January Projects

So I’ve had this monster project list for a long time, and honestly I was a bit overwhelmed by it.  So decided to choose a few each month and tackle them, rather than push it aside and never accomplish anything.  Marvin took the older boys to Istanbul a couple weekends ago and I took advantage of some quiet and extra time I had and went to work.

In August I spray painted a few frames white, but they needed some touch ups and after our move I just never finished it.  I needed to go get some prints printed for the frames and managed to get all this done and hung.  I am so glad that they are on the walls and no longer in my craft trunk.  I love that I have a little bit of my Grandma T's art on my wall and I found this pyrex print that reminded me of my other Grandmother.  There have been many times I wished both of them could have stepped foot into my kitchen on this side of the world, since I've treasured the times I've been in theirs.

I’ve had great ambitions to take some sheets I had that were ripped, and create a bed skirts for the boys beds.  I am so thankful that they are out of my project bin and it covers all the suitcases that store clothing that is to be grown into by someone under their beds.

Now what I am most excited about is this bean bag that houses stuffed animals.  It zips so Judah can’t easily dump them all over their room, which has helped keep their room cleaned up significantly.

Lastly, I had some left over batting that was taking up precious storage space so I turned them into a few pillows for the boys.  Micah was pretty excited about his M pillow that he wanted to be sure to be included in the picture.

So it feels good that my to do list now has a few more things scratched off of it.  We'll see what gets crossed off in February.

Christmas 2014

Our December was packed.  The month disappeared before I knew it.

Thankfully our older boys were very excited about decorating for Christmas so I caved in and we put the tree up earlier than I planned.  They were bouncing off the walls.  The loved decorating the tree and put all the ornaments on theirselves.  Of course Judah rearranged most of them, but they did a good job about putting the breakable ones on top.

A friend of ours gave us a chocolate advent calendar this year, so it helped get excited because they were very much looking forward to having a chocolate every day until Christmas.  Thank you so much D&A!

Marvin built a new Jesse Tree.  Our old one got moldy from storing it.  I love the new one, he did a great job.

We had fun going through the stories leading up to the birth of Christ again.  It's always fun to trek through the lineage of Christ seeing how his coming is weaved through scripture.

Christmas day was loaded with Skype calls with family.  The boys enjoyed opening presents.

We had omlets and cinnamon rolls to start the day and I'm pretty sure Judah was the only one who ate a real lunch that day.  Sugar for lunch...I guess it is one of the Elves major food groups.  :)
I made a ham and sweet potatoes for dinner.  Such the perfect Christmas meal...it's so easy...and I'm thankful for the special treats like sweet potatoes, we can sometimes find in a city an 1 1/2 away.

I was able to catch up on some housework and laundry while the boys were entertained with new toys all day, and Marvin was able to relax and watch some football.

We ended the day taking cookies to our neighbors then all went to bed early. We hope your Christmas was filled with lots of special memories.

New Year........New Goals

How is it possible that it is 2015?  Crazy!

I always start the year with lots of goals, lots of ideas of things I want to accomplish.  There is something about starting the year off with a plan.  Last year I felt pretty uncertain of where we would be living it was hard to strategize and create a game plan for the year.  But this year we are looking forward to a year of less travel.

Here are a few of mine..............
I have high language goals set.
Rise early and journal this year.
Continue to exercise throughout this pregnancy...as allowed.
Take more photos of the boys.
Read more to the boys.
Go to the park more often, now that Judah's down to one nap a day! :)
Do weekly art projects with the big boys.
Find a babysitter once a month for a date with my honey.
In July start running again.....and lose baby weight again.
Start memorizing Ephesians.

Here's to a great 2015

Crazy 2014

2014 was just a weird year for our family.

We came back overseas after some time in the states and honestly didn't know if we would be allowed back into the country.  Shortly after returning we were told we had to leave and apply for new visas.
We have spent time in 4 different countries.
Lived in 8 different places.
I have flown on 20 different flights this year, all of them with children.  That number is much higher for Marvin.

