You gotta see this!!

Okay, here she is!!! The ONLY thing making me smile is that she is so stinkin cute!!! I hate that she is old enough to walk..... it's just not right!!

I don't know why I decided to play Miley.... mainly to annoy my husband i think. And, it just has so many good one liners in it. 2010 = I have 2 walking babies here.

Ready for 2010!

Here are a few pics from Christmas! We had a blast celebrating the birth of Christ, our Savior, with our kids this year! David was VERY excited. He kept asking where Jesus was and why he wan't showing up for his birthday party. Ha! He left Santa milk, cookies, and a note. He also fell asleep staring out the window on Christmas Eve looking for him, hilarious!
You name it, they got it. Grandparents gave them the moon itself! David got his gum and powertools. They also both got a playhouse and kitchen.




The kids on our way home from Christmas festivities!!! Isn't M a peanut?



Here is me holding David's new bedding that Mimi got him! Also one of my favorite christmas gifts was a CHI hair straightener. You will only understand how fabulous this is if you have curly hair. It's amazing.

Probably my favorite thing we did, was on the day after Christmas went on a kid free vacation with some of our best friends! It was their friend's cabin up in Blueridge and literally on a river. It was awesome to just pack up and leave the chaos and aftermath of Christmas. I hope we make it a tradition!


Greg, you are ridiculous and here is Jessica and Holly in their new snuggies.

Some of my favorite pics from Christmas .... David and Chef

Mackenzie getting into the toilet paper.... what a mess..

Mackenzies "fur coat" she got! She is going to be a diva... also, SHE STARTED WALKING TODAY!!! I need to get video on here asap. 12 1/2 months, I am so sad.The best part... she loved the ribbon and paper more than any gift she got!
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! We are cleaned up from Christmas, motivated, and ready for what the Lord is going to bring us in 2010. Can I note that I did fall out of the attic trying to put up Christmas decorations?! That stupid ladder that folds up basically got stuck and I fell with it to the ground. I am bruised up, but no broken bones! What else? Well, please women of the world don't hate me, but I am trying to gain around 5-10 lbs. I am not putting how much I weigh... but I do weigh 25 lbs less than I did in high school, and no, i wasn't fat... a "normal" size i guess... I think the business of 2 kids and then pneumonia is what did me in. Just a week ago, the pain from pneumonia in my sides finally left. It is so awful!!
Anyway, I figure why not try during the holiday season! Tim is helping me out... however, he says he isn't too excited about it b/c he is not trying to gain weight!
Speaking of Tim, he has started a little side business to try and bring some extra income in until things change.... he started a handyman business!! He has had quite a few jobs! I'm so proud of him :) He has had a lot of time off b/c he never took any vacation days until now, so I am loving it! He had to take them b/c they don't roll over and you can't get paid for them. No complaints here!
Oh, and we have watched about 1,000 movies. I love it. Every night we lay on the couch and watch movies by the fire after the kids go to bed!!! We've seen: Elf, Four Christmases, The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Valkeri, My Sisters Keeper, The Ugly Truth, Julie and Julia, The Blindside (@ the movies), New in Town.... oh my gosh and I think more. We have loved just chilling out!! We are in movie mode for some reason!

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!! We praise the Lord we have much to be thankful for from 2009 and anticipate His plans for us for 2010!

What I love more than sleep

What are you doing up until Midnight every night?!!! One thing is..... BAKING!
Though I would love to say I am the virtuous woman... the only thing I've mastered is staying up late and rising early to get everything done I need to.... and okay... to also have some time for myself!
Anyway, it brought me to read the passages of a virtuous woman... and while I strive to be that kind of wife and mother, it made me think of my own mother! And although I wasn't raised by Tim's mother, she fits this to a "T" also. I know this is super old-fashioned.... but, I love the idea of it all and having experienced a family like this, feel blessed.
All I can remember being little was my mother getting up early, getting everything ready for us, and I don't think I've ever heard her complain. (Hard to believe I'm her daughter ;) She actually still does this for my father every morning even now that my sister and I are married and out... I love that the most.... She is selfless and always put her family first. I hope my family will one day view me the same way. Thank you mom, for being the best example I could ever have! You make me want to be the best wife and mother I can because of how Christ has changed you.
Here is the passage... which by the way, every time I read I say, "Dang it!!! I'm not ANY of those!" No, seriously. Here is why I just don't fit the mold, umm... all of this today...
1. I think I spoke all of 3 sentences to Tim today between him coming home late, us going straight to a Christmas party, and then him passing out within about 1 minute.
2. David told me "I don't like you" when I put him in time out for pulling Mackenzie by the head because he said he was teaching her to walk.
3. I haven't showered, 24 hours and counting... okay, i could go on, but here...

