Competition for the 'Cutest Boy' award

This last week, I went to California to spend some time with my sister Emily, husband Josh, and their two boys, Jagger and Kyler. Jagger is 18 months old, and Kyler is about 6 weeks. We had a great time together. She was able to come see me when I had the girls, and so I felt blessed to return the favor. I don't know how much help I was (she had it pretty well together!), but I sure did have fun seeing how different a household with two boys was. I said we should compare numbers of cars with numbers of horses (yes, in our house, it's not baby dolls, but horses!). It would be a close call.
I challenge any one of my readers to show me a picture of a cuter boy!
Thanks, Em, for the good nights of sleep, chats of motherhood, our 'date night' (actually, thanks to Josh, for this one!), and sharing your daily routine with me. I miss you here, but I love that we get to spend quality time when we are together. See you in a couple of weeks... on female turf!

Yeah!! Some great news!

I am elated!
We just received a full 'refund' from my surgery in Mexico. I can't believe it... Having that money back does lessen the blow of what happenned. At least we are back to square one, instead of in a deficit.
We'll definitely be using some of that to pursue a more traditional form of weight loss... healthier (and usually more pricey) grocery shopping, some handheld weights to finally become acquainted with my Jillian Michaels exercise video, and perhaps even a gym membership. Back to the grind, I guess. It does beat having my tummy cut open twice in four days!

A note about Amaya:
She said the sweetest prayer last night: "Dear Jesus, I just want to pray for Allison (Strandberg) and her family. Help them not to be too sad without their grandma. I pray for their grandma too, but I know she's up in heaven with you. Please take care of her. Amen."

I didn't even realize that Amaya knew Allison. Every age is my favorite, but I do LOVE age '4'. It seems like Amaya is really gaining the ability to think outside of herself, and have some more accurate perspective of others' needs and emotions. Man, I just love that girl!

Happy New Year... a day late

Happy New Year!
Usually, for me, New Years is a bit anti-climactic after the Christmas festivities. This year, however, I feel different.
I am excited about starting fresh, with the opportunity to leave some of last year's events in the past, and look forward to the year God has for our family. I am thankful for the trials we faced, and I trust that God will use them to bring us closer to Himself. Facing the year ahead, I am filled with hope.
I am not normally in the practice of making New Year's resolutions, let alone announcing them to the public. So, here's to something NEW for the new year.

1. Spend time praying everyday, besides just at meals and bedtimes.

2. Be intentional with teaching the Bible to my girls everyday.

3. Lose 8-10 pounds/month until I am at my goal weight.

4. Get up at 6am five mornings a week to exercise (the getting up at 6 is probably harder for me than the actual exercise).

5. Have my A1C below 7.5mg/dl.

6. Learn how to better encourage members of my family.

7. Quiet my voice with the girls when disciplining or 'rushing' them out the door.

8. To put my husband's needs ahead of my own and the girls', to build him up as the head of our house, and the respected leader of our family (this one should probably be #1 for me).

9. To never have Amaya say to John and I, "Mommy and Daddy, that's not how Jesus wants you to be talking to each other."

No, they are probably not written in a way that the experts would approve of... with short and definable goals, but these nine things are important to my health and the health of our family.
Please feel free to remind me of these resolutions at any time, but also know they are posted strategically around our house (like on the refrigerator door!).

Christmas Fun All Around!

We had a great time at my folks' house Christmas Eve. It was a flurry of girls and gifts. So far, we have 5 little girls in the Oregon families under the age of 5... and another one on the way. It's always nice to have Em and Josh come up from CA and contribute some 'boy' energy to the mix. Thanks, mom and dad, for the wonderful family celebration. The girls will have wonderful memories of this special Christmas.

Dad reading the Christmas story. He really did it in the form of questions, and it was fun to see how much the girls knew. Even the littlest ones chimed in once in awhile!

Cupcakes that read 'Happy Birthday Jesus!'.

The girls opened their annual 'Christmas Pajamas' and then their first set of pink 'Tinkertoys'.

There was even some cousin rough-housin' going on.

Tennyson got a 'horse' music box. A little horse spins around while the music is playing. Great idea, Mom! She wanted to sleep with it that night like it had soft edges and was cuddly.

Aren't they cute!

Christmas morning at our house... just the four of us. Even at 4, Amaya preferred some snuggle time in our bed before rushing downstairs to see her stocking. I'm sure that won't last many more years!

Nana made the girls bags to put their gifts in. Great idea!

Thanks Nana and Papa!

And again... the perfect gift! Anything to do with horses...

I made Amaya a horse blanket. She loved it!

We had our Christmas Service at church a week late. Amaya was an angel in the kid's program. Tennyson was a little distraught that she didn't get to join her sister... next year!