Friday, October 31, 2008

Harvest Party


Here is Sadie as Snow White. I found her costume at a thrift store. I thought it was fitting with her new short hair cut! And Lauren was a sunflower! (Sadie wore this flower costume when she was 5 months old, and Lauren was swimming in it!) I thought about dressing Lauren as one of Snow White's 7 dwarfs... but I didn't have the materials or the time to pull it off. Ha! :)

We drove up to New Life Church (on the north side of Rochester) and had a blast at their 'Space Odyssey' theme Halloween Party.

It was SO fun to watch Sadie light up and smile ear-to-ear as she played games and won candy. She also jumped in the bouncy castle, watched a black-light show (presenting the salvation message), AND rode on a horse for the first time!!! Lauren was so good to put up with all the noise, especially while being stuffed inside an oversized costume! I think we may have a calm child! (yay!!!)

We also ate hot dogs, chips, and cotton candy! Cotton candy was another first for Sadie! She was hesitant at first (she didn't believe us that she could eat cotton!) but when she tasted it, it was another ear-to-ear smile moment! :)

I think New Life did a great job creating a Godly atmosphere. They had christian music blasting and many friendly smiling faces running each event. What a great witness to the community. It was a free event, and I imagine there will be at least a few families coming back to check that church out on Sunday...

After all that sugar, we went home and had apples and grapes and water for a bedtime snack! (Healthy food cancels out junk food, right?)

We hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween!

:)

Monday, October 27, 2008

Daddy






It's nap-time here at the House house and here I sit looking over pictures from this weekend. I am noticing that they are all centered around the living room and more specifically the couch :) We had a real low-key weekend. John watched every sporting event that was televised and cooked two VERY yummy meals for us! I did some laundry and cleaned a little (I've decided that the heavy duty cleaning is only necessary when we have company). I am trying to simplify...

So, I was looking through these pictures I took of John and the girls and I noticed that Lauren is completely fixed and focused on her daddy 100% in every picture. It is so precious to see my husband as a daddy. And to see the way he looks at his girls, and the way they look at him :)

Thank you John for being so giving to us; for taking interest in adding variety by cooking great meals when you don't have to, for holding a crying baby and comforting your tired and emotional wife, for correcting your 3-year old in a loving way, for ironing your own work shirts, for fixing computer problems, for burning the garbage out back, for bringing home dairy queen dilly bars, for reminding me that the steps are icy, for filling my purse with extra diapers, for going above and beyond in so many ways... even when we don't deserve it.

:)

John, I don't know what I did to deserve a husband like you...

Thank you.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Just hangin' at home



Here is Lauren being a good little girl as she does her tummy time :) Then a picture of her in her "poo hat", holding Big Sister's favorite froggy. I have slowed down with the picture taking... just once a week now... ;)

Over the last few weeks I have been writing down some cute and funny random 'Sadie Sayings'.

For your reading enjoyment, here they are:


One day after school, we were riding home in the car and I asked Sadie what her favorite part of the day was. Sadie said, "My teacher said I need to be quiet during story time... but she said it's Ok if I snort."

:)

I set a new book outside Sadie's bedroom door, so that she would see it first thing when she got up from her nap. When she woke up, from downstairs I heard her say: "I just can't believe this! I JUST CAN'T believe this!"

:)

"Mom, I'll just call you when I need you." (I didn't think I'd hear that for several more years).

:)

After telling Sadie she is beautiful... she said, "No, I'm not beautiful, Yamma said I'm 'larious' (Hilarious)."

:)

When we were at the doctors office recently, Sadie told me that: "I like riding in the alligator (elevator)."

:)

"Awww. Laureny is SO cute... she looks like a pickle."

:)

"You're my best mommy friend."

:)

"I like the 'Wy-zam' (museum)."

:)

Yesterday, John and I were giving Sadie the run down about how she needs to obey her new babysitter... Sadie told us that, "She's given a charge". I thought about it and repeated it to myself. And then it hit me, and I said "She's in charge!". Sadie smiled and said "Yes".


I hope to keep remembering to write down the cute things that Sadie says. I'll post more again in the future :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Going with the flow



As an "aspiring photographer", sometimes when I have a picture idea and outfit idea in my head, and then go to do it... the results do not match my original idea. But then I usually end up with a more interesting picture anyway. It's a process.

Isn't motherhood just like this?

