Truth In Season

We love puzzles!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:36:00 +0000

Last Fall Autumn (6) and Elias (4) started doing harder puzzles (25 piece). At Thanksgiving they got a 100 piece Buzz Lightyear puzzle. It was challenging at first, but once they got it together a couple times they were putting it together multiple times a day. They began pulling out more 75-100 piece puzzles and were given a couple more at Christmas.

These days it is hard to get the table cleared for breakfast, lunch or dinner because they usually have 2-3 puzzles out - some done and others in progress. Josiah likes to think he can do them and dumps his out on the table too, but Autumn or Elias do it for him and there are no shortage of pieces on the floor.

I hope they continue to enjoy puzzles - it is a fairly quiet activity and it seems to be a reasonable challenge for their brains.

Stephen Turns One

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:00:00 +0000

November 29th was Stephen's first birthday. As celebrations go, this one was not so great. It turns out that a stomach bug was just starting to attack our family and Stephen was first (what a week!). Autumn also had a fever and wasn't feeling well.

No cake was eaten and Stephen even cried as he opened the gifts. It was a good thing that we didn't have a big party!

Oh, poor boy!

Nana and Papa Moore were there - they helped celebrate and nurture sick children.

The next day we cut the cake and sang "Happy Birthday" - Stephen still wasn't feeling well, but he didn't throw it up! I don't know what is up with first birthday's! On Elias' the whole house had a 24hr bug, on Josiah's, Autumn wasn't feeling well and when we did celebrate with cake Josiah couldn't keep it down. Now Stephen's was less than ideal. :(

Autumn Turns 6

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:37:00 +0000

New Pajamas

It has been over 6 months since I posted something on this blog. I have been desiring to journal some of what the kids are going through right now and the blog is a perfect place to preserve these memories. So now I just need to decide where to start. :)

My baby girl turned six years old this month. I am in awe of how much she has developed and grown in the past year or two. My baby turned toddler, turned preschooler, turned kindergartener is growing up right before my eyes. I may be partial, but I think she is one of the sweetest little girls ever.

Princess Blanket

I remember talking to her on the phone recently when I made a week long trip back to Iowa (traveling only with Stephen). I don't talk to her often on the phone because we see each other face-to-face all day long. I was stuck by how sweet her voice was and her genuineness. During these conversations we spoke of missing each other and how she was also missing her brother, Stephen. (I think she may have missed baby Stephen more than me!) On the phone, she seemed just a sweet and innocent as could be - I loved every minute.

Autumn's birthday was special in another way - ALL her grandparents were there to celebrate with her. My dad, mom and step-dad along with David's parents were all there. We haven't all be together since our wedding day. I honestly couldn't have imagined us all together - it was a special time for our family.

The cake had to be pink!

Birthday trip to mountains & Garden of Gods with Grandpa

Free Comic Book Day!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:30:00 +0000

Fun trip downtown Colorado Springs to Free Comic Book Day; complete with a picture with a Storm Trooper.

Moore Family Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Pictures taken on Mother's Day - May 8th, 2011.Getting everyone to look in the same direction is a fun challenge. The tripod and automatic continuous picture taking function are tremendous!

Josiah's Stool

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Josiah has recently discovered the bathroom stool and how it can help him experience a whole new world. I remember when Autumn was doing the same thing. Josiah has been carrying this stool around the house the last couple weeks. Here he looks very cute trying to reach the kitchen counter. One day soon he will be tall enough to see/reach without any help - it will be here all too soon.

Josiah is developing well. He is high energy and doesn't like to sit still, but we still see the sweet lover emerge. He has been our cuddliest child and often tells us "I love you". Today in the middle of playing he plopped down on my lap for a hug before heading off.

Josiah is speaking better all the time - in February I noticed him making great advances. He tried so hard to communicate and he talks with such emotion and force. Many times it is a sentence of babble, but at other times he knows how to put the words together. He reminds us to pray before eating, doesn't want David to leave without me in the car when I am the last to get in the car, is happy to share what Autumn or Elias are doing that isn't right and recently has joined the effort of keeping Stephen from spitting.

Big Move, New House

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0000

There is a reason my blogging has fizzled out in the past several months. Our family has been deep in the process of organizing/sorting, packing and moving (then unpacking, sorting and organizing all over again!). I don't remember our June 2009 move being this difficult - I don't know if it is the extra child or we somehow acquired more junk, but this recent move wasn't fun.

Finding and buying this house was a testimony of God's goodness. We found a huge house that had been a foreclosure. It was in good shape, with only minor repairs needed. Our offer was low, but the bank accepted it and March 31st we closed! The next two weeks was spent painting and laying tile in the kitchen. April 16th with the help of many amazing friends, we moved.

Since moving we have been busy settling in. One project as been seeding the yard and planting flowers. I am very excited to report that baby grass has started emerging!

