Pajama Day!

Its Pajama day here. Isabelle's school is on a 2 hour delay due to the freezing temps = no pre-k! 

Our hair is done or teeth are brushed but in our pj' we shall stay. 

We've made some awesome memories and had such a relaxing, fun vacation. We are truly blessed.

I hope you all had just as much fun.

Ive started my half marathon training and it feels good. 

Happy Monday, stay warm.

Still here

2013 is almost over!?!? Say whaaaa? 

Where did the year go? 

Let's reminisce shall we?

This time last year I was freaking out that we were expecting, again! (What an amazing blessig that turned out to be.)

We have been at our 3rd duty station over a year now.

We've gone from an SUV to a van (still praying for contentment on that.) :-)

Our oldest started school.

Miss Lydia started walking with a walker!

Take that Spina Bifida.

Jake was facing medical retirement, and now that is subject to change.

I'm sure I could list more...

We are staying put in our home this year for the Holidays, and it feels G- double O D good. Part of me is saddened as i see the trucks,vans, and suv's leaving the neighborhood all packed up and off to visit family. Then I remember everything I don't have to do! And I just smile and sigh contently. 

We will my in-laws here on Christmas and that will be nice. 

Jake and I went back and forth with it a lot, finally agreeing that no matter what-we will always be in our home on Christmas. We will travel the day, at least while our children our young.

It's safe to say my shopping is done. And we are enjoying this Christmas season. Lots of baking this weekend and snuggles. 

We're going to be hit with some big thunder storms. Family games and movie time all while enjoying the smells of baking.

On a side note,while grocery shoppig it occured to me (AGAIN!) how lazy omus as Americans have come. In the cheese isle they now have pre packaged flavored   bread crumbs to bread your chicken,pork, etc in...seriously? You mean you canmt buy your own bread crumbs and put your own seasonings in? Can you day hello insane amounts o sodium and carbs? Then Hake pointed out 'hey they even have Jack Daniels pulled pork dinners' let's take a look at the nutritional info: holy 900 grams of Sodium. Hello heart attack. Why don't people cook any more? I mean really cook? If you don't have time-make it! I could give you 10 reasons why you should. :-)

 And what's up with baking with margarine? Yuck. That's such a no no! Does anyone watch cooking shows now a days or read on healthy cooking? I have learned over the years of how to cook more flavorfull food and more healthy....which does NOT include margarine. 

(Stepping down from my soap box, as I cradle my land-o-lakes not tub of country croc.). :-) 

I'm sure no one cares about my cooking rant.....but boy did that feel good to get out. 

The rants of a stay at home mom, excuse them. :)

No post is complete with out pictures of my offspring.

2 months

JJ (is what I'll call the lil man here in the blogging world) is 2 months tomorrow. Its been an enjoyable 2 months of tiny baby and lots of visitors. He is filling out and such a beautiful boy. I feel like he is a mox of everyone but when he gives me these serious looks ( which is most days) and even in his sleep he looks a lot like his Grandpa Gehl to me. :) Im still enjoying the blue's, oranges, red's, and green's that are in his clothes. The alligators and lions on his t-shirts. It hasnt gotten old. 

He grunts when he poops and farts (the girls didn't do that!) 

His smile is huge!

He wants to be on me 24/7, and by that I mean on the boob. His dad saysnit's to br expected, he is a male. I suppose that is one way to look at it. I night I give in to that but during the day it's a struggle between getting sister from school, mainting the house, apt's...etc...

JJ doesn't do much apart from sleeping and eating. His 'coo'ing is a lot more...at night he tends to try and 'talk' after a feeding while laying in his bassinet. 

Nap's in his crib during the day and co'sleeping at night. (Thankful for a King size bed.)

Isabelle has off the next 12 days and it would be so much fun to sneak back to Wisconsin. One of my closest friends had her 3rd daughter 2 weeks before JJ.  

So instead we plan on doing some fall fun activities with girls and lots of relaxing. Every day is something, running, school, dr apt's, play dates/park time. The usual, but it's alot to get out the door looking half way decent and to be on time which is why over the next 12 days we will take our time and go when mom wants to go, not when we have to go.

Last weeked was Oktoberfest. The girls enjoyed fun free activities which included face painting and bouncy houses. The kids all got to take home a free pumpkin as well. 

The down side of summer ending is the farmers market coming to end this month. So I have been freezing my beans and corn. Caught a picture of the girls shelling black eyed peas. Yes, Isabelle's one eyed smirk was intentional :). 

Last weekend we went to the third annual butterfly festival where we were able to see the release of 1000 butterflies. It was really neat. And true to form Isabelle had a break downfull of tears because she couldn't catch a monarch and make a wish. It was quite comical.  

This morning the girls made goofy monsters for the front windows in the spirit of halloween. 

Lydia is using the potty more and more. 

Will be having an important convo with urology at her next Spina Bifida clinic day. 

Have a great Thursday. 

 

Jesse James' Room

Well with the exception of a rug, I think we can say I have finished his room! 

The choo choo train was Jake's as a baby and now lil guy has it, really cool. The frame has Jake's and JJ's hand prints in them, the blocks and antique peanut butter jar are courtesy of MIL who was keeping an eye out at flea markets. And she found them. :) thank you! 

Still looking to get a picture(s) of JJ's great grandfather, grandpa, and jake as young boys... Thought that would look neat in a photo collage. 

Happy Sunday! 

Never ending vacation...

