At our New Year's Eve gathering, one of our group activities was to answer the following four questions (in reference to the coming year):
1. What do you want?
2. What do you need?
3. What do you want to share with others?
4. What do you want to succeed at?
Here were my answers:
1. To have more quality time with Chad and find ways to have more fun together, breaking the normal routine of life.
2. To be more consistent, structured, and disciplined in my prayer life. Still working on getting this figured out.
3. My time. I feel like it's hard to share time with two little boys, but yet I feel as though I have time to share, whether in a work sense or in a helping others sense. Waiting on God to show me his plan.
4. Something physically challenging.** I decided to sign up for the Indy mini marathon in May and really, like Really train for it and have a goal finish time, something I've never done (I've ran it, but just "for fun"). But now I'm really wondering what I've gotten myself into and am dreading the training runs... unless it suddenly warms up!
Ok - your turn to answer!
** Small lie... I actually referenced the clothes fast when I answered this one, but later realized that this is a better answer since I'm confident that we will succeed at the clothes fast. :)
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
9 months
He's getting heavier and heavier, noisier and noisier, and more and more fun. Here's an update on little Creighton (or really big Creighton, as we call him "Big C" sometimes):
scrunching his nose and making funny faces
finally getting one of his front two teeth
getting more congested and snotty noses than any baby should be allowed... resulting in a sinus infection (I keep blaming teething, but maybe he's attracted to colds)
clucking his tongue
getting better with feeding himself and trying some new finger foods, like peas, ham & cheese
scrunching his nose and making funny faces
finally getting one of his front two teeth
getting more congested and snotty noses than any baby should be allowed... resulting in a sinus infection (I keep blaming teething, but maybe he's attracted to colds)
clucking his tongue
getting better with feeding himself and trying some new finger foods, like peas, ham & cheese
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Beck says
Time to try to remember some of the entertaining things that come out of a 3 year old's mouth....
While shopping the other day, Chad and Beckham got on the conversation of smarts, and Beckham informed us that he had three brains.
Lately, Beckham has been telling us that he's the boss, or that he wants to be the boss. He also informed Chad that when Chad was a boy and he was a man, he was the boss. And that when he has boys, he will be the boss. Oldest kid syndrome?!
While driving on the interstate the other day, we spotted a semi cab without a trailer. Beckham stated, "look, that semi's naked!"
As our potty-training saga continues, Beckham prefers to do his smelly business in his diaper, after waking up. He is quick to apologize and say sorry for pooping in his diaper (he's afraid he's going to start getting spanked if he doesn't stop). After doing this one morning, I was telling him that if he was really sorry, he would try to poop in the potty and not in his diaper. He responded with "I appreciate that mom." I think he's going to be good at talking his way out of things. ;)
When trying to pull out of a parking lot the other day, there was cars coming both ways and we had to wait. After about 10 seconds, Beck intensely said (with a sort of growl in his voice), "Cars! Stop coming! It's my dads turn!"
He's been quite the sweetie lately and I cannot count the number of times a day he says to me, Chad, and Creighton, "I like you," "I love you a lot," "you're by best friend," or "we're buddies," usually with an endearing smile and hug to go with it. He has also starting saying "we're a family" while making a circular motion with his hands when we're all together eating dinner. It's fun to see the soft & lovable side of him that hasn't shown up this much in the past. He even declared "I'm a lover boy!" hehe
He's also been teaching me things lately, like how to put his toys together and where the DVD player is on Chad's laptop. He's even been know to correct my form while exercising (and be right... if I want to do it super exactly like the people on the video). He came up to me the other day and said, "most cars have internal combustion engines." I think we can thank some new leap frog books for that one.
And why not a picture?
While shopping the other day, Chad and Beckham got on the conversation of smarts, and Beckham informed us that he had three brains.
Lately, Beckham has been telling us that he's the boss, or that he wants to be the boss. He also informed Chad that when Chad was a boy and he was a man, he was the boss. And that when he has boys, he will be the boss. Oldest kid syndrome?!
While driving on the interstate the other day, we spotted a semi cab without a trailer. Beckham stated, "look, that semi's naked!"
