Quick Change Artist

We spent Thanksgiving in Texas at Grandma and Grandpa A's house. We ate great food, saw dinosaurs at an awesome park, played at a playground until we were too sweaty in the 76 degree sunshine, and hung out with some our favorite people.  Saturday night we were sitting around chatting and my Mom asked, "Have you guys ever thought about renting out your house in VA and moving into a rental somewhere else?  Say...like...here?"  And the answer is, yes. We have thought about that.  We love our house in VA, but it is too small for us. We are bursting at the seams.  We need more bedrooms and we wish Richard had a better office at home.

So we thought we'd just check out the market so that we could continue to consider this later.   And we became drunk on the thought of square footage.    Nearly triple the square footage as we have in VA could be ours for almost an equal price! And a pool! And the schools are amazing! And close to Grandma and Grandpa A! And Aunt Ruth!

By Tuesday afternoon we had signed a lease for a 5 bedroom, 4 bath, pool, 4,000+ square foot rental house.  By now, Wednesday night, we have a moving company booked, a property management company chosen, and boxes ordered.  I've (happily) resigned from the PTA, asked to be released from my calling at church, and declined to help at several other things.  Hopefully by Friday our home will be listed on websites as "for rent".  By December 18 our stuff will be driving to Texas.  We'll follow in a few days when school is out.  We'll spend Christmas with Grandma and pa.  Then we'll move in just after Christmas.  The kids will start their new school January 7.

This started Saturday night and today is Wednesday.  This whirlwind is totally blowing my mind.  But it's so right. Every thing that could have been a block to this grand scheme, has easily breezed past us. It's all just falling into place.  We can only thank our Heavenly Father for guiding us through this.

Seven Favors From Seven Friends

Naomi went to E's house, Asher went to W's house, Isaiah went to Kevin and Kelly's house, Sammy went to H's house (then switched to M's house before heading to Kevin and Kelly's).  Plus Naomi and Asher came home from school to a neighbors house and were picked up from there.  So, all told, it took seven favors from seven friends for Richard and I to leave home for 36 hours.  So, I thought, we'd better make every moment count!  We'd better love our 11th Anniversary celebration!

Our plans were to head toward Baltimore, take a sunset hot air balloon ride, then head to our Baltimore hotel.  But the weather had another plan. Our hot air balloon ride was cancelled for wind.  So we bought tickets to a comedy club. But then we went to dinner at this incredibly fancy and seriously delicious restaurant in Baltimore and spent so long there that we missed our comedy act.  (If you're even in Baltimore and have plenty of spare change, go to Charleston Restaurant.  Yum!)  At this point in our day, it sounded like we were having a bad day.  But in reality we were just happy to be together. We enjoyed our dinner and each other so much that we didn't feel bad about missing the comedy club.

When we checked into our hotel room, I was blown away by the view. Right outside our window was Baltimore's Inner Harbor.  Gorgeous.

 We walked around the pier, took a water taxi to another place just for the sake of the boat ride, did some window shopping, peeked in a few art galleries, ate way too much and way too often, saw a movie, and reminisced about our wedding day, engagement day, anniversaries past, etc.

It was all just lovely.  Worth every one of those seven favors from seven friends!

Fall Family Photo Shoot

My friend Carrie (of Carrie Hanna Photography) did such a fabulous job on these photos.  It was a pretty chilly day so she did a lot of photoshopping-out snot and red noses.  I love the colors and the reminder of beautiful Fall Virginia days.

Isaiah Update

Isaiah is still a squishy little pudgy baby in my mind.  And in his mind, too.  Even though he has lost so much of his squish. And he's 5 whopping years old.  He still loves to be hugged and loved on and cuddled like a baby.  But he wants to be treated like the big kids, too.  

He's in Kindergarten this year and doing great.  He wasn't exactly ahead of the game when he started, but the learning environment seems to be just right for him and he's really flourishing.  He enjoys school, so he's willing to do the work. 

He and I both enjoy the time that we have together each day. He gets home from Kindergarten around 11am so we have a couple of hours where the focus can really be on him.

Isaiah is terrified of water bigger than a bath tub.  He barely got in the Ocean at the beach. He dances around the edge of pools.

So I put him in private swim lessons at a friends house.  And this is how he spends his lessons:

I'm seriously considering throwing him in at our next lesson.

Isaiah is a great kid. He's a great addition to our family dynamics.  He does need to work on "using his words" instead of just breaking into tears when he's frustrated. But, like I said, he thinks he's the baby.

Sammy Update

Sammy. What can I say about Sammy.  He's adorable. He's stubborn.  He screams like a banshee just for fun sometimes.  He enjoys tormenting other children.  He talks like crazy.  He loves his siblings.  He doesn't walk, he runs.  And if Isaiah was our "Poochy" holding our leg and sniffing around, Sammy is our Parrot. He repeats everything!

Proof on adorableness:

When this boy turns on the charm, you melt.

Proof he's stubborn:

Today we went to the school to do some quick copying for the PTA and Sammy decided he didn't want to be there so he screamed - not cried, just screamed - until I ran out of there with him under my arm and the stares of patient but annoyed faculty boring into my back.  

