes they may get more, sometimes less and I don't want it to become an expectation but this was one thing that I had to fulfill because Jovie wears hers almost daily and I see the look on Pears face as she longs to have a ballerina outfit too. This was one of the first things Pear opened and I'm glad she did because she enjoyed wearing it ALL day!Pear in her new outfit.

Uncle Racer and Pike.

Jovie was so gracious all day, simply being happy for her big sister.

I think Pear likes her Elephant family. ;)

Pear received many custom designed cards from her little friends, Pear loved every one of them and has saved them.

Pear's adorable cousin (well, 2nd cousin actually), Amelia.

My birthday girl.

Craft time!

Gramps brought out the accordion as we sang Happy Birthday!

At 4 years old Pear can:

Read.

Write her name and most of the alphabet.

Draw very creative alien looking families.

Ride her bike with training wheels extremely cautiously with a worried look on her face.

Count to 20.

She likes to:

Play pretend, lately her name is usually Lilly or Leah.

Build towers with legos. She usually carries it down the hallway, oh so carefully and then it tips and crashes and I see a big pucker and then a little girl throwing herself on the ground because "it broke and I can never build it again!"

Antagonize her sister. Well, maybe she doesn't "like" to, but she sure does it a lot!

Jump- on the bed, over the couch, from the steps, from here to there.

Play baby dolls, usually she names them Millie or Peach.

Play computer games. (I try to limit this to 30 minutes per day and not allow it every day)

Bake- cookies, bread, pizza, anything really!

Potty Training Take II

2011-03-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

I had been dreading the thought of potty training Jovie, ever since I started potty training Pear. Not only was the process of potty training Pear dreadful, it didn't end there. For months after that, she didn't want to go poo in the potty. So, yes, she'd go in her pants. It was dreadful. After much coaxing and training and even some spanks, she learned. Why would I want to go through that again?

One day about three weeks ago Jovie decided out of the blue that she wanted to go pee on the potty. So I sat her on the toilet and sure enough, she went! As fearful as I was of the week ahead I dove into training mode. It was a great week to do it because the girls were fighting a cold and so we were home-bound regardless. Jovie would say "haffa go poddy!" about every 15 minutes. This would entail me running into the bathroom with her, getting her on the potty and waiting sometimes 2 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes, to hear a little trickle after which she would look up at me with pride and smile. After two days of this with only 2 accidents and those being because she ran into the bathroom without me and was trying to turn on the light before getting on the potty, I decided I didn't have to be quite as glued to her. I showed her how to use the stools to get on the potty and to wash her hands. Then she was even more ecstatic to go potty because she got to wash her hands! She washed her hands so frequently that she had a rash all the way to her elbows (eczema). She was still going potty ever 15-30 minutes at this point but the way I looked at it was: better safe than sorry and she's wanting to do it. 3 weeks later, she's still only had the 2 accidents besides 1 accident in bed but that was because she had a cup of juice right before bed. she sleeps through the night, goes pee and poo in the potty and she does it all on her own!

A wedding to remember...

2011-03-01T21:46:00.001-08:00

My sister got married. I'll rewind back to November when she got engaged. The following months were a whirlwind for everyone as there was a dress to be bought, celebrations to be planned and a wedding to be had. Tara flew home every couple of weeks it seemed. She and my mom were constantly busy shopping and planning and calling and figuring out the details. It was so much fun to be a part of. I enjoyed all of the time I got to tag along with my little buddy, Pike. But, it was also a hard time for me because I wasn't able to be a part of it all as much as I would have liked. Having three kids under 4 years old and a husband with a full time job (and a couple of side gigs to boot) doesn't leave a girl with a ton of free time. Stephen was very kind and encouraged me to go any chance I got but sometimes it just didn't work out. Okay, enough of me complaining. At least I have a sister (or 5!) that I get to enjoy and participate in such exciting times as getting married.

The wedding day was so much fun, and absolutely crazy! I don't know what the craziest part of my day was: Trying to follow Tara from the mall to the hotel? Trying to fix both my girls hair, feed Pike and get dressed within about a 10 minute time frame? Corralling the flower girls on the stage during the wedding? Getting in an argument with Stephen after the wedding because he had been dealing with a fussy baby through the entire ceremony and I wanted him to persevere and stay a little longer for pictures? Getting lost on the way to the reception sight? Or running through a torrential downpour to make a grand entrance at the reception. Those were all of the crazy moments. The fun moments far surpass. I thoroughly enjoyed getting make-up done at Nordstrom. Tara looked gorgeous and was beaming all day. I loved seeing Tara look at Brian as he surprised her and sang her a song. Walking into the reception and seeing it all decorated was great. The food was tasty. Even though I choked up while toasting Tara and Brian, I spoke from my heart and was sincere and loved that feeling. Dancing was a blast! I've never had so much fun dancing at a wedding. It was just a fun day.

Congratulations Tara and Brian! I love you both.

If you'd like to get a preview of their pictures, click here!

I don't know what to write!

2011-01-30T19:16:00.000-08:00

I don't know how it's already the end of January. I don't know how two and a half weeks have elapsed since I wrote a blog post. I do know that I don't have any new pictures to post because it seems some little monkeys took the adapter to download the pictures from the camera to the PC.

Stephen has slept on the couch in the family room probably half of the nights in the last month. Yep. I threw him in the dog-house! No. Seriously, he has been a wonderful dad and husband and offered to sleep in the family room with the girls because they've had a horrible lingering cough for what seems like an eternity. Our kids don't handle colds well. A cough often leads to spitting up in our home. I have changed bedding so many times over the last couple of weeks because rather than trying to hold a cough in, my girls go into a coughing fit over the slightest tickle and then they decide to stick their fingers in their mouths and gag themselves! Seriously, who does that? Where did they learn this? I don't know I just hope to get it under control. When these coughing fits, or runny noses which cause crying and whining and yelling down the hall, happen, Stephen or myself has to get up and walk down the hall to comfort and calm whoever it is making the fuss. Sure, some people could just let them whine. Some people could close the door and drift back to sleep. But not us. We have tenants living directly below us in our duplex and the volume our girls cry, let's just say I'm surprised they are still below us. Thus the reason we rush out of bed to comfort them. On top of having tenants below us which we are trying to not disrupt, Pike is still in our room as we only have two bedrooms. Pike is a light sleeper. Almost every time either Stephen or myself get up, Pike wakes up as well. And when this crying of the girls occurs every 30-45 minutes throughout the night, it's hardly worth going to bed! Thus the reason Stephen so kindly and unselfishly offers to sleep in the family room. I am so thankful to have a husband who is willing to take one for the team and sleep on the couch when needed.

That's just what's been going on through the night. Maybe I'll find time tomorrow to write a little about our days!

royal flush

2011-01-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

Stephen and I have a crazy life right now. I know I've said this before but it seems to get crazier by the day. We were pondering over our lunch break, (if you can call it that when it entails holding a crying baby, wiping a snotty nose and changing a diaper and Stephen replying and writing e-mails pertaining to business,) this afternoon and I came to this analogy:

We've been dealt all the right cards, we have so many opportunities and blessings- our struggle is figuring out how to play them all right. Some people have lousy cards dealt to them, some don't have a whole lot in their hands. So today, I choose to be thankful. I am thankful for the handful I have. I am thankful that I get to juggle chaos and be blessed. Our life is crazy but at least it's good.

snapshots

2011-01-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

There are certain things that I never want to forget...

The way that Jovie says "I wuzz you Mommy."

How Pike gives me, and only me, big slobbery kisses.

Pear's animation as she describes something.

The way that Stephen walks through the door and says "I'm home!"

It's the simple things that make life grand.

smiles

2010-12-30T20:09:00.001-08:00

Pike, Great Grandpa & Great Grandma
This picture is priceless.

Christmas Cookie Favorites

2010-12-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

Pictured above are my favorite Christmas cookies and candies. One of my favorite things about the holiday season is baking an assortment of cookies while listening to Christmas music and then giving half of them away while consuming the other half with my family. These are my Christmas cookie staples. Starting on the left and going clockwise we have: Peppermint Patty Cookies- Farm Chicks Cookbook, Lemon Bars- Cook's Illustrated, Peanut Butter Balls- Cooks.com, Chocolate Crinkles- Martha Stewart, Winter Almond Bark- Martha Stewart, Peanut Butter Blossoms- New York Times, Homemade Almond Joy- Joy the Baker, Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies- Barefoot Contessa and in the center is a Butter Cookie with icing- Cooks Illustrated.

