New news

I was never able to take a real "spring break" vacation while in high school and college. Sports always kept me tied down during that coveted week of no school and all sun.

Growing up in CA, the "cool" thing to do was go snowboarding over spring break. Everyone would come back to school with lift tickets still attached to their coats, bragging about where they went skiing that week and how many snowball fights they had. Meanwhile, here in MI everyone and their dog goes to Florida (where I STILL have never been..hint hint Greg...). After seven days in the hot sun, they return with the most glorious tans I have ever seen.

But, now that I'm out of school, who says I still can't enjoy a spring break trip?

Here are some pics of our missions trip to TN. Our church has been going to this summer Christian Camp for years, and we finally had our chance to go. We helped them do various jobs around the camp like clearing shrubs, trimming trees, cooking, stuffing envelopes, painting, shoeing horses, house-cleaning and the like. We were privileged to bring Katelyn along for the ride too (and the help :). She was a trooper, even if she did get bit by a horse! (ask her about it...)

And Kensie did amazing as well! Mommy didn't get much sleep as we had to sleep in the same room, but she faithfully took her two naps a day and slept 12 hrs at night. She even celebrated 7 months while we were there. And since I was kinda freaking out that we weren't going to have her infamous "chair picture" until 6 days AFTER we got home, we found a chair in our cabin to substitute...

the morning view from the front porch of our cabin...breathtaking!

Old news

A few weeks ago we attended a fun "winter Olympics party" at church. We were assigned teams, created our own country name and flag to match, and competed in various "athletic" events. These included flicking ice cubes with plastic knives on a table (to imitate curling of course), and putting shoebox lids on our feet and sliding around on carpet shooting Nerf guns at cardboard targets (the biathlon of course).

The last event was hockey. Played on a carpeted gym floor. It was broom to broom combat with a bouncy rubber ball. The goal, obvious. Get the ball through the goal as many times as you can.

So what's with the picture??

My competitive husband gave the tip of his index finger for his team during that hockey game. No, I'm not kidding. The brooms we played with were under-average household brooms (say from the 1930's?). Brooms were braking left and right, but people carried on as if it were the real Olympics. We had quite a competitive group. Anyway, Greg happened to have a broom with a metal handle. Basically (without being too graphic), the handle broke and pinched the tip of his finger off ... O-F-F ... off. Gross. You are now allowed to make that disgusting face that I know you can't help from making. To make you feel a little better, it was not the nail part of the finger, just the pad (like where you would get a finger print). But still...there was QUITE a bit of blood.

.

After a trip to the ER, Greg had his finger wrapped up with no hope of seeing his gold medal, or the tip of his finger ever again. A few members of the group came to visit him at the hospital bearing gifts and news. Greg's team had WON and so they draped his (plastic) gold medal around his sweaty neck. And as for the news, well.....let's just say someone "found" what looked like a peanut on the floor close to where the incident happened....gross.

Ready already??

Question.

When considering how far apart child #1 and child #2 should be,

which parent is usually ready first?

Before I go any further....

No. I'm not pregnant.

I would guess that most women are ready for baby #2 before their mates are,

and that usually the wife has to "talk" her husband into round 2...

can I get a second on that?

But, in our case. Nope.

The other night Greg says to me,
"Just look at her, don't you just want another little Kensie??"

And dare I say,
"Just let me enjoy 3 months this summer of feeling 'normal' and then we'll talk".

I mean, who enjoys swelling 'til you feel like your skin is so tight it will literally pop?

And who enjoys the perpetual sweat even in the midst of drying off AFTER your shower?

And let's be honest...who loves going to the beach looking like a beached whale??

Of course he's ready for #2.

HE doesn't have to endure any of that!

Then he pulls the "talk-through-the-baby-to-your-spouse" trick,

"But, Kensie don't YOU want a little sister?"

But don't you think I gave in that easily...I stood my ground.

Maybe next fall I'll be ready.

Until then...let's play!

4 Generations

While celebrating Grandma Mulder's 80th birthday over the weekend, we thought it was a good chance to snap a shot of all 4 generations on the Mulder side. This will be such a keepsake someday.