:)

I'm glad God is in control.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Simple Pleasures













We had some time to fill this morning. It was after the morning breakfast-play-snack ritual and before the lunch time routine. So I bundled up Lauren (who was asleep) in my baby wrap, and bundled up Sadie, and then we went outside.

Sadie grabbed her "acorn basket" and the three of us headed for the corn field trail. [Sadie calls pine cones acorns.] Sadie had a blast picking pine cones off of the 'wind/snow break trees' near the field. Then I told Sadie to run around in the newly harvested field, just because it made a really cool back drop! I was in photography heaven!

Being with my girls (and my camera) outside in the Fall is definitely one of my most favorite things.

These simple pleasures are such treasures, aren't they?

:)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Traveling Gypsies

We spent a long weekend in the cities. Our trip started Thursday afternoon, lasting through Sunday night. We had a great time making the rounds with family and friends.

Our journey included:

Thursday night: My Parents Home. Friday: The St. Paul Children's Museum with The O'Brien Family for Malachi's first birthday! Friday night: The Olson's home for pizza and a movie! Saturday: a family birthday party. Saturday night: visit with my parents again :) Sunday: My parent's in the morning and an awesome turkey dinner in the afternoon at Rick and Barb's!

Included amongst these events were various gas station potty breaks, portable DVD malfunctions and fixes, missed naps, too much sugar intake, more than one McD's stop, diaper changes on my lap, singing with Sadie, holding my baby's head up in the car seat, rubbing Sadie's hand to calm her, bottle feeding Lauren, wiping up puke, keeping the nuk in baby's mouth, cleaning spilled icecream off of my jeans, finding the rest of the chicken nuggets in "the pocket" of the car door, and... most importantly... priceless memories made.

Home is where your heart is! This weekend my home was with my new family of four in our all-american, luggage stuffed, garbage scattered, noisy, and (unfortunately) smelly 2003 Maroon colored GMC Envoy.

I am enjoying the journey.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that my wonderful sister-in-law cut and colored (transformed) my previously dull "mom hair" into a fun new do! THANKS Beth! I also managed to nurse my baby during some of this :)

I have several pictures to document this trip... however, I don't have several free minutes to resize and upload those pictures. So, they will stay on the computer hard drive for now.

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of our family and friends who we love so dearly; thank you for a great weekend and many more to come!

Monday, October 13, 2008

The Girls











And there you have it! The final round of "gads of pictures of the House family"... I'm learning to use the manual settings on my Canon Rebel. It is SO fun. And I'm SO addicted :)

I think I have a problem...

So, I am going to chose to put down my camera tomorrow and pick up the dirty laundry! Does anyone else have miscellaneous clothes piles scattered throughout each bedroom and then again in the hall, like me?

(sigh)

As mundane as the day-to-day grind is at times, I value it all. Life really does move quick, and I am realizing that there are very few hours in a day that can be quality time with our kids and spouse.

I desire to make the best use of those hours. That's my prayer today.

When I look at my girls, I am challenged each day to grow - by force - wouldn't you say?

And to know God more. Really. Know. God. His Love, how does it need to look in my life? How can I pass this on in daily conversation with my girls?

I think God likes when we ask these questions, because then we allow Him to come on the scene, speak to our heart and bring change.

I'm so thankful.

What else can we do but be so thankful and share our blessings.

:)

So, tomorrow or the next day, I plan to go through Sadie's toys with her and pack away about a third of them for GOODWILL. This is a big step for me (because I always think, Oh it's so cute Or we might want it later...) but, I have it on my heart to do this with Sadie, to show her that this is what is important is to 'share our blessings' with other boys and girls.

I think it will be good.

Life is grand.

:)

The Littlest Elf


This is one of those shots that took many, many tries to get... and, this, was the millisecond between 'still wanting to eat' and 'wanting to go back to sleep.'

I think I shot well over 30 pics to get this. Digital is so great!

And at one point, she ROLLED OVER when I put her on her tummy!!! She pushed back, straitening her little arms and violently swung her little head to the right! I think she was just as surprised as me!

I am a proud mommy.

:)

What did mom's do before camera's??

It sure breaks up the feeding, diapering, cleaning regiment nicely!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

At the Stewartville Park











Yet another round of fun Fall photo's... I love this time of year :)

...More fun in the leaves!






Here is another round of "a Fall photo-shoot with the House family"...

Enjoy!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

A Summer Day In October...















The weather was beautiful today with temps in the high 70's! We went to the farmers market this morning, then we came home and played in the yard :)

Lauren turned 8 weeks old today!