Merry Christmas!

summer

2010-12-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Those glorious days of summer; 90 degree crisp air, rays of sunshine beaming on my face, the cooling effect of the river on my toes, a BBQ with family and friends and an ice cold Coca-Cola...that's what I'm thinking about.

are these the good times?

2010-12-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot lately, contemplating the joys and sorrows of life. So many times these days I am counting down the minutes until bed time. I go to bed exhausted and wake up exhausted. I look forward to the day when my kids will simply sleep! Yet everyone I talk to says, "they'll only be little for a short while- savor the moments." I try. I try real hard. But sometimes it's hard. What is it that I am to be savoring? Is it the fact that my little darlings adore me right now? Is it the fact that they say and do the funniest things without shame? Is it the simplicity of their lives at this stage, that they can spend all day pretending to be Flower and Sunshine? Well, whatever it is, I am going to keep trying to savor the day. I don't want to look back and think, "if only I took the time to play, laugh, love, teach, etc. my kids." I have been blessed with three adorable kids. They have tons of energy and thoroughly wear me out EVERY day. They also bring me more joy than I could have imagined. I am in love with each of them. And with this in mind, I'm off to bake cookies with them. Sure, it will take three times as long, make twice as big of a mess and possibly not even turn out but I'll be making memories with my kids!

in a nutshell

2010-12-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Wow. I did not realize time could fly so quickly. Everyone says the older you get, the faster time flies and it is so true. I don't want it to fly any faster though. So maybe I should just stop here. Stay 24 forever. Keep my babies as babies forever. Hmmm, if only it were possible.

Stephen and I are happily insane. Well, maybe it's only half of the time that we are insane... Our kids keep us this way. You see, kids bring this balance of ultimate joy and love and sheer chaos and insanity. One moment they play together quietly in their room, skip down the hall to give you a kiss and say they love you and the next moment they are yelling at you from the other end of the house while kicking and screaming because their arm is stuck in the neck-hole of that dress that must go on or because one sister took the toy that the other wanted to play with.

Pear will be 4 in February. She loves to dance and sing. She loves to dress up, have her hair fixed, go shopping and pretty much do anything girly. I caught her shopping on Gap.com the other day. I must have left my browser open and sure enough she managed to find the girl clothes and was sitting at the computer shopping. Yep, that's my girl! She is currently learning to read and is doing very well. She can read short stories and I find her reading words and signs when we're out and about. Other than her daily reading lesson, we don't have a whole lot of structure to her schooling yet. We are just using everyday life and situations to encourage learning. Pear loves to color pictures and she makes the most adorable, alien looking Backholm family. She colors a picture for Stephen to take to work almost every day. He's taken one or two and put them on his office walls but I'm afraid she might be disappointed if we go and visit him and she doesn't see all 50 of them. Pear is continuing to grow in kindness and gentleness. She loves her siblings and will often greet Jovie with a hug after Jovie wakes from her nap.

Speaking of Jovie, this little 2-year-old girl is a kick. Her most spoken phrase is "I'm hunger mommy." She never tires of eating. In her mind, she runs just as fast and jumps just as high as her big sister. Jovie is Pear's little sidekick and they will play and play and play. Jovie loves her little brother tremendously. Unfortunately, sometimes she expresses that love in ways that aren't as enjoyable for him. She has a certain obsession for Pike's binky. Jovie hasn't had a binky since she was 1 but ever since Pike came along, she has to have it. Not in her mouth, not to suck on, simply to have it in her control and hold it. Jovie will hear Pike waking from his nap crying and she'll run in the bedroom, grab his binky through the crib slats and run back out of the room with it leaving Pike awake and crying longing for the said binky.

Pike, our biggest blessing this year, is probably close to the best baby I could have asked for. He is always happy and content. He likes to snuggle and give me kisses. He loves to go for car rides. Ahhh, a breath of fresh air! He has made life so much more fun and I am so thankful for him. He loves to laugh and play. He loves to roll across the room. He is a momma's boy but he is much more friendly to others than either of the girls have been.

Viking Hat...

2010-12-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

I recently spotted this hat featured in a recent Real Simple magazine. I wanted the hat but I didn't want to pay the $50 price. What to do, what to do? Make one of course! I dug up an old sweater that I haven't worn in years, used some scrap fur from the fabric bin and voila! Oh, and might I add that on Pike's first time sporting the hat, I had a couple of people ask where we got the hat and upon saying that I made it, they said, "you could get a good little side business going you know."

Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a month but I just came across the pictures from our trip to the pumpkin patch.

The wagon ride to the pumpkin patch.

The Dude and his daddy.

The girls with their pumpkins.

Daddy giving the girls a lesson on how corn grows.

Breathe.

2010-11-08T19:44:00.001-08:00

Wow. What a trying couple of hours, days, weeks...months! My life is crazy. It really is. You may think, "Oh, she's just saying that." But let me assure you, it is sheer chaos! In-between the tantrums, the fits, the sleepless nights, the hitting, the bumps and bruises, the messes and the crying I see glimpses of laughter and joy and love. It's the glimpses that keep me going. Okay, maybe it's not that bad but today really was.

I'm being frank and honest here. Sometimes I don't know why or how I get into these messes. Sometimes I don't know how I'm going to make it through. Actually, I do. Every time I feel this way I realize that I can't do it. I can't train my kids on my own. I can't give them all of the love, calm all of the fits or keep going after those sleepless nights on my own. And that is why I have days like this. That is why I'm in this mess. I forget on whom I depend. If only this little bird brain of mine would remember and comprehend the God I serve!

So, I'm laying it on the table, these are the things I'm asking God to help me with:

I want Pear to have a heart that desires to be kind to others and to her siblings. I want her to find joy in sharing and helping others.

I need Pear to calm down and not throw fits in the parking lot because it's cold outside or in the store because Jovie's leg accidentally touched her.

I want Jovie to desire to honor her mommy and daddy and obey.

I need patience. I need patience. I need patience.

I want to exemplify joy and thankfulness to my family in a way that is contagious.

I need help training my kids to be thankful and not whine or complain when asked to eat their dinner, or help pick up their toys.
I need direction in how to communicate and speak to my children in a way that helps them understand and that touches their hearts.

Now, thankfully "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Here's to a new day, full of the glimpses of joy, dependant on God, washed in Christ's mercies!

The long awaited Care Bear Birthday!

2010-10-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Jovie is now 2. She has been waiting for months for her Care Bear birthday. I don't know why she was so determined to have a Care Bear birthday. We only have 1 Care Bear movie and they hardly ever watch it. They have a Care Bear book that we hardly ever read. But Memee did get them Care Bear dolls that they play with quite often, maybe that's it.

We had a simple fun filled day to celebrate her 2 year birthday. She woke up to streamers, a fun cake and presents on the table. Daddy made her the best waffles I've ever eaten for breakfast. We got her a little pink leotard with a tutu attached which she liked so much that she wore it all day! We went to McDonald's and got the girls Happy Meals (this is a rare occasion) for lunch. My family came over for a little party and we ended the day by going to Red Robin where she stood on the table for the birthday song and had all eyes adoring her.

Happy Birthday my adorable, mischievous, sweet, fun, silly, blue eyed girl.

Happy Day Dude!

2010-10-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

5 months old today.

Cake

2010-10-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

This is on of my favorite cake recipes for a couple of reasons. It is simple. It is loaded with rich chocolate flavor. And it has hints of espresso in every bite. While frosting this cake, Pear said, "Wow. That is the bestest cake I ever dreamed about in ten years!" She then turned to Pike and said, "You were dreaming about it in mom's tummy, huh." And, maybe what she said is true. It was a darn good cake! If you'd like to try a good, simple cake recipe, here you go:

Simple Old Fashioned Cake

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa powdered
2 oz shot espresso
1-1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition.
3. Measure the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Measure the milk, vanilla and espresso into a measuring cup.
5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
6. Divide batter into two 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt
1Tbsp light corn syrup
10 oz milk chocolate (I highly recommend getting good quality chocolate.)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
8 Tbsp butter
Heat cream, salt, and corn syrup in microwave-safe measuring cup on high until simmering, about 1 minute. Place chocolate in work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. With machine running, gradually add hot cream mixture through feed tube; process 1 minute after cream has been added. Stop machine; add powdered sugar to bowl and process to combine, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add butter through feed tube one piece at a time; process until incorporated and smooth, about 20 seconds longer. Transfer frosting to medium bowl and cool at room temperature, stirring frequently, until thick and spreadable, about 1 hour.