Mom's Famous Cornbread

Yes, here is the BEST recipe if you love soft and sweet, superbly moist, and simply scrumptious cornbread! Caution: extremely tasty and may cause overeating...bake at own risk :)



Sweet and Moist Cornbread

4 cups Bisquick
2 cups Cornmeal
1 1/2 - 2 cups Cottage Cheese
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar



**Mix above ingredients. Add milk to make consistency of a batter similar to thick cake mix**



Put batter in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Or you can half the recipe and bake in an 8 x 8 glass dish.


Bake @ 350* 30-40 min.

6 month updates

Wowzers. Our little peanut is not so little anymore!

Over the weekend, Kensie flipped to the 6 month chapter in her little life. In celebration of this momentous occasion, I found this adorable swimsuit from Target which I of course couldn't resist from buying (only $7 ok?). Annnnnd it was time for my own swimsuit upgrade--> Mom Hides Stretch Marks 6.0. Ok, not your grandmothers suit that I know you are ALL picturing. Just a tankini that's more my age. I had way too many bikinis that I wouldn't wear now even if they DID fit. I'm closer to 30 than I am to 20. Let's dress like it please.

Ok, moving on -->

My sweet sister and her husband came to stay for the weekend! It's been getting harder lately to get together, and we SO appreciated having them for a few days. Dave and Greg worked on finishing our mudroom and other various house projects while Lauren and I took walks with Kensie, sat by the fireplace, laughed at funny stories, and had time just to catch-up on life.

Saturday afternoon we made the boys take a work break, and ventured to the nearest Aquatic Center. For only living 6 blocks from an indoor pool, it's taken us over a year to finally try it out. In short, it was a huge hit. I'm not sure if Kensie or the boys liked it more. But, I have never seen such grown men act like little 12 year olds splashing around, racing each other on obstacle courses, and eagerly waiting in line to go down the slide...or wait, have I?

It was a nice taste of summer for sure. And I have a feeling you will find us at the pool on a regular basis between now and REAL summer.


**Oh, and Kensie has also graduated to baby food! I have the cutest video, but couldn't upload it. Stupid slow internet....we brought it upon ourselves I know. Anyway, she loves her green bean and carrots for now and babbles the whole time (especially when she REALLY likes what she's eating).

Well, Ta-Ta for now!

Volleyball Part II

To read Part I go here

Commitments can be intimidating. It requires showing up consistently, giving 100% effort, and investing emotionally. Or in better terms, I found the following definition from Urban Dictionary. I think you will agree it sums up commitment well:

Commitment is what
Transforms the promise into reality.
It is the words that speak
Boldly of your intentions.
And the actions which speak
Louder than the words.
It is making the time
When there is none.
Coming through time
After time after time,
Year after year after year.
Commitment is the stuff
Character is made of;
The power to change
The face of things.
It is the daily triumph
Of integrity over skepticism.

If I commit to something, I give everything I have. As a result, I am hesitant to commit to a lot of things at once. I have a tendency to see things as black and white, all or nothing, hot or cold.

I'm fairly certain you see where this is headed. This relationship with volleyball I had was a commitment. The kind perfectly described above. One that I devoted my life to. One that I never stopped pursuing. And, one that treated me very well up until 3 years ago.

It all started with the idea of playing overseas upon graduation ('05). To get things going, I contacted an organization that focuses on placing VB players into a professional career after completing their collegiate careers. I then went on a 10 day trip (through the same organization) to Spain in the Spring ('06). It was a "taste" of what playing professional VB would be like. We traveled, tried different foods, engaged in the culture, practiced in a variety of gyms, and played matches against teams all over the country. Some players were even recruited right then and there to play on a team the next season. By the end of the trip I was set on the idea of making this adventure happen....and hopefully in Spain, I thought....I can picture myself here. After all, I DID take two years of Spanish in high school.

So, I worked extremely hard all summer to get into top physical shape. I ran hills (lots of them). I did some serious sweating in the weight room (and if you know me, you know I sweat a lot). I found empty gyms wherever I could to do some ball handling. I even practiced a few times with my Alma mater. And then I waited. Waited for a phone call.

