He loves His Frama

We are loving this co-living thing. Well most of the time. I mean extra hands with three little ones, what's not to love. Couldn't get much better. Plus sharing household responsibilities with the exception of my never ending piles of laundry. Not sure but the addition of one little one made my laundry duty go to full time rather than part time. I don't think my parents have clean clothes because we are always using the machines.

But I don't know how my three will do when we move. I mean I'm like chopped liver compared to Papa and Frama!

We are all a little tired

I think this pretty much sums up our weekend and weeks of late. Lots and lots of running and not a whole lot of sleep. Of course, this is how D found Ells the other night. It kinda reminds me of college - you know, sleeping on our books hoping the information would just seep in.

House Update

So another house update...I just can't wait till I no longer have to post these because we are living there and then we are just working on making the place our home. Won't that be awesome. Thats were the real fun begins, right?

Well we are well into siding this guy. Since we love the craftsman style we got to do some fun stuff like lots of trim, shakes, and board and batten (the vertical stuff). It is taking a little longer than some that seem to flying up around us but good things come to those who wait. I guess it takes a little longer to make up for all the details.

As you can see they are making progress. Can't wait to see it completely done. Then paint and stone, yeah!

Meanwhile the interior doors have been delivered. Garage doors on their way at least temp ones for now and the whole house has been textured and sprayed and paint is coming. Meanwhile the cabinets are being delivered on Monday. Trim to start soon too. Hard to believe we should be living in this place in the next month or so.

Thankful Thursday

So I am actually posting this on Thursday...whoot whoot! So many things to be thankful for but here are a few on the top of my list this week.

1. A house to call home while our house is being built
2. Sewing tutorials, takes the guess work out of it for me
3. My parents - celebrating 33years tomorrow. What an awesome example they are!
4. Ipad - since Shadd no longer seems to need a nap
5. Great preschool resources from all my friends
6. Shadd's sayings. Today we went to Franks. (that's ben franklin in his words...although he was a bit bummed it was a store and not a house i found out later)
7. Ellsyn's newest phrase "i have an idea"
8. Grandma Joyce's recipes - we are making homemade grape juice today and elderberry jam tomorrow with goodies from the farm! Probably a blog post to follow
9. Football season quickly approaching..Go Dutch!
10. Sleeping children
11. Quiet moments
12. Fellowship with other believers


I am sure there are a million others but Sage is crying on the monitor so that's all I have time for this afternoon. Maybe more next week! Just praising Him for all our blessings! Hope you are too!

One sweet but spunky girl

That day I had a photo shoot with Sage outside, Ells wanted in on the action later. She was a little bit silly at first but then got the hang of getting her picture taken.

In fact, she is quite the performer...the fake laugh below

How bout this??

She is full of funny expressions. Here are just a few of the many we see each day.

Now maybe you might be able to see why she makes us laugh so much. She definitely wears her expressions on her sleeve. Something her mommy has been known to do a time or two too.

Cereal...and thankful Thursday on Monday

So its official...I broke down and feed this little hungry boy some cereal. Yep. 3 days of it. Then we moved on to banana. Of course, that sweet taste was much better. So today I had to mix the two together to entice him to eat it. Here are some pictures of our big boy! 

getting ready... give them a spoon to occupy happy helpful hands

Is this right, Dad?

Satisfied

What's this thing?

I think I'd rather help

I will try and post a video of Sage's idea of helpfulness. I have never seen a little one so excited and eager to get each bite into his mouth. And barely let him swallow before you must have the next one ready to go. Ells was eager but nothing like Sage. Lets just say he has made everyone chuckle these past few days as his momma dragged her feet for probably a little too long.

Plus...Thankful Thursday...Monday's edition

1. Healthy kiddos
2. Super Baby Food Book - cost savings over 3 kids = a lot
3. great body shop - round 2 on d's car
4. kickboxing class - i can barely move my arms
5. picnics in the park rain or shine
6. walks to the park, library, post office
7. the truth of the old testament
8. a  finished project
9. how I get to spend my days
10. library movies
11. pinterest recipes
12. a good bargain

But most of all...I am thankful that I have the opportunity to stay home with my kids. A commitment made by my husband long ago to do all that he can to make sure that I could. What a blessing it has been. Thankful and grateful to D for that always! It may not always be glamourous but it is always worth it!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, 

             as if working for the Lord, not human masters"                                                                             

                                                                                                                            Colossians 3:23

A day at the fair

This year we opted to forgo the fair as a family. 3 little ones and crowds of people didn't seem like an adventure we wanted to take on. However, Shadd tagged along with Grandma Darcy and the Larsens for a fair filled day. 

He has one of the best memories in the world so he woke up raring to go. He had a plan of attack which included all the fun things he did last year. And he came home covered in tattoos, with a bag full of goodies, and lots of stories to tell.  All in all...he had a blast and can't wait to go back next year. 

Sage 4 months

So Sage is 4 months. Yep. Only a couple weeks late on this one. Whoops. Waited til I had the stats from the well-baby checkup and well just never got around to it.

Yesterday while Shadd was at the fair with Grandma Darcy and Ells was napping I took Sager outside for a quick photo session. Its just so hard to believe that this little one is 4 months old already. Time seems to be flying. Of course, since we typically wet through our shirts it would be hard to leave out the drool pictures.

4 month stats...

Weight: 17.6lbs...95%
Height: 26.5in (didn't grow from the 2 month - I think someone mis-measured...I guess the 99percentile for height was crazy)..more like 50% which would fall more in suit with the other two

Sleep: Well every now and then we have a full nights rest around here. He was really just getting up once a night b/w 2-4pm but the last few weeks it has been a couple times again. I keep thinking we are just out of routine ever since those teeth broke through and the fact he is working on the top two teeth. He still nurses and goes right back down. Loves to sleep on his belly with his hands directly underneath his body just like his momma. Love seeing that little bum scoot into the air.

