They're Only Little For A Little While

Look Who Got A New Bed!

2010-03-27T20:41:00.001-04:00

Since we took Natalie’s crib down last year, we have been looking for an inexpensive twin size mattress. We had been unsuccessful during the garage sale season, and she continued to sleep on her crib mattress. Made no difference to her, it’s all she had known. But it made my mama heart sad to see her sleeping on an uncomfortable, very firm crib mattress! So last week I posted on Face*book that we were looking for one. It wasn’t very long and a friend of mine commented that they had one they were ready to give away. Wahoo! So we picked it up tonight and Miss Nat couldn’t be more proud. And I will rest easier tonight knowing that she is comfortable. Possibly more comfortable than me…it’s a really nice mattress!

Love it!

2010-03-16T12:04:00.001-04:00

I took this of Miss Nat the other day. So sweet!! Love those eyelashes!

Pooltime!

2010-03-15T11:59:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend Adam’s brother and sister-in-law were staying at a local hotel for a little getaway. We took the girls over on Saturday so they could enjoy the indoor pool with their cousins. Natalie didn’t swim very long because the water was pretty chilly. I think you’ll be able to tell that by looking at Adelle’s purple lips :)

Could It Be????

2010-02-26T12:38:00.001-05:00

Could we really be DONE with diapers?

As much as I hate to admit it…someone is growing up. Last week we told Natalie that when the diapers were gone, we were not going to buy anymore. We got down to one diaper, so that morning when she woke up I took her potty and said that she was going to wear panties from now on. She looked in the basket where we keep the diapers and said, “But look Mommy, there is still one diaper left!” Ahh, the blessings of a very articulate child :) Nevertheless, she put the panties on and has done pretty well. She wakes up completely dry every morning! During the day we have to keep reminding her to go, or else we end up with wet pants – but it’s a hard adjustment after 3+ yrs of just peeing wherever and whenever you feel like it!

Saturday Sleigh Ride

2010-02-22T12:12:00.001-05:00

On Saturday we went up to Shipshewana to hang out with my aunts and uncles at the Farmstead Inn. They were having a mini-reunion and my parents invited us to go swimming with the girlies. They had also arranged for a local Amish man to give sleigh rides to everybody. It was fun! The girls had a blast.

Some Recent Pics

2010-02-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

I don't have a lot of time right now, just put the girlies to bed and headed out the door so I could email some pics to some VERY patient photography clients. I need to get home and make sure they are all still in bed :) What? Oh, of course they are not home alone, their daddy is there. But as soon as he hits the couch in the evening, he is O-U-T! So they could be running around like little heathens right about now. And probably are...oh boy, I better hurry :) Here are some recent pictures of my 3 beautiful girls. Enjoy!

And a recent photoshoot I had with an adorable 6 month old. I love how these turned out!!!

Helllllllooooo.......

2010-02-16T00:22:00.000-05:00

I'm here! Is anybody out there? Should I try blogging again? Have you all given up on me? Can't post pictures because I'm at work, but I'll get some up tomorrow. I have some exciting photography opportunities coming up this week, hopefully I will find time to post some pix. My girlies are under the weather right now - coughing, fever, and tummy aches abound in the Polhemus household. Not fun for anybody! But I did get a nap today, only because they were all asleep too :) I did manage to get the laundry and dishes done before I crashed, much to the delight of my husband. Well, maybe not delight...he doesn't seem like the type to delight in anything. But I'm sure he was thankful I didn't leave it all for him when I ~~escaped~~ went off to work this afternoon. Hey Janelle, are you reading this? You better be commenting, because this is all for you, girl! You too, Mom! I'm going to hit the hay now...I promise to come back tomorrow!

I Heart Faces: Tooshies

2009-11-30T20:08:00.004-05:00

Loving the theme of this weeks contest!!! And I have just the picture to enter.

There is a funny story behind this picture...Little C's mama really wanted a picture of her cute little rump in the tutu, so she was putting chocolate graham crackers on the grass for C to pick up. It took a few tries, but we got it! Head on over to IHeartFaces and check out some more fun tooshie shots!

My Big 3 Year Old/ YGMT…Moment

2009-11-01T16:11:00.001-05:00

My youngest daughter turned 3 on Thursday! We had a little party for her on Saturday and she got to wear her new dress (that my mom got for her at Good*will for 50 cents!!!). Pretty cute, huh?!

Since about July Natalie has been saying “I will be 3 October 29” to anyone who asks her how old she is. On Friday I asked her, “Natalie, how old are you now?” And she said, “I will be 3 October 29.” I said, “No Nat, you are 3 now! Your birthday was yesterday.” She responded, “No, I will be 3 October 29.”

This morning I was getting her dressed and making a big deal about her special party dress and she said, “Mommy, NOW I am 3!!!” So it was the dress. I wonder how old she will be tomorrow when she is wearing regular clothes?!

Here are a few pictures of her blowing out the candles on her cake.

And here is my big 3 year old actually looking ~~at the~~ in the general direction of the camera and smiling. Love this girl!!

Nattie Beth Fenway,

It seems like just yesterday that you came tumbling into our lives (quite literally, actually…you wasted no time!). We were unsure about having yet another little girl, and so soon after your sisters, but God sure knew what He was doing. You have been an amazing addition to our family and there is no way we would ever change that. Your personality is really starting to shine. You love to make us laugh, and we love to hear your giggles. We have had our share of struggles with your health, but you are an amazingly resilient little girl. We thank God for you every day! We know that He has something special in store for you, Natalie. Can’t wait to see what it is! We love you baby girl.

Love,

Mama, Daddy, and sissies

**This has been a hard birthday for me. Well, okay, I’ll be honest…all of Natalie’s birthdays are hard for me! I cried when she turned 1! No tears this year, but it’s difficult for me to think about not having a 2 yr old anymore. Just like it was hard not having a 1 yr old, or not counting her age in months anymore. I honestly do not feel like my family is complete, but the Lord is going to have to convince my husband of that, because at this point he is done! For now I will enjoy the 3 beautiful girls that God has blessed me with, and hope that maybe someday our little prince will come along (or as the girls tell me at least once a week, “our little brown brother. Not a regular brother, Mom, a brown brother.”)**

Pictures, Updates, and H1N1

2009-10-31T20:40:00.001-04:00

So I was going to just kind of let my blog fall by the wayside, because to be honest, I have so little time and it’s difficult with no internet at home. But after being encouraged by a few people to continue blogging, I decided to give it another go. I’m not going to promise a new post every day, not even every couple of days…but I will try my hardest to get something up here at least once a week. Even if it is just a picture of one of my beautiful well behaved daughters :)

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I have been busy with my photography business, but I have a feeling that will slow down as we get into the winter months. Not a whole lot of fun to hang out in the freezing cold to get your picture taken. And I have no studio lighting, nor any knowledge of how to use any of it if I did. So I suppose I will take a step back until spring rolls around. Unless of course anyone out there is having a newborn in the next couple of months…I’m always up for that! Here are a few pictures from recent sessions.

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Oh yeah, maybe you want to see a few pictures of my own kids? Okay, here you go!

she was so done with me by this point. I love to torture my girls :)

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We are all finally recovered from our fight with the dreaded H1N1 flu. Good news about that is that we don’t have to worry about getting the vaccine ~~(which we were NOT getting anyway).~~ Poor Adelle got hit the hardest of all of us. She had a 104 degree temp for 5 days straight. Along with severe leg pain, headache, and cough. I slept on the couch every night because her legs hurt too bad for her to come upstairs if she needed me. The girls and I recovered with no medical intervention, but Adam did end up with a secondary infection which the doctor prescribed an antibiotic for. He is now (after 2 weeks) on the road to being fully recovered. The amazing thing about this virus is just how quickly you get hit with it…and you are down for the count. Natalie started us out with it on Saturday, Abbie got it on Sunday, I got it Monday morning, Adelle was Monday evening, and Adam was Tuesday morning. Natalie rebounded amazingly quickly ~~much to my dismay~~ much to my delight…it’s great to have a 3 yr old who feels fine while the mama is sick as a dog on the couch. Let me just be honest and admit that she watched WAY too much TV that week because I was in no shape to deal with her.