During all of this I was also coaching the most amazing club team I have ever been a part of. There were 9 girls on this 17's team, and wow, were they somethin'. I think we won almost every match we played that season, made it to Nationals in Atlanta and placed 5th overall. It definitely was a boost of confidence as a coach. I'll be honest though I didn't have to do much. These girls were good enough on their own. I think a 5th grader could have coached them and they STILL would have killed everyone who crossed their path. Anyway, it was literally the day after I returned from Nationals (July 5th, '06), with plaque in hand, I temporarily forgot about my dream to play in Spain. Then, my phone rang...

"Hello?"

"Really?!"

"Wait...where?"

"Maribor, SLOVENIA?? Where is that?!?"

"No, sounds great...uh huh...ok...sure...we'll see you then!"

A few weeks later I was set to fly out in August to meet up with several other players from the states hoping to fulfill the same dream I had....to hang on to every last bit of their VB career that they could.

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I should also mention how extremely supportive Greg was in ALL of this. He was hesitant in the beginning, but wanted me to fully embrace this opportunity. As young newlyweds (only married for 1 year at this point in the story), I was (and still am) so grateful for a husband who insists that I pursue my dreams. And on top of it, he was able to be with me for {most of} the 9 months that we lived overseas. We also owe a lot to Greg's family business for "letting" him go, and offering him a job upon returning. What a supportive family we have; we are eternally grateful.

Remember this?

I hemmed this roman shade over 6 months ago..

I wanted to use the leftover two panels for another project, but it took a while to think of something. Thanks to my lovely mother-in-law we collaborated and came up with the idea of making an organizer to go above the changing table. I had wanted to do something with Kensie's name as well, so I spelled her name out on the top panel, and sewed a strip of fabric to make pockets for the bottom panel. All I needed to make this project were the two leftover panels, one extra curtain that already matched her room, and a few decorative buttons to accent the pockets. I think these would make adorable gifts! What do you think?

I will say I did not particularly enjoy cutting all the letters out...a bit tedious. And next time, I would pick a background color to trim around the letters so you could read it a little easier. But, if you want to try it yourself here's what I did:

Found a font on the computer I liked. Printed it off in the largest size I could (like 800 or something). Cut each letter out. Pinned each letter to the fabric. Proceeded to cut them out with fabric scissors. Like I said. Tedious. Then I simply ironed each letter on with stitch witchery (found at any fabric store). I left the edges of the fabric raw, but it still looks pretty clean I think.

If you have a better way, go for it!

Here's a view so you can see the pockets. I can't say I use them as much as I thought, but I DO like having a place to put her bows. Color coordinated of course. :)

Volleyball Part I

So, I have this relationship with volleyball. It started when I was...uh...can't remember. My Dad has always been a volleyball coach, and it's difficult to recall the first time I ever touched a ball.
I DO (however) have memories of setting the ball back and forth while sitting cross-legged on the living room floor...playing pepper in the backyard...and tagging along to every practice and game my Dad ever took me to.

Dad pretty much taught me everything he knows, and I owe most of my accomplishments to him. Even though he coached me all the way through high school and 3 years in college...we were able to make the father/daughter and coach/player relationship work. We left volleyball on the court and home life at home. He was extra hard on me in practices, but for valid reasons. He knew the other players would think I was being favored if he wasn't careful. I understood, and so I worked my tail off running extra sprints, taking the heat in time-outs, and being made an "example of" in drills.

Once I hit the 6th grade I was playing on my first organized club volleyball team. After that the years went by pretty fast and all the tournaments, sweaty practices, tough sprints, wins, losses, and gyms blur together into what people refer to as a "volleyball career". .

Every Fall season for about 13 years I was a part of a team set out to accomplish whatever goal it was for that particular year. Beat our school rival. Win Districts. Win Conference. Get to the State tournament. Make it to Nationals. And I set out to make personal accomplishments as well. Be the best hitter. Get better stats. Make fewer mistakes. Be first in every sprint. Hustle more. Be a team captain. Some years the goals were met. Other years they weren't. Teams changed, coaches changed (in club), schools changed, and I battled to improve every area of my game. And for many years volleyball remained my close companion. We were like peas in a pod.

Even as I sit here I get goosebumps reliving some of those memories. There were so many great highlights....I wish I could list them all!

