Morning Nap

We are in Colorado visiting my family and celebrating my Dad's birthday!!

And it seems to be that each time we travel someone in our family gets sick : (
Little B-man is sick, horrible cough, fever, he is just sad!
I was up with him at 4:30am
Then up with all the kids at 6:30am
I was wiped out
Sweet B couldn't fall asleep for his morning nap
Little man fussed for 45 minutes
I knew he was so tired... and so was I...
So I scooped him up
We crawled into the huge king bed
And laid down
He wrestled around for a little while trying to get cozy, 
He thought the most comfortable position was to crawl across me
And that is how we fell asleep, his sweet knees on the bed, and chubby cheeks on my chest

This mama soaked it in
At home I would have never had the chance for this morning snooze with my baby
I would have had "too much to do"
I would have had 2 big kids needing my attention
But today, I fully embraced one beauty of vacation, and snuggled my littlest Love so his tired body could get some much needed rest!

Thank you Mr. Steady for taking the big kids on a hike!
Thank you Lord, for the precious time with my baby!  Help me to stop more often at home and take full advantage of sweet times like this!

11 Months old!!

... and a few days... running behind, as usual : )
I honestly can't believe that B is already 11 months old!  What is even more crazy is that it was right after Bug turned 11 months old, we found out that B was on the way!

Anyway, update about our our sweet, amazing, little surprise...

 Stands up not holding on to anything

Not walking yet, but walking around all furniture, walking holding onto my finger... today he even let go, and took 2 steps toward the couch...  though I couldn't get him to do it again.

Has 4 teeth and 2 more breaking through

Eating mostly table food, hardly any babyfood

grinds his 4 little teeth... what!? Gives me the chills every time I hear it!

Has decided that 6:15am is a grand time to wake up every morning!

Loves to dance, bounces to the beat, claps his hands, shakes his head, full on dances!  It runs in his genes, what can I say : )

 Fast, down right speedy crawler

Not too much has changed since last month

I can't believe that my next B update will be when he is one year old.  Uggh, this season of life is rushing by.  I'm trying not to blink, I don't want to miss a thing!

monday... laundry day

Yesterday was laundry day, I try to do most of my laundry on Monday's, with maybe a load or two on Thursdays.  I know everyone has their own little system, this seems to be mine... though I wouldn't say I have perfected it!

So far (being Tuesday morning) all is folded, except the socks, undies and washclothes... might sound strange to you... but I try to fold the laundry as it comes out of the dryer, (permitting no children are screaming or in need of my help).  To speed up the process, I have a basket that I fill with all items that don't really have to be folded right-away... items where wrinkles don't matter.
The laundry room has 5 tall stacks of folded clothes, one for each of us
I STINK at putting folded laundry away!  It seems like when I have the time, actually, when I have a free hand, there are people sleeping in the rooms where the clothes need to be put away!  Ugg, maybe we should keep dressers in the hallway!  Just kidding, that might make me feel claustrophobic!  I need to adjust my laundry system, I just don't know what to do...

What works for you?  What is your little laundry system? Any pointers you can share? 

And for those of you who faithfully read, have an answer, you just wouldn't consider yourself a commenter on blogs... there is no time like the present to put your two cents in : )

Deals of the day!

Here are my finding from today's garage sales

This morning sweet Mr. Steady agreed to watch 4 kiddos (3 of which are his own, so no biggie), all so I could garage sale with my sweet friend D!  We came across a few good deals...

$.25 each easy reader books, H is just about ready for these!
$.50 cute basket

$2.00 Beach umbrella!!!

$2.00 Beach bag, maybe not the screaming deal of the day, but is was really cute and I could just picture throwing in some toys and beach towels and hitting the beach or pool!

$60.00 Shabby Chic Bed for Bug!! (Headboard, footboard and side rails) I have been trying to figure out what to do for a bed for Bug when we get in our new house.  This one is perfect!  Not only is it super cute, but the lady that I bought it from had it custom made so it would be tall enough for a trundle to fit under!!  And it even matches her dresser! 

Love me some garage sales!!

puddles

I love rainy days... probably because they are few and far between!

So today, we pulled on our boots and hurried out to play in the puddles {before they all dried up}

I was watching my friend's kiddos, so puddle jumping with 5 kids made it even more fun... though the 2 littles were just happy on-lookers!

 

The kids LOVED it, everyone had wet pants by the time we got home, but so worth it!! 

Go on get out there and make the most of any rainy day that comes your way!