Nobody can be uncheered...

2010-10-05T16:04:00.000-07:00

...with a balloon.

~Winnie the Pooh

gettin' our groove on

2010-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

You're mom, not Bob!

2010-09-23T09:02:00.001-07:00

This morning, on our way to get doughnuts at 6:30 am, Pear came to a revelation: "Mom, I think I'm all better now because now I call you mom, not Bob!" Pear has been fighting a cold over the last couple of days. Let me tell you, she DOES NOT deal with colds well. Picture a whiny little girl that sneezes and starts screaming hysterically, "my nose, my nose!" Then she frantically goes for the nearest blanket, t-shirt or tissue and wipes her face aggressively. All night long, every 30 minutes she wakes crying due to a plugged nose, sore throat or cough, I'm not talking about whimpering or whining, no, she is full out wailing and waking the whole house with her. You'd think she were seriously ill but no, it's just a cold. All day yesterday she complained, "momb I can't say momb, I keep calling you Bob! My nose is plugged." Anyway, she appears to be better and I am back to being mom, not Bob.

4 months

2010-09-20T08:09:00.001-07:00

My little Pike is already 4 months old. Time has flown by since that May day that he was born. It feels as though we jumped right past summer, (oh wait, that's because this year in Western Washington, that's basically what we did!)

Pike continues to be what I would call an angel baby. He is almost always happy. He takes one solid (1-2 hour) nap every day along with a couple 45 minute naps. He eats well. Plays well. He'll lay on his tummy. He'll sit in his chair. He's good in the car (most of the time.) He's just a dream! Sometimes I feel bad for him because he's so good. I guess I've just never had a baby like him. I've never before been able to make dinner while the baby sits in the Bumbo and watches. I feel bad because he's content for 45 minutes in his chair! Pear would cry the minute I sat her down and Jovie would last maybe 15-20 minutes max. Pike, you are a dude!

I am loving life. I love having three adorable kids. I love having a little boy.

The long weekend...

2010-09-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

ended short. We did great and were surprised when Stephen arrived home a whole day early! I know it's been a couple of weeks so is this information really pertinent? Yes. Yes it is because I want you to know how great of a guy Stephen is. Stephen surprised us by coming home early and then he took us out to dinner and took the girls to Toys R Us to get a toy. We are loved!

a long weekend

2010-08-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

Life is good. Stephen is such a wonderful husband and I love him soooo much! I have three healthy, happy, beautiful children who make life fun (and crazy). And I have my God who loves me and blesses and forgives me. Now that we have those constants out in the open, let me just say that this is going to be a long weekend. Stephen went hiking. He will be gone for 3 whole days. I know, I'm a big baby. Military wives have to go months and I am complaining about 3 days! This "man-hike" is well deserved on Stephen's part. He has been working his tail off remodeling our house, being a dad and husband and all of this on top of his day job which he is doing very well at. As much as it is deserved for him, it is still going to be a long weekend for me. It's not that I can't handle the kids by myself. I can. It's just that 3 full 24 hour shifts with a 3 1/2 year old, 22 month old and 3 month old, really wears one out. You see, I have to answer ALL of the questions. I have to change ALL of the diapers. I have to cook ALL of the meals, do ALL of the dishes, wash ALL of the faces- you get the point. And all of this with very little adult communication or interaction. I can't really go anywhere with all three kids. Well, I can but it's really not worth it. By the time I get everyone dressed, hair brushed, fed, etc. it's probably nap time or maybe one has to go potty and then while that one was going potty the other pooped their pants and then by the time I get the diaper changed the other spit up all over his clothes and therefore we start the cycle all over again. If we are lucky to even make it out of the house, by the time we reach the destination, one may have fallen asleep in the car, the other cries because now we can't get out at the said destination thus waking the other child up and then we have 2, 3 or maybe even 4 (including me) crying babies in the car! Or there's the instance like I had this morning when I actually got all of the kids ready, buckled in their seats and then found out that not only is the car on empty but the tire pressure is low as well. So on top of all of the things mentioned above, tack on an extra 30 minutes to take care of the car. Yeah. I think I'll just stay home tomorrow.

Day 1 complete. We are all alive and well. I am happy and thankful. I didn't cry. I am exhausted. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I did just eat 2 enormous chocolate chip cookies...because I deserved them.

life as I know it....

2010-08-13T19:33:00.001-07:00

I sit down to nurse Pike. Pear begins to pant in panic because she has to go potty. Pear yells, "mom I went poop!" I ask, "in the potty?" She replies, "no, in my panties!" I set Pike down. He cries because he was in the middle of eating his lunch. I head toward the bathroom. I hear a crash and Jovie begins screaming. Yep. She fell off the dresser in the closet. I comfort Jovie. I go into the bathroom and take care of Pear's mess. I retrieve Pike. I sit down to nurse Pike. Two minutes of my life. Want to hear more?

comparing faces at 2 months...

2010-07-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Pike

Jovie

Pear

Our little dude is 2 months old.

2010-07-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

"How can this be?" you may ask. Well, I don't exactly know. Evidently a day begins with the rising of the sun and ends with the setting. One month contains 30-31 days which means that approximately 61 days have elapsed since his birth but what I can't figure out is why it seems like it's been no more than 2 weeks. Why is it that time seems to disappear in thin air when I'm wanting to savor it? Ah, well, I can't change the way time passes, only how I use it. I think I'm using it pretty well loving on my little Pike and his adorable sisters.Do you like Pike's pants? I followed this tutorial for the Knee Pad Pants. How about the shirt? I used a Gerber onesie and inkjet transfer paper along with this clip-art image.

I am blessed!

A trip over the mountains...

2010-07-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Stephen's sister, Claire, just so happens to be engaged to a farm boy. And, not just any farm boy but one from a wonderful family who runs a cherry, apple and blueberry farm. On July 3rd Bill's Berry Farm held their first ever Blueberry Daze Festival. The festival sounded like so much fun that my family decided to take the 4 hour drive and make a mini vacation out of it.

We stayed in a hotel in Yakima on Friday night. Pear was so excited to see the pool upon our arrival. We immediately went to our room to put our suits on and headed down to the pool. The girls swam, and swam and swam some more. They were also very excited to sleep in a big bed. "This is the best room ever! They've never had kids here before because they don't have kids beds," Pear said with excitement. I think Pear's highlight was "making" her own waffle at the continental breakfast in the morning. She has been telling people ever since that morning that she made her own waffle at the hotel.

Jovie sittin' pretty in the pool.

Isn't my mom beautiful? She's blesses me.

Aspen.

Libbi.

Racer.

Stephen and Jovie.

Pear.

The Blueberry Daze festival was so much fun! There were pony rides, train rides pulled by a tractor, they had tire swings hung from big trees and the best tree fort. Wonderful antique vendors from all over Washington set up camp to display their beautiful treasures. They grilled tasty burgers and hot dogs, sold ice cold lemonade and mochas, ice cream bars and sodas. It was a blast! It reminds me of something you'd see in a Country Living magazine.The menu.

Some of the antique vendors.

Stephen's mom, Therese, and Pike.

Taffi, Pear and Libbi. Do you like Libbi's dress? I made it with recycled t-shirts!

Stephen's brother Warren with the J-Jove.

She really was having fun.

Need I say anything?

Yes, she really is as sweet as she looks.

Real life: overall, this first mini vacation with all three kids was a success. Sure, the girls fought for an hour or two in the bed before going to sleep. Sure, all three kids were awake at one point in the night and it took another 45 minutes to get them back to sleep but that's life with kids, right? The drive both there and back was fairly pleasant. Pike decided he didn't want to be in the car for some of it and we had to pull over a few times to console him but overall, I was very happy and deemed this trip a success. Oh, did I mention that having my parents and siblings there was a HUGE help? Yeah, that probably contributed to the success of the trip. And then at the festival, Stephen's family was also there. Family is WONDERFUL!

