A Nature Birthday- 4 years old

Someone turned four years old on Sunday!  We celebrated with a nature-themed party.

I had hoped the weather would cooperate for a hike, but 'twas not the case. 

The rain has officially started, but we still had a really good time.

The IKEA throw, and napkins were the inspiration for the invites, and party decor.

I had fun making these nature journals for party favors.  I used a JDC template for the journals and embellished them with the fun pencils.

Party favors also included these hiking goods in simple brown paper bags.

The birthday boy!

His Grammy made the cake and I just had to throw some fun decorations at it.

My favorite part of the party was when he opened his gifts.  Upon opening each gift, he went to each person, cocked his head to the side and out of the side of his mouth said, "thanks" in this macho, mater-of-fact-tone.  He held up each present like a trophy, too.  It was so funny and sweet!  How we love him!! We are so proud of you, Mr. Man!

 New toys AND a new brother for your birthday?  It doesn't get any better!

He's Here!

~ Colton David ~
Wednesday, October 24th at 12:51 p.m. 
8.4lbs, 20 inches long

He is healthy, CUTE, strong, has a super cute dimple, and chubby cheeks!
This will be brief, but we just wanted to share the wonderful news!  We are so incredibly thankful and blessed!  Thank you, Jesus!!!

It is hard to believe this was him on Monday and now he is HERE!!!

Counting Down the Days 'Til Baby

~Morning snuggles with my baby giril~

It won't be much longer now, baby boy is due in just two weeks.  The months have really flown by.  The last few weeks have been sweet: enjoying special time with the little nuts, as well as attending to last minute details before "he" comes.  Yes, he is still referred to as "baby boy"; I think we might pick out the name at the hospital this time around!  I was freaking out that we hadn't made a decision a couple months ago {OK, maybe just last month}, but I've since swallowed a big chill pill.  He will be named sooner or later!

Instagram sums up a lot of what we've been up to.

New slippers for their baby brother to give them at the hospital:

I slowly piece their birthday parties together, so slowly that I usually overlook some major details while planning the small, fun details.  LOL!  The little man's birthday is next week!  I am decorating his cake with the following and the toys will be his to keep.

She is obsessed with the Little House on the Prairie series.  As I read the books to them, she is going back and re-reading everything multiple times.  She has been wanting to get her baking and sewing groove on.  This week she made us lunch out of her kid's cookbook: chicken Caesar salad with homemade croutons and dressing!  She was so very proud as was I!

I am falling back on some old methods for helping coax baby out as well as trying some new ones.

Raw pineapple?

Patrick's labor march. :-)

We can hardly wait to meet you little man!

Easy Fall Crafting, Instagram

I saw this cute fall niner at Target a while back, and for $15, I figured I could try to make it myself, for free!  The flowers looked very much like the ones on Jones Design Company, and the rest was simply covering a can with fabric.  It was super easy, but the flowers did take a while, so I made some pencil holders rather than filling them all with flowers.

 This was also a quick, fun project.  I cut out triangles from my scrapbook paper collection and ran a stitch through them on the sewing machine to make a paper banner.  It couldn't get much easier, right?

Instagram pictures...

A coffee date to celebrate baby boy!

She lost her first tooth and another one is close behind!

I received not one, but two potted weeds from my sweet girl as gifts last week.  She is a lovie!

Happy Monday and new week to you!

Makin' Firewood

~There sure are a lot of nice views around here~  

Wranglers anyone? :-)

~Watching his Daddy~

 

~Also watching the action~

~Beautiful Fall~

Link

Why we should be wary of technology- an excellent post!!

Here is just part of the post {click on the link above for the full post}:
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Away With It

There is this tugging force, pulling at all ages from all angles. It's the need to be accessible at any time, the need to plug in anywhere and to access anything. It's something that started as a positive tool for our future, but turned into an addictive addition to our families which is a silent threat to most things good.
It's the Internet. But more specifically, it's smart phones, it's Facebook, it's Pinterest, it's blogs, it's Youtube and dating sites, it's Twitter, Instagram and all the cool sites I don't even know of yet, but it's out there and it's consuming.
I can't point a finger as we have the internet and I am on Facebook. I use my blog on a regular basis. I have been at times so tempted to head to Pinterest and sign up...buy that iPhone or iPad, because I know just how "handy" they can be. But the truth is, for me personally, they will do little to help me and more just to destroy the small amount of time I have to raise these:
Sure, it's not the end of the world. But from my perspective, the world was a better place without them. I thank the internet for hours of research done on my family's health. I thank the internet for directions and how to's on building things and sewing things.

But I strongly dislike the internet for increasing my weaknesses. My needs for things that have no value.
I can be a bit obsessive. It's alarming to me because my firstborn most definitely has that trait. If you give him any form of technology, he becomes fanatical, obsessive, annoying...

Sweet Conviction

I thought I would share something that God has recently put on my heart.  I am hoping, really praying, that if you are in this place or someday find yourself in this place, God will use me, and this little post to plant a seed.   

I am so very blessed in love and marriage, and I've come to understand that God has so much more for us.  During David's hunting trip I read the devotion about how Paul viewed the hard things he encountered in his life as "light and momentary troubles".  During that sweet quiet time, Christ revealed to me hurts I had been holding onto that I had let become great in my heart, especially when viewed through the lens of "light and momentary".  It doesn't matter what they were, because they were still just "light and momentary troubles"!
  
