Preschool Pressure

Luke is almost 3.  Almost meaning 2 more months and my baby is 3.  Many exciting things come with the age three.  Preschool time at the library (as opposed to toddler time) cooking class at the museum, non-parent-involved gymnastics classes.....  And preschool registration.  As I have been researching preschools in our area I am overwhelmed.  I am stressed.  I am anxious at the mere thought - self induced - of standing in line to try and "win" a spot for the class I want.  And as I thought through these things more and more I was overwhelmed with the pressures of preschool.

Among moms there is this underlying sense of pressure.  Expectations.  Longing for right of approval.  Unfortunately I fall guilty of judging or thinking less of others based on their parenting decisions.  And I know that many decisions I have made have brought judgment opon myself.  Cloth diapers?  When did you start solids?  How long did you breast feed?  You gave your child WHAT kind of milk at WHAT age?!  You give your child store bought baby food?  Natural birth vs the alternatives.  You do Babywise (or don't??)?   You let your child sleep with you?  And on. And on. And on.  Spank?  Santa? Elf on th shelf?  Oh you went back to work?  More recently for us - and more piercing, honestly, "What preschool does he go to?"  "Is he going next year?" "Where are you going to try and enroll him?"  "You're thinking of keeping him HOME?!?"  Can I get a a WITNESS?!! Says Peter Rochelle.

And so here I am, confident in decisions I have made (some areas where I feel I should have acted differently, God's grace has already met me there.)in the past with my boys but now there is this.  The decision of preschool or not to preschool is just sitting at my feet.  And I am humbled yet saddened at how much weight I (we) put on what others think.  I want to be passionate about the things Christ was passionate about (which is not cloth diapers or breastfeeding, though they are not bad things and we choose both).  I want to put great weight on the desires of His heart (I can't find sleep schedules in there anywhere...).  I'm not so much interested in making my decisions based on what the national education something or another says I should send my child to preschool for.  I want to listen to the One who is above all. And when I look heavenward I see Christ and His great love for me, his lack of favoritism, always choosing to act justly with love, grace and mercy.   A God who listens to every need, gives freely and hears my pleas for wisdom on how best to love, train and teach Luke at this age.  And most of all.  The freedom in Christ to walk forward with great peace with what is best for our family, according to His word, and this season in this moment.  Which may or may not include me standing in a long line to win the lottery for a 2 day 2 year old preschool class.

So it is with great confidence that I announce.  I am still praying about it.  :).

Tiny Prints. Big Impression.

It's that time of year again: The Christmas card giveaway - but this time it's for me AND you!

Last year we showcased Tiny Prints and it seems they've outdone themselves again.  They just came out with their new Holiday Collection and I must say, it's pretty fabulous.  Whether you're going for traditional, modern, religious to customized they've got you covered with unique designs and top notch quality.  One of my favorite things about Tiny Prints is the ability to narrow down your search by color, style, number of pictures and more.  And what's more?  You can simply tag all of your favorites as your browsing to compare all in one spot.  Genius!

And did I mention customer service??  Last year after I submitted my Christmas card order I received a phone call about half an hour later saying that there was a grammatical error they found.  Then they told me the appropriate grammar and sent me another proof.  To that I say... YES!

I encourage you to check out their special promotions for the Holidays and who knows, maybe YOU will be the lucky winner of the $50 GIVEAWAY!  (Just remember to "like" the facebook post that got you here no later than November 19).

Without much further ado, here are a few of my favorites from this years' collection:

**This is a sponsored post by Tinyprints.com

A Challenge

As recently posted on my reading list, Kisses From Katie is at the top of my list of favorites right now.  With every page I wanted to be there, with her, loving on the babies, feeding the hungry, aiding the sick and needy.  But right now I know my mission is with Billy and it begins at 5:00 each morning with our two little ones.  I know and pray that our mission at home and community is of eternal value.  And I am thankful for the calling.  But while we eat out every other weekend, stop at Starbucks on the way to the library each Tuesday, or buy new shirts just because they're on sale, I can't help but feel a call and challenge to do something for the people there even though we are still here.

Billy and I have felt a responsibility to care for some of these children, though hours and hours away.  There are many ways to do this, with organizations such as Compassion International who offer many different countries and age groups to give to.  Billy chose a child with each of our boy's birth date to start supporting.  Personally, my heart has been drawn to Katie, author of Kisses From Katie, who has started a non-profit organization (Amazima) that is feeding and caring for hundreds of orphans and widows.  She started out just caring for one.  It has turned into over 600 children.  To sponsor a child in Uganda via Amazima ministries is $25/month.  This gives them a fighting chance.  This gives them an education, 3 meals a day, a uniform and school supplies, medical care, and arms to love and disciple them.  When I asked Billy last night where he thought we should give and how much, he asked me how many children need to be sponsored for school and meals through Amazima.  I knew where his mind was going.  He's an all or nothing kind of guy and his heart aches for the orphan and the hungry.  Give big or go home.  I told him the ministry helps over 600 children.  You can do the math.

In case you all were wondering we do not have $15,000 on hand.

Billy's response?  "We don't have $15,000.  You should find a way to get enough people to sponsor 600 children."  I love him.

So this is my challenge.  To overwhelm Amazima Ministries with financial support.  To let them know that here, in North Carolina, we care and we are for what they're doing.  To make sure that those 600 and MORE children are being fed, clothed, and educated.  To help feed the poverty stricken village of Masese, where 1600 orphaned children rely on Amazima's food every week day.  84 people visited my blog today.  I wonder if those 84 would be willing to sacrifice $25/month.  A couple new shirts, a few trips to your favorite restaurant.  Or maybe one trip to your favorite restaurant.  One less outing to the movies.  One less upgrade on your phone or digital cable.  And then I wonder if those 84 would be willing to share this link with their friends.  The average facebook user has 130 friends (that was based on a google search...forgive me if I'm incorrect).  Can you imagine how quickly 600 children would be cared for if we spread the word??  What would it look like to give enough for the ministry to sponsor even more than 600 children?  What would it look like to overwhelm Amazima with enough money to feed Masese each month?  It would look like the hands and feet of Jesus.

