the library....

E: "my best part of the library is picking out books. i love to pick out books. jada, what is YOUR best part of the library?"
J: "PUPPET SHOW!!"


....it needs to be noted... Jada despises the puppet show. makes her cry. every. single. week.  but if you mention the library, that is the first thing she gets excited about. puppet show. puppet show! PUPPET SHOW!!

I'm going to Haiti!

yep. me. next summer.
and i'm so excited!
i'm looking forward to seeing how God is going to use me. i have daydreams... i make up scenarios... my heart leaps with excitement for the things i imagine i will experience. and then i get even more excited when i realize this is God's thing... which means it's going to be way cooler than anything i can dream up.
i am going as a leader with our youth group from Brighton Chapel. please pray for our group as we begin to prepare for this amazing trip. pray that our hearts will be prepared for the sights we will see and the people we will meet. and also pray for the people that we will come in contact with. pray that we will have a lasting effect on them and that we will have unending opportunities to share the gospel with the lost people of this country.
i am attaching a copy of my mission letter so you can read more about this opportunity. i know i've already said it, but above all, please pray!! :)

I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”  Psalm 40:8

October 1, 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

As you may know, for the past year, Nate and I have been involved as sponsors with our youth group at Brighton Chapel. In that year, we have grown a deep passion for these kids and have been so blessed as we watch them grow in their relationship with our Lord.  We have been given an opportunity to grow even deeper with God and with our youth group, and I would like to share that opportunity with you.

Our youth group is going on a mission trip to the country of Haiti in the summer of 2012. As you probably know, Haiti is a small, island nation that struggles with such things as extreme poverty, a lack of clean water, and a recent, catastrophic earthquake that killed thousands and destroyed much. As Haiti struggles with these issues, the door stands open for people to travel there to physically offer assistance, and also – and even more important – to share the love of God with the people there.

We will be doing a variety of things while on this trip, including working with orphaned children, assisting in water-purification projects, various small work projects, and sharing our faith in Christ. I have been blessed with the opportunity to help lead our group as we go on this mission. Nate has offered to stay home with Eden and Jada to allow me the opportunity to spend a week of my summer growing in my relationship with Christ and serving those less fortunate by sharing God’s love.

I am writing to inform you of this opportunity I have and asking you to pray for me and for our team of leaders and students from Brighton Chapel. Please pray that the Lord will make this trip a reality, that He will give us safety as we travel, and that He will watch over us as we serve.

I am also asking if you would consider partnering with me financially. The total cost for each participant on the trip is $1500. This cost covers transportation, lodging, food, and supplies – really, everything. Each person is working to raise enough to cover his/her own costs. I do understand that this is a hard time economically for many people. If you cannot afford a contribution toward my trip, I would love it if you would simply agree to pray for me and for our team!  Whether you are able to help financially or by lifting me up in prayer, I would like to thank you so much.

If you would like to read more about the organization we are serving with, you can visit their website at www.cpr-3.com. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me at 260.463.6553 and I will do my best to answer them.

Thank you so much for prayerfully considering how you can help me with my mission trip.

In His love,

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”  Isaiah 6:8

Kari Mauck                                                                                               Your Name_____________________________

0250 N 010 W                                                                                           Your Address___________________________

LaGrange, IN 46761                                                                                                   ___________________________        

_____ Yes, I will pray for you as you prepare to go to Haiti. I will pray for the Lord to give you safety,

that you grow you in your love for Him, and that He will prepare you to serve!

_____ Yes, I will support you with a gift of $_____.__ to help with this trip.

                Checks can be made out to Brighton Chapel and are totally tax deductible.

Please return the bottom portion of this page to my address listed above,

 and keep the attached letter as a reminder to pray for our group.

Thank you!

Jada Elyse. 2.

