from princess to precious

two

2012-01-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

jed is two today! i seriously don't know where the past two years have gone! while in the hospital a few short weeks ago having our second son.... i felt as though i was JUST there with that adorable boy with think dark hair that we named jedidiah charles! but today... is the day he turns two!jed... we can't imagine our lives without you in it. it is no lie that you stretch us more than we ever thought we could be stretched, but we trust that with the help (and lots of it) from the Lord you will grow into a man whose strong will will do great and mighty things one day! you are full of passion and won't back down easily. you are still adorable and melt your mamas heart with a look! you have been a joy these past two years and i look forward to the next year ahead with great anticipation. we pray for wisdom in training you up to be the man that God desires for you to be.

some things i want to remember about you at this age:

-you love to do anything your sister is doing. you play play dough, color, paint, or participate in whatever she wrangles you into doing. for the most part you play so well together!

-you call your new baby brother "baby maf (mav)"

-you LOVE your blankies and sock monkey, you can't go to sleep without them and you like to carry them around during the day also

-you will take your dad up on any opportunity to go with him. riding in the combine, tractor, truck or just a ride in the pickup are the highlights of your day

-you love to farm in the house too... a combine from dad for christmas was a favorite!

-you are an eater... pretty sure you will eat us out of house and home one of these days!

-you will bring us book after book to read

-you are a cuddler!

-when we are done praying you yell "AMEN!!"

love you to pieces jedders! happy 2nd birthday!

she's 3 today

2011-12-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

elliana grace turned 3 today. what a gift she has been to us these past 3 years. she will always be my first baby, the one that taught me to be a mama and my precious girl. i count it a great privilege to be your mommy elliana grace.elli... you are such an amazing big sister. though your brother might be bigger than you right now and will be for the rest of your life, you watch out for him and are teaching him so many things each and everyday. i love seeing your relationship blossom . i know you will be such a big help as a new little person joins our family in a couple weeks.
though i am your mama and it is my job to teach you, you are teaching me so much even though you do not even know you are doing so. the pure joy that you display daily is such an amazing example for me on how i need to live. because of our hope in jesus we have no reason to not have joy pouring out of our lives regardless of our circumstances. thank you for reminding me of that daily! you are a precious friend that loves to be in relationship with people. i love to watch you play with others and pray that you will continue to care for others as you grow.

i am thankful for these past 3 years... more thankful that you can know! i look forward to as many more as the Lord will bless us with. i might also pray that they go a little slower but i doubt that will happen!

i love to pieces elliana grace! you're 3 today!

harvest days

2011-10-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

jed and daddy have been having a little extra quality time together these days in the combine. jed seems to be right at home next to his dad!

jed's first harvest (2010)jed's 2nd harvest (2011)
so thankful for an abundant and safe harvest... praising God for His many blessings

makin' cookies

2011-10-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

elli spotted a cookie cutter in one of the kitchen drawers the other day and asked what it was. i told her it was a cookie cutter and from that point on she has been determined to make cookies for her friends. (i'm sure the thought of being able to eating cookie dough in the process never entered her mind! oh wait... she is related to me so you know that that was her REAL intentions!)

conquering our fear of loud appliances... she finally took her fingers out of her ears!

the best part... licking the beaters!

baby #3

2011-10-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

so word on the street is that i haven't been staying on top of my bloggy duties. at least that's what my girls kim, danielle and kara have told me! :) i'm surprised grandpa hasn't been calling about this too! so i was trying to think, what could i even blog about?!?! and then i remembered... oh ya... we are having a baby and said baby will be arriving in 9-10 weeks!! oh and i also just happened to have some 4-D pictures taken of this child. so maybe that is a blogworthy happening! baby was a little camera shy and wouldn't take his/her hands off of his/her face so it made it hard to take a peek, but this is what we saw.

so what do ya think? boy or girl?? ya... i don't have a clue either! it will truly be a surprise!

today i tried to snap some pics of the kids "playing" with the baby... but the self-timer didn't want to cooperate. i was on the floor crawling around picking up toys and jed thought that was an invitation to hop on for a horsey ride (a favorite pastime the kids share with their daddy) i said "mommy can't give you a ride because i have a baby in my tummy!" he plopped down in front of me and pulled up my shirt to just see why in the world this baby was ruining his fun. then elli came over and said "baby want to play?"

this sweet child is going to have quite a loud, busy, crazy life awaiting it when it decides to come out! but i think it already has a clue just from the behavior we noticed on the ultrasound... hands over face, trying to get some peace and quiet!

a couple recent pictures of big sister and brother... you know... for grandpa & grandma!

branson family vacation

2011-08-16T14:48:00.001-07:00

we had the privilege to travel to branson a couple week ago to celebrate jon's parents 40 years of marriage. we met up with his mom and dad, great grandma and all of his siblings and their families. it was a wonderful time to hang out, eat great meals together (that we took turns providing), being on the lake, take in some sights around branson and celebrating norm and bettys wedded bliss! :) with the guests of honor
sharing a rootbeer float

riding the carousel with nana

daddys pushin the babies

sweet cousins

we rode the ducks

don't let elli's face fool you... she had a good time... it just happened to be 108 degrees that day. it felt like we were in a furnace!

daddy's co-captain brotherly love

lake time

family water gun fight... even nana and gigi got into it!!

so there was our vaca in a nutshell... it was definately a wonderful week!! tons of great memories were had!

jedidiah .18 months

2011-07-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

here you are. you are 18 months already! here are some things i want to remember about you at 18 months:you sleep like a champ or maybe more like a teenage boy... usually around 12 hours at night and take a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. you eat like a teenage boy too. you are finally saying please and thank you (sometimes). you outweigh your older sister. you love kisses and hugs and snuggling with your mama. you think your dad is about it!

you like to read books by yourself. you enjoy carrying around random junk and if anyone tries to take that little junk away from you, they WILL hear about it! you are not a huge fan of the pool, you prefer to fill buckets with water and carry them around. you love any sort of ball. you love your two blankies.
your dark hair is bleaching out and almost blonde now. you have had one haircut but those curls have quickly come back and in the humidity get really tight. you love accessories... especially hats. if you spot one you have to put it on! jedidiah. we love you so much and are thankful that you are our son! we look forward to each day we have together! happy 18 months!

photo challenge day twenty nine: black and white

2011-07-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

the second this guy caught site of daddy's tractor he wanted to get as close to it as possible! he even said "daddy tra ter" and if you know jed, he doesn't say much! i let him sit on it and when i told him it was time to go he shook his head no. i have said since he was a tiny baby that he had a black or white personality... and to this day he seems to hold true to that! its seems that tractors and things of the farm make this kid smile.

