Country Mouse Tales

Snowy Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:21:00 +0000

We woke up on Saturday to 6 inches of snow, and although we lazed around for the first half of the day, we were excited to get out into the snow after naptime. After bundling up two little boys, plus ourselves, headed out into the bright snow.

Not pictured are the five minutes we spent yelling at the dog to come back after he charged headlong out of the door, knocking Jack over in the process. It was like you could almost hear his three brain cells screaming "MUST EAT SNOW. MUST EAT SNOW!'

We failed to consider the fact that Jack would be big enough to sled this year, but hopefully we can pick up a sled for him before the snow all melts away.

Luke was a little overwhelmed by the bright sun reflecting off the snow, bit after a few minutes he was all smiles again.

Jack had a blast using his squirt bottle to turn the snow blue (this was a big hit with the neighbor kids too!).

All we did was add a few drops of food coloring to a bottle of water, but I have heard that you can also use Kool-aide mix in place of food coloring.

Jack and Daddy set out together to shovel the sidewalk...which was really cute. I had to laugh as Jack made Matt switch shovels with him several times until he finally settled on the green one.

We live in a townhouse community, so the majority of the plowing is done by a gang of dudes on four-wheelers rigged up with a plow in front. All the guys really needed to shovel was out front walkway and our itty bitty little porch.

(Luke and I headed inside to warm up, and then I did end up taking Jack in midway through shoveling...it was SO cold out, I started doing the worried momma thing and brought him in for Chocolate Milk.)

After some guidance from Daddy, Jack got the hang of sliding his shovel under the snow.

Matt and I also realized that in a few years we will have a little 'shoveling team'. What can I say, we have big dreams for these guys. BIG DREAMS! I mean, there is no shortage of tasks they can do...snow shoveling, leaf raking, car washing...Matt and I will have to string up a hammock to kick back and supervise.

They are so excited to hear that, can't you just see the anticipation all over their rosy little cheeks?!

IF

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

If you give a girl a baby...

...she's going to take pictures of his dear tiny hiney and post them on her blog.

It's a statistical fact.

On a lighter note...

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Thank you all for your encouragement and prayers, they mean a lot to Matt and I. Matt mentioned how scary it is that so many of you can relate to the same circumstances, and he is right. I'm so sorry that so many of you can relate firsthand.

But onto a lighter note, I don't typically post videos, but this one cracks me up. This was taken just a few hours before my water broke...if you watch til the end you will see my pregnant self waddle into the shot. This is what happens when a two year old decides to use an excersaucer.

I guess those weight limits are for real?! Who would have guessed?

Turn of Events

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

I've been a little absent in the last week or so, as you have probably noticed, and the truth is I have just been so distracted. A couple of weeks ago we were hit with the news that the district that Matt teaches in has to make some serious budget cuts, and the language program was one of the proposed cuts. Well, the school board met, and at that point, they decided that the language program would stay.

We breathed a sigh of relief.

Fast forward to last Thursday, when there was another meeting. Long story short...we are pretty sure that my husband will not have a job next year. They are cutting the entire middle school language program.

How are we feeling about this? Well - scared. Kinda angry. A little bit lost. We are grateful for the fact that he still has seven months of employment, during which he can hopefully find a new position, but again scared, because so far the only open position we have found is in Maryland. In a way I feel like things were finally settled down and now they are all up in the air again.

But here is what I KNOW. God has always met our needs. Always. This is not the hardest thing we have ever faced together...if we got through all that crap with the house, we can get through this. I have a husband who provides for his family, he is a blessing in so many ways.

Kind of a sucky turn of events though. I could go into the additional news that Matt was in an accident that totaled his car last week as well, but really...do we need any more bad news? I'm just happy he is fine, cars are replaceable, Matt is not.

Jack in a Box

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

As the weather turns colder and we have to be inside more and more, its easy for Jack to get really bored, really fast. Do you know what happens when a toddler gets bored? Bad things my friends, BAD THINGS. From marker on the wall, to Froot Loops in the laptop...boredom breeds misbehavior in toddlers.