Front Yard Flower Bed

Backyard after seeding, before grass came up.

Painting Kitchen - still trying to find the right green color

Stephen is Happy!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:27:00 +0000

Stephen is doing great. He is such a joy to our lives. At this point I don't know if having 4 children has really set in. Autumn, Elias & Josiah keep us pretty busy while Stephen does a lot of sleeping. Once he gets mobile then life with 4 will really set in. For now Stephen is an easy keeper.

He has continued to sleep through the night. He started earlier than all my other kids. It almost seems like he knew how much I needed my sleep and decided to make it easier on me - whatever the reason, I am grateful. Stephen does spit up quite a bit - it is so inconvenient! I do think he has improved recently - maybe this season is coming to an end. He really likes to make a mess right after I have changed his clothes. Sunday morning we were going out the door to church was a great example of this. I had just changed him, put a new "church" outfit on him and snapped him in the carseat when breakfast came back up. Perfect timing! Josiah was my other spitter-upper. I don't remember Autumn or Elias having a problem with this.

11 Weeks Old

Hanging out with Josiah

Autumn the Artist

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 05:27:00 +0000

Autumn has been using water colors. She loves them and would be happy painting everyday. We have really seen her show interest and skill in more creative things. She enjoys coloring and is getting better all the time. She got a couple bead kits for her birthday and has made some beautiful necklaces. She likes to go outside and is such a mess when she comes in - the dirtier the better! She is also a big helper and does her best to help with Stephen. When I ask for a diaper she wants to bring him a new outfit too!

Stephen - 8 Weeks Old

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Nothing new to report concerning Stephen except that we are totally in love!

Here is a video from tonight.

Stephen - 6 Weeks Old

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:22:00 +0000

January 12th - 6 Weeks

On Monday Stephen turned 6 weeks old. Time has gone quickly even though we are trying to slow down and enjoy having an infant. Unfortunately that season is slipping away all to quickly. My little boy is leaving the infant phase and entering the very cute chubby stage.

His weight gain is great. Today he weighed 10lbs 14ozs. He is an amazing sleeper at night - for a couple weeks he has been going between 6-8 hours between feeding. He is so calm and easy going - our only child that didn't scream during his first bath. He gets fussy in the evenings but it doesn't last very long. Stephen has a beautiful smile and we occasionally hear some baby coos - it melts my heart every time.

December 22 - 3 Weeks

December 29 - 1 Month

January 5th - 5 Weeks

January 7th - 5 Weeks

Go Redskins!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

The football season is coming to an end. I personally won't miss 6 hours of football on Sundays. I also won't miss the disappointed look in David eyes every time the Redskins lose. It has been a rough year (record currently 6-10). We beat some tough teams and lost to teams we should have easily defeated. We have high hopes for next year!

But regardless we are Redskin fans!

Happy Birthday Josiah!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 21:54:00 +0000

Josiah turned two December 26th. I made a cake and we hung the birthday banner (a family tradition carried from the Blobaum/Hice side). Nana and Poppa Moore came over the celebrate with us. This is the second year without a party or memorable celebration. We need to step up our game in the coming years as he gets older and recognizes that his birthday is a bit overlooked. My thought for next year is to celebrate with friends 1-2 weeks before Christmas and then a small family celebration on his birthday.

Josiah is a pretty cute kid. Absolutely expressive and emotional. A momma's boy. A bit small for his age. His hair is still blond and his eyes have changed to a blue/green hazel. He got his first haircut December 31. In the summer his hair is pretty curly with the heat and humidity but in the winter it is straighter. He has 16 teeth in various stages of growth - I noticed some big bumps on his gums in July but they didn't pop up until this fall. His mouth seemed to explode with teeth around the beginning of November.

I think Stephen's arrival has been hardest on Josiah. He is quite a bit more emotional and needy - I am sure this is just a season, hopefully a short one! He is very gentle with his new little brother and loves giving him kisses.

There are so many changes between the ages of 2 and 3 - it will be a fun year!

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:39:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. We enjoyed our celebration of Jesus' birth.

Our church had a Christmas Eve service that we attended. Singing the Christmas carols is a powerful reminder of the importantance of Jesus' birth. O Come All Ye Faithful - "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing" or Hark the Herald Angels Sing - "God and sinners reconciled", "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see". The songs are packed full of truths from scripture. What can Santa Claus offer that comes close to God becoming man and giving us the gift of peace with our creator? Obviously this isn't just something to be celebrated on December 25th, but everyday, all year long.

In our home we have been emphasizing how Christmas is all about the birth of Christ and that we give gifts because God gave us the ultimate gift of His Son. It is so important that our children don't lose sight of our true celebration in the commercialism and selfishness that can be so prevalent this time of year. Our traditions include presents, a Christmas tree and lots of good food but most importantly Jesus.

