Superfluous

5 Months!

2013-05-17T09:35:00.003-05:00

5 Months! Sweetie Pie!

Two

2013-05-08T18:49:00.001-05:00

Two years of being my sweet first born! Happy Birthday Everett!

4 Months

2013-04-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

4 months. All Awesome.

This is what...

2013-04-14T15:07:00.001-05:00

This is what we've been eating...

Country Living
Thai Steak Tacos

This is what we've been reading...

In My Meadow
There's a whole series of these books. We LOVE them.

This is what we've been watching...

Mad Men Season 6
Sideburns.

This is what we've been seeing...

It's April, enough already!

This is what we are loving...

love baby

Mom, Woman of Faith 4-13

2013-04-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to "Mom: Woman of Faith". Each Saturday a group of moms respond to a question essential to our lives as Christians and Mothers. It is our hope that this series will spark reflection and growth for all those involved. Please feel free to add your thoughts here or on facebook. Thanks for being here, and for sharing in our journey as Christians and mothers. We are always looking for more contributors! Email nancy if interested.

This week's Question:

What is one of the most joyful moments you have had as a mother?

Nancy

Small Things

Oh my. I am having one of those days were it is a little difficult to answer this question! We have been at my sister's house for the last three days. My toddler has sat down and eaten just a handful of meals in that time, spending the rest of the time screaming, playing, screaming, playing...and then passing out only to wake up screaming again. The baby has been sweet, but I keep feeling guilty that I am ignoring her because of my toddler's behavior. Motherhood is a joy...I just didn't feel very much of that joy in the recent past. I love my children. I love my children...

So, if I can just take a breath, and relax, let's see if I can come up with a response to this question.

One of the things that comes to mind when I think of the joy of motherhood is my backyard. My husband took a whopping 3 days off of work when baby #2 arrived (and a day and a half of that he spent working on the yard and the house). So, I was alone with both kids for the first time when the baby was just a five days old. Needless to say I was a little nervous that morning when my husband headed off to work. But, as it turns out, the three of us had a wonderful day together. We went to my usual Monday morning Bible study, had lunch (without any meltdowns) and then went and sat out on our deck. Miraculously, even though it was November in Minnesota, it was a beautiful day. My toddler ran around and I sat on the step holding the baby in a blanket. The baby slept peacefully in my arms. We all enjoyed the sunshine. I was barefoot.

That was a joyful, wonderful moment. The pictures I snapped on my phone while I sat outside still make me feel that deep joy. God knew that I needed that. I needed to know that I could do this, be the mother of two, and that it was going to be so, so good. And, even though the baby is only 5 months old, and even after the day I had, I'm excited for the next baby!

Sabrina

Superfluous

Obviously, my first response was the day both my boys were born. To hear their cries as they entered the world was the most magical & memorable moment for me as a mom.

And since we had a rocky start with the early birth of Deacon, and then having to be away from Everett for several weeks was really tough. When we were finally all back together as a family, I think that was probably the most joyful moment yet. Looking in the backseat and seeing both my boys together brought a huge smile to my face and love in my heart as we pulled away from the hospital.

But sometimes it's really just the small things. The boys reaching certain milestones, cuddles before bed, hugs and kisses and laughter. I love to put on music and dance with the boys and twirl them around and around. All those little moments really add up to some of the happiest and joy filled days as a mom.

Thank you for being a part of this week's Mom, Woman of Faith. For next week's question click here.

Spring, more like Blizzard.

2013-04-11T07:27:00.002-05:00

I know I choose to live in Minnesota. But why in April does it have to look like this??!?!!!?!?!

My husband and my Father-In-Law just brought out all the deck furniture out last weekend. I envisioned us grilling and lounging at this time, not digging out of snow.

It's just gross outside and I want Spring!

A-Z

2013-04-09T20:52:00.000-05:00

Brittney over at Fun with the Fullwoods, posted one of these, so I'm going to do the same.

A=Available or Married?

Married to TC, which stands for Teacher Crush.

And that is what I had on him at the school we worked at.

B = Book?

I am back on the Book wagon. I used to read a lot, but then I stopped. Now I just check out 18 books at once from the library. I can't stop myself. And I have to read 3 books at once.

C = Cake or Pie?

I do love cake, but pie is good too. Frosting is fun.

D = Drink of choice?

Water. Boring, but I love it. Or a cocktail.

E = Essential start to your day?

Pretending I don't hear the kids to get the last 5 minutes of peace all to myself.

F = Favorite Color

Hot Pink

G = Game to play or watch?

I do enjoy going to a Twins game, but that hasn't happened in awhile.

H = Height?

5'2"

I = Indulgence?

Shopping by myself

J = Job?

Living the Mini Van Dream

K = Kids and names?