Woodland Park Zoo

2010-07-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

My grandma Memee took us to the zoo on occasion growing up. Just recently, a few of us grand-kids got the bug to walk down memory lane and go to the zoo again. Although not everyone was able to make it, it was still a blast. I am so glad that my girls are getting to experience the fun Memee that I know and love.

The youngest of the cousins from left to right: Rallye, Jaden, Aspen, Libbi, Taffi, Pear, Racer and Jovie.

My Aunt, Debbie, with Pike.

My sister, Tara, with Pear.

My brother, Hutton.

My sister, Aspen.

Jovie with Libbi Lu.

a new record

2010-06-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday marked two things: Pike Henry turned 4 weeks old and Stephen set a new record. I was clueless that Stephen was embarking to set a record but somehow, he managed to do it without my help. It all began the day Pike was born. That first time he pooed, Stephen said "oh, here, you can change him. It's a great bonding time." I smiled as he came up with a cunning way to say that he didn't want to change his diaper. This is where the new record comes in. It was my turn to get out of the house. I picked Pike up after he woke from his nap and I knew his pants were messy. But, rather than changing him, I decided to feed him. So, I fed him. Then I put on my shoes, grabbed the keys and said, "I'm leaving, I'll be back in an hour! Oh, and Pike's poopy." To which Stephen responded, "Aw, really? Don't you want to change him before you go?" "No." I said, "The clocks ticking and I only have so much time before I have to be back to feed him again, you can do it." It wasn't until the next day that I found out about this new record. Stephen told me that he made it 4 weeks without changing a poopy diaper from Pike. It wasn't until I declined changing the poopy diaper which forced him to do it. That was his new record. I changed Pikes diaper- all 8 times a day, 7 days a week. This includes the days Stephen was home after Pike was born. It includes the days the following week that Stephen only worked half-days. It includes the 2 or 3 times in the middle of the night while Stephen sawed logs. Until last Wednesday. 4 weeks! That is a little over 200 poopy diapers that I changed and that he didn't. What a turkey!

life

2010-06-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

Has it really been four weeks since we got to meet our little Pike? Yes, it really has. Life has been... ummm... somewhat crazy, a little chaotic, partially stressful, and absolutely wonderful all at the same time. I am learning how to make all three of my children feel loved, which simply takes effort. I've found that I have to set aside specific times for each of my kids. And then I try to make time for my wonderful husband who, unfortunately, has probably been on the back-burner most because he's the only one that understands the current chaotic circumstances and knows that I love him without the "special time" that the girls require. I truly am enjoying this season and for those of you wondering, having three kids is not as hard as I thought it would be. Honestly, it continues to be easier than when Jovie came along and we went from one to two.

Pike is still a very good little baby boy. He does have a fussy time from about 6:30-9:30 every evening. This requires either Stephen or myself to walk, rock and cuddle the little guy for the three hour stretch while keeping the binky in tow. He eats every 2-3 hours and at night sleeps a solid 3 hours in-between each feeding. He takes naps...sometimes. However, he almost always takes a solid 2 hour nap in the afternoon which is a time I savor as I not only can get things done but I can also spend time with my little ladies.

Jovie and Pear continue to be best of friends and worst of enemies. Jovie still has a hard time communicating, only saying a few words, most of which nobody else would understand. Once she can communicate, I think playing will be a little more peaceful. That's my hope at least. Pear can be the sweetest, most helpful little thing at times and then at other times I wonder what I did wrong. I guess that's probably just a typical 3 year old in training.

This is a typical scenario. The girls constantly want to hold Pike and one of them is usually crying because it's not their turn while the other one is as happy as can be holding baby Pike.

a week gone by...

2010-05-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today marks Pike's 1 week birthday. It is amazing how it seems like just yesterday he was born and yet it feels like he's been with us forever. I couldn't have dreamed of a more pleasant baby or an easier adjustment.

Pear and Jovie LOVE him. Anytime he is in Jovie's sight she coos and makes sweet baby noises. She is constantly wanting to pet and kiss him. Pear couldn't be a more proud big sister. She repeatedly tells me, "mom, he's the best baby ever!" She is so sweet and is constantly asking to hold him. Not only are the girls being good to Pike, they have been so good and cooperative with each other as well!

We had a couple of fussy days and nights when we first came home from the hospital but I'm pretty sure we are over those. Pike's little body just had to figure out how to process all this food! He now wakes every 2 1/2 hours to eat and then drifts back to sleep. He seems to naturally be getting into a good routine with an eating, playing and sleeping cycle every 2 1/2-3 hours.

As you may have gathered thus far, God is pouring down blessings on our family and we are so happy to be receiving them.

Welcome Pike Henry!

2010-05-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

What a sweet baby boy he is. We are all so in love with him already! We welcomed him into the world on May 19th at 10:15pm. He weighed in at 7lb 2oz and was 20in. long. He has a perfect little head with hardly any hair, however, Pear says she was right, he has "black" hair. I'm pretty sure it will be just as blond as the girls' over the summer though.
Warning: If you do not wish to read a birth story, read no further.

Never going into labor naturally, (I had to be induced with Pear and Jovie due to the complications of Cholestasis,) I didn't really know what to expect. I had prayed diligently that I would go into labor and have Pike on Wednesday and I woke Wednesday morning with a feeling that "today is the day!" Mid morning, I began having slight cramps along with braxton hicks contractions. By 4pm I thought, yeah, this is probably it. But I was still really unsure if this meant that labor was coming soon or in 12 hours or 3 days. By 5pm My "braxton hicks" were about 7-8 minutes apart and still only crampy feeling. Nothing was painful enough to make me stop what I was doing and I was still full on tending to the girls, lifting, taking potty, cleaning after. It was at that point though that I called my mom and she came to pick up the girls to spend the night assuming that things would progress. 6pm rolled around, the girls had just left and Stephen and I decided we'd go to the mall and walk around a bit. On our way to the mall, my contractions began getting a little more intense and about 4 minutes apart. We thought we'd better head to the Lacey mall (closer to the hospital) and ended up at the Lacey Target where we walked around for about 30 minutes and I didn't really feel like we were progressing so I suggested we go over to the Westside mall to have a larger area to walk. We walked there for a bit and contractions seemed to remain about 5 minutes apart and not intense enough to stop walking or even to stop talking. So, I suggested we go home and I'd bake up dessert and stop thinking about it for a bit. If they got intense I'd start timing it again. We arrived home at about 7:20pm. I made some pastry cream and choux pastry for cream puffs. As I was making the choux pastry, I noticed an increase in intensity and started timing again. Contractions were about 3 minutes apart and were intense enough that I didn't want to talk and I would pause from stirring the pastry during them. It was just as Stephen sat down with his latte and hot fudge sundae and just as I stuck the choux pastry in the oven that I realized we'd better go to the hospital. Stephen was more than ready to give up his latte and sundae in order to not be delivering a baby at home, by himself. We got to the hospital around 8pm and everyone took their time checking us in, the nurse stuck me in an exam room with the NST machine and came back to check on me after about 20 minutes. In the meantime, my mom arrived and she said that as she came in, the nurse advised her that she didn't know if I was a keeper (she must have thought I'm just an inexperienced mom who was much too calm to be in actual labor.) I was dilated to 5, 95% effaced at that point and when I advised her that with both previous pregnancies I delivered babies within 2 hours of dilating to 5cm she frantically set up a room and called the doctor. I think I surprised her! We got settled into our room and the contractions increased in intensity. The doctors and nurses granted all of my wishes in my birth plan. I had intermittent fetal monitoring, no pain meds and no IVs. The nurse took a specimen to see if my water had broken as I told her I thought I was leaking fluid but not much at all. When the specimen came back positive, she asked me how long I had been leaking. She WAS NOT HAPPY to hear that I had been leaking for 3 days. (I took all precautions to avoid infection and was watching the quantity of leakage carefully. I didn't call the doctors because if I had, they would have induced me within 12 hours of the start of the leaking which I wanted to avoid.) I was given freedom to labor and deliver basically however I wanted. I found the only way to get through the contractions was to walk through them. I was walking until I felt I needed to push. Dr. Harriage arrived at 9:45. I told him I'm feeling pressure. He got changed and came back to check on me. I still had 2cm to go so I got up and kept walking and breathing through contractions. At 10pm I felt my water break and said that he's coming NOW! Dr. Harriage checked me again and said I was ready. 10:15pm Pike Henry Backholm entered the world cuddled up in my arms and was quite calm. We had to rouse him a little to make him cry. He remained calm all night. He'd wake or we'd wake him but after nursing he was completely calm and slept wonderfully. The doctors and nurses were amazed at the birth. My doctor said that it was really refreshing to be a part of a birth that went just as it should have. So, how long was my labor? I'm not really sure. I guess you could say that it started around 5pm. But labor the way that I pictured it didn't really start until about 8pm. I am blessed to have such short labors. I feel for women who have to endure longer. Also, I don't know how women do it when they are strapped to a bed with IVs and monitors. Walking around was the only way I got through it.