 Proof that he enjoys tormenting other children.  Just ask baby cousin Betsy who he discovered hated his scream so he would walk up to her and let out a succinct scream.  Or baby cousin Ollie who he discovered didn't like to be touched, so he would walk up, shove him and run away.  Or baby cousin Ethan who he alternates between screaming at, stealing toys, and shoving.  ...it's a miracle these families play with us anymore...

Proof that he loves his siblings: He puts on his backpack every morning and walks them to the bus stop in the hope that this will be the day that we let him join the fun on the bus.  When Sammy and I came back from our weekend getaway to Grandma's house (just Sammy and I met up with my sisters and their babies), Sammy was happy to see Daddy, but he was ecstatic to see his siblings.  He is often seen chasing after them yelling, "Hey! Guys!"  He asks me through the day, "Where Guys?"

We recently celebrated Sammy's 2nd birthday (squeezed into the 24 hours that both Richard and I were home between his trip to Brazil and my trip to Texas).  He loved being the star of the day.  And singing Happy Birthday.

 And this helicopter that has it's own remote control!

Semi versus Prius

Richard was very generous to me this year on my birthday. He bought me this beautiful Janome sewing machine.  It has 100 stitches and is digital and fancy and makes sense and is just a million times better than my old, refurbished machine.  My old machine growled at me.  Seriously.  Sometimes it yelled at me.  Sometimes I threatened to throw it out the window.  It wasn't a nice relationship.  A good comparison would be to say that my old machine sounded like a semi truck, whereas this lovely new machine purrs like a Prius.  

 I've been reading the instruction manual and trying this or that, but my first real project on this machine was a cover for my tablet.  I had looked at several tutorials online but the end result was kind of my hybrid of several tutorials and pictures (fitting, since this machine is my Prius).  You can't really see in the pictures, but I even machine quilted some of the circles to add a little texture and interest.

I think it turned out great!  My pretty new machine had to sew through eight - thats 8 - layers at one point to make this.  And it did it!  Without even complaining!

I love my cheery little tablet case, but what I really love is having a nice machine.  And a sweet husband.

(I'm thinking I should do a little red blanket stitch along the edges...But I can't decide.  What do you think?)

Just Sammy and Mommy

Yesterday was the first day of school (pics hopefully coming soon once I figure out how to get photos off the camera and onto my computer now that I've got this new Mac).  So it was just Sammy and I for a whoppping 3 hours! Sammy has recently started giving up his morning nap, so we really are totally free for those hours. It's so different from last years insane schedule that it's hard for me to wrap my head around!  He and I played cars and made a treat for the big kids for when they got home, we went to fabric store, and even had time to hang out in the parking lot watching the "diggers" as they re-paved the lot. It was so luxurious!  Hooray for Sammy/Mommy time!

Here we are watching the diggers:

Sammy just saw these photos and said, "I watch truck! I wear flip flops!"  Such a cutie!

Cuteness

Seemed that we needed some updated cuteness. Here's the very latest!

Preparation

I'm just gonna come out and say it. We're hoping to get pregnant again soon.  Real soon.  That decision was not come upon lightly considering the drama from last time. Sammy getting here took more fervent prayer than I've ever given to one topic before in my life.  It was four straight months of prayer. Family prayers, dinner prayers, personal prayers, as well as prayers in my heart. Nonstop.  Pleading, begging, bargaining prayers.  I had a little mantra/prayer that I recited to myself whenever I was feeling especially panic-y.

As we prepare to be pregnant again, my mind can't help but go back to the last time.  The same physical problems will happen again as happened with Sammy's pregnancy.  The only difference will be that this time we know to expect it.  We'll expect surgery for me at 3 or 4 months pregnant. We'll expect months of bed rest.  We'll expect to have our family in a state of disaster for some months.  So we've planned ahead. We've saved money so we can be prepared to hire a nanny or put the kids in daycare.  I've mentally talked myself through it dozens of times.  I've already started planning the cleaning whirlwind that I will execute the second that I know I'm pregnant so that I won't be embarrassed when people come into my house to help us.

And then, today, I was thinking about all those prayers that were sent up on Sammy's behalf.  And I thought about all the prayers that would go up for this next baby.  And it occurred to me that there's no reason to wait until he/she is for sure on the way before starting those prayers.  I should be praying for him/her right now.  He/she is preparing to come down here to us and we are preparing for him/her to join us - the process has begun.  So, so should the prayers.

So I ask you, dear readers, to join me.  Please pray for us and our little future he/she. Pray for health and safety. Pray for good doctors. Pray for my sanity. Pray for Richard's sanity. Just keep us in mind and heart.

Thanks.

(And I promise to blog more soon!)

