Changes!

Israel is growing so fast! He is starting to sit up and is rolling over more and more...it is pretty fun! We have been trying to feed him some rice cereal for awhile, but he just doesn't like it. Last night we were at some friends house, and they were feeding their little girl some veggies (baby food form of course) and said that she didn't like the rice cereal either. So we tried some carrots with Israel and he like them! That night he slept till 7:00 in the morning when he has been normally waking up at 5:00. It was a very welcomed change.

This year, we decided to spread out our Christmas shopping and do a little bit in November and then some in December. It has been so nice! It makes me feel so organized and on top of things.

Ever since we had Izzy, I just haven't been able to get my act together as far as meal planning and shopping and fixing. So we were directed to a program called e-mealz and you pay 15.00 per 3 months, and pick a grocery store and then they generate a meal plan and grocery list for you! We decided to try it and I love it! The meals have been great...some we might not do again just because they weren't our favorite, but it has been so nice to not have to think about that and to just cook it. I like that part.

So, those are just a few of the goings on and the changes we have been seeing, all of which are very good. Are you having a good Fall?

Give-A-Way

No, it is not mine, but f you go to my friend's blog then you will see an adorable give-a-way for a stay at home mom!

Mouring

It is amazing how a tragic event can make you cling to your loved ones like never before. You start calling all the time, saying "I love you", hugging comforting and bonding together like never before. Yesterday our family received a call saying that our 13 year old cousin had been in an accident and had died. We were shocked, stunned, a reminded that life is so fragile. Agony for our extended family overwhelmed us and we are still in a state of disbelief. It is that type of thing that you don't think could ever happen to you or the ones you love, and then it does. 10 years ago or so divorce happened to one of my aunts and that was one of those things you thought would never happen, and now this. But we are comforted by the thought that God is still on His throne, and He is still in control, and somehow this is part of His marvelous plan.

I ask for your prayers, for us as we leave Monday for Little Rock Arkansas, that we would be able to be a comfort and witness to our family. Pray for my uncle John and Aunt Leslie as they mourn the loss of the middle child. Pray that they will find and cling to the hope that is in Christ.

Loverly Day

Today is turning out to be a loverly day! I know...it is only 9:00 a.m. but if you have children, then you have been up for awhile now too. My house is picked up, my dishwasher emptied and kitchen clean, my bed is made, my baby is playing happily in his toy jumpy seat after an hour nap, I have a hot cup of tea steeping in front of me with my bible study book open and ready for me to dive into, and I even fixed breakfast for my honey!!! I even lite my fall candles and they are emitting a very comforting smell. I like to see how many I can lite with one match! Sometimes it gets a little scary! I have high hopes for today...my day off from teaching (except for my sister's lesson) and am excited because today my sisters, mom, and I are getting together to plan our month of December. Sound strange? Well, we have so many family traditions and things we like to do together, that we have to get those on the calendar first. Here are some of the traditions that we grew up with:
1. Decorating the house together
2. Buying and decorating the tree
3.Watching It's a Wonderful Life
4. Assembling a Gingerbread Log Cabin
5. Writing Psalms to Jesus
6. Baking day!!!
7. Christmas shopping
And so many more little things.

Some of these...well most of them we do not do as a WHOLE family anymore because 3 of us are married, but I for one, have taken these and implemented them, or a variation of these into our little family. I love the month of December. I love how it seems like the whole world is focused on one thing. I know not everyone celebrates Christmas for the same reason, but we all make a big whoop-la over it, and I love it!! I wanted to get the most out of our Christmas season, so last year I wrote down everything that I wanted to get in, and designated a day for each of them so that every day in December we were doing something festive! It was so much fun! Here are some of our little families traditions
1. Buying and decorating the tree
2. Decorating the inside of the house (my job)
3. Decorating the outside of the house (Joel's job)
4. Making a new ornament every year
5. Watching a plethora of Christmas movies
6, We are going to see the Christmas train this year
7. Going to see Christmas lights (although last year wasn't very good... maybe because of the economy)
8. We want to build a Gingerbread house this year.
9. Stocking shopping (although I am not sure that will work out this year)
10. Having company (want to come?)
11. And so much more

I am so excited and can't wait for the festivities to begin!!!

What are some of your traditions???

the "Shhh's"

I have this adorable student who keeps me laughing every lesson. Today we were going over a song, and learning a lot of knew things and she kept telling me that she didn't know what this and that were, and we got to this one song and it had two rests at the beginning. She goes: "Now you don't have to tell me what those are, those are "shhh's", you can take the "shhh's" out of the flash cards because I know what those are." I just laughed She didn't know the real  name for them, and in her school music class they just say "shhh" when they come to them. Anyway, I got a hoot out of it and thought you would too.