As our potty-training saga continues, Beckham prefers to do his smelly business in his diaper, after waking up. He is quick to apologize and say sorry for pooping in his diaper (he's afraid he's going to start getting spanked if he doesn't stop). After doing this one morning, I was telling him that if he was really sorry, he would try to poop in the potty and not in his diaper. He responded with "I appreciate that mom." I think he's going to be good at talking his way out of things. ;)
When trying to pull out of a parking lot the other day, there was cars coming both ways and we had to wait. After about 10 seconds, Beck intensely said (with a sort of growl in his voice), "Cars! Stop coming! It's my dads turn!"
He's been quite the sweetie lately and I cannot count the number of times a day he says to me, Chad, and Creighton, "I like you," "I love you a lot," "you're by best friend," or "we're buddies," usually with an endearing smile and hug to go with it. He has also starting saying "we're a family" while making a circular motion with his hands when we're all together eating dinner. It's fun to see the soft & lovable side of him that hasn't shown up this much in the past. He even declared "I'm a lover boy!" hehe
He's also been teaching me things lately, like how to put his toys together and where the DVD player is on Chad's laptop. He's even been know to correct my form while exercising (and be right... if I want to do it super exactly like the people on the video). He came up to me the other day and said, "most cars have internal combustion engines." I think we can thank some new leap frog books for that one.
And why not a picture?
 |
| matching PJ's for Christmas... perhaps the only Christmas picture I took. something about too many presents, wrapping paper everywhere, noisy people, and distracted kids isn't an environment that makes me get out my camera - way too much going on! |
Thursday, January 2, 2014
clothes fast 2014
Fasts are supposed to be private, right? No one really knows that you are doing them, in an effort not to draw attention to yourself and stay humble.
Well... Chad and I are embarking on a fast that has become public. Not intentionally, but I guess we didn't mind sharing it with others... not to look good, more just in a factual way. And maybe fast isn't really the correct word... maybe we could use"freeze." It's a "spending freeze." But since some of our friends found out about it, I decided that it was ok to share it here too, in an effort to get as much encouragement and accountability as possible... and to share what I learn along the way.
It was Chad's idea and I quickly agreed to it (knowing I needed it much more than him). His suggestion was to not purchase any new clothes in 2014. I knew I could do it and that I wanted to do it. For several reasons.
To prove for once that I can be strict in this area, when I fail to meet my budget year after year.
To simplify my life.
To get back the time that I spend purchasing, returning, purchasing, returning.
To redefine my needs & my style. What do I like and wear the most? What is my closet missing?
To remove emotional ties to shopping and the idol that it can become.
To be able to shop based on needs and not wants and say "no" when I know I don't need it.
To continue to shrink my wardrobe, with the goal of owning quality favorites that I wear often, rather than owning lots of things - some that I like a lot, some that are just ok.
To have a wish list of things that I want and wait to get them as a gift or with gift $, rather than just buying them for myself and feeling guilty I didn't have more patience.
To challenge myself to wear my clothes in new ways when everything feels old.
To be changed.
And really it goes beyond clothes. Pretty much any nonessential personal purchase, including accessories, shoes... and things of the like.
I will be honest and say that Chad and I took a shopping trip after Christmas to spend some Christmas $ and get a few more things we wanted before our year of fasting began. I found myself walking through Gap racking my brain for anything I could possibly need the next year and had to remind myself that wasn't the point.
Maybe I'm naive, but I really don't think it will be that hard overall. I feel more excitement for the challenge than fear for the future. I like extreme, black and white situations that force a decision. Browsing Target and debating on the $20 shirt isn't an option. Decision made. There's something about telling myself no that feels good. And a year goes fast, right?
My prayer is that I really am changed by all of this. That after the end of the year I can look back and feel different. Not that it won't ever be hard to go into Jcrew and want to buy just about everything, but that in the moment when that happens, I can take a deep breath, get perspective, and do some smart shopping.
I found a quote by Tim Keller that summarized my perspective on doing the fast and taped it to my computer. It says:
"Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol. That is what will replace your counterfeit gods. If you uproot the idol and fail to "plant" the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back."
That's what I want to happen in my life.
