Our Family Journal

Beginnings

2020-04-15T14:58:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, I opened up this blog for the first time in months, maybe years. Immediately I was struck by the date of my most recent draft, four years ago to the very day! Titled "Struggling," the unfinished post described the state of my heart and mind during that spring of 2016, how I felt a bit lost in the midst of birthing and caring for four little people. Unpolished and raw, the words brought me to tears, mostly because of how strikingly familiar the heart-state was. The past four years have held many blessings, not least of which was welcoming our darling Auggie, but alongside the joy and gratitude were woven threads of anxiety and despair as I stumbled through a bleak postpartum season, the gutting and renovating of our home, and the spread-thinness of raising and educating so many ages and stages.

While some things are improved (thank you, Lord for better sleep!), in many ways I find myself in much the same place I did four years ago; I've lost my zing, my passion, the pep in my step. Mornings, which used to be sweet moments of purpose and presence have become dutiful but desolate. At the end of each day, I crash into bed as early as possible, exhausted but unfulfilled. Most of my runs, usually energizing, end with frustration, mentally unable to push past the wall. Closets and drawers and hidden places ebb towards chaos; a fitting metaphor for my heart.

It is not lost on me that the Lord led me to return here, to this blog, on the exact calendar date, and I've reflected quite a bit on why. What is it about this space that draws me in challenging seasons? I have a few ideas. The process of documenting our days teaches me to value and look for the beauty in each ordinary day. The mundane is kingdom work, but when I lose sight of that it becomes dreary. Writing and processing here helps me to stay focused and gain insight that otherwise would pass me by in a blur. As Flannery O'Conner put it, "I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say."

So, today is a beginning again. My writing feels rusty and sluggish, but I can already feel the hope springing up anew. May the Lord bless this messy journal of this chapter of motherhood.

Insta-January

2016-06-27T14:52:00.002-05:00

January was a relatively slow month, when we tried to rest from all the holiday fun and get back in our home school routine.

- the girls got a disco light for christmas, so we had lots of dance parties - thea will never experience the concept of personal space - elli likes to warm up by the fire when she wakes up and charlie likes to get "dressed" first thing... here they shared their little routines - sunday afternoon board games -

- grocery shopping with four babies... always an adventure - snack time - as part of our katy and the big snow unit study, we made our own city. as we covered cereal boxes with construction paper tonight, we talked about what buildings are important for a city to have (fire station, school, electric company, etc). so, then we started labeling the buildings, and elli asked, "mom, how do you spell chick-fil-a?" - catching up on holiday sleep -

- baby messy bun is my favorite - thea's favorite view - ballerina cara - ballerina elli -

- our most enthusiastic dancer was crushed when she didn't get to join her sisters - man vs wild with these curious ladies - kissable - just like her other sisters, thea adores her elli -

- snuggling with uncle ryan and aunt madeleine during the holidays - post christmas crash - one of my favorite things about homeschooling is getting to do art projects with the girls - face time with the cousins mostly means making silly faces at each other -

- keeping busy - first night in her big girl bed! - my polka dot princess - we moved elli in with thea and charlie in with caroline this weekend; elli was so excited to arrange her bed -

- sunday rest - little miss riding hood - if i didn't know better, i'd say she was up to something - "look mom, it's a pot-head" -

- january essentials with a february twist - 'would you rather' - thea hasn't completely decided if she's going to be a thumb sucker, but if she does, i hope she chooses this thumb! - baptism day -

Insta-December

2016-06-25T14:42:00.001-05:00

December was truly delightful! The weather continued to be gorgeous right up until the holidays, and then we even got a little snow storm on Christmas! Our festivities were simpler than usual (we're blaming it on the newborn fog!), but I don't think the girls minded too much.

- how do you not stop what you're doing and stare at a sleeping newborn? - thea loved looking at the lights - bath time - these two are already best buds -

- elli drew this picture of our family and King Jesus at church - charlie loves playing 'rock, paper, scissors' - first trip to the zoo for thea - she was giving me the sweetest gummy smiles until i pulled out the camera. this is what i remember of this month: thea wrapped up in the moby while her big sisters played -

- playing outside - watching the light show at botanica - charlie carefully studied how elli was kneeling and copied her exactly - helping out with tummy time -

- sweetest smiles - thea's favorite way to get tummy time - caroline asked to borrow my phone to snap this picture - making cookies with my charlie... her big sisters got to do all these traditions just themselves, so when i have just her, i try to make the most of it! -

- snuggle time - incredibly inaccurate nativity reenactments and the cutest bed-head ever! - eight weeks: full of smiles, especially for her big sisters, and really trying to talk. eats about every three hours and takes a mini nap between each feeding, sleeping six to eight hours at night! her nicknames are "ladybug," "pie-pants" (elli and caroline), and "oh-phea-uh-uh-uh" (charlie). she is the first person everyone asks for in the morning and the last person they kiss at night - practicing gift-giving and receiving in preparation for christmas... thea needs to work on her poker face! -

- the first snow! barely a flurry, but they didn't care - eggnog, ornaments and rockin' around the christmas tree - sweet mama to her "bay-bays" - i taught the girls to wrap presents this year, and they're officially hired -

- i love peeking in on rest time... cara is reading books to her baby pooh bear - baby snuggles - roasting beets for her "rainbow salad" on her birthday - measuring the table to make sure she gets the star exactly in the middle! -

- i'm trying to get better about taking pictures of all four girls - #genschgirlies - i just happened to be taking a picture when thea surprised us with her first roll! - happy birthday, elinor! -

- christmas eve eve - thea and her biggest fan - christmas pjs... i'm not sure how many years i'll be able to get them all to match - drunk on milk and cookies. ok, maybe just milk for her this year -

- the christmas of star wars: between thanksgiving and christmas, we got our hands on the entire collection of star wars movies and then got to take elli and cara to see the new one in the theater! - we pretty much dominated breakoutkc - charlie and malachi - birthday buddies, elli and uncle adam -

- snow! - these two weren't quite sure what to do - the big girls, however, knew exactly what to do! - the agony and the ecstasy -

Elli's Seventh Birthday

2016-06-22T11:10:00.001-05:00

My first baby turned seven years old! We love the little woman she is becoming and feel blessed to have her lead her little sisters. She is helpful, patient and kind with them, and sets a beautiful example for them to look up to.

