My mom brought this picture with her on a little trip she took up here right before Christmas. I had never seen the picture before (her neighbors, the ones pictured, gave it to her just a week or so ago). We look so young was my first thought, but that was soon taken over by the thought and amazement that this was taken almost 3 and half years ago. Some days, it seems like it's been that long. Other days, it seems much much shorter. And yet, I look at life and realize that it had to be that long. An 18 month old, a second one here in 3 months...and so many happy memories between the "I do" and the right now. I am so grateful to be married to my best friend and confidant. He puts up with so much and loves me for me...we were so young and so in love in this picture. And while we may not look that young anymore (thankfully, Scot's current goatee makes him look his age instead of 18!), we are still very much in love!
We hit the 26 week mark a couple days ago and I can't believe it. Drew is an active little guy and I have been feeling him move even when I'm moving. Which is practically all the time, so that's saying something. My last Drs visit went well - measuring fine and looking good. Haven't popped too much more since last time, we'll see what next month's picture looks like, though!
Our Christmas was wonderful. It was white. If was full of family and friends. We ate good food and had an overall blast talking, laughing, and sharing stories. It was busy, but I would do it all over again in an instant.
Christmas Eve was spent down in Colo Springs with friends in the morning. Lunch at my folks and then off to Scot's folks for a little visit before another nap-time hit. Mom had her traditional grilled cheese and carrot soup dinner (and this is no ordinary sandwich and soup, folks!) and we were able to get in the Christmas Eve service at a church down there. The down parts of the day were spent helping Madeline and Jared stuff wedding invites, talking wedding stuff, cooking, and just talking in general.
Christmas morning we woke to a still snow-covered ground (Scot was ecstatic!) and while still in our jammies, we tackled our stockings. I love stockings. Let me repeat. I LOVE stockings!!! As in, I could have no gifts under the tree and be happy as long as my stocking was full of the little things I love...nail polish, lip gloss, socks, note cards, fun pens...the list goes on, but you get the idea. Scot spoiled me this year with 2, not 1, but 2 tubes of my favorite lip gloss, and a pair of earrings I adore!
We had a big breakfast (eggnog french toast, Maple Brown Sugar sausage, and scrambled eggs) and Scot's Uncle, Dave, came over to enjoy with us! We opened some presents after he left, but once nap-time hit, we cleaned the living room of random scraps of paper and organized as best we could. Time to start on dinner!!
My folks, Jared and Madeline, and Grama all arrived for dinner about 1. Thankfully, I had planned and didn't feel like a chicken with its head cut off! We all enjoyed the food and more presents. Honestly, all the gifts were a little overwhelming, but we managed just fine. Evan did great even though he was teething. We realized that evening that him tugging on his mouth and the temp of 101.3 was the reason behind the extra fussiness during the day. Poor guy was a trooper all things considered. He now has one new molar and another one trying to get through.
Christmas night was spent with just the three of us admiring our tree and all our 'loot'. This year was strange for me as I've always done Hannukah with my family, and since Scot and I have been married, Christmas has always been low-key...I think we're going back to that next year.
In all the hustle and bustle, we were thankfully able to keep our eyes focused (I think) on the real 'reason for the season' (please excuse the very trite phrase). Christ came to earth and shed His blood for US, and for that we celebrate Christmas. Not the presents, although that's fun. Not the food, although that's delicious. Not even the family fellowship. The real reason for this season, is the celebration of GOD, coming to earth as a baby, and living a spotless life for us so that we may have eternal life through Him.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, here are just a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Playing with the vintage Fisher Price pull-toy - Queen Bee
His new flip-phone and cape...
Our dinner table
The 'spread' - or part of it. I made a French Canadian meat pie, roasted chicken with grapes and shallots and thyme, creamy sweet potato soup, green beans with pearl onions and tarragon, and danish creams for dessert. Mom and grama brought up the ambrosia and famous orange cake! Most all the recipe will be appearing on the food blog this upcoming week.
Our happy boy
Of all the toys, and there were many, the punch-ball was the favorite. How funny is that?
Reading a book with Uncle J and Auntie Mads
The toy bins (normally $75 at Target) that I got the day after Christmas on craigslist for only $15!! It's practically brand new and a huge 'praise the Lord'! I now have places to put all the toys!
Greetings to all our family and friends! We hope you are well and enjoying the Christmas season!