I will be honest here and say that this is probably the sickest I have ever been in my life. And I know it is the sickest Adelle has ever been. I found out when we were sick that even if we had gotten the vaccine, it takes 3-4 weeks to become fully effective. So we all probably would have gotten sick anyway! And then potentially have had to deal with unknown side effects. No thanks.

My First Senior Shoot!

2009-09-29T21:52:00.001-04:00

Here’s a quick sneak peek at my latest session. We had so much fun!

My New Favorite Photo

2009-09-14T21:09:00.001-04:00

But how to edit it? Which version do you like best? Leave me a comment and let me know!

More of Mr. Jake

2009-09-08T20:10:00.001-04:00

A New Man In My Life

2009-09-04T23:03:00.001-04:00

He may be small, but boy oh boy is my love for him huge!

Meet my new nephew, Jacob Andrew. Born on Sept. 4, weighing in at 7lbs 7oz and 20 3/4” long.

She is so proud of her new cousin!

Welcome to the world, little man! Congratulations Chris and Jemima!

More of my baby who is not a baby anymore

2009-09-01T20:10:00.001-04:00

Now, don’t let these pictures fool you…she really HATES to have her picture taken. In fact, let me show you the outtakes from this mini-session.

Typical photographer’s kid :)

New Post on My Photo Blog…

2009-08-31T20:21:00.001-04:00

Here’s a sneak peek…click here to see the rest.

My Baby…growing up…sniff, sniff

2009-08-25T19:50:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe the changes in this girl in such a short amount of time. Like she went from baby to toddler to big girl overnight. I am really not ready to not have a baby anymore! Slow down Nattie girl :)

New Photo Blog

2009-08-24T22:25:00.001-04:00

So this is for real this time!!! My new photography business blog is here… www.littlegiftsfromgodphotography.blogspot.com I know, that is so terribly long :) I’m in the process of creating a blog button for it, so watch for that! Please visit my blog and leave me some love!

You can click on the photo to get there.

Too Cute Not To Post

2009-08-21T22:08:00.001-04:00

You enjoyed that, didn’t you? You’re welcome.

3…2…1…Cast Off!

2009-08-20T09:30:00.001-04:00

Adelle got her cast off today! It was quite traumatic for the poor girl. She is still having a hard time moving her knee and is back to scooting on her bottom like she was the first week after she got the cast. The doctor said she should be back to normal in a few days.

she wore a hole completely through the bottom! don’t worry Adelle, that football player over daddy’s shoulder will protect you :) this one breaks my mama heart!

wow, she got dirty in there!

one final x-ray to make sure it is healed.

good bye smelly thing!

KINDERGARTEN!!!!!

2009-08-18T17:56:00.001-04:00

My 2 biggest girls went off to Kindergarten today! They were excited and a little nervous too. Abbie went to preschool for 2 years, so she was quite a bit more excited than Adelle. Adelle is a mommy’s girl through and through :) I fixed them a yummy breakfast, got them dressed in their new clothes, and we went out to wait for the bus. As we waited Adelle grew more and more clingy, but when the bus came she climbed on without any tears (that I could see anyway!). I am so proud of my big girls! I am so excited to pick them up and hear all about their day!

Does this picture tell you how she was feeling? Poor girl!

Abbie and Adelle,

I love you girls! This is a giant step into “big kid” land :) You will have so much fun in Kindergarten – learning new things, meeting new friends, and going on big adventures. I pray that the start of your school career is a good one, and helps you get excited about your education. You two are amazing girls and will do very big things one day. Your Daddy and I are proud to call you our daughters.

Love, Mama

Can We Keep Him? Please?

2009-07-30T21:58:00.001-04:00

That is what I hear in my mind whenever I look at this picture :)

Seriously, if there was ever a cat to have, it would be this one. Natalie drug (dragged?) this thing around my friend Janelle’s yard for well over an hour. No scratching, biting, nothing! Here are a couple more pictures.

View Full Album

See what I mean? She was torturing this poor kitty! Not on purpose though, so it was cute :)

So what else is new around here? Adelle goes for x-rays tomorrow, hoping for a good report on that. School supply shopping for 2 KINDERGARTENERS!!! this weekend. I can not believe they will be in school! Very excited about spending one-on-one time with Miss Nattie B. I think it will do us all a world of good to get back into a routine!

Here are some more pictures from our week.

She lost the other one!!! What a big girl she is getting to be!

URGENT!!!

2009-07-27T11:43:00.003-04:00

The world's favorite little guy is fighting for his life right now. Please pray for him, his family, and his doctors as they try to make the right decisions to bring him out of this. Visit the blog for more details. Click here to see the latest.

Fair Fun!

2009-07-26T22:44:00.001-04:00

Natalie was so proud of herself for holding this baby chick! I just love the look on her face!

Adelle goes to get X-rays on Friday. Please pray for a healed leg!!! It would be awesome for her to get this big cast off. She has been doing amazingly well with it though. As soon as she learned to walk on it, the complaining was done. She seriously has not complained once about being hot or itchy. Only God could make that happen!

Chances Are

2009-07-26T21:27:00.002-04:00

...if it's nice outside - my girls are playing with the neighbors

...if someone's crying - it's Abbie

...if Abbie's crying - it's because Natalie said she didn't like her

...if you hear the screen door squeak - Adelle is coming inside to get MORE toys to play with on the porch

...if Mama's phone beeps - it's a text from Janelle or Pam

...if the house is clean - the kids are staying at Grandma's ;)

...if the TV is on - Daddy is watching sports

...if the house is just way too quiet - Mama better get off the computer and find those girlies!

This was fun! Thanks for the idea, Carrie!!!

Wordless…ummm…Thursday?

2009-07-23T09:50:00.001-04:00

Sensory Fun Night!

2009-07-22T23:36:00.001-04:00

On Monday we went over to my friend Katherine’s house for some good ~~clean~~ messy fun! And boy was it ever fun! I rarely let my kiddos get this messy, so they were having a blast. The smiles and giggles were music to this mama’s ears. We will definitely be doing this again. But maybe not anytime soon :)

The “before” picture

Look, it’s a noodle! Not too sure about the whipped cream…

Okay, maybe it’s not so bad!

Mason likes it too!

Jell-o anyone?

I really like this picture. The look of pure joy on her face is awesome!

And, the “after” picture

Abbie was the only one of my kids that really got into it. Natalie was cold the whole time and obviously Adelle couldn’t very well do the messy stuff with her cast on. But I think they all had a really good time. Thanks for inviting us, K! Can’t wait for Candyland in a couple of weeks!

Now Look What She's Doing!

2009-07-02T21:15:00.001-04:00

Do you all agree with me that she just needs to slow herself down?! First losing a top tooth and now riding a bike with NO training wheels! And she taught herself how to do it! Wow.

Breaking News!!!!!

2009-07-01T09:56:00.001-04:00

After a week of hanging by a thread (well, not literally :)), persistent wiggling, and being bumped by a friend, Abbie finally lost her 5th tooth. And boy does she look older! Woohoo Abbie!

New Photography Blog!!