This year we had a simple family party. She chose pizza and rainbow salad for dinner. We went together to shop for all the colors of salad toppings, and her sweet chatter and rationale for her choices was my favorite part of the day!

We love the cousin chaos! Never a dull or lonely moment in this crew!

The "big cousins" spent the night and we made reindeer nose treats the next morning.

We are so proud of our darling girl! Happy birthday, Elinor Faye!

Spring Weekend with Family

2016-04-18T15:37:00.001-05:00

This weekend we got to spend sweet time with family, the first time we've had all the cousins together! I'm always amazed that we can cram so much goodness into one weekend, and yet still feel pretty relaxed. Daniel and my dad left before dawn to do some turkey hunting, so our mornings were slow and sweet. The three older girls helped Mia make waffles, we took advantage of the gorgeous spring mornings to play and swing outside, and we colored to our hearts' content.

Thea is a huge fan of the swing, and Charlie loved being the big sister and getting to swing her! Charlie is the sweetest, proudest sister and takes such joy in making her sister smile. She was born to be a big sister! Thea will be six months in a few weeks, and it's simultaneously making my heart leap for joy and blink away tears. She is just the sweetest little punkin, and don't even get me started on the wrist rolls.

We managed to squeeze in a few pictures before chaos ensued, and I can't decide which picture is my favorite. Charlie got to be a big girl holding a baby!

My parents have a delightful backyard, beautiful in every season, but especially fun when the weather is nice. The dogwoods are fully in bloom, which make me nostalgic for my own childhood.

All the color and brightness of the evening light made for a magical evening. Perhaps the highlight was the simple joy of a shower of rosy "helicopters" from the maple trees.

On Sunday we met the hunters at my grandma's farm, where the girls got to see their Great-Grandma, watch Great-Uncle Keith plant the corn and climb all over the tractor, shoot guns (the big girls), and hunt for snail shells in the garden.

Great-Grandma taught Charlie how to make a wish on a dandelion.

Christmas

2016-04-03T22:01:00.003-05:00

I didn't take many pictures on my "real" camera this Christmas, and the ones I did aren't that great. Look at how cute all the cousins are, though! Next year there'll be two more little boys in it!

I love my girlies!

We got a good snow one of the days we were there, and my dad took some great pictures. This is the most snow the girls have seen all winter, too!

I can just hear Caroline's giggle in this picture!

Neither of the toddlers were quite sure what to do with all this white stuff! Malachi was so adorable in his sock monkey hat.

Snow at Christmas just makes all things seem better, don't you think?

Tree Hunt

2016-04-03T21:39:00.004-05:00

The Christmas tree hunt is a beloved tradition in our family. For one thing, it marks the transition between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Elinor especially has become very interested in decorating for holidays, and so for her especially, this began a fun season. We tried a new tree farm this year, and although it was very sweet, many of the best trees had already been claimed.

Elinor was on a mission from the moment we arrived. The holidays get more and more exciting as she gets older.

The girls tried to talk Daniel into this monster. Once we explained that we didn't have enough decorations for it, they moved along, however.

Seeing Charlie so completely keeping up with the big girls was so precious! She looks up to them so much, and wants to do absolutely everything they are.

Love that confident spunk!

Sisters and besties. I pray they adventure together for the rest of their lives!

Elli and Cara guarding our tree while Daddy got the saw ready.

Don't mess with these two... just trust me!

Watching a beautiful sunset while the hayride took us and our tree back to the shop for hot chocolate. In many ways, this was intentionally a low key Christmas for us, but I'm so glad we took the time to create another year of Christmas memories.

Insta-November

2016-01-17T16:17:00.002-06:00

Those first precious six weeks of a baby's life are pretty much indescribable... sacred and raw and blurry and precious. Our November was all these things, and I'm so thankful for phone cameras and instagram to document all the sweet moments that might get a little lost in the growing pains of adding baby #4 to our mix.

- morning sister snuggles - watching the Royals take the crown! - looking up at the changing leaves in the trees - soaking up the beautiful weather as often as we could -

- asleep on the job - Great-Grandma meeting her two youngest (for a few months) great-grandchildren - botanica adventures - Mia came to help out for two whole weeks after Thea was born, and I really don't know what we would have done without her! -

- Charlie loves to put on her big sisters' shoes - most days we would spend the late afternoon outside while we waited for Daddy to come home; my view was pretty sweet - Charlie playing in the leaves - "Before I bring my need, I will bring my heart." This phrase from a Lauren Daigle song has really resonated with me lately. I often come to Jesus full of neediness, but my most desperate need is relationship with Him! -

- my four daughters - first Sunday at church... we did it! - Charlie reading to Thea - late afternoon walks -

