Not for real though, just for play play.
My thoughts are moving to: http://jennbhouston.blogspot.com/
Come visit whenever you'd like.
3.30.2012
3.29.2012
A Broken Down City
I'm on a journey of practicing self-control. Sounds exciting, huh? A week or so ago I felt like I needed to practice this character-building tool as I can very easily say things without really thinking them through. Or, my emotions and excitement can have me signed up for a marathon in 3 weeks when I've only run 2 miles in my training. Get it? I'm emotional and I act and speak from passionate life-desires, without refinement or a realistic perspective. I also over-commit myself (out of good intentions) but I have nothing left to give to my husband or children. As I alluded to in my most recent post, I'm at a point in life where I feel like I'm ready to experience true freedom, through exposing the things (sin, self-illusions, my past, fears) that formerly held me back and had weak stitches on my heart that acted as a false sense of protection. Its time to remove the stitches and let the flesh grow back and allow true healing to complete itself.
This can get messy. I want to be wise. I want to share things with those who need to hear about the journey. I need to learn how to not 'throw my pearls to swine'. I need to learn to stop talking, to listen, to be able to wade through a conversation with a friend and not just dive off the high-dive and into the deep end every single time. I need to apply the concept of self-control towards my husband, my kids, my desire to check facebook every hour, my eating, etc.
I'm not trying to be religious about it. In all honesty, like I told my husband this week, I want to squeeze every lesson out of this season so I don't have to re-learn it over and over again (like most lessons in my life).
The reason for this post is this: I read Proverbs 25:28 that says,
"Like a city whose walls are broken down, is a man who lacks self-control"
Its poetic, right? But I am a visual girl. I needed to see a city with broken down walls to really get what is being said here. The words I jotted down about a city with broken down walls are as follows:
Exposed, vulnerable, not pretty, weak, cannot defend itself, intruders can easily get in & capture what's inside*
I want to be vulnerable as I journey through this time, but I do not want to be weak, ignorant and unready for the task at hand. Maybe you've got some stitches that are barely holding your heart together. They may be providing a false sense of security and holding you back from true healing and freedom. I'm about to do some heart surgery and I trust that my Jesus is going to be faithful to rebuild the walls as I move towards freedom.
*About this time my 4 1/2 year old entered the room and my train of thought got a little foggy. She was so proud of herself for staying in her room until she saw a 7 on the clock as opposed to a 5 or 6. Now, if I can teach my 13 month old how to tell time, then we'd be getting places!!
Photo found here: http://www.orangeparents.org/please-take-self-control-seriously/
This can get messy. I want to be wise. I want to share things with those who need to hear about the journey. I need to learn how to not 'throw my pearls to swine'. I need to learn to stop talking, to listen, to be able to wade through a conversation with a friend and not just dive off the high-dive and into the deep end every single time. I need to apply the concept of self-control towards my husband, my kids, my desire to check facebook every hour, my eating, etc.
I'm not trying to be religious about it. In all honesty, like I told my husband this week, I want to squeeze every lesson out of this season so I don't have to re-learn it over and over again (like most lessons in my life).
The reason for this post is this: I read Proverbs 25:28 that says,
"Like a city whose walls are broken down, is a man who lacks self-control"
Its poetic, right? But I am a visual girl. I needed to see a city with broken down walls to really get what is being said here. The words I jotted down about a city with broken down walls are as follows:
Exposed, vulnerable, not pretty, weak, cannot defend itself, intruders can easily get in & capture what's inside*
I want to be vulnerable as I journey through this time, but I do not want to be weak, ignorant and unready for the task at hand. Maybe you've got some stitches that are barely holding your heart together. They may be providing a false sense of security and holding you back from true healing and freedom. I'm about to do some heart surgery and I trust that my Jesus is going to be faithful to rebuild the walls as I move towards freedom.
*About this time my 4 1/2 year old entered the room and my train of thought got a little foggy. She was so proud of herself for staying in her room until she saw a 7 on the clock as opposed to a 5 or 6. Now, if I can teach my 13 month old how to tell time, then we'd be getting places!!
Photo found here: http://www.orangeparents.org/please-take-self-control-seriously/
3.27.2012
Spring Cleaning
I have about 3 minutes before my little man wakes up but I wanted to jot this thought down for further digestion later...
Why is it that its slightly more enjoyable to clean someone else's house, dishes, child, car, etc ______ (fill in the blank) than your own home/mess? I reckon that its because we don't have nearly as much emotional connection to that task. Once cleaned, you probably never have to clean it again, or you realize that its not a regular occurance that you will have to return to clean that other person's mess.
A thought hit me today, which I will eventually get to below, as I was slaving away by cleaning my bathroom (blah blah blah) and totally not enjoying it. Yet, recently I went over to a friend's house to borrow a dress and I happily wanted to help her clean up her after-dinner dishes. I wanted to lighten her load (as well as have an excuse to hang out a little longer). My thought this afternoon was: its more enjoyable to clean at other people's homes, but I never really get to enjoy the outcome and relish in the now-clean environment because at the end of the day I too must go home and face my mess (issues, if you will).
On to the point. My mess is continual. I keep having to address it regularly to maintain cleanlines. If I simply clean up other people's messes I never get to enjoy the outcome for too long because I need to go home and face my own mess. I'm now talking personal -very personal. Did you catch that? I'm talking about my internal mess. My pride, my past, my 'issues'. For the first time ever I am ready and I want to face my mess/issues in humility and be able to enjoy the view and freedom for myself. I want to celebrate the freedom and cleanliness that comes with gettin' down & dirty with my mess and sin. I want to experience the freedom that is promised in Galatians 5: It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free!
I can help other people all day long and it be a lot easier than dealing with my own mess. BUT, the real enjoyment and real freedom is going to come when I first deal with my own issues/sin/crap/what-have-you. This is where I want to be. Free. Then, I believe we will be better used and able to share about the true enjoyment of freedom, which will spark hope, humility, and freedom for others.
SO - pick up your own toilet brush & get scrubbin' and enjoy the view and freedom that is promised!
What good is a blog w/out a pict (so I've been asked)? Here's my second-born getting his scrub on and cleanin' up ;)
5.13.2011
*SIGH*
Unfortunatly, Blogger deleted my latestet entry. One which I spent precious time writing and recalling the details of Coen's birth story. Maybe one day soon I will have the time to type it out again....in a document and then copy it here.
Until then...
Until then...
5.11.2011
Coen's Birth Story
Yes, there are about 1,000 other things I should be doing right about now but instead, I am here at the computer and realize that I have yet to write out Coen's birth story.
What a sweet miracle, I don't want to forget so here I sit and type...
It was 4:30 on Saturday morning, February 12th. I woke up with a pain in my abdomin. I laid there for a minute to assess the situation. Was it AM or PM? Had it been more than 2 hours since I last went to the bathroom? No, I just went in the 3 o'clock hour. Was my whole stomach tense? I couldn't tell. I decided to get up, do the inevitable and empty my bladder once again, I got a large glass of water and I decided to lay back down to see if it happened again. Another contraction came about 12 minutes later. Since I had experienced a 2.5 hour period of consistant Braxton Hicks contractions 2 nights before, I decided to let Chris continue sleeping while I went into the living room to pace and rest on the couch.
With my note pad near by I began to keep track of the contractions. They went from 12 minutes apart to 5 minutes apart within an hour so I decided to call my doctor. The OB on call told me to sit tight and let them get to 5 minutes apart for an hour, then call and head to the hospital. This is the point in which I remind her that my first labor was 7.5 hours total and my sister's second baby was born in the car on the way to the hospital.