Everett Timothy and Deacon Elliott

L = Life is incomplete without?

My 3 boys, Target & Netflix

M = Music group or singer?

Currently: Lumineers, Alabama Shakes, City and Color, Laurie Berkner

N = Number of siblings?

1 - The Budster

O = Overnight hospital stays?

Ha! funny. 6 with Everett. 15 with Deacon.

P = Phobias/ Fears?

snakes

Q = Favorite Quote?

Live Free or Die

R = Righty or Lefty?
righty

S = Season?

Summer!!!

T = Time you wake up?

4:00am and then 6:00am

U = Unknown fact about me?

I used to love going to concerts but now I hate them.

V = Vegetables you dislike?

Peas

W = What makes you run late?

2 little boys.

X = X-rays you've had?

None

Y = Your favorite food?

Thai

Z = Zodiac?

Capricorn.

Mommy life

2013-04-04T21:22:00.001-05:00

Two kids under two is nothing to shake a stick at. They just sit and shake sticks at me and attack me. True story.

Remember Julia Sweeney, who played Pat on SNL? I still love to do impersonations of her/him! Julia, not Pat, wrote a book on a collection of essays on Motherhood. Hello, I can relate.

"I want to be alone. I really need to be alone.

I took so long to assemble my lovely family... I went after creating family like a golden retriever running after a ball --how much does a the dog think about what he's doing? He doesn't think. He does. He is a doer. That's me too. I did it. I do it. I am doing it.

Every morning I get up and hustle. I'm sure this is true for most mothers. It's true for me too. This is what I wanted, after all. This was my dream. I'm always on task. I never go up the stairs of our house without looking around for what needs to be taken up. I never buy just one meal's worth of food at the grocery store. I drive carpools. I volunteer at the school cafeteria. I wait patiently outside the dance classes. I iron. I clean up the cat vomit. Make dinner. Walk the dog. I work at home and then really work, at home. I quell the rising ire in my roommates. I try to install harmony, efficiency, and a calm, enabling environment for my fellow family members. I often set the table two hours before dinner. I live by lists. I pick up things in our house and put them where they go. Chiefly, I'm the protector against chaos that threatens us. I am a good soldier.

I love my job.

Secretly I hate my job.

I love my family.

If only they would disappear."

Okay... I don't want my family to disappear And careful what you wish for. The last time I wished for a break, I ended up on hospital bed rest for two weeks. That really was a true story. I said, Dear God I need a break!! And that night, my water broke.

Seriously though, I love my boys. Very much. Here are all the pictures to prove it.

Farrah Fawcett called and she wants her hair back. Along with every player in the NHL.

Blue Man Group called and they want you to audition.

Bunny Butt

Impossible to get one good pic of Everett, because he is chowing on Jelly Beans.

Cutest baby EVER!!! Deacon is our premium preemie!

3 Months!

2013-03-17T17:04:00.005-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Etsy Love

2013-03-13T04:00:00.000-05:00

I have a little problem and it's called Etsy. I love it too much! All the beautiful art just calling my name!

Since we moved into the new house, I have purchased a few things for our home.

I think I love Etsy so much because it's regular ol' people just creating fun and beautiful things. They aren't mass produced and I love supporting small businesses. I even opened up an Etsy store, but I have yet to sell anything. Someday... when my life isn't filled with a newborn and a ~~crazy~~ energetic toddler.

So here are a few things I've ordered recently...

ANCHORandVINE

My husband is a HUGE Mumford & Sons fan. I of course like them too, but he is just crazy for them. I got this print in the 8x10 and in blue. It's a great quote!

HelloLittleFox

Everything in this shop is cuuute!!! It was hard to just buy one thing, but this one I thought was the sweetest. It's so perfect for our new home that we love so much.

Katie Daisy

I love Katie Daisy's work! It's so pretty and happy and whimsical. I like this print because it reminds me of my wedding. We had all sorts of lovely farmer's market flowers in Mason Jars all over the wedding and reception site.

Those are just a few of my favorite things right now from Etsy. But believe me, I have my eye on about 50 other things!!!

Mom, Women of Faith 3-9

2013-03-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

What is your biggest challenge as a mother? How do you deal with it?

Nancy

Small Things

I actually find the vocation of motherhood to be totally unchallenging... Ok. That's a lie.

Without a doubt, entering motherhood has been the most challenging (and ultimately fruitful) transformations of my life. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a mom, but there are still parts of motherhood that challenge me to the core. Since I was nearly 30 before I became a mother, I am most challenged by how motherhood demands such deep self sacrifice.

I would like to think that sacrificing for my children would be easy--and it is sometimes. I don't mind getting up at night or missing a social event because they are ill. But, it when I have to sacrifice parts of my identity or when I am reminded that my life is no longer my own that I am really challenged.