- this magical afternoon was breezy, and the leaves were raining on the girls as they played - Thea would suck on her bottom lip as she slept - dance party, watching herself in the door - sleeping through a baby shower for some of her future besties -

- I love baby breath on my neck - another Charlie dance party! She brings so much joy to our family - early morning snuggles before everyone else is awake - we eased into school for the month of November, here they are watching a Reading Rainbow segment about cranberries -

- can't get enough of this sweetie - sketching on the porch - followed by recess outside - early smiles -

- big yawns - my besties' babies are my babies' besties - first run... slow and steady wins the race, right? - more than any other baby, I've loved evening snuggles with this little one. It's the one time of day that I can truly just relax and soak her in without interruption -

- Elli always gets a smile - Charlie at 20 months - she is never far away when we're doing school - cranberry bread for Thanksgiving -

- our traditional Little Women viewing, which I started long before I even imagined I might have my own four little women! - our hayride to get the Christmas tree - Thea was there too! - Charlie, making all our sugar and spice dreams come true -

- Thea and Tevy getting acquainted - watching the Thanksgiving day parade - my kind of Black Friday - Elli and Micah's first year participating in the gingerbread house contest -

- Daniel and I made the Millennium Falcon for our gingerbread house this year - sister snuggles! - the house was too quiet (usually a sign of a mess), but she was sleeping in her big sister's bed - the Christmas decorating has begun -

Glory Alleluia!

2015-12-31T14:16:00.001-06:00

Charlie woke up this morning singing "Glory Alleluia!" What a wonderful reminder for me to spend some time giving glory to God for His goodness to us this year before I dive full steam ahead into 2016. I went through and tried to pick my favorite picture from each month of 2015... which is nearly impossible, but I did my best. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise!

I took this picture five days after that positive pregnancy test, feeling completely overwhelmed by God's goodness.

Surprising our family with the news that #4 was on the way was so much fun and totally worth the five weeks of secret keeping!

Easter Sunday with our sweet girlies!

Choosing just one picture from the beach was impossible, so here are a few favorites.

I was completely spoiled turning 30 this year, and this unplanned sunrise walk with two of my favorites on the beach was such a sweet way to start a new decade.

Finding out we were going to be blessed with a fourth GIRL was such a joyous celebration!

Our first family camping trip - so HOT but totally worth it. I can't wait to do it again.

First day of our school year.

The most meaningful part of the year was seeing God answer a lot of prayers, both big and small, especially in our baby girl's healthy heart.

This girl continued to bloom this year! I loved watching her discover and enjoy soccer.

These pictures need no explanation. Our cup overflows.

This is my favorite picture of Charlie this year. Look at that confident stance! And the pigtails!!! She is such a delight and joy to our family.

Thank you Lord for the sweetness and goodness of this year. You have been so faithful to our family.

Autumn

2015-12-15T14:37:00.003-06:00

This fall has been deliciously warm... here it is the week before Christmas, and we are still spending most afternoons outside, often without jackets! I am thankful, because everyone is just happier outside, and those dreaded "witching hours" right before Daddy gets home are so much more pleasant when the girls can spend them riding scooters and drawing with sidewalk chalk while I hold Thea in the Moby. I know there will be many a February day when we are feeling a little cooped up, so we are taking advantage of every beautiful day!

These pictures are from about a month ago now, when the girls helped Daddy rake up the leaves... and by "help" I mean Elli actually raked leaves while the little girls ran through their piles.

Charlie thought the leaf blower was awesome, especially when Daniel would point it her way.

Which he did a lot.

Of course there was lots of running and jumping into the pile.

Charlie imitates her big sisters constantly, especially Elli.

(Those sticks were removed before anyone was hurt!)

This was Charlie's first time playing in the leaf pile, and she was a fan.

Love that ever-changing smile!

Caroline brings such joy with her exuberance and laughter!

Life is so fun with these girlies!

Pumpkin Patch

2015-11-24T14:04:00.000-06:00

The day before Thea was born, I was having consistent contractions, but they weren't really going anywhere. We decided to get out and do something active and fun, to see if that would help. The day was beautiful for the pumpkin patch, so off we went!

We found a patch that we loved! They had all kinds of fun activities for all ages, including this duck race.

We spent a lot of time feeding the goats and baby llama.

Thank you, Daniel for my last bump pic... I love that it includes my phone where I was tracking contractions.

Elli and Caroline loved the huge slides.

Charlie liked the corn maze, although she wasn't too sure about the scarecrow.

Their last day as a trio of sisters! Now we have a quartet!

Insta-October

2015-11-11T21:13:00.005-06:00

- we visited the apple orchard as part of our unit study, and had a blast with some sweet friends. we also got lots of apples for some baking! -

- elli and cara's biggest soccer fan - our neighbors' halloween decorations inspired the girls to make our own (since mommy wouldn't buy them any) these are ghosts on sticks - loving the beginnings of fall colors - it's baby month! the waiting begins -

- choosing a buddy for baby girl. they decided on a soft, purple hippo - i adore this sweet picture of my caroline faye - charlie loves her bath times - an evening walk to try to encourage baby to join us! -

- making the crust for apple pie - running out of clothes that cover the bump means borrowing daniel's flannels - charlie says "ray-bow!" - the little house at botanica, which elli completely reorganized -

- charlie's legs are looking so long! - due date... not that that meant anything - reading books with my charlie girl - sister snugs -

- "look, mom, I'm a moose!" - another week at botanica, another of daniel's flannels - my version of nesting: pumpkin donut holes - cara brings me a fresh bouquet of autumn beauties every day -

- she's here!!! thea faye - first time in her daddy's arms - my little women - daniel and his girlies -