Proverbs 31:10-31 She is worth far more than rubies.¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.¹² She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. ¹³ She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,bringing her food from afar. ¹⁵ She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. ¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.²⁰and extends her hands to the needy. ²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.²² She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. ²⁶ She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. ²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her ²⁹ "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.³¹ Give her the reward she has earned, She opens her arms to the poor and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Anyway, after thinking of our mothers, I got to BAKING. I wanted to post some DELCIOUS food I've been staying up to bake!!!!! Here goes!!

Oreo Balls
1 package oreos (pureed), mixed w/ 1 pack cream cheese, dipped in chocolate. YUM

Fudge

Cinnamon Honey Butter- my friend Sara made this and got the recipe HERE.

and I am putting it in cute jars like this...

Last, but not least, Sausage Balls. YUM. I pkg sausage, 1 1/2 c Bisquik, 3 C shred. cheese

So... these are my holiday favorites this year!

Thanks for listening about my mother and viewing my yummy food!!!

Santa = torture

Mackenzie's 1 year pics! (thanks to timmy :) .... and thanks for the "willis studios" logo babe, nice touch.
She had the best birthday ever! She got purses, babydolls, a baby stroller, a tea set and cart, clothes, Bee bop band, Minnie Mouse, and a pink 4 wheeler from all her friends and family.

David didn't know quite what to think of all the pink. This was our conversation:
David: "Mommy, I want some pink stuff too. Can Santa bring me pink stuff?"
Me: "Well, pink stuff is kinda for girls... but, you can play with it too!"
David: "Mommy, I want Santa to bring me a blue purse then."

I am learning that toys are cross- gender having a boy and girl. Toys know no discrimination!
Here they are!




Lastly, the infamous Santa picture. Mackenzie was not a fan, as you can see. Why do we torture our kids and make them see Santa??? David did love him this year though!David told Santa he wanted gum and an apple. Poor kid! We have those in the pantry! It is sweet he doesn't "expect" the world, so he will be easy to please and VERY excited about what is coming!

As far as Santa goes.... it really has never crossed our minds to not do "Santa" with the kids. We both had such great, fun families and it was just a great part of our childhood.
We do explain and emphasize the reason for Christmas. With both of them so young, this year we will make Jesus a birthday cake and celebrate his birth that way with them. Each of our kids also gets 3 gifts each, just like Jesus received 3 gifts from the wise men!
Thats our deal!
The great part about having your own family is that you can do whatever you want! Tim and I have always just made our own decisions and frankly, don't really care what other people think!! You have to decide early on to make a decision and be confident in it. Being a mom has brought me into my own and taught me to not compare my life..... and it's also made me not give a hoot what other people think about me, I hope to raise my kids the same way!

Lastly, everyone says Mackenzie looks like Cindy Lou Who from the Grinch... i can see it!
Also, these were her super cute and EASY party favors I made!!! I got the idea from this blog.

So glad you had a great first birthday, sweetheart!!!

Mackenzie is UNO!

Happy Birthday Mackenzie!!!

Today, all of your playgroup friends came over!! I completely spoiled you and let you have pizza and cake all day. Tomorrow, we will throw a big family sha-bang! Can't wait to post pictures of you in your Tu-Tu you have not taken off!!!! These are your super cute party favors that mommy made. Hey, I can be crafty when I try... but, I totally stole them off another blog... Christmas birthdays can be so fun! Also, I made you a birthday CD and gave to all your little baby friends, so darn cute.


You are quite adorable and very girly. You are laid back, easy going, and know how to handle your older brother.... but, shhhhh. I think you melt even David's heart!! You have been very clingy to mommy recently, but I think it's because your two front teeth are about to pop through!

You are a perfect addition to our family and we thank God he gave you to us one year ago today!
Happy Birthday little M!!!

Our Home in Pics

I can't believe it's almost Christmas! And I can't believe my baby is about to turn 1!! We are almost well over here. Since I had been plagued with pneumonia for a while, Mackenzie came down with a double ear infection, and our house was..... well, you could say a little disorderly..... some of our family gave us an early Christmas present: MAIDS!!!!

I think I was in shock for 24 hours.... a crew came in and deep cleaned the house for 3 hours, it was amazing. They mopped, scrubbed, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned baseboards, blinds, bathrooms, air vents, ceiling fans, the microwave, toaster, you name it........ it's clean now.
Amazed. Is what I am.
I truly felt so in over my head after being sick for almost a month, that this was the biggest blessing, help, and gift anyone could have gotten me!!! It was a struggle to keep it all together.... I did 12 loads of laundry so the fact that I had help, I will never forget it!

