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!