Back to work

We began a new routine last week as I headed back to work after being on maternity leave for three months. I am very thankful to only be working two days a week now-Mondays and Wednesdays. We are also blessed to have a sitter in our home so that I don't have to bother with dropping off and picking up the kids. The week went really smoothly except for the fact that Noah isn't taking his bottles very well yet. For the first time, Emma didn't cry when we left and was very excited to have someone new to play with. Yeah!! Our weekend was a busy one. Here are the highlights:

• Farmer's market to see Caleb and Katy
• Shopping at the mall 
• Dinner/hanging out with my dear friends
• Ethan spending time with his bros
• Overnight at Mom and Dad's 
• Countryside Bible Chapel on Sunday
• Birthday lunch for Kyle at the Andersons
• Seeing Caleb and Katy's Europe pictures

Emma, Edward, and Emily at the Rinehart stand

We all returned home exhausted after the weekend!

Last Week and Family Day

A happy baby

A fussy baby

Making necklaces on a rainy day

Family Day 2010: My newly engaged sister Kyli with Eli and Emma

Aunts and Uncles playing the Lifesaver game

Daniel and Michelle who looked like they'd practiced before =)

Noah took in all the sights of his first Family Day

The highlight for the little kids was the water!

Great advertising Isaac!

Walking tacos, fruit, and cookies- yummy!

Reminder

Sometimes the life of caring for a husband and little ones leaves me feeling drained. I was beginning to grumble to myself the other day as the never ending to-do list became longer and the constant demands kept coming. I started to think about all that I had done and the fact that most of it would be undone by tomorrow. A passage of Scripture came to my mind though:

 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

It made me think about what kind of attitude I have at home while doing all of these tasks. Am I doing it in love or just worrying about how many items get checked off. Does my family see me demonstrate love or am I just a clanging cymbal? Do they see a loving wife and mother or just an impatient person not wanting anything to interfere with my goals for the day? If I want to please the Lord, I must show love in everything I do. God is love and He gave His only Son. If I want to be like Him, I can't tire of giving.

Work and Play

A recap of our week:

Ethan was under pressure to install a new tub and shower before the appraiser came on Monday.

He was able to finish most of it (with his lovely assistant's help) and it works!

We are now working on drywall and will then have the trim and some painting to do. I'm thrilled to be rid of our nasty, moldy old tub and to be able to bathe my children in a clean one! I'll post a picture of the finished product when it's done.

Today we made it to the State Fair and Emma had her first corn dog.

Future farmer?

She now picks out her own outfits thus the pink, orange, and green combo.

Ready to pick produce for market.

Emma

How can a little person that you have so much love for also cause so much frustration? Our little three year old can have us cracking up one minute and sighing the next. She is a little drama queen and very particular about EVERYTHING!! Our life would be boring without her. Here are some of her latest quotes:
 
- At lunch today, she casually says like an adult: "So Mom, let's talk about the new Rapunzel movie."

- "Which dress should I wear when I marry Isaac?" We have yet to explain that her cousin cannot be her husband.

-"You are my best ever Mommy." And then in the next hour, "You are a bad Mom."

-She is only allowed to sleep with us when it storms (lately this is every night.) We were watching the news  and she overheard the weatherman say that storms are likely the next couple nights. With both fists pumping in the air, "Storms, yeah! I get to sleep with Mommy."

-Her last trip to the doctor ended with a booster shot in her thigh. I took her to the doctor again this week and before getting there she says, "I don't need another shot in my leg. It's all better now."

-A trip to Target ended in disappointment when we told her she wasn't allowed to buy a toy that she wanted. Later that night she said, "Maybe it will be on sale next time and then we can get it."

 

I'm back

After a long break from blogging, I have decided to return now that we have the internet at home again. Our life is so busy that I know I need to stop and capture some of the memories and thoughts along the way. So much of what I do doesn't last more than a day. This blog will be something that lasts and remind me to enjoy each minute because time passes so quickly. Today's highlight was Noah smiling. He was such a happy baby all day cooing and giving such big smiles!