I heeded her advice though and sat tight. Chris came out and laid on the living room floor as I rested on the couch. The strangest thing began to happen. My contractions began to space out. I thought FOR SURE at this point that it was just another false alarm. They went back to 6, 7, 8, 12 minutes apart.
At 7am I had 2 pretty intense contractions so I told Chris that it wouldn't hurt to go to the hospital to get checked out - the worst they'd say is 'go home' or 'go walk around the mall'. I still wasn't convinced that I was in labor because I could still talk through the contractions. Yes, they were painful, but I always expect the worst and I kept saying to myself, 'I would know if I was in labor, these are just practice contractions'.
Since my mom was staying with us, and we'd pretty much had a full night's sleep, and it was a Saturday, I reasoned myself into going to the hospital. I only had about 2 or 3 contractions on the way to the hospital so I was still expecting to be sent home. In Triage we were told that I was 6 to 7 centimeteres dialated. This is when I quickly reminded them of my first quick labor and my sister's second labor. I got checked into a room immediately.
I knew I wanted a natural labor again so I requested the exercise ball to sit on. My contractions were still pretty spaced out and with no pattern so I felt like we were just hanging out with our amazing nurse. Surreal was the overall feeling.
Since my water breaking with Kayna was the first sign of labor with her, I had no concept of how long this labor would be.
Once on the ball I began to really feel my contractions, but I didn't know when to expect them due to the lack of consistancy - even at this point. They were getting very intense very quickly. I stood up and leaned on the bed with my elbows and I buried my face in the bed for a few intense contractions. I didn't want anyone touching me at all and I didn't even want attention on me. This is exactly how I felt when I ran the 1/2 marathon in 2009. I was my own best competitor and felt more mentally empowered on my own. Although, Chris's sweet encouragement sure helped between my contractions! :)
All of a sudden I just had to push....but wait a minute...my water hadn't broken! What was happening? Before I could complete any of those thoughts a huge-o gush of amniotic fluid splattered out. What relief I felt for about a half of a second. The nurse and Chris were shocked. I had no time to be shocked. It was constant intense pain after that. Our amazing nurse urged me to get on the bed but I resisted since I was frozen in pain. Thankfully, I found the strength to get on the bed and assumed what Chris calls the 'Spiderman Position'. Apparently, I was contorted in such a way that I looked like Spiderman doing some acrobatic move. All I knew was that I felt like the bed was keeping the baby in. As my midwife ran into the room I said loudly, "I don't want to be checked again!" -thinking she was just coming in to see how far dialated I was. My eyes were closed tight from the pain as my amazing midwife coached me through pushing. Her encouragement and gentleness brought an instant peace and I knew exactly what I needed to do.
Since I had pretty bad tearing with Kayna I was so nervous about this part. Thankfully, I felt way more in control with my pushing than I was the first go-around. With each push I didn't give it my all, in order to not tear as badly, but I still felt like progress was being made. Yes, I had the thought that I was going to die and that I just...couldn't....do it.... but, just as I was having those thoughts it was over! At 10:35am and after about 10 pushes, our little Coen Wylee was born!
As soon as he came out I uttered, "that was it? it's over?" I still couldn't believe or compute that I was in labor, let alone just delivered my baby! Chris was able to announce the gender and we were both in awe. A BOY!!
The placenta delivered beautifully and I was shocked at my own inquisitiveness. I wanted to see everything so my midwife showed me the placenta, inside and out, the cord attachment, and the amniotic sac that housed my baby for 9 months. It was so amazing! I never saw any of that with Kayna - and honestly, I didn't care to, I was in so much pain.
What a beautiful experience Coen's birth was. It took a whole 2 minutes before I said, "I could do that again!" -this in itself is an answer to prayer as it took me 2 1/2 years to utter those words after Kayna's birth.
Well, there it is. I would definately say that we've moved beyond the surviving phase and on to the thriving phase. Kayna loves her brother SO MUCH - I just love seeing her hold, tickle, talk to, and care for Coen. Its priceless. I often sit back with my heart full as I survey the beautiful children that God has blessed us with. Yes, there are dirty dishes in the sink and dust on the shelves most days but I am really soaking up this season, as I know it flys by too quickly.
Thanks for reading. I will post a few details and answered prayer from this birth in another entry.
Now, on to the tasks that can only be done when both children are sleeping.... ahhh-peace and quiet.
What a sweet miracle, I don't want to forget so here I sit and type...
It was 4:30 on Saturday morning, February 12th. I woke up with a pain in my abdomin. I laid there for a minute to assess the situation. Was it AM or PM? Had it been more than 2 hours since I last went to the bathroom? No, I just went in the 3 o'clock hour. Was my whole stomach tense? I couldn't tell. I decided to get up, do the inevitable and empty my bladder once again, I got a large glass of water and I decided to lay back down to see if it happened again. Another contraction came about 12 minutes later. Since I had experienced a 2.5 hour period of consistant Braxton Hicks contractions 2 nights before, I decided to let Chris continue sleeping while I went into the living room to pace and rest on the couch.
With my note pad near by I began to keep track of the contractions. They went from 12 minutes apart to 5 minutes apart within an hour so I decided to call my doctor. The OB on call told me to sit tight and let them get to 5 minutes apart for an hour, then call and head to the hospital. This is the point in which I remind her that my first labor was 7.5 hours total and my sister's second baby was born in the car on the way to the hospital.
I heeded her advice though and sat tight. Chris came out and laid on the living room floor as I rested on the couch. The strangest thing began to happen. My contractions began to space out. I thought FOR SURE at this point that it was just another false alarm. They went back to 6, 7, 8, 12 minutes apart.
At 7am I had 2 pretty intense contractions so I told Chris that it wouldn't hurt to go to the hospital to get checked out - the worst they'd say is 'go home' or 'go walk around the mall'. I still wasn't convinced that I was in labor because I could still talk through the contractions. Yes, they were painful, but I always expect the worst and I kept saying to myself, 'I would know if I was in labor, these are just practice contractions'.
Since my mom was staying with us, and we'd pretty much had a full night's sleep, and it was a Saturday, I reasoned myself into going to the hospital. I only had about 2 or 3 contractions on the way to the hospital so I was still expecting to be sent home. In Triage we were told that I was 6 to 7 centimeteres dialated. This is when I quickly reminded them of my first quick labor and my sister's second labor. I got checked into a room immediately.
I knew I wanted a natural labor again so I requested the exercise ball to sit on. My contractions were still pretty spaced out and with no pattern so I felt like we were just hanging out with our amazing nurse. Surreal was the overall feeling.
Since my water breaking with Kayna was the first sign of labor with her, I had no concept of how long this labor would be.
Once on the ball I began to really feel my contractions, but I didn't know when to expect them due to the lack of consistancy - even at this point. They were getting very intense very quickly. I stood up and leaned on the bed with my elbows and I buried my face in the bed for a few intense contractions. I didn't want anyone touching me at all and I didn't even want attention on me. This is exactly how I felt when I ran the 1/2 marathon in 2009. I was my own best competitor and felt more mentally empowered on my own. Although, Chris's sweet encouragement sure helped between my contractions! :)
All of a sudden I just had to push....but wait a minute...my water hadn't broken! What was happening? Before I could complete any of those thoughts a huge-o gush of amniotic fluid splattered out. What relief I felt for about a half of a second. The nurse and Chris were shocked. I had no time to be shocked. It was constant intense pain after that. Our amazing nurse urged me to get on the bed but I resisted since I was frozen in pain. Thankfully, I found the strength to get on the bed and assumed what Chris calls the 'Spiderman Position'. Apparently, I was contorted in such a way that I looked like Spiderman doing some acrobatic move. All I knew was that I felt like the bed was keeping the baby in. As my midwife ran into the room I said loudly, "I don't want to be checked again!" -thinking she was just coming in to see how far dialated I was. My eyes were closed tight from the pain as my amazing midwife coached me through pushing. Her encouragement and gentleness brought an instant peace and I knew exactly what I needed to do.
