Alone?

So we are going to Arizona in a few weeks and I've been preparing ahead of time.


Yeah, I've been thinking about the food. And I've been thinking about things we need for the 5th wheel. No, haven't been packing. No, haven't cleaned the 5th wheel. No, haven't actually put our time into the vacation schedule. And no, I haven't even thought about mapping out the kids' school work.


But I have been preparing. I've been putting this time to good use. How?


By creating documents of the outfits my kids will wear for certain activities. You know, finding out what they'll need while were are gone for 16 days and then trying to put them all together into weather appropriate ensembles that are stylish & functional. Finding things we can mix & match and have them looking their best all vacation long.


Totally relevant & helpful to a two-week trip to visit family.


I will plan food and entertainment for the 2-and-a-half-days it takes to get there. And I will pack the 5th wheel.


But come on, first things first.


Am I the only person who does this?

Adam

Time for Adam's birthday post. I know it's late but at least it's still the same month as his birthday.
(I will add pictures later today. I still need to take actual "portraits" of them but I have some of Adam opening his gifts on his birthday.)


Adam Taite
January 6, 2014, 9-years-old


What is your favorite color? Red
What is your favorite toy? Halo Mega Bloks
What is your favorite stuffed animal? My teddy bear, my old one
What is your favorite thing to sleep with? My smelly teddy bear (scentsy buddy)
What is your favorite fruit? peaches
What is your favorite cereal? Cinnamon Toast Crunch
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon Toast
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? BBQ chips with fries & a hamburger with potato salad
What is your favorite dessert? ice cream
What is your favorite drink? soda
What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? pizza with sausage & peppers
What is your favorite animal? snake
What is your favorite book? The 39 Clues
What is your favorite song? I'm in the Lord's Army
What is your favorite game? Halo
What is your favorite t.v.show? Andy Griffith
What is your favorite movie? Spiderman
What is your favorite thing to do outside? shoot my BB gun
Who is your best friend? Camden
What do you want to be when you grow up? A UPS driver & a police officer but probably just a UPS driver for now.


Adam is still every bit as energetic & mischievous as he ever was. He brings so much fun & energy to our home. Sometimes a little too much but we love him for it! He has really matured in so many ways this last year. We are seeing less temper tantrums. And is magnificent with his baby brother.
He does still like to torment Rowan & Avril though and it is something we are working on.


He is an amazing reader and math almost seems second nature to him. He does so well in school and seems to enjoy it more than years past. Adam started basketball this winter and is LOVING it. I have only seen one of his games but I plan on seeing all of the rest as it is so fun to watch him play. He is aggressive and tries very hard. I think he was built for it as he is so tall.


Adam claims to have accepted the Lord this year as well. We do not know when this event took place but look for the fruit of it daily. It is hard to say whether or not he really understands what it means but we will continue to pray for him daily and ask others to do the same. It is our deepest desire for him to devote his life to Christ and spend eternity with Him.


We are so glad to have Adam and grateful that we get this great responsibility of raising him. We love him so much!


Adam is halfway to being an adult. *sniffle* Sometimes I look at him & still see the "tiny" baby that came to us that first night as parents. The same hairline, the same mouth, the same eyes. Every now & then I even still hold him in my lap, although it is getting hard to do. He is still my baby, my first, my dream come true. Other times, I just see this big, tall, gangly kid that I know so well but seems like a stranger all at once. He just keeps growing & changing. It's funny how you don't notice the changes until you look back and then it's just there, so blatantly obvious. You wonder how you missed the fact that he no longer calls spaghetti "skebbi", and when did he stop getting a stool to brush his teeth, and didn't you just buy those too short jeans like a couple of weeks ago? How do we miss it? Our children growing up. We spend every day with them, and yet we still blink and wonder, "where did the time go?"


I know where it went. It just went. It went in the training, the disciplining, the feeding, the playing, the loving, the frustration, the praying, the weeping, the living. And though it makes me sad that it went, I'm so so grateful that I was there. That I get to be a part of this boy's life. A big part. It's scary and hard and oh so wonderful. And I will strive every day to enjoy what is left of his childhood. No more being sad that the baby is gone and no more wishing away the days that are here now. I am sometimes filled with sorrow over the days that I feel were wasted. The days that I retreated from him & his siblings, the days I yelled & lost my temper, the days I just survived and wished were over. But then I realize that I'm just wasting more time by dwelling on those days. I am done wasting time. I have a family to take care of and to love. Someday they will grow, move away, or even pass from this life. But today they are here. Today we get to love them, pray for & with them, hold them, enjoy them, teach them, and share with them. I don't want to waste it. They grow too fast.

*sigh*

The kids & I had one of those days that makes you want to jump up and shout, "Do over!"


Adam was very, very sick all day. I think he threw up about 13 times and had the "other" twice. Poor guy. And Rhett decided that he would fight me on the whole nap bit for 4.hours.straight. Jay and our nephew Josh went snowmobiling and I was ok with it until around 3:30 when everything was falling to pieces around me, at which point I proceeded to snap at all 4 of the children and sent Jay a text via my email that said something to the effect of his day better be worth ditching me to deal with everything by myself. Oops. DO OVER!


Then Adam starting feeling better & Rhett woke up from his nap just as Jay & Josh walked through the door this evening. Then we, in a great frenzy, fed the kids and got them ready for be so we could watch a movie.


Here I sit. Jay asleep on the couch. Josh asleep on the floor. All by myself. And the internet is boring tonight.


Snowmobiling makes me so lonesome I could cry.

Rowan

We didn't forget Rowan's birthday this year! Really! We have just been so busy and I decided to throw the two boys a party together this time. I don't know if that will happen now with everyone coming down with the stomach bug. They may have to settle for us taking them out to eat and maybe a movie. It's kinda sad. It will be the first year ever that we haven't thrown them a party.