2009-06-30T23:57:00.002-04:00

Head on over and check out my new photography blog at giftofgodphotography.blogspot.com It is kind of "no-frills" at this point (besides the pictures of some really cute kids!), but it's a start! So what are you waiting for?! Go, go, go! And leave me some comments while you're there. I mean, please :)

Slip 'N Slide Fun

2009-06-23T21:46:00.001-04:00

I love this picture!

It has been so hot here the last few days. Our neighbors got out their slip and slide right before we were leaving to go to Grandpa and Grandma's on Sunday, So of course we had to stay a little longer to play on it. The girls had a blast. The little boys belong to my neighbors...one lives across the street (little blonde guy) and the other lives right next door. It was fun to watch them - boys play so much different than girls!

Best $1.00 I Ever Spent!

2009-06-19T21:45:00.001-04:00

I picked up this sprinkler at a garage sale on Thursday and the girls have had so much fun with it!

They even made a new friend with it! I looked outside as I was making dinner, and noticed a little girl from down the street running through the sprinkler with them. With all of her clothes on! They were all giggling and having a great time. It was very hard for them to come in and eat.

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Everybody got a lesson in hair cutting this afternoon. They were quite captivated!

Have a great weekend!

2 of My Girls

2009-06-05T20:31:00.001-04:00

We were playing outside tonight at the "golden hour" (perfect lighting time -- 7-7:30...usually they are in bed) so I took advantage of that fact and snapped some pictures. They turned out so good! Unfortunately the one of Abbie did not. But we'll try again!

oh yeah, that's the "photographer's kid" look. they are so tired of my camera :)

Playing Baseball With Daddy

2009-06-02T23:04:00.001-04:00

Abbie has discovered that she is rather good at hitting a baseball. We were excited to discover this talent ~~because as far as athletics go, she's not too gifted~~. Ahem... :) So yes, the other night Adam was playing baseball with the girls and they were all having so much fun. Adelle has the wildest swing I have ever seen in my life. Maybe she's better suited for soccer? You'll see why in the pictures (check out the leg :))

lovin' the little Gap butt :)

Just Because...

2009-05-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

she's so darn cute!

*quick side note on this one...Adam taught her to say "I am not a crook" while holding her fingers like this. Apparently a Richard Nixon thing? I don't know...she started doing this to tell us how old she is! Now it's always "I ammn't a crook" Oh, and Adelle created the word "ammn't". They all still say it!*

even when she's doing this...

Leila

2009-05-29T07:00:00.001-04:00

We Love Leila!!

A Summertime Favorite

2009-05-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

My girls have been begging and begging to have corn on the cob. So when we went grocery shopping last week, I picked some up for us. Around here the rule is...if you want to eat it, you have to help husk it. Not a problem for these girlies! I think they enjoyed this more than actually eating it! *which btw, I did take pics of, but I can't remember which memory card they are on!*

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Lovin' me some BLUE ice cream!!!
Not loving the blurriness of this picture...but check out the mess she was making! Miraculously I DID manage to get that dress clean. No blue stains, can you believe it?!

My Favorite Soldier...recent photoshoot

2009-05-26T20:03:00.001-04:00

My cousin is home on a 2 week leave from Iraq, and his wife wanted a family picture done before he went back. So I happily obliged :) Enjoy!

Boys :)

This is my all time favorite picture!!! I ran PW's "seventies" action on it in photoshop.

Planting Flowers With Grandma

2009-05-22T13:38:00.003-04:00

Today the girls helped Grandma Nancy plant some flower pots for her front porch. They ~~got very very dirty~~ had a great time helping out.

With a little break to play with Leila:

And practice my "jumping photo" skills :) it's dark, but I caught the jump!

Finishing up the job!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T08:33:00.001-04:00

Thanks Uncle Chris!

Where Did My Baby Go?

2009-05-11T20:57:00.001-04:00

Abbie had a big thing happen today. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Having second thoughts?

The moment of impact :)

That's it? I'm done?

That wasn't so bad!

Abbie girl, you are growing up so fast. I remember when you were the teeny tiny 6 lb bundle we flew home with from Florida. We were first time parents and had no idea what we were doing :) Fortunately we figured it out (I think?!) and you are becoming a wonderful young lady. We thank God and S everyday for the wonderful gift of being your mommy and daddy. We are so proud of you!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Not Me Monday

2009-05-11T10:15:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Kind of an uneventful week, but here are a few:

I did not kill who knows how many ants and then just leave them on the floor until the next time I vacuumed. Gross, who does that?

Don't let my youngest tell you that she sleeps in a pack-n-play in the playroom at night. She has a perfectly good bed in her own bedroom. I would not move her upstairs ~~just to get some peace and quiet~~ so she can be sure to get a good night's sleep.

I was NOT heard begging and whining at my husband for a sweet little dachshund puppy over the weekend. My mom and brothers did not each get their own on Sunday. No way, I know how much work a new puppy would be.

Chris & LolaAndy & Bowie Mom & Leila

So there you have it :) Go check out all the other Not Me's at mycharmingkids.net

Have a great week!

Awe-Summm

2009-05-07T21:17:00.001-04:00

Thank you so much to my (at first) blog friend and now IRL (in real life) friend Pam over at You're Gonna Miss This for giving me this award.

I am to list 7 things that make me Awe-Summm and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers I love. Make sure to tag the recipients and let them know they have won! Also link back to the Queen that tagged me.

Hmm...can I do it? Let's see...

#1. What could make me more awe-summ than the fact that Jesus loves me? I mean, come on :)

#2. My girls are, most of the time, very polite and well-behaved. I like to think it is because of me. Maybe?

#3. I can take a pretty good picture of just about anything.

#4. My cooking skills leave ~~nothing~~ only a little bit to be desired.

#5. I have an awe-summ mom and dad and 2 awe-summ younger brothers. Oh, and 2 awe-summ sisters-in-law and 1, soon to be 2, awe-summ nephews. With all of the awe-summness around, how could I not be?!

#6. I have really great friends who support me and help me to be the wife and mother God desires.

#7. I'm stuck...want to leave me a comment and give me a 7th one? Thanks!!!

And now I'm tagging the following people:

Joy @ Smiling's My Favorite

Jennifer @ My Charming Kids (yeah, I know she'll never see it, but I really think she is awesome!!!)

Anne @ Lowe Live With Five

Brit @ Chambers Family Adoption

Rachel @ Instantly Mama

Jen @ Home... Hands Full, HEARTS Full, Quiver Full!

Carrie @ Llama Drama!

Okay Ladies, why are You awe-summm????

And just because a post without a picture is boring, here ya go!

Daniel O., my main man from the AGC Baby Center in Kenya. Love this little guy!

Time to Play

2009-05-05T20:20:00.001-04:00

While Abbie was in school today I took the other girls to the park. It was so nice and sunny, and we had a great time. Here are a couple pictures I snapped while they were playing. Natalie is on a "no pictures, mommy" kick, so I was pleased with the ones of her.

I know this girl is gonna break some hearts someday! Sorry boys!

I am so in love with this picture...thinking of printing it big to hang in her room.

Wordless Wednesday (Lovin' The Sunshine!)

2009-04-28T22:38:00.000-04:00

(Hula) Hooping It Up - Adelle Style

2009-04-28T20:44:00.000-04:00

These pictures sure do make me smile :) She was having a blast with this hula hoop.

(Hula) Hooping It Up - Abbie Style

2009-04-28T20:19:00.001-04:00

This girl can hula like a champ!

Pictures for YGMT...Moment

2009-04-26T21:47:00.001-04:00

For some reason the pictures I put in my last post didn't show up, so I'll try this again.