My dear, sweet Jada --
You are two! When did that happen? It seems like just yesterday you made your mad-dash of an entrance into this world... and you've been going strong ever since!
It has been so fun to watch you grow and change over these past two years. One thing has never changed, though -- your spirit!  You are so fun-loving and you know how to make people laugh. You are so sensitive to other people's feelings. You constantly put other people's needs above your own.  Your sweet smile and deep brown eyes are enough to melt anyone you come in contact with.
You are so hard to discipline. Not because you don't give us plenty of opportunity (you DO!) -- but because you are so stinkin' CUTE! As soon as you do something bad, you just give that look that says, "c'mon, that was funny..." You will never know how hard it is to try to conceal how funny you truly are! :)
You are a talker. You have been putting together long sentences for over 6 months now. It is so amazing to me to just listen to you talk. You are a very good speaker and have an excellent grasp of how to put your thoughts together.
Jada, you are such an independent spirit. You want to do everything yourself and you usually have enough determination behind you to get it done!! Daddy and I are rarely allowed to help you. We have learned to just let you know that we are available to help you if you need us, then we just step back and watch you learn... it's hard to watch you cry in these situations, but it's so rewarding to see you accomplish something new on your own. (and, i must admit, it is heart-warming when you finally give in with a 'help me, mommy.')
Your love for your big sister is the truest expression of love i have ever witnessed. I never experienced the 'sibling relationship,' and it has truly been a joy to experience that bond through you and Eden. Thank you for showing me this kind of unconditional love.
Your likes and dislikes: your favorite songs are Jesus loves me and "daddy's song" (DC-10 by Audio Adrenaline). Your favorite breakfast is pancakes. Your favorite movies are Dora and Strawberry Shortcake. Your favorite baby is Baby Belle. When you go to bed, you want a baby and a book,  but you absolutely DO NOT want a blanket. You are still loving your thumb and your belly button. If given the option, you will choose to stay in your jammies all day. You love to read. You say that you enjoy story time at the library, but you definitely do not like the puppets!  Favorite food?? Nope... no favorites... you just love food!
I can't wait to see what new and exciting changes we will experience with you in the next year as you grow and learn even more!!
I love you Jada Elyse,
Mommy

Bible lessons from a 3 year old

Last night, Eden was insistent that I stay in her room after the girls were put to bed. After about a half hour of back and forth, I finally gave in and just took my book into her room and lay on her floor waiting for her to fall asleep. As she laid in bed and read her book aloud, this is what I learned:
• Adam and Eve lived in Wonderland
• The animals all came one by one to visit Noah on the boat
•God sent a really big storm to Wonderland
•The boat eventually came to Wonderland
•God sent a rainbow and it was beautiful

Her details may have been a little off, but I gotta tell ya.... her interpretation of the story was just as beautiful as God's original story.  Because I'm pretty sure when God was naming the Garden, it was probably a toss up between the Garden of Eden and Wonderland. What a tough decision.  And He really did send a beautiful rainbow at the end of that big storm.

Thank you, God, for your promise, your love, and the way you have filled the hearts of both of my daughters with a great love for you! AMEN

new sleeping arrangements

Night #1 can definitely be deemed a success!

yes, there is still some work to be done. yes, jada still needs a mattress.... i realize that is vital to a good night's sleep... but it was labor day and there were no stores in lagrange county open for us to buy a cheap mattress. but she seemed content with her little bed for now.
the bunk beds were my idea. i was certain they would both sleep better at night if they weren't sleeping alone. but i was still super-duper nervous. if you have read my previous posts, you know we have to 'trap' jada in her room at nights because she has a tendency to get up and walk out in the middle of the night and bug the rest of us.  and for those of you that don't know, one of the major things missing from this room is.... wait for it.... a DOOR. yikes. you can understand why i was nervous. i thought for sure the night would go something like this: the girls lay down for bed, mom and dad leave the room, girls laugh and talk and dance and giggle and do all things unrelated to sleeping, girls eventually fall asleep, then one girls wakes up crying which wakes up the other girl, jada wakes up continuously throughout the night and comes to my room just because she can, blah, blah, blah... you get my point... i didn't expect to sleep last night!!
but i was pleasantly surprised.  yes, they chatted, but we never had to go in to tell them it was time to sleep... they figured that out on their own. i had to get up once because eden needed to pee-pee and, in her words, "i not know how to go down dat ladder. it not have enough steps."
so, we all slept well last night, and they are currently in the midst of nap #1 in the new room and everyone is fast asleep.
love those girls!

Where's Daddy?

Jada's first words this morning when she woke up this morning. I love how much my girls love their daddy!!
"Where Daddy??"
"Daddy is at work"
"Why"
"So he can provide for our family and take care of us. Daddy makes sure we have a house to live in and food to eat."
"Eat house??"
"No... we eat FOOD. We LIVE in our house."
"Eat food?"
"Yes."
"oh."

that baby in my belly.