Since I had pretty bad tearing with Kayna I was so nervous about this part. Thankfully, I felt way more in control with my pushing than I was the first go-around. With each push I didn't give it my all, in order to not tear as badly, but I still felt like progress was being made. Yes, I had the thought that I was going to die and that I just...couldn't....do it.... but, just as I was having those thoughts it was over! At 10:35am and after about 10 pushes, our little Coen Wylee was born!
As soon as he came out I uttered, "that was it? it's over?" I still couldn't believe or compute that I was in labor, let alone just delivered my baby! Chris was able to announce the gender and we were both in awe. A BOY!!
The placenta delivered beautifully and I was shocked at my own inquisitiveness. I wanted to see everything so my midwife showed me the placenta, inside and out, the cord attachment, and the amniotic sac that housed my baby for 9 months. It was so amazing! I never saw any of that with Kayna - and honestly, I didn't care to, I was in so much pain.
What a beautiful experience Coen's birth was. It took a whole 2 minutes before I said, "I could do that again!" -this in itself is an answer to prayer as it took me 2 1/2 years to utter those words after Kayna's birth.
Well, there it is. I would definately say that we've moved beyond the surviving phase and on to the thriving phase. Kayna loves her brother SO MUCH - I just love seeing her hold, tickle, talk to, and care for Coen. Its priceless. I often sit back with my heart full as I survey the beautiful children that God has blessed us with. Yes, there are dirty dishes in the sink and dust on the shelves most days but I am really soaking up this season, as I know it flys by too quickly.
Thanks for reading. I will post a few details and answered prayer from this birth in another entry.
Now, on to the tasks that can only be done when both children are sleeping.... ahhh-peace and quiet.
4.01.2011
The Mallards and the Muskrats (aka The Birds and the Bees)
Spring is in the air and 'something's in the water'!! Do you recall the posts I wrote about our backyard neighbors, the beavers? Well, add to that, Mallards and Muskrats. Last week I was in the sunroom nursing Coen and I noticed a male Mallard duck 'choking' on something in the small pond created by the beaver dam. I watched for what seemed like several minutes as I thought this duck was trying to carry a huge stick to its nest or eat a large fish. It was hard to tell. After what seemed like several minutes (i'm sure it was roughly 30 seconds!) a female duck surfaced. I felt so violated! Here I was trying to figure out how to help this duck when I discover that he certaintly didn't need my assistance as he impregnated his mate. Fast forward 1 week. Chris and I have discovered a Muskrat that's also been enjoying the beaver pond. We've been trying to show it to Kayna but it disappears before she's been able to get a closer look. Until this week. Again, I was in the sunroom and I hollar for Kayna to come see the Muskrat. She finally sees it and we're so excited to discover nature together until...a second Muskrat enters the scene. It all happened so fast. All of a sudden one of them makes a move and tries to mount the other!!! What looks like an unsuccessful attempt turns into 10+ attempts before we finally exit the sunroom. I'm not quite sure why there's so much friskyness going on in our beaver pond. All I know is that we're not getting any ideas. I've got my hands full at this time!
3.14.2011
Its a BOY!
We are excited to finally announce (on the blog) that our Coen Wylee Houston was born on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 10:35am! He was 7.7 lbs and 19 1/4"
Sister kisses are the sweetest!
Big sister is certainly a big help :) She's "washed" all the dishes you see here. It only took her almost 1 full bottle of dishwashing soap! Next time i'll have to breastfeed in a place where I can keep an eye on the happenings in the kitchen.
We just took him to his one month check up and he's a whopping 9.14 lbs and 21 1/2"!! That's a lot of growing for just 4 weeks (and a LOT of breastfeeding!!).
We're so so thankful for a healthy and content precious boy.
There were certainly concerns that I had about this pregnancy (which, i'm sure are totally normal to have) but the Lord fully answered each prayer and graced us with a beautiful, quick and easy delivery and strong healthy boy.
I will write his birth story and share the details of each answered prayer in another post but I wanted to get this up before another 4 weeks passed by.
Enjoy the sweetness :)
Leaving the hospital (below). Coen was due on Valentine's day so we received a red hat, sweetly made by the volunteers at the hospital:
Sister kisses are the sweetest!Big sister is certainly a big help :) She's "washed" all the dishes you see here. It only took her almost 1 full bottle of dishwashing soap! Next time i'll have to breastfeed in a place where I can keep an eye on the happenings in the kitchen.1.26.2011
37 Weeks
Here we are. I'm now considered 'full-term' in my second pregnancy. Its been a good pregnancy all around -a tiny bit different with a few more aches here and there- but overall very healthy. Praise the Lord!
Just for the sake of going down memory lane/and for fun (and to see if any gender predictions arise from this list of differences) here are two lists of my pregnancy experiences.
Baby Houston #1 (Kayna)
Found out we were expecting on Oct. 31, 2006
Had bleeding, inconsistent hormone levels and thyroid concerns right off the bat.
Under careful watch via ultrasounds beginning at week 5 1/2 continuing throughout pregnancy.
My belly measured 2cm's smaller than normal the entire pregnancy.
Placenta was on the bottom for the first half, then moved to a more normal and less threatening position for the remainder of pregnancy.
Her heart rate was always in the normal range of low -130's
She was also positioned very low from the start.
My cravings included: Shellfish- particularly in pasta and Lindt chocolate truffles (I had 1 every afternoon around 3pm at work), milk.
Food adversions: COFFEE. Couldn't stand the smell of it throughout my pregnancy.
Gained 19 pounds.
Sciatic nerve pain.
Worked full time until 2 weeks before due date.
Water broke at home - first sign of labor - Kayna was born, all naturale, 7 1/2 hours and 5 pushes later at 11:30pm, 30 minutes before her due date. 6lb 7oz & 19 3/4".
She came fast which was a blessing but the recovery was quite an ordeal.
Baby Houston #2 (??Name??)
Found out we were expecting at the beginning of June 2010
Had a normal first appointment at 10 weeks.
Measuring 1-2cm's small again but have already gained 25 pounds (and we have a few more weeks left)!
Had normal ultrasound at 18 1/2 weeks. Everything was 'normal' and great (this was our first and only ultrasound, so quite a bit different than catching a sneak peek each visit).
Vericose veins made an appearance in 1 leg and other places....around week 26.
Baby's heart rate has varied from 138-150.
Just for the sake of going down memory lane/and for fun (and to see if any gender predictions arise from this list of differences) here are two lists of my pregnancy experiences.
Baby Houston #1 (Kayna)
Found out we were expecting on Oct. 31, 2006
Had bleeding, inconsistent hormone levels and thyroid concerns right off the bat.
Under careful watch via ultrasounds beginning at week 5 1/2 continuing throughout pregnancy.
My belly measured 2cm's smaller than normal the entire pregnancy.