So to sum up the year stability has not been a part of it.  I am thankful that the Lord had helped us through lots of uncertainty and that we are still in Nineveh, despite politics between our countries at the moment.

It's been a year of flexibility, a year of making the most out of our opportunities and our days in our current city.  It's been about getting to know lots of new people, being vulnerable and asking deeper questions with friends.  It's been busy, fast paced, and our boys have grown like weeds.

And I can't believe it's already over.  Glad we have a few photos of this crazy year.

New Year's Program

We let Calvin skip school on Christmas day since his break didn't start until the 30th, but he had to return to school on Friday.

His class had been working on their New Year's performance for a while.  Calvin was given the role of a baby bear and had to recite a poem about a baby bear who didn't want to sleep on Christmas day but wanted to celebrate instead.  he did a very good job.

Performing is so embedded in this culture.  Every child had a poem they had to say in front of the class, I guess if you start early stage fright and fear of public speaking is a non issue?!?!  maybe?

His class did a good job, and I am always so impressed at how the teach coordinates all of it.  They even had a group do a special dance they practiced at the beginning.

This year he knew more of the local New Year's characters than I did.  It's fun to hear him talk about them like everyone knows about them.

They had a time where the kids could dance to local music and I was so proud to see him get right in there and do it.  I am so thankful for his school and that they have fun things like local dance class as a part of their education.

Of course the highlight for him was the huge box of candy he got at the end.

Judah at One

yes Judah's been one for a while but I really don't want to forget this season in his life just because I never took time to blog about it.

So at One Year............
You are a sweet little baby Judah.  You love to snuggle, but will fall asleep on your own in your crib.  However I've tried to take soak up each time you've fallen asleep in my arms.

You love your brothers, you love following them around, and you love to jump on them when they are laying down.

You love buttons...computer buttons exactly.......and my cell phone.........and your own belly button.

You are beginning to get very curious and have this onhery look about you.

You love to go on walks outside, and will go to the door when I say the word.  You are pretty facinated by the birds.  I love how the wind makes you squint.

You are very into pointing and if something is very exciting you tend to gasp and say "Oooooo".

Smiling is your favorite and are generally pretty happy and will still let most people hold you if I'm near.

You love cars and balls.

You love to eat, you are crazy about bananas, cheese, noodles, broccoli, zucchini and most fruit.  You do not care at all for meat of any type, milk or rice.

You have 6 teeth.  Weigh in at 22lbs and are such a delight.

Heard around here

Some favorites that the boys have been saying.

One morning as I was waking Calvin up for school, he requested that I delete school that day.  He was very disappointed when I told him I didn’t have the power to do that.

He also had a case of “dia- rita” lately. 

Micah is very interested in “Kung Poo”.  He still can’t say his F’s.

He still cannot say the word banana, but it’s more recognizable than it was when he was 2.  He just likes to shorten it to “Bana”, every now and then he'll catch himself and correctly say banana.

And while Judah isn't saying anything consistently, we have enjoyed his gasps of amazement every time he sees something interesting. It has entertained so many as we've been out and about in town too.

If Micah mentioned something happened yesterday chances are likely that it has happened in the past.  He hasn't quite got that concept yet despite our attempts to explain it to him everyday.

Calvin usually uses the word complicated instead of the word confused.  Sometimes it is complicated...I mean confusing.

Micah was helping me cook the other day and I was making meatballs and had some ground beef, to which he told me looked like dead worms.

These boys keep us entertained....for sure.

When I be 18

So Micah has this obsession with turning 18, he talks about it nonstop.  It is the age when he’s going to be an “old dot” (adult).

Aunt Nat, he loves his new puzzle so much he had to take picture of it!

So I wanted to jot down a few thing he’s going to do when he’s 18….

Teach Judah how to not throw his food on the ground anymore.

Have a ring (wedding ring) like mommy.

Drive a motorcycle (somehow I can actually see this one happening.)

Scary that we only have 14 more years until we get there.  Until then I'll enjoy his fun chatter and mispronounced words.