The Winters' Tales

bedtime show!

2012-01-18T19:22:00.000-08:00

Anna and John both are in a Curious George phase. After long days of playing inside and outside bedtime wasn't a fight. So all ready for bed they got to snuggle up and Curious George watch together!

ditch diggers!

2012-01-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

The weather was beautiful despite it being january!

What else would kids do with a bare garden and shovel? dig of course!

piano kids

2012-01-17T19:04:00.001-08:00

We got to have a visit from the Jamison's last week! It was really fun to watch them all play together and Steph and I deserved our naps each day with the kids!

The piano was a hit!

a moment in the spotlight...

When you are done with your masterpiece there is no other reaction you can have!!!

Christmas Part 2

2012-01-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

On Christmas day we headed to Nashville...

Aunt Anna got a mandolin for Christmas and John was very intrigued, he even got to strum a little!

Pop and Lala got him a fire truck that he loves to ride and even wants to wear the hat when we leave the house!

Pop has an antique train that John got to watch go round and round and even blow the whistle!
It was so fun to watch the joy in John's eyes this Christmas as he experienced new things!

Christmas Part I

2012-01-12T09:11:00.000-08:00

John got a recordable book from Grandma and Grandpa with their voices reading him the story of Frosty the Snowman! It has quickly become a family favorite activity.

Grandma always includes Craisins for John!

He loved getting to unwrap it, but then didn't understand that we threw the paper away. He tried to put it back on the book once we had finished unwrapping it.He recognized their voices!

Listening with daddy!

more kale please!

2012-01-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

In my ever growing search to find ways to prepare veggies that John will enjoy eating I find a winner...Baked Kale Chips!

Chop Kale up into small/medium size pieces
spray with Olive Oil and seasoning salt
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 mins until crispy

It comes out of the oven the consistency of dried parsley which is a little bit of a turn off but he doesn't seem to mind! Try it out for you or your kids!

Flash freezing peppers

2011-11-18T17:14:00.000-08:00

Red Bell Peppers were recently on sale. It is one of my favorite veggies to dip in hummus and I have a few recipes I tend to avoid until the peppers are on sale from their normal $1.50/1 pepper price. I have been enjoying freezing things lately and found a way to freeze these peppers when they are on sale so I can use them later on!

Dice or Slice your peppers and lay them out on a cookie so they are not touching.

Freeze

Then just scoop off and place in ziploc bags until ready to use. They will last for months!

Kid's and veggies

2011-11-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

Acorn Squash is something I look forward to about the fall. It is very yummy and very easy to cook! I recently was trying to get some extra veggies into John's diet and came up with a great idea for the leftovers of my squash...

Squash Grilled Cheese

Simply butter one side of bread like normal, lay sliced cheese on opposite side, smear pureed squash on top of cheese and top with additional slice of bread. Cook as normal!

What's in a name?

2011-11-13T18:48:00.001-08:00

Everyone has different reasons for picking names. Sometimes those reasons change with each child. John was a family name that we wanted to continue the tradition of using. Stirling, also a family name, I really liked! There is significance to our first child's name because of the family members that hold the names before him. I was named after my grandmother Phyllis Curry and have always loved that connection. My grandmother did too making sure whenever she introduced me to say that I was named for her!

With baby #2 on the way I struggled with naming her. Can we pick a random name just because we like it? Where is the significance if we do that? Is that even important? Should we use another family name? Will my family be hurt if it isn't a family name from their side? It felt like a lot of pressure and stress to name this second baby. But, after much thought and many names that we disliked we found one we loved...Lucie Coen.

Michael's grandmother is named Lucene but goes by Lucie and he has always liked the idea of using this name. But we think the middle name is just as important as the first and we were having a very hard time coming up with one.

I was thinking about names and their significance which led me to think about the significance in this pregnancy versus my last 2 pregnancies. Before John was born we had a miscarriage that was heartbreaking and earth shattering to our reality. It was not something I ever thought we would deal with, which was just foolishness. When we were pregnant with John I was fearful, anxious, scared, and worried every moment of the 9 months. It was a constant battle to trust God and believe that he is sovereign over the life of our children. It is a battle that I believe God has given me some victory in!

"Coen" means confidant trust in the Lord. The definition is what I believe God has given me through our pregnancies and parenting journey. I am thankful to have learned how God can change us, I am thankful to have a God that is in control and trustworthy. I am very thankful for this little girl and that her name will not just remind us of God's grace but will allow us to teach her what a great God we serve!

2011-11-11T19:56:00.000-08:00

Lucie Coen Winters is expected at the end of February!

pregnant with Lucie at 20 weeks

25 weeks with Lucie

John loves hugging my belly and we cannot wait to all hug on her together!

The helper helps!

2011-11-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

Earlier I posted about how John loved "helping" unloading the dishwasher. Well, now he actually does help. He takes the silverware out of the dishwasher caddy and puts it ALL in the silverware drawer. It isn't in the correct spaces but it is in the right drawer. One thing on my to-do list I don't have to do!

easy bacon cooking

2011-10-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

If you are like my family you love bacon but hate cooking it. Well, recently my husband suggested using the oven...BRILLIANT!!! We now make bacon with less mess and it makes it crispy not chewy which is my favorite kind of bacon.

Put foil or a cooling rack on a cookie sheet. Lay bacon on foil or cooling rack and place cookie sheet in a cold oven. Set oven to 400 degrees. Set time for 17-20 minutes and pull perfectly cooked bacon out of the oven!

*Steph's kitchen trick: use foil to correct the grease and let sit out until cooled. Then roll up foil and throw away!

great toy

2011-10-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

I rarely every plug products but this toy has been really fun. It's the Playskool Explore and Grow Busy Ball Popper, ours came from amazon. John got it as a gift from Aunt Jenny. For the first week we were going to return it because everytime it played music he started crying. But after a week he became more intrigued and now he loves it! It plays music (and he dances) and it spits out balls that he chases and puts back in to watch them be spit out again.

test everything

2011-10-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

He found the oven mit and put it on...

It was the entire length of his arm but he walked around the entire house wearing it for about 15 minutes!

thanks for asking!

2011-10-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

John has started asking for things! We taught him sign language for "more" so we didn't get yelled at during dinner. He has now adapted that and uses it to ask for anything which is sometimes confusing. However, last week he brought me his shoes and socks and signed "more". But he only wanted one sock on!

yummy fall meal!

2011-10-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

I love trying new recipes but it is usually a risk that my husband doesn't appreciate. I have picked some awful new recipes in the past. This one was so simple, inexpensive and delicious day 1 and day 2 as leftovers! I got this lazy-sunday-casserole from kayotic.nl/blog/ and I hope you try it!

4-5 sausages (italian, pork, beef...I used pork & chicken sausages)
1/2 lb carrots (4 large)
1 lb potatoes
fennel bulb (we did not use this)
1 large onion
1/2 bell pepper (we used mini sweet peppers)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 c of chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp of each rosemary, oregano, basil, and thyme
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut all veggies in large pieces similar in size (just like you would a stew) and place in roasting pan or deep 9x13. Mix together chicken broth, herbs, garlic and oil. Pour over veggies and mix around. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Cook longer if needed.

