For anyone who can get childcare for this weekend.....

I have been wanting to go to this for the past 7years...and we finally are!

I have been wanting to invest more in our marriage before baby#2 comes, and have been looking for ways...then I heard this conference was coming up...

Yes, we could go on a date night.
Yes, we could go on a weekend trip.

But, I don't know about you, but every conference I have gone to with biblically-sound teaching regarding the topic of child-rearing or marriage has been worth EVERY. PENNY. And infinitely worth more to us than any ordinary trip or date night. (not to mention, we always get a few clever inside jokes from these things that provide a chuckle or two in the meager times)

SO if anyone wants to join us this weekend in investing for the next 50 years(or so),
enter: GATEWAYCOMMUNITYCHURCH

in the registration and you will get 50%off any (even in another city/state/season) Family Life Weekend to Remember conference for 2012/2013! (not to mention they offer discount on hotel rate if you so choose)

So excited for our date night extravaganza!

#worthit

Elijah's Cookie Monster 2nd Birthday

Of course I love birthdays. Growing up, birthdays were a big deal. As in, from the minute you wake up until you go to bed, it is YOUR day. Maybe that's why I love doing Ebear's birthdays so much? For his second birthday, I wanted it to be about him and all the things he loves.

Last year, we did more of a 'big deal' birthday. There were hamburgers, homemade sides, desserts, 45 of our best friends and family. We decided this year (though we still had about 40people) we were doing more low key. I wanted this year to be all about my big kid:) His favorite song is the "Cookie Monster" song (C is for cookie...he does a cute little monster voice impersonation when he sings it) and okay I can't lie....the way he says "Cookie-mos-ster?" is my favorite...so I kind of encouraged the Cookie Monster theme just so I could hear him say it over and over.

Plus...cookies......
So despite Cookie Monster's recent expulsion by the HealthNut community (which I'm usually a part of), I simply could not deny this face

But before the party started (since I wanted him to have fun alllll day long) Daddy took birthday boy to the firehouse for a tour

Believe me. It rocked. His. Whole. World.

For the party, I sent out "Cookie Monster" invites so the kids could have a little fun opening mail. (super easy, and for the inside I just made cardstock invites with half-eaten cut-out cookies glued around the words)

I  ended up using mostly decor I had made for last year (but adding "cookie monster" eyes and mouths) and since it was after all, a cookie monster party, mostly desserts were served which--I'm not going to lie--made me preeettty happy

(I always hang up pictures of my boo-bear around the house for his birthday...as a reminder to me of all I have to be grateful for---his birthday is, after all a celebration for me (not of me) too)

The infamous birthday wreath! Is there anyone who hasn't made this wreath this year? Haha. I've loved seeing it on pintrest so much regardless, so I wanted to have one we could reuse for the boys' birthdays.

Favors (took 4 seconds to hot-glue googly eyes, $1 visors from Hobby Lobby)

The food--be still my heart

homemade brown sugar cookies

A simple sugar cookie (cut toddler-sized) with blue-sprinkled frosting (a big hit)

Home made chocolate chip cookies, with the broken ones designated for dunking:) (waste not)

Next to the cookies I got to use this pinterest idea I've been dying to use, only I filled mine with whole milk so guests could dunk their cookies in their glasses

My sad little picture of the cupcakes. Isn't it pathetic folks.  I forgot to take pictures during the party and of course we we didn't have leftovers. I made strawberry cupcakes (with fresh strawberry chunks), topped them with blue icing, dipped them in blue coconut (just used blue dye), and used vanilla chips and oreo for the face. Easy peasy.

Cheesecake pudding with 'Cookie Crisp' cereal.

(blue jello with gummy bears@the bottom, had to include a little 'bear' theme somewhere)

We also just made some simple turkey dogs with chilli, then my MIL's famous mac&cheese, salad, and chips with dip options. (also some different breads with whipped cream, because again, selfishly I wanted the leftovers)

The highlight for us was perhaps the creepily-large Cookie Monster Pinata (bigger, than the birthday boy I might add)

However, our lack of pinata-expertise quickly manifested as time continued to pass...and the thing wouldn't rip

Apparently, nowadays pinatas are made with metal wiring inside. What the what? Designed for children? I guess not. Someone didn't mind though.

All in a day's work for dad.

Thanks to all who came and made the day so special for us!

We had a lot of fun!

(all of us)

Welcome, 3rd trimester

for all you SAHM's...

Heard on the radio today a stay-at-home is worth 120k-130k/year, taking into account all they do.


Considering there are days I literally feel like this picture looks....

I can live with that.

Birth: Worth All the Hype??

A few weeks ago I was thinking about birth. I'm around 6 months pregnant, and the thought is starting to enter my mind. What kind of birth do I want? Another hospital birth? Do I want to try a homebirth this time? Induced? Do I want something different?

Ha, as if any of us have a choice at the end of the day (to some degree). So I asked my husband.