No... this is not an announcement. Just a really funny story.
I wasn't going to write about it, but it keeps coming up in our house and I decided it deserved to be shared.

A couple weeks ago, EE and I were chatting in the evening and I told her that she was going to Miss Amanda's [the babysitter] the next day. This is the conversation that follows:
EE: "Why"
Mom: "Because I have to go to work tomorrow."
EE: "But pretty soon you will have that baby in your belly and then you won't have to go to work anymore."
Mom: shocked. "Www...ww...WHAT?"
EE: "Pretty soon you will have that baby in your belly then you won't go to work anymore!"
Mom: "But I don't have a baby in my belly."
EE: "Yes you do. And when it come out of your belly then you not have to go to work anymore."
Mom: still confused
EE: "And when you have that baby then there will be 4 girls and only 1 boy!!" *laughs*
Mom: "So the baby is going to be a girl?"
EE: "Yes, I not want a boy."
*** This conversation continues for some time. She finally confesses that Isabella's mommy is having a baby and that's where she got the idea. I have to admit, this calmed my fears a bit. She was speaking with so much confidence I was starting to fear I may have a prophet on my hands!!
So the next morning when we go to Miss Amanda's I tell her this funny story. And she tells me that Isabella's mommy is NOT having a baby!! Nobody's mommy is as far as she knows.
Yikes.
And a few days later it comes up again. She again laughs because daddy will be the only boy. And this time she has a name. We will name the baby Allison (she names ALL her babies Allison). This is named after her favorite twins, Allison and Jaren. And then she has a new insight. I'm having twins. Because she wants babies like Jaren and Allison to live at our house. But she's concerned about where everyone will sleep. Don't worry -- we got it figured out. She initially thought it would be best for daddy to just sleep in the basement with the babies. But after a little brainstorming, we figured out a way for everyone to stay upstairs. Whew.

sweet.

Eden keeps calling Jada 'sweet.'
"Hey Sweet." "C'mere, Sweet." "Did you see that, Sweet?" "I'll be right back, Sweet."
How sweet.

God knows what's best for us.

This is the Parent Talk excerpt from the Sunday School materials Eden brought home for this month. I liked the message and thought I'd share.

As a parent, we look to others for advice. We look to those who have been there before us. We look to our parents, our friends, experts in the field. However, we often forget to look to the ultimate provider of guidance. God knows what's best for us. Always and forever. he knows best. The Bible says, "God's way is perfect, " (Psalm 18:30). It doesn't say your friend's way is perfect. It doesn't say your parent's way is perfect. It says "God's way is perfect. " God's way.
How do we know God's way? We spend time with Him. Through His word, prayer, a community of believers, we hear His voice. We hear love, grace, and wisdom. We hear His commands. And when we obey these commands, we are doing it His way. His way is perfect. It will lead us where he wants us to go. it may not be the easiest way, but it is the best way. God knows what's best for us.

on another level...

if you are interested in other facets of my life (besides those cute little girls of mine), hop on over to myhealingbegins.blogspot.com
i've been documenting my journey through ppd as i try to muddle through and find the new and improved 'normal me'. i have finally decided that it is ok to let others peek into this life and am hoping this is the next step in my healing.
your questions and comments are welcome and encouraged!

CVS

Eden and Jada were "shopping" together today. They must've had a lot on their list, because they were shopping for a long time and going to a lot of stores.
Then I heard Eden say, "Jada, when we are done at this store, we need to go to CVS." Ahh.... music to her Mama's ears. That kid knows where to find a good deal! :)

"I have an idea!"

a 3 year old's reasoning....

On Sunday, we went to lunch with my parents. Since we had been gone for a week, I knew Eden would need a Grammie-fix and I was sure J would want to see her Grandpa.
As we were eating, Eden looks at me slyly and says, "Who am I going to go home with?" This brought a smile to my face. Of course she wanted to go home with Grammie. I told her she was going home with me because she needed to take a nap and get ready to go pick up daddy. Grammie helped me out by telling Eden that she didn't even have a car seat in her car anyway. And converstation moved in a different direction.
About 10 minutes later as we were cleaning up and getting ready to leave, Eden comes to me excitedly and I can tell a light bulb has just gone off in her head.... "Mommy! I have an idea!!"
"What is it?"
"Maybe we could just take a carseat out of our van and put it in Grammie's car!"
Brilliant... why didn't I think of that?? :)
That kid's mind never stops working....