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

All about Pear

2010-05-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

Pear is nearly 3 1/2 years old! It's crazy to think how time flies. I just wanted to write a little about where she's at in life. Let's see...she is sooooo "excik-ed" for baby Pike to come. This consumes about 25% of her daily conversation, which is saying something because Pear can talk your ears off! She still thinks I'm silly for thinking he'll have blond hair and she still thinks he'll have black hair. I think she's most excited to change his diapers. I wonder if that'll change once she sees the reality of it.

Her favorite thing to do is play "pretend". This means that she comes up to me and says, "mommy, how about you're the little girl and I'm the mommy." To which I reply, "okay." She then proceeds to name me, usually Flower or Lollipop. Jovie is always MY little sister. And if I forget, Pear is sure to remind me who's who. We go through daily routines such as breakfast, lunch and dinner time where she cooks me food, reading books, playing on the slide, and my favorite- nap time. We have worked a lot over the last couple of months to cease the whiny responses when we ask Pear to do something that she doesn't want to do, such as, me saying, "Pear, it's time to take a nap." For a while, she would respond whining with a "I don't want to take a nap!" Or the times when I'd ask her to put her shoes away and she would whine back, "but mom, I'm too tired." We've explained the correct way to respond is, "yes mommy," or "okay mom." So now, she tests me as we play pretend. I'll ask her (as she is the mommy) "will you read me a book before nap?" and just to hear me respond to her, she'll say "no books today Flower," to which I always respond, "okay mommy." It's fun to watch her facial expressions and how much fun she has being the mommy.

Pear is constantly dreaming of her next birthday. I'm pretty sure her birthday is her favorite day of the year (takes after her momma!) and she is daily changing the color of frosting on her cake or what "kind" of birthday she'll have. She is also constantly aspiring to be "bigger than Aspen." And is excited to be 4 years old, and then 5 years old... etc.

Her daily attire of choice is still jammies. She'll wear her jammies ALL day if I let her. She'll change from one pair to another every couple of hours and usually by the end of the day, we end up in the same ones we started with. I do make her get dressed when we go out (which is not very often of late) and then her attire of choice would be a dress or skirt. She dislikes pants, especially jeans.

As far as Pear's relationship with Jovie, it's still not quite the "best of friends" relationship I'd hoped for. Don't get me wrong, she loves Jovie and Jovie loves her but they DO NOT play well together. It is our constant struggle. It seems every time I walk out of the room, one of them is screaming because the other one took something or wants something or hit her or pulled hair or...the list goes on! When the girls are separate, they are angels, but together, my goodness! We are working on this. We are working on changing the heart issues so that they desire to share, be kind, love each other and play nicely together. The love is there but so is a great deal of selfishness.

I love my Pretty Little Pear to pieces and am so thankful to be blessed with such a fun, smart, imaginative, beautiful little girl!

Little angel???

2010-05-13T11:19:00.001-07:00

By looking at this picture, you just might think so. I'm almost convinced. And then I see something like this:
And it makes me think again. Yes. She is a little angel. Do you see the dust pan and sweeper? That's what I see when I look at this. This little girl was being a little girl and exploring. She made a mess and wanted to fix it...for me. She loves me and I LOVE HER!

With that in mind, I don't always see it this way. And at times I wonder if she's out to make my life a ton of work or if she really does love me. In the end, I know she is a wonderful little blessing in my life, she loves me and she is making me a better person- messes and all!

Another side note: This happened during my 10 minutes of sanity- a shower by myself! And yes, I do think it was worth it. And no, I didn't do anything about the bag of flour in the cupboard. And yes, she got into it again about an hour later while I was attempting to dry my hair! Is she still a little angel? Let me enjoy this time while she's sleeping and I'm pretty sure I'll think so when she wakes up.

these are the moments...

2010-05-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

...that make life wonderful.

meet Pike's not so ugly doll:

2010-04-29T15:50:00.001-07:00

Mr. Dude

Pear is excited to bring Pike his monster (which I created last night) to the hospital when he's born. Who said there weren't any fun things to make for boys? Oh, yeah. That was me about 6 months ago. I was mistaken. I'll post pictures of all of my creations soon!

Slumber Party!

2010-04-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

It had been a few months since our last girls sleep-over and the girls were diligent in reminding me that we needed to do another one. For the first few weeks after doing a sleep-over, Libbi asks me every time she sees me, "when are we going to do another sleep-over?" And, since Pike is now due anytime, I figured I'd better do a "girls sleepover" because once he's here, can I really call it a "girls" sleepover? I guess the for the next one, we'll need to include Racer and Jia Tai so that Pike doesn't feel outnumbered.

So, we started out Monday afternoon by going to Starbucks where we each got our own treat. We sat at Starbucks and enjoyed each other's company while sipping our Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino, Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino and the simple Milk and Chocolate Chip Cookie option. After our coffee break (or un-coffee break) we went to the park and got a bunch of energy out! The girls weren't ready to leave until I told them that when we got home we'd do our craft. Then their feet went straight for the car.Jovie, playing like a big girl at the park.

The girls getting a ride from Aspen.

Best Friends.
Libbi Lu.

Aspen and Pear.

Poor Jovie, she tried so hard to be big but just couldn't quite make the cut! She helped by stringing ribbon across the kitchen, spilling buttons on the floor and throwing pom-poms on the table while we used our creativity to make our fabric scrap pictures in frames I picked up from Goodwill. I think they turned out super cute and I think the girls were pleased as well.

The lovely artists with their crafts. (Pear wouldn't get in the picture.)

Pear's craft.

Stephen made us dinner and then it was time to dip our strawberries in chocolate, do make-overs on each other (Pear had fun putting eye-shadow on her cheeks,) and then it was time for pedicures! I wish I had more pictures but I was a little busy. After everyone got their toes all dolled up, we settled in for the night and wound down by watching The Princess and the Frog while eating popcorn, our strawberries, and drinking milkshakes. What a day!

Wiped out!

Did I mention that Pear was the last one awake and the first one up the next morning? On top of the fact that she was awake for a good hour or two in the middle of the night, keeping Libbi awake by her chattering! She dozed off by 9:30pm and was awake at 6:00am ready to go and get donuts! Ah, the energy of a three year old, (and the schedule that allows for a nap.)

It's Springtime!

2010-04-17T07:46:00.001-07:00

...and yes. I do know my girls are adorable!

36 weeks and counting...

2010-04-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

I am currently 36 weeks pregnant and our little Pike Henry will meet us face-to-face soon! "I'm so Excik-ed!" as Pear would say. The girls greet him each morning by climbing in our bed, pulling up my shirt and giving my belly a kiss. Sometimes Pike greets them back with a kick or jab.

I don't know exactly what to think or how to feel. At times I don't know if my life could get any crazier but I'm sure I'll be proven wrong in a couple of weeks. Jovie is currently into EVERYTHING! Going to the grocery store (or really anywhere) is nearly impossible. She thinks she's a big girl just like Pear. She might convince you by the way she runs and jumps and climbs but when it comes to me saying, "Jovie, don't touch those tomatoes" or "we don't need that cereal" or "come here," she simply ignores my words whereas Pear abides by them. So, what am I going to do when Pike arrives? I truly think I will be home-bound for a while.