While veggies bake brown your sausages...DON'T COOK COMPLETELY!!! You want them to cook in with the veggies so the flavors all mingle! Cut browned sausages in half and place in dish with veggies. Remove foil and bake for 30 more minutes. After 15 minutes turn sausage and periodically spoon juices over everything!

We ate this with crusty bread and it was absolutely wonderful!!!

big kids eat big things

2011-10-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

John loves apples, he also loves feeding himself. He found an apple on a shelf in the fridge and immediately took a bite out of it! He then continued to eat the apple for about an hour but finished the entire thing!!!

That is a mostly eaten apple in his hand...while playing!

What's inside my fridge

2011-08-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

My fridge is an interesting place as I am sure many of yours are but lately I have learned alot about us by cleaning it out or rummaging through it for leftovers...here is what I have learned.

There is always...

1. some type of shredded meat (chicken, beef, pork) all different flavors
2. orange juice
3. 4-5 different varities of cheese
4. 2 lb bag of carrots
5. whole milk
6. tortillas
7. broccoli or green beans
8. apples
9. 20 different sized tupperwares cluttering up each shelf
10. French chew taffy

This might not seem weird to you but to me all that cheese, shredded meat and tupperware was ridiculous. I long for more organization in the fridge, I long to have a handle on everything that is in there and use it all up. Luckily I have a child who will eat anything and so he has a shmorgishborg of food and I can always find leftovers for lunch!

What things are fridge staples in your house? Intentionally or not so intentionally!

missing carlie

2011-08-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well the newly wed Carlie Schick is blowing up the blogosphere and I couldn't leave her out of mine! I sadly cannot find one picture of her and I which will be remedied soon but here she is enjoying our fellow love of candy!!!

She and I have been spending time together almost weekly for 1.5 years. It has been such a time of growth, fun, encouragement and challenging words (in a good way)! This summer she moved in with Michael and I and we got to spend even more time together seeing each other's daily lives, bad days, good days, living in the midst of wedding planning and the hardest summer of my life. I was so grateful to have her here. She was a lifesaver playing with John or babysitting at a moment's notice, she was so intentional in asking questions and caring about how I was doing, she was great at doing dishes and we truly love her a lot. I will miss our dinners together once a week and our morning chats while we are still waking up but I am so glad that I got to walk beside her this summer and share in the daily life and I am looking forward to encouraging her as a wife and teacher and homemaker.

Carlie, we love you!!! Your spot is always available in the alley when you come to visit:)

birthday cake=pure joy

2011-08-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

sorry the video is sideways but John loved his birthday cake!!!

Happy Birthday John Stirling!

2011-08-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

John turned 1 and we had fun celebrating with both sets of grandparents over the past week! The past two years have been full of heartache, anxiety, joy and growth as we began the journey of parenthood. Children are a gift from God and we are thankful everyday for such an undeserved and amazing gift! He is fun, adventurous, silly, curious, and analytical. He started walking around 11 months, he taught himself how to scoot down stairs, he loves spicy food, swimming in the pool, screaming a little too loud and chasing Anna Jamison around.

We have learned lots about communication, patience, selfishness and joy and we are very thankful for this child and excited for the rest of the journey!

Yellow cake with chocolate icing is delicious!

a double kiss!

he puts everything in his wheelbarrow excitement over new toys!

no help needed!

2011-07-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

As of July 11 John is now walking on his own! He had been taking 1-2 steps on his own for about 2 weeks, he had been walking with props but now he no longer needs them, though he still likes them. We have 2 different sunken rooms in our house that require going down 2-3 small stairs. He has taught himself how to butt scoot down them and navigate's them with ease!

cold lo mein with veggies and grilled chicken

2011-07-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted from a Jaime Oliver recipe I found in a magazine. I am having a hard time with oven and stovetop cooking this summer because it heats my kitchen up to 100 degrees. This was a very easy, delicious and made great leftovers! I also love the colors of this dish!

I know it has a lot of ingredients. Most of these you will already have and if you don't feel free to leave out the ones you don't like or don't want to purchase.

Chicken and Marinade
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp red pepper flake
black pepper
1/2 tsp minced or grated ginger
2 tbls chopped green onion
salt

Lo Mein
10 oz lo mein noodles
1/2 cucumber
1/2 red pepper
2 carrots
2 scallions
1 cup snow peas
1/3 c cilantro
3-4 tbls lime juice
3-4 tsp soy sauce
1/2-1 tsp Sriracha (if desired)

1. Mix soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, pepper, ginger root and green onion in gallon ziploc and throw chicken in
2. Marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes
3. cook noodles according to package
4. Mix cilantro, lime juic, soy sauce and siracha
5. quarter the cucumber lengthwise, scrape out seeds and slice finely. Using a veggie peeler cut the carrots into ribbons. Slice snow peas, scallions and red pepper.
6. Toss noodles and veggies in dressing and place in fridge until ready to eat (i did this 3 hrs before dinner)
7. Heat grill or grill pan and grill each side of chicken about 6 minutes, slice and serve warm on top of cold noodles

kitchen gadgets

2011-07-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

I love kitchen gear...pretty towels, efficient tools and specialty gadgets. There are clearly lots that are not used very often but the ones that I can use over and over again and drastically change how easy the meal is to make or how great the meal is are the ones I love best! A potato ricer is just that for me.

I first encountered this a few years ago when my mother-in-law asked me to help her make mashed potatoes. I had no idea what the gadget she handed me was and I had no idea how amazing the outcome would be. Well, this summer we received one as a very generous and surprising gift!

Here is the gadget, it is pretty big but oh so worth it!

You peel and boil the potatoes and put them in the ricer
then mash them down just like a garlic press

and then you get these tiny little puffy airy potatoes
mix in butter and milk and you will never be the same

They are the smoothest mashed potatoes you will ever have!

no more riding!

2011-06-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

John was getting a little restless sitting in the stroller so he decided to help push instead of riding!!!

C is for my latte!

2011-06-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my amazing husband bought us an espresso machine. At the time I was not completely convinced of this purchase but it did not take me long to realize his brilliance! We used to make them every morning but lately it has become a weekend luxury! He makes them much better them me and he even personalized mine!

He is great and so are his vanilla lattes!

The new face!

2011-06-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

John used to make turtle face! If you get lucky you might get to hear the song sometime!

It has since been replaced by the scrunched up face...which I love! It is very easy to get him to do this. If you do it he will mimic you over and over again so it is one of our new games.

Splish Splash...he loves it!

2011-06-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

We took our first trip to the pool this summer, it was also John's first trip to the pool ever! He loved it, I had no doubts! Our YMCA has a really fun water park outside and zero incline pool which is perfect for little ones.

cooling off with our sippy cup in the shade

Audrey and Will joined us also...Will was great until the end!

2+4=6

2011-06-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

John first two teeth were his bottom ones! They have changed how he likes to eat drastically, he loves to bite on to strips of toast and rip them away violently as if he is eating a turkey leg. He doesn't like soft baby food very much and instead prefers to feed himself than be spoon fed.

