This and That

Our dinner conversations are getting funnier as the kids talk more. Our Bible discussions are becoming halarious,in which Drew and I don't know wether to correct, laugh or hold our laughter. Last night we read the story of Moses in the basket. After Kaylin frowns and in deep thought asks "was the princess a flying princess?". The other night reading the story of Mary weeping outside of the tomb when it appeared empty, Drew asked if Kaylin knew why Mary was crying "Of course Daddy, her dog died." and one of our favorites was at story time in church the teacher was talking about the Trinity, Kaylin raised her hand and said "ohohohoh, the Trinity's coming to my house!" And Jacob can be found either sitting with hands folded waiting or growling like a large animal. Or if we take to long he starts putting bowls of half eaten food on his head, or pretends a fork is a dog bone.

Drew and I are often reminded that through this all these conversations are important to have, even if only to have that time with the kids. To have conversations and have the kids ask us questions. Some of my best memories of growing up was of gathering around the table. When we were kids, but then also as teens and young adults. We don't believe in the no talking at dinner (unless a certain Miss Kaylin ignores her food to chat constantly...then she is told to eat for a bit).

And we've been pet-sitting a rabbit named Daisy. The kids love it and Drew and I realize that we are not ready for another pet. Its halarious watching the kids walk Daisy, which is really them being walked by Daisy as she chooses where she wants to go. Its been a good summer!

Superman meets technology

This is Jacob. The rowdy hyper little boy who seems to zap all my energy these days but makes us laught constantly and makes me dream of a nap by 11:00a.m. Who turns everything into a car, truck or monster. Who growls and roars when asked what noise any animal makes. We're pretty sure he thinks horses and cows and chickens should all make the noise of lions and large wild beasts. The boy who makes Drew and I both wonder which one of us is getting the "wait until you have one.."



The boy who has become Kaylin's best friend in the last couple of weeks. Since she has decided that being tackled and thrown to the ground is fun. Who taught me yesterday that rain is a gift from God to be enjoyed and not only viewed as an importance to the vegetation around us. To run around in and get soaked and to splash and come in dripping wet.

House Neglect

The past 20 weeks I've neglected the house. For the first time in this pregnancy I feel fantastic, not just okay but great. I spend no time hanging over the kitchen sink, no time laying on the couch every minute I can and feel guilty if I watch more than 45 min of tv at night. A far cry from the last months, in which all my energy was spent taking care of the kids. And by 7:00 I would be so exhausted and sick that I honestly couldn't even gather the energy to walk around the block. I believe some of this stemmed from not being able to keep a vitamin down, not able to eat any food that was high in iron and basically was living on toast and almond milk. Which ironically can still cause weight gain...

Now the spider webs in the corners are shouting at me, I see signs of dirt in places that I've been able to completely ignore. I've finally put the second coat of paint in Kaylin's room, we're moving Jacob in there soon so I can finish the decorating in their room and then can take the next couple of months to finish the baby's room. This way we're hoping that Kaylin and Jacob get used to sharing well before dealing with the newborn cries during the night. And for the first time in a long time I'm not overwhelmed at how far behind I am. I'll tackle a little each day.



This is real life. In which things don't always get done as we expect them but in which we need to handle one day at a time. And perhaps ignoring the things that are not as important as we deeem them to be and spending time with the little ones that are always to be a priorty. To realize that life does go on even if you can't be apart of some of the organizing. I'v been forced to slow my life down and because of this have spent the summer with the kids and with Drew. The last months have not been a waste. In fact I've had a lot of fun. We got a sandbox which has given the kids hours of play time while I sat beside them chopping on soda crackers and chatted about the different ways of building sandcastles and that no sand is not good for eating or for sleeping on. And no, it would not be good to have an entire backyard filled with sand. And no Jacob, sand is not for pouring on a sisters head or down her back even if you pretend its bath water.



Some of the projects that we wanted down are still waiting to be tackled. But we're learning that is okay. That when the baby comes our lives will be forced to slow down once again. But that the importance is to enjoy these times. The Lord is always good to us and sometimes the best lessons are the ones that are learned when you have to lean on others.

This is also real. In which Jacob sneaks his soother when he's not allowed. And when he yells at Kaylin...

Life Continues

We had a wonderful week of holidays. Just the four of us, a tent trailor some coolers and a fire. The second day in Drew and I stared at each other in complete exhaustion, wondering why anyone would consider camping with small children. By day three the kids were on schedule and having a riot, and we gave up on our idea of lounging around reading during the day. We took turns on who was on duty. That way every other day one of us could pretend to sleep in past 6:30 while the other feed the kids and made coffee on the campstove. Amazing how beautiful it is to stay in bed 15 minutes longer with the illusion that getting up was your choice. It was a week that required work, a week of learning more about being parents and a week for Drew and I sit by the fire when the kids were in bed.

Our pictures start on Sunday, we arrived on Friday but Friday and Sat were simply to exhausting to think about pictures. Saturday night Drew was sick, so sick he slept in the truck, we think it was food poisioning. Sunday morning we missed church, but the afternoon he was feeling better. We packed the kids up and drove 45 minutes to the destination we had punched into the GPS.....and ended up among fields. Beautiful country, cows and freshly painted barns but no church. We arrived back at the campsite after two hours of driving, a little weary but with a little more wisdom than when we left. After about an hour of silence we decided to make the most of it and went back to the campsite for coffee and goodies.

Jacob lived in his yellow rain boots. He had a bit of "when I wear these I am strong" for when those boots were one he was constantly trying to lift and throw anything he could.



Unloading firewood was a blast, Jacob with each piece a bit heavier than the last and muttering "tanks Daddy" every time he received a piece. He was stumbling around and sweating but once the firewood was unloaded he started crying, so Drew knocked over the woodpile and Jacob happily went to work restacking it.

Roasting marshmellows was fun. Although we needed to start the fire right after dinner, Jacob was so exhausted that he would be in bed by 7:00p.m. Kaylin stayed up longer and loved this time with us.


Loved having a trailor to sleep in. We were up quite a bit at night, with either Kaylin or Jacob. One night was so windy that we were worried about a tree over Kaylin's side so we moved her to our side. The beds are a tad small for that. One night the boy who hates to be held would only sleep beside me, very rare! So Drew moved to Kaylin's side of the trailor.

We came home refreshed and energized. And came up with a list of projects that we want done before baby number three arrives. Much painting is required and one wall to be removed....