enjoying the process » loving the journey, not just the destination

Insert your own title here. I can’t think of one.

Looking back over my photos from April, I discovered a few that I felt were blog-worthy.  I’m in the process of getting my 2010 blog posts into book form, but it’s not as easy with this one. With Typepad (my former blog) I could just “slurp” the entries right into the book editor. With a blog that acts as a website, turns out it’s not so simple. If anyone knows of an easier way than copying and pasting, please do let me know. Thanks.

I LOVE this picture. Chloe just ADORES her older siblings and gives them BIG hugs when they go in to get her up from her naps.  They all fight over who gets to go in & get her up. I love that.

Above is just a little project we decided to tackle in April. And by “we” I don’t mean us – I mean the guys that you hire to do such a project.

Coloring Easter eggs in our pjs. We were all sick, remember?  I was going to fore-go it all together, but the kids were SO sad so I caved.

This was Keagan’s first year coloring eggs. He took the job pretty seriously.

Canyon is our little artist. It’s always fun to see what he creates- although I don’t have a picture to show you 🙁

Chloe’s open-mouth kisses with just a tiny bit of drool- They’re Awesome!

May 5, 2011 - 11:35 am

Hallie Gardner - I find that the open mouth kisses are what fuels the perpetual sickness in our house…but honestly I’m not willing to give it up!

May 5, 2011 - 1:47 pm

Melinda Cassol - Thats how leah kisses, gotta love those sweet kisses!

Easter Twenty.Eleven.

We were SO SO SO sick the week before Easter. Everyone in our family had it in one form or another. Kennedy was hit the hardest & that poor girl… I’m not sure how her tiny little body managed it.  But we got through it… I wasn’t sure if it would ever end, but eventually it did.  We canceled our Easter plans just to be on the safe side- I did NOT want to share that with anyone!! So I made a ham and some veggies and we all ate upstairs in my bedroom in our pjs and watched the Wizard of Oz and the Amazing Race.  It was memorable, that’s for sure!

This is the only photo I snapped of the 5 of them Easter afternoon. You can tell they all look pallid and sickly 🙁  But the blessing of sickness is this: when you’re feeling well again- life is SO GREAT!! You have so much energy & desire to get the things done you just couldn’t do the week before!  I needed that renewed energy!

May 4, 2011 - 2:05 pm

Hallie Gardner - I think they look pretty great!

It’s a Boy! We think…

All indications point to boy….Really there are no indications except the ultrasound we had at 14 weeks . My pregnancies are all the same- both boy & girl. They don’t vary much, I don’t carry higher or lower, my bottom grows equally large with both girl and boy, and the shape of my belly is exactly the same with either sex.  But the ultrasound was pretty clear. The technician told us it was too early to tell, but James & I have done this a few times.  The technician even said, “oh! I think we know what you’re having!”  The boys were in classes this day, but we took Kennedy & Keagan with us. Chloe stayed with Auntie Christine because she’s just a little too squirmy and loud these days.  I’ve pretty much been pregnant for the past 10 years with a few breaks here and there, but not many…and I’m always amazed at how much the technology changes just within those small gaps of time.  We had a pretty high-tech ultrasound this time and I was so amazed by how much they can see and measure in such a tiny little peanut.  I’m very thankful for modern technology and thankful that our new little one looks healthy and perfect- all his limbs are present, his heart looks good & is beating beautifully, he’s VERY active, and just perfect all-around.  Now let the naming begin!

Here is a photo Kennedy snapped after our appointment. It went really LONG so the kids were ready to get out of there!!

May 4, 2011 - 2:07 pm

Hallie Gardner - I think you mean tangelo, not peanut! And WHOA your pics are Amazing!!

May 4, 2011 - 6:12 pm

emily - Are you seeing them in a whole new light now that you have a MAC? 🙂 I miss you!

May 7, 2011 - 1:49 pm

Julie Long - Oh I’m so excited for you! Congrats!

The News.

