Writing again

It's been a while since I posted anything on this blog....ummm......like almost a year and a half!!  Wow!  A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.  And a new member has been added to the family.  February 11, 2012, Noah Aaron was born. Nevermind it was five weeks before his due date!  As a result, he spent 10 days in the NICU while we waited for his little lungs to develop.  Life with five has been pretty much like life with four.  WILD!  Our biggest "holy smokes- this is insane" was from two children to three.  After three, we just got used to the crazy.  :)

Having five children, ages seven and under, is very time consuming as one can imagine.  Especially with home schooling.  So the blog got pushed to the back burner.  Way in the back.  But as of late, I've really started feeling like I should start blogging again. 

I am not a writer.  I don't journal or keep a diary or anything.  So writing is not a passion for me like it is for some.  When I started this blog, I had high expectations for myself and my posts.  I had all kinds of posts floating around in my head but because I couldn't get them "perfect" I never wrote them or published them on the blog.  I allowed my expectations to become a burden and I eventually just stopped writing.

I feel like I've grown some in the last year or so.  On the inside.  Thankfully, the outside has went down a bit.  :)  The Lord has been so patient and gracious with me.  Any growing or maturing that I have done is only because of Him.  Aren't you glad "He's still working on me?"

Because of where I am now, (or at least think I am!) I don't think writing will be a burden.  My vision is to write more about our day to day life.  To be more real as a person and not worry so much about the perfect post.  Sharing even a little bit, even if it's imperfect or scattered, is better than sharing nothing.  I can't encourage anyone if I don't write anything at all. 

My goal is not to have a thousand followers or this great blog name.  If I can help just one mama- just encourage her to keep pressing on in this beautiful journey of being a wife, mother, and follower of Jesus-then I have accomplished much. 

Gratituesday: Spring

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...James 1:17

I've enjoyed Laura's Gratituesday posts for quite a while so I thought I would join her in writing about something I am thankful for.  I have so many things.....where to begin?!

The radio station said it's supposed to be 80 degrees today!  I love it! The beautiful spring weather has been so wonderful these past few weeks.  It's almost impossible to keep the kids indoors.  They are having so much fun jumping on the trampoline, digging in the dirt, having tea parties, making rivers in the mud, killing ants, target practicing, riding their bikes and Power Wheels, roller-blading, and picking flowers. There's just so much to do!  

Jacob riding the Gator

Digging dirt for the "garden"

Working in the "garden"

 Luke target practicing

Chloe and Asher having fun in the Jeep

Just yesterday I found the bag of pistachios missing only to find out that the nuts were being used as Easter eggs.  They were hiding them all over the yard!  They've been finding them all day today.  Hysterical, these kids of mine.  

Yes, I am thankful for the official arrival of spring with all of its warmth and beauty.  Thankful to be pulling out the short sleeves and flip-flops.  Loving the fact I can leave the doors open to peek on the kids while cooking dinner or doing laundry.  Listening to their laughter while they're having such a good time.

The hard part is to be thankful when there is a brown ring of dirt around the bath tub and I have piles of muddy clothes to wash.  But that's a post for another day!

What are you thankful for today?

Four years ago....

She was born on Thursday, June 29, 2006.  She weighed 8 lbs., 10 oz., and was 20 inches long.

She found her thumb at four months old.  She still has it, even though she's four today.  :)


She. loves. sweets.  The cliche "Sweet as sugar" definitely applies in her case.


She loves to smile and laugh.


Her curls can be a bit unruly at times.

She has a keen fashion sense.

She is our one and only princess in a house full of princes and we love her with all our hearts!

Happy fourth birthday, Chloe!

I have a little two year old....

Happy Birthday to my blue-eyed, dimple cheek, lover of danger, lover of laughter little Jacob!

Saturday Seven

1)  I just finished making my own laundry soap.  I've been meaning to do this for about.....umm.....probably a couple of years.  Yep, procrastination is my middle name.  It seriously took me all of 20 minutes. Super easy.  It made about 2 1/2 gallons.  That will go a long way when I'm only supposed to use 1/4 cup per load!  I have to let it sit for 24 hours so I'll let you know next week how I like it.

2)  Jacob is now in a toddler bed.  We really had no choice, trust me.  It was either put the toddler rail on his crib or end up with a broken arm or other body part.  We would hear a loud thump followed by the sound of his diaper swishing as he came running down the hall.  The biggest challenge has been his lack of sleep!  The first peep of the eye and he's up and running.  I'm hoping once the newness of it all wears off, he'll not be quite as excited about getting up.

3)  To prove he's not getting the sleep he's used too......

He fell asleep eating lunch while I was writing this post.  He didn't even care about the peanut butter and honey all over his face!  Not that he normally does.

4)  Today is officially the first day of spring!  Yay!  I'm so ready for warm weather and sunshine.  The kids love playing outside so much better when it's warm!  And trust me, the boys need to get out all of that energy.  There are little holes all over the backyard where they've been digging with their shovels.  The poor swing set has taken a beating since Luke got a tool set with a hammer in it! 

5)  Speaking of back yards, Austin has decided we are going to raise chickens.  Last week he built a door in our fence that will open up into the coop. (Or whatever it is you call the place chickens lay their eggs)  I think the plan is to get about ten eggs and hatch them out.  The kids are super excited about it.  I love the idea of having my own eggs, although I'll have to get used to the fact you actually have to go get the eggs from the chickens and not the store.  Big difference. 