Fortunately, toddlers are also easily entertained...especially when you think creatively and do something new for them. I thought I would show you a few of the things we like to do to switch up our routines and keep Jack entertained...and therefore out of trouble!

We get diapers delivered to our house every two months...and Jack loves to have a little clubhouse made out of the box. I cut windows into the sides, give him his crayons or markers, and away he goes.

Another activity he loves are his 'experiments'. I give him a couple of bowls, some plastic measuring spoons, a small amount of water, and one other thing for him to mix and play with on the floor.

On this day he had tiny little animal sponges ($1 at Five Below), but in the past I have given him dried pasta, or even just another empty bowl to transfer all the water to with the spoon. We do this one on the kitchen floor for easy clean-up.

This one was our Monday activity. A FORT! I remember the fun of rigging up a sheet and spending hours playing in it, and I was glad to see that Jack seemed to have just as much fun. He read books in there for quite a while, and then later he took his toys in and I could hear him talking to the characters.

Can you tell he is into Thomas right now?

So...those are three of the things we do to keep havin' fun around here. The bonus for these activities would be that they are things that I can do with him, and also things that he can do alone - which is good for times I need to do something else like cook dinner or nurse Luke.

I would absolutely love to hear what activities you do with your little ones to keep them having fun and out of trouble! If you have posted about the fun things you do at home, please link it, or just tell me in the comments!

Luke: Three Months

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:13:00 +0000

Technically, he will be three months tomorrow, but the odds of me sitting down to write this on a Saturday are slim, and there is just so much about this time that I want to remember. So anyway...here is a little Luke update.

At three months Luke:

-weighs around 15/16 lbs. He hasn't been weighed since his two month doctors appt, so that is a rough estimate.
-wears 6 month sized clothing.
-has started using his hands to bat at hanging toys.
-is rocking a fabulous combover.
-'talks' all the time, especially to Daddy in the evenings.
-goes to bed around 9 in the evenings.
-has a major crush on Mommy. All I have to do is say 'hi buddy' and I get the brightest little smiles.

-laughs when his arms or legs are wiggled around.
-loves when we sing the Winnie the Pooh song.
-sleeps in his pack'n'play in our room.
-loves bathtime, especially now that he and Jack get their baths together.
-sucks on his hands all the time, and can break out of almost any swaddle to do so.
-flares his nostrils when he sees something interesting (see below picture for an example).
-has blue eyes

-has started to drool quite a bit.
-loves to sit on the floor (propped on mommy) and watch Jack's trains go around the track
-rolled from front to back
-really dislikes his car seat, especially at night.
-loves his little bouncer seat (he is sitting in it in both of the pictures in this post). He typically sits in there and 'talks' to me while I make dinner in the evenings, which is such a sweet time for me.

Like I said...SO much I want to remember! This time with him is so sweet and precious. I love that chubby little dude! He is such an 'easy' baby, Matt and I are both just amazed at how he just fits right into our family.

Embrace the Camera: 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:29:00 +0000

The thing about having two kids is that there isn't a hand left over to hold a camera, so I have been severely behind in my picture taking lately. I did manage to get ONE whopping photo on New Year's Eve. It was kind of on a whim, I had gotten dressed and gotten Luke dressed, and he was being very cute in all his babyness, kind of lurching his little head around to see everything, so I grabbed my camera and snapped a quick picture of us in the mirror.

It's a little wonky, but it's a picture of me and my little guy!

Can we ignore how smudgy my mirror is? I can't be bothered with glass cleaner at this point in my life, you know?

A Year in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:09:00 +0000

I've been going through my archives, and I know I say this every year....but I can't believe another year has come and gone. I love being able to look back through pictures and see the changes that have taken place.

January:

February:

March:

April:

May:

June:

July:

August:

September:

October:

November:

December:

It's incredible how much can change in a year. What has been the biggest change for you this year?