photo challenge day twenty eight: flowers

2011-07-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

to say i'm a touch excited about my zinnias (and other rows of flowers) would be an understatement. my mom has been planting cutting flowers for a few years now and this is my first year to do it right... well kind of. i want to cut some and bring them in but they are so pretty i don't want to bother them. the row behind the zinnias in sunflowers... gasp!! to think i planted sunflowers within feet of my husbands bean field!! i better pick them before the spread or do whatever they do! i'm excited to see the other flowers pop out! i love that there are certain things that can be passed down from generation to generation and even when the person you loved so much is gone... you can enjoy that activity for years and years after. a love of flowers is one of those things that i remember my grandma kaliff just loving. her yard always looked so nice and she loved flowers... and cactus... which i do not love! my mom also shares this same love and my sister and i have both followed in their footsteps. i am in the stage of life right now where weeds do get in the way and i don't tend to things the way they should be cared for or in a timely manner... but i'm thankful that they flowers continue to grow to be that gentle reminder of grandma.

photo challenge day twenty seven: from a distance

2011-07-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

today's challenge: from a distance. this wasn't really taken from a distance but more looking off into the distance and i actually took it today which means i at least followed part of the rules! except maybe this was yesterday's challenge. at any rate... its a cute kid!sidenote: this boy will be 18 months tomorrow. seriously. where has time gone? consider this a sneak peak... more 18 mo pics to come tomorrow!

photo challenge day twenty six: closeup

2011-07-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

'cause they won't be like this for long...

photo challenge day twenty five: something pink... and blue

2011-07-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

once again... i'm cheating. i have gotten behind on the photo challenge but not being one to quit, i'm just going to change the rules for myself and forge ahead which means digging in the archives.. and adding a color. pink AND blue... because i do love both!

take 1:take 2:take 3:take 4:

when you have subjects this cute they don't really need to look at the camera! there you have it... a little pink and a little blue!

photo challenge day twenty four: animal

2011-07-08T14:52:00.001-07:00

we learned about a new animal... the goose! it started with a little trip to the marina. we had a pizza party on the deck and the geese must have smelled the pizza because they headed our way... or maybe daddy through a piece of pizza into the water in hopes they would come and visit for awhile!
elli was pretty sure they were ducks... but we convinced her otherwise! then grandpa started explaining that when there are multiple goose they are called geese... and i think he lost her somewhere between goose and geese. we are just sticking with goose for now!

look at this little raggamuffin... one ponytail somewhat in... one ponytail all the way out... and her moms frizzy hair! gotta love it!

photo challenge day twenty three: sunflare

2011-07-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

let me tell you... sunflares are challenging!! especially if you are shooting in manual. i think it would be worth my time to study a bit up on them because i LOVE the look of them! this picture of jed was taken at mahoney state park and the only reason i got it was because i was trying to get the settings right for a family picture and i needed a subject to focus on! kids were getting crabby and i was going to just give up... then i just switched it to P and handed it to my mom! its weird that the family picture was taken after the sunflare picture of jed... the sun must have been behind the trees... anyway... i love the kids expressions... i wish ol' ma and pa looked just a bit more excited!!

i just love summer and love sunflares... i'm thankful they will both stick around for a couple more months!

photo challenge day twenty two: hands

2011-07-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

these photos were oopsie's as i was trying to get my settings right before organizing everyone for a "look at the camera" photo! i kind of liked these oopsie's as they captured just what was happening at the time... my parents loving on their grandbabies! one of my favorite things! i know this isn't a picture of hands only but as i was looking through my pictures i thought about my parents hands and what they represent for me. those hands worked so incredibly hard to care and provide for me and my siblings... they were the hands that guided me through my growing up years, the hands that held me when i was hurting and the hands that gave lots and lots of hugs! i love that those same hands are open and willing to offer that some love to my children.

the poem mama's hands (click on the title to read the poem) is one i always think of when i think of my moms hands... that poem describes my mom almost to a tee! she has done everything from pull a calf in the cold to making christmas gifts by hand and everything in between! i love you for that mom!

photo challenge day twenty one: faceless self portrait

2011-07-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

i don't know what this obsession with self portraits is in this photo challenge... at least with this one they let us leave out our face!! this was part of our day today... jed even brought me a couple books! this book that elli picked out was actually mine when i was her age! (mom.. do you remember rainy day kitten!?!) today was an appropriate day to read it as it is just kind of dreary out!

photo challenge day twenty: bokeh

2011-07-04T20:52:00.001-07:00

i know for a fact that when miss elli see a flower she first admires it, "ooohh pretty flaaaauuur (flower)!" she would then gently smell it, then move on to the next one to admire it as well. here is what jed does when he sees a beautiful flower. naturally, you pick up a stick...
... and jam it as many times as you can into the center to see if you can dissect it into millions and million of little pieces! oh the differences between them!

i'm not sure if this counts as "bokeh" photography. i was told the background needed to be blurry... so it was pretty much as blurry as i could get it!

photo challenge day nineteen: something orange

2011-07-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

a few "somethings" that are orange... great grandpa's popsicle, goldfish, an orange zinnia and the bottom of jed's sandal!

photo challenge day eighteen: your shoes

2011-07-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

generally when i'm working around the house, chasing the kiddos or getting groceries i like to wear a little number like these...

bwhahahahah!! anyone who knows me is seriously laughing right along with me!! i NEVER wear anything like this... all shoes, boots, etc. with anyone sort of a heel were thrown to the side when i started having kids. i'm kind of a comfort at all cost type of person. if you are wondering just how comfortable, you can read my post on the UNIFORMS! anyway... i did wear these adorable peep toe heels for a very special occassion exactly one year ago tomorrow for my beautiful sister and hubby tom's wedding day! when will i wear adorable peep toe pumps again you ask??? when my sweet two year old daughter ties the knot in twenty some years... then you can bet this mother of the bride will be slipping on some flip flops for the dance!! so this is my reality... in the summer. i am usually wearing flips flops or comfy flat shoes! there you have it... my shoes!

happy 1st anniversary tessa & tom! we love you both so much!

photo challenge day seventeen: technology

2011-07-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

this here blog is being hijacked by my smokin' hot hubby for this edition of the photo challenge. i was talking to him about technology and how i knew the obvious ones but i wanted to do something a little different and this is what he came up with:

how seed corn is technology

in order to get the corn that we see in the field today there is a long drawn out process of research and development in order to get the correct cross between two different germ plasms that will produce a hearty, vigorous plant that will yield to its greatest potential. encapsulated in all of this there are many genes that are bred into each kernel through years and years of research and test trials. the average seed corn hybrid today is in research and development for 7 -10 years before it is released into commercial production. thanks to this technology we do not have a food shortage in our country like many other countries do. i am personally grateful for agriculture in general as it provides for our family as well as the many generations before me.

it's me again: here are a few "bonus" pictures for you! do you see the long tower like thing in the background of the above picture? that is a pivot... a little piece of technology we are grateful for as it water the corn much for quickly and effectively than other methods.

can you believe those straight rows? i know jon is amazing and he has had lots of practice planting corn over the years and he is pretty close to a perfectionist, but i don't think anyone could get an entire field of corn perfectly straight. thanks to auto steer, he doesn't even need to steer the tractor. he just pokes a few buttons and off it goes. (he is convinced that it's so simple that i could do it... i'm not so sure about that!)

and last but not least... a little piece of technology that i thought was a bit "old school" at first. this spring we had two way radios installed in all of our equipment, vehicles, and in the house. i remember this technology as a little girl at my grandparents house. it kind of seemed to phase out for awhile and now its back!! i am very thankful for this technology when i am up in the hills and our modern technology fails (i.e. no cell service) and i need to figure out where in the world i'm going!