Natty and Grandma Natty and Mama

You're Gonna Miss This Moment

2009-04-26T15:30:00.001-04:00

It seems like forever since I have done one of these posts, but this morning I was reminded of something that I am going to miss so much! Natalie loves to give big gigantic hugs, which she calls "queezes". After she hugs you as hard as she can, she asks, "Was that good 'queezes'?" She did that this morning when she came up to my bedroom and it just hit me that she may not do this too much longer. So instead of fighting to get her to let go (because sometimes it hurts!), I'm going to enjoy the moments while they last.

Check out my friend Pam's blog for more details on "Your Gonna Miss This....Moments"

Stellan, Pizza Hut, and Funny Girls

2009-04-23T19:19:00.001-04:00

A quick update on baby Stellan... (just in case you aren't already following his mama's blog, you can click here to find out the details.) He had his ablation on Tuesday, but has since gone back into SVT without it being induced. He is on a new drug now, so please join us in praying that it will work. The next option after drugs will be open heart surgery and a pacemaker.

Tonight Adam was at a track meet, so I took the girls to Pizza Hut. Abbie had a Book-It certificate for a free personal pan, so it ended up being a rather inexpensive treat :). While we were there Abbie had to go potty. I could see her by the bathrooms, trying to figure out which one she should use. She got it right (thank goodness!) and when she got back to the table she said, "I knew which one to go in because I read the sign!"

Adelle said, "How do you know the difference though?"

I told her, "Because 'men' starts with 'M' and 'women' starts with 'W'."

Adelle then said, "Hmm...well, maybe they should just say 'mom' and 'dad'. Then I could read them too."

Smart girl, that one! Then again, in the bathtub tonight she threw a fit when I turned on the water to rinse out her hair. "No Mom, I don't want to get wet!" ???

Every once in a great while, all 3 of my girls actually get along for longer than ~~2 seconds~~ 5 minutes. Tonight was one of those nights.

Of course, I had to get photographic proof for their teen years!

And please ignore the fact that Nat is "w sitting". I really don't let her do that, but I didn't want to disrupt the moment (at least before I got the picture!) by telling her to fix her feet. Actually, now that I look at the picture, Adelle is sitting that way, too. Oops :)

The Woodpecker

2009-04-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

My parents have a little woodpecker that sits on the telephone pole right at the edge of their lawn.

Obviously, it's fake, right? Try telling that to a couple of 4 year olds and a 5 yr old :) They were scared to death of this thing! They would run over ~~near~~ about 10 feet away from the pole and just scream their little hearts out at this bird. But it wouldn't fly away! They decided maybe it just couldn't hear very well.

Notice Adelle yelling with her whole body!

I love the way Adelle is looking at Abbie and Abbie is like, "I don't know!"

As we were leaving for home, Adelle got brave and went right over to the pole to look at this bird. Abbie is in the van screaming, "Look out Adelle, you're gonna get woodpeck-ed!"

When Adelle gets in the van, they ask me to honk at the bird. So I obliged, and the following conversation took place.

Me: "Hmm...I guess he really can't hear."

Adelle: "No Mom, I saw him. He's nailed."

Me: "Oh my! Wouldn't that make him die?"

Adelle: "Mom, I don't think he was ever alive. He's plastic."

Well, then, okay.

Yeah, I Don't Know Either

2009-04-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

When I walked into the dining room the other day, this...

is what I saw. And the same day we went to McDonald's with some friends and the girls did this...

btw...that's a hamburger bun

Why are my children so strange?

Recent Baby Photoshoot

2009-04-18T22:36:00.002-04:00

this actually has his name and birthdate at the bottom, but I took it off for privacy reasons.

**if you click on the trio of pics it will enlarge. I'm not sure why it's cut off on here.**

I'm Still Here :)

2009-04-18T20:06:00.001-04:00

Wow, combine gorgeous weather, busy kids, and a track coach husband and you have one very bad blogger. Every day I think, okay, I'm going to blog today. But then something else calls my name. Forgive me? I thought you might :)

The next few posts over the next few days are mainly going to be pictures, because that is one thing I have kept up with. ~~Much to the dismay of my family, who have been digging through piles of clean clothes that have yet to be put away.~~ Ahem.

So, first up, we have Easter egg hunting pictures. The girls did the big hunt over at the park near my parents house on the Saturday before Easter. It was a little chilly! They had a lot of fun, although Adelle freaked out about 10 seconds before the start. I so wish I had snapped a picture of the tears rolling down her cheeks, but I wasn't quick enough. She recovered quickly and snatched up quite a few eggs.

Yes, it was cold, but she's also slightly dramatic!

This was shortly before the tears...ignore the rude little girl who walked RIGHT in front of my camera as I took the picture. Grr...

Anyone else have a 5 yr old with a 15 yr old's attitude?!

The Candy Blocks

2009-04-03T22:08:00.001-04:00

This afternoon when we stopped at the local discount grocery store, one of the employees gave each of the girls a little treat.

On the way home, the big girls were full of excitement about building miniature log cabins to show to Daddy when he got home. Natalie got right to work on what was really important...seeing how they tasted :)

When we were getting out of the van at home, Adelle noticed Natalie eating one.

Adelle: Mom, she's eating it! She can't do that!

Me: They're hers, she can do what she wants with them.

Adelle: Wait a minute...are these candy?

It never even crossed my mind that they wouldn't know it was candy! I thought they knew all along!

Here are their creations:

No picture of Natalie's...she didn't have any left!

Oh, and the houses did not last until Daddy got home ;)

AGC Baby Center Video

2009-03-30T11:01:00.001-04:00

I'm warning you now...get your kleenex :)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My friend Jolinda made this video to show at church yesterday. The number of children who become orphans every day in Kenya is astounding. Heart-breaking. Read more about these precious children at nmcandthebabycenter.blogspot.com

Enjoying the Early Spring Days

2009-03-27T12:14:00.001-04:00

LOVE this picture! So nice to see green grass! If only my kids would stop digging holes in it! ouch!

Bathroom...continued

2009-03-24T21:03:00.001-04:00

Here are some more "during" pictures

This is where the bathroom door used to be.

Just to the right of the fridge is where the door is now. Which is where the oven used to be. It is now where the bathroom door was. Confused yet?!

This is where the vanity used to be. The hole is leading into Adelle's closet. This is where the tub sits now. (not in Adelle's closet...)

The new entrance (and a very disheveled looking Natalie)

Relocated oven

My new floor!!! New tub and shower The tub used to be where the door is now.

So there it is! I love it so much :)

Overheard from the backseat:

Adelle: "Can we take all of our toys to Heaven?"

Abbie: "No. You don't have enough hands."

Abbie came home from school yesterday and told us that 2 little boys in her class had called her a "hot chick". Man, oh man, I am not ready for this!

Here is what the girlies got last week:

Please overlook the incredibly messy room! We have wanted bunkbeds for quite some time, but couldn't find any at a reasonable price. I found these on Craigslist and was able to contact the seller right away. So excited!

Pray For Stellan

2009-03-24T12:31:00.001-04:00

Bathroom pics will be up later, but this is way more important right now. Stellan is back in the PICU with SVT, and needs our prayers. Please stop right now and lift him and his wonderful family up to our great big God.

The Bathroom

2009-03-23T21:39:00.001-04:00

It's done!!! Except for a few minor paint touchups and all the accessories, my bathroom is finished. As I told Adam yesterday, I'm so excited I could squeal. ~~To which he replied, well, never mind.~~ He's a guy...what more can I say?! Anywho...here are the pics :)

Before: (really, these are NOT during!)

to the left of the ladder is my tub.

During:

These little girls did an awesome job of ~~getting in the way~~ helping us out. (she is STILL sporting this lovely shade of primer on her arm...and legs...and hair)

Abbie helped too, but I didn't get any pictures. Not sure why...

Ugh, I just realized I have a bunch more "during" pictures, of the actual construction, but they are on my other camera. At home. I'll try to get those up tomorrow.