Potty Training Bliss

A ready toddler + summertime = bare-bottom potty training.
And it also creates stories like these....

Eden, somewhat panicked: "Mommy, there someting on da floor."
Me (thinking she was referring to Jada's leftover mac & cheese, since she's kind of a clean freak): "I know, babe, I'll clean it up in a little bit. I'm finishing up in the living room."
EE: "Mommy, is dat poop?"
Me: "WHAT?"
[goes to kitchen to look] [finds BIG turd]
Me: "Jada! Poopy goes in the potty!!"
Jada: [smiles]

That kid. At least it was solid. Cuz last time it wasn't. :/

testing? testing?? 1, 2, 3....

Eden has officially become a tester.... she has dabbled in this a bit over the past couple years, but she is becoming quite the professional.... and she is also trying her hand at pushing Mommy's buttons and is proving to be very good at that as well!!
Last night she was rewarded for this behavior with an early bedtime, no jammie party, and no stories. I was pretty shocked when she obeyed the command to go to bed with no arguments at all!! About an hour later, she called me into her room. When I asked her what she needed, she calmly reminded me that I forgot to read her a story. And I calmly reminded her that she chose to give up story time in exchange for disobeying mommy and daddy.... maybe she'll remember this tonight....
But just in case she doesn't, pray for Nate and I as we try to patiently work through this stage....

why???

Our house is filled with 'why' nowadays... why, mommy? why? why? why?
eden has been faithfully asking this question for a little over two years... i'm growing weary, but i just keep answering. i suppose you can imagine i was a little less than thrilled when jada started asking this same, favorite, question a couple months ago. why? why?
it did make me laugh the day that eden yelled at jada for asking why:
"jada, stopping saying why! you say why too much!!!" ....hmmmm... i wonder where she learned it from??
for some reason, this is a very frustrating stage for me. but i love that my kids are curious. i try very, very hard to not answer with the simplest "because" -- i know that's not the answer they are looking for and i know that is not teaching them the things they need and want to learn. but somedays i just want to ask them "why" they keep asking why!!!

true feelings....

Eden, reading a book: "I love my God and my Mom and my e-mail."

me, too.

My weekend as it relates to food.

ok... you won't too often find me blogging about the things i eat, but i just feel like my meals this weekend deserve a little attention!
nate and i went to anderson this weekend to work on the rental. we ate a quick dinner at home before leaving friday evening. but once we got on the road, i got a real hankerin' for some ice cream. we stopped at ick-donalds because we had a b1g1 coupon and an oreo mcflurry sounded mighty delightful. when we pulled up to the drive-thru menu, nate asked, "does that say rolo mcflurry?" WHAT? rolo mcflurry??! whose amazing idea was that? so we each got one. i must say, the first bite i took of that dessert may be one of the most divine things i have ever tasted. pure yummy-ness. mmmm..... i couldn't finish the whole thing because it was way too sweet and i was seriously about to get sick over it. (i felt even more sick a few minutes later when i found out they had a snack-size!)
next stop: saturday night dinner. when we lived in anderson, there was a penguin point directly across the street from our house. soon after we moved out, they closed. (i promise, these two changes were not directly related. we did not keep them in business.) apparently, at some point, a mexican restaurant tried to make a go of it there, but that was unsuccessful. when we were down memorial day weekend, we noticed someone was getting ready to open a new hamburger joint on june 1. we decided we would go this weekend just to reminice about the days when we could just walk across the street to get some fast food. well, saturday morning when we got up, there was already cars in the parking lot. by the time they opened at 10:30am the parking lot was full and from that point on it remained full ALL DAY. we ended up heading over there a little after 7. we had to wait in line quite awhile, but it was totally worth the wait. yummy burgers and UNLIMITED fries (not that i needed any more, but it was cool to know that i could get more if i wanted them....) so.... if you live in a-town, check our Hamburger High on 38th street. [[and while you are there, take a look at the cute little house across the street. if you would like to buy it, give me a call!]]
our final report-worthy meal of the weekend: sunday lunch. we just decided to stop by subway on the way out of town to pick up a couple sandwiches. nate pulled in the parking lot and as he was driving to the the drive thru, i caught a glimpse the sign in the front window, but i didn't have a chance to read it all before he drove by. so i made him back up. i got a "seriously??" and a big eye roll, but he backed up anyway. mmmmm..... chicken chipotle and cheese. that's what the sign said and i was sold! it tasted just as good as it sounded and nate even thanked me for making him back up to read the sign. you're welcome.
so, in conclusion... 3 things you need to try before your time on earth is done: rolo mcflurry, hamburger high, and chicken chipotle and cheese.
commercial over.
i now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.