So, me and VB went through high school, college and then took our relationship to the "next level"...overseas. And THAT, my friends, is when our relationship got a little out of whack. I had just graduated from college, got married that summer (simultaneously my parents were splitting up), and I had just finished coaching my first high school varsity girls VB team. I was looking for an escape. I couldn't deal with the fact that my VB career was officially over (coaching was torture...I just wanted to get back on the court), or the fact that my family was divided and going in separate directions. So this looked like the answer. I could keep playing the sport I so desperately loved, take my new found husband with me, travel all over Europe, and run from every problem I could think of...or so I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------

I'm hoping to make this a 3 part series...maybe more. There are lots of details in the next Part so bear with me. Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of how this area of my life was affected by so many things, and how so many things affected IT. My struggle with perfectionism. My perspective of self-worth. My need for approval. And even more how it eventually brought me closer to the Lord...

Disappointment

The last couple of days it has been bright and sunny, with fresh white snow, glistening icicles dripping from rooftops and well....just simply beautiful. I absolutely love winter on these splendid days! The sun has been pouring through the whole house. I hardly need to turn any lights on until nightfall!

However, life has not been so bright in my life this week. I've been dealing with lots of disappointments lately. It seems like every day, someone or something falls short of my expectation. I think I can count at least 5 major situations where I was left thinking, "Man (!) that person is so selfish...or Man (!) am I just completely outnumbered?....or Man (!) that did NOT go as I had planned!

In each situation I am left feeling so angry and annoyed. Yet, I know the "right" thing to do is remember that God feels the same way when I disappoint Him....blah blah blah. I just want to be MAD ok? I wish I could flip a switch and do the "right" thing. But it's so hard. I just want to get even sometimes....arrggg!

I know God is trying to teach me patience, and unselfishness. In fact, this week lines up perfectly with last weeks bible study. A significant portion of the study was about what we do when others disappoint us. I wrote down all the answers I just knew I would do when the time came. Well, now's your chance Shannon....walk the talk!

The red dress

I had this big, elaborate plan of surprising Greg when he came home last night

wearing the dress above /\

making a delicious homemade dinner (complimented with sparkling cider)

and setting the mood below \/ of rose petals and candlelight....

with Frank Sinatra faintly playing in the background.

Dreamy right?

Well, as life has been lately...Greg worked ALL day Saturday (beginning at 5am) and had no promise of coming home at a descent hour. And as I have learned in the past, there is little point in "guessing" when he will arrive home (due to the nature of the business). So, instead of trying to keep a meal warm, sucking my stomach in while wearing that dress, and watching the clock to no avail.....I decided to scrap it, and wait until I heard from him with a definite arrival time.

To my surprise, he called at 4:30 saying he was on the way home. Hooray! Except, I had no meal prepared, and as far as my appearance....well I showered at least (!) and was wearing my [nicer-looking] sweats. And on top of it, there was no babysitter lined up for the evening.

But, I have learned that Greg would rather have a happy, home(y) wife, instead of a stressed out, fancy wife.

So, Greg took a quick shower. We threw Kensie in the car seat. I brushed my hair and spruced up my makeup. And we headed out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Just the 3 of us.

Kensie fussed the last half of the meal, so we scarfed down the rest of our food, headed home and put her to bed by 7:30.

It was not what I had pictured for a special Valentines night, but at least we had some movie-watching, cuddle-couch time after Kensie went to bed :). Comfy sweats and all.

High chair cuteness and a puzzle...

Kensie has been enjoying her new high chair more than ever! It provides a much better view than the bouncy seat ever had [at only 2 inches off the ground]. I can tell she loves being a part of what's happening at the table (even though she hasn't started on cereal or baby food yet...we'll find out at her check-up today if it's time...).

Oh my!...Gesundheit!

And here's what I've accomplished the last 3 days...



Hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day!

5 months

Another month under her belt, and not a care in the world!

(must be nice)

Not much else going on these days....just lots of snow, puzzles, Seinfeld episodes, drinking hot tea, and trying to think of V-day ideas on a budget.

What are YOU doing for the day of love??