so there you have it... technology: red neck edition! ha! just kidding! maybe i should call it agriculture edition.. there, that sounds better!

photo challenge day sixteen: breaking the rules

2011-06-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

today's challenge of the day was long exposure photography. who in the world knows what that is? well, probably professional photographers and people willing to research it a little further than googling it and then deciding i don't really want to figure it out. so... i'm breaking the rules. i looked at the total number of pictures i took in the month of june and the final count is 591!!! maybe that is normal for some of you but with this photo challenge, i have captured way more on camera than i ever would have without doing it. besides it's summer and there are just way more exciting things going on than in the dead of winter. so, i decided to do a little photo collage just highlighting the main events of the month of june. as i was trying to pick just a couple pictures it hit me how incredibly blessed i am. i just got done reading in a study that a friend and i are going through "becoming more than just a good bible study girl" by lysa terkeurst. She is talking about the importance of praise being on your lips. it is so easy to pick on the circumstances in my life that i just don't feel are right or how they could be different, or possessing a general ugly attitude. when i look at these photographs i don't see how anything but praise should be on my lips. no, life is far from perfect... and obviously i wouldn't take pictures of the negative circumstances that may surround me at times, but regardless of the situation i am in i need to praise Him and not my circumstances. so, right now, i am so thankful for an amazing family, sweet friends, the freedom to enjoy summer with two healthy kiddos, the precious memories that we are able to make while these little ones are little and so much more.
june, you were a fun one! bring on july!!

photo challenge day fifteen: a silhouette

2011-06-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

i took this picture when we went to the lake last weekend. this was the kiddos first trip to a beach. so sand, lake water, it was all a new experience. let's just say that i don't think this is a beach we will be visiting often.. it was kinda icky. jed kinda thought so too, so he just stood on the sidelines and "observed"! i didn't blame him... i was good with observing also! photo tip: i attended a photo class with some other wonderful ladies this spring and one thing i learned is to try not to crop off "limbs" when you are taking a photo. if i could do something differently i would have stepped back farther and gotten his legs in the picture as well! i think an exception would be the photo below where the point of my picture was jed exploring the sand... if i would have gotten the rest of his body i think it would have taken the focus off of his exploration!

photo challenge day fourteen: eyes

2011-06-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

photo challenge day 13: yourself with 13 things

2011-06-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

here is me with 13 things:

1. jed
2. my water cup
3. lunch bag
4. sunscreen
5. a bucket
6. my flip flops
7. elli's flip flops
8. jed's sippy cup
9. mini beach ball
10. kara and the girls' pool bag
11. addi's carseat
12. beach towel
13. kara's dress hanging on the fence

p.s. i cheated a little and kim took the pic. juggling 2 kids, 13 things and a self timer at the pool was just too much for this mama to handle! thanks kim!

photo challenge day twelve: sunset

2011-06-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

O Lord, Our Lord how majestic is your names in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:1, 3-4 i thought that when i decided to do this photo challenge that it would just be a fun thing to participate it... i honestly didn't think it would really make me think any further than exploring different angles, different editing techniques or just for the pure fun of seeing my other friends similar pictures. i have to say... some of them have made me ponder further than those relatively unimportant things.

i took this picture at johnson lake last night. i knew that today's challenge was 'sunset' and i just happened to look up and the sun was setting... perfect! i snapped a photo and we were ready to go! tonight as we were checking fields i looked straight ahead and again noticed the sunset. i have to be honest, i have never been one to marvel at god's creation. i feel like i have taken it for granted. anytime elli sees the stars, the moon, the sun setting, she points it out in amazement... "the MOON!" like she is seeing it for the very first time. i need to get that back... that shear excitment and joy that i am able to experience God's creation yet one more day! i am amazed that the God who created that sunset and everything that surrounded it even knows me or cares about me. as the verse says above "what is man that you are mindful of him?" i do not deserve that God of the heavens and the earth to even know my name let alone the number of hairs on my head. i'm thankful that He gives me a sunset every night.

photo challenge day eleven: something blue

2011-06-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

the kiddos and i had a little pool fun this afternoon... and no kiddy pool afternoon is complete without popsicles! hmm... what flavor to give them??? blue of course... mama needs to accomplish her photo challenge for the day!! totally in love with these two!!

photo challenge day ten: a childhood memory

2011-06-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

i loved thinking about this throughout the day. i had a sweet, sweet childhood. i thought about all of the things i could have posted, the millions of popsicles in summer, jumping off the front porch into the baby pool, camping trips in a moments notice, bringing our live baby animals into the hosue and dressing them up, rollerskating in the garage, jumping on the trampoline. my childhood wasn't extravagent at all... it was probably very much the opposite... very simple and i loved it! i feel tears welling up just thinking about those precious memories made with my sister, brother and parents. i so desire our kids to have the same sweet, simple childhood.

i chose to take pictures of some similar toys that my sister and i played for hours on end with. i grew up in an old farmhouse and tessa and i shared a room in half of the attic and in the other half was the playroom. some popular items in our pretend "house" were a kitchen and doll cradle. we took care of our babies, made meals, ate dinner, went to the movies, like i said hours and hours of pretend play. so when i see my kiddos playing with their pretend house and watching my daughter tuck her babies into their beds it brings back precious memories.

the blanket and the baby in the crib were both toys that belonged to my sister and i. how does time fly by so fast that MY baby is playing with them already?!?

photo challenge day nine: someone you love

2011-06-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

i'm so thankful that today's challenge was so easy. God has blessed me with many many people that i love! unfortunately i didn't see them all today! i only took pictures of those that were accessible to me today! i should have taken my camera to the field so i could have snapped a pic of my hardworking hubby... but i didn't so here are a few of the people i love:

miss elliana is truly a blessing. she is sassy and sweet and i just love her so much!
jedidiah is showing his true feelings... the poor boy has a fever and feels awful and this is what he looks like if he is not in mamas arms. and then there is #3. a surprise little someone to love... even though this little one was indeed a surprise... i know i will fall heads over heels in love with this baby just as i did the first two!

photo challenge day eight: a bad habit

2011-06-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

i don't know why posting this bad habit is maybe even more embarrassing than posting a self portrait but it is for some reason. i'm going to be real, so here it is... I LOVE CANDY!!

i just do... i'm not particular about the kind, clearly as you can see from the photo. there is chocolate, sweet, sour, hot... pretty much covers all the basis. i go through periods of time where i keep zero candy in the house (for good reason!) but apparently i'm not going through one of those stages! i can't blame candy disappearing on anyone else in this house either because jon doesn't ever eat it and i don't let the kiddos have it... so process of elimination says IT'S ALL ME!! perhaps once this junk is gone i need to not buy anymore!!

well... i'm off to go clean and ignore this bowl of candy that is staring at me!!

photo challenge day seven: fruit

2011-06-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

mmmmm fruit! i love this time of the year because the watermelon, peaches and strawberries are so yummy! i think i could make a full meal of fruit! even though i'm pretty sure i have at least a little bit of each of those fruits and maybe some others in my fridge, i decided to whip up the kiddos and i a little smoothie that we enjoy after naps all year round!