When I was your age.

This is EE's new favorite phrase. She will often tell me, "when I was your age, I....." Yes, when she was my age.... that was so long ago!! :)
Well, this statement hit a new stage of funny this week. Her friend, Sophia, is having a birthday in a couple of weeks and will be turning 3. We were talking about what we should get Phia for her birthday so I was asking EE for her opinions. Her response? "Well, when I was Sophia's age, I yiked these and these and these (pointing at pictures)" I nearly fell off my chair laughing. "When you were Sophia's age?" "Yeah, mommy." "You are goofy. Do you realize you are only 4 months older than her??" "[laughs] Yes!!"
Ahhh... those were the good ole' days.... waaaaay back when she was just turning 3..... :)

are you making bunny ears?

Eden has apparently chosen the next life skill she wants to tackle. Tying her shoes. She was trying desperately the other day to tie her shoes all by herself, so i sat down and tried to show her. I don't remember any of the cute little sayings, but I do remember that one of them had something to do with bunny ears... so I showed her how to make bunny ears. Now, every time she sees me tying anything, she asks me if I'm making bunny ears.
She's too little to learn this task, but she's determined.... so I guess now we focus on bunny ears.

Knock, Knock!!

So, we have desperately been trying to get Jada to sleep all night in her room without bothering us with her screams and other-such nonsense in the middle of the night. Since she still isn't able to open doors, we just latch her door at night so the worst thing she can do is stand at the door and cry -- but at least she can't stand at our bedside and cry or run up and down the hallways screaming for mommy.
Well, she found a new tactic last night. At the first wake-up call, I hear a little cry, a pitter-patter of little feet towards the door, and then a 'knock knock knock' at the door. Yes, friends, my dear Jada was knocking on the door to get out. How can I not laugh about that?? So, I got up and put her back into bed. This happened 2 more times last night. The last time was the best.... not only was she knocking on the door, but she also verbalized it (in case I didn't hear the knocking??) While she was knocking, I also heard a tiny little voice saying, "knock knock! knock knock!"
I love that kid!! I may be lacking in sleep recently, but I look at that cute face and the funny things she does, and suddenly it seems totally worth it all!

Sleepovers

Sleeping bags and princess dresses and dancing shoes and baby dolls and pizza and ice cream.... Eden went to her first sleepover on Tuesday. Her babysitter invited 6 little girls over to help celebrate her birthday. I was hesitant from the moment we received the invitation, but Eden never wavered in her excitement!
I never thought I would be so over protective, but right up to the moment we pulled into her driveway, i was double- and triple- checking with Eden to make sure she 'really wanted to do this'.
So, I kept my phone nearby and fretted and prayed most of the evening. I should have just calmed down and enjoyed the quiet!!
When I dropped Jada off Wednesday morning, Eden barely had time to talk to me. And she certainly didn't take the time to tell me that she missed me!!!
According the sitter, Eden -- and all the girls -- were bouncing off the walls all evening and woke up before 6 the next morning to continue the party!! Eden was the last one to settle down at bed time.... still jumping around when everyone else was drifting into dreamland.
I've said this so many times in the last 3 years.... I can't even begin to imagine how many more times I will say it, but: kids grow up too fast!! They are changing before our eyes!! I'm so glad that we are apparently raising a very independent, confident little (big) girl.
After I left the babysitter's Wednesday morning, I called Nate to lament about how big our baby is getting. He, of course, made fun of me and my emotions. And while I was happy to joke along with him, all I could think was that in 2 years my baby will be in school!! I know it's still 2 years away, but I'M NOT READY!!!! :)
At dinner Wednesday night Eden filled us all in about the party. She really did have a wonderful time. I can't wait for her to be able to do this again. On the other hand, maybe I can.... because after spending an evening with 5 other girls, she has informed me that she needs 2 princess sleeping bags, a polka dot pillow, and Ariel panties!!
{seriously... Ariel panties.... this one almost ended our world. she took all her panties out of her drawer, told me she didn't like any of them, and desperately plead to go get Ariel panties. Now. Rest assured, that did not happen. Yet.}