Well, here he is, my big seven-year-old boy! Can you believe it? SEVEN

1. What is your favorite color? blue
2. What is your favorite toy? legos
3. What is  your favorite stuffed animal? armadillo
4. What is your favorite thing to sleep with? my lion
5. What is your favorite fruit? pears
6. What is your favorite cereal? granola
7. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? cinnamon toast, with like the swirly in the middle
8. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? pizza
9. What is your favorite dessert? ice cream
10. What is your favorite drink? soda
11. What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? eggs, bacon, waffles
12. What is your favorite animal? snake
13. What is your favorite book? Harry & Horsie
14. What is your favorite song? Our God is an Awesome God
15. What is your favorite game? MegaMind DS game
16. What is your favorite t.v. show? I Love Lucy
17. What is your favorite movie? Despicable Me 2
18. What is your favorite thing to do outside? build snow forts
19. Who is your best friend? Jude
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a toy maker

Rowan is still a fairly passive child. He loves to spend time at home. Alone. That being said, he does really enjoy playing with other kids and he loves to ham it up in a crowd. Rowan is learning to read this year and is improving greatly. Math seems to come quite naturally to him. He played soccer last spring and can't wait to start up again this coming year.

The biggest highlight of Rowan's year was that on September 2, 2013, he accepted Jesus as his Saviour.

We could not be more pleased with this boy. To say we love him would be a gross understatement.

Merry Christmas

...a day late.

A Few of My Favorite Things

These are the things that I'm "crushing on", if you will.

1. Vitamix

 

 

Oh the things I could blend...

These are so expensive but I must admit that I would truly love to have one. My blender is on the fritz & from what I've seen & heard, these are the best.

 

2. Lindor Truffles

 

 

Who doesn't love these? Jay usually gets me the tiny little bag that contains 3 of these beauties every year for my stocking. There are so many flavors that I haven't even tried them all. So far I have to say my favorite is probably the dark chocolate.

 

3. Le Creuset Spatulas

 

 

These are awesome. I only have the small one on the far left but I would be thrilled to find my stocking filled with the rest of these. Maybe even double of some sizes. They are pretty spendy as far as spatulas go but the one I have is the best spatula I have ever owned.

 

4. This Bedding from West Elm.

 

 

I love the slate grey color. Put together with some white crocheted pillows and a white throw it would be just the look I want for our bedroom. There is similar bedding on Amazon for about half the price.

 

5. Faux Fur Stockings

 

 

I just got these yesterday! I have to say, I totally dig them. They are bigger than I pictured and better quality. Each one is lined with the softest material. I didn't have them personalized because I thought  a glittered monogram hanging with each one would be more my style. I hung them up the second they came and I can't wait to fill them. (Not sure what they cost now but I got them on clearance.)

 

6. Hand Warmers

 

These are a favorite of all 4 of my kiddos. They swiped some from the UPS fill-a-truck drive and  played with them all day. Then Jay's mom sent this pack to split between the boys for their birthdays. It's a great stocking stuffer for just about anyone. I wouldn't mind having some myself. Throw in some of the boot warmers and I'd be one happy girl this winter.

 

7. Snow boots

 

 

There are so many options out there but I think these are cute as far as snow boots go. I honestly would enjoy anything that was comfortable & kept my feet dry. I haven't owned snow boots since before I was married. I know, I live in North Idaho. I guess I'm just used to it and since my trudging up Mom & Dad's driveway days are over, I just haven't felt the need to spend the money. But I would really love a quality pair of boots so that I could go outside with the kids for longer than 10 minutes. And not get frostbite.

 

8. Bare Escentuals Foundation

Girls, this stuff rocks. My winter color is medium beige. In the summer I need something darker. I love that you get decent coverage but it doesn't feel heavy or caked like liquid foundation tends to do to me. I recommend purchasing wide awake & their mineral veil as well. The wide awake is great for under eye circles or blemishes and the mineral veil gives your skin a nice naturally blended look. The best part is that my skin seems to get clearer(except currently for some weird reason) and it lasts me for about 3 or 4 months.

 

9. More Makeup

 

 

More from Bare Escentuals. This kit is called "city lights" and I have been eyeing it for a while. It is currently on sale. Yippee! Their holiday sets have been my favorites for eyes & lips(not a big lip person. makes me feel claustrophobic.). I do not care for their mascara. Not sure if its because they only have black & I use brown, or if it's their mascara brush, but I am not a fan.

 

10. Caramel Brulee Latte from Starbucks

 

 

I have had a couple of these this season and they are yummy. Trying to cut out sugar & carbs right now so I haven't been indulging but when you need a treat, these are a great option. I am generally a peppermint mocha or a chai tea sort of gal but these were nice for a change.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: I know this may seem very materialistic of me but I do have to say that I honestly do not care what I get for Christmas. In fact, I would be okay with receiving no gifts. I really would. Although I do love me a good gift, in my opinion, it is more fun to find gifts for others to enjoy. I am not the best gift giver. I readily admit that I am not the most thoughtful and I don't often come up with the best gift, but I do thoroughly enjoy trying. Please don't think me greedy, just wanted to share some things I enjoy and maybe give others ideas for those on their list. It's not too late!

Right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O Christmas Tree

We did actually decorate the tree we cut down. I didn't get very many pictures. Attaching hooks to ornaments & making sure they don't get broken is a full time job with 4 kiddos so it makes it very difficult to photograph the process. We do have a few & I hope to take some more once we have the gifts wrapped & under the tree.(Rhett prevents us from putting them out too soon. He's curious to say the least.)