Placenta was on the bottom for the first half, then moved to a more normal and less threatening position for the remainder of pregnancy.
Her heart rate was always in the normal range of low -130's
She was also positioned very low from the start.
My cravings included: Shellfish- particularly in pasta and Lindt chocolate truffles (I had 1 every afternoon around 3pm at work), milk.
Food adversions: COFFEE. Couldn't stand the smell of it throughout my pregnancy.
Gained 19 pounds.
Sciatic nerve pain.
Worked full time until 2 weeks before due date.
Water broke at home - first sign of labor - Kayna was born, all naturale, 7 1/2 hours and 5 pushes later at 11:30pm, 30 minutes before her due date. 6lb 7oz & 19 3/4".
She came fast which was a blessing but the recovery was quite an ordeal.
Baby Houston #2 (??Name??)
Found out we were expecting at the beginning of June 2010
Had a normal first appointment at 10 weeks.
Measuring 1-2cm's small again but have already gained 25 pounds (and we have a few more weeks left)!
Had normal ultrasound at 18 1/2 weeks. Everything was 'normal' and great (this was our first and only ultrasound, so quite a bit different than catching a sneak peek each visit).
Vericose veins made an appearance in 1 leg and other places....around week 26.
Baby's heart rate has varied from 138-150.
Doesn't seem to be positioned quite as low as Kayna was.
Cravings include: Plain pasta in the first trimester -or ethnic foods (only once though, couldn't have the same thing twice) then onto chocolate milk, salad, sushi, crisp/fresh lettuce wraps, and now cinnamon rolls!
Adversions: Ground beef and most meats.
Sciatic nerve pain in 2nd trimester but not any longer - thankfully!
Working full time by chasing after Kayna :) - a little more labor intensive than sitting at a desk 8 hours a day.
As far as labor/delivery - we'll see!!!
There you have it. I'm sure there are more details that differenciate the pregnancies but i'll leave those to discuss with the doctor :)
Here I am in my first pregnancy around 25ish weeks pregnant with Kayna
Cravings include: Plain pasta in the first trimester -or ethnic foods (only once though, couldn't have the same thing twice) then onto chocolate milk, salad, sushi, crisp/fresh lettuce wraps, and now cinnamon rolls!
Adversions: Ground beef and most meats.
Sciatic nerve pain in 2nd trimester but not any longer - thankfully!
Working full time by chasing after Kayna :) - a little more labor intensive than sitting at a desk 8 hours a day.
As far as labor/delivery - we'll see!!!
There you have it. I'm sure there are more details that differenciate the pregnancies but i'll leave those to discuss with the doctor :)
Here I am in my first pregnancy around 25ish weeks pregnant with Kayna
Here I am around the same time with baby #2 - with big sis looking on :)
12.08.2010
I've been debating on whether or not I should write this blog entry for quite some time and here's why...
This season that we're in has brought out the best and worst of me in many ways and for many reasons. One reason being the other-worldly set of hormones that comes with being pregnant, another reason is the unconditional emotional support I've been trying to give my husband as he has wrestled out what his career destiny should be, and finally some of my best and worst moments have been brought to the surface simply because our sweet Kayna Joy is now three.
The emotional highs and lows of parenting a three year old ebb and flow at a much faster and dramatic rate than the ocean's tide. You could probably compare it more to a wave-pool from your favorite theme park. You know, you're having fun floating one minute and the next minute you are close to drowning in a 10 foot wave only to come out on the other side with a nose full of stinging chlorine. I'm not sure why this has been our toughest year yet, maybe because she's discovering her independence more and more each day, or maybe its because the older they get, the less control you have over everything. Regardless, I have no idea who coined the phrase 'terrible 2's' (because I loved the 2's with Kayna!!). It should be, 'enjoy the 2's because your child will turn into something else when he or she hits 3!' As difficult as the lows have been (tantrums over mama not doing something in a specific routine, to not wearing the "right" socks etc) the highs have been of equal magnitude in the opposite direction. My heart swells when I feel Kayna's little hands cup my face, look into my eyes and say, "I love you" -for no reason at all!
A personal story that happened just last week follows...We were getting ready for preschool when I began to brush Kayna's hair. She had a touchy morning already and was at the brink of a meltdown. The perfect storm was about to unfold. As I was edgy already and we were close to being late, I wasn't interested in 'practicing patience' at this particular point. With every stroke of the brush and attempt to put her hair into a ponytail (our normal routine) she had a meltdown which eventually caused me to loose my cool and raise my voice shouting, "stop it!". My tone was more harsh than I intended it to be and it honestly surprised me as well. The tears began to flow from my three year old eyes and I knew I needed to take a 'mommy time out' to cool down. I put Kayna in her room and walked into my room to have some space to breathe. We had to go in a hurry so we eventually got into the car -tears continuing to stream down Kayna's cheeks. In an instant I prayed (not that I wanted to, because I wanted to 'win' and be in control) 'Help me God!' and a millisecond later my foot landed on the brake and I turned around to look at Kayna. I don't know how to explain the refreshing sense of humility and grace that came over me in that moment, but it wasn't something I conjured up (or even, like I said, I didn't want to conjure up). I put my hand gently on Kayna's knee and looked straight into her eyes and told her that I was sorry for yelling at her. I told her that I was angry because she wasn't obeying me and she was being fussy but it was wrong of me to yell. I told her that I loved her. She accepted my apology with a response of, "I forgive you mama". The rest of the way to school her tears dried up and we prayed and sang Christmas songs together. It was a total transformation in both of our hearts.
Since that day (and, yes, there were countless battles before this one!) I have been reminded to pray for the mind of Christ each morning and to ask God to fill me with self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Its truly amazing to see the difference in my own responses to my three year old's outbursts, and to see how quickly a fire is put out from simply not losing my temper in the moment. I feel more peaceful, handle the stress better and Kayna has even had less and less outbursts.
Even if you don't have a three year old, I'd recommend this strategy every morning as, "each day has its own troubles (or stresses!)" Matthew 6:25-34.
Its been a journey that no one could have prepared us for and I'm now well aware that each stage will have its own set of ebbing and flowing. I'm thankful for grace and forgiveness in my own life and I am trying my best to exercise them both and display them towards my amazing three year old.
I saw the following video today and thought it was sobering to my stage in life. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to mother Kayna and wouldn't trade it for anything. Its been the most difficult yet the best stage at the same time. Besides, what fun would a wave pool be without a little jostling around and unpredictability!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye39mgcHC3E&feature=player_embedded
This season that we're in has brought out the best and worst of me in many ways and for many reasons. One reason being the other-worldly set of hormones that comes with being pregnant, another reason is the unconditional emotional support I've been trying to give my husband as he has wrestled out what his career destiny should be, and finally some of my best and worst moments have been brought to the surface simply because our sweet Kayna Joy is now three.
The emotional highs and lows of parenting a three year old ebb and flow at a much faster and dramatic rate than the ocean's tide. You could probably compare it more to a wave-pool from your favorite theme park. You know, you're having fun floating one minute and the next minute you are close to drowning in a 10 foot wave only to come out on the other side with a nose full of stinging chlorine. I'm not sure why this has been our toughest year yet, maybe because she's discovering her independence more and more each day, or maybe its because the older they get, the less control you have over everything. Regardless, I have no idea who coined the phrase 'terrible 2's' (because I loved the 2's with Kayna!!). It should be, 'enjoy the 2's because your child will turn into something else when he or she hits 3!' As difficult as the lows have been (tantrums over mama not doing something in a specific routine, to not wearing the "right" socks etc) the highs have been of equal magnitude in the opposite direction. My heart swells when I feel Kayna's little hands cup my face, look into my eyes and say, "I love you" -for no reason at all!