i usually use 1 cup of no sugar apple juice, a handful of no sugar added frozen fruit (mango, pineapple, stawberries) a few icecubes and a squirt of honey. today i was out of apple juice so i used orange juice and a banana that needed to be used. it was still yummy!

photo challenge day six: from a low angle

2011-06-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

yesterday the challenge was to take photos from a low angle... it was also a pool day! after laying on the cement and squatting as low as i could go... this is the best i got! elli is a natural pool rat... she loves the water! jed was hesitant the first time but yesterday got in the pool by himself! i was so proud of him for conquering his fears. he still hangs near the side of the pool but at least he is enjoying himself.. which means mom can enjoy herself too!

photo challenge day five: from a high angle

2011-06-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

with today being father's day i had high hopes of getting some amazing pics from high angles (and low angles and maybe even some in between angles while i'm at it!) of my babies and their wonderful daddy... do you think that happened?? of course not! but i did get a couple pics of dirty kiddos having a blast at their buddy jace's 3rd birthday party! what more could i ask for?

my first "high angle photo" is of mr. jed! let me explain... this boy is a serious dude. not a whole lot of smiles come out of him! and when he is in the mood he has what i like the call the "cheeser face". totally adorable in a very cheesy way. so the fact that i got this photo makes me so happy because he is smiling AND do you notice what he has in his mouth?? a cap from bubbles. this boy also is obsessed with "little junk" and he has a special obsession with cap of any sort. it is these little things that i want to capture and i love that with photography you can do that!

i must mention that i never would have captured this if my girl kara wouldn't have pointed it out to me as i was just complaining to her about my lack of high angle photo opportunities! thanks kara... and that's why i love this challenge... it is helping me to think outside of the bubble!

this photo was a total surprise as i was trying to take a picture of miss elli and her friend cordelia pulling her in the wagon and i clicked just as she had a sweet little smile! it isn't necessary from a super high angle but she was kinda looking up! and here is the man of the hour... happy father's day to my amazing hubby and elliana and jedidiahs daddy! you are so wonderful to us! we love you with all of our hearts! XOXO

photo challenge day four: something green

2011-06-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

my something green includes beans, lettuce, and tomato plants from my garden... we are excited to enjoy the fruits of our labor later this summer and fall!

for "dampa"

2011-06-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

my dad or more importantly, elli's 'dampa', has been waiting and waiting for some pictures of 'miss elli riding her tricycle with her big girl ponytail in!' so this is for you dampa... and probably damma too! here is a summer update:

we have beening enjoying some water fun, wagon rides, a visit from damma and aunt tessa, picnics in the park, vacation bible school, and talking to daddy any chance we get!!

photo challenge day three: clouds

2011-06-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

today's photo challenge was clouds. much much easier than let's say a self portrait or what i wore! i took this photo... bam... done! today started out cloudy and rainy and then the sun came out, the heat turned on and it felt like summer again. to some whether it rains or shines may not matter a whole lot... to this family it means everything! last night my hubby was up watching the radar to predict which of our farms would probably get rain, which ones don't need rain, which ones need field work done, etc, etc, etc. and trying to plan the day for himself and his guys all based on what the weather might do. it seems that spring and summer are filled with praying that it rains or praying that it won't rain, praying that the crop will be protected from a possibly hail storm, wind, drought, and the list goes on. but in all of this... God is faithful and provides and we are thankful that we find out security in Him and Him alone and not in what the clouds may look like the next day! so... this simple cloud picture to me is a reminder that my farmer husband was able to work the ground that needed to be worked today... and for that i'm thankful!

photo challenge day two: what i wore

2011-06-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

today's challenge was "what i wore" and you get an extra special treat because... I GOT READY FOR THE DAY!!! not because today was what i wore day... but because i had to take my baby boy to the doctor :( not fun! anyway, let me explain my wardrobe situation. it's boring. i have what i like to call "uniforms" and they go something like this:

uniform 1: stay at home uniform = tank, comfy shorts, flip flops

uniform 2: going someplace uniform= cotton tee of some sort, shorts or capris, flip flops

uniform 3: going to church uniform= cotten tee of a fancier sort, capris or skirt, sandals and maybe just maybe some earrings or a necklace to spice things up.

so there you have it... if anyone wants to volunteer to be my fashion consultant i would LOVE it! until then.. i will stick with the uniforms!

since i know fancy 'what i wore' blogs do this i will give you the dets of my uniform of choice...

shirt: gap

capris: silvers

shoes: roxy

k.. i have to go change into my stay at home uniform... being so dressed up is just killing me! ha!!

photo challenge day one: self portrait

2011-06-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

so some friends of mine came across this 30 day photography challenge that i think looks like a lot of fun!

i think it will encourage me to take pictures that i normally wouldn't (ahem... like todays... a self portrait! no. thank. you!) but i'm going to do it anyway because i want to follow the rules and i know it will make my sister laugh and my parents might like it because they love me and they would probably like to see my face sometimes too and not just my kids! anyway... you can stay tuned each day for another random picture! my girls danielle, kara, and kim are joining so if you want to check out their random pictures too... have at it (just click on their name and it will take you to their blogs)!! so... here goes!

so i have to explain... i think this is something that is supposed to be FUN and not STRESSFUL so i literally grabbed my camera and step stool (you know... for a tripod) and marched out my back door right after i put the kids down. my hair was curly (which anyone who knows me know i'm not seen in public with curly hair very often... so why not post some pics on the interweb for the world to see??) i had my comfy clothes on... and for the life of me i couldn't get my camera to focus on me after i set the timer soooooo.... have a good laugh! i cannot believe i'm posting this but i don't want to take up anymore of the precious naptime!!

well hello... you look a little fuzzy. it's probably fitting because i feel like my brain is a little fuzzy MOST days

oops... a little crooked and a little too close... oh well! seriously. don't be jealous of my photo skills! the best is yet to come!

stay tuned for tomorrow... the topic is "what i wore today" (this will be good!!)

a big boy haircut

2011-06-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

i had put it off for as long as i could... or as long as jed's daddy would let me. the big boy haircut. it had to be done. somehow i felt like by saying goodbye to those sweet soft little curls i was admitting that my baby was no longer a baby... but a little boy!! jed is proving more and more each day that he is very much a little boy and he doesn't want to be a baby anymore... so a big boy haircut it is! jed and daddy pre-haircut... i know that daddy is jumping up and down inside... don't let his cool exterior fool you!
miss elli isn't sure what is about to happen... but she is happy to watch from the sidelines

...and off they go...

and post-haircut... a brand new man!

that sweet little duck was the perfect place for me to say goodbye to the curls and hello to my big boy!! it was the same place my little brother got his 1st haircut!

speaking of sweet little ducks... how cute is this bib?? my mom had it saved from when i was a little one... elli got to try it out!