When I became a mother I was lucky enough to quit working and stay home. I love being home with my kids, but I didn't realize how much of my identity was wrapped up in my occupation. I also didn't realize how selfish I was. Even with prayer, I was selfish. I wanted to pray in this way at this time and I wanted it to be silent. The challenge comes in not only giving freely of myself for my children, but also at the same time taking care of myself. I still needed an identity and I certainly still need a prayer life!

The only "solution" I have come up with for this challenge is to bring it to the Lord. When I am feeling lost or emptied I am in a perfect place to humbly approach the Lord. I strive to make the little moments of motherhood my time for prayer--cooking, cleaning, nursing, rocking.

Melody

Blossoming Joy

I thought this would be an easy question to answer because I had an answer in mind immediately. Then, over time, I realized that I actually had a different answer every single day. I finally sat down at the 11th hour to get at the root… and once again, found the answer relatively easy.

My biggest challenge as a mother is my own weakness. My own limitations. My failures. Period. I wake in the morning and in they rush before my feet have hit the floor. I struggle through my morning prayers, trip over the shoes I left in the middle of the floor, and head off to change the sheets of the little one I forgot to take to the bathroom before bed. I go to bed at night with my failures playing like a permanently unfinished to-do list on a mental film reel.

I could list some big challenges outside of myself. Like teenage eye-rolling, household management, discipline, meal planning, sibling relationships… but what it really comes down to is whether or not I have the humility to fail and fail and fail again at managing those little and big things, and then get up again out of love for God and family.

When I fail to trust the in the Lord’s abundant grace and mercy, I tend to wallow in the muck and mire of the frayed details. In those rare moments when I have my heart in the right place, my head follows… and I see God standing in the gap, gazing at me and my failures with patience and affection. He is Mercy. And I rest in that confidence every moment of my motherhood.

Nell
Whole Family Parenting

My biggest challenge as a mother is to be at peace with the loss of control that inevitably comes with welcoming dependent children into your life. I’m not a type-A control freak or anything, but I do historically like to call the shots in life, to have my time be my own to squander or to spend wisely. Mothering provides me with the opportunity (being positive here!) to embrace the chaos and take one day at a time.

My husband and I have a 2 year-7month old boy and an 11 month old girl. They’re so sweet, loving, and generally very delighted with life. But when the house is filthy—like literally needs to be scrubbed top to bottom, I have no plans for dinner beyond breakfast food, the baby is teething and needs to be held, the big boy is whining and needs to be held, I haven’t showered in a few days or more, and my day is consumed with everyone else’s needs but my own—I feel pressed beyond my limits! I want to crawl into the laundry basket with a bar of my favorite locally made chocolate with my IPhone and surf the web and social media! In lieu of doing that (too much laundry in the basket!), I call any one of my sisters to complain.

The better way to handle this challenge would be to capitulate to the dirty house, intense and somehow simultaneous physical needs of children, and breakfast food for dinner. Change my attitude and embrace that this is where I am in life: a shadow of my former all-under-control lawyerly self, but a much more complete person! Shower when the kids are asleep and try again the next day to have a better approach to the mundane daily tasks of housekeeping and cooking. Plan ahead better. Get out of my PJs/yoga pants and approach the day like a complex case: one in need of preparation and mental fortitude. Pick a priority, be it cleaning the bathrooms or kneading the bread dough, and tackle it during nap time. And know that this time will pass so quickly and my challenges will only grow as my children do. Small children, small problems—big children, well, you can guess it!

Sabrina

Superfluous

I would say there are many challenge I face as a mother. Finding time for myself, balancing being a wife, mom, and homemaker. There is only so much time in the day and I want to be there for my kids and my husband and keep the house clean. I often feel overwhelmed at all the tasks I need to do. Recently I downloaded a daily & weekly "chore" chart and meal planning pages to put into a folder. It helps me keep track of things I need to do during the day & week and have meals planned ahead of time. I went to Motivatedmoms.com and downloaded an Ebook there, but you can also go on Pinterest for awesome menu planning and daily to-do Printables.

With my folder and my lists, I'm not coming to the end of my day and wishing I would have done more, when I already did the things I needed to do for that day. Finding some time to myself really helps me to. My husband is really great about watching the kids in the evening and on weekends, so if I need to run out to Target or a thrift store to get my mommy alone time, he is there to watch the kiddos. I also try to find time to get together with friends without the kids. Even just grabbing a cup of coffee or getting a bite to eat is refreshing. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, I feel so much better. Being a mom is definitely a balancing act, and it's very rewarding and it's also very tiring too. But I'm working on finding the right balance that works well for our family, and my sanity.

And now it's your turn. Tell us your thoughts, or comment on what we've shared.