On that note, I'll just put you all in suspense for the after pictures :) Can't show the completed project yet!

Here's the handsome man behind the work -- he did an awesome job!

Wordless Wednesday (can you help me decide?)

2009-03-18T07:30:00.001-04:00

Which one should I frame for my wall? Color or sepia? Thanks!
(yeah, I took this :) getting better, eh?!)

Fun in The Sun (finally!!)

2009-03-15T16:51:00.000-04:00

My Big Girl

2009-03-10T20:44:00.002-04:00

Like her new look? She's not a baby anymore! The haircut that started out as a "trim", turned into this. And I love it!!! Here's a couple more:

*Update* Natalie had her follow-up foot doctor appointment yesterday and we found out that she will be getting braces on her legs after all. We go on Wednesday to be fitted for them, and then it will be about a week until she gets them. The doctor is very optimistic that the braces will take care of the issue, and she won't need surgery when she gets older. For those that don't know, Nat's feet have been turning in when she runs and she was starting to trip and fall quite often. Also, because of the rotation of her legs, her 2nd toe was starting to overlap her big toe on both feet. It is not something that will correct itself as she gets older and would get worse if we didn't do anything about it. Please pray that she will adjust to the braces quickly and that they will indeed correct the problem. Thanks!

My friend Pam is hosting a fun giveaway on her blog in honor of her 1 year blogoversary. If you like Beth Moore, you better check it out! She will be drawing the winners on Friday.

She's hosting another one today for a cookbook. Goodness knows, I sure need that :) Check it out!

Updates on the girlies

2009-03-05T14:52:00.001-05:00

Where, oh where does the time go? Seriously! I have been meaning to update this blog for a week now! So if anybody is still checking up on us (are you out there? leave me a comment and let me know!), here's a quick rundown on our lives at the moment:

Abbie: learning to read! She has 2 or 3 books that she can read through really well. It amazes me how well she is doing, but then again, I was reading before Kindergarten also. Must take after me...oh wait :)

Abbie and her very favorite blankie, Babe

Adelle: hmm...besides striving to torture her older sister at every turn? Honestly, these 2 fight horribly! I know it doesn't help that Abbie cries about every little thing (more fuel for Dell's fire!). Then there are times when they are the best of friends. I never had a sister, but I'm sure it's all completely normal. Adelle is writing more and more words every day and getting super excited about Kindergarten in the fall. ~~And so is her mama~~

Natalie: potty-training - round 2. She is actually doing pretty well, and I don't have any trips out of the country scheduled so maybe we can nail it this time! She is in full-blown "Terrible 2" mode now, so if you see us at the store...run away quick! She has thrown 2 massive tantrums in the last week - both in public places. I think she's secretly reading Small Fry's lessons! She is talking up a storm now and is so much fun to listen to. Her favorite phrases are "Oh my gosh!", "I not know", and "I AM" (with as much attitude as she can muster! In response to anything I ask her to do...whether she is actually doing it or not) Oh yes, never a dull moment!

In other news, we are in the process of remodeling our bathroom, which should be finished this weekend. Stay tuned for before and after pictures. We're excited!

AND.......we're getting a new aunt/sister-in-law! My brother proposed to his girlfriend of many years and she said yes! Exciting times :) Love you, Danielle!

So, that about wraps it up. Remember to leave me a comment and let me know that you care ;) Happy Thursday!

Jodi

Maggie's Button!

2009-02-26T18:24:00.005-05:00

Here is the button for sweet Maggie. Feel free to paste it on your blog...this little girl needs our prayers. Clicking on the photo will take you to her CaringBridge site, which her parents are updating regularly. Thank you so much!

Hi/Lo Thursday

2009-02-26T11:34:00.001-05:00

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their site.

This is my first time posting one of these, but I really feel like I need to today.

I'll start with the low, so that my high will make more sense.

Lo -- Learning on Tuesday that a little girl from our church has been diagnosed with cancer (neuroblastoma) and has a couple of very rough chemo treatments coming up...the first of which started today. Her name is Maggie and she is 3. Could you all remember her and her family in your prayers? Here is her Caringbridge site if you want to learn more about her. I will be putting up a blog button shortly that I would love for you all to put on your sites, so that we can get as many people praying as possible.

Hi -- Simply the fact that all 3 of my girls, though very, very ornery, are incredibly healthy. I take their health for granted, and I have been reminded this week that I should not.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T07:18:00.001-05:00

I LOVE MY GIRLS!!!!!

Swimming, pictures, and a new baby!

2009-02-24T13:26:00.001-05:00

Where to start?! It has been a while since I have updated, and I have lots of pictures to share :)

Last Friday night my parents stayed at a hotel, so we took the girlies over to go swimming. They had so much fun! Looks like we're going to have a few waterbugs this summer!

This one is quite blurry, but the look on Adelle's face is priceless!

This is a common sight...Grandma loves to take pictures as much as Mommy does!

My nephew Isaac, sister-in-law Jemima, and the teeny-tiny yet unseen peanut who will make me an aunt again in September :)

Some of my first photoshoots took place this week...a few of the results are below:

of course, my girls don't want their pictures taken unless I'm trying to take them of other people!

As I said before, I am going to be an aunt again! I'm so excited for my little Isaac to get a baby brother or sister.

And now, I need to get this posted and tend to my 2 year old who has decided to take off her diaper and wear panties (for the 15th time today). Think she might be trying to tell me something?!

Laughter Lives Tuesday

2009-02-17T21:11:00.001-05:00

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

Last night around 2-2:30 AM, our 4 year old daughter Adelle climbs into our bed. Here's the conversation that follows:

Daddy: "Adelle, why are you in our bed?"

Adelle: "Daddy, does everybody make mistakes sometimes?"

Daddy: "Well, yes, everybody does make mistakes. Why? Did you make a mistake?"

***Silence***

Adelle: "Umm...yeah, I peed in my bed."

I was trying so hard not to laugh! At the same time trying to pretend I was still sound asleep so I wouldn't have to get up and change her bed ;)

Potato Stamping!

2009-02-17T20:52:00.001-05:00

Last week I decided to be brave and let the kids paint. Trust me, it doesn't happen often! I made stamps for them out of potatoes and they had so much fun!

I have been trying lately to get a nice picture of the girls, because we really need a new one for up on the wall. But do you think I get a decent one of all 3 of them?! I've done good at getting individual ones...but here is the only one out the bunch that I almost sort of like of all 3 of them. We'll be trying again tomorrow!

And here are the 3 individual ones...

Actually, now that I'm looking at them all side by side, I may go with this one of Abbie

What do you think?

And I am really trying to get into photography now, so if you or anyone you know needs pictures taken, send them my way! Well, if you're within a reasonable distance! :)

BJodi

Yay God!

2009-02-14T22:20:00.001-05:00

This... is me and my friend Pam. Pam is the wonderfully blessed recipient of the $100 from the Riggs Family Blog Hi/Lo Thursday post. But wait, not just $100...Brent heard about her being a totally awesome single mom of 6 kids, and doubled the amount! And he's also asking his readers to help her out as well. I am amazed at the way God works! He is forever providing for, encouraging, and loving on us! I am so thankful for this reminder of God's love.

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Lately Adelle has been on a singing kick. Her favorite radio song at the moment is Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes". Too cute to hear her singing that one. The other day she sang this one to me:

Baa baa black sheep

Have you any wool

Yes sir yes sir

3 bags of wool

One for the mister and one for the man

One for the little boy who lives down the drain.

Love it!!

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And some recent pics of my girls

A little annoyed with new camera :)

My New Baby!!