For more information please visit the website, Amazima.org; read her book, Kisses From Katie; read her blog, http://www.amazimaministries.blogspot.com.

And please, PLEASE, spread the word.

Week 1 of Real Food = Real Changes

As you may recall, this was our first week of "Real Food" changes.  It's been an adjustment but I would have to say that this week qualifies as a SUCCESS! I used Lisa's free menu/grocery list/recipe list to give us a good starting point.  Please note: she feeds a family of 4 which includes her two daughters.  I don't know how much they eat, but my 2 year old son ate 12 shrimp for the main course of his dinner tonight... 3 courses (as she usually suggests for her meals) do not fill my boys so I added a few all-veggie sides as needed.

I cannot believe that in one month Everett will be ready (if I am...) to begin solids.  SO. MUCH. FOOD.  I digress... 

So, her meal plans (found upon "liking" on her facebook page) included links to everything we needed for the week.   I've linked each recipe so you can try it out yourself!  Here's my personal opinion on some of the things we tried:

Granola - 

We didn't actually try this...  I so wanted to and got everything off of her grocery list but when I got home to look at the recipe I was missing ingredients???  So we didn't get to try it but it's on my list of things to try this week.  With all the ingredients ;)

Whole Wheat Muffins - 

Whole wheat is a shock to us.  It is definitely an "acquired" taste.  I wish I would have used a pastry whole-wheat flour instead of your regular, hearty, whole wheat flour.  I think my muffins were a little tough but I can't wait to try them again.  Here's what I love about them:  Mix in pretty much whatever filling you'd like to make a variety for the week.  THEN, freeze 1/2 of them to keep for another week.  Our varieties included 1) apple butter, 2) strawberry and 3) cinnamon/raisin/walnut.  I think it was a fun mix-up.  The bittersweet thing about making everything home-made with no preservatives is that they don't keep as long.  Good: you know your ingredients are fresh and real.  Bad: they spoil much more quickly.  I made the muffins Sunday and on Wednesday there was one molding next to the muffins we purchased at Kroger 2 weeks earlier that were still perfectly in tact.  Yikes.  Note to self: store them in the fridge for the week.  

(Muffins getting ready to go in the oven)

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes-

I should have known better going into this recipe.  Luke loves bananas but doesn't really like them cooked in anything.  This is also true of these pancakes.  I thought they were really yummy and very filling.  They cooked a little differently but after the first few we had the hang of it.  We even used real maple syrup and while it tasted vastly different than what we were previously using - we looked at the label and it said, "Less than 2% maple syrup."  You can guess what other syrups made up the other 98%......... - we loved the taste.

Vegetarian Fajitas - 

I love the phrase she uses, "Flexitarian," to describe their family's eating habits.  They're not vegetarians but they also don't eat meat every night.  This recipe didn't call for any meat but I had a leftover chicken breast that needed to be used so I threw it in there to add extra protein for the boys.  These were DELISH and actually called for HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS.  Sounds crazy, a little.  But since whole wheat is a little hard to get used to I figured homemade is always better anyways so why not go for it?  The recipe was super easy and Luke loved "helping" me roll out each tortilla.  They were de-lish!  Billy actually liked them as well and we all had plenty to eat.  Winner!

Egg Salad - 

This is your pretty standard egg salad recipe.  Unfortunately Everett's belly still can't handle eggs like this so this was just for Billy's lunches a couple times.  

Jambalaya - 

Again, pretty standard but SO delicious!  I forgot to buy shrimp earlier in the week so I quickly ran out with both babies in tow and picked up some frozen shrimp (big no no in Lisa's challenge) but it worked for us and it was oh so yummy.  It made plenty to freeze and use for another meal.  This is a huge win in my book.  

ICE CREAM!!!!!!-

Excited much?  Coming from the girl who has had to give up her main food group for 12 months, this was beyond the highlight of my week.  Maybe not.  But it is pretty high up there.  As I was browsing on the 100daysofrealfood.com website I stumbled across her recommendation of deliciouslyorganic.com who HAPPENED to have a recipe on the front page of the website for DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM.  Hot diggity dog!  You better believe I went out that day and picked up all (FOUR) ingredients to make this.  And boy did it deliver.  SO easy to make, only 4 ingredients and heaaaaaaavenly.  

Power Balls -

I have been racking my brain to try and come up with a more delicious name for these delightful treats but I'm not much for creativity with words.  Again, another incredibly easy recipe with only 5 ingredients and took maybe 20 minutes to whip up.  We rolled ours in coconut and they were like eating a Mound or Almond Joy.  Yummmmmm-oooo.  

Finally, a review of my favorite books!

 ***UPDATED*** (I forgot one!)
I'm finally sitting down to do a quick "review" of several books that have captured my attention lately.  Er, more like in the past year and 3 months from when I set a goal to read a book a month.  Remember the whole organization notebook, new years goals, etc from January 1, 2011?  I still have my notebook that contains my finances and coupons, plus a few craft/cooking ideas and Moms Sew Sassy receipts.  I did not read a book a month, I do not do a monthly menu plan and I do not keep a section for school/toddler ideas nor do I make additions to the gardening section.  But I'm ok with that.  Right now I have time to get things done, not write or plan to get things done.  ANYWAYS, the point of this post: Book Reviews.  Keep reading to find out my two favorite books of the year-ish. :)


The Help
So. Good.  Billy and I got away on a little "baby-moon" back in September to San Francisco.  I was flying by myself to meet Billy there while he was away on business so I picked up The Help and never put it down.  I started reading it on the way there and finished it on our flight home.  I have a thing for books written about real life, especially down South.  Such a fun read.  I think the book was better than the movie, but both were fabulous.

Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson
When Luke hit 15 months I found myself dumfounded.  He was rough.  He was dirty.  He was distracted.  He was wild.  He is a boy.  And I am a girl.  We were constantly on the go from one thing to the next and while I loved exploring that season with him, I was really having a hard time understanding HIM.  It was most obvious in situations when we would play with little girls.  IE: give Luke a piece of paper and give his little girl friend a piece of paper.  Luke's paper is completely covered in markings and ripped in two within 3 minutes and the little girl is still coloring just a small corner of the paper.  OR at the pool, little girl is sitting on the top step of the pool pouring and dumping gently and carefully while Luke is trying to run and jump in at any given moment despite his inability to swim (disclaimer: I realize not all children are like this but this was my experience during this season).  This book spoke to the many different wirings of boys and I'm thankful for Dr. Dobson's insight into their emotional, mental and physical capacity.  It helped me understand how my little one could/couldn't focus, could/couldn't hear, could/couldn't sit still, etc.  It gave helpful ideas on how to work around the way he was and is wired.  I'm not in agreement with the book in totality but this was a HUGE help as we ventured into learning how to teach Luke in a way that he understood.

Fearlessly Feminine by Jani Ortland
SO GOOD.  This book defined biblically - not what people suppose is biblical - but truly defined biblical womanhood and the power and mission God has given us.  As the review online states, "it tackles many sensitive subjects such as submission and materialism, feminism and beauty, motherhood and marriage..." And I liked that.  I like tackling the sensitive issues.  I want to know.  Some issues I've not known where I stand because I don't know where the Bible stands.  But this book was helpful in teaching me and breaking molds that I found in my own life don't line up with the things God is passionate about.  For the woman who has a more feminist disposition regarding women in the image of God, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by this book.

Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick
I've read several "parenting" books but this is so far my very favorite.  The subtitle reads: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus.  YES PLEASE.  This book totally opened my eyes and heart to God's grace in my own life and how my goal as a mother is for my babies to experience and understand the magnitude and depth of God's never-ending love and grace for them.  Yes I want obedient children and yes I want them to be respectful...but most of all, I want my children to know JESUS.  I want them to KNOW know KNOW Him to the depths of their being.  I want my heart and attitude to reflect the character of Christ and so often my response is out of frustration or an agenda of my own.  I was convicted by how little glory I give to the Lord when parenting my babies when their is a "win."  When I see God at work in their heart, the praise goes to Him not my abilities.  I was so humbled reading this book and so thankful that it wasn't just another book on how to make your kids listen and obey, but how to truly dazzle them with the love of Jesus!!

Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman
So this is a practical book with practical examples and scenarios of teaching your children the blessing of submitting and obeying right away...without counting to three :)  I loved her sense of humor and humility while writing out her own life experiences with her children.  She also offers several printable tools online and in the back of her book which I've found profitable to help me remember appropriate responses or ways to handle certain situations.  Granted, Luke is only two so our conversations aren't nearly as long as some of her examples but you get the idea...

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
I read this in seminary for my counseling courses but children were not in the near future at the time ;)  I'm currently in the process of re-reading it and it is just as good the third time around.  The biggest take away for me has been defining obedience: "Without challenge, without delay and without excuse."  It is all about appealing to their hearts instead of just behavior modification.  I want to guide my boys' hearts to the feet of Jesus, to live a life submissive to Him and so I appreciate this book's instruction and guidance for parents.

As for my favorites.....  the runner up is.....

Orphanology by Tony Merida
After hearing Tony Merida speak at our church, Southbridge Fellowship (ps-probably the best sermon I've ever heard in my life), I couldn't wait to read his book.  Hearing his heart for adoption and how their family has walked through it multiple times was inspiring and intriguing to say the least.  I wanted to know more. I've always known that adoption is at the very core of the gospel but hearing him speak and seeing the pictures really made it real to me.  So, I picked up the book on Monday and didn't put it down until Friday when I finished it.  I can't write words that really speak to how wonderful this book is, but if you are considering adoption, curious about adoption, want to read amazing stories about adoptions, or want to know how much God cares about adoption, then you need to read this book.


And...my very very VERY favorite book so far - and maybe ever - is......

KISSES FROM KATIE.
You need to read it.  Now.
This is a story of a young girl, a year younger than myself, who is currently living in Uganda and has 12 (GASP!) legally adopted little girls.  She has culturally gone above and beyond what anyone could think or imagine.  She has learned medicine.  She has learned motherhood.  She has learned non-profit organization.  She has learned heartache.  She has learned sacrifice.  She has learned death.  She has learned what is at the heart of Jesus: Caring for the widows and orphans.  The stories she shares make you feel like you are there walking with her on the dusty roads.  The excerpts from her journal entries make you want to cry tears of joy, sorrow, laughter and praise.  With every word that was written I felt like my heart drew closer to the Lord and gave me a deep fire and passion to take God's word seriously.  I cannot do this book justice by writing about it.  Please go buy it and read it and bask in the amazing testimonies of God and what He is doing through one girl who is living on mission in Uganda.