{and don't forget your camera}

Even my boots got in on the splashing

Long week

It's been a busy week... lots going on here, both big and small...
We've had fun play dates with friends
Daddy was away on a business trip : (
Got a new blender... I could open my own Jamba Juice with this thing : )
Lots of green smoothies have been enjoyed
Lots of paperwork for me... which means...
Lots of Diego for my kids.  I keep telling myself it is okay because their knowledge of animal rescue and their spanish vocabulary have increased by leaps and bounds : )
Getting ready for a garage sale!!  Whew, lots of work!  Hopefully we will clear out a ton of stuff and make some good $$ in the process.
Bug is BINKY-FREE!!


Okay, on to the really big stuff...

We are in-escrow (Under Contract for you Utah folks) on a HOUSE!!  We are going to be home owners again!
 Mr. Steady was offered a new job at this company, and he accepted!
and, I think we finally have a decision for school for H next year! 

Though momentarily, life feels far from settled knowing we need to pack up all our stuff and move.  It does sound dreamy that in the next 2 months we will be putting down some roots!  There has been so very much up in the air these last few months, it is so good to have some direction

Basil Quinoa

Remember a few weeks ago I gave you the great recipe for the Spiced Quinoa.  Wondering if any of ya'll tried it?  Anyway, here is another Quinoa recipe that we make on a frequent basis...

We started by picking some basil from our garden.  The kids love helping with this task!

Then we added a little fresh lemon juice.  Lemon courtesy of our generous neighbors tree.  Sweet gal lets us pick as many as we want!  {Okay 2 amazing benefits of SoCal in May, fresh basil from our garden and fresh lemons...}

Ingredients

• 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons minced)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions

Directions
1.  Cook Quinoa according to package directions
2.  In food processor mix all remaining ingredients.  Chop well, until smooth consistency.
3.  Once Quinoa is cooked, poor basil mixture over quinoa and mix together.
4.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!

We served ours with grilled chicken, grilled zucchini and roasted tomatoes.

Grow where you are planted- part 2

I am choosing to grow where I am planted, and I am also planting so I can grow!  Spiritually, relationally and literally  : )

I loved having our garden in Utah, Mr. Steady and H-man made me beautiful garden boxes, tore up a part of the yard and we planted our favorite veggies.

(how cute is H at 2 1/2... miss his chubby cheeks!)

Planting a garden (for me) is not only budget-friendly, and health-conscious... but so much more!  I loved getting to teach H about how things grow, and for us to go and see each day what was budding, blooming, growing and eventually ripe!  I so delighted in seeing the bounty of our work.  There is something therapeutic and beautiful about a garden, I can't quite put it to words : )

I missed having a garden last Spring and Summer!  I missed the fresh tomatoes, and sugar snap peas.  I missed watching my kids get excited about the constant change... So even though we are still renting I decided that it was time to plant so we can grow : )

Here is our container garden on the day we planted it (8weeks ago)

Here is our little garden today!

We have harvested lettuce at least half a dozen times and have had the most tasty fresh salads!  I am dying for the first tomato to ripen!  And I can't wait until the zucchini are big enough to pick!

So much joy in such a simple thing!
Thank you Lord for my little garden!

Grow where you are planted

I have seen this quote many times before on plaques, blogs, cards and more... I have always loved it and been especially challenged by it in the last year and a half to really grow where I am planted.  I think that growing has a very conscious element to it.  We have the ability to choose to enjoy the here and now, to grow in relationships, delight in our circumstances and grow in our faith... or the counter of these, to be a hermit, to wallow in pitty and to be complacent in our relationship with God.

I am choosing to grow!  Specifically, I am choosing to make a very conscious choice to find true delight in where God has us.  There are times that I still really miss Utah.  But to be honest, we do have a great life here! I am choosing to look for things to be thankful for (not that I wasn't thankful before), but to be conscious of, acknowledging the specifics and to count it all as gifts!  I have been really challenged by a new book that I am reading "One Thousand Gifts" so, so, so worth a read! Especially if you are struggling with doubts, complacency and bitterness.  {more on this book in a later post}

Parts of life still very much feel up in the air, I want roots, I want to feel settled... yet God, has us in this place with some uncertainty.  Though part of life is not exactly figured out, I want to grow, right where I am at, in this very moment and within these exact circumstances.  I want to be thankful for life, all of it... the figured out parts and the not yet clear parts!

How about you...
Are you growing?  Are there specific things that you can see are hindering your growth... your attitude, habits, expectations or past?  Do you have relationships you can dig into that encourage growth in you? Have you smiled today?  Have you seen thankfulness transform you, grow you, mature you?  What are you thankful for today??