At a glance, this past year is a blur, but as I pull out our calendar to see what all has happened over the past twelve months, I see numerous different colors in the little boxes all with fun things we did. Dinner parties, book club meetings, trips to Colorado Springs and out of state, play dates and zoo dates, family and friends visiting, picnics in the park, tutoring, trips to the Butterfly Pavilion and Botanical Gardens, and of course, weddings. There are also church and ladies events galore. It’s enjoyable to have so much family in our house, too, we have weekly visits to and from my folks who love loving on Evan, and Scot’s Uncle, Dave, comes over to our house weekly for dinner. To say the least, our schedule is full, but that’s the way I like it.
Evan, almost 18 months, is running, climbing, jumping, talking, and laughing or making others laugh with, or at, him. His favorite games are peek-a-boo and ‘chase me’. He loves to be in the middle of the action playing with whatever or whoever is around and is generally very good about playing by himself. My Tupperware still holds one of the ‘Top 5’ spots on his favorite toy list right next to his Mega blocks, balls, and anything with wheels. Animal noises are always being sounded, and suffice it to say that life is never boring with a boy around! He is truly a ray of sunshine with his always-ready smile, curiosity, and developing sense of humor. He loves to read and to be read to and we hope that his love of learning and reading only increases. He loves his daddy to a distraction and tries to do what daddy does, it’s very cute. We feel so blessed to have such a good natured, happy child – we love being parents so much in fact that we’re doing it all over again! Little Drew (unless the ultrasounds are all wrong) will make his appearance sometime around Easter this upcoming year! Due date is April 4th – Easter day!
Scot’s year has been, in his words, a rollercoaster ride. He has different rotations each month, and while he has enjoyed most of them, they all have different schedules and his life has not been very consistent except for church and a Bible study he does on Saturday mornings. He was away for 2 whole months doing out-rotations in OH and OK this fall, and while that was very beneficial and a little taste of what residency will be like, we were both very glad when it was over. He has applied to an Internal Medicine residency program in Tulsa, OK, (as well as others) and we will know in Feb where we’ll be moving next. It’s heart breaking for both of us to have to leave here, but we hope to settle along the front range one day – sooner rather than later. Scot passed his Step II boards and looks forward to graduation in May. In his limited free time, he is found hanging out with us, playing on the floor with Evan, particularly chasing him and making him squeal in delight. He tries to pleasure read when possible, as well as get in on a few pick-up hockey games every now and again – mostly, though, he ends up watching NHL highlights to get his ‘fix’ in. One of his greatest joys has been being a father and witnessing so many of Evan’s ‘firsts’.
I’ve been busy, but I have also managed to not feel too stretched. Along with all our outings and such that filled our weeks and months, Evan and I made a few trips. In February, we went to Florida for my grandfather’s 90th birthday party, it was wonderful to see him one last time and have him meet Evan before he passed away. In May, Evan and I went to Virginia for Jared’s graduation from VMI and had a good time visiting ‘back home’. In July, we all went up into the mountains with some good friends to ‘camp’ and hike, we really meant to do more of that but it never happened. We made a quick trip to Tulsa to visit Scot the end of August and shortly after that, I was in a friend’s wedding here in Denver. Like times before, I am heavily involved in church. I am currently ‘leading’ (I much prefer the term ‘facilitating’) the weekly ladies Bible study and most recently, I am involved in a Christmas choir - it’s great to be singing again. In my down time, I can be found outside walking in the open space, on the couch reading, in the kitchen cooking or baking, behind a camera lens, or blogging. Photography is my newest hobby I’m dabbling in and some families at church have been kind enough to lend themselves as my guinea pigs. We are always up for entertaining and have enjoyed opening our home to friends and family alike. I am enjoying this pregnancy as much as I did the last and just like this past year has flown by, so is this pregnancy! This little guy is going to be here before we know it!
The holidays this year are very sweet as it is probably our last being so close to family for a while. My Grama is staying with my parents for a few months, so that makes things extra specials. Thanksgiving was spent with my folks (Scot unfortunately had to work), Grama, and friends– it was a great time of fun and fellowship. A special treat and memory-maker this year was cutting down our own Christmas tree in the Pike National Forrest (legally). I will be hosting Christmas again this year and I’m very much looking forward to it! Jared and his fiancée, Madeline, (wedding: Mar ’10) will be here as well, so we’re bound to have great fun!
We hope you are looking forward to all that 2010 holds – may the Lord be with you in all you set out to do in the New Year! Please visit us online and stop by if you’re in the area – we love having company!