Eating: Still eating about every 3 hours or so. I officially broke down and bought some rice cereal this afternoon at the store so I will try it out tonight. I wanted to wait till he was older but the signs are pointing to the need to start soon. The drool, the grabbing and eyeing our food, his size, and his new sleep habits all tell tale signs it might time.

New Things:
Sage is rolling from front to back and back to front.
He circle crawls and army scoots around.
Shadd can really make him laugh by dancing in front of him.
He loves to fall asleep to Amazing Grace.
He loves to swing.
He is getting the hang of the exersaucer and jumperoo.
He has his two bottom teeth and working on the top two.
He loves to smile.
He plays in his crib and loves to chat with his sister and brother.
 He can pull his toy on his car seat and loves to coo and talk on car rides.
He can sit up unassisted for a few moments so he is really close.
He has the tightest body. I have to roll up his pants like tights to get his pants on - crazy legs!

3 little ones all in the tub

Quite the crew, don't you think?

Just a little food for thought

So I totally have another post ready for tonight but I just had to share this thought with the maybe three of you that actually read my blog.

I was spending my quiet time in Jeremiah today. Just starting out and already gleaning from chapter one. But I am so out of routine with nap schedules etc that I am in drastic need of getting back into my routine of spending time with the Lord. I mean, how can this get missed. It should be first and foremost, right?

Well I am hoping to spend some time going through Jeremiah but also each day on the corresponding Proverb which today is the 14th of the month so Proverb 14. And the first verse caught a hold of my heart! I just love it when God speaks to me that way! Exactly what I need to hear at that very moment.

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down" 

Proverbs 14:1

Of course, this is the verse I come to on a day when honestly I haven't been very kind, patient or comforting toward any of my children. I just seemed to be going through the motions but every little thing seemed to get me irritated and angry. I have been short and well just down right embarassing. I don't seem to blog to much about this type of stuff but it was just so powerful that I thought I need to be honest so no one thinks we have it all together all the time. Because we (I) definitely don't. 

But wow. What a powerful verse. We build our home. We set the tone. We set the course for the day. But with our own hands acting foolishly I can tear it to shreds. I can make every one irrititable. I can make every one grouchy and short. I have that ability as the woman of the house to make a choice to act wisely  - by thinking prior to speaking and by choosing not to let things spiral out of control. I get to set the mood for my whole household. What a responsibility. 

I have heard that as the woman I set the tone of the household and have seen it unfold both positively and negatively before my eyes. But today this is just what the Lord wanted me to hear. As a wise woman I will build my house to stand on the Rock of Jesus Christ - exemplifying Him for all to see. 

Thankful Thursday - way late monday edition

So its been a little crazy around here. You know like no one napping and I can't seem to find a moment to sit down and blog crazy. Exactly. In fact, I had every intention of getting my thankful thursday edition out the week prior but failed and missed it again this last week. So here goes. I'll do my best to double it too.

1. D's breakfast - his fried eggs and pancakes are to die for
2. The Afters - got to see them last night - love their song "Start Over" (definitely a must on the running playlist)
3. Rain - it was beautiful
4. Shadd and Ells reciting their memory verses. Never ceases to amaze me how they soak up scripture
5. A big healthy 4 month old
6. A friends call with baby news
7. Sheetrock and siding
8. A clean home yet lived in
9. A date night
10. Houzz - wouldn't be able to build a house without it
11. How my mom instantly puts Sage to sleep
12. Our nieces and nephews
13. The power of a great sermon
14. A great run and a chocolate chip cookie - not really sure they should go together but they do
15. Late chats with my sis
16. My brother's willingness to build my kitchen table
17. Scoring treasures with my mom and sis
18. The look on my dad's face when he sees what we brought home - as his home is already full of my children, husband and my junk
19. Auto Insurance
20. Samaritan Ministries - the blessing of paid hospital bills and notes of encouragement after Sage's birth
21. Quiet children
22. Walks to the library, park, & the city (as Shadd has dubbed the square)
23. Seeing Shadd tear around corners on his big wheel - I thought he might never pedal last year
24. The joy from seeing a project come to life
25. Garage sales
26. Free things on Craigslist
27. Babysitters
28. Fair food

----

All in all we have been running around crazy all last week and through the weekend. But on a positive note they are starting the siding on house tomorrow and we are sheet rocked inside. Plus its mudded a little better than when these pictures were taken but we will be up there tomorrow night so I will get some more.

Are you glued?

This is what we look like each night...yep. We are hooked on the Olympics. I don't know about you but I wish they were on more than once every 2 years. We just can't seem to go to bed each night and we could as Sage is going down about nine.

House Update

So we are officially to the drywall stage. These are the before pictures. Yes. Insulation went in last week and the drywall is being hung today. Crazy? There is a lot of decisions to be made yet but deciding where to put what kind lights and which switch will turn them on has exhausted our brains. Fun yet challenging. We are working on picking out the perfect flooring, which is a bit overwhelming too. People tell you building a house is stressful and they are right. But it is really fun. I mean you get to chose everything well kind of as we do have a budget to stick to right honey?? With each decision we make I just pray that we will be able to use this home to glorify the Lord. Whether its reaching our neighbors, hosting play group & parties, being a haven for other children and our own - let it be used for His Glory! He is the one who gave us everything we have! 

Just thought I'd update with all the pics of wiring craze, can lights, the tubs and the fireplace. Then it gets it insulated...

Biggest bummer ever...they are starting to dig directly across the street. There goes my dream of a beautiful view from my front door. I guess that is the con with building in town. Plus check out the pure entertainment going on in the van as we wait on my dad and D to finish checking out the progress.