Real Foods = Major Changes

While my sister-in-law was recently in town with our adorable and ever-so-edible niece, Addi, she mentioned a blog that a friend mentioned to her.. 100daysofrealfood.com. It is based on the idea of eating without any - as in none, zero, nil, ANY - preservatives. 100% all natural and all good for you food. I've often been intrigued and very interested in this but the time it takes to rethink a menu, find appropriate recipes that are "allowed" and shop at multiple stores when necessary was daunting enough with one child. But thanks to Lisa, most of the leg-work is complete as her website and facebook page offer [free] menus, shopping lists complete with prices from Trader Joes/Whole Foods/Earthfare, and printable recipes. After browsing around and seeing if this was even possible with our budget and my time we've decided to take the plunge! We've made a few modifications to fit our lifestyle right now as we gradually transition to a healthier kitchen. Here's how we're approaching it:

1. I'm not getting rid of any previously bought processed/not-all-natural/not-organic goods. I can't justify the waste and we are just thankful for food in the pantry and refrigerator!

2. We aren't following her meal plan 100%. I'm using the meal suggestions and planning/preparing accordingly but hey if Luke doesn't like egg salad, no big deal. And if Billy prefers carrot sticks over celery sticks that's fine by me.

3. Her weekly budget is high for our needs. SO, we buy the most important things first and work around what fits in our grocery budget on a monthly basis. And as stated above, if I already have an ingredient in the house that doesn't fit her "criteria," I'm using it up before I purchase anything new.

4. We are not doing a "100 day challenge." We are slowly modifying our complete diet as we are able and are willing to make an exception here or there to eat out or splurge on a special treat. My hope is that within 6 months we are out of the main processed foods in our house and relying on what's in season and more natural alternatives, such as honey for sugar, whole wheat flour instead of white flour, etc.

This week we did our shopping on Saturday (the farmer's market and grocery shopping is so much more pleasant when my husband tags along!) and are only on day 2 of this "food makeover." I'll be sure to give an update at the end of the week to share how we're making this work. For now, run over to 100daysofrealfood.com and check it out for yourself. So worth it!

Busy Hands

A dear friend, mentor and mom of 3 boys once told me that if you can't keep their hands and mouths busy they'll get themselves in trouble. TRUTH. Trouble in our home = mass destruction. Luke uses the term "wild" or "silly." I would lean towards the side of tornadic activity. Luke does not stop moving. Ever. So when there is down time - ie, nursing Everett, unloading groceries, answering a phone call - this is usually Luke's que to derail and destruct. He just gets so antsy and energetic that without a specific task at hand things get out of control very quickly. Insert one of my favorite blogs, 1+1+1, here.

This mom has created a phenomenal resource for activities in the home. She homeschools, and while we are not homeschooling or putting Luke in pre school right now, there are fantastic (and FREE) resources that go on forever. I've created a drawer that contains several of these along with other intentional activities and hand-occupiers for the moments when I see Luke on the verge of being "wild" or "silly" and we can't make it outside. Since they're things that aren't always out in the open he enjoys the newness each time we pull them out. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Sorting the Easter eggs-

I laminated them (see previous paragraph about destruction..) so he just dumps out the bag and puts takes a loooooooong time putting them in the appropriate basket. Or sometimes just looks at each one and talks about the colors and patterns.

His "Cool Book" - he forgets the "S" on "School" ...

THIS is probably my favorite. Again, 1+1+1 came up with all the work by creating FREE printables for each letter and number, and all I had to do was print, stuff into sheet protectors and insert into a three ring binder. I found some washable dry erase markers so the fun keeps going and going. This was a huge help on our car ride to and from Washington, D.C. Not only did Luke have a blast looking through and coloring the different pages, he had even more fun taking baby wipes and wiping down every. single. page. And then coloring again.

Toddler Scissors

Luke thinks he's big stuff when he gets to use scissors. So I let him sit down with many sheets of paper and he goes to town. I don't care much about the mess because he also loves to take things to the trash when he's finished. It's a win win for both of us.

Songs & Hand Motions

When Luke gets impatient or irritable I can usually get him to sit down & focus to sing a few songs. Throw in some hand motions and this kid is tied up for a good 30 minutes. This is helpful if we're walking through the grocery store and he's getting impatient or if I'm feeding Everett and he wants to sit with us.

Sign Language

Y'all are going to think I'm crazy. BUT. Last week while we were on the Metro in DC Luke was getting VERY impatient and irritable. Since eating and drinking is a crime on the metro (ie: subject to a fine or jail) & I didn't pack anything for him to play with in the diaper bag, I randomly had him try to make letters with his hands. DISCLAIMER: I think the only sign language I ever learned was in 4th grade and all it included was the alphabet. I have no idea why this came to mind, but I'm so thankful it did! Billy helped him with his hands while I showed him with my own hands and he loved it! Crisis averted.

STICKERS

We have a huge bin of stickers that I pull out for him and he is free to use as many as he'd like on the paper. He's very generous with the stickering...

Please tell me - what are YOUR suggestions for keeping little hands busy???

What's in there? Nuffin...He is risen!

We had a great day celebrating the Resurrection with family on both sides. Lots of food & Luke's first real egg hunt. The end of the day ended with an over-tired, over-sugared, over-stimulated 2 year old. This moment, however, makes me smile :)

2 kids, 2 beds, 2 adults and 1 hotel room

This week we were excited to tag along with Billy to the nation's capitol while attended and spoke at a conference just outside the city. It was a quick trip and I was a little anxious about traveling with both kids, not to mention all of us sharing one tiny hotel room..but I'm so glad we did!