For next week's question click here.

2 Months!

2013-02-17T10:25:00.000-06:00

Mom, Woman of Faith 2-16

2013-02-16T05:00:00.000-06:00

What does it mean to be a Christian Wife?

Nancy

Small Things

Simply put, being a Christian wife means partnering in the work toward achieving a Christian Marriage and Christian Family. My husband and I took having Christ as a part of our relationship very seriously, even when we were first dating. We strove for purity in the early part of our relationship and now that we are married we are committed to fidelity and true vulnerability with each other, things we can only achieve through Christ. Although not perfect we pray together every night and are working to instill the faith in our young children. It is our constant goal to keep Christ as the third person in our marriage.

Honestly, I don't understand how marriage works without Christ--or how someone who is not Christian could be a wife. Marriage is hard work! Not matter how cute, or funny, or sensitive or charming my husband is, being a Christian wife still require a major death to self. I no longer live just for myself. On our wedding day my husband and I became one, and I must always keep that in mind when I made decisions, big and small.

Finally, being a Christian wife means surrendering. I surrender to not only the will of my husband (because I know this is the correct order, and I know that he will act out of love), but I also surrender to the Lord. I really struggle relinquishing control, but I know that I will only find joy if I submit to the will of my husband, and the will of the Lord, who both love me more than I can understand.

Elizabeth

Yes, They're All Ours

A Christian wife is a woman who takes seriously her role to be a Help Meet to her husband. Rather than attempting to control or compete with her husband, a Christian wife will seek to compliment and complete her husband, realizing that they are more valuable as a team!

If a woman wants to know what a Christian wife looks like, she should flip to the heart of her Bible and settle in with Proverbs 31:10-31, that infamous passage depicting the virtuous wife. This glimpse into her life gives a timeless picture of what it means to be a Christian wife.

First of all, because of her faithfulness to her husband and all her responsibilities, we learn that the heart of her husband safely trusts in her, and that she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Because her husband is confident of her ability to manage his household well, he is free to concentrate on his calling, and thus he is “known in the gates,” which means he is a leader in the community. I love the fact that she is not competing with him “in the gates,” but is content to concentrate her creative energies in the home.

She is a diligent worker, which is evidenced by the fact that she works willingly with her hands, rises early to provide food for her household, and looks well to the ways of her household, rather than wasting time in idleness or filling her life with vain pursuits.
She plans ahead and prepares for the future. She is resourceful and frugal, shopping around for the best deals, and she invests her savings wisely. She uses some of her skills to pursue a home business.

Even though she is focused on the needs of her husband and her family, she is not blind to the needs outside of her home, which is evidenced by the fact that she is generous and compassionate and reaches out to the poor and needy.
Even though she makes beautiful clothes for herself and is well-dressed (in “silk and purple”), her beauty is not based on her outward appearance or charm, but stems from the inner beauty of a woman who fears the Lord. Therefore, she grows more beautiful with the passing of time, and her husband and children rise up and bless her and her own works praise her in the gates!

Sabrina

Superfluous

For me, being a Christian wife means so many things. It's about loving my husband, respecting him, taking care of him, helping him make decisions, and praying for him daily. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, I too want to bring good to my husband everyday. My husband and I work as a team. Together we make mutual decisions about running our household and raising our children. But I respect him when we have different opinions and love him despite our differences. Ultimately, I want to be a wife that cherishes & loves my husband, like Christ loves us.

Barb

Family Soul Story

Being a Christian wife has been my goal for the last 34 ½ years, but I have a long way to go on this journey of LIFE and LOVE. There are good days and not so good days, but always days in which I can grow more loving and giving to my husband. My husband is the head of our house – just as Jesus is the head of his Church. There have been times in our marriage that he has given me strong direction, it turns out to be the right thing for me. With 3 of my daughters now married - I am learning some lessons on love and obedience from them. My oldest shares that all communication with your spouse should be life-giving, and that is something that I really need to work on. All 3 daughters are very selfless when it comes to serving their husbands and children. I know that humility is so important for a Christian wife to make the best of her marriage! Even my daughter, Little Sister Hallel, who is a religious nun, has shared some beautiful insights with her sisters that are married – reminding us that our spouses are to be our Most Cherished Cross. Telling us that we are called to embrace our Cross, and not run away from it because it hurts. Through embracing our spouse/Most Cherished Cross we allow LIFE and LOVE to enter our domestic church/family, and find true and lasting happiness! I am, with the help of my daughters, striving to be a better Christian wife…it is a never ending journey, and only possible with Christ at my side!

And now it's your turn. Tell us your thoughts, or comment on what we've shared.

For next week's question click here.