The past 2 weeks he has eaten lots of new exciting foods: grilled cheese, shredded cheese, rice cakes, tortilla chips, and scrambled eggs (yes, i know this is controversial). Our favorite has been Chipotle Barbacoa (very spicy shredded beef), and cilantro lime rice. He very obviously likes foods with lots of flavor and spice, which I am very thankful for and excited about!

He now has four teeth all coming in on top. His left "fang" is coming in the most, followed by his two top teeth and his right "fang". He really likes to bite everything now!

recently in life...

2011-06-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

A great friend recently wrote a post about needing to refocus her blog and her time. She had started a blog with the intention of writing about her relationship with Jesus, her kids and her life. But, in the past few months with 2 kids in tow her blog had become quickly focused on only them. This was greatly convicting to me! I do not evaluate my days and my heart enough.

Priorities are a conversation that happen in my house pretty regularly. Am I balancing them right? Do I need to reorder them? What should they be this day, week or month? Is it okay to change them for a day? Reading Steph's blog post challenged me to evaluate more! With all of our family being out of town I want my blog to be mostly focused on my child because I want to share with family and friends what John is doing and how quickly he is growing. My days though do not need to be solely focused on him. He is a priority, he does takes my complete attention and care but this is not a license to ignore other priorities in life. This is something that is hard to see in the daily moments of life. But, I am learning how much I need to grow and learn. I need to be a better wife, a better mom and friend, I need to grow in relationship with Jesus and that influences everything.

So thank you Steph for reminding me to pursue other priorities. Thank you for reminding me that when I am too focused on one thing in life (be it my child, my dirty floors, the laundry, or a bad attitude) I am neglecting too many other priorites that need my attention.

One way in which I have started to do this is by rearranging my days so that the afternoons are not taken hostage by cleaning,and laundry but are more free for me to focus on playing with John, spending time with friends, taking pictures, gardening and growing in relationship with Jesus.

my little helper...?

2011-06-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

John can now pull up on everything. Drawers, tablecloths, trashcans, chairs, couches. He also likes exploring...drawers, the refrigerator, trashcans and as you can see the entire silverware caddy and spice drawer!

This is not him screaming out of anger it is him squealing in pure delight at the new adventure he found in the kitchen! It is really fun to watch up shake things, turn over them over, put them in his mouth and take in every aspect of each new day! It also requires me to pick our house up about 20 times a day...oh well!

Crawling begins...

2011-06-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

At 8 1/2 months after much anticipation John started crawling! He is now crawling and pulling up but I wanted you to see the process!

here is part 1

he takes after his dad

2011-06-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

Michael built us a new computer and John was helping!

He will quickly crawl to any cord or cable, laughing the whole way there and play and be occupied for 10 minutes!

road trip warrior

2011-05-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

We have been going on road trips with John since he was 7 weeks old. In april we took 2 trips...

one by plane, our first one as a family! This is John and I after a 4 hour layover and it was 10pm...yikes!

The second trip was another first, our first road trip without daddy! John did great!

Taylor did too!

The new toy for the trip was a piano and it was so much fun he fell asleep while playing it!

it can be a piece of cake!

2011-05-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

In ev'ry job that must be done

There is an element of fun
You find the fun and snap!
The job's a game

And ev'ry task you undertake
Becomes a piece of cake

Spoonful of Sugar-Mary Poppins

Do you find yourself dreading certain things because you think they take too much time or just dreading them because you hate them? I want to encourage you to make a game out of it. I don't have a spoonful of sugar, although you could reward yourself with a piece of chocolate! My game is timing myself. Not only do I want to hurry up and ignore distractions but I also find at the end of the task that it took me far less time than anticipated.

A few examples...

Unloading the dishwasher 3 minutes
cleaning out the coffee pot 2 minutes
dusting bedroom including baseboards 6 minutes
giving John a bath (including playing in the bath) 10 minutes

These are a few of the things I have found myself putting of for hours or days. When I time myself it encourages me these are not big tasks, they are not complicated and they do not take much time so I can do them everyday or every week!

What are the tasks that you put off for too long and should time yourself doing?

back in the game!

2011-05-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

Well, a lot has been going on since I lasted posted and now I am trying to get back in the game of this blogosphere world!

I am constantly trying to be efficient which redefines itself almost every week. I am working at establishing a flexible routine and at being more flexible myself. I am trying to lay out priorities and expectations so I can better prepare for the days and better take care of my family and myself!

As part of this I am going to attempt to blog more regularly than the past few months have allowed because (and I am reminding myself of this) it is good to do things I want to do and I enjoy!

So...please check back more often there will be lots to see and read about...i hope!

dada

2011-02-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

John does more than coo now!

do not simply remain alive

2011-02-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading through Exodus and have been astounded at God's provision for his people no matter the circumstances. But shocked at their fear to trust Him, I am seeing that I am the same as they are...walking in fear when I have every reason to trust.

God has rescued the Israelites from slavery, he has brought plagues on the Egyptians and protected the Israelites from disease and death and yet they still do not trust God, they still do not believe He will provide and protect them.

Exodus 14:12
"Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."

The commentary on this verse discusses that the Isrealites "...are viewing their circumstances without reference to the fact that the Lord himself brought them to this place. As revealed through Israel's history, the Lord is merciful in never leaving his people simply to themselves or their circumstances. As both Daniel and his 3 friends will later assert, whatever the Lord calls his people to face as a result of fearing him is in fact better than simply remaining alive."

How often do I fail to do something out of fear? How often do I think where I am is the best place I could be? How often do I fail to live because I am content simply remaining alive.

the best sound in the world

2011-02-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite past times and what I consider to be the absolute best sound in the universe!

winter essentials

2011-02-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

My joking (or not so joking) comment all winter has been "I'm moving south". Lucky for me my in-laws actually live in the south so this joke could become a reality! Since it hasn't yet become a reality I have discovered a few essentials for survival...

crocheted hat with ear flaps (please note: bear ears don't add warmth)!!!

Fleece or flannel lined pants for kids

Electric blanket with dual controlsLong johns...silk ones are thin enough to fit under pants but keep you toasty!

love

2011-02-10T14:15:00.000-08:00

Valentine's is my 2nd favorite holiday (easter) and valentines candy is my number one favorite holiday candy (easter candy is my second favorite holiday candy). So when Anna came to town we decided to celebrate a little early, so we went on the hunt and it was a hunt!

We drove to Walgreen's and they were out.

We started driving to Marsh and Anna called them on the way...they didn't have any.

U-TURN!!!!

We headed to Kroger and on the way called Target. Can you see our desperation?!

Driving past Meijer we decided to try them out...Anna was still on the phone with Target while shopping in Meijer.

And then...Anna comes running out of Meijer swinging a bag of BUTTERFINGER HEARTS over her head...SUCCESS!!!!!!!