As far as having another baby, I am thrilled. Although I feel as though we are just starting to get sleep. (Jovie had a rough bout for a couple months and is finally sleeping through the night and both girls sleep until about 6:30am now!) I guess that's why another one's coming. Who needs sleep anyways?

I can't wait to see what he looks like. Pear is positive that he'll have black hair. I recently made him a little boy doll/rattle with blond hair. When Pear saw it she asked, "why did you make him with blond hair mom?" I said, "because I think he might have blond hair." Her response was, "No! He's not going to have blond hair! He's going to have black hair."

I went to my 36 week check-up today and was told by the Obstetrician that I am the healthiest patient she's seen all day. These words came to me as such a blessing from God; with my previous complications and all of the issues that it brought forth, Praise God for good health! I am right on track for weight gain, size and positioning of baby. We are anticipating a natural childbirth with no complications.

I am posting a couple of pictures of our happy family of 5. Yes 5! With a belly that size, I'd say you can count that little on inside of me. I don't really like these pictures of me but I'm posting them for those of you curious what I look like when I gain 25lb in a pregnancy- there you go!

Ruffles

2010-03-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Disney at Ruffles And Stuff is hosting a contest for all to make anything and everything ruffles! I had so much fun piecing together a couple of simple projects in my spare time and wanted to show them off!

Pear- sporting my version of the Market Skirt.

Jovie- wearing her Ruffled Knee Pad Pants.

Jovie- wearing her Ruffled Skirt with matching Ruffled Flower Headband. (No pattern for these, just kind of winged it!)

the price I pay to take a shower!

2010-03-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't have kids yet, you probably don't appreciate a shower like those of us with children. You see, with children, it all changes. A bath is out of the question. If I can squeeze in a 10 minute shower all to myself (hardly enough time to wash my thick head of hair) I am ecstatic! This happens once, maybe twice, a week. The other five or six days of the week, I either have both girls in the bathroom, playing with my make-up, jewelery or other toys I've brought in for them or I have Jovie in the shower with me and Pear running back and forth from room to room asking me questions and what not. Then there are the times when I'm drenched, just put shampoo in my hair and Pear has to go to the bathroom (I don't let her go on her own yet as she isn't big enough to do a thorough hand wash and we're a little on the germ freak side) so, I tell her to hop on the potty and I rush to finish in the shower before she needs down. Then there's the time when I try to squeeze in that 10 minute shower to myself by putting on a movie for the girls. Yeah, right! Jovie isn't interested in the movie. She has mastered how to turn it off and on though and Pear doesn't know how she does it! It makes me laugh most of the time as I hear Pear's pattering feet coming down the hallway, "Mom, Jovie turned the movie off AGAIN!" Then again, I rush to finish before one of the girls hit the other out of frustration. And then there is the rare occurrence that the girls are quietly playing together in their room and I think, "brilliant! I can shower now!" You'd think I'd learn. Almost every time I come out of the shower greeted with a disaster made by Jovie. There's the plant that she likes to rid of dirt- all over the carpet! There's the stash of chocolate that no matter where I put, she seems to find. There are instances of toilet paper strung throughout the house. There is the book shelf so nicely emptied all over the floor. The FULL box of cereal emptied on the carpet floor can't be forgotten. The cupboard of movies & DVDs has not only been emptied but every movie has been taken out of it's case. Ah, Jovie! I do love you.

So, if you don't have children, savor your time in the shower. It won't always be like that.

pretty faces

2010-03-18T09:21:00.001-07:00

the little things...

2010-03-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful right now. I'm in my 32nd week of pregnancy and I'm sipping an iced latte with 2% milk. I had a delightful piece of herb bread with butter and smoked salmon for lunch. There is a flourless chocolate cake (my most recent love) in the refrigerator. And, we're getting donuts for breakfast tomorrow! I slept a solid 8 hours last night and I have a lot of energy today. Yes, these are all little things but these are little things that I enjoy. These are little things that make me tick. God has blessed me this pregnancy with great health. I didn't have morning sickness, I haven't lost my appetite, I haven't had an ounce of itching, no swelling, no stretched skin and hear this: I've gained 20 lbs! We've done a few blood tests to look for signs of Cholestasis and it's nowhere to be found. Not in my body anyways. I am thrilled! Most people probably think I'm crazy but after 2 previous trying pregnancies, I count this as a huge blessing from God. So, right now, I'm praising God because He is good. I'm praising God because he knows I'm enjoying the little things right now, and I truly think he delights in that. Thank you God!

Time for Tea!

2010-02-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

Pear had a delightful little tea party yesterday afternoon. I believe it was a success as she repeatedly told me throughout the evening, "it was fun having a tea party, mom." She also went into all of the details with Stephen when he got home from work and the first thing she told me as we sat at the table for breakfast this morning was, "that was a fun tea party!" We had a centerpiece of tissue paper lollipop flowers. For our tea party snacks we had madeleines, apples with cream cheese-caramel dip, grapes and cheese squares. The girls got to pick which type of tea they wanted and although I was hoping to let them be in charge of pouring and fixing up their tea, I became a little concerned that they might burn themselves so I poured the water and let them stir it and put the cream and sugar in. We played a game of "drop the coin in the tea-cup and played musical chairs. (I found out Pear isn't quite old enough for musical chairs as she was the first one without a chair and when I told her, she threw herself to the ground in tears as she didn't want to be out.) We continued to play a couple more rounds of musical chairs and then some duck-duck-goose. We had a houseful of laughter for a while as the girls played their games and made the cutest expressions as they were being chased, missed the chair and just played. Oh, and Jovie thought that she was one of the big girls, she had her spot at the table, picked out her special dress and was completely enthralled with the games. Unfortunately, I was busy with the festivities and didn't take very many pictures.

come rain or come shine

2010-02-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

Many times, I find myself living for the next month, the next season of life, the time when all my i's are dotted and t's are crossed or the day that I will have the perfect life. How pointless is that? I can strive to live a more perfect life; I can work hard to obtain a bigger house with a nicer couch; our children will grow up and one day I won't be spending every waking hour tending to spilt milk and messy pants- but how unfulfilling, to always be living for the next season. Life is not perfect. There will always be things to strive for and work on in my individual life, my family as a whole and the earth as God's creation.

So, I say this as a little self reminder: Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Ephesians 5:15-20 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the midst of the storm when the milk's on the floor, the kitchen sink is leaking, and I can hardly stand- I choose to be happy and live my life to its fullest. And on that sunshiny day when the house is clean, my children are angels and I'm fully rested- I choose to be happy and live my life to its fullest.

jumbled letters...

2010-02-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

and a name that fits. I think we've decided that our little guy is going to be Pike Henry. We like it. It fits with our unique taste for names and it's sticking.

my hobby...

2010-02-14T06:54:00.000-08:00

I've always loved sewing, doing crafts and baking. Basically, being a "homemaker" is my hobby. I thoroughly enjoy it. But lately I've REALLY been enjoying sewing. My mom learned to sew from her mom and I learned to sew from my mom. As a girl I remember making dolls, dresses, skirts, pillows, quilts and other crafty objects. They may not have always turned out but I always had fun. I've been eying this pattern for a simple rag doll for a long time and decided they would make perfect Valentine's Day gifts for my girls. So, I made them. I enlarged the pattern to 215% rather than the 150% they recommend and I think they turned out perfect! I also added little pigtails and bows for their hair, just to make them a little more girly. Also, I embroidered the face rather than paint it. I actually almost hesitated giving them to the girls as I kind of want one! If you're looking for a fun, easy project- there you go! The girls absolutely love these dolls. They have taken them everywhere today giving them piggy-back rides or dragging them by the little rag doll arm. I am so glad they love their babies.

three years old

2010-02-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

It seems like yesterday that I set my alarm clock for every 2 hours all through the night to feed my preterm 5 lb 13 oz Pear. She was so tiny that her little body couldn't fill a preemie sleeper. Yet three years has passed and that little 5 lb 13 oz girl is now nearly 28 lbs and looks like a little girl. We've had a wonderful three years and I can't wait for the next three and the many more after that.