Be Mine

2013-02-14T10:16:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Instagram Sunday

2013-02-10T20:54:00.001-06:00

We are getting snow in Minnesota. This is no surprise, and it's nothing like what they are getting on the East Coast. But we're hardy snow people here, so we just deal with it.
Today was one of those snowy, stay inside days. Cuddling with my baby, reading, making brownies, dancing with my toddler, and thankful my husband does the snow shoveling.

Speaking of reading, I just finished Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Did you read it? I thought it was disturbing and messed up. If there weren't so many twists, I would've stopped reading it from the start.
I did however read a book that I really enjoyed, If You Lived Here by Dana Sachs. I would highly recommend it! Fast read, emotional, yet touching. There was a part in it that I totally lost it and started balling like a baby.

And without further ado, here are my Instagram pics for the day. You can find me on Instagram @superfluousblog

Cuddle Baby

My View

Mom, Women of Faith

2013-02-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

Once again, my friend and fellow blogger Nancy has asked me (and a few other women) to respond to a number of questions in her series, Mom, Women of Faith. This week's topic is, What it means to be a Christian Mom. Below you will find my answer and several other moms' answers. Enjoy!

Today we are launching a new series: Mom, Woman of Faith. Each Saturday a group of moms will respond to a question essential to our lives as Christians and Mothers. It is our hope that this series will spark reflection and growth for all those involved, both those writing here and those reading. Please feel free to add your thoughts in the comment section or on facebook.

This week's Question:

What does it mean to be a Christian Mother?

Nancy

Small Things

I have been reflecting on what it means to be a Christian mother and I keep coming back the title of my blog, "do small things with (great) love". This was the motto of Mother Theresa and although she was not a "mother" these words define Christian motherhood. The way I show my children love is in all the small moments, which is what fills my day!

Although I often fail, it is my mission as a Christian mother to do all of the small things (laundry, changing diapers, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping...) with great love, always believing that although the task before me is small, the love I show to my children and husband while preforming it is big. Christ himself is a wonderful model in this regard. He became man (something very small when you are God) and, without a doubt He loved greatly.

As a Christian Mother I delight in my smallness, and the smallness of my work, knowing that by creating a holy family my husband and I can change the world.

Elizabeth

Yes, They're All Ours

A Christian mother is a woman who aligns her life according to God’s Word, choosing to put God first in her life, followed by her husband, and then her children. She also seeks to mother her children based on the timeless principles of God’s Word.

The most important relationship in a Christian woman’s life should be her relationship to God, which is only made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf. All Christians are commanded to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33) By spending time with her Savior each morning and renewing her mind in the Word of God, a Christian mother is able to serve her family with joy and love. She is also able to gain wisdom for her mothering, because according to Proverbs, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The second most important relationship for a Christian woman is her relationship with her husband. Children learn love by watching their father love their mother, and they learn obedience by watching their mother submit joyfully to their father’s leadership. Furthermore, they feel secure when they sense that their parent’s relationship is loving and strong. That provides the rich soil they need to put down roots and flourish.

Many mothers make the mistake of putting their children first and putting their husbands on the back burner during their child-rearing years. Most husbands don’t take too well to such a demotion! However, it’s a fact that the needs of children can be quite overwhelming, especially when young, and a conscientious mother can easily become consumed with the needs of her children. Therefore, she must make a concentrated effort to invest in her relationships with God and her husband and to remember to make them a priority.

After building the necessary foundation of loving God and her husband, the Christian mother is free to love and minister to her children! If she lacks wisdom, God has promised to give it to her! (James 1:5) As she asks for wisdom and observes how God “parents” His children, the Christian mother will learn how to wisely parent her own children! There is much wisdom to be gained from observing God’s role as Father, such as: His mercies are new every morning! He loves His children with an everlasting love! He gives only good gifts! He shepherds His flock, because sheep need much guidance and protection. He chastens His children when they go astray, but gently restores those who repent. He does all of this in love and with gentleness.

Above all, a Christian mother recognizes that she has a high and noble calling to partner with God in producing a godly family! She should never feel that she is “just a mommy” or “just a housewife.” There is no more important job in all the world than to raise up productive, well-adjusted, adults who love God and love others and will make an impact in the world!

