Dirty looks never looked so cute.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Busy with Bon Bons and Babies
Last Week:
-Made 300 bon bons
-Steven was gone half the week
-Helped assemble and deliver said 300 bon bons
-Had missionaries over for dinner
-Delivered dinner to a friend who was sick
-Had a procedure done to correct some complications from past pregnancies
-Helped host a double baby shower/service project where we made blankets for the crisis nursery in town
-Preschool, swim class, lego class, and other typical craziness
Last week may be record breaking for me. The Young Women's program here does an annual fundraiser to raise money for girls' camp in the summer. Our girls followed tradition with last year and did "Treats for my Sweet" which essentially is Valentine gift boxes ordered by members in the ward. To ensure a good quality product, the leaders made the treats and the girls assembled and delivered the boxes. This year's fundraiser was so successful that I ended up making 300 peanut butter bon bons (aka buckeyes) with the help of my blessed friend Julie. I had no clue how to make them and I've had horrible luck in the baking department, so I am so grateful she could come show me the ropes. Otherwise I would have had to tell everyone that the young women made them. ;)
Only 230 to go!
Steven was gone Monday morning until late Wednesday night for an interview in Chicago. Which meant I delivered some of the gift boxes with my kids in tow. Rowan was practically asleep by the time we got home. Thanks again to Julie for watching them for the majority of mutual and for Tiffany who stayed at my house so I could go pick up Steve at the train station. I don't know what I would have done without my friends this week.
The kids got some of these boxes for Valentine's Day. They were well received!
I got to have the missionaries over for dinner on Tuesday and it ended up being the last night on the mission for one sister. At first I was tempted to cancel because I was supposed to be making bon bons and Steve was gone. I'm really glad I didn't. The sisters gave a sweet message about pressing forward that I needed to hear at that moment and I especially needed the comforting presence of the spirit that night. After they left, I felt impressed to take the rest of our dinner to a friend who had been sick. I wish the spirit's promptings could always be so strong in my home and I'm thankful that the missionaries brought that with them.
I also went in this week to get a quick procedure done that will hopefully fix some issues I've had since I was pregnant with Rowan. (Thanks again to Julie for watching my kids- I owe her big time!!) It ended up being more invasive than I thought, but thankfully I was back on my feet soon enough to help host a double baby shower and service project for two friends in the ward. We made blankets for a crisis nursery in town and I was in charge of providing cheesecake and direction with the blankets. I wasn't sure how to construct the blankets, but thankfully there were ladies there with far more experience than me. Just another example of how you just have to press forward and God will make up for what you lack with his grace. I have gained such a testimony of this this week.
-Made 300 bon bons
-Steven was gone half the week
-Helped assemble and deliver said 300 bon bons
-Had missionaries over for dinner
-Delivered dinner to a friend who was sick
-Had a procedure done to correct some complications from past pregnancies
-Helped host a double baby shower/service project where we made blankets for the crisis nursery in town
-Preschool, swim class, lego class, and other typical craziness
Last week may be record breaking for me. The Young Women's program here does an annual fundraiser to raise money for girls' camp in the summer. Our girls followed tradition with last year and did "Treats for my Sweet" which essentially is Valentine gift boxes ordered by members in the ward. To ensure a good quality product, the leaders made the treats and the girls assembled and delivered the boxes. This year's fundraiser was so successful that I ended up making 300 peanut butter bon bons (aka buckeyes) with the help of my blessed friend Julie. I had no clue how to make them and I've had horrible luck in the baking department, so I am so grateful she could come show me the ropes. Otherwise I would have had to tell everyone that the young women made them. ;)
Only 230 to go!
Steven was gone Monday morning until late Wednesday night for an interview in Chicago. Which meant I delivered some of the gift boxes with my kids in tow. Rowan was practically asleep by the time we got home. Thanks again to Julie for watching them for the majority of mutual and for Tiffany who stayed at my house so I could go pick up Steve at the train station. I don't know what I would have done without my friends this week.
The kids got some of these boxes for Valentine's Day. They were well received!