A personal story that happened just last week follows...We were getting ready for preschool when I began to brush Kayna's hair. She had a touchy morning already and was at the brink of a meltdown. The perfect storm was about to unfold. As I was edgy already and we were close to being late, I wasn't interested in 'practicing patience' at this particular point. With every stroke of the brush and attempt to put her hair into a ponytail (our normal routine) she had a meltdown which eventually caused me to loose my cool and raise my voice shouting, "stop it!". My tone was more harsh than I intended it to be and it honestly surprised me as well. The tears began to flow from my three year old eyes and I knew I needed to take a 'mommy time out' to cool down. I put Kayna in her room and walked into my room to have some space to breathe. We had to go in a hurry so we eventually got into the car -tears continuing to stream down Kayna's cheeks. In an instant I prayed (not that I wanted to, because I wanted to 'win' and be in control) 'Help me God!' and a millisecond later my foot landed on the brake and I turned around to look at Kayna. I don't know how to explain the refreshing sense of humility and grace that came over me in that moment, but it wasn't something I conjured up (or even, like I said, I didn't want to conjure up). I put my hand gently on Kayna's knee and looked straight into her eyes and told her that I was sorry for yelling at her. I told her that I was angry because she wasn't obeying me and she was being fussy but it was wrong of me to yell. I told her that I loved her. She accepted my apology with a response of, "I forgive you mama". The rest of the way to school her tears dried up and we prayed and sang Christmas songs together. It was a total transformation in both of our hearts.
Since that day (and, yes, there were countless battles before this one!) I have been reminded to pray for the mind of Christ each morning and to ask God to fill me with self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Its truly amazing to see the difference in my own responses to my three year old's outbursts, and to see how quickly a fire is put out from simply not losing my temper in the moment. I feel more peaceful, handle the stress better and Kayna has even had less and less outbursts.
Even if you don't have a three year old, I'd recommend this strategy every morning as, "each day has its own troubles (or stresses!)" Matthew 6:25-34.
Its been a journey that no one could have prepared us for and I'm now well aware that each stage will have its own set of ebbing and flowing. I'm thankful for grace and forgiveness in my own life and I am trying my best to exercise them both and display them towards my amazing three year old.
I saw the following video today and thought it was sobering to my stage in life. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to mother Kayna and wouldn't trade it for anything. Its been the most difficult yet the best stage at the same time. Besides, what fun would a wave pool be without a little jostling around and unpredictability!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye39mgcHC3E&feature=player_embedded
8.27.2010
Summer 2010
I'm so thankful that September is near and with it will -hopefully- come some cooler weather. We've had an interesting summer from our A/C going out for 21 days, to finding out we're expecting baby Houston #2 on Valentine's Day!
Here are just a few pictures from the recent past.
Kayna enjoying one of her favorite treats - CUPCAKES!
Playing dress up - her favorite!
Chris and his friend Chris Toomey - both groomsmen in a wedding
15 weeks and growing!
Catching up on the latest issue of In Style, just after bath time
Cupcake time, again, with friend Hannah Kate - Purple icing is the best!
5.29.2010
Car Wash
Not so long ago during the most recent tax season (Jan - April 2010) I, Jennifer worked for my brother in law, Matt Franklin and his dad John at their CPA firm. The work wasn't glamorous, but I had such a great feeling of accomplishment as I moved 'To-Do' work from one stack, to a 'Done' stack and left each day feeling like I actually achieved and completed a task. This feeling is hard to come by as a full-time mom, in case you were wondering.
As April 15th arrived, Matt called to say that there were donuts and an 'envelope' waiting for me to pick up as the team was celebrating the completion of another successful tax-year. I graciously declined the offer for doughnuts, as I had just that day made a pact to cut out sugar from my diet, but I still needed to swing by to pick up the envelope. Upon leaving the office Matt 'forced' me to take a donut and I obliged, wrapping it in a napkin with every intention to give it to Kayna when I picked her up from preschool.
We were leaving for TN later that day so my 'To-Do' list included gassing up the car and going through the car wash.
Here begins the reason for this blog entry: After filling the car with gas, I chose the option for the mid-grade car wash. You know, the one that isn't as frugal as just water and suds, but not as high class as the Ultimate option with wax and double washing. I pulled up to the teller where I entered the code from my receipt. The automated voice was responding to me as it acknowledged what option I had selected. It told me to enter the car wash so I began the journey, all the while trying to listen to whatever else 'he' was telling me to do. All of a sudden his instructive voice disappeared as I realized that I was being jet-blasted in the face with a forceful flow of pre-wash. I was so intent on paying attention to the detailed instructions that I forgot to close my window!! I was driving our 5-speed so the shock caused me to stop instantly. I did not stall out but I could not think of what to do other than try to roll up my window as fast as I could, all while the water continued to blast into my face and into the car. The automatic window seemed to take 5 minutes to close completely but when it did I was able to put the car back in 1st gear and completely enter the wash. As I put the car in park I was out of breath and looked around to see what had happened. Water instantly poured off the top of my hat and into my already soaked lap. I looked over in the passenger seat to see a single soggy napkin clutching a damp donut. This was the only napkin in the whole car. I decided to eat the donut, for the single purpose of having something to wipe my face off with afterwards, even though the napkin was already wet. I started laughing at the entire situation as I realized that the shock caused me to unnecessarily stop at the flow of water that was not moving. If I had driven just a few inches further I would not have been pummeled in the face with jet-blasted water for a full 20 seconds. It was simply a stationary 'rainbow' - a forceful rainbow - of water that you're supposed to drive through to saturate your car before the wash actually begins.
Lesson learned: Well, I'm still not sure. I keep coming back to the fact that I was trying to obey the instructions given to me. Maybe the teller should first encourage the innocent listener to roll up their window before entering the wash.
I wonder how many people this happens to? I bet the guy who worked that day chuckled as he added a tic to his list of unsuspecting-teller-obeying-water-blasted customers.
As April 15th arrived, Matt called to say that there were donuts and an 'envelope' waiting for me to pick up as the team was celebrating the completion of another successful tax-year. I graciously declined the offer for doughnuts, as I had just that day made a pact to cut out sugar from my diet, but I still needed to swing by to pick up the envelope. Upon leaving the office Matt 'forced' me to take a donut and I obliged, wrapping it in a napkin with every intention to give it to Kayna when I picked her up from preschool.
We were leaving for TN later that day so my 'To-Do' list included gassing up the car and going through the car wash.