I will update you on how it's going and what I'm learning, if you care to know. Happy 2014 and anyone is free to join us if they feel so led. :)
Well... Chad and I are embarking on a fast that has become public. Not intentionally, but I guess we didn't mind sharing it with others... not to look good, more just in a factual way. And maybe fast isn't really the correct word... maybe we could use"freeze." It's a "spending freeze." But since some of our friends found out about it, I decided that it was ok to share it here too, in an effort to get as much encouragement and accountability as possible... and to share what I learn along the way.
It was Chad's idea and I quickly agreed to it (knowing I needed it much more than him). His suggestion was to not purchase any new clothes in 2014. I knew I could do it and that I wanted to do it. For several reasons.
To prove for once that I can be strict in this area, when I fail to meet my budget year after year.
To simplify my life.
To get back the time that I spend purchasing, returning, purchasing, returning.
To redefine my needs & my style. What do I like and wear the most? What is my closet missing?
To remove emotional ties to shopping and the idol that it can become.
To be able to shop based on needs and not wants and say "no" when I know I don't need it.
To continue to shrink my wardrobe, with the goal of owning quality favorites that I wear often, rather than owning lots of things - some that I like a lot, some that are just ok.
To have a wish list of things that I want and wait to get them as a gift or with gift $, rather than just buying them for myself and feeling guilty I didn't have more patience.
To challenge myself to wear my clothes in new ways when everything feels old.
To be changed.
And really it goes beyond clothes. Pretty much any nonessential personal purchase, including accessories, shoes... and things of the like.
I will be honest and say that Chad and I took a shopping trip after Christmas to spend some Christmas $ and get a few more things we wanted before our year of fasting began. I found myself walking through Gap racking my brain for anything I could possibly need the next year and had to remind myself that wasn't the point.
Maybe I'm naive, but I really don't think it will be that hard overall. I feel more excitement for the challenge than fear for the future. I like extreme, black and white situations that force a decision. Browsing Target and debating on the $20 shirt isn't an option. Decision made. There's something about telling myself no that feels good. And a year goes fast, right?
My prayer is that I really am changed by all of this. That after the end of the year I can look back and feel different. Not that it won't ever be hard to go into Jcrew and want to buy just about everything, but that in the moment when that happens, I can take a deep breath, get perspective, and do some smart shopping.
I found a quote by Tim Keller that summarized my perspective on doing the fast and taped it to my computer. It says:
"Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol. That is what will replace your counterfeit gods. If you uproot the idol and fail to "plant" the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back."
That's what I want to happen in my life.
I will update you on how it's going and what I'm learning, if you care to know. Happy 2014 and anyone is free to join us if they feel so led. :)
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
on our trip to MX
The couches were dirty in the lobby. That was my first impression, despite the kind servants bringing me a glass of champaign and a cool towel that smelled of lavender, or something delightful after traveling since 6:30 that morning. Oh no... did we choose the wrong resort? I thought it was going to be clean and modern and white - that's how the pictures portrayed it online. It turned out that those couches were not in fact a true representation of the rest of the resort, which was very clean, well kept, and our room had a very modern & updated feel to it. But, first impressions are a big deal. Even if it is something as minor as dirty couches. Because of them there was something I wasn't convinced of about this place. Did I really like it? Was it worth the $? Why is there a musty smell in our room? With those thoughts setting the tone for our trip (plus it was gray & rainy when we arrived and the first day), it took me a couple days to embrace it. All of it and just enjoy myself.
Really it took both of us a couple days to find our place. It was our first all-inclusive resort and we weren't quite sure where we fit in and how to just make it the trip we wanted. Kind of like the new kid in school. We weren't part of the noisy/cool group who were in the "big pool" all day. We weren't honeymooners. We didn't stay up late and woke up before 6 am every day. We always felt ahead of the crowd and not a part of it, which sometimes feels lonely. But on about day 3 we talked about it and reminded ourselves of why we came on our trip and enjoyed it for what it was and what we wanted it to be. For us.
Our room was freezing. 16 degrees C to be exact (which we discovered is 60.8 degrees F. Yea. Glad I packed a sweatshirt). And no matter how much I turned up the thermostat, it stayed the same temperature.
