Little Joys of Life

There are little things (that feel like big things) that bring smiles to my face and joy to my heart. I'm taking the time to write them down to remind myself at a later time:

1) Today was my 12th week checkup at the OB and John brought the kids along. It was fun to see Sydney's eyes widen and pay very close attention to the sound of the baby's heart beat. Caleb just said "Baby?"  Joy! Joy!

2) Since I was feeling good in the morning, I took the kids to the Oriental market after the doctor's appointment. I bought so many yummy snacks and food that reminded me of home. Then I came home and made us some Won Ton noodles with dumplings and the kids really enjoyed it too. Joy!

3) Watermelon

4) Sunshine  JOY! joy! JoY! 

5) Sitting outside watching Caleb playing with rocks, while I was able to read my Bible and actually take a few thoughts captive. I hadn't been able to read my Bible much while I was sick and I missed that. Oh Joy! oh Joy!

6) The ability to actually eat and enjoy what I'm eating. To feel good and active again. Joy!

...and those are just some of the simple (and yet BIG) joys of life!

April updates

So, I haven't been very good about updating the blog. A few things have happened since last month. I was sick and everything got pushed to the sidelines - including this blog and email. I found out that we are expecting our 3rd child. Great news, but not so fun for mom. But thanks to many friends who helped me out with the kids, I was able to get rest and start to feel much better as I enter the second trimester. I have never understood the term "morning sickness". To me, it seems like I was nauseated all day. Oh well, that's another discussion for another time.

The kids had a fun Easter and now we are busy preparing for the summer. Caleb's room needs to be painted; there is need for furnishings in the house and John wants to buy a volleyball net and badminton set.

And there's the yard work too. It's nice that we have some friends who work for a Landscaping company that are helping us learn more about our trees and flowers. Unfortunately, our grass doesn't look great from all that snow mold, so they are treating it for us as well. Our neighbor next door has several bird feeders so it's nice to see a variety of cardinals, bluejays and other birds that I'm not familiar with. Since the weather has started warming up, the kids have been outside playing everyday. Caleb never wants to come back inside no matter how tired he seems. Sydney has quickly made friends with the neighbor kids - including some young teens, which I find interesting.

I'll have more to update as we move into the summer. Oh, how nice to have warm weather!

The little story-teller

Sydney has told a few stories that I've typed up lately. She's likes to make up stories as she goes. I print them out and let her illustrate them. Thought they are fun to share.

Story #1: Once upon a time, there was a girl named Holly and a boy named Jack. One day, a big scary dinosaur came to chase them and eat them up. But they ran away into their house and closed the door. The dinosaur couldn’t get in. He was too big to fit through the door. They locked the door. The dinosaur ran away to his family and cried all day long and all night long. The End.

Story #2: There was a girl named Sydney and today is her birthday. She turned 5 years old. She was so excited for her birthday. Her mother said “Sydney, you are going to have your birthday party tomorrow.” When Sydney heard that, she ran upstairs to her bedroom and she cried. Mother heard the crying and she went upstairs. She said “Sydney, I just made a mistake. I just forgot that today was your birthday. I just called everyone that was your best friend. All your friends will come to your party. Sydney had a wonderful birthday party. She ate so many sweets that all her teeth fell out and she got smaller, and smaller and so tiny that she couldn’t have her birthday on May 17^th. The End.

A nice compliment

John had to dress up for the Logistics Symposium at the University today. When he was ready to go, he asked Sydney for her comments on his formal apparel. She replied by saying "Daddy, you look like the President". Then proceeded to give him a hug before he walked out the door. 

Yearly Photo Shoot

I'm a bit slow at getting those yearly studio shots for Caleb. He turned 2 in December but I'm only now getting around to it. My initial thought was to get only one potrait done at the studio. However, JC Penney Potraits said they would take more than 1 so that I could be free to choose and I got conned again into doing lots of shots and then having a tough time deciding which ones I wanted. She started me on a package that costs $80 (which to most people is pretty reasonable) but I had no intentions on spending that much. My final decision came down to a handful of shots and the cost was around $25. Yay. Due to my membership with JC Penney Potraits, they also gave me a link to be able to download all their pictures for free and to be able to post them on my blog. Extra Yay!