- taking her in - i don't love hospitals in general, but i love the uninterrupted snuggles while we were there - thea will not be lacking on kisses and snuggles and attention of all kinds - mia and thea -

- nonna, grandma r and three of the girls (charlie was napping) - cara's pure joy as she held thea those first few times was radiant in her face and made me tear up - thea is proving to be a fan of the paci - the start of something very good -

- our first ride with all four in the "mini-man" - one of thea's first outings was her daddy's office open house... she and I crashed on the couch as soon as we got home - my sweet caroline - charlie has amazed us with how well she has adjusted to big-sisterhood. on this saturday morning, we told her she could hold thea after I was done nursing her, and she said, "okay" and snuggled up to her daddy while she waited -

- carving pumpkins... charlie looks super unimpressed, but she kept saying, "hey, punkin!" - we let the girls choose their costumes from our dress-up clothes this year. elli was a ballerina, cara was a "cooker," and charlie was a princess. charlie very quickly mastered saying, "trick or treat!" -

Introducing Thea Faye

2015-11-05T17:34:00.000-06:00

Thea Faye

Born October 23, 2015

at 8:15 AM

8 pounds 1/2 ounce

20 inches long

She's here! One week late, our sweet baby four entered the world and our hearts on a Friday morning, healthy and just the sweetest! Our whole family is enamored with her, and we are treasuring our early days with her.

I began having contractions Wednesday afternoon, and after several hours of waiting and checking in, my parents decided to go ahead and make the drive that night. The contractions kept coming all day Thursday, but despite our best efforts, they didn't pick up frequency or intensity. We enjoyed a beautiful morning at the pumpkin patch, hoping and waiting... At my regular doctor's appointment that afternoon, I was disappointed to learn that there hadn't been much progress. Unfortunately, I also learned that my doctor had to leave town for the weekend. At this point, I began to feel some anxiety... I had discussed with my doctor my fears about having the same painful afterbirth experience. Knowing that he wouldn't be there, I privately began to consider the possibility of an epidural. Thursday evening they began to be more intense, but we eventually went to bed to get whatever sleep we could. Around 2AM, the contractions kicked up a notch (or 20!), coming 3-5 minutes together, so I woke up Daniel. Once we got checked into the hospital, I was dilated to a 6/7, and because of the combination of back labor and my increasing anxiety, I made the decision to have an epidural. I'm so thankful to have had a great experience with no complications, and I was able to relax very quickly. From that point on, the experience was just hilariously different than the other three. Daniel slept until I was ready to push. The nurse had me push once, but very quickly told me to stop and wait for the doctor (this would have been impossible without an epidural!). Once the doctor got there, I pushed once more and there she was! My first thought was how perfect she was! She had the cutest little cry and dark, piercing eyes.

Thea has been a dream baby... she nurses well, sleeps well and is generally peaceful. We are beyond grateful for this sweet gift!

InstaSeptember

2015-10-10T13:50:00.001-05:00

- my snuggle bugs - popcorn has become our favorite snack - Elli is loving her first season of soccer! - she did not however love her first run in with poison ivy... chick fil-a helped a little -

- she chose a Pooh Bear movie to watch while trying not to itch - Charlie is a really good climber - I worked on a few home projects this month, and this pillow was a favorite - all three girls in the chick-fil-a play area -

- these three little girl cousins are already such good friends - the three big girl cousins primping in the bathroom together - Elli and Charlie snuggles - Charlie and baby girl snuggles! -

- Charlie really wants to do school just like her big sisters - daddy and his big girls - Elli scored a few goals at her first game! - Cara got to play on a team with a few of her friends from church -

- Caroline scored some goals too! - Elli and Daddy singing a duet - the tiger posed for a portrait - while Caroline was at a birthday party, the rest of us had a zoo date -

- sister selfies - we are loving these cooler mornings - one month to go! - snuggles (and hot coffee for mom) after shots -

- donuts on the patio - Caroline and I had a sweet date at the bookstore - Emsley is one! - tractor rides with friends -

- daddy takes a turn - fountains make waiting for big sister fun - sweet sister kisses - Charlie and Cara just being part of the team -

- helping Daddy put sod down/finding the grubs - taste testing different kinds of apples for our school unit - dance partaaaay! - Tevy turns 2! -

- early morning snuggles with Daddy - Elli came with me for my gestational diabetes test, and told me, "Mom this is kinda like a boring date." - slides are Charlie's favorite at the park - and running the bases is her favorite while we watch soccer practice -

- they both loved this mode of transportation - mommy felt a little better about it with a helmet - delicious sriracha lime salmon from Its All Good - pumpkin pie oatmeal -

Apple Orchard

2015-10-02T14:54:00.000-05:00

Nothing says, "October!" like a trip to the apple orchard! We returned to the same sweet orchard we visited last year and came away with enough apples for pie and cake and muffins and crisp and sauce... but with such happy pickers, I just couldn't say no!

Insta-August

2015-09-05T09:14:00.002-05:00

August was a sweet month, full of blessings and memories.

We intentionally slowed down a lot, and yet it still seemed to fly by!

- physically, I've had to take more breaks throughout the day to get my feet up, and these three never fail to find me and join in - can't get enough berries - just shy of 30 weeks - little cousins chasing the big ones at the exploration place

- Even Charlie wanted in on school pics. I love seeing how much the girls have grown in a year! - first grade - preschool (or pre-k... does it make a difference?) - all three looking and smiling at the same time?!?!