California

We just returned from our family vacation.... what a wonderful vacation it was!!
Last year, we went to the Dakota's with Nate's family to visit his uncles and their families. So this year we turned the tables and visited my family.
Our family and my Mom & Dad all flew out to California to visit my Aunt & Uncle in Half Moon Bay. I am eternally grateful to my parents for footing the bill for the travel arrangements. If it weren't for this fabulous gift, we could not have afforded this vacation this year. So, Mom & Dad, Thank You!!!!
We left on Saturday, April 2 and flew from Chicago to San Fransisco. We had a great flight and all my fears about flying with the girls were washed away when Jada dozed off while we were still taxiing down the runway and Eden was full of giggles as the plane took off. She kept squealing with delight, "we fwying on a airpane, we fwying on a airpane!!"
After gathering our luggage and picking up the rental car, we were off to Half Moon Bay. We arrived around 12am. We stayed up and chatted for about an hour then decided we should probably get to bed since it was 4am our time and the girls were still awake!! :)
Sunday we just spent a lazy day on the ranch so we could recuperate from the long day of travel on Saturday. We got a tour of the ranch, met some of the neighbors and some of the animals and then headed to the pool to take a swim. It didn't take the girls long at all to become little fish in the water!!
Monday was forecast to be a beautiful day, so we took that opportunity to head to San Fransisco to be tourists for a day. We drove up and down hills for awhile until we came across the park where the opening credits of 'Full House' were shot. So we took our obligatory pictures of the row houses, walked around to stretch our legs for a bit, then headed off to the Golden Gate Bridge. Everyone I had talked to that had been here before warned me that 'it's just a bridge.' They were right... I've seen more magnificent things in my life, but there is still something to be said about seeing 'that' bridge with your own eyes. Nate and I wanted to take on the bridge with our own two feet, so I chose to walk it and Nate ran it (3 times, to be exact). I got lots of pictures and now at least I can say I did it. After the bridge, we headed to Pier 39 for lunch/dinner and to hit up some gifty shops. We had a great time, but we cut our time in the city a little short so we could rush home to see Butler get mangled in the NCAA final game.
Tuesday was another relaxing day spent on the ranch. We visited some areas we didn't get to see on Sunday. Nate decided to take the girls on a wagon ride up the the Fogg House. It may look like a nice fun walk from a distance, but the hills on that ranch have no mercy. I helped him push/pull for awhile, but I'm not going to lie... when the opportunity came to hitch a ride in the van the rest of the way up, I didn't think twice!!! I tried to convince Nate it was the thing to do, but he wasn't about to cave. When we got to the top, I came face-to-face -- or should I say spur-to-calf with the world's most evil rooster. That stinkin' thing attacked me twice and I have the markings to prove it!! After heading to town for a late lunch, we came back to the house early again to watch yet another Indiana team (ND girls) take a beating in the finals.
Wednesday we did a driving tour of the coast and through some redwoods.
Thursday we got to go to San Jose to visit Adriane. It was so good to see her again and nice to finally see where she is living. While we were in town, we went to the San Jose Children's Museum. That place was so much fun! I'm pretty sure I would go back again even if I didn't have any children with me. :) The high points for the girls were the bubble room and the water room. I'm not gonna try to hide it... they were my favorites, too!
Friday was our last full day in California. Nate wanted to do his run down on the ocean trail, so Aunt Jean drove him down and the rest of us met them down there after his run. Since we were planning on going into town to do some shopping, I told Nate he should take a dip in the ocean so he wouldn't be so sweaty and stinky. He took me up on my challenge!! Apparently his feet went numb as soon as the water touched them but the rest of his body didn't feel so bad.... :) After spending a little time on the beach, we headed out. Next stop was a store called 'Twice as Nice'. The best way I can describe it is like a 'Big Lots' -- only much cooler! Nate and I got a little wrapped up in the bargain hunting and once the final bill was totaled, we were wondering if it was really such a great deal.... but we got lots of nice stuff and still spent much less than we would have else where on the same stuff!
Overall, the week was great. It's been a long time since I've felt so relaxed and refreshed. Even Nate - who doesn't know how to vacation - had a great time and didn't miss work at all. The girls really enjoyed themselves. Eden is still talking about Aunt Jean and White Cat and if you ask Jada if she misses California, she'll answer with a confident "Yeah."
Before we went, I didn't understand what my parents meant when they said they could go out there and spend the whole week never leaving the ranch. Now I get it. It is a fantastic getaway and I can't wait to go back and visit again!!

things you don't want to forget....