We called 2 stores and went to 4 on our way to the fifth but we found them...delicious:)

baby food

2011-01-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

John is doing great eating baby food and I am enjoying making it! I borrowed a recipe book from a friend and am looking forward to making even more. So far John really likes avocados, sweet potatoes and acorn squash! He likes bananas but we aren't going to keep eating those and he didn't like pears or apples...I think that will soon change!

stay tuned for some of our favorite baby food recipes in the next few months!

breakfast to be desired

2011-01-23T14:21:00.001-08:00

Michael has always been great at cooking breakfast for us. Many weekends I have woken to delicious smells wafting from our kitchen. Well, this weekend was delicious and creative. I really like watching cooking shows and "plating" is always a big deal...Michael does this well!

The proof...day 1 hashbrowns with sundried tomato, white cheddar cheese and green pepper omelet.

more proof...day 2 hashbrowns (perfected...seriously they were amazing!) with a cheddar cheese omelet

he even flips the hashbrowns like a pro!

day 3 started out with oatmeal with a blueberry smiley face (didn't take a picture, I was too hungry and for snack blueberry dipping pancakes!

my new home office

2011-01-22T17:35:00.000-08:00

Michael and my dad worked for 3 long days to renovate the laundry room. It took a little while for me to be convinced that this would be a great change, I didn't see the need for it. So glad that Michael saw the need. With a drop ceiling, flooring and paint this room will be a place that I can easily keep clean and will be able to wash, fold and iron all in the same beautiful room!

before...

notice that new paint and beautiful ceiling!

deciding how to start laying the floor

ta da!!!

look at how I have grown

2011-01-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

John is 5 months old...life with him feels like the norm and everyday he reminds us of our sovereign God and how thankful we are for this gift he has given us!

Just born 6lbs 13oz, 20 1/4 in

2 weeks old

starting bottles around 4 weeks

running errands in the sling

sitting in the bumbo at 2 mos

playing with toys at 12 weeks old

always jumping-4 mos

rolling over at 5 months!

favorite saturday morning

2011-01-09T13:58:00.001-08:00

Michael and I have loved going to Costco and we have been so excited to have friends who love it also. This week we all took a trip together this week!

John sat up in the cart all by himself for the first time!!!

We walked down the aisles like this a few times...yes, we are ridiculous:)

a short trip to the beach

2011-01-04T05:52:00.000-08:00

John and I went on a road trip before Christmas and in Flautt family fashion we ended up at the beach! It was his first time and we all enjoyed it!

"walking on" the beach

breakfast on the beach in a snow hat!

great company!

feeling the sand between our toes!

a new coat of paint

2011-01-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

For me a new coat of paint changes a room and my mood. A new coat of paint gives a room a different feel and our tv room has been feeling blah with only primer on the walls for 7 months! Yikes! My mom doesn't love painting but she painted with me for 3 days and we made a great team and made a huge difference!

before

making progress

after!

like grandfather, like father, like son

2011-01-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

When Michael was little he would drink his dad's hot coke that had been sitting in his truck all day, in college he had a coke fountain in his house and kept an extra bag of syrup so they would never run out! John is following in these footsteps...loving coke!

our hope is not found in this world

2010-12-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

I think about things a lot in the middle of the night. Crossing from one warm room through a chilly hallway to another warm room, rocking John and placing in back in his crib to make the chilly trek again. Then laying in bed trying to fall back asleep the thoughts and ideas come flooding in! Last night was the brillaint idea to take a family photo in front of the Christmas tree, with John in his Christmas pj's. Well, we have these perfect ideas that are never perfectly fulfilled. At 5:45a John peed through his jammies! Having already washed them once from a previous incident we just put his dirty ones back on for a quick picture (don't worry he got a bath immediately after)! The lights on our tree have a short in them so we kept having to hit the tree to make them come on. It isn't the best picture but it is a reminder to me that dissapointment over small details can ruin an entire day. Christmas cannot be joyful because everything is perfect...we are celebrating a perfect Savior who entered our imperfect world and my ruined "perfect plans" remind me daily that I need this Savior!

Mary's Christmas

2010-12-25T11:47:00.000-08:00

Mary's Song from Luke 1:46-55

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

How great to celebrate a God who fulfills His promises, who sent a perfect Savior into an imperfect world to save us from ourselves!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-16T07:22:00.000-08:00

cont. bathroom renovations

2010-12-11T14:54:00.001-08:00

solid food: oatmeal cereal

2010-12-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

On Dec 8 we gave John oatmeal cereal for the first time...

he didn't like it...

day 2 was slightly better...not very interested in it but not as much screaming. Dad bounced him while feeding him...haha, oh the tricks we play!

mustard is the best!

2010-12-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

My favorite condiment is mustard: spicy, brown, grey poupon, horseradish and at Christmas time Cherry Mustard! My mom had it at her house last year and I couldn't stop eating it. This year we ordered a whole jar for me!

Lately I have been eating it on yeast rolls with honey baked ham and swiss cheese (enter southern girls drooling). Ham rolls were our snack/lunch of choice and now I am reliving it but with the addition of Cherry mustard...yummy!!!

sleep

2010-12-07T04:46:00.000-08:00

Psalm 127: 2 says "It is vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep."

The commentary explains that we are to live by faith trusting God for our future well-being. This could be abused and we would never apply effort in life thinking God will do everything for us. For me this means apply the effort but trust Him for the outcome! I think that if I don't get in bed at 9:30pm then getting up at 6am will be impossible but I should not be so reliant on myself for rest. I should not go to bed at 2am thinking God will give me abundant rest in 4hrs but I can trust that He gives us rest, He gives us strength to get up in the night with a baby, to wake up early and to be productive during the day. Sleep is something I think I deserve or have to get to function but sleep is a gift and a gift that God gives us, not something we climb into bed and get for ourselves!

I heart diapers dot com

2010-11-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

As you can see from my Costco post I really like deals. So there is no surprise that when it comes to diapers I am always looking for the best deal. Michael jokes that I hate changing diapers because I don't want to spend twenty cents. So I buy in bulk with free shipping and get diapers for lots cheaper!

They have $10 off coupons for new customers and now that I am a regular they have a cashback program. 30% credit on your next order from now until the end of december!

See the bottom of my blog for a code to get 20% for first time customers...try it!!!

easy chicken

2010-11-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

To make this especially yummy you have to use chicken with skin on it. I cut it off the bone before serving. Roasting chicken with skin makes for more flavor and the skin gets nice and crispy!

mix 1/4 tsp paprika, basil and oregano and 1/8 tsp red cayenne pepper

rub olive oil on and spices on chicken
place in oven on 400 degrees for 1 hr

Thanksgiving...

2010-11-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

is always such a funny holiday to me...what are we celebrating. By definition we are celebrating a bountiful harvest but today that is not the case. So is this just an excuse to watch football and eat delicious food? My husband would be glad to eat "thanksgiving dinner" while watching football year round. In this new season of life of being a parent I am more aware than ever of how our lives teach those around us and what we learn from others. Our culture says a lot about this season: you spend it with family whether you want to or not, you eat turkey because if you don't you are considered weird, you eat pumpkin pie, you say something you are thankful for which is typically something vague. But is that the tradition I want to pass down to my family? Is that even something I enjoy enough to celebrate every year? I don't like pumpkin pie, I spend lots of time with my family holiday or not, I eat "thanksgiving dinner" in July sometimes. So it is the being thankful that I want to embrace, an entire day where we remember that God is providing.