Sabrina

Superfluous

When my friend Nancy asked me to write for Mom, Women of Faith I was very excited. I thought it would be fun way to share a bit about who I am and what my faith means to me. My question is, What it Means to be a Christian Mom. At first, I thought it would be no big deal to quickly write out a word or two on this subject. But the more I thought about it, the MORE I thought about it; if you know what I mean. I recently had baby #2 and along with my 21 month old son, my kiddos are very young right now. So why is it even important to start thinking about what kind of mom I am and how I demonstrate my faith to them at such an earlier age? Because I firmly believe that at no matter what age a child is, demonstrating Christ's love on a daily basis is the most important thing I can do for my boys next to caring for their physical and emotional needs. If I am to be a Christian, then I need to walk the walk and talk the talk. This means practicing the Fruit of the Spirit everyday with my boys. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self-Control. I have the choice in every moment to re-act either Christ-like or I can get selfish and do it my way. These little children will one day grow up to be young men, and I pray that the actions they saw me do, will help them in their own choices in life. I so want my boys to grow up to be Godly men, but how are they to get this way without guidance and direction from their parents? Besides my actions, right now I try to do little things with them like, read a children's Bible or devotional book to them, take them to church and Sunday school, sing songs about God and pray out loud with them. And of course, Pray for them daily!

I am definitely far from from being Christ-like in my actions & words, and there are days I feel like I fail as a mom in millions of ways. But I love my boys and I know God loves them too. I am not perfect and I never will be, but I can try and show them how important my faith is to me. In hopes that one day their own faith in Jesus will be important to them.

Maria

A Day in the Life of Military Wife

A Christian mother is a woman who sees one of her primary callings and “jobs” to be the upbringing of her children in the teachings of Christ. She attempts, through her actions and words, to create a culture in her home that encourages all members of the family to seek a virtuous life. A Christian mother knows that all things are possible through Christ, so she tries her best to never depend on herself, but instead to strengthen herself and her family through constant prayer and dependence on Him.

And now it's your turn. Tell us your thoughts, or comment on what we've shared.

For next week's question click here.

An Oldie But Goodie Link Party #4

2013-02-04T19:30:00.000-06:00

Hey! My friend and fellow blogger Nancy asked me if I would like to Co-host a link party with her, and I said YES! Nancy is an awesome blogger who makes all these super cute crafts over at her blog. Seriously, everything she makes, I want to make too!

So check out her link party information below, and be sure to check out her blog Small Things! You'll love it!

Welcome back! Here we are in week 4 already!

Thank you, thank you to everyone that has linked up already. I love looking at your OLD posts! I have to be honest, one of the first things I look at when I visit your blog is the date. I love it when I find something from 2 or three years ago! And, I have to be honest, I am a little biased. I tend to feature the OLDER posts. So, keep digging through those archives!

Before we get to the party, here are some FABULOUS and OLD Features!

As a lover of spoon rings, I couldn't resist this project. I love this spoon pendant from Upcycled Stuff. I am totally going to make this--I just hope I don't hurt myself in the process!

I am so happy that Etcetorize dug through her archives and linked up this "Pretty Tacky" project. Easy, glamorous and both pretty and tacky (in the good way)!

Isn't this frame romantic? It's super easy too. Check it out over at the Moody Fashionista.

Hopefully this Embroidery Thread book from Adventures of a DIY Mom will inspire me to get my thread organized...Hopefully! Such clear instructions that even I could do this!

And finally, aren't these hand-made gift boxes so unique and beautiful? Check them out over at Simply Creating Home.

Thanks to everyone! If you were featured, please grab a featured button from the tab above!

On to the party! I am excited to have a co-host this week, my blog friend and real-life friend, Sabrina. She blogs over at Superfluous. we had the good fortune of meeting in a baby class. She is the one who first taught me about HTML code...not that I really know much about it now! She is wonderfully crafty and has a beautiful family.

Sabrina has been a little busy lately, having had a little boy just over a month ago. But I talked her into co-hosting and I'm hoping she digs out some of her older fantastic projects to share with you! Please welcome her and stop by her blog! PS--if you are interested in co-hosting, let me know! I'd love to have you! Here are the quick list of rules:

1. Link up anything (hopefully old stuff), but please link different projects each week.

2. Please link back to this blog either with the button or a text link somewhere on your blog.

3. Limit yourself to 3 links each week.

4. Please visit others and leave some comment love.

5. I'd love it if you'd follow along here, either by GFC, Facebook or Twitter.
6. It'd be great if you'd visit our co-host and follow her as well.
7. Finally, any help you can offer in promoting this party, either on twitter, facebook or your own blog, will be greatly appreciated!

Are you ready to party it old school?

Family of 4

2013-01-29T15:03:00.000-06:00

Since my last post a lot has happened. Deacon stayed in the hospital 2 weeks and was able to come home in time for the new year. We moved into our new house (FINALLY) and now are getting settled as a family of four. January 28th, was my official due date, so Deacon has now been with us for six weeks and we just adore him. Everett doesn't pay too much attention to him, so I haven't encountered any jealousy issues. I'm slowly getting the house to look more like a home, but with two kiddos, it's a very slow process. I can't wait to show you the before and after photos.

SURPRISE!!!!

2012-12-19T20:17:00.000-06:00

We got an early Christmas present this year, with the arrival of a certain little baby who came 6 weeks early!