Life of a blogger

It's been one whole year since I officially became a blogger. Prior to, my first avenue to stay connected with friends and family was the ever-popular Facebook. It's a fast and easy way to briefly keep people up-to-date with the going's on in life. But, once I discovered the world of blogging, I was hooked. While I don't consider myself a "fanatic" (yet), I have enjoyed the journey over the past year. It has become a tool for recording special moments, expressing and (yes) sometimes venting about this thing called life. In my opinion, it beats FB any day of the week. There's a tendency for me to want to depict my life as perfect. And (like anyone) I only want to post the best pictures of myself on my profile. However, that's not real life. And while I have not totally given into posting what I consider "less-than-satisfactory" pictures of myself here on this blog, I DO feel free to write about my imperfect life. It's been a good way to force me to write, even during weeks I don't want to. And wow. What freedom. Things that I used to consider such a "big deal" to talk about are not so big anymore.

Blogging has pushed me to be more vulnerable that's for sure....now if only I could conquer it in person (always a bit tougher).

If you've never taken it up, give it try! You will be surprised how much you have to write about....

~adorabilatee~ GIVEAWAY!

Hey you!

Have a little girlie?

Like cute clothes??

Like free stuff????

Check out my blogging buddy and her website to enter in a free giveaway here...

And even if you don't win, you won't regret checking out her adorable outfits from her line called ~adorabilatee~

[need I say more?]

Coupon fairy

After a loooong weekend away, (full of fun, but exhausting activities) I came home to a [thankfully] clean house. However, the fridge was another story...4 eggs, 2 carrots, a lonely tortilla in the meat/cheese drawer (which had no meat OR cheese btw) and an inside fridge door stocked full of useless condiments.

Did I also mention there were literally 2 diapers left in the whole house? (I have a bad habit of not stocking up on these...EVER). So needless to say, I ventured to the nearest Meijer for some much needed groceries and other miscellaneous items (bleach, floss, laundry soap, etc...why is it that you run out of everything at once??)

With a lengthy list in hand and on a mission, I ventured into the store in full anticipation of how much would be spent in the end. Since the health and beauty section was closest to the entrance, I headed there first to check "floss" off my list. I'm usually a store-brand buyer, but floss is on the exception list. Glide. Mint Glide to be exact. And lo and behold, a coupon was taped to the front of the exact one I wanted! And a good coupon too. One whole dollar off! I skipped off with a smile, ready to tackle the rest of the list.

As I neared the end of the grocery aisles, my cart was full and getting harder to turn on the corners. I was almost done, but had one more stop to make. The cleaning supplies aisle. I picked up the laundry soap and bleach I needed without hardly stopping the cart. Now just one more thing...something to spray those icky kitchen counters with. Not knowing exactly what I wanted, I scanned the never-ending shelves of spray bottles. And...can you believe it (?!) there was yet another coupon taped to the front of one of them! I quickly grabbed it, and happily headed to check-out.

So, now you're wondering...who was the mysterious coupon cutter? And, who [apparently] thinks of wandering around Meijer to tape them on various items?? I don't know, but I'm convinced God gave me my very own coupon fairy that day. And even though I spent more than I anticipated on a whole, I saved $12.00 on in-store products, and $2.00 in coupons. Thanks fairy coupon-giver. :)

The end.

Sweet Potato Fries

I have had this for lunch the last 3 days in a row!!! It's so yummy, and I can't get enough of them! Here's the simple recipe copied here.

I didn't add any of the spices listed from the website...just salt and pepper and a little EVOO. But they are STILL amazing!

I know you will enjoy them, and I bet your kids will too!

Confessions of a post-graduate, stay-at-home mom

I admit to...

1. picking my nose while driving (and yes, sometimes flicking them)

2. watching VeggieTales long past Kensie's interest...I can't get enough of them!

3. rarely making the bed

4. wearing my robe 'til noon...and sometimes not brushing my teeth until then either

5. grumbling to my husband about his dirty socks on the floor EVERY NIGHT

6. Using too much toilet paper

7. Using too much soap

8. Using too many paper towels...and then some

9. Leaving the grocery cart by my car in the parking lot

10. Checking my email WAY too much

11. Checking facebook WAY too much

12. Letting out a loud sigh when getting up in the middle of the night...just to make sure my husband knows I'M the one attending to our daughter's needs

13. What? Sometimes I turn up the heat past the temp we both agreed upon. So sue me.

BONUS:

14. Not being able to spell ANYTHING in Spanish.

Exhibit A: the title of the last post.