Here begins the reason for this blog entry: After filling the car with gas, I chose the option for the mid-grade car wash. You know, the one that isn't as frugal as just water and suds, but not as high class as the Ultimate option with wax and double washing. I pulled up to the teller where I entered the code from my receipt. The automated voice was responding to me as it acknowledged what option I had selected. It told me to enter the car wash so I began the journey, all the while trying to listen to whatever else 'he' was telling me to do. All of a sudden his instructive voice disappeared as I realized that I was being jet-blasted in the face with a forceful flow of pre-wash. I was so intent on paying attention to the detailed instructions that I forgot to close my window!! I was driving our 5-speed so the shock caused me to stop instantly. I did not stall out but I could not think of what to do other than try to roll up my window as fast as I could, all while the water continued to blast into my face and into the car. The automatic window seemed to take 5 minutes to close completely but when it did I was able to put the car back in 1st gear and completely enter the wash. As I put the car in park I was out of breath and looked around to see what had happened. Water instantly poured off the top of my hat and into my already soaked lap. I looked over in the passenger seat to see a single soggy napkin clutching a damp donut. This was the only napkin in the whole car. I decided to eat the donut, for the single purpose of having something to wipe my face off with afterwards, even though the napkin was already wet. I started laughing at the entire situation as I realized that the shock caused me to unnecessarily stop at the flow of water that was not moving. If I had driven just a few inches further I would not have been pummeled in the face with jet-blasted water for a full 20 seconds. It was simply a stationary 'rainbow' - a forceful rainbow - of water that you're supposed to drive through to saturate your car before the wash actually begins.
Lesson learned: Well, I'm still not sure. I keep coming back to the fact that I was trying to obey the instructions given to me. Maybe the teller should first encourage the innocent listener to roll up their window before entering the wash.
I wonder how many people this happens to? I bet the guy who worked that day chuckled as he added a tic to his list of unsuspecting-teller-obeying-water-blasted customers.
4.05.2010
Growing Garden
A few weeks ago I got the bug...the bug to get my hands in the dirt and take part in creation and growth and nurturing something new and watch it come forth to bloom and blossom. Some may call it Spring Fever. This inspiration began when the first warm breeze blew in and the daffodils began to show off their pale yellow smiles. I LOVE this time of the year! The only thing I would change about it is the inch-thick pollen that gets deposited on everything in sight...daily. I was at my sister-in-laws house today and I could see the thick layer of "chalk" (as Kayna calls it) floating in the air all around me as I began to feel a slight tickle in my throat that whispered 'allergies'.
I guess its all part of it.
The reason for this post is to mention another inspiration. An inspiration that came from the first inspiration. As I was planting my Zinnia garden last week, I began thinking about a very close friend who is in the middle of a beautiful redemptive season. I thought about how beautiful the flowers I was planting will become, and I felt like it was very symbolic of the journey this friend of mine is on. Since it took a while to plant 200 seeds, my thought process turned into a prayer for this special friend. The next day, while watering my seeds, I began to recall the previous day and my thoughts went back to this friend. I decided that I would pray for her each time I visited the Zinnia garden. Whether to water it or admire the delicate sprouts shooting up. I've found that different, yet specific, words and topics to pray for her have come to mind during this set-apart time in my day. Its become a joy, not only to admire creation, but to have this time focused on one specific person. I plan to make a small beautiful sign and place it in the garden dedicating it to this friend.
As I planted my tomato plants today, I decided that I would use the time it took to plant them to pray for Chris. Each day, as I water them and look after them, I will pray for him. Since he is the main provider for our family, I thought it was very symbolic of how the tomato plants will provide for us - lots of beautiful, sweet fruit in due time. I trust that the specific things that come to mind will be from the Lord and I am finding such peace and purpose in this focused time.
I hope to look for more opportunities in the day to accomplish more eternal work! In the meantime, I better get planting some other veggies as I failed to mention that Chris hates tomatoes!
I am excited to post pictures as soon as things get growing so check back for updates on my growing garden :)
I guess its all part of it.
The reason for this post is to mention another inspiration. An inspiration that came from the first inspiration. As I was planting my Zinnia garden last week, I began thinking about a very close friend who is in the middle of a beautiful redemptive season. I thought about how beautiful the flowers I was planting will become, and I felt like it was very symbolic of the journey this friend of mine is on. Since it took a while to plant 200 seeds, my thought process turned into a prayer for this special friend. The next day, while watering my seeds, I began to recall the previous day and my thoughts went back to this friend. I decided that I would pray for her each time I visited the Zinnia garden. Whether to water it or admire the delicate sprouts shooting up. I've found that different, yet specific, words and topics to pray for her have come to mind during this set-apart time in my day. Its become a joy, not only to admire creation, but to have this time focused on one specific person. I plan to make a small beautiful sign and place it in the garden dedicating it to this friend.
As I planted my tomato plants today, I decided that I would use the time it took to plant them to pray for Chris. Each day, as I water them and look after them, I will pray for him. Since he is the main provider for our family, I thought it was very symbolic of how the tomato plants will provide for us - lots of beautiful, sweet fruit in due time. I trust that the specific things that come to mind will be from the Lord and I am finding such peace and purpose in this focused time.
I hope to look for more opportunities in the day to accomplish more eternal work! In the meantime, I better get planting some other veggies as I failed to mention that Chris hates tomatoes!
I am excited to post pictures as soon as things get growing so check back for updates on my growing garden :)
3.17.2010
Chuck and Poo
Let's just say Sunday and Monday of this week held very interesting events for me. It all began on the way to church at about 9:25am. We've been attending Forest Hill for the last few months to allow some time to 'take a break' from leadership, since Chris came off staff at St. Giles at the end of 2008. As we approached the church grounds we heard Kayna burp - but to a mother's ear, it was not a normal burp. She did it again and Chris turned around to discover that she had up-chucked all over herself and the carseat. I had never dealt with her throw up before, and let me say, its quite different from baby spit up. Needless to say, we were not prepared to tackle the situation so I suggested pulling onto the nearest street, that happed to be Steve and Jane's street (our pastor and his wife at St. Giles). We pulled up to their house and I knocked on the door. Jane answered the door looking very surprised to find me on her doorstep at 9:25 on a Sunday morning. I explained to her the situation and that we didn't even have 1 napkin, wipe, nothing. Jane was so gracious and let me use warm towels, her youngest son's clothes, wipes and whatever else we needed in that moment. Jane went on to explain that she thought I showed up to pray for her since they were making the announcement that morning that Steve was resigning from the church, to be a chaplain with NASCAR. I had no idea. I offered to pray though :) We had a sweet moment and I was so thankful that we got to hear the news directly from them, despite the up-chuck from Kayna.
Jane went onto church with her children and graciously let us stay to finish cleaning up. As I sat down on the Keller's couch to warm Kayna up I looked at the red leather foot-stool and noticed that there was poo in the exact spot that I had my foot resting a moment earlier. Gross. Somehow I stepped in poo on the way from the car to their front door and proceeded to track it into their house!! "Crap", I thought, then chuckled at the pun. "Chris!? I need the can of lysol that you found - there's poop in here!" After cleaning up the poo we decided to head back home. We took a 2 mile walk down Fullwood Lane. On the walk we heard what sounded like a huge tree fall just ahead in the woods. Sure enough, a large old Pine tree had split at the base and fallen to the ground. Very strange. On the way back, we saw flashing lights from a police car and ambulance. While we were walking, a car had driven off the road towards the wooded sidewalk we were on, and stopped just short of the line of trees. Who knows what happend? The driver went completely across both lanes and was facing the opposite way of the oncoming traffic. Strange again. We made it home safely and had a calm afternoon. Whew!
Monday started and Kayna and I headed to the boys' house. I watch 3 boys (1yr - 4yrs) each Monday for a friend. When Kayna had to use the restroom, I helped her get onto the toilet. Noticing that the previous potty-goer didn't flush, I proceeded to flush, as Kayna was getting situated on the seat. The water did not go down. Kayna had to poo and there was no stopping her. "Crap" - I thought, haha, again. When she finished, I hurried off to find a plunger. Upon returning, with plunger in hand, I found their large black lab lapping water out of the toilet!!! OH NO! With his snout covered in nastiness, I got him into the office and closed the door. I found the disinfectant and sprayed it on every drip from the toilet to the office. Somehow the toilet began working and I was able to flush away the remaining nastiness.