Me: "Do you think I should do all-natural this time?"
Justin: "Why would you want that. You said Elijah's birth was perfect."
Me: "I know, it was. I wouldn't change anything. But I don't know, more pain might build my character."
Justin: (shakes head and laughs) "That's why you want to go natural? The fact that you are even asking that question for that reason, shows you are not one of those people that needs to put yourself through that. Besides. Life has enough pain. Especially the way you choose to do things"

Thanks.

Okay so fine. I am one of those few people who loved their birth story. But is how you birth a baby really important? I mean, is it really all that important to love your birth story? Does it really matter how you birth a baby? That is my question.

I don't think it does so much, Big scheme. My argument is birth is the only decision that *doesn't* affect the baby, it just affects you. Not that our happiness isn't important, --(or our character!)--but really, there are a MILLION other choices you will make as a mother that actually affect the baby---how to discipline, establishing self-esteem, creating a love for God and others. I think maybe ONE person has ever asked me in two years *how* I gave birth. Because...no one cares! It doesn't matter. What matters is what did you do with your baby...cloth diapers, organic baby food, crying out method, attachment parenting, discipline choices (or lack thereof)..that's the stuff moms want to know because that's the stuff that more affects your child. (not that any of those are black&white either or deal breakers!) If you are going to spend hours of pre-bedtime reading on something, I dunno, birth just doesn't seem worth it to me.

Because any way you slice it...the baby will be born. And I will argue forever that chemicals you put into your body for a few hours (after baby has been living in your body for ten MONTHS receiving what you eat)...aren't really what we should be worrying about. I know babies whose mother's went on pitocin and guess what their babies are at Harvard now. Same with epidiurals. C-section babies. Homebirth babies. Premie babies. And I know homebirth moms who deeply regretted their decision. Same with C-section. Same with epidurals.

Also, I need to say, for some, the way they birth is really a spiritual experience for the mom. I know moms who feel like the way they birth a baby is an obedience issue, God has asked them to birth a certain way...in which cases I think obedience trumps all. But, for me, I did not feel God telling me a way to give birth. Here's my story in a nutshell.

Four days past due date (isn't it super fun when all your friends and family text you/call you daily to ask what's happening??--I'll let you know people, believe you me, no one wants to birth this baby more than me--end of side note). Finally at 4am I'm positive I'm in labor. Drive to hospital, I'm 6 cm. We hang out. The pain gets worse and worse. I have made it a *point* to be super-nice to the nurse (always pays off...nurses run the show, folks). I tell her my entire extended family (including great-grandparents) are on their way to witness the birth and I would like an epidural, please. Nurse says, at 8cm it's not really protocol, but she likes us okay we'll try.

Okay just have to inteject--my biggest fear in birth was not the pain with labor, it was the pain in tearing. Baby was 21 1/4inches people, and 4oz under 9lbs...I was skeered. And I know, I know, epidural doesn't neccessarily help with the tearing pain, you can tell me that a million times, but in my crazy little mind, I was 9cm and wanted that epidural for that one reason and there was no talking me out. I don't care if the hard part was over. I. Don't. Care.

Cue huge procession, trumpets sounding, ladies dancing, elephants, the whole deal we are excited.  Lady with the big needle enters. Doesn't hurt a bit. 30 minutes later, nothing changes, except I've slowed down a bit. Apparently the meds went in upside down and my arms were going numb. Awesome.

Well, 30 minutes after that, baby was born, got to see family, everyone came it, it was perfect. Because at the end of the day...I had my baby.

I do have friends that hate their birth story. And, I could really be discontent with my next one. But, at the end of the day, those trials shape us into better women, better moms if we use them to strengthen our relationships with God. Heard in bsf last week, "Trials are tests to reveal our understanding". And as we all know, they make us stronger people.

So, what for number 2? I am not making any real plans. I chose a doctor I trust completely, and am hoping for the same story. A C-section only scares me in that it is unknown territory. I don't think it matters to me outside of that. But again, I trust my doctor completely and trust God more than that. Any way you cut it, I will be okay with the end product if it produces a healthy baby. And then the real sanctification begins!

Happy Easter!

Still decorating? I needed a refresher on ideas. Even though it's only been a year, I was clueless on what to do, so I had to read some ideas again. What I really need to do is take pictures of where all our decor GOES, so that I just put it out where it belongs. (I had to label all the boxes of Christmas...but I still forget where things look the cutest...decorator's amnesia after just a year!--each and every year!)

new things I've added this year to our decor traditions:

salt-water taffy from Big Top Candy Shop on Soco

Elijah's Easter basket...$1 from goodwill...and it couldn't be more perfect for him

Target plastic bowls for candy display! All around the house. $1.50 each and can use them year-round for so many purposes!

still lovin the Easter tree from last year.


Still on my to-do list:

 (found on pinterest, no link but pretty self-explanatory)

 (picture from pinterest, no link, but I'm assuming just add a little dye!)

Chocolate-covered peep bouquet! 

I am excited for Easter this year! We kicked it off with our neighborhood Easter egg hunt

Madness

I love my neighborhood

(still celebrating :) post on why I'm excited for all boys to come )