Giving

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

There are so many things I want to teach my sons, but I think one of the things at the very top of that list is that life is so much bigger than just 'me'. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the idea that each and every one of us has our own story, filled with different characters, different experiences, and different goals . I used to look out of the backseat of my Dad's van after school and wonder who all these people were, where they were going, if they were happy, if they were loved.

I used to wonder, and I still do, if they know how very loved they are. If those strangers have ever heard that they have a Creator who is utterly fascinated by the beauty of their being. It's so easy to walk around, caught up in the daily dirt of my own life, my own silly issues, and forget this beautiful truth.

Christmas brings this to light more than most other times of the year - we get out the tree, make our shopping lists, and we hum Christmas Carols as we shoulder through the hordes at the Mall, but how do we honor our Savior? I want my boys to see this season as the time of giving, and not in the 'presents' way. There is more, there should be more.

It can be hard though, you know? We aren't wealthy, I have no particular skill set that will benefit others, and besides that, I'm shy! I can hardly even TALK to strangers, how can I possibly help people I don't know? With our mail yesterday I was reminded of how easy it can be. We sponsor a little boy through Compassion International, and up until yesterday we had only ever received drawings from him because he was too young to write. Yesterday we received the first letter penned by his little hand.

"Thank you for letting me go to school. I love you Mr. and Mrs. Mattehew"

I can't even tell you how much that last sentence means to me. We are trying to strike a balance here, between what we can do and what we can give, not just to show our sons that Christmas is about real giving, but to remind ourselves as well, and two sentences from a little boy a world away made this season more real to me than the trees, carols, and cookies ever could.

Christmas is about so much more.

Swiper

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:13:00 +0000

A few days ago I posted this little status on Facebook, mostly because I knew that the majority of fellow mommas would be able to commiserate.

And yesterday, while Luke was having a little bit of a fussy time, Jack let us in on a little secret he had been keeping.

No, really. In the train tunnel.

Toddlers.

Christmasy Catch Up

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:12:00 +0000

We have been so busy this month, and I have so many pictures and memories that I want to make sure I document here, but I just don't have time to make a separate post for each! And so...a little catch up in what we have done this Holiday season. Brace yourselves for a slew of pictures and random ramblings as I try to be a memory keeper for my family ('cause we all know I'm no scrapbooker!).

We kicked off the month of December with our annual trip to Alexandria, VA, for the Scottish Christmas walk - the guys were all excited to get their kilts out once again. My brother couldn't make it this year, but the rest of us had a great time!

Every year there is one group that walks in the parade and, while I can't be sure, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say they are always pretty sloshed. They yell 'yo, yo, yo' which I am sure has some significance to them, but to me...it's just cracks me up every year. This year Em and I got our pic snapped in front of them. Can you even handle Gemma's hat? Oh she is so cute!

I just think these horses are pretty.

Moving on...

The boys and I made a trip over to my sisters house for some ornament painting.

The little guys had a great time decorating their salt dough ornaments, and Jack has proudly hung his on the tree where he points to them almost every day and tells me about how he painted them with his 'best friend, Emerson'.

Jack tends to get a little wild with paint, so he went shirtless for this particular activity. Nothing says Christmas like a half naked toddler!

My nephew Emerson is such a little thinker and very meticulous with his artwork. He was totally stressed that Jack is more of a free-form painter (to put it nicely).

Last Friday we rang bells for Salvation Army at the mall, which was a really cool thing to do as a family, one I would like to make a yearly tradition. I was worried that Luke might get too cold, so I wore him under one of Matt's jackets, all snuggled up next to me. He was warm...but it was definitely not the most flattering outfit I have ever put together.

Can we all take note of Jack in the above picture? Yeah...are you surprised to see that he is cavorting about? Me either.

Last weekend we had a Christmas party, where we also managed to snap a cute family picture!

Little boys in sweater vests! Good stuff! What wasn't good was when we caught Jack reaching onto the buffet to snag carrots, taking a bite and returning it to the platter for another. I guess I should just be glad he was eating veggies?