My mom reminded us of a Thanksgiving tree we did every year when we were little. We decorated cards and wrote things on it we were thankful for with the year. She tied ribbons on them and hung them on a small Christmas tree. She pulled out some of those cards this year and it made us thankful all over again to read them. Some were being thankful for the beach or friends but all of us had written that we were thankful for dad's new job. He had been unemployed for months and had just gotten a job before we made our Thanksgiving tree that year. So when John is old enough maybe in another year we are going to start a Thanksgiving tree, to remember what God has done for us and celebrate His provision with turkey, pumpkin pie and football!

Mahi with coconut rice and mango salsa

2010-11-23T18:12:00.001-08:00

2 TBLS olive oil 4 4oz mahi mahi fillets
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
2 tsp lemon juice 2 cups water
1 clove garlic, crushed 1 cube chicken bouillon
2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 TBLS butter
1 tsp black pepper 3/4 (14oz) can coconut milk
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger 2 TBLS sugar
2 TBLS chopped green onion 1 1/2 tsp butter
salt to taste 1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh mango, cubed

Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, black
pepper, ginger, green onion, and salt in a bowl. Add the mahi mahi and toss to evenly
coat.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Bring the rice, water, chicken bouillon, and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a saucepan
over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the liquid has
been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of
sugar. Stir, and simmer uncovered until the rice has absorbed most of the coconut
milk.
While the rice is cooking, remove the mahi mahi from the marinade, and shake off
excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Place fish in a large baking dish in a single
layer. Broil in the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 15
minutes. If the fish browns too quickly, cover the baking dish with a sheet of aluminum
foil.
Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar in a skillet over
medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to bubble, stir in mango cubes. Cook
and stir until mango is tender, about 5 minutes

Serve by placing a mahi mahi fillet
over a scoop of hot rice and top with the mango salsa.

bathroom day 5

2010-11-23T18:05:00.000-08:00

Tile up and grouted, corner shelves installed...we can't stop admiring it!

Stay tuned for the final pictures once we have sink and toilet installed and the walls painted!

bathroom day 4

2010-11-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is actually the living room which has had a floor to ceiling hole in the wall for months and now has been plastered!

Dry wall taped and mudded in the bathroom

bathroom day 3

2010-11-23T17:19:00.000-08:00

Bathroom day three

Dry wall up
cement board up in the shower

Look what I can do!

2010-11-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

This week John is 3 months old! On Sunday he started grabbing toys. I have had some hanging on his car seat for a few weeks now and have been getting him to grab onto them with help during tummy time but Sunday he did it all on his own and he hasn't stopped!!!

warning: this video is really long...can you tell I was excited about this accomplishment?!

Hello!!!

2010-11-08T04:07:00.000-08:00

John had a lot to say about being all bundled up to run some errands!

The Incredible Doctor Taylor!

2010-11-07T09:44:00.000-08:00

Michael got Taylor a few months after we started dating but he has always felt like our dog. When I was little my parents got rid of our dog because they found fleas on us. They bought us pound puppies in an attempt to distract us from no longer having a dog. I do remember LOVING my pound puppies but have wanted a real dog ever since! I love my dog and thought it was time a blog post was dedicated to how great I think he is!!!

We were a little worried about how Taylor would be when we brought John home. He has been a little curious and very protective, so he loves John too!
Taylor loves the sunshine and always looks for some rays to nap in!

He knows the word "ball" and would gladly chase after it for hours!

And what makes my dog the BEST dog ever...he can catch snowballs!!! It makes cold weather more enjoyable!

the little dragon

2010-11-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

We didn't know it at the time but Michael was a dragon one year too!

boldness

2010-11-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Do you go before God with confidence? Do you boldly praise him and make requests confidently? I have been reading through Psalms and have been amazed at how bold the Psalms are in what they ask God to do. We are told to be bold and yet too often I lack in that area!

Hebrews 4:14-16
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Ephesians 3:11b-12
"Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him."

Proverbs 14:26
"In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge."

12 weeks old today!

2010-10-31T06:09:00.000-07:00

My favorite place to nap is my swing

I like to sit outside and watch Taylor chase the ball
the caption under the picture reads, "John is truly his father's son. This is shananigans!"
I am excited to wear my new fall hat Steph made me!

Sunday morning coffee with John

2010-10-24T10:33:00.001-07:00

My bedtime is 7:30pm. Mom and Dad feed me, swaddle me in my blanket from Aunt Jen and then I get to bounce...my favorite part! But this week I missed out on the bouncing because I fell asleep too early...oh well, mom will bounce me at 3 am:)

Sunday morning coffee with the grandparents!

2010-10-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Our parents live out of town and we all wish for more time in the same town and for them to see John more often. So, I am starting Sunday morning coffee together for updates and pictures of John for them!

Meet the grandparents...

The captain...he, Michael and John were fixing something I am sure, he has lots more to teach!
Grandma meeting John for the first time, she can't wait for tummy time again!

Lala can't wait to see him again now that he is sooo much bigger than last time she saw him!The undecided-on-a-name grandparent who is hoping John will decide it when he can talk!

John now weighs 14lbs 2 oz and is 24 inches long!

a weekly event

2010-10-16T19:28:00.001-07:00

Steph has long been an advocate of me staying home and now that I am we are spending time each week together! It has been great to have regularly scheduled time together and we have had such encouraging and challenging conversations. One of our favorite activities has been to watch Anna interact with John! She know has a new brother and she will be a great big sister!

no more knomes

2010-10-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

My sister LOVES knomes she is pretty hilarious with this obsession and so it was only fitting that when she came home from Germany she bring me a knome. I thought it would be great in the garden, someone else had other plans...

"Is this a toy?"

"I have plans for you mr. knome"

"mom, look what I found in your garden!"

"I will be back for you!"

This was the second time he took the knome out of the garden. The first time I looked outside and saw him standing in the garden but didn't think much of it. Five minutes later I looked outside and the knome was on the patio so I just went outside and put him back in the garden. The second time Taylor was more persistent!

a delicious afternoon

2010-10-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

More presents from Anna...candy! I love, love trying candy from different countries. One of my favorite childhood memories is my dad bringing us candy from mexico when he would come home from business trips. Then fun continued this week when Anna got home from Europe (see the trend in what is exciting to me this week?!)

These are hazelnut chocolate filled hippos...yes candy hippos and they are delicious!

Carlie joined me for the fun!

Starbursts are my favorite candy so Anna found the German version which is significantly better so we are calling her friends from Germany to send us TEN CASES!!!! At first try they were a little scary...They are fruity, taffy balls that when you bite down on them they pop and have a little fruity liquid inside, they are delicious!!!

at long last!

2010-10-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

My sister has been out of the country since May so she hadn't met John in person and I hadn't seen her in a super long time. We were so excited to spend 3 days with her this week and can't wait til next time!

He waited to go to bed so she could hold him for the first time!

We went shopping!
We woke Anna up every morning and one day she fed him a bottle!

home projects now and future...

2010-10-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

Michael has been working on running electric and phone and internet cables through the house. Dad came up to hang with us for a few days and they finished the project! We have had holes cut in the family twice now but everything looks great now!