Well the heat has picked up again and I do love me some hot weather but am beginning to crave the cool mornings and later sunrise. The smell of pumpkin candles and apple cider. The hubby's vaca time is nearing an end, the man bas been of since end of July! We can safely say that now, 5 weeks after having baby we can begin a real routine! We had some what of a routine down for the last 3 weeks but we've also had family come to visit the last 3 weekends which does throw thing off, all for the good though! We've so enjoyed our visitors, parents and siblings. Not to mention the much needed hugs and spoiling of our children.  With that it is good to now be back to our 'normal'. 

Jacob has his Harley home and is out on a cruz with a friend while I am catching up on the never ending laundry demon. :) between visitors, dirty play clothes, swim suits, and a baby the laundry room has become my second home. Not by choice...Ive been day dreaming about front loaders. Ha! 

Slowly but surely getting into running. 2 jogs last week and a few long walks. Now to incorporate weight training.       

Jesse James shall be nicknamed JJ here on the ole' blog(just easier.) He is growing like a weed, plumping up and looking more like his daddy and grandpa daily. I sometimes refer to him as Jim(which his granddaddy) because the looks I get look so much like him! So diff than my girls, enjoying all this 'boy!' 

Looking forward to a trip to the zoo soon in Nashville. The grand ole opry as well. Ventured out there this last weekend and enjoyed  a neat lunch at an aquarium resteraunt. 

Praying these days to see if homeschooling will be the right choice for our girls and family. It is definitely something we are praying about due to poor public schooling and being a military family moving more often than the norm and the random vacation times Jacob gets. Reading a lot into the diff programs and curriculums that are available. 

That's all for now. Thanks Aunty Sara for a visit-love ya! 

1 month

Its been too long since I last wrote..our baby boy Jesse James is 1 month! Where does the time go? Our oldest is in prek and we are starting to find our grove again. We've had a whirl wind of visitors...and soon all will be back to normal.

These days I am enjoying my time with this nugget and his big sister :). 

Happy Thursday! 

 

Leave it to Dad :)

Well my dad has done it again....I have the blessing of having a father who loves the Lord! He is not the handiest of dad's and we had a lot of tough love growing up; but growing up one thing was for certain and still is. God is ALWAYS number one. I can not say enough how amazing it is to have that example and that love of God always shining through my dad. When I am at my wits end, heartbroken, scared, or confused it is my dad I can count on to pray over me (us),my family, situation, you name it. 

I don't get 'well that's life' or 'just my luck' type talks. I don't have to hear those negative comments. I get good ole let's go to the Lord in prayer type talkin' and boy is it good for the soul!!!! 

So with all that bible thumping talk I'm going to get a little more real and share with whomever reads these ramblings of mine. 

My husband is suffering from sleepless nights due to a short deployment he just returned from.The medicine's prescribed to him due to back pain and some anxiety mixed with PTSD aren't mixing well and he is waking up in the wee hours of the morning not being able to sleep. 

I confided in my dad and asked him to pray! What I got back was an email from my dad to Jake and I that once again had me teary eyed and so humbled. So often people will say 'I'm praying for you' or 'keep your head up' things along those lines but there are never any REAL convos about it, it ends there. Or the talk is so factual...What are we so afraid of??? Why can't we talk and believe in that God's got this and he is going to take care of it!

I  have to call my dad tonight and let  know how much Jake and I appreciate and soak up his words. How we know there is action behind words when he says Ill be praying for you. 

We're still learning to be Christians and to love the Lord with all our hearts and what that means-and this email speaks volumes of that.

Some people will read this and think it's a lot of mumbo jumbo and I am sure think negative of it. However to us its beautiful. 

Here is my daddy's email.

    Hello Jacob,

Welcome home mighty warrior. Jake, Hannah asked me to pray for you. Sleepless nights,

waking up @ 1;30 / 2:30 in the morning. I was praying for you this afternoon, while grilling out. after placing the lid on the grill. I would sit n pray. The Lord began to quicken my mind of scriptures to share with you. This is what I believe the Lord wants me to speak to you.

First your Heavenly Father, God loves you. You are his beloved,one of His sons, in whom He is well pleased. Read Psm. 108: 4-6. He also wants you to know "he gives His beloved sleep". See

Psm. 127: 2. Second He holds you in the palm of his hand, He gives angels charge/to watch over you. He wants you to know... " He will not leave you comfortless, I will come  to you.."

See St. John 14: 14-18. Jesus wants you to have,know, an feel His peace. There is nothing to be afraid of. See St. John 14:26-27. The peace of God see Philippians 4: 6-8 an also  

Colossians 3:15. Lastly  Father God wants you to know He is with you where ever you go.

  We are praying for you. Sometimes our enemy the devil comes to afflict us. He is a thief, a robber, an accuser of the brethren. Always looking for those he can devour or entrap.

Yet Jesus has given to us all authority an power, over All the power of the devil. So Jacob if you awake in the night, if its hard to go back to sleep. If you wanna go for a run/jog then do so. I want to encourage you , to pray, to read your bible during restless nights.You can

pray while your jogging around. Pray in your mind, out loud if you like. Take authority over the devil/any evil or dark spirits. Bind him up,cast him out, command him to go in Jesus name.

It works, trust me on this. You believe Jesus, believe Jesus will do this for you.Pray for Hannah, the girls, the little one in Hannah's womb. Pray for your mom an dad,  your family. Speak blessings over them. Pray for God's protection, His favor. Whatever comes to your heart and your mind.

Remember the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart, He will bring things to your mind while your praying. He can reveal thoughts and show you things in your heart an mind.He Is so cool and awesome.

God bless you Jake, all our love  

 Chuck an Olivia

PS.  God with you where ever you go. See Joshua 1:9