I got to have the missionaries over for dinner on Tuesday and it ended up being the last night on the mission for one sister. At first I was tempted to cancel because I was supposed to be making bon bons and Steve was gone. I'm really glad I didn't. The sisters gave a sweet message about pressing forward that I needed to hear at that moment and I especially needed the comforting presence of the spirit that night. After they left, I felt impressed to take the rest of our dinner to a friend who had been sick. I wish the spirit's promptings could always be so strong in my home and I'm thankful that the missionaries brought that with them.
I also went in this week to get a quick procedure done that will hopefully fix some issues I've had since I was pregnant with Rowan. (Thanks again to Julie for watching my kids- I owe her big time!!) It ended up being more invasive than I thought, but thankfully I was back on my feet soon enough to help host a double baby shower and service project for two friends in the ward. We made blankets for a crisis nursery in town and I was in charge of providing cheesecake and direction with the blankets. I wasn't sure how to construct the blankets, but thankfully there were ladies there with far more experience than me. Just another example of how you just have to press forward and God will make up for what you lack with his grace. I have gained such a testimony of this this week.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Rowan
If you walk into our house at most any moment, this is what you will behold.
We've hit Lego mania here. Rowan grew in his interest for Legos because of some he got for Christmas and since then that's all he plays with. We've even agreed to sell some of his old toys to fund some new purchases. His absolute favorite is this one-
He sleeps with it every night and pesters all of his friends and family to play it with him all the time. I'm starting to wonder if the fact that his Dad left shortly before he received this set left him with some odd attachment issues :). Speaking of Steve, he finally made it home after his rescheduled flight was rescheduled and delayed multiple times. I think it would have been a lot easier on me if I had a fixed time that I knew I could rely on. The failed expectations really starting getting to me after a while.
Back to the newly christened 5 year old, Rowan has started a lego class with some friends and he'll start swim lessons again next week. Preschool is also back on track, so he'll be a busy boy this semester.
On his birthday, much to my delight, Rowan requested cheesecake.
I've got the recipe down, but I still haven't figured out how to keep the top from browning. It happened once before, but I don't know what I did differently. Tips?
Rowan has become quite the little builder. He loves constructing things and being creative. Currently, his room has a web of ropes for his "zip lines". He got a magnet building set this Christmas which has also proved to be quite popular.
We've been doing some babysitting swaps during the week too, to get us through these winter months. Rowan has some great friends.
Pirate pioneer ballerina vs gun for hire
Nadia does too. :)
And when Nadia has her friends over, Rowan is always happy to provide the in house entertainment.
I've said it once and I'll say it again- Rowan is the best big brother.
Love you buddy!
We've hit Lego mania here. Rowan grew in his interest for Legos because of some he got for Christmas and since then that's all he plays with. We've even agreed to sell some of his old toys to fund some new purchases. His absolute favorite is this one-
He sleeps with it every night and pesters all of his friends and family to play it with him all the time. I'm starting to wonder if the fact that his Dad left shortly before he received this set left him with some odd attachment issues :). Speaking of Steve, he finally made it home after his rescheduled flight was rescheduled and delayed multiple times. I think it would have been a lot easier on me if I had a fixed time that I knew I could rely on. The failed expectations really starting getting to me after a while.
Back to the newly christened 5 year old, Rowan has started a lego class with some friends and he'll start swim lessons again next week. Preschool is also back on track, so he'll be a busy boy this semester.
On his birthday, much to my delight, Rowan requested cheesecake.
I've got the recipe down, but I still haven't figured out how to keep the top from browning. It happened once before, but I don't know what I did differently. Tips?
Rowan has become quite the little builder. He loves constructing things and being creative. Currently, his room has a web of ropes for his "zip lines". He got a magnet building set this Christmas which has also proved to be quite popular.
We've been doing some babysitting swaps during the week too, to get us through these winter months. Rowan has some great friends.
Pirate pioneer ballerina vs gun for hire
Nadia does too. :)
And when Nadia has her friends over, Rowan is always happy to provide the in house entertainment.
I've said it once and I'll say it again- Rowan is the best big brother.
Love you buddy!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Getting Dumped On
January hasn't been the greatest month for me. I've got this nagging sickness that just won't go away and it's been that way since Thanksgiving. I've done all but beg for some antibiotics to get rid of this lingering sinus irritation, but the doctors apparently think it's normal to have congestion for 2.5 months. Kids keep getting sick, I'm feeling run down, and Steve has been busy getting things together for a few interviews he has upcoming (yay for interviews!), but he's been gone a lot. All I was missing was one big fat blizzard.