- this August gave us some beautiful, open-window weather, so we got outside every chance we could - Elli is teaching Charlie to help unload the silverware with her - a note from Elli to Cara telling her not to let Charlie into their room because she makes a mess - Charlie mimics her big sisters, especially Elli, all day long

-Saturday morning snuggles - the big girls earned enough quarters this month to save up for their Halloween costumes, a Jasmine and Elsa dress - lesson planning - we studied flight and airplanes one week, and the girls had fun testing out the different kinds of paper airplanes

- finding a shady spot for a rest on our walk - Charlie has decided that the swing is in fact rather fun - Charlie wants to be right with us when we do school, which can be pretty challenging, and if I leave the room for even a moment, she's getting into something - we planted a few vegetables for a fall garden, and it felt so nice to be outside digging around in the dirt... here's hoping we can keep them alive!

- a lot of nesting happened in August, and having the bassinet set up in our room is such a happy sight every time I walk by - playing in the rain - Charlie was so excited about her stroller-freedom at the zoo - can't wait to have one more little girl in these pics!

- Charlie is my snuggliest baby - I've never been much of a nap person until this third trimester hit... now it's essential! - playing peek-a-boo - Daniel and I got to enjoy two whole nights kid-free for a staycation/babymoon; we enjoyed slow mornings at coffee shops, the art museum, a movie, fancy dinner-date, and uninterrupted conversation... it was delightful!

- the girls found a toad outside while I was watering the garden, and Charlie learned to say, "hop!" - Charlie mastered saying "cheeeeeeese" for the camera this month - my popcorn queen - Charlie had her first dentist appointment this month and loved wearing the x-ray apron thing

- the girls are genuinely helpful around the house these days, and I love it when they work as a team - we loved the butterfly garden at botanica - cousins at the zoo - I love seeing these girlies grow their friendship, especially as Tevy and Charlie can kinda keep up with the big girls

- I've been testing out a few crock pot recipes, and this one was a winner! - selfies... these two are best friends and already so good at pushing each others' buttons - farmers market blooms - despite some rough physical/pregnant days this month, I could not be more thankful for this season with my little sweethearts!

September Goals

2015-09-02T14:31:00.002-05:00

I love a new month, almost as much as I love a new season! I have been especially looking forward to the autumn this year (for obvious reasons), so I'm welcoming September with open arms. As I've anticipated and "researched" what having four little ones is going to look like, it seems that for some people it was not a huge transition from three to four, but for others it rocked their worlds. So... I'm trying to be as prepared as I can be; hoping for the best, but ready for a tough season if that's what's in store for us. Goals are an important part of motivating myself, so I thought I would record them here to keep myself accountable.

Now, I'll be honest. I'm not sure I can really do this. I'm beginning to have days where I'm feeling every bit of this pregnancy, so my true first goal is GRACE. As I've prayed over this particular season, the Lord put 2 Corinthians 9:8 on my heart -- "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." I have been so convicted that, while all these goals are good and wise, the most important preparation I can be making is to lean into Jesus, to trust him for strength to do his will today. So, with that in mind, I have prayed over these goals, but I'm trusting that even if I don't accomplish all of them, he has provided me with everything I need to accomplish what HE has called me to do. Lord, give me strength and discernment.

Health Goals:

Take prenatals and iron supplement every day. I was doing great on taking my vitamins until the gummy ones I bought during the first trimester ran out, but now that my normal prenatals taste like grass and not candy, I'm somehow less motivated. I really do feel a difference when I'm taking them, however.
Drink lots and lots of water! My goal for every day is to drink three of those big cups they give you at the hospital, which holds 32oz. Hopefully this will help with some of the swelling in my feet and legs.
Be active every day. Now that I'm at the home stretch, it's getting harder and harder to want to exercise, but again, I feel a difference when I do! I'm not setting any specific goals here - it could be a walk, some squat/lunge intervals, prenatal yoga dvd... whatever - I just want to be intentionally active every day.

Home Goals:

Get cold weather clothes out and ready, including coats, hat, gloves, etc. Its a little early, obviously, but I want to be as prepared for this next season as possible. This also includes going through the girl's clothes and making sure they've got what they need.
Finish pillow covers for couch.
Finish decorating Charlie's room, which for now means hanging up her book shelves and some pictures. I have some ideas for a few fun projects, but they can wait.
Get ready for baby girl! Wash car seats, stroller, newborn clothes, etc.
Declutter "problem areas" around the house. Maybe devote just fifteen-thrity minutes a day, going from room to room, just clearing out and putting away.

Homeschool Goals:

Keep going! I feel like we are in a great routine right now, and I want to keep that up until baby girl gets here.
Apple picking field trip with friends to go along with How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World unit study
Complete lap books for completed unit studies

Parenting Goals:

One-on-one date with each of the girls before baby girl gets here.
Keep reading the Chronicles of Narnia to the girls in the evenings.
Put together some busy bags for Charlie to use either during school or nursing sessions.
Plan and prepare some seasonal crafts to do with the girls after baby girl comes. Crafts are possibly their favorite thing ever, so making time to do some together will hopefully be a great way to connect with them during the foggy mommy-of-a-newborn weeks. I'm hoping to have some ziploc bags with all the supplies ready to go, so I don't have to scramble around trying to think of something. Thank goodness for Pinterest!

Personal Goals:

Plan a few dates with my man.
Continue with daily quiet time, preferably in the mornings before the girls wake up, but I'm giving myself a little grace on timing since I've struggled recently with pregnancy-insomnia.
Schedule a haircut and pre-baby pedicure!
Prepare (as best as I can) my closet for the postpartum season. Put away some maternity and pull out tops that work well for nursing.
Plant (and keep alive!) some mums. These just make me happy, so I'm putting them into my goals!