We needed a hammer drill to get through the wall...they had fun til 11:15 pm!

We our enjoying the potential that our house has and being able to renovate and work on projects is something Michael enjoys. Painting rooms is not however but is still on the list! I am trying to enjoy the process remembering that our home is not defined by our orderly, decorated, or put together it is. I like it being decorated, I like it being put together and orderly but we are settled in and this house is a gift and a blessing whether I like the curtains and paint colors or not. This is something God is continuing to teach me! As I am practicing patience and learning to enjoy this process however slow it needs to be I am finding inspiration and ideas for the projects in years to come!

The clean color of the walls and furniture with the bright pops of color are really happy!

ignore the screaming child...I like the two tone walls divided by the chair rail. In our old house we had khaki walls that we really liked so I am hoping to have them somewhere in this house and I think this looks inviting for an entry way and stairwell!

This is Jackie's kitchen but I love the greens she used and think they make a great kitchen color so I might follower her lead!

Baby things that make life simple!

2010-10-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

I had the debate before John came of what baby paraphernalia did we need and what was unnecessary. I didn't want to accumulate stuff just because it was the latest trend. Well, here are a few things that we have found to be great!!

The Miracle blanket, a swaddle blanket that keeps their arms and legs from startling them awake when they move. I call John a tree frog when he startles himself awake because his arms go straight out with his hands flexed. He has been a good sleeper since week 2 but he has gained weight so quickly that Michael's fantastic swaddle skills were no good because the blankets weren't big enough to hold him tight enough. Enter this Miracle blanket, John is now sleeping 6.5 - 8 hours spans before he wakes up to eat and go back to sleep!

The Puj tub. Our house has very small old pedastool sinks...very cool but not big enough for a baby tub until now! The puj tub was created for such sinks. It is great! What baby boy doesn't love being bathed in a pink sink?

And Michael's favorite...The Bumbo seat. John loves looking around and this is great! It is also nice that he doesn't have to always be laying on his back!

And my favorite the sling...there are many options for slings and some have been recalled but as long as you can see your baby's face and they can breathe then slings are great!!!

twenty year old me

2010-10-06T15:48:00.001-07:00

Michael asked me what the twenty year old me would say to me now...let me paint this picture for you. In my 20 something age college years I never slept. I worked hard and played harder, I thought it was a thrill to stay up for 24 or 36 hours regularly, it was an adrenaline rush and after awhile it wasn't even a challenge.

But, now i'm tired...not the sleepy kind of tired where you have worked hard or played hard and can't wait to crawl in bed but the kind of tired you get when you never stop. The kind of tired you get when sitting down isn't stopping because your to do list is running through your head, the baby might wake up, your husband is just about home and your cell phone is ringing and it is hard to ignore. The twenty year old me would say I am a wimp, that I am not being efficient, that I am not playing enough, that I have plenty of hours in the day to get everything done. But, I find myself fighting against the 22 year old who stayed up all night. I have learned that I am emotional and illogical without sleep, I get stressed out easily. So I want to say to that 22 year old, "you were not self aware, you didn't have priorities, you did what was happening in the moment, you were chasing after fun and adventure."

I am trying to find time with Jesus, time with my husband, time for our house, time for friends, time for church, time for family and take care of an 8 week old that is dependant on me constantly. I don't have time to be tired because it makes me an emotional wreck! Yet, time is the thing I am struggling for the most, time that the 22 year old didn't have to pay attention to and I count seconds as if they were worth gold.

I just read all the blogs for March 2009 on Girltalk about the busy season of motherhood. A few encouraging points to remember...

1. "It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.”
For me this is very, very hard. I am black and white, I LOVE schedules, LOVE THEM! I like to know what is coming and be prepared, I value efficiency too much and so when it takes me 45 minutes to do what I used to be able to do in 5 it frustrates me, it makes me feel like a failure when really it should make me feel like a mom.

2. Technology distractions
I started this blog before John was born in hopes that I could share pictures of him, stories of our life and lessons I am learning. I am now learning that I don't have time to blog very often, I don't have ideas to blog about very often because I am so preoccupied. I am finding Facebook to be an irritation because it distracts me too often and without benefit. The tv can be a welcome break during fits of tears or nursing but it can also turn into an hour of wasted time.

3. We need the gospel for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I cannot get by with studying once a day or once a week. This is NOT enough, it isn't enough because I feel lost in a to do list that distracts me from what is important, in my emotions which ebb and flow inconsistently, in new lessons to learn, and the flexible schedule of a child of an inflexible mother.

I can learn from the 22 year old me, I can learn that I can stay up later than I think, that I can find fun and adventure in this new season of life because she could find it anywhere. I am capable of more than I think I am. I wish she could learn from me that she didn't have to do it all because this is a new lesson I am learning and it would have been easier to learn then!

John's talking to us!

2010-09-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

5 weeks has been a turning point...we now understand why he is crying when he cries, at least usually! This is a huge sense of relief for us. Lately, John has been very chatty. In the mornings he will lay in his crib laughing and cooing and talking, it is so fun to listen to! It has also been fun to change diapers because now when we put him on the changing table he talks to us and giggles!

My camera did not record the sound (I will work on figuring this out) but here is what he looks like...pretty cute I think!

One of my favorite meals!!!

2010-09-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

Until 5 years ago I always said I didn't like wings. After a trip to visit Michael's parents where we had his dad's famous wings I crave wings but not any wings just specifically his wing sauce. I could drink the stuff with a straw! Our new meal this summer has been Buffalo Chicken Salads. It is the same flavor but much easier and I would say a little healthier too!

The sauce!
Equal parts butter, Frank's Buffalo Sauce, Frank's Original Sauce
heat in 30 sec increments and do not boil
add a few splashes of white vinegar

Grill the chicken and brush with sauce!

Salad:
Lettuce
green pepper
carrots
celery
blue cheese dressing
chopped buffalo chicken

I was so excited I only got an after picture!!!

Bulk Meat

2010-09-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

I have talked before about my love for Costco. I have recently come across a bulk meat item at Kroger that we have been enjoying! Pork Loin...I got 5lbs for 10 dollars.

I went online and watched a video
of how to butcher it,
which was super helpful!

From this 5lbs of meat I got 7 porkchops and 1 2.5 lb pork roast.
I love the Ziploc vaccum freezer bags. They prevent freezer burn because you can suck all the air out! Totally worth the price in our opinion!

We do lots of things with pork chops but I have found a great new recipe for a pork roast.

Roasted Pork Loin via allrecipes.com
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBLSP dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine (If I don't have it I skip this part)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Crush garlic with rosemary, salt and pepper, making a paste. Pierce meat with a sharp knife in several places and press the garlic past into the openings. Rub the meat with the remaining garlic mixture and olive oil.
3. Place pork loin into oven, turning and basting with pan liquids. Cook until pork is no longer pink in center, about 2 hrs, internal temp should read 160 degrees. Remove roast to platter. Heat the wine in the pan and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Serve with pan juices.

The new days ahead...