2011-06-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

happy birthday aunt tessa

2011-05-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

we are wishing aunt tessa a very very special birthday today! you are such a sweet aunt to us and we love you soooo very much! love... elliana & jedidiah

our springtime dinner table

2011-05-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

ever since i was a child, suppertime has been an important time for my family. it was the same for jon's family as well... so naturally that was a tradition we wanted to carry on! as a farming family it doesn't always look like a typical dinner. in the spring during planting and fall during harvest our "table" has become the back of the tahoe... or the ground.
we chat about the seeds that daddy just put in the ground

and we have a friend or two join us

we go for a quick jaunt in the field to work off what we just ate

then stop for a break to mooch some dessert off of daddy

a great time is had by all... because we get to get dirty!

great challenges come with this season... but so much joy as well!

an average sunday afternoon...

2011-05-08T15:28:00.001-07:00

...drive home from church!

on being a mom

2011-05-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

today i was able to celebrate being a mom to two of the most precious kids i know! it is such a blessing to be able to be their mom and there are days when i don't understand why God chose me to be in the position... because i know i don't deserve it! then there are other days when i am tired, worn out, feel helpless and pathetic and being a mom doesn't really "feel" all that wonderful. at the end of the day i'm still thankful for them... but i'm also thankful that its bedtime!

(my mom and i outside my grandparents home in york, ne... apparently it was so sunny i couldn't open my eyes!)

now that i am a mom i feel like i can appreciate my own mom so much more. i understand just a little bit more about the sacrifices she made for me. i know i will continue to understand more and more as i walk through my own journey of being a mother.

mom, thank you so much for being the women that you are in my life. i remember so many little things that you did over the course of my 28 years and each one may have seemed little at the time but they add up to be a really big deal. some of my favorite memories include the way you always had our cereal bowls lined up at the counter when we got up in the morning, the chocolate chip cookies and apple slices that were ready for us as we hopped of the bus on the days you were home, the little "nest" you would make on the couch complete with the monkey sheet, the popsicles outside on hot summer days and going to yogi bear to swim. as i got older i enjoyed the chats we would have while doing dishes by hand, doing First Place together, and hanging out in your office in between my college classes. and then as a new mom, having you stay with me those first precious days after my babies were born. you are so incredibly special to me and i could not be more thankful for the example that you have set before me to love on my kids the way you have loved on me. i know that being a mom is was not always easy, and i know with the wonderful times, came a lot of heartache and frustration as well. i just thank you for being steadfast and persistant and loving me even when i wasn't so loveable! you are a blessing and i love you so much! chelsea

get better grandma

2011-05-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

last sunday my mom broke her wrist. once we found out she would need surgery the kids and i decided to head to greenwood to take care of her! even though grandma had been through the ringer she still foudn the energy to play with play dough, blow bubbles and read... nothing can keep grandma down! we stayed a couple days and decided we needed to head out so grandma could actually get some rest!

we also got to feed the cows with grandpa. it was great fun as long as they were inside the tractor cab. tears started streaming when they got out... the cows were a little intimidating!

get better grandma! we love you!

boys and their toys

2011-04-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

t.r.o.u.b.l.e

2011-04-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

these two can find some trouble together! but truth be told. sometimes i just let them do it! if it means they are content and playing together nicely... it is worth it!!

next step: teach them that putting everything away is just as fun as getting it out in the first place!!

trouble i tell ya!!

a day in the life

2011-04-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

this girl is full of joy!! that is one of the things i love the most about her. she has this huge, almost fake belly laugh that she lets out when she thinks something is hilarious... i hope she never loses that laugh! she makes me laugh several times a day and does some of the silliest things. we don't have many dress up clothes yet because she just didn't seem to be in that 'stage' yet. but we are now seeing the tutu and ranger hat make their appearance a few times a day. maybe a random necklace thrown in there every once and awhile for good measure! i love seeing her imagination blossom! so... here you have it... a day in the life of miss elliana grace! lovin' the tutu playing with sticks

going down slides

dancing... with the stars

special cousin time

and last but not least... reading... to her donkey... in a ranger hat! this girl has style!

hope your day is as joyfully random as our sweet elli's usually are!

homer

2011-04-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

i think God places people in your life because He know you are going to need them. you going to need them to celebrate the joys of this life with. but you are also going to need them when it feels like your world is crumbling. homer was one of those people who was dropped into my life when i was about 5 years old. homer and his wife joyce lived 1/4 mile east and about a 1/2 north from my parents home. he and his wife would walk around the section everyday and would pass by our house. i remember a couple times that they would stop and sit on our front porch to chat before finishing their walk. joyce battled cancer and eventually passed away. homer became an even bigger part of our life after joyce was gone.

my mom became homer's walking partner and they would "solve all the problems of the world" on their walks. a lot of heart to hearts took place on those dirt roads. homer would attend our grandparents days in grade school, was present at our home many christmas mornings, celebrated every birthday with us. he was always so thoughtful in picking out gifts. i specifically remember a red floral dress that he chose for me because he thought it looked beautiful with my dark hair and eyes. he chose blue for my sister since she had blonde hair and blue eyes. one special birthday he took me on a date. we went out to dinner and then he took me to sam's club to pick out a special silver watch. homer was an avid collector. specifically he loved old cars, stamps, coins, antiques and war memorabila and the list goes on. one day he brought over bags and bags of stamps as he wanted to give my siblings and i the opportunity to share in his passion for stamp collecting. homer gave the biggest hugs... and i knew i would hear the words "oh honey" everytime i saw him . these are the things life is made of. the memories. homer gave us more opportunities to make special memories than i can list off. i'm just thankful.

homer passed away last sunday, april 3. he was 89 years and 11 months old. that sounds like a really long life, and it is... but i honestly thought homer would at least hit 100. he always seemed so young for his age. i'm thankful for the 23 years that i got to have him in my life... they will impact me for the rest of my days.

i guess the main thing i will take away from my experience with homer is the importance of holding onto those people that God plops in your lap. the relationship won't always be perfect, you won't always agree on everything, and sometimes you are going to need to love one another even when it doesn't feel good... but in the end you will come away blessed by that person, and hopefully you blessed them in some way also.

happy {22nd} birthday uncle chase!

2011-01-25T14:44:00.000-08:00

today we are wishing uncle chase a very very happy 22nd birthday! thanks for being the fun uncle you are!

we love you!

to my little man...