Moments later, the youngest boy woke up from his morning nap. Upon entering his room I could instantly tell that he would need a diaper change right away. Boy was I right. There was poo from his chest to his upper back. "Crap" - it wasn't really funny anymore. Poor little guy!! I debated on whether or not to give him a bath. I settled on using about 65 wipes after role-playing in my mind what might happen if one of the children downstairs let the lab out of the office. After we got everything sorted out and sanitized we all enjoyed playing in the backyard, out in the open, fresh air. Of course, Kayna was sure to find some dog poo in the grass... "CRAP!"
Jane went onto church with her children and graciously let us stay to finish cleaning up. As I sat down on the Keller's couch to warm Kayna up I looked at the red leather foot-stool and noticed that there was poo in the exact spot that I had my foot resting a moment earlier. Gross. Somehow I stepped in poo on the way from the car to their front door and proceeded to track it into their house!! "Crap", I thought, then chuckled at the pun. "Chris!? I need the can of lysol that you found - there's poop in here!" After cleaning up the poo we decided to head back home. We took a 2 mile walk down Fullwood Lane. On the walk we heard what sounded like a huge tree fall just ahead in the woods. Sure enough, a large old Pine tree had split at the base and fallen to the ground. Very strange. On the way back, we saw flashing lights from a police car and ambulance. While we were walking, a car had driven off the road towards the wooded sidewalk we were on, and stopped just short of the line of trees. Who knows what happend? The driver went completely across both lanes and was facing the opposite way of the oncoming traffic. Strange again. We made it home safely and had a calm afternoon. Whew!
Monday started and Kayna and I headed to the boys' house. I watch 3 boys (1yr - 4yrs) each Monday for a friend. When Kayna had to use the restroom, I helped her get onto the toilet. Noticing that the previous potty-goer didn't flush, I proceeded to flush, as Kayna was getting situated on the seat. The water did not go down. Kayna had to poo and there was no stopping her. "Crap" - I thought, haha, again. When she finished, I hurried off to find a plunger. Upon returning, with plunger in hand, I found their large black lab lapping water out of the toilet!!! OH NO! With his snout covered in nastiness, I got him into the office and closed the door. I found the disinfectant and sprayed it on every drip from the toilet to the office. Somehow the toilet began working and I was able to flush away the remaining nastiness.
Moments later, the youngest boy woke up from his morning nap. Upon entering his room I could instantly tell that he would need a diaper change right away. Boy was I right. There was poo from his chest to his upper back. "Crap" - it wasn't really funny anymore. Poor little guy!! I debated on whether or not to give him a bath. I settled on using about 65 wipes after role-playing in my mind what might happen if one of the children downstairs let the lab out of the office. After we got everything sorted out and sanitized we all enjoyed playing in the backyard, out in the open, fresh air. Of course, Kayna was sure to find some dog poo in the grass... "CRAP!"
3.10.2010
Renovation
In November we decided to take the plunge and rip up our terrible old country-blue carpet and put down hardwoods. We moved in with our gracious friends Taylor and Lacy for what was supposed to be 1 week. I went around Matthews and Charlotte looking for the perfect/best color and wood for our home and by the time I laid out all the samples, we could have just put them together to form our new flooring! We settled on raw hardwood (White Oak Common #2, 4" planks to be exact) and we had it stained a walnut color. Our goals were simple: no red undertones and wider than standard boards. After the floors were installed we decided to paint, to make the house feel more complete and 'us'. That turned into fixing a hole in the ceiling (from the house settling over time), to removing the popcorn from the ceilings, to replacing can lights above the fireplace, to tiling the guest bathroom!!
I've been hesitant to post pictures since we don't have the finishing touches complete yet (new hardware, a rug, i'm dreaming of a pair of vintage upholstered 'club chairs' to go on either side of the fireplace, and we don't have window treatments/accents yet)....but - its so much better than what it was before, I will go ahead and show you the Houston's mini-extreme makeover.
A special thanks to Taylor and Lacy for letting us live with them for 4 weeks (even encompassing Thanksgiving!)!!!
BEFORE (From warm):
AFTER (to cool):
2.26.2010
How to ward off the winter blues...
I've recently noticed that my love for warm weather is a stronger desire than I realized. For the past two weeks, I don't think a day has gone by without me uttering 1 or more of the following words: Beach, sand, palm trees, shorts, bathing suit, summertime, warm weather, water sports, sunshine...and the list goes on. I am trying to be thankful for this season, as we have had 2 wonderful snows that we fully enjoyed, but I'm finding it difficult when the temperature does not get above the 30's during the day with a windchill of 15. Definitely not bathing suit weather!!
Here's a remedy I came up with last week when I had a no-napper on my hands. Its amazing what a little swim at 3 in the afternoon can do to lift your spirits.
Mama and Kayna trying to stay warm to enjoy the first snow!
2.18.2010
Loaded
As i'm preparing my lunch today (leftover potatoes and red lentil curry soup), I am reminded of 3rd grade and my favorite weekly cafeteria lunch experience. I went to a small private school in Florida and Friday's were designated as 'Loaded Baked Potato Day'. I LOVED purchasing my lunch on Friday's, a special treat in my eyes as I mainly brought my lunch to school everyday. I would behold the largest baked potato i'd ever seen, slice it open and slather on butter, sour cream, cheese and...the best part...bacon! I enjoyed every minute of lunch break on those days. I can taste the loaded potato now! Today though, i'll settle for a small amount of butter and some salt and pepper....seeing as I no longer have the metabolism of a 7 year old.
Just for good measure, here's a picture of what I looked like during this time period. Mullet and all. 
2.03.2010
Gasses
So, I had my 7 year old niece over today for a play date with Kayna. I pulled out all the tricks to be a 'cool aunt'. We made cookies, smoothies, a fort, and I even let her try on my old cheerleading uniform. Oh yeah! - Major points there.
Towards the end of our time together she asked why I had a few banana peels stacked on top of a bucket in the kitchen. Before I could even answer her question she said, "do you have a compost?" I told her that I did but that i'm not very diligent at taking the bucket out to the corner of the yard where the actual compost 'house' is. Especially in the snow/ice/rain/and the backed up water from the beaver dam (scroll to older posts for pictures!). Anyways, I was very impressed that she knew about composting - most importantly ;) how the worms eat, digest and poop out good earth. Kayna then asked if there were worms in my bucket that I leave under the sink. A perfectly good question, now thinking back on the fact that she's 2.5 and simply observing our conversation.
All this to say, if you currently do not have a compost, I would highly suggest starting one. Its very simple and a MAJOR benefit is that we're separating natural waste from man-made waste so not as many bad gasses get released into the atmosphere.
Here are some things that you can start composting (from epa.gov):
GOOD
Animal manure
Cardboard rolls
Clean paper
Coffee grounds and filters
Cotton rags
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruits and vegetables
Grass clippings
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings
Leave Out/Reason Why
BAD
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs - Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
Coal or charcoal ash - Might contain substances harmful to plants
Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt) - Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Diseased or insect-ridden plants - Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
Fats, grease, lard, or oils - Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Meat or fish bones and scraps -Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter) - Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides - Might kill beneficial composting organisms
Happy composting!