So, everyone has asked to see the work, and I decided to take some pics to post, because our house is normally not this clean :)
I also realized I never have put pics of our home up before.... a few things to note.
1. We are minimalistic. If we don't need it or have to have it, we get rid of it. There is a joke that if it isn't nailed down over here.... it might be gone!! It's just more stuff to clean, ya know? The less you have, the more simple and clean you can keep it. I make Goodwill runs every 2 weeks.
2. I don't know if I have a "style". I love Pottery Barn because it's traditional, clean, and simple. So, if that is a style... then that would be mine.

So, here is a tour, Merry Christmas! And thank you again to all our family and friends for giving everything you can give to us.... we are forever indebted to you and love you so much!

It happened.

Pneumonia, it happened.
Yuck.

I don't even really think I knew what was happening... I never even really knew what pneumonia was!
After I got diagnosed with bronchitis, I was on a Z pak. I figured I would get well soon and just went on with life. Monday morning I woke up feeling terrible, it was my last pill of Z-pak, so I told myself to pull it together, that I must be well by now!
I cleaned house, dressed the kids, and loaded everyone up.... we ran errands and went grocery shopping. By 5:00pm I was in the floor :(

Pneumonia for me was heavy chest pain and difficulty breathing, not fun and kinda scary.
I called Tim and as soon as he got home, he stayed with the kids and I drove down the street to the doctor.

Yep, more chest xrays confirmed pneumonia. Unfortunately, most people that get it have to end up being hospitalized, which i was NOT doing. I told him to do whatever he needed to do because I was going home!
And this is what he did, I needed to blog about my new lifestyle, as a drug lord.

And, FYI, this was all very difficult for me b/c I never get sick and I never really do medicine unless it's completely necessary. So... all that went out the window.

Drug #1- A shot in the tooshie of Rocephin- a very strong antiobiotic that is either given as a shot or through and IV. I did the shot b/c I don't do IV's either unless I'm in labor...
It also hurts like a mother, you can feel the antiobiotic burn as it goes into your system. Try to not ever have to get this.

Drug #2- Levaquin, pills. This is probably the strongest antiobiotic you can take. It literally kills all bacteria in your body. It is super hard on your stomach and I learned that the first night after I projectile vomited all over my husband. Eat with lots of food. This stuff is also $200. Thank God for good insurance, only $20 for me.

Drug # 3- High dosage Naproxen- pain killer/ anti inflammatory. The worst part about pnuemonia is the pain, full body pain. The lining between your ribs and lungs deteriorates and so they rub together... feeling much like someone stabbing you. I like this one, I can breathe with no pain.

Drug # 4- Hydrocodone- this is for severe pain. This sucker basically knocks you into another world. I took this the first 2 days to sleep and stop coughing.... also to numb my body so I could have a break from pain. I am pretty much off this one b/c I don't like feeling out of it completely.

Drug # 5- Benzanate- a numbing cough suppressant. Because of all the chest pain, when you cough it is excruiating. This helps you to not even cough and if you do, not to feel much.

Drug # 6- My inhaler. It relaxes muscles in your airways and allows airflow to your lungs

So, that's it. My body is not my own, it has been taken over by the drugs. I had to blog about it.
But, really I am thankful to not end up knocked out in the hospital, looks like I dodged a bullet. I am better today and only down to the Levaquin (antibiotic) and Neproxen (pain) and inhaler.

I am just so happy everyone else is okay.... whew.... can you imagine a baby having this?!
Thanks to everyone for praying for us, Tim's work for letting him work out of the house, my inlaws for taking David for 2 days, and all the friends and family who have reached out to us.

I seriously didn't know what I was going to do when this happened and having 2 little ones who want their mommy!
I've just learned I need to take care of myself a little better when I get sick.... it's so easy to ignore your own symptoms when you have so many others you are taking care of!

Anyway, just call me "Jen, the Drug Lord" from now on.... I think I've earned my title.

My little marching ants

1. My little man, David. Gosh, could I love him any more?! He is hysterical and is starting to say the sweetest things, he's gonna be a charmer like his daddy.

For David's 3rd birthday, Chef and Mo mo (what dave calls them), gave him and ant farm!!

You have to mail off for the ants so we just recently got them in the mail. I know, I know.... this probably isn't going to end well. I am sure they are all going to get out and be everywhere.....
but, David is happy. And right now, he is an angry, crazy, wild little 3 year old.... and the ants make him happy. I still am learning how to deal with the little boy behavior of being so physical, angry, and independent. I am trying to teach him how to use his activeness is good ways and express his anger correctly, it is very hard. So, in the midst of these trials..... the ants are my comic relief.
It's a constructive thing for him. So, we spend lots of time talking about the ants, watching the ants, and going over the rules about why we can't take them out or pet them.

He is becoming such a sweet kid though. He loves having fun and being crazy.
I am just praying not one little ant goes missing. I do head counts before bed just to be safe....

2. Mackenzie, 11 Months



Happy 11 months, baby girl!