By now I’m sure you’ve heard. If you’re on fb or related to me in some way (or Hallie) you already know that I’m pregnant with baby #6. Yikes! And Awesome. We’re really excited and looking forward to another newborn. I had my first Dr. appt. on Thursday and it turns out I’m already 12 weeks. That was a nice surprise.  I remember with Cade I knew I was pregnant at 4 weeks and made an appt. the very next day!  Once you’ve done this a few times though…. being 4 weeks isn’t so exciting 🙂 James was amazing, of course, when I told him the news. He is happy and confident that we can do this easily. What’s one more, right?  I’m not so confident. I need lists and organization and lots of ducks lined up in a row.  Unfortunately, I don’t really have the energy to accomplish all those tasks.  I’m 12 weeks though- energy should be back soon.

This week was full. We were able to go out in the field with James one morning- a rare treat these days. Business hasn’t exactly been “booming” these past few years. Look at all the surveyor-orange. ♥

The property was so beautiful and they had the friendliest horse I’ve ever seen.  He saw us coming and walked right over to us so we would pet him.  It’s amazing how MASSIVE they are. A little intimidating.

Later in the week we took a little field trip to Heritage Park in town. I’ve never been back there so it was really interesting.  The kids just wanted to see the train. We’ve passed that train every Sunday on the way to church for the past 8 years and I never knew we could actually visit it! When Cade was tiny we’d pass that train on the way to Purposeful Parents and every time he’d say, “Train no working. Need batteries!”

Last Friday I took Kennedy to gymnastics and we FROZE. It was hailing and snowing and freezing. This Friday it was 86•  Crazy weather.  Some where in the middle would be great.

Chloe’s hair is still a MESS, but at least I can somewhat control it now.  The lady who cut it said, “her hair grows in all different directions!”  It’s true. I’ve never seen anything like it. Still not walking. Not even close.
And last, but not least… I finally finished a project! This banner (above Chloe’s crib) has been on my to-do list for over a year.  I finally just got to work and finished it- it only took an hour! Why did I wait so long?  I love it♥ (Sorry about the glare on the photos)

And one more project. This one I finished a long time ago, but I don’t think I ever posted it.  I love these little rolled flowers. I find myself wanting to put them everywhere!

And Literature (so as not to forget what we’ve read this year):
Cade- just finished Detectives in Togas which he LOVED
Canyon- reading Guardians of Ga Hoole
Kennedy- reading Magic Tree House in order- she’s on book # 39
James- Jack Higgins novel
Read Aloud- We just finished The Bookstore Mouse and started Robin Hood . So far this year we’ve read The Door in the Wall, The Mouse & the Motorcycle, Pilgrim’s Progress and the two I mentioned. We’re listening to The Wizard of Oz in the car & we’re loving it. My kids have never seen the movie. I remember watching it every year when I was young!  I think it might be a little scary for them?

I’d love to hear what you’re reading. Any good book recommendations? We’re ALWAYS looking for new titles.

 

 

 

 

April 17, 2011 - 1:38 pm

Cari - Thank you for doing this. All of it!!

April 17, 2011 - 5:45 pm

Melinda Cassol - I love that your pregnant! And man every time I look at little Chloe I can’t help but see my Leah! I wish they could be friends! I love reading too! Have been reading aloud to Emma Charlottes Web! She loves The Wizard of Oz, makes me think of Hallie!!

April 20, 2011 - 1:40 pm

jenny - Emily, Congratulations!!! I am so excited for you!
The older boys are loving Robin Hood and King Arthur right now. Gracen just started Cricket in Times Square, and fell in love with the rat. Sam thinks the BFG is laugh out loud funny (probably because it is chock full of potty humor), and Jon is saving every dime he earns to buy more Black Stallion books, there turn out to be a lot of them. Oh, and we found a man who reads Henty novels out loud, the boys LOVE IT!

I’m reading an easy read called Loving the Little Years by Rachel Yankovic, she’s related to Nancy Wilson. I like it! Unless she is slapping my face, then I think she sucks swampwater.

Rob read the manual for our new van. Cover. To. Cover. I would say that’s the first book he’s finished since college, but he may also have read the manual on our old van, and so then I would be lying.

April 30, 2011 - 9:13 pm

jenny - Oh, and because my first comment wasn’t long enough. . . how do you make those yummy rolled flowers? I would like to do that! Did you get instructions from somewhere or make it up yourself?

May 5, 2011 - 1:33 am

emily - Jenny- I’m trying to find the video tutorial. Once I find it I’ll email you 🙂 How is 6? It’s EASY right?????

B l o g s   t o   V i s i t