Thanks to a double stroller, child-friendly public transportation & beautiful weather we had ourselves a fun little mini-vacation. And there happened to be a Starbucks connected to our hotel which didn't hurt at all ;)

On the first day Luke, Everett & I hopped on the metro and went to the Museum of Natural History which Luke loved. His threshold for things like this is about an hour so we stayed put on the first floor and looked at all the mammals in various regions. It was very crowded but very cool. We walked around outside for a bit and stopped at a local vendor to pick up a hot dog lunch to enjoy on the National Mall. The weather was perfect and I just so happened to have a picnic blanket with us so we sat outside and enjoyed a relaxing lunch just the 3 of us. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Union Station to pick up a few "treats" for daddy and Luke to share when Billy was finished with work. Luke loved picking out cupcakes - M&M ones of course - and talked about sharing them with daddy for the next 5 hours. Day two involved another trip on the metro to the Woodley Park Zoo. I must say I was a little disappointed but Luke enjoyed being outside and seeing a few animals. Several exhibits were indoors and would not allow strollers and of the outdoor exhibits there were only 4 that actually had animals in them. I can't complain too much, since it was free, but I think we'll stick to the Asheboro Zoo in North Carolina. On the way back to the metro from the zoo we saw OBAMA and his motorcade!!! I couldn't believe it and I thought it might be a fluke but sure enough, I checked online and he was exactly where we saw him earlier in the day. Crazy. Each day we made it back to the hotel around 2:00 just in time for both boys to take a nap and somehow, both of my boys slept for a good 2 hours. I have no idea how this happened, and I now realize that our 2 year old has been fooling us into thinking that he is a picky sleeper. We were all in one room, Everett crying some and Luke able to see all that was going on around him yet he managed to go to sleep wonderfully both for naps and bedtime. I'm amazed. For the down time we had in the hotel I brought things from home that I knew would occupy Luke for large (20 minutes or so) chunks of time... such as children's scissors and paper (this boy loves to cut), his "school book" - I'll post about this another day, his preschool leap pad with a few of his favorite books, and an easter egg game I made for him a few weeks ago. Thankfully he didn't get too restless while we were there and we all thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Unfortunately Billy had to work the entire time but I'm thankful he brought us with him. It was nice spending time with him in the evenings instead of at home by ourselves. Thanks for having us, babe :)

Here are a few snap shots from our trip!

This was Everett for 95% of the trip.

The boys in front the Washington Monument

Waiting to get into the Smithsonian

Last year he loved the pool. This year? Not so much.

Everett was all smiles on the way home!

A life without butter & chocolate

It might be no big deal to some. But growing up with a family of great cooks - er - great southern cooks - a day without butter and/or chocolate is a day not worth eating in my book. I'm sure my mom is laughing right now, thinking about my chocolate obsession, but seeing how many treats and M&M's she brings to Luke each week, it's no wonder I have a sweet tooth... love you, mom :)

So, as we have recently learned, Everett is not only allergic to dairy but also eggs. All things dairy, not just lactose. And anything and everything that contains the slightest amount of eggs. I want to continue nursing right now so this has meant a huge change in my diet. I think I'm too busy with my wild two year old to cry about it, but it has been quite the adjustment to say the least. I'm the girl that would eat butter plain. Plain as in...by itself. I used to request mayonnaise sandwiches as a child. And chocolate? Considered a main course in my book. So I have learned what I can and can't eat and have found many things to be quite helpful lately. For the most part I stick to meat and produce, but here are a few of my latest finds that have helped tremendously with this whole "dairy/egg" free business.

1. Oreos are considered vegan. I'm not sure what's in them exactly, but I eat them by the sleeve. This is not a joke.

2. Starbucks just became worth the price of their drinks. Soy options all around make the rainy, tired days a little bit brighter.

3. P.F. Changs has it figured out. You simply tell your server which allergies you have and they type it into their computer, and voila! A complete printable list that they bring you to your table of all the menu options that are safe JUST. FOR. YOU.

4. Whole Foods is the best place to go for those with allergies. I'm amazed at the mayonnaise, cheese, chocolate options that don't contain eggs or milk. I don't understand how it works, but I'll take it.

5. If I continue to buy the dairy free chocolate bars we may never be able to buy another house. They are expeeeensive.

6. There is also such thing as dairy free ice cream. Something about soy and coconut milk, but oh my it's delicious. And when sister hasn't had any ice cream in over a month, this is the best darn ice cream you could ever imagine. See number 5 for the reason why we do not purchase this on a regular basis.

7. As I'm writing this I'm realizing that our grocery budget has more than likely gone up significantly based on the stores and products that are available to those with allergies.

8. Always plan ahead. We recently took a trip to DC and while we were out and about there were very few options of things for me to eat on the go. Luna Bars are my new best friend.

9. Pinterest (although I'm still confused about this ... how is this different from just google searching???) has GREAT resources and substitution lists for baking and cooking without dairy and eggs. It's amazing how many things can be used to substitute milk, butter & eggs to get the same-ish result.

So, life goes on and tonight's dinner involves lots of meat and vegetables :)

My baby is TWO

My baby turned TWO on February 9. My BABY! I think I've become more sensitive since Everett has been born, hormones maybe ;) But I when I look at Everett and see how little Luke once was and how much he's grown I just can't believe it. We had a great time celebrating his birthday with a day just for Luke. We think his love language is quality time so we had just that - a day full of quality time just for Luke! Billy had been traveling all week so Luke's first surprise was to wake up to a big breakfast with his most favorite person, daddy. It was a feast of his favorites - blueberry pancakes, sausage & orange juice. For lunch we met up with his Gigi & Big D at another favorite, Chik Fil A. The staff made it extra special and brought out a balloon and ice cream with a candle ... yet another reason why we love Chik Fil A. After nap time we let him open his present from us which was a tricycle, so we of course spent the entire afternoon outside. That night we had Nana and Papa & a close friend over for supper: pizza & fruit salad topped with the cake he so preciously (is that a word) asked for: Chocolate with M&M's and orange frosting on top. I'll blame the lop-sidedness of the cake on the narcotics & sleep deprivation due to the c-section a week earlier ;)