2010-09-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, once again I have been in a transition. In July it was adjusting to being home and not working, now in August it has been being a mom. I am not very realistic about transitions in my life. I am great at making plans, I like to be in control and I have a bedtime! Babies, do not now any of this and I thought "John will fit right into this schedule I have created"...funny right?! So I am working at figuring out his schedule, his sleep cues and feeding cues, how to fit in a shower and eat during the day have been challenges. My husband has been a great help, a GREAT encouragement and challenging me to be realistic for this time. Reminding me that times change and life looks different during different periods.
So, in this time of adjustment I am taking it as it comes. I am making flexible plans such as...if he is sleeping I will do "A", if he is awake I will do "B", if he is crying or needs to be held I will do "C". I am giving myself grace for my house to not look the way it did in July when I didn't have a baby, I am asking for help, I am prioritizing in a new way and defining who I am now and not who I was. With this healthier view of life I am enjoying motherhood, wifedom and life much more!!!
Here is a glimpse into our days...

Snuggled up to run errands!

Tummy Time on Aunt Lucie's quilt!

The best time is when Dad comes home!

Dad is the best swaddler!

John Stirling

2010-08-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

John didn't come on July 31 like we anticipated so...On Thursday, August 5th I had been 1cm for 2 or 3 weeks so we scheduled an induction for Wednesday, August 10th. On Friday, August 6th I woke up with "contractions" or really strong cramps because I wasn't convinced they were anything. But they kept coming back every 30 minutes or hour apart. Michael had that Friday off so we got to hang out together and still not convinced I went to the pool in the afternoon! That night we went to a going away party for some friends and my "contractions" were definitely about 20- 30 minutes apart by the time we arrived. Finally around 9:30 or 10 I thought my water was leaking and I couldn't laugh while I was having one. This is really difficult when spending time with Jackie Lopina who is not afraid to laugh very loudly and often! We were almost kept from being friends for fear that our laugh together would break windows. Emily Weller started timing them for me and they were running anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes apart.

At 11p Jackie told me to call the doctor and I called Steph to see if she agreed. She told me to call and wake my doctor up because it was better to do it at 11a then 3am...I love her realism, she boldly speaks truth and doesn't sugar coat it when she thinks I should do something. This doesn't mean I have to listen to her but I usually do:) Michael and I called the doctor and she said to go to the hospital and get checked out.

Here we are getting ready
to leave the Lopina's and
head to the hospital at
11pm on Friday night!

Well, at 2:30 they sent us home because my contractions were still far apart and my water wasn't leaking. We swung through McDonald's on our way which started the weekend of fast food eating...a cheeseburger, french fries (that was for MJW) and an apple pie (for me) later we were home and in bed at 3am!

I was awake again at 7:45a on Saturday now with contractions 5-7 minutes apart. When Michael came downstairs an hour later I was pacing the house. We spent the morning watching Netflix stop watch in hand. By the afternoon we decided walking would be a good thing so we went to Lowe's...for FOUR HOURS and then more fast food and a trip around Walmart for another hour. I can only imagine what a funny picture we made walking those aisles but we didn't even get one funny look. By 5am my contractions were 3-5minutes apart and we were EXHAUSTED! We had planned to go to the hospital as late as possible. By the grace of God we both fell asleep at 5am and at 6:30a Michael woke me up to ask if I had been having contractions and hadn't told him. I didn't remember! We ate breakfast, watched a little more Netflix and by 10a decided it was time to take showers and pack bags.

At 11:15 on Sunday morning we arrived at the hospital after 36 hours of labor and dialated to 3.5cm. Michael will say he didn't do anything but hold a stop watch. I can't help but say we with everything because I couldn't have done any of it without him. He was calm, cool and collected. He was gentle and reassuring and encouraging and I am so in love with him!

Continuing with a long story...

They hooked me up to monitors, an IV and put me on oxygen...all things I didn't want since I wanted to go natural with no interventions. The large jacuzzi tub and my excercise ball sat unused. John's heartbeat kept dropping out of range and they were too worried to take me off everything and let me walk around and manage the pain my way. If you have ever been in labor you know, laying in bed makes the pain ALOT worse. Around 2p I was in so much pain and so uncomfortable and super mad about being stuck in that bed that I actually hit Michael on the arm. Sometime around then the nurse came in to check my progress and said I was at 6cm and went to get the doctor who checked me and said I was 7cm! I got an epidural sometime after that which was not as scary as I thought and made me enjoy the rest of event!

The Lopina's and Steph
dropped by for a visit
and to bring Michael
McDonald's (see the fast food
trend continuing?). If I hadn't
had the epidural he would not
have eaten because I couldn't
stop holding his hand!

At 3p they said it was time to start pushing! Yes, it took 2 weeks and 36 hours for me to dialate 3.5 cm but it only took 4 hours for me to dialate 6.5! We have an amazing doctor who in the middle of getting her daughter's hair cut took her home and came to the hospital on her day off to be with us and deliver our baby!

John Stirling Winters was born on August 8, 2010 at 3:50p weighing 6lbs and 13 oz!

We are so thankful for this baby boy!!!

a glorious afternoon!

2010-08-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

It is very hot outside and being 9 months pregnant has made it feel even hotter! My dear friend's mother in law has a pool at her house and has been more than hospitable in letting us come play.

Here are steph and I...she is 12 weeks days away from her due date, I was 2 days past mine!

the joy of red...

2010-08-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started painting my toes I painted them red, it was my color. In the past few years my mom has developed a huge enjoyment of pedicures and has made it her mission to pamper us when possible with such a lovely treat!

The summer is all started...2006, my wedding! Anna and I getting pedicures before the big day!

Our lovely toes!

my swollen pregnant feet but with a pedicure!!!

The Winters' nursery...

2010-08-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

My plan for the nursery was for it to feel like a baby boy's room but also to be a place where if number 2 or 3 is a girl she would be able to call it hers as well! It has been such a fun project, at least the majority of the time. I really like decorating and so I spent (possibly) a little too much time thinking about what this nursery could look like. However, the time paid off because both Michael and I like it! With lots and lots and lots of help from my parents we are ready for John Stirling to arrive!

Here is a panoramic shot...

A few close ups...

My sister took the black and white pictures in these frames and we painted them a few shades lighter than the shelf next to the rocker!

I found this shelf at a garage sale and painted it! Another blog about that fun project!

Refining our definition

2010-07-29T05:07:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today I got to marry someone amazing!

Around this time I start thinking back over the past years and what has changed. I think that this is the great thing about celebrating events from the past: it causes you to think back and reflect, which can be a hard thing to do regularly.
Last night we joked that 4 years didn't feel like long and at the same time it has felt like 80 years! We have learned so much, we have grown immensely in who we are, in our views on family, love, ourselves, priorities and God. We are not who we were 6 months ago, 2 years ago or 5 years ago when we met. We have learned to change and grow together, to work through the hard times and love our differences.
At our wedding one of the pastors quoted John Piper saying, "Marriage exists to magnify the truth and worth and beauty and greatness of God." So many of us define marriage as something to make us happy, or the next level in life, or they think they deserve it because they love a person. When we believe that marriage is all about us we are sadly mistaken. This has been very challenging to me lately. Marriage is amazing and it does make me happy, my husband makes me happy but that is not his purpose in our marriage. It is also not mine. We will fail every time if we believe that happiness is the end result.
Sometimes the hard moments are the best part because through those you learn more about yourself, each other, how to communicate and how to love. If happiness was the priority you would avoid the difficult conversations and you would never grow.
I am so thankful for the growth over these 4 years of marriage. For understanding love and sacrifice better, for knowing myself and my husband more, for the freedom to grow individually and together and workout the identity of our marriage.