2009-02-08T20:51:00.001-05:00

I got a new camera!! It is a Canon 300D digital Rebel and it is amazing! It came with a Canon 18-55mm lens and also a Canon 75-300mm lens. I am so in love with this thing :) My kids however, are not so thrilled...they're getting a little tired of me following them around with the camera aimed in their direction! Here are some pictures I took this weekend.

I know, I'm cruel! My mom and dad This girl is so photogenic! (and please comment on the fresh yarn braids :) It only took 8 hrs this time! ) What a goofball!

Natalie's Bronchitis

2009-02-04T21:29:00.001-05:00

Natalie is pretty much on the mend, but I wanted to share a couple pictures of her in the dr.'s office the other day. She takes her treatments like such a big girl! I am very proud of her!

And this was from a few days before she got sick...why do kids insist on doing this?!

jodi

Serious.Life Magazine

2009-02-02T07:37:00.001-05:00

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine. They just published the February issue today, and I am in their Featured Blog Directory. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it.
The magazine includes a lot of great content from bloggers you’ll appreciate, as well as great features, photos and other content. The magazine is owned and published by a family who have seven kids, three adopted and one who has Leukemia (www.riggsfamilyblog.com). The magazine gives away a bunch of ads to charities and ministries. Besides great articles on interesting people, there is a lot about family, adoption, personal finance, spiritual life, humor… all sorts of “life” topics.
Again, the subscription is free, and I know you’ll enjoy the magazine, so take a minute to check it out and sign up to get future issues. www.seriouslifemagazine.com

Catch-up...and Pictures!!

2009-02-01T20:46:00.001-05:00

I really need to get back on the ball here! It has been a really long time since I have written anything, and I'm starting to miss it :) I was going to do a YGMT...Moment, but I think I will wait and do it next week. It's a cute one...worth waiting for :)

Please keep my little Natty B in your prayers, she has Bronchitis. It's something she gets every winter, even though we try and try to prevent it. Adam was always very sick as a child, so I guess she just takes after him. She's on an antibiotic and nebulizer treatments 3 times a day. She's a little trouper though and sits really well to take the treatment.

Abbie and Adelle are healthy...I tell them they don't sit still long enough to catch anything! Abbie spent today making Valentine's crafts with Grandma. As soon as my mom sends me the pics I'll post them here. They had so much fun!

Last Wednesday Pam and I were supposed to meet up and go shopping, but the weather put our plans on hold. Then Thursday my parents kept the girls overnight and we were able to meet up after all. We had a great time shopping for bargains! And looking for coupons... :) And eating at Olive Garden :) I'm really glad we were able to work it out!

Here's a few pictures from the last couple weeks...

Love this picture!!!

Poor baby was sick and couldn't go outside :(

Something Happy!!

2009-01-27T22:25:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I am meeting Pam in Fort Wayne...minus the kiddos! WooHoo!!! I love my girlies, but every mama needs a getaway now and then. We're going to shop (without spending money, because I don't have any) and eat at a grown-up restaurant :) Yay for friends! Talk to you all later!

Lessons Learned

2009-01-26T20:51:00.001-05:00

This morning I attended the funeral of my cousin's baby girl. Marissa Marie went to be with Jesus on Thursday, January 22nd. I had never experienced a child's funeral before, and for that I am thankful. Seeing sweet baby M in her casket was heart-wrenching. She looked like a gorgeous little porcelain doll. I found myself wanting to just scoop her up...her chubby little legs and fingers looked so perfect. It was hard to look at her and not wonder why she is gone. We still don't know the cause of her death, and probably won't for a couple of weeks. I had a chance last night at the viewing to spend some time with M's older sister. Madi is 5 and was looking a little sad, so I called her over to sit with me. I was asking her if she was ready for things to be normal again, and she said, "Yeah. I want people to stop bringing food. We have enough food at our house."

This is my last post about M's death...because it's time to move on. She is toddling along the streets of Heaven, with no heart troubles to slow her down. She finally got to meet her Great Grandma who passed away 3 weeks after M was born.

And this experience has taught me to hold tightly to the ones I love, because they could have years, months, or only a day left. I don't want to have regrets about something I said to someone if that turned out to be the last thing I ever said to them.

And I want to savor every single moment of my children's lives. The good, the bad, and the ugly :) God has given them to me, and while I hope they're here for the long haul, I don't know that. Every day is a gift. We would all do well to remember that (even while I'm typing this and my 2 yr old is screaming at the top of her lungs from her bedroom...it's still a gift!)

Jodi

You're Gonna Miss This...Moment #6

2009-01-23T20:58:00.001-05:00

This blog carnival was created by Pam at You're Gonna Miss This. A chance to look at our lives and think about what we are going to miss, or already do miss. To play along click on the above link and read the rules. You'll also find many more great moments.

Well, from my most recent post, it's obvious that it hasn't been an easy week. On top of Marissa's death, my 8 yr old nephew (who was diagnosed with Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy at age 2) was fitted for his first wheelchair. We knew the day was coming, but boy did it sneak up on us. The years have seemed to fly by. Little by little it has been obvious that he is getting weaker. He doesn't need the chair yet, but it's only a matter of time.

I am really going to miss seeing Kyle amble his way down the hall, with his cute little out-turned toes gait. He is such a persistent little guy and no matter how many times he falls down or stumbles, he gets right back up and tries again. I am praying that being in a wheelchair doesn't steal his determination or change his fun outlook on life.

And to be honest, I really miss when life was easy. You know, like back when I was 4. :)

Kyle, age 6 Kyle, age 8

Marissa

2009-01-22T22:50:00.002-05:00

I've been struggling with this post all day...knowing I should write something, and wanting to write something...but also not knowing what to write. My mom called me this morning to tell me that my cousin's 11 month old baby girl had passed away. When Marissa was born she had open heart surgery, but was doing really well. We don't have all the details of her death, but it kind of sounds like it was her heart. I found this on a friend's blog and with her permission I have posted it here. I read it when she posted it, and then read it again today. It took on a whole new meaning to me in light of what my cousin is going through right now.

Do you ever quietly slip into your child’s room hours after you kissed him goodnight?

Do you ever sit by the side of his crib, your face pressed against the slats, noticing the way his mouth looks when he is asleep?

Do you ever watch the almost imperceptible rise and fall of his chest while he breathes in and out peacefully?

Do you ever try to breathe in the same rhythm wanting to connect on a far deeper level than the intake and output of breath?

Do you ever look at the way his hair falls on his head, how it swirls in one direction, or curls around his ear?

Do you ever get so close you can feel his warm, sweet breath on your cheek?

Do you ever so slightly touch his open palm savoring the silkiness of skin yet calloused?

Do you ever try to memorize the way his body looked when sleep finally overcame him, legs and arms in different directions, bottom in the air?

Do you ever startle in amazement at how much he has grown without you noticing?

Do you ever wish you could scoop him up without disturbing him so you could hold him close to your chest and absorb his warmth into your body?

Do you ever wonder how you lived, actually fully lived without this child filling your minutes, your hours, your days?

Do you ever breathe a prayer of gratefulness for this life, so complex and challenging, so energetic, so able to inspire a love that overwhelms you?

Do you ever?

Or is it just me?

Please keep the Squadrito family in your prayers. There are 4 other children in the family who have lots and lots of questions, and I'm sure no one really has the answers right now. Thanks. Oh, and thank God for the gift of your children...no matter how frustrated you may get with them at times.

We'll miss you Marissa Girl. Enjoy being loved on by Grandma Great!

Jodi

Laughter Lives!

2009-01-20T18:09:00.001-05:00

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

I saw this fun blog carnival on MckMama's blog, and decided to head on over to the Riggs Family Blog to see what it was all about. And it is so much fun! So I'm gonna participate :) And you can too if you go to the link above.