While all of the above activities make us sound really busy, we have been able to have a lot of time for just the four of us to enjoy this season as well, which has been really wonderful. I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday season as well!

Comparisons

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:38:00 +0000

By a sheer miracle I have a loaf of bread in the oven, my laundry is (mostly) finished, and both (BOTH!) of my children are napping right now. I hardly even know what to do with my arms at the moment...they might start flapping around involuntarily for lack of something to do. It's very odd indeed.

So...let's all weigh in on the one question that has been asked over and over since I had Luke...

Does he look like Jack?

Here they are at 2 months to the day, in the same outfit, in the same pose (with the same amount of sass I might add).

Jack is on the left, Luke on the right...I gotta say...I don't really think they look all that much alike! I mean, they look like brothers, but not like each other. They clearly both have Matt's nose (and can you even handle the eyebrows?!), but other than that, they each have a distinctive 'look', you know?

And just for fun, because I love these pictures that Trinity took of both of my boys and I...

Sigh. I already miss the newborn stage.

But anyway...what do YOU think, do they look alike?

Bruiser

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:12:00 +0000

On Facebook, I recently asked if all two year old boys believe that they are crash test dummies, and from the replies...yep. Yes they do. At least the majority.

Jack does not know the meaning of the word cautious (well...literally he doesn't, but you know what I mean here, right?). He is nothing short of terrifying when he gets going. Just last week we were sitting together on the couch while I nursed Luke, and he was fidgeting around.

Next thing I knew he had used his legs like a spring to push himself off of the back of the couch. Catapulted onto his own head as his legs flipped over his body, landing flat on his back. I was FREAKING OUT. I put Luke down and rushed to get Jack, who popped right up, laughed maniacally, and yelled "I GOT A BOO-BOO", then ran straight into the Christmas Tree.

And as scary as that was, it's really not an unusual occurrence. I just...I just...boys are SO weird.

Two nights ago he had another scare, we woke to a loud thump and the sound of Jack screaming. Matt and I flew out of bed, completely disoriented from sleep and totally terrified. We ran down the hall to his room to find him laying on the floor. He must have either tried to climb over the rail of his bed, or somehow managed to roll over it...but my money is on the climbing.

Sadly that one earned an injury...

...and to top that look off? Yesterday he gave himself a fat lip when he ran into the windowsill.

From the looks of things you would assume he is being raised by a pack of wolves.

I'd ask those of you with older boys if they grew out of it, but I think I already know the answer...

Month Two

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:26:00 +0000

This happy little guy celebrated two months of life yesterday. I truly cannot believe how fast it has gone. In many ways, the adjustment from having one child to having two children has been much easier than I expected.

What I did not expect was how fast time would go. The days seem to blur together, which could be a result of sleep deprivation, but still...it's going quickly!

Photo from my sister's phone

We will find out his official length and weight on Friday, but we weighed him here at home last night and came up with around 14 and a half pounds.

He is doing great, smiling and cooing and doing all the things that two month olds do. Jack is SUCH a good big brother, he loves to help me with diapers and pacifiers (we have had to talk about not trying to put the pacifier in Luke's mouth when Luke is already asleep though...)

It is starting to look like Luke may have inherited my blue eyes and curly hair, although that could always change. It's kind of funny, for as much as Jack look like a miniature version on his Daddy, Luke seems to have more of my features. The one thing that is all his though? The sweetest little dimple in his cheek. I haven't managed to get a picture of it just yet...but trust me...it's there!

He is such a laid back little dude, which is great because this place can get pretty rowdy when his big brother gets into character (more on that later).

Cell phone picture from yesterday

We are so blessed to have this little guy in our lives, and cliche as it may be, I can't imagine life without him.

Thanks for bearing with me and my lack of posting as we continue to get more comfortable with daily life. If I manage to get the dishes washed I call it a good day in the house-keeping department...so it is easy to see how updating this space can fall to the back of my task list.

You understand, don't you? I knew you would.