Pear's favorite things to do:
Play dress-up
Read books
Play imaginary animals or princesses (she goes around pretending she's a pink cat or Princess Belle)
Help me bake in the kitchen

We had a very fun time celebrating her birthday. We started the day of with Minnie Mouse pancakes made by Stephen. Then we played with her new bike and Cinderella doll. Then, Stephen took her to get a fish from the pet shop and we came home with a Happy Meal for lunch. Nap time. When she woke it was nearly time for her party which included both of our families and made for a houseful. We played pin the tail on the donkey and had a pinata. Oh, and we can't forget about the cake. Pear requested a princess cake with purple frosting. Thus what we had, homemade of course. After the party we went to rent a movie, came home and had dinner. Then had a tea party with hot chocolate with her new miniature tea set and finally watched her movie. The day is just about up and I'm pooped! But, seeing Pear's face light up as she walked into the kitchen this morning made the hours I spent baking and decorating all worth it. Hearing her say, "It's fun having a birthday," makes me smile. And the fact that she has told me over and over again that I'm "the specialest mommy ever," makes me feel like the most special mommy ever. What a joy it is to be a mom and what joy Pear brings to my life!

a glimpse of spring...

2010-02-10T12:35:00.000-08:00

"ducks..."

2010-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

While at the park, we went to look at the ducks. The ducks had just been fed by another little girl there and they were very friendly. After watching and chasing the ducks some, they continued to follow us around. After a while I told the girls we should go back to the playground. Pear responded, "yeah, because the ducks might eat us." I said, "no, the ducks won't eat us!" Pear said, "right, they won't, because we're not food, we're princesses."

"silly dad..."

2010-02-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

Pear packed her bag to go to mammy & pappy's house for the night. She went to show daddy all of the necessities she remembered to bring. "I've got my pink skirt (a frilly dress-up item with sequins), my Cinderella dress (another frilly dress-up item), my swimsuit and my jammies!" Stephen asked her if she needed any panties. She pulled up her dress and exclaimed, "silly dad, I already have some!"

Flowers from Daddy...

2010-01-29T07:53:00.001-08:00

Stephen is such a sweetie! He often surprises me with beautiful bouquets but the other day, he decided to surprise the girls at lunch time with lovely bundles of tulips. The girls were thrilled! What a wonderful daddy.

French Pastries

2010-01-28T13:42:00.001-08:00

I think I've mentioned before, in this household, we LOVE food! I've posted before about Pain au Chocolat but I don't know if I've posted before on the divine satisfaction from the Vanilla Bean Croissant. Well, last week, I just so happened to have fresh yeast on hand that had to be used by Saturday. So, I made a batch of buttery croissant dough, (you can find the recipe here,) and Friday night I rolled my dough to a nice 1/8" thickness and stuffed some of this said dough with bittersweet chocolate batons and the other portion of this said dough I filled with vanilla bean sugar, (a simple concoction of 2 cups sugar, 2 vanilla beans-pods scraped into sugar and bean stored in with sugar at least 3 days,) and rolled cinnamon roll fashion.

Jovie eating up the fact that I'm taking a picture of her! Unless I catch her by surprise, this is the smile and face she gives the camera.

Pear was also in a "posing" mode.

Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissant)

A day in Seattle...

2010-01-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

For Stephen's birthday this year, I asked my parents if they would watch the girls so that Stephen and I could spend the day in Seattle. It was so nice to have a day away together. We started our morning off by going to Bakery Nouveau, (I think I've mentioned this bakery before.) We tried some of their fresh pizza which was delicious! Then we purchased some pastries and headed to Vivace, a coffee roaster on Capitol Hill in Seattle. There we got to sit and enjoy our coffees while devouring a raspberry almond pastry. The ambiance at this coffee shop is quite fun. We visited Stumptown in Queen Anne and then explored the area a bit. Of course, I was drawn towards the children's shops, bookstores and this divine chocolate shop- Chocolopolis. Although I enjoyed the Queen Anne area, I still prefer Ballard.
We also went to one of Stephen's favorite grocery stores, Uwajimaya. If you know Stephen, you know he loves Asian food and if you love to cook Asian food, there are certain ingredients required that you just can't find in a normal grocery store.

For dinner, we decided to venture past Tom Douglas, (owner of Dahlia Lounge, Lola's, Etta's, Serious Pie and Palace Kitchen- some of our favorite eats in Seattle,) and try Pasta Bella which serves authentic Italian food and handmade pastas in the middle of Queen Anne for a very reasonable price. We found their food to be good, authentic and worth the price. The service was good although it seemed to be a little like the cake shop comedy act. There was one man there to be host, waiter, answer phones and tend the bar. He came up to us several times only to run back to the counter to answer the phone. We found it entertaining. Oh, if you do ever go here I'd recommend you skip the dessert or at least don't get the canolli. The filling was so-so. The canolli shell, okay. But then they ruined it with fake whipped cream and Hershey's chocolate syrup. I have a big sweet tooth but Stephen and I left most of that dessert on the plate.
With satisfied stomachs we went to the Imax showing of Avatar in Southcenter. Stephen and I saw the preview to this movie several months ago and both agreed it looked extremely stupid. But, we gave into the hype everyone has given it and decided to trust the majority of reviews that this movie is great and to many, not just great but the best movie ever! We got there early which is not like us. We hardly ever go to the movies but if and when we do, we don't wait in line for hours before! How ridiculous. Yet, there we stood. The time finally arrived, we got our glasses and went to sit down and we actually got decent seats even though there were maybe 100 people in front of us in line. The movie was pathetic. Okay, maybe not horrible, but certainly not the greatest movie ever! I thought the story line was poor. The effects were cool. Although I wasn't amazed by the 3D experience, it was enjoyable. I don't know, I left thinking, "what? That's it?"

We had a wonderful time being us. I was Paige and Stephen was Stephen. We had a full day without being "mommy" and "daddy". Ah. A breath of fresh air.

milestones...

2010-01-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

So, either my life has been a little on the boring side or I've simply been too busy to write. Maybe it's a little bit of both. Either way, I want to make sure and give Jovie the praise she deserves this week as she has accomplished a lot.

1. My little chunker is now walking everywhere. Last week, I took her bare footed everywhere, (because she doesn't really like shoes and she usually kicks them off in the car therefore, I have to stand in the rain and put her shoes back on or else leave her bare footed,) now she is sporting adorable size 3 tennis shoes.

2. We snipped the tip and said good-bye to those bouncy-ball binkies! Never again will I use Soothies binkies, (the ones given out by the hospital.) They literally bounce, roll and some how runaway anytime the child decides they've had enough sucking. On top of that, Rosebud (my parents' bloodhound) loved the thick silicone bink and decided it was the perfect chew toy. So, anytime we went there we had to keep a close eye on where the binky was. One time, my mom caught Rosebud's stash and there were 3 binkies in the garage, all with the end chewed off!

3. We have adjusted, (or we are adjusting still,) to taking 1 nap a day. This is partly because Jovie wasn't napping well. Partly because she was waking up at 5am. And partly because, I just thought she was ready! Well, though she's been napping a little better, (maybe giving me a 1hour nap,) she is still not napping long enough. And she is still waking up EARLY. Only now it's more like 4am, goes back to sleep at 4:30am and then wakes again at 5am. I'm sticking to my guns for another week as we've been through a lot this week and this sleeplessness could be because of any number of factors.

All this to say: Way to go, Joves! (Or should I be patting myself on the back?)

Ruffles & Stuff Giveaway!

2010-01-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

Check out my friend's current giveaway at Ruffles & Stuff. Disney is so talented and her jewelry is feminine and gorgeous. My only request is that you simply check out her blog and DO NOT enter the giveaway! You see, if you enter than that makes my chances grow a little more slim. Just kidding.

My chunky monkey- Jovie!

2010-01-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

Jovie is such a joy. She is growing and changing at a rapid pace. She can walk now, however, she prefers to crawl and the few times a day I see her toddling around, she does it with much caution. Her hobby is still eating. Which in turn seems to make my hobby cooking/cleaning. People continue to comment on her adorable chubby cheeks which I sort of hope never thin out. Jovie plays monkey-see-monkey-do with Pear. Her most recent copy trick is picking her nose and giving me a boogie to wipe on tissue. (She hasn't been successful on her hunt for gold yet though.) She is becoming more vocal and though her words are limited, she figures out ways to communicate. The other day, Pear had hit her on the head while I was in another room, Stephen however was reprimanding Pear and taking care of the situation. When I came into the room, Jovie made it very clear what the situation was. She began hitting her own head while looking at me and gave an"Eh! Uh! Eh!" Which I clearly interpreted "oh, did Pear hit you? That wasn't nice. Pear won't hit you any more." To which she nodded enthusiastically and said "eh." Jovie loves to give kisses and we all take as many as we can get in a day. She loves to snuggle and cuddle. I am soaking this up as I know some day she'll be out of that stage and I will look back and want one of those little kisses or her cuddly head on my shoulder.

a baby boy...