(I woke up at 4:30 this morning [no joke] and suddenly it hit me that the number 4 in Spanish is C.U.A.T.R.O.

...silly Shannon)

Quatro!

4 months old that is!

I didn't think it was possible, but she really does get cuter every day! My favorite moments these days are her constant babbles, sweet smiles, and the way she loves to munch on her feet! So stinking cute, I can hardly stand it sometimes.

We did have a bit of a rough patch a few weeks ago. She had been a champ sleeper (up to 11 hrs at night!), and then one night decided to scream every two hours. I tried nursing her, and she screamed. We paced the house (Greg and I taking turns), she screamed. We tried gas relief drops...still screaming. We even switched to a variety of formulas for a while. After nearly a week I was convinced she had an ear infection, teething, or something. After a trip to Urgent Care, she came home diagnosed as "healthy but irritable baby". Dag nabbit! I almost wanted there to be something wrong with her. Just something to explain all the fussiness. We were exhausted, and on top of it, Greg was working double overtime those weeks. I could never get a break.

Thankfully, a friend offered to take Kensie for one overnighter so Greg and I could have one evening alone. Just one evening to have an uninterrupted dinner. And one evening to actually sleep! What a blessing that was!

After a solid two weeks of screaming at night, the little stinker's back to her 10-11 hr nights. We'll never really know what all the fussiness was about, but I have my theories. One is obviously a growth spurt. She DID grow 2 inches in two months! Another has to do with my cycle. Yes, I've already had 2 cycles since I gave birth. I was hoping to go without while nursing. But low and behold, it's baaaaack. But, I wonder if it a) changes the taste of my milk or b) causes my milk to drop slightly in supply. I mean HOW DOES your body do both at the same time?! No wonder I was exhausted!

So, I've been appreciating the last few nights of sleep, and I'm glad my happy baby came back :) .

Lately...

...I feel like I have something to blog about every.single.day, but just never get around to it. I know it's the battle of every blogger out there. Trying to get all of life's "stuff" put down into words is tiring at times. And half the time I wonder, who really cares? Or what is someone going to think if I say that? Not to mention the ultra-slow uploading of pics that I suffer through on a daily basis. (One of these days I need to take a pic to show you how we get one measly bar of internet reception from a neighbor...sitting in the freezing cold sunroom with piles of blankets in the middle of winter. Not ideal, but we're cheap and we know it.)

Anyway, There are so many things I want to share that I haven't yet. I constantly have blog titles running through my head, dreaming up the next big post. I usually resort to daily happenings and events. But, there is SO MUCH more I would love to have time to write about.

~My journey of finding myself in Christ. I went through a major identity crisis a few years ago. I DID blog once about it last spring, but not many details. Some of it stemmed from my family splitting up 5 years ago. Some of it came from my fallout with a sport I devoted most of my life to: volleyball. And the rest of it came from my never-ending self criticism. I did not handle either situations well, and as a result was brought to my lowest. But God used that low point to bring me at his feet, and I would love to be able to express what the experience was like, and what it has taught me.

~I would love to share my favorite recipes, as well as tutorials on simple sewing projects. I'm kind of a procrastinator (ok I'm a BIG procrastinator), but I DO finish a lot of my projects...eventually. :)

~As you may have noticed I am usually reading a few books at a time (posted in the sidebar). The list is constantly changing, but I haven't really blogged about them. They have ALL taught me valuable lessons. I wish I could share how so many of them affected my life directly.

~I have not posted a single article about being a youth group leader. There are SO many funny stories I could share!! However, my main concern is that my readers may finish thinking, "ummm guess you had to be there...".

~And finally, I would love to post more on what it's like being a part of Greg's family trucking business. I don't punch in the clock and work like he does, but I see how it affects Greg on a daily basis. It certainly has it's ups and downs...and it's like no other 8-5pm job out there. But, it has really become a ministry in so many ways. I wish I could share the successes and struggles.

Hmmm, this is starting to sound like a New Year's resolution or something. Seeing as I already struggle with follow-through, we won't go there. But nonetheless, those are things I hope to write in the future...