This year we started the morning at our home and then went over to David's parents' to celebrate with them. The kids had fun opening gifts and playing with their new toys. I came to a greater appreciation of my mother this year - I am realizing that part of what I loved about Christmas at home was only possible because of her sacrifice of getting up early to prepare everything. It is a lot of work and I was worn out by the end of the day. Next year I need to be well-rested and prepared!

This year I also wrestled with how much to give our children. We have a limited budget so nothing excessive was possible, but even if it was where is the balance? I want to bless my children but not spoil them. I want them to have toys but not so many that they don't appreciate them. I don't want them to think that happiness coming from "things". I think we struck a good balance this year but I hope it continues as they get older. We are molding these precious minds for the future - they will see life and make decisions based on our training. I want them to have a healthy perspective.

Here are some pictures from Christmas day.

Stephen with Nana

Josiah's 2nd Christmas

Welcome Stephen Gabriel

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Stephen Gabriel Moore
11/29/10 at 8:40am
8 lbs 1 oz, 19 3/4 inches

Monday, November 29, 2010 at 8:40am Stephen Gabriel made his appearance. We were a bit surprised to see him so soon (he was only 4 days late vs. 8 days (Autumn) & 2 weeks (Elias & Josiah))! We had finished most of the preparation for his arrival the weekend before but we still hadn't finalized his name. Boy names are such a challenge for us! Sometime in the evening we settled with Stephen Gabriel - Stephen is David's favorite Bible character and Gabriel seemed appropriate for the season.

He is perfect. His hair is pretty light - could we have another blond? We haven't found any birthmarks. He is very peaceful and has even gone 4-5 hours between feedings at night (Momma thanks you, Stephen!). At his two week appointment this week he weighed 8lbs 5ozs - he is 4ozs above his birth weight.

Autumn and Elias are doing great with the change. They enjoy holding and kissing Stephen but it hasn't changed their lives much. Josiah seems to be taking it a bit harder. He is more emotional than normal - I am sure he will adjust soon. He also loves to kiss Stephen (just recently started kissing with the kissy noise).

David spent the first week home and we enjoyed a relaxing week. Several friends brought over meals for the first 4 days. One day Autumn and Elias spent time at a friends house. These kind acts really helped us relax and enjoy our new addition. That Friday (Dec 3), my parents came from Iowa for a week. It was great to have help watching the kids, cooking, cleaning and with our endless supply of laundry.

First Bath - 10 days old

1st Family Picture w/ Stephen

Autumn is 5 Years Old!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:16:00 +0000

Happy Birthday Autumn!

Autumn turned 5 years old today! This week I have been thinking about the week preceding her arrival. I think I can relate to it more this year because once again I am expecting another baby (due in one week). This pregnancy I have the benefit of knowing that I generally have babies late so my expectations are much different than during Autumn's pregnancy. I remember saying good-bye to David each day, hoping that I would have to call him home from work. My mom came out a week before she was due so that she wouldn't miss the delivery. We ended up sitting for over 2 weeks waiting for her to come. 8 days after my due date I finally went into labor - it was one of the only nights that I went to bed late (I had been going to bed early each night in preparation for her arrival). After many hard hours, she finally came out. Our lives have never been that same since - she is such a blessing!

Today she is full of life and love. She is such a girl - loves to be mother to her babies and is always looking for new clothes and accessories for her baby, Nina. She isn't too much of a girl to miss out on the joy of getting dirty outside. She wants to help parent her brothers and seems to genuinely care for those around her. She is quick to pray for us when we get hurt. We love watching her grow into the special person God has created her to be.

Here are some pictures from the last 5 years. What a cutie!

Just a couple days old

1st Birthday

2 Years Old

3 Years Old

4th Birthday

Costume Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:35:00 +0000

The kids looked pretty cute this year in costumes (the first year we have dressed up). I am not a fan of Halloween - many people are celebrating the devil and demonic characters and eating tons of candy just isn't healthy. This year my dad gave the kids some costumes and we wore them to a church party. I know I am partial, but they looked like cutest kids there - my monkey-tiger & princess-bumble bee. We didn't have a costume for Josiah - he went as himself.

We Love Grandparents!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:40:00 +0000

At the end of July Papa and Mimi Hice were in town for a brief visit. Their visit just missed Elias' birthday but was right on time for David's (July 29th). In celebration of his special day we all went out the Red Lobster (one of David's favorite restaurants). The kids enjoyed being with both sets of grandparents - Hice & Moore. We haven't all been together since Josiah was a newborn and prior to that it was probably our wedding!

During the visit we spent some time at a park. We now have a favorite park (Fox Run) in the far north part of Colorado Springs - it is a bit of a drive but the views are amazing, grass is green and the perfect weather (doesn't seem as hot).