Insta-July

2015-08-16T19:09:00.000-05:00

July was busy this year! I hardly made any goals for the month, other than just to enjoy the many different events and activities. I love seeing our instagram pictures from the month, though, because they reflect the simple, daily moments as a family just as much as our adventures.

- thunderstorm - the beginnings of a blanket for baby girl, a reminder to pray to the one who knit her together as we waited for her sonogram - we were all very inspired by the US women's soccer team - Charlie is loving having a little more freedom to explore now that she's a good walker -

- reading in the morning - evening walks - fireworks on the fourth - the baby went through a major chips and salsa phase in early July -

- outrun by a 4 year old - toddler fun - Elli enjoyed CYT camp - snuggles with my girl -

- Charlie and Malachi at the splash park - art camp with some of the "clublings" - making crabs for VBS - I was responsible for decorations at our church's VBS this summer, and thank goodness I had an amazing team helping out! I love how the dock entrance turned out -

- while the big girls were at VBS, Charlie helped me reorganize our kitchen - bookworm - VBS was wonderful and exhausting for us all - Charlie and her friend Elliott -

- Elli made me this sweet necklace - we got to celebrate Malachi's first birthday - snuggle bug - beginning our school year, a welcome transition to routine -

Caroline and our new friend, Dottie - Elli and Dottie - Elli's monochromatic Eiffel Tower painting - I can't wait to kiss these sweet little lips! -

Currently...

2015-08-11T14:36:00.000-05:00

Listening: to Ellie Holcomb radio on Pandora. In early July, we were told that our sweet baby girl might have a heart defect that would require several surgeries soon after birth. The heart is easiest for them to see in an ultrasound around week 28, so we had to wait four looooong weeks to find out for sure. Praise God, the sonogram showed four healthy chambers and good blood flow through the ventricles. While we were waiting, I found so much comfort in Ellie Holcomb's Anchor of Hope that I listened to it on repeat most days.

Watching: mostly the first few innings of Royals games... honestly, if I sit down for longer than fifteen minutes at the end of the day, I'm asleep. Daniel and I are taking a stay-cation in a few weeks, though, so we're hoping to catch a matinee. Has anyone seen any good movies lately?

Reading: lots and lots of books with the girls. We are working our way through the Chronicles of Narnia right now, and currently on The Horse and His Boy. I also read the Kindle sample of All the Light We Cannot See, and I've requested it at the library, so soon I hope to be reading that!

Eating: fresh fruit of all kinds - peaches, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, grapes, apples, etc... I can't get enough of them! I've been craving some pad thai, however, so that's another goal for our stay-cation.

Drinking: iced hibiscus tea, and lots of it! So delicious and refreshing on these hot summer days. The girls are crazy about the "pink tea" too, so I usually have to share.

Feeling: excited for our stay-cation (third mention in this post so far, so I'm sure you couldn't tell). Knowing that we are coming up on a crazy, awesome, full season with four little ladies to take care of, I'm so thankful we were able to carve out a little time with just the two of us. We've both agreed we aren't allowed to work on projects around the house, and we are planning on eating out, watching movies in the middle of the day, reading books at fancy coffee-shops, and hopefully sleeping in a little bit.

Wanting: open-window weather! The heat has really not been as bad as I expected, but I am so ready to want a light sweater in the mornings, and to enjoy afternoon walks with the girls, and for not so many mosquitoes! The girls and I saw some pumpkin decorations at the grocery store the other day, and they started screaming and squealing, because in their mind, that means baby is coming any day now... oops! I may need to tone down their expectations just a little bit!

Needing: To finish my basement nesting project... organizing all our storage and arts and crafts supplies. It was long overdue, and I'm getting pretty close, but I want to finish it so I can move on to more fun projects - like sewing pillow covers and decorating the babies' room. I know my "nesting" energy won't last very much longer (if this pregnancy is like the others, anyway), so I've got to take advantage while I can!

Thinking: A lot about how to best help Charlie transition to not-the-baby. These two girls will have the closest age gap by almost a year, and Charlie is very much a mommy's girl, so I'm preparing myself for a rocky transition with her. She also loves babies, though, so perhaps it will be much easier than I think. One of my goals for September is to put together a few "busy boxes" for her to play with while I nurse the baby. If anyone has any other great ideas for me, please pass them on!

Enjoying: Watching Charlie play more and more with her sisters. She loves to follow them around and join in whatever game they're playing. The big girls do such a great job of including her, at whatever level she can. I'm so thankful for their friendships, and I pray daily that they would only grow closer. Knowing that there's another little girl about to join in the fun makes my heart so happy!

Homeschool 2015-16

2015-08-04T14:16:00.001-05:00

After prayer and discussion, Daniel and I feel called to continue homeschooling this year. Elli blossomed at home in kindergarten, so we are hopeful and excited for another year at home with her. She is in first grade, and Caroline will continue with preschool for one more year. Caroline has been begging me to do school every day, often saying "I can't wait to do school!" during breakfast. I love her enthusiasm!

We have been doing school this summer, with a few breaks for camps and traveling, so technically these aren't true "first day of school" pictures, but we're calling it good!

First Grade:

Phonics - Explode the Code, continuing with book 3.

Math - Singapore math, grade 1

History: Bede's History of Me

Social Studies, Art, Literature, Science: Five in a Row, volume 1
Bible - The Child's Story Bible, by Catherine Vos and Scripture memory

Preschool:

Phonics - Explode the Code, we are almost done with the Before the Code books, and then we'll begin with book 1.