Okay, mathematically I know this baby is 11 months.... but, I can't quite convince myself that she actually is. No way. No WAY. Well, the only thing that helps this, is that everyone tells me how TINY she is, and she is.... 30 % for her ranks. People ask if she is 6 months old.... I love that, I smile and say..... "ohh. you're close." And I love that. She is super babyish too. Still rolls up like a newborn, holds her feet, and just acts like, well.... a baby.
She is cruising a little though, but I am not sure if she is going to walk by 12 months, we shall see.
It has been so neat to see all the differences of a baby girl and baby boy. Man, are these 2 polar opposites.... but, they do both have feisty personalities, good common ground.

3. Me and my main squeeze

This has been a rough month for us..... As of today, I officially have bronchitis. No worries, if you've been around me. I was only contagious the first few days.... which was 4 weeks ago... no lie. I guess I am prideful and thought I could win this cold. I also don't love going to the doctor with 2 babies, not a fun time. I am good at taking care of everyone else and making sure they don't get sick, except myself!!!! Oh well, praise the Lord it was me and no one else in the fam though.... I'd rather be sick than them! Anyway, I was a couple days away from it being pneumonia, had to get chest xrays, steroid shot, breathing treatments, i had lost 8 lbs, and my body felt like I had been thrown off a motorcycle. It hurt to breathe, especially cough. I know, I'm stupid. I let it go too far. Tim literally put me in the car and took me there today. (Did I mention that I did go after Thanksgiving Day sale shopping all night though??! That didn't help it!)
However, my cold got out of control because when the time change happened.... Lord.
My kids went haywire. It took about 2 1/2 weeks to get everyone sleeping normal again. There seriously must have been some kind of gravitational pull, new moon, something creepy. Because, these kids acted like insomniacs. Thus, my cold hung around.
And then there is my better half. Poor Tim's job is having it's slowest time of the year... and that's awesome when it's sales... not. So, he has been pulling super hours at work trying to make up for it.... not going so well. Good news is busy time hits January. I couldn't ask for a more hard working husband... he works hard at work and and at home, and I'm thankful.

All that to say, November has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Sickness, no sleep, long hours with little ones at home = tough times.
Even that said, we've never been so thankful. For each other. For our children. For the Lord providing for us continually. For our family which is our support system. For our friends who are the greatest on Earth.

We are thankful for you and the Lord put you in our life. I still pray this blog will let the truth be seen about struggling to raise children and deepen marriage while we are young. I.t. i.s. h.a.r.d.
One of the hardest things I've ever done. But, the joy, love, and thankfulness from the Lord really does overflow. I have never been more blessed, and thankful.

And, thank you Pottery Barn for clearancing your stockings I have wanted for 2 years.... I love them.

I don't even have a title for this one...

Halloween was fun! It was a blast with both kids this year. Fall has been so fun! The weather was pretty awful, but David was so proud of himself and all the candy he collected!

He would go up to most doors by himself while we waited on the sidewalk, so cute!

David was a fireman and Mackenzie was a cow.....

Here is our pumpkin. I have nothing to do with this.... Tim is the creator, carver, and pumpkin carving master!



Now, before you think my kids have turned innocent, i have David's Top Seven list of the mischief he has been into recently. Thank God we didn't make it to 10 this week. I don't want anyone thinking we have it all together over here.... hopefully, this will put you at ease.
It goes from bad to worse.

7. I bought him gum at the store and let him hold it on the way home, only to realize he ate the entire 12 sticks. He was a sticky mess.

6. We use a spanking stick over here and when I was taking the trash out, low and behold, I found that darn thing in the trash. I asked David about it and he said, "I don't like it, I throw it away!!"

5. Went grocery shopping with them, we go every Monday morning so I thought I had it down. I turn around for one second to grab something off the shelf and turn around to find David had dug out my coupon scissors and chopped off a lock of Mackenzie's hair!! She's got a lot, so luckily it's not too noticeable.

4. He fed Holly half a stick of butter this morning. Gross, gross, and gross.

3. Went on a graffiti spree in my closet and garage. Thank the Lord I kept that paint so I can repaint it all.


2. Used the tape player in my new van as a coin dispenser. When I said, "DAVID! WHAT are you doing?!" He says, "Coins go in THERE mommy!" "NO, DAVID, NO!" Luckily, my handyman is handy enough to get all them out.


1. We had our first small house fire today that started in the toaster oven. This morning, he told me he was cooking his Halloween candy for breakfast. I made it to the kitchen before he turned it on and I took it all out (so I thought) When I turned it on for lunch..... it caught on fire. I must have missed a piece in the back....
Our house smells like burnt Snickers.


mental note: Always check ovens before you turn them on.

Anywho. I'm embracing the chaos over here. I will update more when I am not putting out fires, literally. Too bad he was a fire fighter for Halloween, he's like a pyro.

Happy Monday!