Papa & Elias Sharing a Granola Bar

Josiah on His Slide (Old Slide, New Experience for Him)

33 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:49:00 +0000

Here I am at 33 weeks (October 8th). I don't feel like I look as big as I feel!

Fun at the Fair

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:00:00 +0000

At the end of August we went to the Colorado State Fair. I really enjoy exposing the kids to all the different farm animals. Part of me would love to raise my kids on the farm I romped around on as a child. There is something special about living a simple life in the country. (I would miss the convenience of the city life.)

We did learn something about Josiah during the trip - he LOVES animals! He response to all of them was the same - pure delight! He would giggle and smile each time he met a new animal. He showed no fear. Now his favorite books to carry around the house are about animals. Autumn and Elias enjoyed the trip but had different responses - Autumn was scared of some of them, Elias wasn't scared but wasn't has emotional in his response. Josiah was just over the top! I wish I had a video capturing the moment.

Fall in Colorado

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:09:00 +0000

Although summer just ended and the temperatures are just now feeling "fallish" the leaves in the mountains have already seen their peak colors. We got to catch it just in time September 26th (the peak time was the weekend before!). Here is Colorado the trees in the mountains are mainly aspen and evergreen - the contrast of yellows, oranges and some red against the evergreens is beautiful. We didn't do any hiking - just enjoyed the drive. It's amazing the beauty that we can reach with such a short drive.

We have been teaching the kids about Creation and it was a great opportunity to reiterate how well God created the earth. Autumn asked if God painted the rocks/mountains we were driving through. :) The majesty of God surrounds us - it is special to take some time to enjoy His splendor as a family.

Jumping Around & Getting Knocked Down

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:23:00 +0000

Uncle Dude (Lafe) just created a fun video of the kids from several videos I have posted. He found a jumping/falling down theme that we didn't know was there. Well done!

Josiah is Walking . . . Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 04:07:00 +0000

I am sorry that blog entries have been sparse this year. I guess it is a result of having three children, being pregnant, working, trying to start homeschooling (preschool), etc. But yesterday I was reminded that there are loved ones out there wanting to hear and see about our lives, so here is a blog entry!

Josiah has a different personality than Autumn and Elias. He is shares their laid back personality but he really loves attention and affection. He has been more clingy than the other two, but he is getting more independent all the time. He started army crawling around 9 or 10 months but walking has been a challenge. Initially he would literally pull his legs up off the floor when we tried to help him walk, then he started walking between us. Unfortunately he showed no desire to go to this new level of independence. Crawling was so effective, why try something new!?

So, after months of just walking between us and from object to object - arms stretched out like a mummy - he finally decided HE wanted to walk. He is still gaining his balance but it has finally become his chosen mode of transportation. It is very cute to watch him toddle around.

Autumn and Elias were late walkers, both starting around 16 months but Josiah has taken it to another level! I don't remember the training period being this tough with them and I hope that it is easier with child #4.

I wonder how Josiah will approach potty training!

Here are some videos of Josiah walking. (FYI - Elias is crying in the background - unfortunately he decided to have a fit while I was capturing Josiah's moment.)

1st Video is from 9/11/10 & 2nd Video is from 9/30/10

First Major Haircut

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Elias got his first serious haircut a couple weeks ago. Our children's hair grows VERY slow and we don't need regular haircuts. David was trimming Elias' hair with the clippers and I thought I could help - how hard could it be? I misunderstood how the clippers and the guard were being used - I put the guard to his head and immediately realized it wasn't what David had been doing!!! Well, that was the beginning of Elias' new look. We are happy with the results (although I do miss his curls).

Elias likes his short hair. He credits the shower for the short cut. Let me explain . . . after we finished I put him in the tub to get all the cut hair off - it wasn't doing the job so I turned on the shower. He has never taken a shower before and now he thinks that getting in the shower makes your hair short - too funny!

Learning to Ride a Bike!

noreply@blogger.com (David and Dwell) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:42:00 +0000

Autumn got a bike for her 4th birthday and we are finally getting outside to work with her on how to ride it. She could barely reach the pedals in November but now she is tall enough. I didn't realize that training on a bike is more than just balance - it is pushing down on the pedals in the right direction and understanding that the handles steer the bike. So much to think about at one time and that is with the training wheels still attached!

Elias really wants to join in the action. He is riding his tricycle. It doesn't seem to have a wide enough wheel base and tips much easier than I would like. He is learning how to work the pedals and handle bar earlier than Autumn did so hopefully the transition to a bike will be easier for him when the time comes.

It is hard to believe that Autumn is old enough and big enough to ride a bike. It seems like just yesterday David and I met her for the first time. I know this is just the beginning of her growing independence. She and I often talk about how much she will be able to help when the new baby arrives. She is excited about having a little one in the house to take care of and hold. She is already such a big helper with Josiah and Elias that I have no doubt that she will be great with the baby.