Towards the end of our time together she asked why I had a few banana peels stacked on top of a bucket in the kitchen. Before I could even answer her question she said, "do you have a compost?" I told her that I did but that i'm not very diligent at taking the bucket out to the corner of the yard where the actual compost 'house' is. Especially in the snow/ice/rain/and the backed up water from the beaver dam (scroll to older posts for pictures!). Anyways, I was very impressed that she knew about composting - most importantly ;) how the worms eat, digest and poop out good earth. Kayna then asked if there were worms in my bucket that I leave under the sink. A perfectly good question, now thinking back on the fact that she's 2.5 and simply observing our conversation.
All this to say, if you currently do not have a compost, I would highly suggest starting one. Its very simple and a MAJOR benefit is that we're separating natural waste from man-made waste so not as many bad gasses get released into the atmosphere.
Here are some things that you can start composting (from epa.gov):
GOOD
Animal manure
Cardboard rolls
Clean paper
Coffee grounds and filters
Cotton rags
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruits and vegetables
Grass clippings
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings
Leave Out/Reason Why
BAD
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs - Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
Coal or charcoal ash - Might contain substances harmful to plants
Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt) - Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Diseased or insect-ridden plants - Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
Fats, grease, lard, or oils - Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Meat or fish bones and scraps -Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter) - Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides - Might kill beneficial composting organisms
Happy composting!
1.28.2010
Baby Steps: Light Green
I just received an email (fwd) from my dad talking about being more mindful of what we purchase in relation to where things are made. The email outlined several common items that we purchase: GE light bulbs, Crest toothpaste, Bounce dryer sheets and Hershey's chocolate. This person just happened to read the labels on these items and saw that they were each made in Mexico, with the exception of the dryer sheets, which were made in Canada. The shopper decided to purchase the less-costly off-brand items that were comparable and those were actually made in the USA. I realize that sometimes there is just no comparison (IE: Hershey's vs. store brand) but for those items that we really don't realize the difference (IE: fragrance free dryer sheets, crushed tomatoes, light bulbs) I'd say its worth putting aside brand-power and picking up the items made here, in the USA. Why not? They're generally less expensive anyways.
Also, another forward came from my sister about getting $100 worth of groceries for $0.25. Here's the link with a clip from the Today Show if you're interested in finding out how:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/34724242#34724242
If you're wondering how the subject ties in, I guess its because I feel like these are very small steps to becoming more conscientious of how we live and effect the world around us. Some people call such a movement "going green". I do not consider myself 'green' but I do care about the resources God gave us and I'm learning to be a better steward....hence, baby steps, and light green.
Also, another forward came from my sister about getting $100 worth of groceries for $0.25. Here's the link with a clip from the Today Show if you're interested in finding out how:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/34724242#34724242
If you're wondering how the subject ties in, I guess its because I feel like these are very small steps to becoming more conscientious of how we live and effect the world around us. Some people call such a movement "going green". I do not consider myself 'green' but I do care about the resources God gave us and I'm learning to be a better steward....hence, baby steps, and light green.
1.15.2010
Happy New Year!
Well, I haven't been great about updating this blog but I'm resolving to not feel guilty. Speaking of resolving...here are a few things I've been thinking about applying to 2010 (in case you were wondering :) ).
1 - To be intentional about family-fun-time/devotionals.
-While we were away on our small group retreat, we left Kayna with a wonderful family (the family who's 3 boys I watch every Monday). Upon returning, Roz (the mom) informed me that Kayna LOVED 'family time'. This is a time where the Brown's gather their kids, sing praise songs (with each child playing an instrument), read a bible story, then each person prays for something/someone. Thursday is usually 'family night' at the Brown's but Kayna had a special request to do it again on Saturday night...so they did. This was an inspiration to me so we implemented our first Houston 'family night' on Wednesday night. Kayna's special request was that both mama and daddy played their guitars! Its been a while, and now that I have tender fingers from strumming 'Hosanna' all night, this blog is truly a sacrifice as I type in pain.
2 - To waste less (mostly food).
- I recently heard a sermon that pointed out several things that the Bible mentions as it points in the direction of the end times. One of the facts (and I'm bound to butcher the exact scripture/reference) states that we will give in to waste and plenty and be frivolous with what we're given. The pastor referenced America's restaurants and their portion sizes and how much good food is wasted and thrown out due to over-indulgence and frivolousness. I was convicted for the lack of accountability I have in my own home and the items I buy, make and throw away the excess. This year, I will resolve to waste less food and be wiser in what I buy and make. Also, I resolve to turn the lights off when they're not needed, and use less water when brushing my teeth or washing the dishes (not compromising the clean factor, of course! :) ).
These are the 2 resolutions I thought I could stick to in 2010. I hope this year is filled with joy, peace and giving hearts as we bring focus back to what's important: Jesus, family and relationships.
What are your resolutions for 2010?
1 - To be intentional about family-fun-time/devotionals.
-While we were away on our small group retreat, we left Kayna with a wonderful family (the family who's 3 boys I watch every Monday). Upon returning, Roz (the mom) informed me that Kayna LOVED 'family time'. This is a time where the Brown's gather their kids, sing praise songs (with each child playing an instrument), read a bible story, then each person prays for something/someone. Thursday is usually 'family night' at the Brown's but Kayna had a special request to do it again on Saturday night...so they did. This was an inspiration to me so we implemented our first Houston 'family night' on Wednesday night. Kayna's special request was that both mama and daddy played their guitars! Its been a while, and now that I have tender fingers from strumming 'Hosanna' all night, this blog is truly a sacrifice as I type in pain.
2 - To waste less (mostly food).
- I recently heard a sermon that pointed out several things that the Bible mentions as it points in the direction of the end times. One of the facts (and I'm bound to butcher the exact scripture/reference) states that we will give in to waste and plenty and be frivolous with what we're given. The pastor referenced America's restaurants and their portion sizes and how much good food is wasted and thrown out due to over-indulgence and frivolousness. I was convicted for the lack of accountability I have in my own home and the items I buy, make and throw away the excess. This year, I will resolve to waste less food and be wiser in what I buy and make. Also, I resolve to turn the lights off when they're not needed, and use less water when brushing my teeth or washing the dishes (not compromising the clean factor, of course! :) ).
These are the 2 resolutions I thought I could stick to in 2010. I hope this year is filled with joy, peace and giving hearts as we bring focus back to what's important: Jesus, family and relationships.
What are your resolutions for 2010?
8.25.2009
Seasons come, seasons go
We have officially entered a new season! Kayna started preschool last week and LOVES it!! She especially likes picking out her clothes (even down to which underwear she's going to wear!). We've also had the privilege of keeping 3 boys ages 4 and under on the off days of preschool. This has been such a joy and Kayna has already begun to blossom as she's been able to socialize with other children 5 days a week...not even including the church nursery on Sundays. Its so fun to see her vocabulary grow each day. She's just about to get into the phase where she'll be saying those hilarious truths you always hear about children saying. Here are a few pictures from her first few days at preschool.
Enjoy!
Second day of school. Just woke up and having some snuggle time with daddy in her new Elmo pajamas.
2nd day of school. She posed like this on her her own after insisting on wearing her "ba-pack!"
Enjoy!
First day of school breakfast! Whole wheat bagel and eggs. Hopefully it held her over until lunch time!
Second day of school. Just woke up and having some snuggle time with daddy in her new Elmo pajamas.2nd day of school. She posed like this on her her own after insisting on wearing her "ba-pack!"I don't know how to rotate pictures on here but I couldn't resist adding this one. She's obviously SO EXCITED to go to school.
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