The maids had way too much energy and would clean our room multiple times a day. We caught on to this quickly and put our "do not disturb" sign out after the first cleaning, as it seemed a little excessive to have our soap rearranged and the blanket on our bed in a new design every time we entered our room. Really, all the staff was incredible with their service and would say "it's a pleasure" when you thanked them for their service. I really started to believe them.
We wanted (or thought we would get) massages but ended up being too cheap. We're accountants. I got a manicure instead... a fun shade of blue. Thelma was the most detailed manicurist I know and my 24 minute manicure took an hour. The spa had mint flavored chlorophyll water that was amazing. It said it restored & repaired everything in my body, or something very close to that. I wanted to drink about a gallon of it on the spot, but wasn't sure if my body could handle such a cleansing.
We, of course, didn't take as many couple pictures as we wanted, because who wants 10 million "selfies" and who wants to ask strangers for pictures? I've already confessed this battle.
The forecast said it was supposed to rain everyday. Like an 80% chance. It rained the day we got there and the next and that's about it. Thankful for that.
I hated my hair. Sounds shallow, but short bangs & short hair that barely goes into a ponytail = not fun. The minute I went outside my hair was instantly frizz, frizz, frizz. I tried not to be grumpy about it. On about day 4 I bought a head band thing that saved my burned part and made me happy.
I decided I wanted to be a hat person. It seemed like the best solution to my hair and the fact that my face only wanted about 5 minutes of sun before it felt like it was burning. I wore Chad's baseball cap and bought a fun hat on the way home in the airport. Good timing. I'll use it next beach trip.
I read my first Shauna Niequist book, Cold Tangerines. It reminded me that I like to write & really need to get back to regular journaling. 2014 goal. Add it to the list.
We laid on one of those beds on the beach. I always wanted to do that.. it seems like a very vacationy thing to do.
Remember those days when you could stay outside soaking up the sun all day? I'm getting farther & farther from those days. I really prefer shade more than full blast sun & like lots of clouds to break up the sun. I wear more sunscreen too and care less about a tan. I think this means I'm growing up. Or that I'm a mom. Probably both.
I thought we would eat more and constantly feel full. I stereotyped all-inclusives to be that you just ate food all day or something. But really we just ate meals and no snacks and I was actually usually hungry for each meal. The courses were pretty small, which was a good thing since I ordered about 5 every meal. The buffet was the only place that really really filled me up.
I ate the same thing for breakfast everyday. Literally. The exact same omelet with green juice. But it was delicious and that's why I ate it.
Really it took both of us a couple days to find our place. It was our first all-inclusive resort and we weren't quite sure where we fit in and how to just make it the trip we wanted. Kind of like the new kid in school. We weren't part of the noisy/cool group who were in the "big pool" all day. We weren't honeymooners. We didn't stay up late and woke up before 6 am every day. We always felt ahead of the crowd and not a part of it, which sometimes feels lonely. But on about day 3 we talked about it and reminded ourselves of why we came on our trip and enjoyed it for what it was and what we wanted it to be. For us.
Our room was freezing. 16 degrees C to be exact (which we discovered is 60.8 degrees F. Yea. Glad I packed a sweatshirt). And no matter how much I turned up the thermostat, it stayed the same temperature.
The maids had way too much energy and would clean our room multiple times a day. We caught on to this quickly and put our "do not disturb" sign out after the first cleaning, as it seemed a little excessive to have our soap rearranged and the blanket on our bed in a new design every time we entered our room. Really, all the staff was incredible with their service and would say "it's a pleasure" when you thanked them for their service. I really started to believe them.
We wanted (or thought we would get) massages but ended up being too cheap. We're accountants. I got a manicure instead... a fun shade of blue. Thelma was the most detailed manicurist I know and my 24 minute manicure took an hour. The spa had mint flavored chlorophyll water that was amazing. It said it restored & repaired everything in my body, or something very close to that. I wanted to drink about a gallon of it on the spot, but wasn't sure if my body could handle such a cleansing.