Last night after dinner, Eden says this about her daddy: "I yuv him so much in my whole wide world!!"
True feelings from a child's heart.

buttons.

it's the little things.... a couple days ago, i noticed eden very focused on her buttons on her p.j.'s. she was absolutely determined to get those things buttoned up. she was unsuccessful that time around, but it was a huge moment for me. just another sign that my little girl is growing up and yearning and learning to be a big, big girl. so, i weeped a little inside and then just bucked up and helped her button up. and she immediately started trying to unbutton them. always trying something new....
every day i miss the 'baby' in her, but i rejoice in the 'big girl' she's becoming.
i love being a mom.

UPDATE:: as of May 16, 2011 the button has been conquered! a note to any other closure devices out there -- watch out, this kid is a woman on a mission and you just may be next!!! :)

We're going on a date! We're going on a date! We're going on a date!!!

This is the chant that heard over and over again on the way to Fort Wayne last Saturday. No... it wasn't Nate. He doesn't tend to get that excited about going out with me! :)
It was Eden. I decided it had been far too long since her and I spent one-on-one time together, so I left Jada with Nate, and Eden and I took off.
First stop... Build-a-Bear! I'm pretty sure at some point in my life I swore I would never take a child into that store, but sometimes I don't think before I speak. I figured it would be fun and just this one time I could justify spending slightly too much on a teddy bear.... ("slightly too much": understatement of the year)
This is how that store went, in Eden's words: "We pick out my monkey then we give it a heart then we give her a bath then I brush her hair!!" If Mommy could add just one more sentence, it would be this: "Then we spend $35 dollars on accessories for that cute little monkey. I don't remember the last time I spent $35 on accessories for MYSELF!!" But, honestly, I have to admit it was a pretty fun experience. And if I had a money tree growing in my backyard, I would go back. Often. So we left the store with Libby the Monkey in her stunning ballerina outfit, hello kitty panties and, of course, pink rockstar sunglasses.
Next stop... the double-decker carousal. I was pretty stoked when my brave little girl picked the top level to ride on. And for the first time, she held on all by herself and didn't need me hanging on to her with a death grip. Why do kids grow up so fast??? And why did I wish that someone would have been holding on to me?? Seriously... I was so nauseous by the end of the ride I was almost embarrassed! We did a little more shopping then decided it was time for lunch.
Where else does a three year old what to go when she can eat where ever she wants???? McDonalds!!! Or, as we call it in our house, IckDonalds. It was chicken nuggets, french fries, and apple pies for everyone (even Libby).
After that, we went to Target to look for a dress. Because she really wanted a new dress. Well, by the time we got to the dress department, she was totally over it. After finding a pair of Dora socks at the dollar spot, who needs a new dress??! I didn't complain. I'll never turn down an excuse to hang out at Target for awhile.
We had a great time and I can't wait to do it again. In the hustle and bustle of life, it's nice to just take a few hours every once in a while to leave everything behind and just be a kid with your kid. I certainly don't do that enough!!!!

What is cute at 1pm is not so cute at 1pm

So, yesterday as the girls were napping upstairs, snuggled all cozy in their beds, I ventured downstairs to do some laundry. I was minding my own business, and as I walked out of the laundry room I was greeted by a super smiley 1-year-old. 'Awww... how sweet,' I thought, 'she got out of bed and came to find me... I love that little girl!!'
.....Fast-Forward approximately 12 hours.....
Now mommy is snuggled all cozy in her bed (ok, who am I kidding, these girls have been getting up way too often for me to get too awfully snuggly recently) and here comes that same adorable 1-year-old waddling down the hallway, screaming, looking for a friendly face. So I took her back to bed. And she ventured out again. So, I took my blankie and cozied into the glider in her room to make sure she stayed put. It was not meant to be. After several warnings to get back to bed and lay down, I was just too stinkin' tired to care. So, she got up, stood in the middle of the room sucking her thumb, and analyzed her situation. Then she decided to read some books and play with her games. After awhile, I think she realized that I was not interested in playing, so she shimmied right back over to her bed, climbed back in, and fell asleep....
I wonder how long this phase will last??!?