6)  Austin was talking to someone the other day and telling them about the chickens we're hoping to get.  The question was asked if we could have chickens because we live in a subdivision.   Austin's reply was "I own the subdivision.  I can do whatever I want with it!"  'Nuff said.  Definitely a perk for us, huh?

7)  If you didn't already know, we do in fact own a subdivision.  We bought and developed the land about two years ago and he is finishing up his fifth house now.  I am so proud of him!  He has amazed me with his determination.  He can do whatever he puts his mind to.    Not to mention, he recently got promoted to manager at his job!  His big thing now is, whenever I have a problem and he helps me out, he'll wink at me and say "I'm a manager, baby."  He's such a nut!  :)

Feelin' Froggy

Birthday Boy

Guess

who

had

a

birthday

today?

Happy 5th Birthday, Luke!!!

We Love You!

Asher Alexander Harmon

What an unexpected Christmas surprise!  Although we weren't expecting him until after the New Year 2010, December 17, 2009,  was when Asher Alexander Harmon decided he wanted to make his grand entrance!  He arrived via Cesarean at 4:54 p.m.  His 19 1/2 inches weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces!

 

 Because he was almost a month early (due January 11) his lungs weren't fully developed so he had to stay in the NICU for a week, until he proved he was breathing like he should be.

 

Wow, that was a really trying time for us as parents.  It was heart-wrenching to have to leave him....especially after I was discharged and had to leave the hospital.  We rented a hotel room nearby and stayed there until he came home on Christmas Eve.

This will definitely be a Christmas to remember!  It was wonderful to be able to bring him home before Christmas so we could all be together.  We are so thankful for all the prayers on our behalf.  God's presence and strength were with us as we faced this difficult time.  How good it is to know He does all things well, even when it doesn't seem that way.  We thank Him for a beautiful pregnancy and a beautiful, healthy baby boy!  How great is our God!

Peek-a-boo

Guess who?

ROAR! It's Jacob!

Isn't he the cutest lion you've ever seen?

Going Green

Our fashion senses are still alive and well! Isn't she adorable in her cute froggy rainboots?

Saturday Seven -The picture edition

1) Jacob is now walking! He started walking a couple of weeks ago, around 11 months, and life hasn't been the same since. For any of us. He's into EVERYTHING! Nothing is safe around here. He thinks he's been walking for years....he practically takes off running when you put him down. He's so cute toddling around here!




2) Chloe loves junk food. Seriously, she wakes up in the morning and asks for candy. The girl is a sugar-aholic. We had an easter egg hunt and luncheon at church a couple of weeks ago and there were three trays of cupcakes. So I'm sitting there eating my hotdog when a little girl brings me this cupcake and tells me that Chloe grabbed it off the tray, licked the icing, and stuck it back. Yikes! And she had already eaten one cupcake....well, licked the icing off of it. The proof is in the picture! :)




3) Luke had a great time hunting eggs until he saw the church lawnmower. He was suddenly tired and wanted to rest....on the lawnmower, of course. Hunting eggs just takes so much out of you! All the stress of finding them and then picking them up only to have to put them into your basket. Whew! Who wouldn't need a break after that?




4) This is the best Easter Sunday shot I got of the kids. Every year Luke cries while I'm trying to take pictures for Easter. I'll post the pictures one day. It's crazy. He starts crying because he has to stand next to Chloe and touch her. And since Jacob is walking, he decided to walk out of the picture. So much for sweet family picture memories when we're all old.




5) Look at those baby blues shining! And yes, Jacob did wear shoes to church. He wore his squeaky sandals that everyone loves. And yes, I forgot to put socks on Chloe. I bought her a new pair of ruffly socks only to have them soaking wet in the washing machine. Not cool, Jennifer. Not cool.




6) Our jazzy family of five! I had to post this picture just because I spent three days looking for these outfits. Lots of stress....lots and lots of stress. See, I was so tired from shopping I couldn't even keep my eyes open for the picture. What a dud!



7) Meet Rusty! Our newest addition is a seven-week old beagle. He's adorable and the kids love him. They were having serious screaming fits whenever they got around dogs so we thought it would help if we had a dog of our own. So far, so good.

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Okay, I can't even think straight I'm so tired. I was trying to come up with a cute way to end the post but I can barely hold my eyes open. How 'bout another cute pic? That doesn't require much thought!

Future Fashion Designers

Apparently we are severely lacking in the fashion gene here at our house. The kids decided to dress themselves this morning while I was feeding Jacob. Nursing mommies are a toddlers dream come true. All I could do was laugh....and run for the camera.


Notice the shirt is on inside out and backwards. The usual unbuttoned jeans, which around here, is the only way to wear them. And of course, the cowboy boots he hasn't taken off since his birthday. To his credit, the jeans are sordof tucked into his boots, which is pretty hip these days.



And here is pajama mama. Pink pj pants with a red Dora belly shirt. Top that off with yellow socks and brown shoes and we've got a fashion diva.

I'm pretty sure Calvin Klein will be calling once he sees these cute kids in their jazzy attire. Until then, we'll keep doing our best to keep on stylin' and profilin'.