Merry, Merry Christmas

We hope that you have a wonderful Christmas. This year looks different for us than we had expected, but we are thankful to be together as a family. Merry Christmas!

giving thanks..

I'm thankful for a belly that keeps getting bigger which means our baby girl is growing and developing as she should.

I'm thankful for the most delightful blue-eyed boy a mama could ask for who still loves kisses for his boo-boos, cuddling on the couch, and thinks I hung the moon.

I'm thankful for a certain group of friends who pray for me, pursue me, and are passionate about following Jesus.

I'm thankful for a husband who loves generously and graciously, works super hard at all his "jobs", and makes me laugh....hard.

I'm thankful for a job that still allows me to stay at home.

I'm thankful for gap sales, Target, hair cuts and products, and yummy coffee.

I'm thankful for a family that always has fun together, that I actually look forward to seeing, and who loves my boys.

I'm thankful for Jesus who has proven this year that he really loves me.

Happy Thanksgiving

only in Houston can you wear shorts and dip your feet in the pool on the day before Thanksgiving

belly shots

I don't know if this is "normal" for 2nd pregnancies, but I have felt way less urgent about a lot of things...getting the nursery ready, buying baby girl stuff, taking belly pictures, etc. I am sure that my nonchalance will hit me very soon, and I'll be in panic mode. For now, here are some shots of the ever growing belly. Up next: some October fun and a blog post I started for-ev-er ago about this pregnancy/baby girl. Until then...

17 weeks, 3 days

21 weeks, 1 day

even steven

A picture to share...

Please excuse the "way" we all look. Jonas was actually in the hospital this past weekend because of some bad asthma stuff. We were all very tired but wanted to capture this exciting time in our family. Jonas, by the way, is doing fine now. This house will be "even" once again!

i'm looking foward...

to August being OVER
to finally feeling good
to Jonas going back to school aka PDO
to cooler weather that is here to stay
to fall
to life getting back to "normal"
to the smell of "fall" candles
to cooking again
to drinking coffee again
to season premier week
to my house being organized
to football season
to seeing some of the new movies that have come out

Jonas' new shirt

5 years...

July 9, 2005

this -n- that

This is the first week since the middle of May that has been "normal". And, if you know me, you know that I thrive on normal...maintaining life outside of that cadence becomes very tough for me. Some people (like my husband) love something new all the time. I like something new but not all the time. I mentioned in the last post that we've had company and birthdays and business trips galore. When Paul walked into the baggage claim area last Friday, I felt great relief. Life was back as it should be - with all of us under one roof for a while and nothing huge planned for a little bit.

Paul and I have started watching LOST. I know, I know, we are just a little bit behind since the series actually ended in May. To be honest, I didn't think I would be that interested in the show based on what I'd heard about it. However, I am totally addicted. We both are. And, we have been watching at least two episodes almost every night. We will put Jonas to bed, look at what we actually need to get done, and plan out how we can incorporate watching LOST into what we need to do in order to remain responsible individuals.

Jonas is changing so much. His vocabulary is growing every day, and he shows understanding of things that I have no idea where he learned them. Like yesterday, he used the word "down" in the proper directional context. Amazing. We are having a hard time with the paci addiction. I didn't want to have to go cold turkey on him, but I think that may be what we have to do. At his 2 year old check up, he weighed a whopping 24 lbs, 14 oz and stood 34 inches tall. He is a tall, skinny little boy. And, he is definitely all boy. This summer, he's had a lot of fun at the pool, going to PDO twice a week, and will enjoy a tumble class and swim lessons in a few weeks.

We have a little vacation planned for the middle of July. We are taking our annual anniversary trip but will be making a stop in Austin and Houston before making our way to Galveston for several days. I'm so excited!

The blog has been a little silent this summer. Partly because there has been so much going on and partly because I have writer's block. I often think "oh, I want to blog about this" and then either can't find the time or the energy to to do it. I am hopeful this will change soon.