Christmas (part 2)

So, I love Christmas parties...and we definitely had our share of them this year! But, to be honest I did not anticipate just how much work it is once you have a baby. I had this Norman Rockwell picture in my head of bringing Kensie to her first family Christmas celebration. Everyone would ooo and awww at her. We would be the smiling, happy, new family excited to bring this newest little member along with us. And well, it would be perfect.

What I forgot was that Kensie still needs to nap at certain times and eat at certain times. Well, with a bazillion aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins around...it was pretty much impossible. I found myself annoyed at others for not understanding Kensie's need to sleep. I wanted control of the schedule and it just never worked out right.

After several parties that went the same way, you can imagine how excited I was to have Christmas Eve and Christmas morning all to ourselves! Just the 3 of us. We were a VERY tired bunch, but here's some cozy, real-life, at-home pics Christmas morn...

Some of the other craziness these days....

Greg's brother #3 (Curtis) was married Monday night! It sure made for a busy weekend after Christmas, but so fun....I love weddings! I love dressing up. I love seeing family and friends all at one time. I love reminiscing about our wedding day nearly 5 years ago now (wow..that long??). And I LOVE seeing my hubby in a tux....grrrrrrrrr. :)

5 good lookin' brothers....

I'm particularly fond of the last one on the right though :)

Welcome to the family Alicia...another girl to add to the clan! :)

Christmas (part 1)

What a whirlwind it has been lately. Christmas has never been so busy for us! So fun, but extremely exhausting! Here's a quick recap...



We were blessed this year to get a fresh perspective on the birth of Jesus. We volunteered (or I should say we were roped in...and later showed excitement) to play the role of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Thankfully there were no speaking parts! Our church did a first-ever live nativity scene. It was really cool how it turned out. People entered the church, where there were live animals and shepherds who led visitors on a short walk to get to the manger scene. On the way, they told the story how an angel appeared and told them the news that Jesus was born. Greg and I were to simply act like typical new parents. We offered scraps of food to our visitors and chatted about what it must have been like back then. Little girls and boys ran up to offer baby Jesus (Kensie) little leather bracelets they had made at the craft tents. It was such a precious time for us. I kept thinking just how dirty everything must have been for Mary and Joseph. And why on earth did Joseph stick around when he had absolutely no part in creating this child? Was Mary's delivery a hard one or easy one? How much did Jesus weigh? And how did it really feel for Mary to look into the eyes of this amazing child of God?? So neat to see it in a fresh new light.

Kensie was such a little trooper too. We were there for about 3 hours. She was happy when awake and slept in the actual manger for like 45 minutes! Of course when we got home, she showed her true colors :).

Hope your Christmas was grand!

More to come...Christmas parties and another family wedding!! Stay tuned!

How do you get out of a funk?

Hey there. Havin' a pretty bad attitude over here, and just can't seem to kick it. Everything has been bugging me lately. You know, when it just seems like no one can do anything right? And every time you're around people, you just want to tell them to stop being so annoying? And even when they aren't annoying, you still want to tell them to just stop? And then the minute you think you've had enough of yourself (and your bad attitude), you start to actually enjoy the negativity you've been in?? I've been really frustrated with just plain stupid stuff these past few days. I've been impatient with people I love. I can't stop saying negative things. And well, I'm just in a funk. How do YOU get out of it?

On another note, Kensie has been my happy place lately. She is getting so much more expressive, and seems like she is doing something new every.single.day. I love watching her grow and learn the simplest of things (like finally being able to hold onto her toys!).

Even when she interrupts my Sunday afternoon nap because she blew out her diaper so bad she needed a bath....I seem to have SO MUCH patience with her. No matter how little sleep I get, or how much she demands, I can never be mad at her for very long. :) Maybe that's a little taste of how God loves me? Even when I have my pity parties, he just can't seem to get enough of me. Now that's some crazy love.

morning snuggles

**Also, notice the small birthmark on her arm? It just appeared one day. The doc says it will get bigger and bigger until about age 9 and then will fade. I think it's kinda cute :)**

Brought to you by the number 3...

3 more weeks 'til Christmas!