2011-01-14T10:44:00.000-08:00

jedidiah charles... today you are 1! it doesn't seem possible that it was a whole year ago that we met you for the first time! i remember being so surprised when i saw your full head of dark hair and how big you were! we feel in love with you the second we saw you! instantly we knew you were perfect for our family... at the same time... we were incredibly overwhelmed at God's goodness to us that He would choose to bless us with two precious, healthy babies, only 13 1/2 months apart!

this past year you have proven to us that boys and girls are just 'different' in every sense of the word. you just seem to find trouble a little easier than your sis every did. you keep us on our toes and we love every minute of it (for the most part)!

you have a very, very loud voice that fills a room, big boy hands and feet and have just been a big guy from the start! you try your hardest to keep up with you sister and are succeeding for the most part! you are taking lots of steps but still know you can get places quicker if you just crawl... and most of the time, quick is what you are after!

as tough as you try to be... you still like to cuddle, and get lots of loves from your mama. i'm good with that! keep them comin' because i know it won't be long and you just won't have enough time!

i cannot wait to see what is in store for you this next year. i can get wrapped up in the overwhelming feeling that this time is just slipping away too fast... but i truly do enjoy every step along the way. but time could slow down... just a little!

we love you so so so much! what a sweet little man you are... i'm blessed to be able to be your mama!

happy 1st birthday jed!

family pictures {2010}

2011-01-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

once again, kim captured some precious photos for us on the bricks in downtown kearney! it was frigid cold out so we took breaks with the kids putting them in the warm car to warm up! i love being able to capture our family in this moment. to be able to freeze time in a picture so we can look back and remember these precious faces when they were almost 2 and almost 1. thanks kim for taking to time to shoot these pictures on a frigid november day! i love them!

she's 2

2010-12-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

elliana grace... how did this happen?!? you're 2! i still remember so vividly the day you were born and now 2 years have passed. you are no longer the teeny tiny 6 lb 10 oz bundle that i thought would never grow out of newborn clothes. you are sweet with a little sassy, older but not too much bigger, protective sister, who loves elmo, going places, sunday school, singing, dancing, taking care of your babies, almost potty-trained, giving kisses and hugs when. you. feel. like.it, tough for a little girl

2 year old!
to say that you have brought a lot of joy to our home would be an understatement! we absolutely love you to pieces and cannot imagine our lives without you! you were the perfect fit for our family and came into our hearts and lives in the perfect time! we do not deserve you, yet God chose to let us raise you up and love you.

you are growing into a beautiful little girl and we are so thankful for you!

happy 2nd birthday sweet elliana! you're a blessing!

christmas {card} shopping

2010-11-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

now that thanksgiving has come and gone ... christmas cards are right around the corner! i am already thinking about how to display the sweet photos and cards that we will recieve from family and friends this christmas season! i love seeing how families have grown, kids have changed and what events the past year has held for those we love so much! that also means that i need to get on the ball and decide what we are going to send to our loved ones this christmas season!
i absolutely love photo cards. i love the designs, love how they so tastefully display our photos and they are simple to design! as much as i love photo cards, i also love a great deal! shutterfly is an online photo company that i have used for various photo projects such as photo books, photo calendars and this year they are offering 50 free christmas cards to bloggers!

the folded cards are adorable... i love this one!a cheaper, but still very attractive option is the simple photo card
i love the look of a square card! this is one of my favorites!

well, there you have it! happy christmas {card} shopping! and thank you shutterfly for this great opportunity! i'm so excited to start designing!

thankful

2010-11-25T09:50:00.000-08:00

praising and thanking the Lord for the many many undeserved blessings He has bestowed upon us this past year. we are thankful. "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." psalm 100:4

a peacock and a monkey

2010-11-01T07:50:00.001-07:00

last night our babies turned into an adorable peacock and the cutest little monkey ever! we had so much fun visiting people with these 2 little animals... here are our adventures...

we started the night off at the nursing home in holdrege... this hamburgar, dragon, peacock and monkey had to visit their great grandpa and his hundereds of friends! scary crew, huh?!?

great grandpa delford sharing the love

it did not take long for the hamburgar and peacock to figure out that all they had to do was hold up their bucket and ... SCORE... CANDY!!

we then visited great great uncle speedy... (learning how to ring the doorbell)

then nana and papa and great aunt laurie and uncle chuck

and back home to have chili and cinnamon rolls with friends!

it was a fun night! good bye october!

the scarecrow patch

2010-10-29T14:17:00.001-07:00

last weekend we went to the scarecrow patch. what a fun place to go with little ones! this place has thought of everything!... there were slides, corn mazes, animals, corn piles to play in, straw bales to jump on, john deere tricycles, face painting, swings, just to name a few! and those are just the things we participated in! so i leave you with.... well way too many pictures! you will feel like you have been to the scarecrow patch yourself!

happy 29th...

2010-10-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

...to an amazing husband and daddy!

we are so incredibly blessed to have you in our lives!

happy happy birthday to you!

we love you!

chelsea, elliana & jedidiah

cousin fun

2010-10-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

miss claire and miss ava stayed with nana and papa last week for a couple days and we were able to spend some time with them as well! it is such a treat when elli and jed are able to see some of their cousins since they are all spread out so much! what a joy to watch the girls interact and giggle and chat and scream and did i mention the giggling?!?! i know this is just the beginning of many wonderful memories!

thanks nana for taking us to the children's museum! it was a blast!

training

2010-10-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

way to go girly! we are so proud of you!

harvest supper... take II

2010-10-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

jed and his buddy jaron

out and about

delivering supper to their daddies

in the field!

double the fun....

2010-10-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

...double the mess!

100 balls is WAY more FUN with TWO!

lil huskers

2010-10-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

carefree

2010-10-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

some of the things i enjoy most about being a mommy to young children is the chance to be carefree again, be amazed at the simplest things, the chance to see the world through the eyes of a child once again, to remember what a good belly laugh really sounds like i want to soak up these moments because they are going by so fast! when we first had elli i remember a gentleman telling me, "the days are long, but the years go by fast!" how true that is! there are days that feel like they will never end.. that i feel like a terrible mom because my patience are lacking but then they give me a hug anyway! i want to take the opportunity to push a swing really high, play in the leaves, give piggy back and airplane rides, eat animal crackers and drink juice, play with babies and drive a pretend tractor

oh to be carefree again!

cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you 1 peter 5:7

a {30th} wedding anniversary surprise

2010-10-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

my sister and i had been plotting and planning this anniversary surprise for awhile! let me tell ya... a good SURPRISE is not easy to pull off but we did it! mom and dad were completely surprised and it was so fun to see the look of shock on their faces when they walked in and saw us all! just look at them...
first things first... family picture! we barely let them get over the shock before we plopped them in front of the camera!

tom and tessa made an amazing meal complete with bbq pulled pork and all the fixins'!

no wedding is complete without the CAKE!

some momentos from their wedding day 30 years ago!

the newlywed game {they both won!}

the bride had to wear a veil!

cutting the cake.... they were such good sports!

we gave them a scrap book that contained pictures from the last 30 years

admiring dad's short shorts from the 80's... that was a good look dad!

30 years and still going strong! we love you both so much! such a joy to celebrate this milestone with you!

harvest supper

2010-10-07T10:35:00.001-07:00

visiting daddy and delivering supper to the field... harvest is in full swing!

i said put your pants on

2010-10-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

getting out the door with two kids is a challenge to say the least! especially when they are at the stage where they can un-do what you have already done! on this particular day elli managed to undress herself a few times. i figured if she can manage to undress you should be able to re-dress. so i asked her to please put your pants on! she went into my closet which was fine... thought she needed some privacy! and she came out with these...

quite the fashionista..if i do say so myself!

digging...

2010-10-07T10:19:00.001-07:00

... and digging...
...found it...

...that's better!

see ya! what a sweet little park ranger he is!

happy birthday uncle tom!

2010-10-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

wishing uncle tom and very very happy birthday!

happy 26th uncle tom! have a great year!