30

There has been so much going on at our house the past month...birthdays, parties, visits from grandparents, business trips and even more birthdays. We've been overwhelmed, rushed, frenzied, and frazzled. But, we've also been celebrating, enjoying family, soaking up the calm moments, and looking forward to July.

Today, Paul is 30. We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

For 30 years, here are 30 things we love and adore about Paul...

1. he works really hard
2. he makes us laugh. a lot.
3. he's pretty smart
4. he is a forward thinker
5. he loves Jesus
6. he loves Jonas
7. he loves me
8. he is a really good gift-giver
9. he takes great care of our yard
10. he's a people person
11. people really like him
12. he respects that i'm not always a people person
13. he continually receives accolades from his bosses
14. he has a super sweet, unique bond with Jonas
15. he wants good things for our family
16. he's pretty darn good looking
17. he loves music
18. he is very talented in many areas
19. he can teach himself almost anything
20. he's strong
21. he's gentle
22. he's slow to speak
23. he's dad
24. he's hubs to me
25. he installed a security system so we would feel more safe
26. he can find great deals on stuff
27. he embraces my newest hobbies
28. he's a good friend
29. he pushes us to live out our values
30. he is respected by many

Happy, Happy Birthday...

Dear Jonas,


Today you are 2 years old. We can't believe that it's only been 2 years.


The day your were born, you changed everything. And, we could never be more thankful! You are so sweet. You love to help...mowing, sweeping, dusting, doing things yourself. You give lots of hugs and kisses.


You are such a joy and a delight.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JONAS!

We love you to the moon and back,
Mommy and Daddy

the City of Angels

These are just a few of the hundreds of pictures from the LA leg of our California tour...

Click on the images to see the pictures a little larger.

Taking off! The picture is pretty dark, but you can see that Jonas is already eating his snacks...before we were even in the air.

We went to the beach in Santa Monica, and Jonas LOVED it!

the best part? throwing rocks into the ocean. that ended when he decided to try one.

We went to this cool, interactive Noah's ark exhibit. My child found a mop. You can see that he did everything with that mop in hand.

After we made sure the ark was clean, we saw the rainbow.

Jonas waiting for the train to start at this park we visited.


Then, it was off to Hollywood. Of course we ate at McD's ON Hollywood Blvd.

I am not sure what I expected, but I think my expectations were higher than what we experienced on Hollywood Blvd. It was just a really crowded street with stars on the sidewalks and some famous buildings. These are a few stars that we saw. I'm not sure why I took a picture of Tom Cruise's star - I don't even like him.

I am still not sure what the criteria is for getting a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, but I am drawing a blank on the Hollywood celeb factor on this one. He is an amazing man, though. (click on pic to enlarge)

Rodeo drive. I tried to park and shop, but we couldn't find a parking spot and it was getting late. Maybe that was a good thing.

Jonas had a run-in with some milk and his car seat got the brunt. It was actually pretty traumatic because we were stuck in traffic when he started throwing up. I was finally able to get over and off the freeway to clean him up some. Needless to say, we ended up at the Coin Laundry. BTW, LA traffic is even worse than people say!

Paul was finally on vacation with us, and we headed out to San Francisco!

this and that

The wind is blowing so fiercely here that I keep getting startled thinking someone is trying to knock the door down. I really hope my flowers survive!

Speaking of flowers, I finally got my pots in good shape and flowers planted in them. They look so great with a fresh coat of black paint and some really bright reds, pinks, and purples in them.

We are currently working on putting in a flower bed the will line the very front of our house. I have all the flowers and plants purchased. Now, I need some Paul-power to help dig the grass out and fill in more dirt. It is hard to imagine what it will look like once everything is mature, but I think it will be beautiful. We've chosen some Red Oleanders, Feather Grass, Cosmos, Lily of the Nile, Hydrangea, and 2 more I can't remember right now.

Jonas will be 2 in 10 days. Tear.

Paul and I attended a marriage conference the other weekend. It was so great. It's called A Weekend to Remember...look it up and go - if you're married :)

I have 3 avocados that need to be used. Even though we had Mexican food last night, I'm seeing guac involved in our dinner tonight.