  

  

Swiper lives here

If you've ever watched "Dora the Explorer" with your kids, you'll know what I'm talking about. Swiper is the little fox that shows up and takes things and then Dora has to go looking for the item. Caleb loves Dora and we borrow the movies from the library whenever we can. 

In the last few weeks, we have seen him swiping things that belong to other people. Mostly food items - go figure! Once, I distributed Valentine treats to everyone in the family. Even Daddy had a piece on his plate. As we were all busy eating our treats, Daddy got up to go do something for a few seconds and when he came back he wondered why he didn't get a treat. I looked at Sydney and asked her if she took Daddy's treat and she looked around and said No. (Poor Sydney - the oldest child seems to be the first to be blamed for most things around here). Then we looked at Caleb and he innocently pretended like nothing happened. We started laughing as a family because he said yes to eating Daddy's portion. We told him that he couldn't have any more milk and he had to get down - which he happily complied - he knew what he had done.  

Another time, I was baking chocalate chip cookies in the kitchen and was letting them cool off on the kitchen counter. Without me realizing, Caleb was "swiping" cookies one by one off of the counter and sneaking into Daddy's office to eat them. Until Daddy came home and found crumbs on the floor along with his son eating cookies happily. 

Poor Sydney can't eat her food fast enough. If it's something that Caleb really likes, he reaches over and takes things. It seems like I have to have my eyes on him a lot lately. Hence, his new nick name is now Swiper! and you'll hear us saying "Swiper, no swiping!"

Pat on my back

I've been running at the YMCA by our house - it's so convenient and I like to work out with others. I've always hated running and don't like that feeling of being out of breath. Not to mention the way my legs and thighs feel the next day. I have so many friends that love to run and I always wish I could do the same. Well, I'm glad to say that I can actually run close to 2 miles straight now! 

Now that I'm used to it, I'm inspired to run a small race here in DeWitt in May. It's just a 3 mile (5 K) family race and I'm going to do it with a few other families in town. I feel like I should be able to train easily for a 10K race in Lansing, but I'm not pushing it. I just need to be happy about what I can do to begin with.  I give a pat on my back for it. 

A Mom With Some Time

I realized this evening as I was in between checking emails and looking up some information online that I actually had some time to myself again. The kids went to bed early. They had a full weekend with Grant and Robin visiting us. I think their dog Bruno is worn out too. Anyway, I realize that I have about 2 hours to myself before going to bed. What should I do? Too many choices. I could...

a) finish replying to 4 or 5 emails from friends abroad

b) blog away, like I'm currently doing

c) finish reading a book my mother sent me

d) start reading a new Karen Kingsbury Christian fiction book

e) scrapbook in the basement

f) watch some episodes of LOST online

g) make cards

....and the list goes on. There are too many things that I want to do, need to do and should do. 2 hours doesn't cut it. So, I'm just going to end the blogging and go to bed. Smart, huh?

Alive and Transported -- Toby Mac

Often times when I'm working out, I'm wondering what people listen to on their ipod. You don't have to wonder what John and I are listening to these days. TobyMac has taken over the house. Even the kids are jumping around and dancing hip hop to TobyMac. If you watched the SuperBowl at all, you would have noticed that they played "Ignition" by TobyMac. That's a rocking song. If that doesn't get you going in the morning along with your cup of coffee, then I don't know what will. Who says that Christian songs are boring? They need to tune in to SmileFM and I think they will find out that they are sorely wrong. 

On his Portable Sounds soundtrack, my favorites are Ignition, No Ordinary Love and Made to Love. Get the CD or get on his website if you haven't heard it yet.

Caleb's 1st Full Sentence

Sydney can talk - that must be in the genes as well. Must take up after her Mother. (smile)

Caleb is not much of a talker, but since turning 2, we hear him a lot more. Very encouraging. In any given sentence, I usually understand at least 2-3 words and can make out what he wants. Last week, I was busy looking for something in my office drawers and he came up next to me and asked "Mommy, what are you doing?" 

I stopped rummaging through the drawer and stared him in the face. I said "Caleb, that was your first full sentence!".  He said "yah" and walked away. I was still amazed and quickly wrote that in his childhood journal. Since then, I feel like I'm always waiting and listening to see what else he will say. I value his words.

It simply amazes me how he is learning so much at 2 and how he is progressing in so many ways. We are so lucky to have a boy like him.