Deacon Elliott Singer-Towns

Born: December 17, at 8:29am

5lbs 10oz 18in

On December 7th my water broke! Being only 32 weeks at the time, it was very scary. Once we were at the hospital I was put on immediate hospital bed rest. They said that most likely I would go into labor within 72 hours. But if I didn't, they wanted me to try and hold out until I was 34 weeks. So for 10 days I rested and waited and prayed that little baby would hold tight. The doctors and nurses were always so surprised when at the end of the day there were still no signs of labor! As soon as I hit 34 weeks they had me set up to have a c-section since baby was transverse (sideways). Although right before they started the surgery they did an ultrasound and he had dropped head down! But at that point we just all agreed it was best to proceed with surgery.

Very quickly Deacon was born and he was a Rock Star! Because he was breathing on his own and weighed a good amount he didn't have to go to the NICU but to a Special Care Nursery instead. Praise God, he is doing so well! We aren't sure how long he'll have to stay in the hospital, the last big hurdle is he needs to learn how to eat on his own without a feeding tube. We of course hope he could be home by Christmas, but maybe a week or so after that.... I'm just so thankful he is doing so well!!!! He is a very sweet and content baby. We are smitten!!

Halloween 2012

2012-11-01T11:26:00.001-05:00

My little frog!

P.S. Yes we are still living with my folks. But the end is in sight!!!!! Our house is almost ready...

Real Quick...

2012-09-07T15:23:00.001-05:00

Hello! Hello! I feel so out of touch with the blog\social media\life\world!

I am so limited on time to the computer that it's rare to have a moment to just sit down and write something.

A couple of things:

We had a great 2 weeks in Michigan in the beginning of August!

When we got back we moved into my parent's basement and 3 weeks later, we're still here, still waiting to move into a new house. waiting...waiting...waiting...

I miss having my own space, 100% toddler proofed, my own kitchen and my alone time. But I am grateful my parents have been so accommodating.

I'm hoping we'll be moved in by Halloween so I can start decorating for Fall\Halloween!!! It makes me so happy.

I am 20 weeks along now and tired all the time. I think it's because I'm chasing a very active little boy around. And he is also sleeping in the same room as us, so it's been very interesting how sleep has been for us. (not good). He needs his own room PRONTO!

We had our 20 week ultrasound! Things look fantastic and...

We're having another BOY!!!!

I was really excited for this, because I want Everett to have a pal so close in age. Boys are so fun! The only problem is, we are having the toughest time coming up with boys names. I love Elliot (my husband does not) grrrr.... but he likes Tiberius, yes you heard that right. After James T. Kirk from Star Trek. yikes. Any good boy name suggestions??????????

Well, that is about it. I'm taking this brief moment of time of being alone to say hello and how you all doing?

Now I better go see what mischief my mom and Everett are up to.

TTFN

Hey! It's Me!

2012-07-13T13:20:00.001-05:00

What the What? She's alive??

I am indeed alive and well. Although, at the same time life is a bit chaotic right now, so blogging is at the bottom of the to-do list.

In case you were wondering this is what we've been up to...

We sold our house!! Whoo hoo happy dance!
But we were asked if we could do a quick closing date (Aug. 2!)
Our plan is to leave for Michigan for our annual vacation on August 3, so closing on the 2nd acutally works really well for us.
The only hitch, is that we have no house to move into. We made an offer on a house, but since it's a Short Sale, we have no idea how fast the bank will make it happen. Or sometimes banks don't even accept your offer and you have to start again. I don't know about the rest of the country but houses are flying off the shelves here in Minnesota. We went to look at 5 houses, and by the time we got to the first house, 3 houses already had accepted offers on them. We LOVED the two houses we did get to see, but by that night they were sold too!!
This is great for the economy, but us not so much!

It looks like we might be renting for awhile, regardless if we get the house or not.

So we have 3 weeks to pack, get some inspection stuff taken care of, put our stuff in storage and close on our house. During this time however, my husband's brother and wife are in town from Taiwan. So there is a lot of stuff planned with them. We are so excited they are here, that we decided to try and do as much as we can, have as much fun as we can and worry about the house details when they leave.

And to top all of that off....

We are going to have a BABY!

Mid-January we are welcoming a little bundle of awesomeness to our home (wherever that may be!)
Tomorrow I am 13 weeks and already I am feeling so much better from what I was feeling. Sick everyday all day, and fatigue that was never ending. I remember being tired when I was pregnant with Everett, but I also worked a nice little desk job, and wasn't chasing after a toddler.
I'm actually looking forward to having two kiddos. I know it will be crazy for awhile, but it's all so temporary.

So, if I seem distant, faraway, not blogging or checking in, you will all know what I am up to.