Now, if you will excuse me...I hear a certain somebody on the monitor...

O Tannenbaum

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:11:00 +0000

This years Christmas tree expedition went MUCH more smoothly than last year (remember this?). We plotted our course the night before, and found the tree farm without any hassle. The weather was absolutely beautiful...not very Christmas-y, but I'll take as many 70 degree days as I can get before the bitter cold days get here!

Jack just about flipped out when he realized that we were going to be pulled in a wagon by a tractor(!), but promptly started to cry when he realized he did not have an apple (random, huh?). That's the magic of a two-year old, who would have guessed that he would need an apple to find a Christmas tree? He quickly forgot the apple, because in no time at all we were dropped off into a field of trees and told that the wagon would return for us in the little while, and to just go out there and find our tree!

We traipsed about for a little while so Matt could decide on the perfect tree, but it wasn't too long before he settled on THE ONE. Matt and I re-enacted the 'that wouldn't fit in out yard' scene from Christmas Vacation. I played the part of Russ, my tree-lovin' husband was, of course, Clark.

Jack really wanted to man the saw, so once the tree was down Matt helped him 'cut' through the last bit of bark. I honestly don't think there was anything to cut but he was very proud of himself anyway.

We trudged back through the field, rode the wagon back, and strapped that bad boy onto our car to take it home to decorate. We did have to stop once so that we could re-adjust the tree. I had looked out of my side mirror to see it perched sideways on the roof of the car...not a good thing!

Nevertheless, we did manage to get the tree home, and the decorating commenced! (Note:Matt was wearing mittens to string the lights, apparently our tree is very 'pokey'.)

We love our short fat tree, but MAN those needles really are very sharp! Note to self: next year, opt for something other than a blue spruce.

Jack rearranges the bottom level of ornaments daily, focusing mainly on my husbands Star Wars character ornaments. Oh yes, you read that correctly. STAR WARS ORNAMENTS. Needless to say, we do not have a showcase style tree, but gosh darnit, I love the thing!

Do you have your Christmas tree up yet?

A Few Things

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:35:00 +0000

1. This weekend I had a nice surprise - I woke up at 6:45 and came downstairs with Luke to find Matt and Jack cuddled on the sofa. Matt took Luke, told me Happy Birthday, then told me to go back to bed. Guys - take note. The best gift you can give to a mother of a newborn? Two extra hours of sleep! It was amazing. And THEN. Then when I actually DID wake up, he had made me coffee and pancakes! Sleep AND breakfast? Unheard of!

2. On a related note, I was thinking last night about finals week in college, and how I remembered thinking I was soooo exhausted. Bahaha! Take that feeling, stretch it out over a few months, and throw in a baby that has the audacity to want to eat every few hours and a toddler that needs to have his hiney wiped, and voila! Parenthood.

3. My dresser to entertainment center re-do is being featured over at Roadkill Rescue today! If you are at all interested in DIY furniture renovations, you need to click on over to that website, because seriously? The creativity of people is amazing! Someone made a chair from old crutches! Crutches!

4. It's the first weekend of December, which can mean only one thing! Tomorrow is the Annual Scottish Christmas Walk! Matt's kilt is ready to go, the boys winter garb is waiting patiently for little bodies to warm, and I can't wait to hear those beautiful pipes!

THOSE Days

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Do you ever have those days, you know, the ones that leave you frustrated and a little shaky? With your hair all frizzed out, spit-up dripping down your arm, and another potty-training accident on the sofa? I'm having one today. It's not a BAD day, not really, it's just one of THOSE days. In the grand scheme of things, I still just feel blessed to get to live this specific life, with these specific baby boys. But today, in the nitty gritty of life...I feel frustrated. So frustrated that I decided that today I hate my sofa (what did that poor sofa have to do with any of this, I ask you? Absolutely nothing, that's what).

So...here is what I am going to do. I am going to stop feeling sorry for myself, turn my attitude around, and when Jack wakes up from his nap I think a Christmas carol dance party in the living room is in order.