So our sweet Luke.... He is full of life. And he takes in every bit of life as well. He is an observer, not quite the life of the party. He absorbs everything and takes a while to warm up to anyone or anything new. Quite sensitive, actually. He is a child of repetition and tradition. If you do something one way one time then that's what he expects from now until forever. His memory is amazing/scary. His sense of direction as well - the fact that he can tell us which way is "this" and what's coming next on a certain road is unbelievable. He loves music and instruments, especially on Sunday mornings. It's recently become our bribing tool for getting him to go to Sunday School - he gets to come and worship with the guitars and drums and Mr. Jad afterwards. He absolutely adores each one of his grandparents. They each share a unique and special bond with him which he loves. He is our quality time child. To sit down and read a book with him or lay on the floor to play a game fills his little heart right up. His affection for his daddy can compare to no one. He is still not much of a snuggler unless, of course, he is with daddy. He is very vocal and verbal and once he gets going he doesn't stop. He loves to speak of himself, such as, "Good job, Luke" or "Dat's right, Luke" or "Luke doin it dis way." He is also the master of trying to negotiate... two more of this, one more of this, do it this way, other one, etc. It can be funny at times but we are trying to teach him that he is not in authority around here... hah! He loves to learn and explore. He is very hands on and loves to play "games" or have craft time. He brings so much laughter and amusement to our lives. We are so thankful for our spunky, energetic and sensitive Luke. Here's a few of Luke's favorites at age TWO!

Favorite Person:

Daddy, of course.

Favorite Foods:

hot dogs or sausage

Chikfila nuggets

broccoli

zucchini

blueberry and raspberry greek yogurt

chicken

shredded cheese (but not cubed or sticks..)

cashews

peaches, blueberries, apples, pears, kiwis...any fruit is a win

Any and all sweets - mostly M&M's

Favorite Activities:

ANYTHING outdoors

T Ball

Reading books together, not by himself

Going to the library for craft and story time

COOKING - the boy loves to be in the kitchen with me or outside grilling with daddy

Digging holes

Drawing circles. It's kind of his obsession right now.

Any art projects or coloring

Favorite Music:

The Wiggles, Hot Potato - All. Day. Long.

Most worship music...anything with a Hallelujah, glory, great or praise gets him a little excited.

Favorite Things:

Firetrucks, ambulances, police cars

Trains, especially the one you can ride at Pullen Park

Ducks and geese

Elmo's World

Favorite Sayings - things HE says that I LOVE:

Any sentence he speaks of himself using "Luke"

"Hot diggy dog!"

"Good job, mommy!"

"Hey little buddy, Everett!"

"Whoa der, tiger"

"Glory to GOD"

And here are a few of my favorite pictures... insert mommy tears here ;)

2 week old

6 Months

1 Year Old!

18 Months

And here is he is, all big and TWO!!!

So...What's it Like...

They say when you get married you realize how selfish you are. And then you have a baby and you realize even more how much of your life is - or was - all about you. And then you go and have another baby.......... (and all you mom's of more than 2 children are laughing right now).

Billy and I have decided that if you wake up each morning expecting and knowing that this day is in no way about yourself, then you're good to go. Which is funny because that's the entire premise of the gospel anyways. I thought I was already more about others than myself. However, the Lord is still in the process of doing a work in me and He is not finished yet, thank goodness. And thank goodness His mercies are new each morning! So after taking me 4 weeks to understand that really my job is to serve my King by serving my family and putting myself last (taken to a whole new level now..), the question "What's it Like?" is much easier to answer and I am no longer staring like a deer in headlights. It is busy. The things that I thought would be hard aren't as hard and the things I didn't really think through have proven to be a bit more difficult. Everett is precious. And seeing Luke as a big brother is also precious and wonderful. And then seeing my two little boys with my handsome husband ... be still my heart. I am in love with how God has shaped my family right now. But the day to day - let's be honest - life with two is tiring. I am constantly needed by the husband, the children or the dog. I rarely sit down to eat, and when I do it is quickly interrupted by my littlest one. Most meals or beverages I prepare for myself I find later in the day untouched and cold remembering that I was supposed to eat at some point. It is inevitable that the minute my body lays in my bed sweet Everett wakes up. Some mornings I wake up feeling like I have nothing in me to give after a night of no sleep. BUT. God, in all His goodness has given me joy in those moments (er...my husband would probably beg to differ that I have joy at 3 am....truth.). He gives me laughter with my husband at 5 am as we wonder how on earth we're supposed to function on this day. He gives me snuggles with my Luke and conversations with him that keep me giggling and amazed as we go about our day. He gives me glimpses of Himself as He sustains me in my weariest moments. And I am continually reminded that in all the tired, in all the mess, in all the "being needed" He. Is. My. Portion. In those moments of frustration, impatience and irritability, I see my need for a Savior. And because He loves me I can love my family. Because He sustains me I am able to meet their needs. I am able to give more because of the sacrifice my King gave for me. I am able to give grace because of the grace He has given me. I don't want to ever forget my sinful state or think that I've got it all figured out...so I am thankful that through my husband and through my children God is continuing a work in me. So the gift of my family is just that. A gift. Tiring? Absolutely. Draining? At times. But most definitely worth it.

Everett Liam Grimme

Well...he is here :)

Our bundle of squishy edible goodness was born on January 30 at 7:42 pm. He weighed 7 lbs 13 ounces and 21 1/2 inches in length.