We, of course, didn't take as many couple pictures as we wanted, because who wants 10 million "selfies" and who wants to ask strangers for pictures? I've already confessed this battle.
The forecast said it was supposed to rain everyday. Like an 80% chance. It rained the day we got there and the next and that's about it. Thankful for that.
I hated my hair. Sounds shallow, but short bangs & short hair that barely goes into a ponytail = not fun. The minute I went outside my hair was instantly frizz, frizz, frizz. I tried not to be grumpy about it. On about day 4 I bought a head band thing that saved my burned part and made me happy.
I decided I wanted to be a hat person. It seemed like the best solution to my hair and the fact that my face only wanted about 5 minutes of sun before it felt like it was burning. I wore Chad's baseball cap and bought a fun hat on the way home in the airport. Good timing. I'll use it next beach trip.
I read my first Shauna Niequist book, Cold Tangerines. It reminded me that I like to write & really need to get back to regular journaling. 2014 goal. Add it to the list.
We laid on one of those beds on the beach. I always wanted to do that.. it seems like a very vacationy thing to do.
Remember those days when you could stay outside soaking up the sun all day? I'm getting farther & farther from those days. I really prefer shade more than full blast sun & like lots of clouds to break up the sun. I wear more sunscreen too and care less about a tan. I think this means I'm growing up. Or that I'm a mom. Probably both.
I thought we would eat more and constantly feel full. I stereotyped all-inclusives to be that you just ate food all day or something. But really we just ate meals and no snacks and I was actually usually hungry for each meal. The courses were pretty small, which was a good thing since I ordered about 5 every meal. The buffet was the only place that really really filled me up.
I ate the same thing for breakfast everyday. Literally. The exact same omelet with green juice. But it was delicious and that's why I ate it.
The other most delicious thing we ate was ceviche & aguachile (which were very similar). I want to make it. It was so fresh. So lime. Sooo delicious. We found out about it with only 2 days left. Only 2 days to eat it. That was the saddest thing about our trip.
I don't think I'm a natural at vacationing. I'm one of those people who likes structure, things planned, small activities to keep me busy so then I enjoy the downtime more. A day full of down time can tend to make me feel a little stressed out about what I'm going to do all day & how I'm going to make it feel productive. Exercise and reading were about the most productive things I found to do, and in the end, the days went by fast and I definitely enjoyed them. Note to self: vacation isn't supposed to be productive.
We loved early mornings on the beach. A couple runs. A sunrise. Reading before the crowd arrived. Peacefulness. We spent most of our days on the beach too. All day. Listening to the waves and soaking it up.
The beach was different than I thought it would be. Narrow. Lots of seaweed lining the edge (I believe partly due to lots of rain). But they worked hard to maintain it and kept it as clean as possible. But it was a beach so it was still beautiful.
I was reminded that it's hard to keep perspective on vacation. Life is suddenly easy and you get to be selfish with your time and my biggest decision of the day was how many lattes to drink. I found myself getting annoyed by things like my towel blowing in my face - oh no! And such it is with life... if it were always easy and never hard we would lose perspective and wouldn't appreciate it, so we should welcome challenges.
And now we've had time to hash our trip and talk about our favorite parts and what we learned. It's always good to learn things.
1. We loved our time together and our days were great, but by the evening we were ready to socialize (with people we know). It would be a fun trip to do with friends.
2. Eat the things you like over and over again. The other things are probably disappointing. Be ok with a little indulgence.
3. Be opposite of the crowd - early to the beach, find a quiet spot and claim it for the day. We liked the little huts. A little privacy and shade.
4. People wear all kinds of things they shouldn't and fail to wear what they should. Enough about that.
5. If you want your Mojito (my drink of choice) with fresh lime, you have to order it that way. No fake syrup please.
And there you have it. It was a good trip. It was our trip and it was good.
 |
| my breakfast omelette and green juice |
 |
| the beloved ceviche |
 |
| and aguachile |
 |
| the spa outcome |
 |
| a couple pics of our room |
 |
| a pic of one of the many pools at the resort |
 |
| the little hut we snagged for a couple days |
 |
| every morning they raked the sand volleyball court to say "welcome" in english and spanish |
 |
| before our departure home.. a slight bit more tan than when we arrived |
Saturday, December 7, 2013
8 months
Hum... I'm always amazed that another month has gone by when I do these monthly posts about Creighton.