I love how the Holy Spirit touches your heart and everything is suddenly very clear and simple.  I don't think I was even aware of the transformation that had taken place until he was home.
I see now that so many of my interactions with my husband were more like transactions.  What was he doing or could he be doing for me?  Regardless of whether I ever voiced the wants {more like marching orders!}, they were in my heart, and could be detected in my demeanor.  No, they are not sinful in and of themselves, but it was the heart/motivation of them: striving, always expecting.  Actually, the other extreme was true as well: I am independent, I can do it all.

When he steps in the door, he is the king coming home; how had I neglected that?  Where was the absolute delighting in him, laughing with him, listening to him, and caring for him?
Do you know how much better it is to give your all, do it with joy, and without the expectation of what you will get in return?  It is incredibly energizing and possible with Christ!  The opposite leaves you drained and seeing your lack. 
As I have let go, God has been so gracious!  We are on the same team and having a really good time!  It is locking eyes from across the room and laughing about something, taking that extra step to look out for the other one, and so forth.  Way more fun!  I don't want anything to come between us: bad attitude, fatigue, busyness, hurt, preoccupation, kids, you name it!  I love the tenderness, strong connectedness, and newness of love between us. 

I am reminded of this verse, 1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 
Of course, the devil would like nothing better than to come between us.  I am sharing this as I think it is a common trap mothers fall into.  When you are first married, your whole heart and soul go into loving and caring for your husband, but as you add in a few kids, and life gets more busy, your attention is divided and it is to easy to forget the most important person, job!

I have many thoughts swimming around in my head regarding this topic, and it is hard to know which ones to put into this post, but thankfully the Holy Spirit is a way better communicator than me!:-) 

Hallelujah, He make all things new!  May God bless you this day!

What you expect

Awake bright and early to "hunt" in the yard

I really have to wake up early or stay awake in the evenings these days if I want to do a little journal/blogging!  I am starting to wonder if Instagram will take the place of blogging or at least diminish it?  I'm sure it won't completely take its place, but it is definitely convenient.  I have completely fallen off the FB wagon minus the occasional e-mail I get to confirm a friend, but Instagram I have been doing. 

School, parenting, fall weather, life is not always what you expect.  It seems to be a theme right now.  School?  I expected it to be harder than it has been, and there are challenges, but I have been pleasantly surprised with our transition from summer to homeschool.  Yes, we have a little one coming this month, which will necessitate some adjustments, but I have greater confidence that we can do adjustments.:-)  I read a helpful book, borrowed from a sweet friend, about planning and being flexible with homeschool {to make your plans, seek God and ask for his wisdom, and be ready to do something different when it isn't working}.  The most important thing I need to remember is seek Him! 

I laminated, put magnetic strips on the back of these chore charts and hung them on our fridge.  There are a lot of different options for chore charts out there, but this format is perfect right now! 

 

I expected more resistance to "school", but this little guy does amazing.  He does a few pages a day, plays, and for the most part has a really good attitude and wants to learn.  Thank you, Jesus! 

I knew my oldest would be a hard worker and love the "store incentives", and learning, but there are those days when she'd just rather pretend horses or anything else.  It's so not fair to post this picture of her needing to adjust her 'tude, but she is still cute, and such is life, right?!  Picture her working hard and smiling most of the time.

Exploration/Science Outside Day

Waiting in line to use their "Rydman Bucks" on Store Day!

One of my biggest concerns was starting on time every day, but perhaps because it is a priority, it has gone surprisingly well.  We do make exceptions, though, like when something like this is going on and I dare not disturb!

Walking/Exploring After Homeschool

My goodness, the weather.  It has been warm and in the upper 70s and 80s with a slight feel of fall in the early mornings and evenings.  I find myself lighting a scented candle, and opening the windows to cool off the house.  It is already the first week of October, fall decorations are up, but we were still playing in the kitty pool at the beginning of the week. 

The "woodsy" pencils on the desk feel like fall to me.

Green pumpkin from Target's $1 section on the coffee table:

I really love this book!

A rustic box filled with whatever fall stuff I had on hand.

We are officially saying hello to fall with the first pumpkin bars of the season made for our first home group/bible study of the season!

I really wondered if baby boy was going to make an early arrival last week.  I had 2 days of regular, strong contractions, which prompted me to quickly pack a bag, vacuum the car, and clean a few more light fixtures.  I was a little concerned about him being early, but Baby Center informed me that at the end of this week he was full-term.  Yahoo! 

I am getting ready to put away my maternity uniform and try this "new" wardrobe.

It has been absolutely wonderful having David home.  He worked nights in August, plus days on the farm, and then left for hunting for 10 days.  It was such a hectic time, we hardly saw each other.  It has certainly made me appreciate his being home!  I don't deserve the husband I've been so blessed with.  He puts up with my irrational pregnancy antics, makes me laugh, and still has me feeling all nervous/excited when I see him.  Oh, and is the father to our four babies... CArazy!  This was our song this summer.

I wanted to include some funny things baby girl is saying and doing these days, but time is up, and I'll be back soon with some pictures/quotes. :-)