Also I am going to post a picture of myself on a day that I showered AND did my make-up. Look at me holding my boys and looking sorta put-together.

Note: I did not do my hair, I rock a wet braid pretty often these days.

For the record...today I am still in my pajamas, and it is now after 12 o'clock. I'd say I declared it pajama day, but really November has been more of a pajama month than anything else.

Entertainment Center Before & After

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:20:00 +0000

A few days ago I showed you this little gem that I snagged for $15 and had grand plans of making into an entertainment center.

Ain't she a beaut?! So anyway, a few cans of spray paint later, here is our new "after"....

It turned out exactly like I was hoping it would, complete with discreet toy storage on the bottom shelf that the boys can access on their own. My living room SO needed this breath of fresh air. I'm sure cranberry red wouldn't appeal to everyone, but it feels very 'us'!

P.S. - The wreath above it? $5 to make. Here is how I did it.

linking up:

Hambone

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:11:00 +0000

I've taken to calling Luke different variations of 'hammy' because seriously, the dude is enormous. He's got rolls in all the right places, and his squishy-ness enchants me every time I dress him.

At his one month check-up, he tipped the scales at 12lbs. 4oz., which means he has been gaining about one pound a week!

Today marks exactly 6 weeks since this (not so) little guy came into our lives. He started smiling for Daddy about two weeks ago, and in the last two days has started smiling all the time. My hearts bursts a little every time I get even the tiniest of smirks out of him.

What a hambone, huh?

Work in Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Have you ever been sitting in your living room, nursing your newborn while watching your two year old cavort on the carpet and think "this room drives me crazy!'? 'Cause I sure have! In the last six weeks I've gotten a little bit of cabin fever from being somewhat cooped up in the house, and my creative side had gotten a little bit stifled. The greens and the browns and the crappy entertainment center were starting to work on my already frazzled nerves.

Last weekend Matt caught on to my general sense of frustration, so a-thrifting we went! I'm notoriously picky when I go thrifting, and I don't take my time at all. I figure that if I don't like something the first time I see it, there is no reason to linger. In fact, at some stores we didn't even get the boys out of the car. I simply zipped through to see the furniture selection while Matt waited with them in the car. After three stores (and lunch, 2 diaper changes, nursing in the car, and Christmas shopping) and no success, we decided to call it quits and look again another day.

On our way home I remembered one more consignment store on the way home, and since no one was in tears we gave it a chance. We browsed all the way though and then I saw it. Way in the back of the store, this bad boy had been marked down all the way to $15 because it had been there so long without selling (yes, it was THAT ugly) but something about it appealed to me. It was the right size, sturdy, and it looked lonely.

Two of the drawers clearly don't belong, but I had plans for that! Matt looked at me like I had lost my mind with this one...but for $15 he was willing to give it a chance.

So, that's where we are. The dresser is repainted and the living room is slowly coming together, but there are still a few things that are in need of finishing before I show you the finished project.

I gotta say, it feels darn good to have a project once again! Wanna take a guess at what color I chose for this piece? If you follow me on Pinterest you can probably figure it out!

Do you have any works in progress? link 'em up in the comments if you do!

Embracing the Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:45:00 +0000

On a typical day I don't wear make-up. I know, I know....you are surprised right? I mean...I have all the time in the world to slap on some eyeliner and lip gloss while my children tend to themselves and all, I just choose not to.

I did, however, wash the spit up out of my hair and 'put my face on' for Jack's birthday party, and my sweet husband was so enamored of my beauty (or something like that) that he snapped a few pictures of me watching our birthday boy dig for buried treasure. He told me afterwards that he had gotten a 'really good one' of me watching Jack, so I was looking forward to seeing it.

For some reason I think I look completely insane in this picture. Seriously...like I laughed out loud at the strange expression and the slightly frightening look in my eyes.

I wonder if I always look crazy when I look at Jack? My guess is that I probably do.

And just for the record, this is more along the lines of what I look like on a normal day home with my boys.