Steve had headed out to Pennsylvania for a job interview Sunday and was supposed to come home Tuesday, but instead got stuck in Pittsburgh during what apparently is a historic storm that you may see once every 50 years. He's coming home Thursday late at night (cross fingers!), but it's been hard having him gone for so long. Especially since he'll be leaving again on Monday. Not to mention the fact that we have been stuck inside for almost all of the last 2 weeks because the kids and I have had colds and ear infections flaring up again. Thank goodness for friends who got us out of the house a couple times and brought us milk when we were running low! I think I would have gone insane otherwise.
The storm didn't drop as much snow as I expected and the proposed power outages and tornado warnings didn't come to fruition, but it was pretty severe. While walking one block over to my friend's house, I felt like my face had frozen the wind chill was that bad. First there was the freezing rain that encased everything in ice, then the hail, and then snow. The wind gusts were pretty serious and you could hear ice hitting the windows most of the night. Nadia woke up at 4am from it. Rowan was supposed to start preschool on Tuesday, but it was canceled two days in a row. Essentially, I'm ready to pass on my bad luck on to someone else and I'm ready for winter to be over.
The kids went out and played for a little while this morning. They were so desperate to get out of the house, the wind chill didn't get to them for almost 20 minutes.
The snow may not seem that deep, but that's mostly because there's such a hard layer of ice. One of our sleds was so buried under the snow that it took some poking around to find it and then pry it loose from the ground. I was afraid it would shatter from the effort.
Nadia was the last one to come back inside and that was only because I bribed her with a bowl of snow. She plopped herself down and ate snow the whole time she was out there. Perhaps I shouldn't ask myself why we keep getting sick, but it's a whole lot cleaner than the snow she sneaks off the tires of the car and my shoes. The girl loves snow.
Later we took the sleds over to the community toy room to get some wiggles out with friends. They LOVE getting pulled around in these things.
(Rowan's grimace is from the sun- he really was happy in this picture)
I hope February is kinder to us. I'm ready for some good news! And on that note, I hear someone crying when they should be sleeping. Christmas pics will have to wait!
Steve had headed out to Pennsylvania for a job interview Sunday and was supposed to come home Tuesday, but instead got stuck in Pittsburgh during what apparently is a historic storm that you may see once every 50 years. He's coming home Thursday late at night (cross fingers!), but it's been hard having him gone for so long. Especially since he'll be leaving again on Monday. Not to mention the fact that we have been stuck inside for almost all of the last 2 weeks because the kids and I have had colds and ear infections flaring up again. Thank goodness for friends who got us out of the house a couple times and brought us milk when we were running low! I think I would have gone insane otherwise.
The storm didn't drop as much snow as I expected and the proposed power outages and tornado warnings didn't come to fruition, but it was pretty severe. While walking one block over to my friend's house, I felt like my face had frozen the wind chill was that bad. First there was the freezing rain that encased everything in ice, then the hail, and then snow. The wind gusts were pretty serious and you could hear ice hitting the windows most of the night. Nadia woke up at 4am from it. Rowan was supposed to start preschool on Tuesday, but it was canceled two days in a row. Essentially, I'm ready to pass on my bad luck on to someone else and I'm ready for winter to be over.
The kids went out and played for a little while this morning. They were so desperate to get out of the house, the wind chill didn't get to them for almost 20 minutes.
The snow may not seem that deep, but that's mostly because there's such a hard layer of ice. One of our sleds was so buried under the snow that it took some poking around to find it and then pry it loose from the ground. I was afraid it would shatter from the effort.
Nadia was the last one to come back inside and that was only because I bribed her with a bowl of snow. She plopped herself down and ate snow the whole time she was out there. Perhaps I shouldn't ask myself why we keep getting sick, but it's a whole lot cleaner than the snow she sneaks off the tires of the car and my shoes. The girl loves snow.
Later we took the sleds over to the community toy room to get some wiggles out with friends. They LOVE getting pulled around in these things.
(Rowan's grimace is from the sun- he really was happy in this picture)
I hope February is kinder to us. I'm ready for some good news! And on that note, I hear someone crying when they should be sleeping. Christmas pics will have to wait!
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