I am about to plant an herb garden in our backyard. I am going to start with basil, cilantro, and mint....

Mojito mint to be exact. This was part of my Mother's day present. Paul knows me well. I also got a Harry Connick Jr. album. Paul knows me real well!

Life has felt really busy. Wait, strike that. It has been really busy! And, I have been really tired. I am really hoping that this week will lend itself to playing catch-up. Expect more blog posts!

to tide you over

I have a ton to blog about and even more pictures to share. So, until I get my act together, here are some pics from Easter morning...





By the way, did you know that Jonas will be 2 in a month!!???!!! I still have his 22 month stats to write about. Of course, this is all for me so that I have it recorded somewhere (especially because I have yet to do his baby book...and he's my first.).

resurrection rolls

My mom sent me this great idea, so we tried it out this morning. I think this is a fun way to talk about Jesus' resurrection from the grave...I'd say it was a hit.

the ingredients...crescent rolls, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows. We didn't have any large marshmallows, so we used 4 or 5 small ones in each roll.

separate the rolls and place marshmallows on them

maybe not that many marshmallows

roll them up

melt the butter in a bowl, dip each roll in the butter then roll them in cinnamon and sugar. We combined the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

bake as directed on the crescent roll package. when they are finished, cut the rolls open to discover it is empty...just like Jesus' tomb!

the smile and messy face says it all

the Goodness of THIS Friday...

this is a re-post from last year. I wanted to recognize this Good Friday, but today has been really full. And, I don't think I have the energy to write...

Last night at my small group, we were talking about the Passover meal that Jesus shared with the disciples, his inner circle - the most trusted of friends. We ran through the events of the evening...eating, washing of feet, Jesus making several predictions... Then, we landed on Gethsemane. I think I can say pretty confidently that I have always viewed the time Jesus spent in prayer prior to his arrest as a last ditch effort for God to change his mind. Why? Because he didn't want to face the pain he knew was to come. The Romans had perfected torture. Dying on a cross was saved for the most heinous of criminals. Jesus knew there would be a lot of pain involved during the course of the next many hours. So, he prays an agonizing prayer..."take this cup from me." I had a revelation last night. Jesus' last ditch prayers were not to save him from physical pain but from the emotional agony of being separated from God.

God's plan was for He who was without sin to become sin. Become sin. Jesus became sin. He lived an entire life of perfection just to die with the shame, humiliation, grotesqueness of our sin. That is the reason for Gethsemane. God would forsake his only son. Forsake is such an ominous word. I'm not sure I've ever forsaken someone, and I'm not sure I could. I even hold out hope for those who have made horrible mistakes...I would come to their rescue should it ever be needed. But, God deserted Jesus in his greatest time of need. He watched as innocence was lost. And Jesus faced the intense emotional, physical and spiritual pain alone. Why? Because sin separates us from God.

Scripture says that as Jesus breathed his last breath, he screamed "it is finished". He completed the task. He paid the price for all humanity in order that we may stand in the presence of God. We will know God's presence. The end had come.

But, there is hope because God's plan didn't end there. There is a part 2. Jesus rose from the dead. Sin was forgiven, and Jesus emerged the victor. Sin was conquered. He who was without sin became sin and won. He beat death...

hello, spring

the last day of winter...


the first day of spring...

where are we going?

I've had some time on my hands since all I've been doing for the past 4 days is lay around.  For those of you who don't know, I had my gallbladder removed on Monday morning.  The surgery went well even though we got home from the hospital a little later than expected...my blood pressure was not coming up like they would like, I was fighting some nasea, and just wasn't able to meet the criteria before being discharged.  But, I am recovering nicely.  I am so thankful that the gallbladder is one of those organs that can be removed to alleviate the pain it is causing.  I'm so thankful for my mom and sister, Kelly, who were able to spend their spring break taking care of Jonas and myself.  We've had great meals delivered, lots of notes of concern and well wishes, and lots of prayers.  I even received a beautiful flower arrangement moments after my mom and sister drove away!  I think I will write more about this whole experience a little later.  It has held some profound moments for me.