I'm down at the computer right now because both Scot and Evan are sleeping. Evan woke up at 7 and called for me and Scot was kind enough to go get him to play in bed while I woke up a little more. While Scot and I were talking, we realized that Evan was no longer playing and instead, he was asleep. So what did we do? We went back to bed!
For me, that lasted all of 15 minutes. Not Scot. He got in last night around midnight and woke up this morning at 4:30. They both slept through me getting out of bed, and taking a picture with a flash...tired boys! I love Scot's folded arms as to not disturb Evan's little feet propped up on Scot's side!
So far, this is what I've done for Evan's cape. I used this pattern, and it's been SO easy! Next time, I think I'll use the machine to zig-zag around the felt, though. Oh well, live and learn, right? All that's left now is sewing the pieces together and attaching the Velcro! Cake! I'll post pictures of it when it's all done, too...probably, hopefully, on him. :)
The 2 sides of the cape before they are sewn together and after I hand stitched the start and 'E' on!
The 'super star'! I stitched random buttons I found onto it to give it some extra 'super power'...
The 'E' with different sized and colored blue buttons...
There are many - I repeat many - differences between Scot and I, but it is these differences that make us "us". We balance each other out and bring out the better side of the other. And isn't that the way it should be? Same would be boring. Nobody to sharpen you and push you in a direction you would have never before considered. Nobody to help point out another way to look at things. For me, I love the differences that Scot and I have and the complexity (in a good way) it brings to our marriage. One of these differences was very easily seen this morning.
When I am at home, I dress differently than when I am off to a ladies event or church. I am typically found in jeans and a cute top. Nothing fancy. And if I have nowhere to go at all that day, the jeans will be swapped out for my favorite sweats until I know Scot is coming home. At that point, I quickly change into jeans only to change back out of them and into my sweats once he's been home for about 30 minutes. He doesn't demand that I'm in 'proper' attire when he gets home, I just know he really likes it when I'm not in sweats when he walks in the door.
Scot is a completely different story.
When Scot is home all day, he is in cords or jeans, and sometimes slacks, with a button-down shirt. I have to practically beg him to change into sweats if we're going to watch a movie or just chill and play games on a date night. I enjoy being comfortable, and for me, that's jeans or sweats. For him, it's a button-down shirt. You know the type. The kind that are designed to not be tucked in. In a word, my husband is preppy. And I love it.
This difference has never been more apparent than this morning when Scot had the job of dressing Evan (typically, I do this because I love to pick out his outfits and dress him). When they came downstairs after getting dressed, this is what I saw.
Yes, that is a button down shirt on my son - on a Monday. For me, I save the cute little-man button down shirts for special outings, pictures, church...you get the idea. Today is my cleaning day. I'm not going anywhere. And yet, my son looks ready to rock the town in his adorable little jeans and button down shirt. :) And I love it.
I think I may actually start putting him in these shirts during the week instead of always resorting to his long-sleeve t-shirt material shirts...
First of all, I would like to say that this is my 300th post!! Really?
Anyways, that's not why I'm posting. The reason I'm posting is because, I admit it, I want to brag a little. And it's horrible because it's not about my husband, or my son...it's about me. Well, my chair cushions at least. Almost 2 years ago now, Scot and I found our dining room set, complete with a side section that flips up so it can feed 6-8 instead of just 4 or 5, and chairs, all for a little over $100!! The only thing wrong with this deal...I couldn't stand the fabric on the cushions. So now, after having sat in the chairs for almost 2 years, had so many conversations on them, many dinners enjoyed, and, when it comes down to it, life lived around them, I now have cushions that I like. And I did them myself!
I found some great chocolate colored suede-like cloth on sale and then all it took was the gumption to actually cut the cloth and start. My mom (who has done this stuff numerous times) helped me out on the first one, and then I just did the rest! Thankfully, she had the staple gun, and while I was constantly scared of the thing, I'm glad we had it! I even ended up with enough fabric to re-do 2 more chairs if I ever get them! So here's to the $6 chair cushions that are more my style! I'll try and post the cushions actually in the chairs, but since I'm at my mom's right now and all I have are the cushions, that's all you get picture wise right now.
Our 'new' cushions with the chocolate suede cloth on them....oh yes...dinners are going to be much tastier now thanks to these babies!
The old cushions. They weren't horrible, the whole faded Aztec thing just isn't my style...at all.
In other news - specifically Drew related - I'm 6 months pregnant today and I have NO idea how that's possible. I'm tellin' ya...Easter is going to be here before I know what's hit me!