Say a little prayer that we figure this housing situation out. Lord knows we need all the support we can get!

Homeless in Minnesota,
Sabrina

Summer Swimwear

2012-06-23T17:08:00.000-05:00

This post is underwritten by Old Navy. Whether you're looking for a tankini, bikini or a one piece, Old Navy has you confidently covered.

Now that it is officially summer... it's time for the water! We might not have an ocean here in Minnesota, we do have over 10,000 lakes, including Lake Superior. Plus there are a ton of different pools and water parks here as well. Everett is old enough to really have some fun in the water, and of course I need to be right there with him. And totally catching some rays myself!

I have to admit that wearing a swimsuit is not my favorite thing in the world. No matter what size I am, I always feel self conscious in a suit. And you can forget a 2 piece, especially after having a baby. Not only is my belly my least favorite part on my body, I have a GIANT scar from my belly button to to the bottom of my belly. (thank you c-section).
So I will definitely be rocking a one piece this summer season! Plus running around with a toddler, I need to make sure everything stays in one place and can move along with me.

Right now, Old Navy has an awesome selection of all different swimsuits for everyone. Including lots of belly happy one piece suits.
I am totally loving this suit at Old Navy! Not only is the color awesome, but it totally covers my belly area. A complete summer life saver!

I'm am really looking for beach season once again this year, now that I have some fun swimwear options. Whooo Hooo!

Thank you again to Old Navy for sponsoring my post. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own.

Happy Blog Birthday!!

2012-06-11T12:42:00.003-05:00

This weekend my blog had a birthday and turned five years old!! It's really hard to believe that I have been blogging for that many years. I just started this blog on a whim, mostly because my cousins started their blog about their adoption journey and I wanted to jump on the blog bandwagon.

When I told my parents I was starting a "Blog" they thought I was making it up! "What's a Blog?"

Looking back at my blog, I do a lot of laughing and cringing at some of my posts. I had no idea how to blog and place pictures. What the heck was HTML? And what was a follower?

The best part about looking back, is all the changes that happened in my life. I started this blog as a single girl living it up in the better Twin of the Twin Cities... St. Paul. I just went through a pretty major break-up and was trying to figure out how to move on from that. Over the years, I've changed careers, bought a house, went on a lot of adventures, met my husband, got engaged, married, pregnant, moved into my husband's house, had a baby and sold my house. And now I am a happily employed stay at home mom. The pay is awesome! Lots of hugs and kisses and laughter!

Another fun thing about blogging is all the fun people I've "met" through the blog world! It's like a ton of pen pals from all the place! Not to mention through, blogging I've discovered some really cool blogs. Which inspire me in so many ways!

Blogging isn't always easy, sometimes it's time consuming and sometimes I have NOTHING to say. Some days I could care less about ever writing another thing, but most days I have big ideas I want to share, even if I don't always have the time to blog.

Thank you to all my readers... whether you have been reading since day one or just started yesterday, I really appreciate you all!!

Happy Birthday Blog!

2012-05-31T10:42:00.001-05:00

After our birthday bonanza a few weeks ago, I have had no desire to blog. Sometimes I just don't feel like I have anything to say. I do plan on totally giving my blog a make-over soon. So I can't wait to unveil the new look!

In the mean time, this is what I have been up to...

I scored the mother load of craft supplies at a church garage sale! Calico heaven!!!

grapes & blueberries, cucumber sticks in hummus, and whole grain pasta with peas and homemade pesto from Grandpa & Grandma Brian & Betty

We're working on eating more solids and less bottle. But no one tells you how difficult it is to transition from all meals in a bottle to all solids and milk in a cup! E wants his bottle and yet, I don't want him to have funky teeth when he gets older. Do I just go cold turkey and never give him a bottle again? He's great with a sippy cup and straws, but he still enjoys his cuddle time with Momma and a bottle. Oh and he doesn't actually call me Momma... he says MOM. Just mom. I love it!

To beat the heat on a 90+ degree day, we got out the kiddie pool. It was a splashing success!

Cousins: Piya, Levi, Drew, Everett, Evan & Isla.

My cousin and his wife had their baby girl Isla baptized a few weekends ago. Afterwards we got all the cousin kiddos together and snapped some pics.

On a side note, both my husband and I only have one sibling. I have one brother and so does my husband. My brother Buddy has Down's Syndrome and will not be having children. My husband's brother Peter lives in Taiwan with his wife. And although they don't have children yet, even when they do we're not sure how often we will see them.
It's really important for me for Everett to have cousins. I have the best cousins, I mean my cousin Kelly is totally one of my BFFs! So although he may not have first cousins yet, he will always have my cousin's children and I hope they become great pals!

Dawson's Creek is on Netflix and I'm reliving my teenage angst... with a big vocabulary! Capeside lives!