I feel like he's changed quite a bit between 7 and 8 months. Feeling more grown up and partaking in the world around him more and more.
As babies are always changing, there are of course some new things that C's been doing lately...
+ doing a fake laugh, especially when Beckham is laughing about something
+ pulling on his socks, chewing on them, and pulling them off.. especially in the morning or after naps
+ turning in circles on his tummy and scooting backwards
+ doing this weird excited squeal that I can't even begin to try to describe, but I'm pretty sure Beckham did/still does something similar, so it must be genetic :)
+ being highly entertained by his big brother and wanting to play beside him as much as possible
+ eating more and more new foods... tahini, broccoli, and kiwi were some new additions this month. I love this age when they're so flexible and will try about anything.
... And all he wants for Christmas are his two front teeth. I'm pretty sure they're about to come in and have been causing him some grief the past few weeks.
And then the little photo shoot is suddenly over when Beckham decides to join the fun, which seems to be happening every month. Beckham pulls on Creighon's shirt, sits & bounces on him, jumps over him & gets in his face... but Creighton doesn't seem to mind. In fact, I think he rather enjoys the attention from big brother.
I feel like he's changed quite a bit between 7 and 8 months. Feeling more grown up and partaking in the world around him more and more.
As babies are always changing, there are of course some new things that C's been doing lately...
+ doing a fake laugh, especially when Beckham is laughing about something
+ pulling on his socks, chewing on them, and pulling them off.. especially in the morning or after naps
+ turning in circles on his tummy and scooting backwards
+ doing this weird excited squeal that I can't even begin to try to describe, but I'm pretty sure Beckham did/still does something similar, so it must be genetic :)
+ being highly entertained by his big brother and wanting to play beside him as much as possible
+ eating more and more new foods... tahini, broccoli, and kiwi were some new additions this month. I love this age when they're so flexible and will try about anything.
... And all he wants for Christmas are his two front teeth. I'm pretty sure they're about to come in and have been causing him some grief the past few weeks.
And then the little photo shoot is suddenly over when Beckham decides to join the fun, which seems to be happening every month. Beckham pulls on Creighon's shirt, sits & bounces on him, jumps over him & gets in his face... but Creighton doesn't seem to mind. In fact, I think he rather enjoys the attention from big brother.
Monday, December 2, 2013
it's starting...
... potty training that is. Beckham turning 3 was my cut off for being lazy and letting him get away with zero interest in the potty. Since he is now 3 and we have a few weeks at home before traveling for Christmas, it was time to start.
There's different theories on potty training and I really did zero research on it, just listened to my friends stories and experience. I guess I'm a combination of the differing opinions on whether to "wait until your kid is ready" and "just pick a day and start." Clearly I did not push Beck to start potty training at a young age to get it over with, but I also did not wait until he was really interested.... because we might be starting kindergarten in diapers if I waited until he cared.
So today was the first day and we started with big boy underwear and no diaper. I was expecting an accident and was hoping that would motivate him to tell me when he needed to go to the bathroom. No such luck there.... he wet his pants, didn't tell me, and when I noticed he just acknowledged what he did and asked to keep watching his show. :) The rest of the day I've just been asking him very often if he needs to go to the bathroom and spending extended times on the pot.
One big success was that I caught him before he was going to go the dreaded #2 in our closet.... one of his standard places for such business. After reading books and watching shows on the pot for at least an hour, he went! (although I really have no idea how long it took, as I left after I read books. :))
I think it's hard to set expectations on how long it will be until he is "fully potty-trained." Hopefully not too long, with the exception of overnight diapers. I think our first challenge is just getting him to tell me he needs to go. I'm also a little unsure of how much to use pull-ups for going out in case of accidents, or just wear underwear (depending on the place) and be ok with some accidents as part of the training process?
And now your turn - give me all the advice you would like on potty-training the little guy!
 |
| Beckham's over emphasized "cheese" face, displaying his excitement for potty-training day #1 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)