Jeans. t-shirt, ponytail, and a sweet little newborn strapped to my chest (it's all about the accessories you know).

The Magic Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:05:00 +0000

This is what I love about Fall. That one golden hour in the evenings, when the sun slants his rays across our world, and everything looks magical.

The reds and oranges of the leaves are intensified by the golden light, and even our baseball diamond becomes a place of wonder.

When I think about Fall throughout the year, evenings like this are the ones that come to mind. Everything bathed in that perfect light, the air is just cool enough for a jacket and a hat, and life is just...magic.

I'm storing up these moments in my mind (and my camera), and just feeling really and truly grateful for all the blessings God has given to us.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us - Psalm 67:1

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:37:00 +0000

The pirate party was a wonderful time, we had so much fun celebrating Jack's two years of life with our families. I've said it before, but our families rock. They came dressed as pirates and ready to party!

I love a good dress-up party, so I supplied mustaches, bandannas, hats, eye patches, and itty bitty spyglasses. I just think it's so much more fun if we can all make fools of ourselves together!

My brothers costume probably takes the cake though! He picked it up on Halloween clearance the night before, and yes...that is a child's costume on my 22 year old brother!

Matt and I were both SO surprised when his usually very reserved Dad came to the party sporting a pirate wig and bandanna!

For the little ones we had a buried treasure hunt, and they LOVED it. They played in the sand pretty much the entire time. Jack didn't even stop to eat..the only way we coaxed him away from it was to open his gifts.

Jack had so much fun, it was worth all the stress it may have caused in the days leading up to the party, also it was just really really fun to get all of our families together again. Jack had a blast playing with all of his cousins, and really....for three two year olds, three babies, and one lone 10 year old...there were very few meltdowns!

The party was held on my Dad's birthday, so I had a special cake for each of the birthday boys.

The toddlers banded together to help my Dad with all of his candles.

It was a wonderfully pirate-y way to celebrate the 2nd year of Jack's life. And hey! did you see the cookies? They turned out okay right?! I mean...no...I will not be making a career out of cookie decorating, but still! The are passable as pirates!

Oh and that black icing? TOTALLY stains your teeth black. Ahem...not that I ate any straight out of the tube and regretted it later. I would never do that...I have restraint.

Luke - One Month

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:31:00 +0000

Jack's party was a lot of fun, even if he was a little under the weather. I have oodles of pictures to share, but first, I can't let today go by without a little post. Luke is one month old today!

At one month Luke -

-wears size 1 diapers.
-weighs somewhere between 11 and 12 lbs.
-does not like bathtime. AT ALL.
-sleeps in his pack'n'play in our room.
-wakes 2-3 times a night...which I think is pretty good, I expected to be much more exhausted!
-is starting to find his voice, although he mainly grunts more than he coos. What a dude huh?

-has smiled at Daddy twice, and at Mimi once...but not at Mommy at all. I'm not bitter.
-tries very hard to hold his head up...but still headbutts my shoulder a few times a day.
-has hair that is extremely curly when it's wet, but dries into a natural mohawk.

He also has attended his first party, and while there he sported his first mustache.

Yes, it kind of looks like a caterpillar, but I wasn't about to actually peel the back off and stick it to his little lip.

Like most babies, he prefers to be held, which is cute and all but it does make doing anything else difficult. Enter my love of babywearing. I wore Jack when he was older because I wasn't really confident enough to get him into the sling or wrap when he was tiny...but it's much more natural this time around!

So far he seems to prefer the Baby Bjorn, which was a hand-me-down from a friend (thanks Margo!), and a total lifesaver. For some reason I expected this carrier to be more uncomfortable than my wrap, but it isn't! Luke doesn't seem to like the wrap yet, but I keep it in the car just in case I need it in a pinch.

It's nice to be able to pop him in a carrier and do other important thing like, you know, playing with Jack, making lunch, etc. etc. etc.

Happy one month little one!

Love you baby.

Happy Birthday Jack!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bekah) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000