30 years

2010-10-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

today my dad and mom celebrate 30 years of marriage. i can't describe how grateful i am for parents who stayed committed to one another through all of the ups and downs that this life brings.

thank you for the example that you have set before me.

i love you both so much! happy 30th anniversary dad and mom!

love, chelsea

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 15:12

punkin' pickin'

2010-10-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

what better way to kick off fall then with oodles and oodles of pumpkins, adorable kids, cozy clothes & a beautiful fall day? i can't think of a better way!

we were thankful that great aunt laurie (also known as jace & jaron's nammy) let us visit her pumpkin patch and aunt kim once again took amazing pictures!

hope your fall is off to a wonderful start as well!

http://schukarphotography.blogspot.com

the guys

2010-10-03T13:22:00.001-07:00

sons are a heritage from the LORD

{psalm 127:3a}

busy girl

2010-09-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

and that is exactly was miss elliana grace is... a busy girl. here is what she has been up to lately...

...pretending...

... combine rides...
...exploring...

...hiking...

...being silly...

...lovin' on daddy... and a little more silly...

...lots and lots of riding...

...playing in the water...

...getting dirty!

everyday is a new adventure with this little miss (and her brother too!) i am so blessed to be her mama and enjoy the ride!

.eight months.

2010-09-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

oh jed... where did the past eight months go? i know i will ask myself this many times as each month and year passes. i just want to soak up all of the time i have you as my little boy because i know these days are fleeting by too quickly. here is what you have been up to lately... ...you l.ov.e. your big sis elliana. she cracks you up. she tickles your toes, talks to you and makes you giggle. she is a part time play mate and a part time little mama. she has forced your bottle in your mouth, made several attempts to pick you up (which is quite the sight since you are about her size) and tried to change your diaper. lately i hear here telling you "no no mine" when you take her sippy cup or animal crackers or a toy she wants. we need to work on that...

...you have eight teeth, all of them came in two at a time and perfectly symmetrical to one another, it has been a very long and painful process but they sure look adorable...

...you already seek out tractors in a huge pile of toys... i think it's in your blood!

...you are sitting like a champ...

...but you don't sit long because there are places to go and people to see! you are constantly on the move and trying to get in to whatever you can find....

...you have perfected the army crawl. it is crazy how fast you can get around that way! you can get up on all fours but don't get very far that way...

...you really like food these days. it took you awhile to really appreciate squash, carrots, peas, but you are pretty much taking whatever i shove in your mouth (as long as you get a couple bites of fruit in between!)...

...you are starting to be a great napper...

...you are very aggressive, busy, persistant and keep your mommy on her toes...

...we cannot imagine out family without you jedidiah charles! we love you more than you can ever imagine!

for adorable baby bedding...

2010-07-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

...go here!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/mynammysquilts

how time flies...

2010-07-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

just one year ago... ...this sweet girl had her first taste of sweet corn...

...where does time go?

Mr. & Mrs. McCarty

2010-07-08T10:28:00.001-07:00

On July 3, we had the privilege of being a part of a very special wedding day. My sister, Tessa and new brother, Tom are now husband and wife! What a joy it was to be a part of such a special day. The wedding day was wonderful, a special celebration of the beginning of their lives together, but even more exciting than that day is knowing that the rest of their days here on earth they will strive to glorify God in all that they do. We love you both dearly and are so blessed to be able to call you family! Elliana was one of the flower girls, Jedidiah, a ring bearer, Jon was an usher and also assisted the little ones down the isle during the ceremony and I was the matron of honor.
Elli adores her Aunt Tessa

With the beautiful bride... such a joy to stand by your side Tess!

Can't wait to celebrate many more special days with you both!

so... we've got 2 kids!

2010-07-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

I know that we have had 2 kids for almost 6 months now but I still get caught off guard every once and awhile and think "wow... we have 2 kids!" As Jed gets older and starts doing things other than sleeping, crying, nursing and just laying there and I begin to get glimpses of Elli and Jed laughing at each other, sharing (or not sharing) toys, interacting and as you can see in the photo, sitting in highchairs together, I am reminded... "I have two of them!" And for that I am so grateful!

sidenote: do you notice the only thing left on Elli's plate is green beans? That stinker!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

As each Father's Day passes I come to realize more and more each year the importance that God places in men to be a leader in the home. To work hard, lead and love their wife and children and most importanatly to seek God each and every day for the wisdom that is needed to live this life for His glory.

I never want to take for granted the men that God has placed in my life. I am thankful for grandfathers and fathers who set before us a legacy of commitment and love for their families.
Jon,

Elliana and Jedidiah are so incredibly blessed to be able to call you "daddy". You are such a blessing in each of our lives!

Dad (Grandpa Steve),

You are such a great dad! It has been so fun to watch you become a grandpa and to love on my kids. Thank you for loving mom the way you do and for the way you sacrificed for our family growing up.

Norm (Papa),

I am so thankful that my husband has such a committed father that has led his family in a manner worthy of following. Your a super great Papa too!

And because we are all very flawed, imperfect people I am so thankful that we have a perfect heavenly Father who will never hurt, never dissappoint, will love unconditionally and who is full of grace.

God has said, never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5 b

Happy Father's Day!

Look who's...

2010-06-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

Jumpin'

and Eatin'

and Rollin'

Happy {almost} 5 months buddy! We love you so much!

life on the farm

2010-06-08T10:13:00.001-07:00

The days are long... ...the work is hard...
...but we are so blessed beyond measure...

...and we truly love...

...life on the farm!

Uh oh!

2010-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Let me preface these picture by saying-

Elli loves a good mud hole... and daddy was in charge!

I was watching from the kitchen window as I was making supper and I don't think there was any "uh oh" in this situation... it was purely intentional! When she came into the house covered in mud from head to toe I at least needed to get a few pictures to make the cleaning up process worth it. "In the spring, at the end of the day you should smell like dirt."

Margaret Atwood

family of 4

2010-05-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Well... yesterday we hit the 4 month mark! We have been a family of 4 for 4 months! It has been great. Yes, it has had it challenges but I can't imagine it any other way. Elliana is almost 18 months and is just hilarious. She is just a bit dramatic, silly and is learning more and more words each day. She is such a little mommy and loves to kiss, hug.. and the latest... tries to get her baby brother to give her piggy back rides. Yikes!

Jedidiah is 4 months. What a sweet boy he is! He is so smiley and chubby and cute and just stinkin' adorable (I'm not partial or anything). He has his moments indeed but at the end of the day it all seems to fade away when he flashes me that sweet grin... then I melt! A mama's boy in the making!

I thank God everyday for these sweet blessings. Why He chose us to be Elli and Jed's parents is beyond me- yet I am so thankful that He has entrusted them to us.

so tired

2010-05-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

We have been spending a lot of time driving these days. Daddy has been in the field planting, spraying, etc. so we have been running to the field here and there to keep him feed and for short visits. It's an exhausting job but someone's gotta do it!