Math - I plan on using a preschool math workbook in the fall to make sure she has a good foundation and lots of practice writing her numbers. Depending on how she does with that, we may start Singapore's kindergarten curriculum for the spring semester.

History - Bede's History of Me

Social Studies, Art, Literature, Science: Five in a Row, volume 1
Bible - The Child's Story Bible, by Catherine Vos and Scripture memory

Baby
(for the next 10ish weeks at least, and then I'll be forced out of my denial and have to call her a toddler)

Keeping this little one occupied will be a daily adventure to be sure. She loves her big sisters and wants to be doing everything they are doing. For the past week I tried doing our more interactive subjects in the morning. She loves to read, so she'll sit and look at books with us, and during art projects or science experiments, I can loosely involve her or give her some new toy to play with. Then I was taking turns with the big girls to do phonics and math during Charlie's afternoon nap. That means, however, that the rest of us lose most of our rest time, which as I get further into third trimester and then have a newborn, I'm not keen on doing. I may try having one of the big girls play with her in the play room while I work with the other one in the mornings.

Choosing Home

2015-07-18T07:45:00.003-05:00

We are smack dab in the middle those sticky, hot July days where I just give up on fixing my hair and drink iced tea like it's going out of style. My plants are looking kinda sad (who am I kidding... there was no hope for them this year) and I constantly smell of chlorine. I tend to think that summer will be slower and simpler than the other seasons, but I'm realizing that as my kids get older, summer fills up in a jiffy. We've traveled and hosted and play-dated and partied, not to mention the rotation of swim lessons and camps and VBS. Our family has been enjoying summer's fun full steam ahead for about six weeks now, and I'm beginning to feel the ache for routine.

While the girls enjoy one more week of summer at our church's VBS, I will be planning and organizing for our second year of home schooling. This year I am more excited and (a little) less nervous. Kindergarten was educational, mostly for me, and I'm excited to build on what I've learned; this year will hold it's own set of challenges, however, as Charlie no longer takes a morning nap and we add our precious number 4 to the mix. I plan on writing a more detailed post on how I'm hoping to manage those transitions.

As I've prayed and thought about this fall, mostly while waiting for swim lessons or on the drive to KC, I have been drawn to a simple calling - to choose home. This past season of motherhood has been defined by a lot of going. We've explored our new city, we've escaped the chaos of living in the midst of a renovation, we've developed friendships, and we've gotten involved in our church and community. By going - physically leaving the house. But the Lord is doing something new in my heart, and I want to fully embrace it. I'm excited to settle in a bit; to build routines and habits that we simply haven't made time for recently. This will impact our lives in many ways, and even as I'm writing about it, the Lord is revealing new things. I have a strong desire to record it, partially to keep myself accountable, but also because writing things out always helps me go a little deeper and live a little richer. Soon, I hope to write out some more detailed goals, but here's the vision. May the Lord bless and enrich our plans to obediently "choose home."

+ Stay home: this sounds so simple, but we've just gotten in the habit of going. One of the girls' first questions of the day is often, "where are we going today?" This doesn't mean we won't ever leave the house, but I need to be more intentional about when and how often we go.

+ Organize home: this encompasses a lot - organizing our spaces and stuff, but also in terms of organizing our routines (although we'll all need to be flexible as we add another little person to our mix, but I think a general routine may actually help us in that transition). This will also include how we start our mornings, home school, keep a clean home, and tackle laundry.

+ Create home: I have not invested much time or energy into making our house a cozy, homy, refuge for our family. Mostly because I've been waiting for the dust to settle... literally... from our renovation. I think it's time. We're going to hang things on the walls in the girls' rooms.
I have plans to sew pillow covers and keep my eyes our for that elusive rug that I both love and can afford. And I want to involve the girls in this too, probably by doing seasonal crafts with them and including their artwork in our decor.

+ Enjoy home: I'm not sure if this is a combination of all three of the first goals our a product of them, but either way, I want us to choose to take time to savor being home. Play more board games after dinner. Read more books cuddled up on the couch. Decorate our driveway with sidewalk chalk more often. Take more pictures, which may seem counterintuitive, but it helps me to savor and appreciate the details of our life.

Camping Trip

2015-07-08T21:33:00.000-05:00

Camping was a big part of both Daniel and my childhoods, so we have wanted to take the girls for awhile. We've done a few backyard campouts, but I decided to surprise Daniel with a real camping trip for Father's Day.

We were originally planning on going to Roaring River State Park in Missouri, but they called me Friday morning to inform me that they had to cancel our reservation due to flooding. I was bummed, because this is one of the places I grew up camping at with family, so I was familiar with the area. Thanks to a great recommendation from our neighbors, we quickly found a back up plan at Kanapolis State Park.

When we first arrived, the girls picked up these wildlife guides at the park office, which they studied while Daniel and I set up the tent.

Charlie was at a slightly challenging age, when she wants to do everything the big girls are doing, but can't or still needs help. As long as she had a full snack cup, she did alright, however.

After setting up camp, we decided to try a quick hike. Maybe not our smartest decision. The sun was hot, and Charlie was not happy to be in the carrier. This was the point of the trip where Daniel and I questioned if this was going to work.

The big girls enjoyed themselves, although they were hot and tired by the end.

Charlie was happy once she was out of the Ergo with snack in hand. Notice a theme?