Thrive Food

A couple of months ago my sister, Angela, had a party where a woman came and talked to them about Thrive Foods. I knew nothing about Thrive except that Angela liked it enough to host a party like this for the first time in her life. So I "Skyped" into the party and, as they say, the rest is history. Well, actually, I'm writing the history, so I guess I should add more details. I liked the food. I liked how easy it was. I liked the idea of having more veggies around my house (in the hopes that I'd use them more). And we've been meaning to start a real food storage supply forever. So I signed up for a Starter Kit where I would get a box of food each month with a few recipes so that I could try out a wide variety of it. And the more I tried of the food, the more I loved it. We really have eaten more healthy food in the past month than...well, maybe ever.

 So I made another big decision and now I'm an Indepedant Consultant for Thrive Foods. That means that next time I attend a Thrive party, I'll be the one standing up there proclaiming my love for it. I don't have any desire to pressure anyone into buying these products, but I do really believe in them and want to give people the knowledge to make a choice of their own. These products are amazing and I didnt even know they existed until a couple of months ago!!!

 I keep thinking of my Grandmother's quilt. The one that was always on the guest bed in my Grandparents' Florida home. The one where each square was embroidered with something that represented an era of their lives. I think that on my non-existent-yet quilt like that one, Thrive will have it's own block. And I'm excited about it.

(If you'd like to learn more about Thrive foods, I'd be happy to tell you all about it. And/or you can check out my website at shelfreliance.come/nancyworth.)

Father's Day 2012

At Long Last

I feel like I am finally home again.  I can finally be "normal" again.  Today was the perfect day for me - filled with the things that I have most been missing in this past school year.

We woke up at 7 (well, a few of us woke up a little earlier than that and needed a reminder or two to get back in the beds and zip it).  We had scripture study and got dressed and had breakfast on our usual "school day" routine.  We giggled when our "Almost Time For The Bus" alarm went off on my phone.  But then ... *sigh of contentment*... the freedom began.  There was nowhere to be!  The kids watched a little TV and drew and played together while Richard and I got a few things done.  I got dressed for the gym, but then didn't rush off right that second. Sammy finished his nap. We went to the gym, but in no rush.  I didn't look at the clock at the gym.  It didn't matter!  We had a leisurely naptime.  I realized I needed to grocery shop but that I couldn't do that and have dinner on the table at the usual time.  Who cares?  We went grocery shopping.  In no rush!  We got home, made dinner, and ate it way later than usual.  At 7pm, the kids usual bedtime, we started our Family Home Evening of a walk/bike ride to the park.

I know this sounds like the most boring day ever, but I have really, really, really missed days like this. Days where I can just do my thing.  Days where I can change the schedule without adjusting logistics for three other things. Days where I can go to the gym.  Days where I can just be me, being the Mom.   

Heaven!

Last Day of School

The kids finished school for the year on Friday. We celebrated by inviting all the neighborhood kids over for a backyard party.  There was a table full of cookies and candies, a water balloon fight (150 balloons gone in less than 30 seconds), swinging on the new swingset, beachball volleyball, and general choas.  I think we had close to 30 kids and 8 parents here at the height of it!
So Goodbye to 2nd grade for Naomi, Kindergarten for Asher, and Preschool for Isaiah.  Next year all three big kids will be in Elementary school!

Preschool Graduation

After 4 straight years of one or two of our kids going to KUC Preschool, this graduation was a little sentimental to me.  As Isaiah marched across the stage, pausing for a photo opp with his cheesy grin and a thumbs up, it seemed like a shadow of things to come.  Sammy won't be in Preschool for at least two more years.  Naomi will be marching across a similar but larger stage of her own in 10 years.  Often in Motherhood time slows to a snails crawl, but suddenly those 10 years seem like they might be really short.

Progress Report

Asher is finally hitting that Kindergarten sweet spot where suddenly I look at his work he brings home and think, "Wait, is this really MY sons?"  His writing is legible and mostly in a line and sized right. He can read, he just still won't believe he can.  He's doing so great!

Naomi's Got Talent

I have never been more proud of Naomi. More than a month ago she came home with a permission slip and a plan. The school was hosting a talent show and she and friend had a grand scheme.  The friend, Katie, would play the piano as Naomi and she both sang. The song they planned on was "Down By the Sea".  My guess is that anyone who's taken beginner piano lessons has learned this cute little song.  There were six after-school practices and the music teacher worked with each group a lot. But Naomi would not so much as hum one bar of the song for me.  She would clam right up as soon as I brought it up.  I didn't push and tried to only be supportive.  I made Naomi and Katie matching skirts and sailor-like neck ties (because they said they wanted fabric "like water" to go with their theme).

 And the day of the talent show I gave myself a pep-talk about not saying a word to Naomi that could even remotely be construed as negative. I was only going to be super supportive.  No, "Well, it could have been louder" or "If the microphone had just been closer."

And then she blew me away.

This is a pretty bad little video since I missed the first few seconds and you can't even hear the piano.  But you sure can hear Naomi.  She was not one bit shy or even nervous ahead of time.  That girl has way more moxie than I gave her credit for! She stepped right up to that microphone, and belted that song out like a rock star.  I admit it, I teared up with pride.  She really just blew me away.

Roadrunners sure do "got talent"!!!