The joy of friends

I just wrote a very lengthy melancholy post about something, and then realized you probably wouldn't want to hear all that. So hear is the short version. Certain things have been brought to my attention though my life about friendships, and just recently something very painful (not physically) happened to me to make me want to let all my friends out there know that I do need you guys. Not in a selfish way, but because we all need friends, even though we have siblings. So...I want your friendship, and I hope you want mine.

Catch-up

Does anyone else feel like they are always playing catch-up with life? I didn't used to feel this way, but ever since my family grew from two to three, I feel like I can never complete my list of "to dos". In fact...the list keeps growing longer! Please tell me I am not the only one! I was watching a tv show yesterday, and they were featuring this picture perfect family where the wife is a stay-at-home mom who does all the house work, all the laundry, all the cooking (she said in 12 years of marriage her husband has NEVER cooked a meal), she has a hot meal ready and waiting for when her husband gets home, freshens herself up for when her husband gets home, and greets her husband with a smile keeping her grumps to a later time. Anyway...I sat there wishing that I could lead such a life. It is my dream, and Joel's too, that I be able to do nothing but take care of my kids and husband, keep house and everything that goes with that. I do enjoy teaching, I just wish I could maybe have two students instead of 20 (18 really). So I was sitting there drooling over what looked like a perfect life, and thinking of all the ways that I was messing up in light of this family. Then Joel got home...and no, I did not keep my grumpiness to myself for a later time. I spilled my beans, and cried my worries, and then when Joel asked if there was anything he could do for me, I, through my tears said that the rugs needed to be put in the wash. I was crying because as I was saying this, I was thinking of the perfect wife on tv that never lets her husband do laundry! Anyway that was a long intro into the rest of my blog...so, since I am constantly playing catch-up, I am going to catch you up on my family's happenings of late. 

• The pumpkin patch was a must for me this year since we have Izzy. I know he will not remember this year, but it was still so cute to take lots of pictures with him all bundled up in a pile of pumpkins. We went to the patch that I grew up going to and have pictures of when I was small. We got there and childhood memories started flowing...except the pumpkins where all in nice piles and when I was small I remember them just being in messy piles that we climbed all over! Oh, well, it still made for good pictures. We also had to buy some peanuts since every drive home when I was a kid was full of "Can I have some more peanuts?" and the car covered in shells. It was a perfect evening for the pumpkin patch, nice and cool and crisp. Here are some pictures

• Our precious Izzy was dedicated Sunday October 25th!  In our hearts we always new that he was the Lords and that the Lord had just loaned him to us, but sometimes in the midst of everyday activities and the day-in and day-out process of taking care of a baby, you forget that you are a servant of the King of Kings and that the little baby that you are breaking your back for, is a precious gift from the Lord and that he really belongs to Him. 

• Izzy is growing out of his clothes so fast. He weighs only 3 pounds less than his cousin who is 9 months older than he is!
• Joel and I went to see the So You Think You Can Dance tour at the BOK center, and it was AWESOME!
• We are now a converse family:
  
  
  
  
  
  

• We started Izzy on rice cereal a couple weeks ago, and it has been so funny to watch his facial expressions!
• Joel bought a little grill and has been treating me to delicious grilled chicken and hamburgers!
• My little guy is now in a size 3 diaper, and going through a growth spurt that is waking him up at 4:00 in the morning!

So that is all I can think of right now, so I will talk to you later!

Something Unexpected

Today was....well...a rough day to say the least. Israel is going through a season of unpredictability. Some of you may laugh, and say as my mom said "Hannah, all that you can predict is their unpredictability!" But, this being my first child, and having him on a schedule that I knew exactly when he was going to eat and pretty much how long he was going to sleep and so on, it has been quite difficult for me to go from that to not knowing anything! I have cried many tears, and have asked many experienced moms, and get all different answers. I know though, that they have been praying for me, and if fact Tracy Shiew, my beloved friend and mentor, has prayed with me over the phone while I was in tears and making me feel better by saying that it is an emotional time, and I shouldn't feel bad for being concerned. But...I also need to not be too concerned and realize that everything is going to be okay and that he is eating great and sleeping all night, and this too shall pass and while it is here, I must enjoy my little Izzy!

Anyway, all that to say, as we were heading out to my moms after a long day of Israel not sleeping too good, I got a call from my brother-in-law and he said that his neighbor was having a garage sale and was selling a really nice looking kitchen table with 8 chairs! Even though Joel and I were not expecting to shell out money for such a big item, we have been wanting a bigger table for guests, and eventually a larger family. So we headed over just to take a peek. We ended up really liking it, and the lady even let us take a chair home and try to visualize the whole thing in our home. It is definitely bigger, but it still fits, and it has an extra leaf built into it! It is actually really cool and nifty! You pull apart the table and unfold the extra leaf. How cool is that?!? So...we bought it!
...I was going to post a picture but my silly computer is taking too long. I will try again later!