Happy Birthday, Eden Elaine!

EE --
You are 3 years old!! Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday the doctor was placing you in my arms and I was taking my first look at my tiny little baby... (ok, ok, you weren't tiny, but, still....) and now you are a walking, talking, running, jumping, singing, dancing, laughing, imagining, playful little girl. In your own words, you're "a yittle bit big." You will always be my baby, but you are right -- you are a little bit big. And I feel like every time I turn my back for just a second, you get a little bit bigger. What a joy to watch you grow into such a wonderful little girl. You are so loving and compassionate. Some things you've told me in the past few weeks that remind me just how much you love those around you:

• "Mommy, I not like when Jada cries. It make me sad." You are always so concerned with the well being of your little sister. You are always the first one to hear her cry and you make sure we all know that there is something wrong with her. You can hardly wait for her to wake up in the morning so you can give her a hug and a kiss.
• "It nice to share!" So nice, in fact, that you couldn't stand the fact that yesterday was your birthday and nobody else's. I tried to convince you that this was a good thing... you got to have this birthday all to yourself. But you weren't convinced. So you shared your birthday party with Grandpa. (I'm sure he loved the princess cake!)
• "I need to buy Macie gloves at the grocery store." Macie already has gloves, but you think she should have pink ones... since she likes pink as much as you do. (and, as a side note here, you buy everything at the grocery store!! I guess this is what WalMart has done to your generation... you pretty much can buy everything at the grocery store!)
• "I love you, Mommy!" You never hold back on telling others how much you love them. What a wonderful quality!! Don't ever stop telling people how much you like and love them. People need to hear those things!!

I must admit, you are not "sugary-sweet" all the time, but you do have a personality that a mother can not help but love. You sometimes get a bit bossy and stubborn, but that is only because you know what you want and you are determined to get it. Once your mind is made up, it is not easily changed. Daddy says you get that from me.... I'm just going to take that as a compliment and not question him any further! :) At times your personality 'quirks' make you a bit hard to mother, but I know in the long run your determination will take you far!
In the past couple months, your imagination as really taken flight!! You're favorite game to play right now is "mommy, daddy, baby." And mommy, daddy and baby do so many fun things together. We play, have tea parties, go to church, dance, sing, take naps and watch movies.
Eden, I strongly believe that you are a natural born performer. You love to sing and dance. Your favorite songs include Glory to God, ABCs, Go Tell it on the Mountain, Old McDonald, Jesus Loves Me, and Jesus Loves the Little Children, among others. Last week as Daddy and I were watching the Super Bowl, you brought out a little stage and grabbed a microphone (aka a mini-maglite) and showed us what a great half-time show should look like. You gave a great show and I was thankful for all the encore performances.
Your favorite thing to do right now is watch movies. I don't let you watch as many as you would like, but it is kind of fun to watch you get wrapped up in the lives of your favorite characters. Thankfully, you have broadened your horizons past Dora, so we now get to watch Mickey, Strawberry Shortcake, Einsteins, Care Bears, and anything that has to do with princesses!! I've even been able to convince you to watch a few things on PBS from time to time.
Some of your other favorite things right now: Noodles, Moose Tracks ice cream, dancing shoes, dress-up, Grammie, drawing, and "pretending."
Eden, you have filled my life with such unending joy... I don't even remember what life was like before I changed my name to "mom." I am so blessed by your sweet spirit and I can not wait to watch you grow and see who you begin to become in the next year.
Love you, sweet girl!

Peer pressure made me do it...

OK... so I'm going to try this bloggin' thing out... I'm not expecting much from myself, so I hope you don't either!
And if you expect this blog to be about anything other than my adorable little girls and the wonderful and hilarious things they do, you may just want to find a different blog to read. I know they are cuter and funnier to me than they are to anyone else, but I just need to start doing better about documenting all the crazy stuff they do. I figure if I'm writing it anyway, I might as well let you read it. If nothing else, their mama and grandmas will enjoy it!! :)
So, welcome to my blog!