Anyway, I've doing some thinking on my blog (well, OUR blog, but let's be real...Paul doesn't post on it).  I am feeling quite bored with it.  But, I am not sure how to remedy that.  Maybe I'm just a boring person.  I've thought about posting some of the ways that I've been "being intentional".  Whether it be with a craft project I've accomplished, or pictures I've taken, or new recipes I've tried or things that I'm learning.  Heck, I don't even know if anyone even reads this.  All that to say, I'm looking for a little direction. 

the alphabet according to me

I saw this on a friend's blog and decided to steal the idea...

A is for my sister, Allison who turned 21 last week.  I love you, baby sister!

B is for Blackberry.  I'm waiting for my new phone to get here.

C is for cooking.  I know I've said this before, but I've grown this love for cooking and really wish someone could tutor me a litte bit.  I also wish I had a lot of extra cash 'cause I sure would be buying kitchen stuff.  I love trying new recipes as well as putting my own touch on old ones.

D is for date.  The other night Paul and I went on a date but ended up coming home really early.  See "G"

E is for entertainment.  I really want to go to the movies, but already thought of something to put for "M".

F is for friends.  I have some really great friends who love and care for our family so well!

G is for gallbladder.  I have to have mine removed on Monday.  I had a gallbladder attack last week (which by the way is the most painful thing I've ever experienced).  My gallbladder is not working good, so the surgeon said it needed to come out.

H is home.  I love my home.

I is for it.  What would we do without this small little pronoun?

J is for Jonas.  I love that boy more than words can say.

K is for kind.  Kindness is one thing that I really value in a person.  Kindness goes a long way.  Kindness is respecting people even if you don't agree with them.

L is for love...it makes the world go 'round.

M is for Monday...the day I go under the knife.  Can you tell I'm pretty nervous/scared?

N is for nail polish.  I got this great new gray color, and I've had fun sporting nail polish again.

O is for overextend.  I sometimes do that to myself.

P is for Pioneer Woman.  I get a lot recipes from her.  I also wish I could be her.  She is just divine, I'm sure.

Q is for quiet.  I have been craving a day of quiet.  Sometimes an introvert needs that.

R is for rainy.  It is rainy and cold today.  We got a glimpse of spring earlier this week, but it's gone now.

S is for Saturday and Spring.  Saturday is my favorite day of the week, and I am really looking forward to Spring.  Spring Saturdays are the best

T is for Tahoe.  We are going to Tahoe for vacation next month.  We will also be in San Francisco.  Can't wait!

U is for underneath.  I am finding lots of miscellaneous stuff underneath furniture these days...toys, balls, pacis, teddy grams...

V is for VeggieTales.  That is what I am currently watching.  We actually see a lot of VeggieTales.

W is for wine.  Enough said.

X is for xray.  Thank goodness I haven't had to have one of those in a long time!

Y is for yellow.  I can see absolutely nothing yellow from where I'm sitting.

Z is for Zarubabel.  There's a person by that name in my ancestory.  Crazy, huh?

Valentines

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day! Paul and I were actually engaged on Valentine's Day 5 years ago. Funny thing is that Paul didn't plan to propose on Valentines...just on Monday. Well, that Monday happened to be the 14th of February (which he obviously realized but didn't want to change his plans). So, each year we try to grab coffee at the coffee shop where I said "YES". We did get to do that this year, and we took Jonas along. Check out what else we did...

Jonas with his Valentine present...he wanted to sleep with it.


We fed the ducks and geese, and every time Jonas threw a piece of bread he would say, "mmmm". I guess he wanted the ducks to know it was good bread. He also decided to show them his belly.


Two geese almost making a heart. AWWWW


and then Paul decided to scare them all away


Jonas wanting to go on the slide that didn't have any sides. Now that is scary.


On actual Valentine's Day. Paul was pulling weeds, and Jonas was throwing them away. That boy is good for something :)