So the other night we were just finishing up our supper, and it was obviously not one of my children's favorites (or apparently my husbands, either!). Abbie (my 5 year old) looks at me very seriously and says: "Mama?"

Me: "What, honey?"

Abbie: "Umm, Mama, I really think that Jesus can probably cook better than you can."

My husband (from the living room): "Yeah, Abbie, I would have to agree."

~~and that is the last meal i have cooked for them :)~~

Hop on over to the Riggs Family Blog to read more funny stories, and leave me a comment to let me know what you thought of mine :)

Jodi

Not Me Monday

2009-01-19T12:19:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Here we are again...the day when we get to come completely clean about all of the things we did not do throughout the week. It is hosted by MckMama over at My Charming Kids. Head on over there (after you comment on mine, of course!) and check out lots more mom confessions. And feel free to play along! You'll find all of the rules and details at the link above.

So this week it was not below zero most of the week, and I did not decide on the coldest day (Friday, -19) that we absolutely had to get out of the house ~~before we all went crazy and did or said things we shouldn't.~~ And that decision did not result in this poor baby's bright red cheeks (they're fine now!)...

And quite possibly not this as well. (but I sure hope not, because I will feel really guilty if it did!)

I was not texting my friend Pam while I was driving to my mom's house the other day. That's just dangerous! I am much smarter than that...ummm...yeah.

I did not get to go on a date with my very cute husband on Saturday night...and we did not have a great time :) Thanks Mom and Dad for not keeping the girlies for us!!!

And right now I am not typing my "Not Me's" while my 5 yr old is whining at me to make her another pb&j. And I am not totally ignoring her so I can get this finished before MckMama puts up Mr. Linky. I'm a very attentive mommy...I never ignore my kids...

`And just for the record...this is not my adorable nephew!

Please leave me a comment -- I love comments!!!

Jodi

You're Gonna Miss This Moment #5

2009-01-18T21:41:00.001-05:00

As usual, I'm behind on getting my moment posted, but I have had this specific post in my head for about a week. Ever since I did this in Natalie's room.

Yep...we started taking down the baby bed. I was going to set up her toddler bed, and then decided to just take off the side rail of her crib instead. She was climbing out of it every single night, so I thought it would be a lot safer to just take it down. But I didn't realize how emotional I would be about it! Knowing she is my last baby, and therefore the last baby of mine to sleep in this crib is killing me! She has adjusted well to her "big girl bed" (if you call venturing down the stairs 10 times every night before she finally falls asleep adjusting well!). However, the first night when Adam put her to bed she asked him to "put the fence back up". And this is where I found her when I got home from work:

This is obviously AFTER she dumped out all the cards to the Mad Gab game. :)

Oh, and I have to post this picture...this is what I found under her crib:

We were thinking the kitchen cupboard stash was getting low!

If you want to play along, visit my friend Pam's blog for all the details. And you'll find lots more great moments there, too.

Jodi

Awesome video

2009-01-16T10:27:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine posted this video on her blog and I absolutely love it! This song makes me cry...especially since going to Kenya. My heart still aches for those sweet babies at AGC Baby Center. By the way, get your Kleenex ready :) And think about what you are going to do to help all the orphans of the world.

I Heart Faces!

2009-01-14T09:31:00.001-05:00

Have you seen this new blog? It's so much fun...click on the button above to check it out. They are having weekly contests and I entered! Here is the picture I decided to enter. Jodi

Yippee...New Fonts!

2009-01-13T22:42:00.001-05:00

This is too much fun!! Pam helped me out by showing me Windows Live Writer....... and now I can use fun fonts in my blog!! I love it! But let me know if you can't read this. I'm planning on trying out lots of different ones.

Jodi

Is She Cute Or What?!?!?!?

2009-01-13T21:10:00.001-05:00

So I have to admit...I'm addicted to taking pictures of my sweet sweet girl :) She is just so darn photogenic!

She totally has her Daddy's eyes. She's just a little goofy...

And I wouldn't trade her for anything (most of the time!)

I love you, Della Ruby!!

Not Me Monday #3

2009-01-12T09:20:00.004-05:00

It's Monday!!!! Go here for the details if you want to play along.

This was a trying week to say the least :) I did not totally lose it with my children on more than one occasion because they absolutely would not listen to me.

I did not let my kids play "baseball" in the house because I just wanted to lay on the couch and not have them bugging me. Nope, not me!

And I most definitely did not hear my 4 year old tell me to "close the freakin' door" this afternoon. Oops :)

But it did not get better! We did not meet a new friend on Friday, and it was not Pam from You're Gonna Miss This! We did not have a ton of fun and are definitely not looking forward to meeting up again sometime soon.

Well, MOST of us did not have fun :) Poor Abbie was upset because we were at McDonald's and not swimming at the hotel.

However, Jadon and Adelle did not get along fabulously (until Jadon started messing with her "house"!) , and Adelle has not not stopped talking about him since we came home. (wow, that was confusing to type!)

And this little girl is not a complete doll :)

Tonight we did not spend 3 hours sledding at a friends house and my 3 girlies are not sound asleep in their beds. That's sure not how I like it :)

Have a great week and be sure to check out MckMama's blog for more great NMM posts.

You're Gonna Miss This Moment #4

2009-01-10T16:59:00.003-05:00

I'm feeling very nostalgic today, as my baby girl has moved into size 2T clothes. No more "months" sizes! I know, not really a big deal, but when she's the last baby...it's difficult for this mama! So this is my "YGMT...moment".

Thanks to Pam (who I had lunch with on Friday :) More on that in another post) over at You're Gonna Miss This for hosting this awesome carnival. Click here for full instructions.

Tired Claire

2009-01-10T16:46:00.001-05:00

Tired Claire
Originally uploaded by JodiPolhemus

I absolutely love this picture of my best friend's baby. I took this one day when we were at McDonalds. The older girls were playing and we had been there for almost 2 hours! There is something so sweet about a yawning baby!

Wordless Wednesday (with a couple words)

2009-01-07T09:55:00.005-05:00

Think she has a future in cheering? I think she's definitely cute enough :)

A New Bible Study and a Prayer Request

2009-01-06T20:03:00.003-05:00

So I started this new Bible study at church this morning...Discerning The Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. I have to say, I just got my book this morning and I am already so excited about the next 6-7 weeks of it! It is incredibly awesome and has really made me think. How often do I just sit and listen to God? I can answer that pretty quickly! With 3 ~~noisy~~ little girls running around, not very often. And something I have learned already from this study is that I need to be expecting to hear God. I honestly don't know if I have ever approached Him expecting Him to answer me. I mean, I know He answers prayers, but have I ever actually anticipated hearing His voice? I'm not sure...

I think that I will be blogging about my experience with this study as I dig deeper and learn more.

We could use some prayers. It looks like our household is going to be affected by the economy after all. Well, I mean in the job aspect. For a while we were thinking we might actually be all right, as Adam's job was looking pretty safe. However, they have decided to bleed the line dry, and then shut down until they get more orders. This means that he will be working for about 4 more weeks, and then be off for who knows how long. Scary! I know that God will provide and I know it's not a coincidence that I just started this new study this morning! So please, pray for us. Our marriage is already kind of struggling, and it really doesn't need this on top of everything else! Thanks!

Not Me Monday #2

2009-01-05T09:12:00.002-05:00

It's Monday...which means it's time for "Not Me Monday" again. This wonderful free therapy is hosted by MckMama. You can get all the rules and details by clicking here...and feel free to play along!

I did not allow my children to watch Follow That Bird 2 times in a row, just because I didn't want to listen to them whine, and it was easier to give in. Because it's not an 80 minute long movie. That would just be ridiculous!