3 easy steps to a fun homemade dove ornament copied from Ballard's Designs (again)

1) Use Christmas piano sheet music to cut out doves --glued to cardstock for extra sturdiness.
2) put a thin strip of glue around the edge and sprinkle with glitter.
3) hole punch top and secure a piece of raffia to hang on tree!

3 things little miss Kensie likes to do A LOT lately:

1) smile

2) sneeze

3) smelly toots

3 month chair picture!

You're gettin' so BIG Kensie!

1 year ago...

We moved into our first home! What a journey it has been...




We started out with a few remodeling projects...


(opened up the entryway)

(opened the space between 2 living rooms)

Learned what it means to snow plow our own driveway...
(no pic sorry)

Did LOTS and LOTS of painting (thanks to my patient and talented hubby!)...

hutch before

hutch and dining area after

Endured the "Flood of '09"...

And welcomed our first baby into this home!...

How thankful we are for this place, and can't wait to fill it with more memories!

Thankful

This whole week I have been thinking of what I'm most thankful for. It seems hard to pick just one, as there are SO MANY things in my life that I am eternally grateful for....a tight knit family, faithful friends, a precious new baby, a loving husband, a home to call our own, and on and on...

But, I would like to focus on one word. PURPOSE. I am so thankful for purpose in my life. I have not always felt this in my past. For a long time I thought my purpose in life was to be the best at sports that I could. Once I thought I attained that, I felt empty. Then I thought my purpose was to look the best I could on the outside. The moment I thought I reached that, I felt hollow and ugly. My box in life was so small, and all I could think about was me, myself, and I.

So getting back to the point. In the last 2 years, I have seen a new purpose begin to blossom. There have been numerous "coincidences" in my life that have led to new and meaningful relationships. God has placed other people in my path when I needed it most, and vice versa. He has shown me that my purpose in life is not about me. Rather, His purpose is all about Him. And, His purpose is to use whatever circumstance I'm in to encourage others toward Him.

So, for now (in practical terms)....my purpose is to be: a faithful and loving wife to my husband, a caring and prayerful mother to my child, and an encouraging and intentional friend to others. And for that, I am thankful. Thankful that my life has meaning because it affects others. Thankful that "coincidences" don't just happen. Thankful that there is a God behind everything that happens in life. And most of all, I'm thankful that He cares enough about a spec like me to rescue me from my sin.

What are you thankful for?

Stubborness = Stupidness

Yes. Yes it does.

Day #1 (last Wed). I woke up feeling under the weather. A low grade fever, a headache and a stuffy head. Took some Motrin and Sudafed (both safe for breastfeeding btw) and stayed home all day in my robe, trying my best not to touch or breath on Kensie.

Day #2. (Thursday). I went to watch a high school volleyball game. You know, cuz I thought I was feeling better. Bad idea. Hardly slept that night from what felt like fire in my throat.

Day #3 (Friday). I swear I was swallowing pins and needles all day. I rotated from the bath to the couch to the bed....all the while drinking cup upon cup of tea and sucking on cough drops like candy in between. By the end of the day, several people thought I had strep and should get checked out.

"No, not me. I've NEVER had strep in my life, let alone been on antibiotics. I'll be fine gargling my salt water 2-3 times a day. I can fight this thing" -- I realize that I basically think I'm invincible at this point.

Day #4 (Saturday). I'm pretty sure this is the worst of it and it WILL be better by tomorrow dag nabbit! So what do I do? Go to ANOTHER volleyball game that night. Nice Shannon. Like that's gonna help.

Day #5. Church. At least I was smart enough to stay home from that....starting to learn my lesson maybe? By the afternoon, I knew there was no way I could make it through another night, and it was time to head to Urgent Care.

So....after 4 miserable nights and 5 looooooong days, I took a 10 min trip to the hospital, where the doctor didn't even bother swabbing to test me for strep. She took one look in my mouth, and said, "oh that looks bad". If a doctor says it looks bad, that must mean something right?

A quick trip to Walgreens and 10 min later I was home with my prescription, feeling a mixture of emotions. Was all that torture over the last 5 days worth proving that apparently I can fix my problems?? --good reminder that God is the only one who can conquer ALL things. And secondly, why did I not listen to good advice?? -- another reminder that stubbornness = stupidness. And most importantly...thank goodness for drugs! -- reminding me how thankful I am to live in this day in age.