I give up

On blogging, updating, recipes, and pictures for an unknown amount of time.

I'm stinkin' tired.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

To summarize

So realize I have had a serious lack of blogging about...anything. You have barely seen Harper, Mason is now 4 and looks old with his new faux hawk, and you might not even recognize Joel.

Ok, that last statement isn't true but you know- whatever. I exaggerate. Hate me.

So I thought I would summarize the past few months with some pix.

And I am going to tie in some "what I am thankful for" thankfulness for the following reasons:

*Because on Thanksgiving we didn't discuss what we were thankful for on a personal level (my grandparents might roll in their graves but they need to roll back over from Mase becoming a Black Eyed Peas Fan)
*Because I am cliche and traditional
*Because it's 4am and I'm growing sentimental in my ever nearing 30's
*And because I just ate a mega frosted sugar cookie- at 4am)

(Please take point #3 as a disclaimer to the possible mumble jumble you may read)

I am so thankful for this crazy son of mine who is refined and crazy and a boy's boy all in one:


And did I mention dual personalities? It's hard to keep up with.


And who is so crazy in love with his sister:


Which brings me to his sister, whose cheeks I nibble on on a regular basis:


I am so thankful that a year ago she was just a dream and now she is a living, awesome, snuggable miracle that I get to cherish each day.

And then comes Joel. I am so thankful that I met and fell in love with him when I was 19 and have gotten to grow up with him. And I am so thankful that he puts up with me.

I kid you not, I have him regularly rearrange the house. The house folks. Not a mere room.

I would like to state for the record however that Mase's room has never once been rearranged.

Anyway, I am so thankful that we have fun together.

(please don't turn us in to social services)

And that he's a good dad.


And that he's incredibly hot.


And that we both hate beans so that I don't look like an idiot in front of his Mexican relatives.


As cliche as it sounds, that is what I am so thankful for this year. My family. Parents, siblings, siblings-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandparents.

For a church we love, and friends who love us despite our weirdness, we are so thankful.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above"- praise God!

My faithful friend...

The October blizzard. Every single year. Just when you think you've gotten away without it, it comes. And it almost always falls the last week. Just enough to freak you out for Halloween but alas, as always, it will be cold and clear.

We hunkered down this year for the storm and got to spend the day in our jammies (of course, I say the day...the storm still continues with another 8" expected).

Even Humpty Pumpky froze.


I do however, embarrassingly admit that since having Harper, I have spent way too many days in my jammies.

It kills me when Mason is talking to his daddy around noon and let's him know that mommy is still in her jammies.

Busted.

I have to say that I love living in Colorado, even with the snow. I would be so sad if my kids never experienced playing in the snow!

Sorry relatives in Arizona and Texas!

Mason (now 4) is able to fully dress himself in snow gear. Minus his gloves but that is quite tricky!


He'll be making his snowboarding debut in the 2026 olympics. He's looking forward to perfecting his skills this year as he yet again, snowboards down the icy driveway on a piece of wood...hence the "boarding".

I am quite thrilled about him getting himself ready since he goes in and out a minimum of 4 times a day. Yesterday it was for a maximum of about 5 minutes since with the windchill it was under 20 degrees.

Why does he ask for hot chocolate every time he comes in?


Not that I blame him!

We made popovers for breakfast. Oh so yummy. I'll share the recipe with you. Nice pipping hot with butter and jelly and a hot cup of coffee...or hot chocolate.

Have I enticed you??

Mmmhhh...I love hot chocolate but it makes Harper throw up so I have to skip it. Speaking of miss Harper Mae, look who smiled for you despite the blizzard and the brother who kept rubbing his sweet pink, freezing cheeks on her?


Here's the popover recipe:

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup WONDRA flour

½ tsp salt

Whisk eggs lightly; stir in milk, stir in flour and salt just until blended (do not beat)

Spray 6 custard cups and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for 25 min.

Yumminess

So yeah...I still have not posted pictures of my darling daughter is she is now 6 weeks!

I can't believe how time is flying. I was struck with how horrible of a mom I am for not posting anything when I realized Harper has already debuted on Robin's blog.

Joel says people probably hate me for it.

Do you hate me?

Here are a few precious pictures. She is on the verge of smiling so I am hoping to catch that on camera any day now.

I am obviously spending much more time just snuggling and loving on her than I am blogging.

So here she is in all her preciousness.



Oh, I just want to go snuggle her.

She's getting her newborn pictures this week so I will post those after that.

Ah, memories

So I was shopping at Old Navy on Sunday (and seriously, why was I shopping at 3 weeks post partum? Its just depressing.) and what did I come across?



I have nothing else to say.

In valley's and on mountain tops

I realize it's been a while since I've written...about 3 1/2 weeks to be precise.

And I know I should post some pictures- I'll get to that.

But today I am writing because my heart feels full...not burdened per say, just full.

Full of thankfulness, full of blessings, full of sadness.

I was just rocking Harper and putting her down for a nap in the same way I put Mason down. With hymns.

I love hymns and there is no better way for me to lull my babies to sleep and share a few moments with my Savior.

Mason was walking into his room as I sang to her so I beckoned him to come join me.

And there we were: my almost 4 year in one arm and my newborn in another both covered in baby blankets and snuggled up to me as tightly as possible.

And the tears filled my eyes not because I was so overwhelmed with joy to get to experience them, but because of the experience I could share with them. The hymns sharing a Savior's love. The words of wisdom on surviving heart ache and pain. The words of joy about Heaven.

And open up the flood gates because out it poured.

The pain I feel for my old friend Angie who, despite probably never having a lick of nicotine in her life, was just diagnosed with tongue cancer.

The sorrow I feel for my friend Charity who gave 2 babies over to the Lord this year, one just a few days shy of her due date.

The fact that I never really believed I would meet Harper until I heard her little cry in the delivery room.

The feeling of loss and desperation for all the people I have recently been blessed to talk to because they too have lost a baby.

The joy of having 2 kids and the multitude of smiles they put on my face throughout the day.

The joy of getting to share my pregnancy with my sister and my sister-in-law, knowing our kids will get to grow up so close with their cousins.

The overwhelming thrill of knowing God knows me, in and out, and loves me despite that and I get to have an eternity with Him.

The everyday blessings I experience that I forget to give God glory for.

There is a song by Mercy Me that I have come to love called "Word of God Speak".
The chorus says:

Word of God speak
Would you pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know that You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In your holiness.
Word of God speak.

I love that song because of the line "You're in this place...Please let me stay and rest in your holiness". At first I thought it meant a physical place, like church or what have you.

But instead, it's this place that my heart is at (yes teachers, I just ended a sentence with a preposition). Whether I'm fighting through a valley or soaring on a mountain top, he's there. And he meets me there and just let's me rest on him.

This year I have adopted the theme for my life "Resting in His Holiness". Not struggling through my sorrows or trudging and mourning my plight, or full out forgetting to give him credit when I'm on that mountain peak. But rather just resting and knowing God is there and I can enjoy his holy presence.

All that from a few minutes in a rocking chair. Imagine what insights I will glean from nighttime feedings!