Sweet Elli had to taste test Daddy's chocolate chip cookie before we got to the field... you know... to make sure it was good! She was just barely staying awake... so tired!

a dozen

2010-05-04T10:56:00.001-07:00

Nana & Papa officially have their "dozen" grandbabies. The last 3 of them being born in the last 3 1/2 months! Here are the lastest additions:
Jedidiah Charles was born January 14. This sweet boys name means beloved of the Lord

Precious Matthew Lewis was born on February 10. His name means Gift of God

And the latest addition that just arrived last night, May 3, is sweet Grace Elise. Grace as reminder of God's unmerited favor and Elise meaning God's promise.

Praising God for His overwhelming gifts to our family this past year! We are so thankful for each of these babes.
Congratulations Nana & Papa.. you have a beautiful dozen!

Flower Shoppin'

2010-05-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to Open Air Nursery in Shelton. They had the most beautiful flowers! Elli had so much fun smelling the flowers, running down the aisles and playing in the sand!

Oh how I love spring!

Real men wear PINK!

2010-05-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

I don't think Jed's daddy would completely agree with that statement... but Jed sure can rock the pink Bumbo seat!

Thank you Miss Cordelia for letting us borrow your Bumbo! Jed sure looks *cute* in it!

2010-05-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! Psalm 150:6

Our Easter

2010-05-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Better late than never.. right?!? We had a wonderful Easter with lots of family time. The Saturday before Easter we went to Nana and Papas and had a wonderful meal. Jace and Elli got to go on an Easter egg hunt in the living room. Eggs filled with marshmellows, raisens, and mini nilla wafers... any toddlers dream!

On Easter we went to the sunrise service at church and enjoyed a yummy breakfast that the men in our church served! From there we headed to York for lunch with the Kaliff side, and yet another Easter egg hunt!

Thank you Father for sending your one and only son to die a painful death on the cross because of our sins. We thank you for the hope that we now have to live eternal life with You in heaven! So thankul for the Easter season for the reminder of your love and faithfulness to us!
...never too late to celebrate & remember Easter!

"This can't be good."

2010-04-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

These are the words I uttered quietly to myself this morning. As I was sitting on the couch feeding Jed I suddenly heard the clanking of metal and no Elli to be seen. I followed the sound to the kitchen where I see the little miss sporting her sun hat and digging in the flour container...and eating it! She has gotten in trouble for this before but apparently it is fun enough to risk getting in trouble once again. The sun hat just topped it off... so I had to take a few pics!

2 months

2010-03-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that 2 months... well 10 weeks today... has passed since this little man joined our family! He has been such a blessing and we can't imagine life without him!

At 2 months Jed is...
.13 pounds 13 ounces and 23 1/4 inches long.
.sleeping a 9-11 hour stretch at night.
.smiling like crazy.
.lovin' his big sis.
.cooing (aka..melting his mama's heart with his "stories").
.much much much less fussy than he was at 1 month. praise. the. lord.
.has been to colorado.
.is wearing 3-6 month clothes.
.not crazy about a paci but likes to suck his hands.
.loves bathtime.. and needs one everyday.
.loves to nap in the swing.
.still has a head full of dark hair.

We L.O.V.E you to pieces little man!

I'll be the first to admit...

2010-03-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

... I need all the help I can get!

our weekend

2010-03-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took at little trip east to my mom and dad's. My cousin was getting married in Lincoln so we had a weekend stay at my parents. I didn't take many pics but here a the few I took!

"Are they all yours?"

2010-03-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

I know that we must be quite the sight when we come rolling into restaurants, church or the grocery store with two babes and I have gotten many comments such as "You are busy!" "How close are they in age?" "You have your hands full!" But today at the doctors office topped it off! A sweet older lady said, "Are those ALL your children?" Ha! I just thought it was funny and thought maybe she was seeing double because I was pretty sure I just had two! I wonder what comments mamas of more than two kiddos receive?!? So if you are wondering how we deal with ALL of these kids here are a few pics to show you!

We enlist the BIG sis to help out when needing to get out the door in a hurry!

We are VERY excited when daddy comes in for the evening!

I 'wear' them both... but this is a LAST resort!

I'm so thankful for ALL these kids!

Tough Guy

2010-03-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2010-03-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

Wishing Grandma a very Happy Birthday today!

We love you Grandma! Love, Elli & Jed

Little Man...

2010-02-06T13:56:00.000-08:00

... we are so in love with you!

Being a big sis ain't easy...

2010-02-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

...but someone's gotta do it!
You may be wondering how Miss Elli is dealing with "the addition" I would say... pretty well! She gets whiny at times when she feels that Jed is maybe getting just a bit more attention then her but I think her tactic in dealing with this is stepping it up a notch in the 'ol entertainment area. This girl is HiLaRiOuS! She comes up with the craziest stuff and keeps us on our toes and laughing out loud! Here are a few of her newest "tricks"!
Note to Grandma or Nana... No we do not encourage her to walk around with barefeet carrying canned goods (so far her toe has not been smashed) nor do we put blankets over her head and encourage her to bump randomly into things... this is all her!:)

Jedidiah Charles Isaacson

2010-01-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

Our little guy Jedidiah Charles or "Jed" as we like to call him came into the world on January 14 at 3:34 p.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs 1 oz and 20.5 inches long. We were so excited to see this little man! He has a full head of beautiful dark hair and is just the sweetest thing!
He had a little bit of drama while making his appearance. His umbilical cord was caught around his neck and had to be cut before he could come out. He also broke his collar bone as his shoulders were just so broad. He has recovered well from the break and doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all now!

His big sister Elliana is also making the adjustment to having another little one around. She loves to give him kisses and smell his head. It is so cute! She is a little rough right now since she just doesn't understand how to be gentle but it will come.

We are just so incredibly overwhelmed by God's blessing to our family! Jedidiah's name means "beloved of the Lord" and we know that he is so dearly loved by our Heavenly Father. We consider it a great honor to be entrusted with two precious gifts from God!

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Psalm 127:3

On his way...

2010-01-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

Well today is the little guy's 'due date'. Now that this is my second round with pregnancy I know that that really doesn't mean a thing! With Elliana I remembered being so upset when that date came and went, then another day and another and pretty soon after 10 days past I was finally induced and we got to meet our sweet girl! This time around I have a different doctor and he has decided it would be best to induce this week so Thursday January 14 is the day! (Unless he decides to come on his own before then!) I am thankful to have a 'plan'. So if you think of it prayer would be greatly appreciated as we anticipate the arrival of this little one! And take a good look at this picture because I don't plan to look like this again anytime soon! Hee hee! :)

We are so excited to see your sweet face little one!

Congrats Tessa & Tom!!

2010-01-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

On December 31 my sister Tessa and her now finance Tom got engaged! We are sooo excited for them and there upcoming marriage! Tom did such an amazing job planning the proposal, getting the ring, etc... and the best part... Tessa was completely surprised! I just LOVE that! Anyway he proposed at a winery outside of Lexington where they had her first date. He had coordinated with the people who own the winery to have a candlelit breakfast all ready for them when they got there and a bottle of wine with a label that said, 'Tessa will you marry me?' and SHE SAID YES!! {not that we thought she wouldn't :)} So now the wedding plans begin... They plan to get married this summer! (Your welcome Tess and Tom in advance for posting your story so you might not have to tell it as many times now! Hee hee!)

We love you both!!