After our hike we stuck close to camp for the evening, and things improved. My biggest concern going into our weekend was how Charlie would sleep. She is generally a great sleeper, but definitely likes her crib and routine. At first I tried snuggling with her, but she just wanted to play. Eventually, I just zipped her in the tent... she fussed for a few minutes, but gave in much more quickly than I expected!

For whatever reason, I was the first one awake both mornings, and this was the most precious thing for me. I rarely get to see Charlie asleep like this, so snuggling with her was just precious.

Saturday morning we decided to take advantage of the cooler morning air and go for a hike first thing. Mushroom Rock State Park was perfect for our little family. There are several of these unique rock formations to climb on, but the park itself is not that big, so none of the girls wore out.

Next, we tried to find a good fishing spot. Admittedly, this was not "successful," since sun was already heating up, we were a little late for prime fishing times, and I couldn't help much because Charlie was busy busy busy. The girls each got to cast a few lines, however, and they did get to see some fish jump; so they didn't seem to mind.

Next, we explored some man-carved caves in a bluff and had a picnic lunch.

By then, the temperature was nearing 100 degrees, so we drove to a "beach" and swam for awhile to cool off. This was a highlight for all three girls. The rest of the day we spent at our campsite: exploring, resting in the shade with cold drinks, watching boats on the lake, cooking hot dogs, showering, catching fireflies, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, and finally crashing into our tent for sleep.

We enjoyed a slow morning at our campsite, and then after packing up, we stopped at Coronado Heights Park, where there is a castle/fort built on top of a hill, which provided some beautiful views of the Flint Hills around us.

With Baby Girl arriving this fall, I'm not sure when we'll be brave enough to go again, but even if it is a few years, I'm so glad we had such a great first camping trip together. We want our girls to enjoy and feel confident in nature; to know how to clean a fish and recognize poison ivy. Eventually we want them to learn how to build a fire and read a trail map. This trip was a great starting point and the beginning of many adventures ahead!

Happy Birthday, Caroline!

2015-07-06T16:43:00.001-05:00

Our sweet, second born turned 4 on May 12th. When I think back to that precious, dark haired, itty-bitty baby we brought home... I'm just in awe. How has she grown up so quickly? And what a joyful, spunky, tender-hearted young lady she is becoming!

We gave her a bike for her birthday, just like her big sister, and she was delighted! Her sisters gave her the very important accessories.

With a little bit of practice, she was up and down the street, stopping every few minutes to collect treasures for her bag.

In anticipation of our first moments with baby #4, I've been reminiscing over the first moments of meeting all my babes. I remember being shocked by Caroline's full head of dark hair, and just having all the time I wanted to soak her in. She was from the beginning a sweetly peaceful baby, only crying when she needed something. Her first few weeks of life were a little chaotic, since we were moving into a new home, but even then her quiet strength shone through. Caroline means "strong woman of faith," and she is just that.

We could not be more proud of Caroline or enjoy her more. She loves with loyalty and passion; she is compassionate and hospitable; she is a wonderful daughter and sister. Her sense of humor and contagious joy bring our family closer together. We praise God for our sweet Caroline!!!

The Beach

2015-06-27T19:16:00.004-05:00

In April, we got to spend a week with my family at Santa Rosa Beach in Florida. My parents found an amazing beach house right on the water, so we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the ocean all day long.

Charlie's first reaction pretty much sums it up.

We all basically raced through the house (which was awesome in and of itself) to get down to the water.

You can hardly blame us after 16 hours in the car.

Elli was our little fish - leaping over waves, learning to boogie board and riding the waves with Aunt Madeleine.

Caroline was more interested in finding sea shells and playing in the sand. She was also fearless when it came to grabbing little sand crabs!

They would create "games" in the sand for the rest of us to follow.

Charlie was quite the little water-baby! She did not sleep well at all on this trip, and even in the middle of the night, she would be pointing towards the beach... desperate to get down to the waves. We had breakfast on the deck almost every morning so as not to wake up the rest of the house.

The morning of my 30th birthday, she was awake at the crack of dawn, so we enjoyed a sunrise walk on the beach - a pretty awesome way to welcome a new decade!

One night, Ryan, Madeleine and their friend Cara (our Cara loved sharing names!) arranged for a beach bonfire. We played bocce, watched a gorgeous sunset, roasted marshmallows, and the men and kids went crab hunting after dark. I don't know if I can really pick a favorite moment from the trip, but this night was one of the most memorable!

We didn't get any pictures, but we also rode bikes around the bike paths and to Seaside. Elli worked hard and actually rode 5K all by herself one day!

There were so many other sweet memories made, and we are so grateful for time with our family.

Easter

2015-05-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

The girls and I got to celebrate Easter with both of our families, which made it really special. Have I mentioned how wonderful it is to live close to family? At my parents, we tried a new way to decorate eggs, using crayons and crayon shavings as soon as the eggs were done cooking, so the wax melted onto them. They were different and easy and the girls really loved decorating the eggs this way!

Of course, we did dye some traditionally as well.

Charlie and Malachi didn't really participate this year, but next time I bet it'll be a different story!

Grandpa and Mia and their grandkids... the best of many pictures!

We drove home Saturday afternoon so we could celebrate with Daniel and his family the next day. Earlier in the year, I realized that there are actually very few years when I will be able to find matching outfits in all their different sizes (and when they'll allow matching!), so I took advantage of the opportunity. I'm so glad I did... I will treasure this picture always!

We were grateful to get to worship with some of our sweet cousins at church in the morning.

Easter was Charlie's first holiday last year, and I couldn't help but reflect on how much changes in a year and marvel that next year we'll have another little one! I wonder whether there'll be another little dress or maybe a bow tie?