I did not buy yet another game for the Leapfrog baby system, because it was not an awesome price ($5.99) when I went grocery shopping. No, these kids absolutely do not need anymore toys!

I did not just sit and laugh to myself at my 4 year old trying to squeeze glue onto a piece of paper, all the while being very overly dramatic and acting like she's killing herself trying to get it out. No, I jumped right up to help her....

I did not take Abbie's yarn braids out and then silently curse myself while trying to comb out her hair this morning before school. I mean, come on...I really enjoy combing her hair ~~and listening to her scream and cry ;)~~

I hope you all have a great day! Please leave me comments!

Keep Praying!

2008-12-30T18:47:00.003-05:00

I'll be posting pics of the girlies and their Christmas goodies tomorrow, but today I again want to urge everyone to please, please, please PRAY FOR STELLAN!!! He is back in the hospital with RSV. Fortunately this is not related at all to the troubles he had in the womb, but nevertheless, he is not doing well. Pray for his mama who is running herself ragged trying to keep up her milk supply, be there for Stellan, and also still be mama to her 3 little ones at home. I can not imagine what she is going through, but I know it has to be tough. So please, hit your knees and pray for this awesome family. Click here for their blog if you want to learn more about them. If you want to be updated regularly on Stellan's condition, check out MckMama's twitter on the left hand side of her blog. Thanks so much!

Pray for Stellan

2008-12-27T19:12:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We sure did :) The kids just keep getting more and more fun each year as they get older and understand a little more. This year they focused a lot more on the fact that it is Jesus' birthday, and that is the reason we celebrate. Natalie loved to run around the house (well, not around the house, it was too cold for that!) yelling "Jesus born! Jesus born!" Too cute! The older girls got their Christmas wishes in the form of 2 American Girl dolls. That is all they had been asking for, and Grandma came through for them :) We tried something a little different this year...instead of driving back and forth Christmas eve and Christmas day, we spent the night at my parent's house with my brothers and their families. It was, well, interesting! We had fun and stayed up way too late. But I think next year we'll go back to driving. It's really not that far and the girls sleep better at home. Plus, we all missed opening stockings and presents at our own house.

Before I leave you, I would like to ask for your prayers for baby Stellan. He is the miracle baby of MckMama, whose blog I am totally hooked on. (seriously, it's the first thing I do every morning!) He was diagnosed in utero with a heart condition, and his parents were told that he would almost certainly die. However, God had other plans! After many months of prayers from people around the world, Stellan was born perfectly healthy, and has been healthy up until recently. He caught an illness that his siblings had, and has been taken to the ER because he wasn't breathing right. Please pray for the doctors to have wisdom and for Stellan to get better. Thanks so much!!!!!!

Here's a picture of the sweet little guy

My First "Not Me Monday" Post!!!

2008-12-22T09:28:00.004-05:00

Yea! Not Me Monday, hosted by the one and only, MckMama! I have never posted one of these before, but I feel like I need to be honest (or not) this week!. If you want to play along, here are the rules. So here we go!

I did not tell my middle daughter that she was "fine" and to "go back to bed" when she told me that her tummy hurt. I'm a very compassionate mama and would never just send my child to bed after she had been up 5 times previously whining about this and that. Nope, not me!

I was not so caught up on Facebook that when I heard what sounded like water spilling out of a cup, I did not almost yell at my daughter to stop messing around and for goodness sakes, get back to bed! I mean come on, I don't yell!

For some reason I did not decide to look at my daughter and see that what I thought was water spilling, was in fact her throwing up all over the living room floor. Umm, no, not in my house, because I'm a compassioante mama who would have taken her daughter into the bathroom at the first sign of a tummy-ache.

And all of this should not have been a surprise to me because my oldest daughter did not just puke at G'ma and G'pa's earlier in the evening. No, I listen to my kids and I'm always on top of things.

That was fun! Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed my honesty :) Love you all!!!

Our Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-14T20:50:00.001-05:00

December 14, 2008

Dear Family & Friends,

Hello! I hope this letter finds you all doing wonderful and excited about the upcoming holiday. I have decided to give this whole “Christmas letter” thing a try, and see how it goes. However, due to the ever rising postage rates, I have decided to post this on my blog instead of mailing it to everyone. When you have a family as large as the Patrick clan, you can easily rack up $20-$30 just in postage!!

Adam is still working at Turtle Top in New Paris, and we are very thankful that the company is still doing pretty well during these rough times. We have many friends who have lost jobs, so we praise the Lord on a daily basis for His provision and protection. Adam enjoys running in his spare time, and in September ran in his first marathon. He loved it and hopes to do another one soon.

Jodi keeps busy with the daily responsibilities of being a stay-at-home mommy. We have added a fourth little girl to the mix from 8-4 five days a week. It has been great to have a little one around, and also great to be able to send her home at the end of the day! In October Jodi had the awesome opportunity to go to Kenya with a team from our church. She spent 2 weeks at the AGC Baby Center in Ngata, Kenya. You can read more about her trip here. Jodi says that there will definitely be a 2nd trip, hopefully with Adam and the girls.

Abbie is 5 now and in pre-school at Woodview Elementary. She loves her teachers and has many new friends. Abbie likes to draw and is very close to reading on her own! She knows the entire alphabet and can write pretty much anything if we tell her what letters to write. She will attend Kindergarten in the fall. We talk a lot about her adoption story, and she thinks it’s pretty cool that she has brothers and sisters that she hasn’t met yet.

Adelle is 4 and enjoying her last year at home with Mom and Natalie before she heads off to Kindergarten next fall with her big sister. She is a dramatic little girl who loves to sing along with her High School Musical CD. Her sense of style is hilarious, and Mom has learned to let go of the vision of matching clothes! Some fights aren’t worth fighting! Adelle continues to have a huge vocabulary and surprises us everyday with the thoughts in her little head.

Natalie is, well, she is 2. Really, what more can I say?! She had always been my “easiest” child. Until she turned 18 months old! Now she has one speed –- fast. Too bad she’s so clumsy! Natalie loves doing whatever her big sisters are doing and is really going to miss them when they go to school. Right now Nat’s asthma is not bothering her and we’re praying that her 3rd winter may be a bit easier than her first two. So far so good!

We hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Enjoy time with family and friends, and remember why we celebrate this special season. We love you!

Love,

Adam, Jodi, Abbie, Adelle, and Natalie

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-10T09:53:00.001-05:00

This is all my husband's doing. He is such a nut! And very much in love with Taylor Swift :)

Daniel K Is Home!

2008-12-09T18:54:00.002-05:00

I just found out that my little man Daniel K from the baby center in Kenya went home with his new family today!!!! I'm so excited for him, and for his mommy and daddy. He is such a sweet little guy and one of the boys that I would have taken home in a heartbeat. Please pray that his transition would be a smooth one. In a way I'm also sad, because I was really looking forward to seeing him again when I go back to Kenya. But I just need to get over myself :) He is far better off with a loving family of his very own. Praise the Lord!!!

Tea Party

2008-12-08T19:25:00.003-05:00

Abbie and Adelle got this gorgeous tea set from G'ma and Pop-Pop when they were about 2 and 2.5 . Needless to say, I haven't really been brave enough to let them play with it. However, Abbie found it up on top of the cabinets, and asked Adam if they could play with it, "since I'm 5 now". Adam said yes, and after we got home from seeing Santa, we got it all set up for them. It really was quite fun! Until I left to go do the dishes.......

The girls were so careful with the teapot

This is what happens when you leave a 2 year old in the room with breakable dishes. What in the world was I thinking?! That my ~~naughty rebellious~~ sweet, angelic daughter wouldn't throw a plate at her sister as soon as I left? Hmm...the tea set (minus one saucer) is back up on top of the cabinets.