Everett was born after a long night and day full of waiting waiting waiting! Going into the induction we knew it could result in a c-section and were praying that regardless of how Everett made his debut, it would be uneventful and all would be healthy. We are so thankful for how the Lord took care of us. We began the induction on Sunday night, started petocin first thing Monday morning and after rapid progression, my water breaking and making it to 10 cm by 1:00 the nurses brought everything in for Everett anticipating his birth by about 3:o0. We learned quickly that Everett was proving to be just as stubborn as his sweet brother Luke :) Our long and lean little boy kept his hands by his face and decided to do a little twisting as he dropped so the likelihood of him coming out without any trauma to he or myself was very slim. He handled the 2 hours of pushing and waiting very well, and as we talked through everything with our Dr's the Lord made it very clear that a c-section was "our only option." So, at 7:42 our sweet Everett arrived and by 9:00 we were all together and settled in our room!

Monday marks 4 weeks and I am finally feeling like I've come out of a deep fog. For those of you who visited or talked with me in the first two weeks, I'm so sorry for anything absurd that came out of my mouth... Or if I didn't say anything at all...

A little about our littlest: He is very different than Luke. And we love it. And Luke loves him. Lots of love going on. He is a snuggler. The more blankets and body heat the better. In fact, I really think that if Billy would let Everett sleep on him all day, the child would not wake up to eat. We are also pretty confident he is allergic to dairy right now. Since cutting all dairy out of my diet he is so much more comfortable and much more predictable. He is very tan like Billy's side of the family but has my family's facial features. He is incredibly long (shocker.).

We are smitten with the boys the Lord has given us. We are exhausted...but oh so. in. love.

4 Days and counting...

Just 4 more days until we meet our sweet Everett! I wish I knew his full name but a few weeks ago Billy decided he didn't like William anymore so we are tossing around a few other ideas. As you may recall with Luke it took Billy FOREVER to find a name that I suggested and he loved. Finally a couple days before Luke was born I called him at work and this was our conversation:

Lily - "I'm at the craft store and need to buy letters for his room. Pick a first name."

Billy -"Lucas"

Lily - "Ok, middle name options are Manning or Michael. Go."

Billy - "Michael."

Lily - "Awesome, see you tonight!"

So...who knows, maybe we'll decide when we see him :)

Ok, back to 4 more days!! This week every day has been our "last day" before we are a family of 4. Today is our last Thursday which means the last time I clean house and do laundry for only 3 of us. Tomorrow is our last play date with friends before I try and get out of the house with 2 kiddos. Last night Billy and I went out to dinner and it was our last date leaving just 1 kid behind! So crazy to think about but as Billy and I often chat before falling asleep we are just so excited to see the joy this baby brings to our family!! Luke is a delight. He is exhausting and full of energy, and lately full of naughty. But oh my gracious we love it. We are constantly laughing together and seeing life through the eyes of our precious almost-two-year-old. Don't get me wrong. It is straight up crazy-town most days when you walk through our front door. And some nights I am in tears confessing to my husband how I totally bombed the day... But it's a good crazy. A learning crazy...a growing crazy... And in 4 days we will be adding another kind of crazy to the mix :)

A quick update from the Dr - I'm making some progress surprisingly, but this baby is still holding onto my tonsils. In fact, yesterday at my appointment my precious Dr. looked at me while feeling my belly and said, "He's so high that I am holding his head in one hand and his bottom in the other." It's true. She was. But she said from holding him like that he's definitely not as big as Luke. So we are winning there. I go back again tomorrow to see if there's any more progress before we decide about going in on Sunday night versus Monday morning. Personally I just want to get this show on the road and go ahead in on Sunday night but who knows, maybe I will go into labor! But probably not.

This week I've been anxious, wondering through all the "what-if's." I have lost a lot of sleep thinking about the terrible, unable to focus on the promises of God. On Tuesday night out of desperation for sleep I asked Billy to pray over me before we turned the lights out. One thing he prayed for specifically was for the Lord to give me dreams of our little baby boy, that I would find comfort knowing that He has already gone before us and knows the special day and time for this baby. I woke up so refreshed after a full night's sleep AND a sweet sweet dream of our big, but to us seeming so tiny, baby that in my dream had already been born. Thank you, Lord!! What a gift!

God has given me many promises through his Word. While we do not know what will happen, He does. And he will carry us through whatever happens, just like He always has. I invite you to pray with us over the coming days. For my anxiety, for a healthy and uneventful delivery for Everett and I, and for a sweet transition into our new life of 4.

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13

"It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8

The Pros of Having [another] Big Baby

1. More to squish and cuddle.

2. Big babies are generally less lazy eaters.

3. Big babies (from my limited experience) love their nighttime sleep.

4. He will be able to fit into all of Luke's baby clothes, and might actually be able to wear newborn size for longer than 1 week.

5. By the time he is born his total weight alone will be 1/3 of my total weight gained. Yay for fitting into my clothes a little more quickly.

6. He will be able to wear cloth diapers pretty quickly.

7. He will not feel out of place among his big brother, big dog, and big father.

8. Did I mention more to squish and cuddle? :D

What can I say. We make big babies.

I'm not sure what I was expecting this time. Actually, I do. I was expecting many things. That by counting my calories, watching the scale, staying active (as if there's an option when raising a two year old) and walking two miles on a regular basis I would have a smaller baby. Not only would I have a smaller baby, that I would actually go into labor with my smaller baby. And early, of course. This time around I consumed less - and healthier - calories (With the exception of a few pepperidge farm 3 layer chocolate cakes ...). I watched the scale very carefully each week. I was and am extremely active with my sweet boys. And I am still at 37.5 weeks pregnant vigorously walking a solid 2+ miles multiple times a week. And let me tell you folks - our baby is not smaller; It is very unlikely that I will go into labor; and early is laughable.