Otherwise, we're all doing well. I've decided to start hard-core potty training on the Monday after Christmas. It seemed logical since I don't have anything going on that week and no where to go, but I DO have things going on the week after...we'll see how it goes, but Evan came to me with his potty today and essentially asked to go. When he got there, he actually went. The full story is on the potty training blog.
I think that about sums it up. The past week has been brutally busy for me and I came down to my mom's yesterday for some peace and relaxation. I was not only able to do the cushions, but I did (ie: address, stuff, and stamp) all my Christmas cards yesterday! WOOHOO! Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful and Scot is planning on taking the day off, so we should have some good fun with that.
I hope everyone is getting ready for the hustle and bustle and enjoying every minute of this festive (if over-commercialized) Christmas season!
Yesterday was an adventure! After making sure that we had all our supplies in the car, Scot, Evan, and I headed out to go find the perfect Christmas tree and chop it down (legally, that is - we had a permit - only $10 - that allowed such actions). The cutting area in Pike National Forrest was only about 50 miles away, and since the drive was towards the mountains, we didn't mind in the least. We had Christmas music playing, and Evan slept the entire way there.
After hiking through 2 valleys (and consequently over 2 ridges), looking at tons of different trees (most with a bald spot in the perfectly wrong place), and deliberating between 2 trees for about 15 minutes after the hour hike, we finally decided on a tree. It had a small area where it was a little thinner, but considering it wasn't a bald spot, I was fine with it. The tree, I knew, would be standing in the window, it was the only reason we didn't cut down the first tree we liked! So Scot got to work with his hand saw and sawed and sawed and sawed and...well, you get the idea. By this time, it was getting close to lunch, and since we hadn't expected to take so long, all we had was water with us, and we were starting to get a little hungry. Scot, meanwhile, was still sawing. So, I took all humpherumph pounds of my 6-month frame and pushed and shoved against that tree and what do you know, that one inch cut quickly became 2 and then 6 inches - all within a matter of about 90 seconds! We were quite pleased with ourselves. We then started the trek back, which thankfully took a lot less time since we had a single mission: Do NOT stop and look at any other trees. Just get back to the car as quickly as possible.
Evan did great the whole way. He wasn't too happy the last 5 minutes or so, he wanted to get down, but I wouldn't let him off my shoulders, but we all survived. A little weary and sore, but whole. We strapped the tree to the top of our Civic - sorry, there are unfortunately no pictures of that - and drove home. For $10, it so well worth it, and so much better than paying anarmandaleg like we did last year!
We were so excited when we got home that we put the tree up, put lights on it, and dressed it while Evan took his afternoon nap! Ahh...the smell of the pine, the look of the lights, the tea Scot made for us, the strains of Christmas music, looking through and picking out ornaments...it was a perfect afternoon. The tree ended up being 9 feet tall - and with 8 foot ceilings and a star to put on top, we ended up cutting off about 18 inches (thankfully the top 14 of those inches was the funny single stick-up branch). Tell ya what, that tree looked so much smaller out in the wilderness than in our living room!! It is by far the best tree we have ever had. For us, it's perfect. It's airy enough for me to have my ornaments shown off, but not too airy that's it Charlie Brownish (although I have quite enjoyed my Charlie Brown trees in the past!).
We are indeed having another boy. We had our full OB ultrasound today and everything looks great. Heart and other organs are all where they need to be and looking like they need to look. We're measuring right on target for our Easter due date, and it was fun to see little Drew moving, sucking his hand/fingers, and it was especially great to be able to have Scot present for all of it!
Little Drew's profile. Looks like he's going to have the button/Klajnbart nose just like his brother, and full lips!
I don't think this one needs much explaining, but you can see now how we're SO sure we're having a boy. If that were on a girl...well...we're just glad it's not.
We had some professional pictures taken of us yesterday courtesy of a gal I knew in college (we "won" a free photo shoot). It was a mite chilly and quite a bit windy and Evan was not a happy camper at the end, so it was only 30 minutes instead of an hour, but the pictures she has up on her blog of us are pretty cute! I can't wait to see the rest of them!
This morning marks the first day of the 3rd of 4 stages to me potty training Evan.
Stage 1: getting him used to the potty Stage 2: having him go potty consistently at night before bed Stage 3: pooping in the potty Stage 4: 'hard core' training with underpants
For those of you who would like to follow along with our potty training journey, I have started a separate blog for it. My goal is to have it as a resource for other parents who want to potty train early, but for now, it's just a 'journal type' blog to capture our failures and successes. It's an open/public blog, so please feel free to share it with any other moms (or dads) you know who are looking at potty training early.