I hope that as you continue in your marriage or look ahead to a future one that you make an effort to define what it should be and you continue to refine that definition regularly!

Lessons from Baking

2010-07-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

We cannot all be good baker's, though we can aspire to the likes of...steph jamison, jackie lopina and Joy the Baker,who are a few that have mastered particular recipes or the entire field of baking, but not I. So, after my husband made a few comments about how he thought homemade english muffins would be delicious I decided it was time I started working on my baking skills. Well, I quickly realized that while one can follow directions and with diligence do what one is told that does not guarantee the desired outcome.

I mixed everything correctly...
during the middle of the baking everything seemed to be going well...
But, upon review of the final product they were not very many muffins to account for the past 1.5 hrs, some were burnt and some were broken

I think this is true of life as well. I do not have control over the end results even if I follow the "directions" exactly. I can do what I am told or what is right but that doesn't give me a free pass to happiness and perfection. But, we cannot do things because of what we will gain or how we will look to people. We do things out of conviction, to learn, to experience and because we believe and love the person giving us the recipe. So when the end result is not perfection we cannot think the entire process was a failure, instead we should evaluate process, take notes and try again.

So in baking and in life I am evaluating, taking notes and letting this be a time to learn!!!

I heart Costco

2010-07-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have loved Costco for awhile now. Michael and I would go and walk each aisle to see what was there. A great friend of mine, Jackie Lopina has developed a love for it as well. In fact the first time we went we decided one of us needed a minivan because we could barely fit all of our treasure in my trunk!

Last Saturday we set out on our 2nd trip together and decided this will now happen every 6 weeks, you are welcome to join us (though you might be required to have a minivan)! I know bulk shopping is a debate among many people who discuss whether this is actually bargain shopping or not. I believe that it is and even more so when you go with someone and can split things or just talk sense into each other when one person wants to buy A WHOLE LOT of pretzel m&ms.

Here is my trunk with all our goodies!!!

And here is one of my favorite snacks purchased in bulk!!!

Grace to not be...

2010-07-12T04:21:00.000-07:00

"Give me grace...to reject as delusion a great name here or hereafter..."

I read this in a book of prayer, The Valley of Vision and it got me thinking about what I want to give me a great name. Something I been realizing lately in this time of transition is my deep desire to be the perfect wife. I mistakenly view my worth in whether my house is perfectly clean, or I cooked a great dinner, not being stressed out and emotional, or having all the laundry done...and the list goes on! The other huge error in this is thinking my husband loves me for having all these things done perfectly.

I asked him the other night to help me figure out my cleaning schedule because in a new house with more time I was wanting to balance things well and I wasn't sure how to do it yet. His response was that this was the time to figure out how to balance things, not to think of the perfect schedule to accomplish it all. He said I needed to start doing and evaluate the process for a little while. Well, I didn't like this at all because this meant not doing everything perfectly the first time and continuing the perfection in the weeks to follow.

But he was RIGHT!!! No one except myself if expecting me to be
the cleaning fairy who magically gets everything done perfectly well and in perfect time! I didn't want a schedule for this new life so that I could maintain our house well, balance time with friends and be a help to my husband. I wanted a schedule so I had criteria to hold my day up to and measure my perfection and failures.

So, in this time of transition when I am processing through how life should look I am also very aware that my worth is in Jesus and not my performance. My husband loves me because God gives him grace to do so everyday not because he comes home to the Clorox Castle. I am not cleaning my house to gain the perfect housewife award but to be a good steward of what God has given us, I am not cooking dinner to be the best chef but to feed my family and I am not doing laundry so my husband loves me but to be a help to him so he doesn't have to do it when he gets home. I am resting in God's grace to not be a picture of perfection!

less is more

2010-07-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

I have started writing dates on bottles to see how long products last... laundry detergent, shampoo, face wash, dish detergent all with dates written on them. We bought this bottle of laundry detergent at Costco in July of 2009 and I just finished it in June 2010! I couldn't believe it. My other great discovery is that hand washing pots, large bowls and a some utensils has kept me from running the dishwasher every day. I used to put everything in the dishwasher in an effort to save time and not junk up our counters with drying dishes. However, I have found it doesn't take much time at all to hand wash a few things and saves lots dish detergent which I was buying every 2 weeks!

contentment in decorating

2010-07-06T04:46:00.000-07:00

In April we moved into a new house built in 1930. We had seen this house for 3 months before it went on the market and loved it before we walked through it. We had a particular area we wanted to be in and this house was smack in the middle of it! This is the house we want to live in for 50 years, to raise our family in, to grow in, to open up for friends and family but it is a house that needs more work than I let myself see before I moved in. So when we moved from our small 7 year old home leaving our bright shiny new appliances and bathrooms behind I thought I was up for the adventure.

I quickly realized that I took comfort in my clean, new kitchen, that showering in a pink tile bathroom built in 1930 didn't feel as relaxing as my clean white bathroom built in 2003. My thoughts were taken over with how quickly we could renovate this house, how quickly it could be painted, decorated, carpeted...I wanted it to feel new, quaint, like a Pottery Barn magazine full of charm and very welcoming for whomever might drop by.

I was a little surprised at myself to find that I was defining these wants as needs. That the enjoyment of this gift of such a wonderful house God gave us was not being enjoyed due to the work it needed. It is livable, it has running water, a roof that doesn't leak and more space then we need right now. But, I couldn't get past the white walls, the small kitchen counters, the bathrooms that were so old they felt dirty, the rusty pipes, and the lack of decor.

This weekend we finally got curtains in 3 rooms! Reading 1 Timothy I was challenged by chapter 6:7-8,17 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content...set [your] hopes...on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy." We have been looking at curtains and curtain rods since before we moved into the house. We tend to look at things and talk about things for months before we ever take action. This forces me to process the great importance and need I put on things that are aesthetic. Beauty is something I believe we need in life, if it wasn't why would God create the beauty of smiles, flowers, and sparkling lakes? But in our homes we need to define their beauty and their hospitality by our families in them. We need to see that these homes are gifts and our contentment cannot be found in the pictures that hang on the walls, the paint colors, curtains and furniture that decorate them. Those are for enjoyment but a lack of those aesthetics doesn't change the wonder of the gift!

The first day of the adventure

2010-07-01T05:53:00.001-07:00

I have taken the advice of my great friend Steph Jamison and planned activities for the days ahead. In the past when I have been home for days I have fought feelings of lonliness and inadequacy and now in this new phase of life I am being proactive at fighting those thoughts before they take hold! So, off I go to breakfast, a massage and pedicure and grocery shopping. I won't get used to these luxurious days!