At 28 weeks we knew he was in the 66 percentile, which on a bell curve really isn't that bad or big. My belly has measured appropriately and my weight has been glamorous considered to the gluttony with Luke. At this past appointment I was hoping for huge things - a shrimp on the ultrasound screen, more dilation, that he dropped - I was trying to convince myself that surely she would do an exam and send us on over to the hospital. But let's be honest, deep down I knew this wouldn't be the case. I was so hoping for different results but really in my heart I was prepared for what she would say. At 37 weeks our sweet one is measuring at 39 weeks. I'm chuckling as I write this. On the ultrasound screen he measures at 7 lbs 9 oz but both the ultrasound tech and the dr. are giving us a more realistic estimate of 7 lbs 14 oz. Sweet of them :) My cervix - is that weird to talk about? - is still far back and hasn't shown any signs of being ready give up Everett. Everett is still high, minus 2 station. And Lord have mercy, this little boy's cheeks are CHUBBY! I'm so ready to snuggle on him!

I was frustrated and annoyed. Very disappointed, but unsure of why exactly. We have been praying for a healthy baby boy, right? He is indeed very very healthy. After taking some time to process what this means for delivery I finally figured out what has and is frustrating me the most. We have to decide his birthday. January 30 being an induction or February 1 being a c-section. I don't want to decide. I want to surrender this and say, Lord bring him into this world when you want! But at the end of the day, we still have to decide between these two dates. We have to look at all the options, all the risks associated with the two, all the risks that can be eliminated with the two, the recovery options, and then choose his birthday. And. I. Hate. It. My mind reels with the "what if's" not because I think of what could happen, but because I think of what did happen. And with every "what if" there is an explanation of how this could and more than likely will go differently. So then I'm just back to having to choose between the two. After processing all of the above and praying fervently for clarity we've decided on inducing at 39 weeks, which is January 30. We feel very confident in our Dr's recommendation and we are excited to meet him so soon. Luke has big plans for baby Everett. So far they include giving him his lovey, showing him his Curious Buddies DVD, helping rock his car seat if he is crying and showing him library time with Miss Martha. He also talks about playing rough with Everett and giving him bubble bellies.

Choosing love.

So this post was going to start out drastically different. "Getting ready for baby." Which may or may not have included a passive aggressive form of venting; Built up frustration over the little things in life, words that hurt, things that have pushed me a little over the edge while big, hormonal and pregnant and getting things ready for our sweet new baby. And while getting my uglies out to my husband the other night and letting him know just how mad I was (not at him) and how I genuinely didn't know how to handle the things and people I was hurt by, I was quite perturbed by his oh-so-holy answer. So much so I think I rolled over, closed my eyes and went to sleep while he was telling me the appropriate response. I wish I was kidding. Insert shout out to awesome-patient-forgiving-husband here.

And as He usually does, God spoke to my heart this afternoon and it's just too good not to share. I could go on and on about our baby boy Everett and how we're ready for him to come. But this, this treasure from the Word, is far more satisfying to our hungry souls than ooh's and ahh's over some free fabric I turned into a bassinet skirt and the reasons why we named our baby Everett.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 3:12-17

So. My response has to be love, right? I choose compassion. I choose kindness and pray humility over my proud and ugly heart. And I pray that the Lord would help me to put on and clothe myself in love. I am bearing the name of Jesus so whatever I do, despite what has been said or so minimally done to me, I must. choose. love.

25 Days of Christmas

This season has truly been a blessed one. Tiring at times, and very different trying to "get it all done" with an almost 2 year old at my feet, but so so sweet. Billy and I wanted to be very strategic and intentional with Christmas in our home. Starting new traditions, continuing old ones, but most of all making much of Jesus - it is, after all, his birthday. After browsing multiple blogs and attempting to browse pinterest I decided I wanted to make an advent calendar that served many purposes. The first purpose was to share the nativity story and make it a part of each day in December. I also wanted to make one that had a little something "special" for the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Not a gift, necessarily, but a family or "mommy & me" activity. And the third purpose was to just create a new tradition to be brought out each December 1 we have together in years to come. Luke absolutely loved it; He learned the story of Jesus' birth and memorized Luke 2:10-11 and soaked up all the newness surrounding Christmas. He loved getting to pick a card each day and hang an ornament on the little tree. In fact, he now picks up any and all receipts/pieces of paper/business cards and proudly "reads" a fun activity to us...ie: "ooooh...says, make rudolph cookies!!!"

**Disclaimer: while each pocket had a fun activity our days often changed (along with my energy/patience) so sometimes our activity got switched around or just plain looked over.** Also, the activities for each day were sometimes very simple (such as decorate the Christmas tree, put Christmas stickers on windows, help wrap Christmas presents, eat popcorn & watch a Christmas movie...) while others were more complex on days that I knew we'd have more time (make cinnamon ornaments, make Christmas cookies, paint a handprint Christmas tree, etc). So, here are a few pictures of my hand-made felt Advent Calendar and a few snapshots of our fun days leading up to Christmas. Had I decided to start this before November 27 it probably would have turned out a little differently. But hey, I seem to be a bit in love with change so maybe I'll make a new one in the year(s) to come ;)

Our little calendar, with a special felt "ornament" & activity for each day

Day 1 & 2 were a little lame - 1) buy & 2) decorate our Christmas tree ;)

A few of our crafts from the calendar... handprint Christmas tree, ornaments, paper plate rudolph, and sponge paint clothes-pin Christmas wreath

Gingerbread House making

Christmas Movie & Popcorn

Making Cinnamon dough ornaments... in which we learned Luke is allergic to raw cinnamon.

Christmas cookies!