2009-12-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

"What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails
That's what little boys are made of!"

Yes. This means that the little one kicking in my tummy, the little one whose heartbeat brings me joy, the little one who is my baby, is indeed a boy.

recycled t-shirt dress

2009-12-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

I have the sweetest friend, Disney, and not only does she create the most adorable items to furnish her home and dress herself and daughter with, she also has a blog, Ruffles & Stuff, where she posts tutorials, pictures, and inspires others to be creative, frugal, feminine and beautiful. I read her blog regularly and was inspired by her post on a simple dress she made for her daughter.

Mine is very different as I didn't have a Gerber onesie that wasn't completely stained, so I used a fuchsia thermal shirt that seemed to have shrunk, a pair of white sweats that were too short and a light pink stretch cotton tee that Stephen never wore. I also used an elephant applique that was on a 3-6 month tee of Jovie's that managed to get terrible banana stains around the neckline. I used the existing hem on the pink tee to make easy sleeves. I used the existing collar on the thermal to make for an easy body and left the skirt un-hemmed. I stitched it all together and voila! Within 2 hours Pear has her favorite, most comfortable, warm dress that cost me $0.00! Here are some pictures:

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

For a family who loves eating, baking, shopping, cooking, presents, decorating, crafts, hot chocolate, lattes, bundling up in the cold, reminiscing old times and gathering with family and friends, could there possibly be a more wonderful time of the year?

To say that we like food is an understatement. We love food! In our spare time, Stephen and I enjoy baking: a decadent chocolate cake with a creamy milk chocolate frosting or vanilla bean croissants (my new favorite) which take 3 days for the entire process. Stephen bakes Danish puff at least once a month and it makes it easier for Pear to go to bed if she knows she gets to partake in Danish puff in the morning. Stephen cooks up good food of all different ethnicities. He has a knack for melding herbs, spices and pairings within a meal. I don't especially enjoy Asian food, so any time I'm gone, that's what he makes for himself and the girls. I prefer to cook Italian, French, Mexican and of course American dishes. Stephen does all of these as well, (and usually better than I do, although he would never admit to it.) The bottom line is- we love food. We love having people over for meals. We love including our girls in the process of making food. We even enjoy watching geeky shows like Iron Chef America! The love for baking doesn't cease in this home. And we see this love for buttery goodness being passed down to the next generation. If you haven't been around Jovie recently- her cheeks do not lie. Her world revolves around food, especially sweet food. The excitement and joy seen on her face as a cookie appears in the room is enough to make everyone in the room stop and watch her enjoy the delectable bite she is about to take. Although Pear ingests half the quantity that Jovie does and is much more picky about the types of food she eats, her sweet tooth is almost as big and her desire to be in the kitchen baking, cooking and cleaning is very evident. It is a very familiar sight to see Pear pushing a chair up to the counter to help wash potatoes, make daddy a latte, mix a batch of cookies, frost a cupcake, salt the meat, smell the herbs, unload the dishwasher or whatever else we may be doing.

It's amazing to me that we've been in Olympia for 1 1/2 years now. Our duplex and the gift of owning a home continues to be a huge blessing, while at times causing us much grief. That may sound worse than it actually is. I guess a better way to put it is this: every time we start a new project or remodel another room, I begin to hear Pear saying words she normally wouldn't say. Words or phrases like: "piece of junk" or "freakin' dane-it". Stephen has done an amazing job remodeling, especially given the fact that he constantly has a little helper or two that he so graciously welcomes. Over the summer, he gutted our bathroom. Let's just say it was disgusting and now it is gorgeous, probably the nicest room in our house! We now have a nice front yard and an entry way with nice pavers. Our kitchen is halfway complete and we hope have it finished by spring. And the list goes on. The life of a homeowner!

Did I mention that Pear is a princess? If I didn't, take note. You may call her Pear or you may call her Princess Pear. If you mistake her for anyone else such as stinker, googly bear, pumpkin, cupcake, monkey, etc., you will get one of two things: a glare and short retort, "I'm not _____ I'm a pwincess!" or a devastated child that cries as if you are trying to shatter her beliefs and tell her that she might not be a princess, "but I thought I was a pwincess." And Pear seems to have it figured out, if she is a princess, Jovie is also a princess. Although we can get away with calling Jovie other endearing names, we will often hear the same remarks if Pear is in her complete princess mode, "but mom, Jovie is a pwincess, not a chunky monkey!"

Either I have been eating far too many doughnuts or I have a baby growing in my tummy! I think the latter to be true for two reasons: One- there isn't a good doughnut shop within a 15 minute radius. And two- I can feel the kicking of little feet right now. We are 18 weeks along and due May 13, 2010. We find out whether we'll have a little boy or a little girl on December 23rd.

Stephen and I are so blessed. We are happily married. We have 2 children (Pear will be 3 in February and Jovie just turned 1) and another on the way. We own a home (the rent from the other unit in our duplex sure does help out with the mortgage!). We upgraded Stephen's junky VW Jetta to a new Toyota van. Stephen has a great job as an Enterprise Technology Architect for DSHS. We have good health. We have wonderful parents, siblings, family and friends. As you may have guessed, having food on the table isn't a problem in this home. We have a God whose grace is sufficient and who sent his son as a baby so that we can be saved. And that same God chose us to be HIS children. Could we ask for anything more? I certainly don't think so but as the years go by the list just gets longer and longer.

Merry Christmas and may you too be blessed in Christ!

Paige, Stephen, Pear, Jovie, and baby.

A note from Stephen:

As I was reading Paige’s letter above, I kept wanting to interject my highlights and thoughts. So instead of mucking about in her sentences, I decided to throw in my notes as an addendum. Paige really did highlight the 3 major areas of our life: kids, food, and our house. Outside of that set, there were several activities that I would like to call attention to. I went on a fantastic backpacking trip in May with 12 good friends. We hiked to Toleak Point and camped on the beach. The weather was sunny in the low eighties with no wind, I had to keep reminding myself that I was sitting on a beach, on the Pacific Ocean, in Washington State, and I wasn’t wearing a parka and mittens or being pelted in the face with sand. It really was a special trip. If you want to see pictures of the trip you can visit my blog http://sbackholm.blogspot.com. Secondly, THE highlight of the year for me was going to Maui for 5 days in November with Paige. We left the kids with Paige’s parents, and did nothing but snorkel and lay on the beach the whole trip. I now see why people go to Hawaii.

Regards,
Stephen

Thanks to Michelle at Candid Reflections for the wonderful photographs.

Christmas Cookie Party!

2009-12-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

As I love to bake and Pear loves to be creative with frosting, I thought it only fitting to have a cookie party with the girls (my sisters). On Friday Taffi, Libbi, and Aspen came over for a morning of fun. I made the dough the night before and it was waiting for us in the refrigerator so when the girls came they just got to do the fun part- cutting out the fun Christmas shapes and decorating. We took a lunch break while the cookies were baking and enjoyed macaroni & cheese, chicken nuggets and watermelon while watching Elf. We had a lot of fun!

Aspen was so sweet and made a cookie for each of her family members and took them home perfectly arranged on a plate. When they arrived home, they took in Taffi's and Libbi's plates in the house first and came back out to the car to get Aspen's but it seems that the wild peacocks beat her to them. Poor thing. The peacocks ate everyone of her perfectly frosted, perfectly arranged, cookies.

men wore the pants

2009-12-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

Check out this Dockers Man-ifesto. Bold but good and far too true.

Starbucks inspired yarn ball wreath:

2009-12-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

Last year, Starbucks decorated their coffee shops with wreaths made of yarn balls. I loved it! How hard could it be? Styrofoam balls wrapped with yarn, a few floral pins and hot glue to stick them together and some cardboard as a base. I've been working on it in my spare time the last couple of days and here's the finished product: