The process...

Here we are trying to fit his "full" little body into a 2T-3T gnome outfit.  I hope no one who really is 3T bought this for their child.  We almost had to dislocate his shoulder to get him in this one.

"No, I hate the hat!"

*notice the beard lying on the ground.

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Stop and smell the ... fishes

We've been so busy the last few weeks. Sander was preparing and then taking the Professional Engineer's exam, Dexter and I travelled to see family in Fort Worth, my nephew turned 1, Halloween, and now preparing to go to the Republic of Georgia.

We have been running from one thing to the next it feels, and really I just want to take time and smell the roses...or point at the fishes.

I have been reading this amazing book called Bittersweet, by Shauna Niequist. If you have talked to me in the last week or so, you have probably heard me reference it as it has so many good, concise ways to say what I have been feeling the last 2 years or so. She is sharing her thoughts on many things, but it is mainly how to accept change well and how to live a life that is meaningful, not just full.

One of the last things I read that hit home was the desire to be a woman who accomplished it all with grace and ease. She talked about her ever growing to do list that finally just said: "DO EVERYTHING BETTER." Wow. It isn't just me that feels that way? I not only want to, but feel I ought to "do everything better." Have a clean house, be creative, raise well behaved kids, be spiritual in all things, go on romantic dates every Friday, have clear skin, etc. She shared that after talking to someone older and wiser she realized that it isn't hard deciding what/who you want to be, it is choosing what you will say no to in order to accomplish that goal.

Say "no"?

Her response to that revelation was to create a "things I don't do list." Her first item -- don't garden. Yes, others gain a great tie to the earth, a sense of the seasons and God's hand in new life, but for her, it just didn't make the cut. That was the point -- say no to things that don't line up with your overall goal.

As I am writing this, I realize this is just the point made at my last MOPS meeting. It was a talk on frugality and her point, budgeting time and money, isn't about saying no to everything, it is about saying yes to your "goals, beliefs, and values." Hmmm...maybe someone is trying to get a point across to me?

But back to that "things I don't do list." It is already giving me so much freedom! Today when I walked into my wreck of a laundry room I thought, "I should be sure and clean this before I leave town." But quickly I realized this was insanity. I didn't have time, neither did it really line up with my overall goal of the week which is to leave town sane and with some energy left to make it through a 24 hour flight and 10 hour time change! So, "will not clean laundry room before we leave town" went on my "will-not do" list. Ahhhh -- baby steps toward sanity.

Off to figure out what else I won't do this week and to ponder what all I can add to my life's "things I don't do list".

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Random Facts about the Republic of Georgia

Continuing my mini-series on the Republic of Georgia, here are a few facts you may not know:

1. Stalin was born and raised in a small town just outside of the capital city of Tbilisi.  He spent his early adulthood in Georgia as a community organizer, seminarian, and later revolutionary.

2. Marco Polo (1254-1324) traveled through Tbilisi on the famous Silk Road and wrote, "there is a handsome city named Teflis, around which are settlements and many fortified posts".  This shows that Tbilisi was a thriving city early on. 

3. The scenery is breathtaking

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True Hospitality

A few weeks ago I posted a little something on hospitality.  Now, my friend (wife of my former college pastor) is posting a whole series on Hospitality on her blog, The Hoover Household.  This one was so good I had to post it in its entirety:

Martha, Martha, Martha


Sometimes, when my house is a mess, I seriously think to myself I hope Oprah Winfrey doesn't knock on my front door. You've probably seen those shows where she surprises a viewer at home, telling them their wildest dream is coming true, like meeting Tom Cruise or getting a home makeover from Nate. On one horrifying episode-- the one that haunts me-- she went door-to-door in an unsuspecting neighborhood, invited herself into the homes of anyone who answered their doors, inspected their refrigerators, and wanted to know what they were making for dinner.

I don't want Oprah surprising me at home, but there's someone I don't want surprising me even more: Martha Stewart. I make it a rule never to read Martha Stewart Living because even glancing at the cover in the check out line at the grocery store makes my blood pressure go up. "I should be making my own butter?", I ask myself as I put the Doritos on the conveyor belt. I am especially stressed out by the the recipes, party suggestions, and table decorations. It's all way too perfect. And that says something coming from a recovering perfectionist.


But is this the goal in hospitality? To have placecards, expensive centerpieces, matching placemats, and beautiful table linens? Should we only invite people into our homes when we finally get our lives perfectly together?

Our culture's version of hospitality involves beautiful events with beautiful decor for beautiful people. It's too bad that we Christians often believe this is true hospitality and, therefore, don't invite others into our homes. When we don't practice hospitality regularly, we miss opportunities to invite people to be known, to know us, and to experience a tangible gospel. We also miss opportunities to give and serve.

We miss these opportunities because we worry about the size of our space, the decor in our home, the cleanliness of the bathrooms, or our ability to cook. We're not Martha Stewart, we say. But hospitality is not about setting a scene or a table, it's about connecting over a meal and opening ourselves to relationships. It says: Here is my carpet covered in Cheerios. Here are the dirty dishes in the sink. Here is a pretty basic meal (or takeout). Here are my energetic children. And here I am. You are welcome in my home and in my heart.

"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love....distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality." Romans 12:10,13

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Short History of Georgia

I have to say the Republic of Georgia is a little off the beaten path. No, it isn't a 3rd world country, but neither is it an up-and-coming super power.  Since I knew little about this region until recently, I thought I would share a few of the most interesting facts I have learned in regards to it's history.

The Georgian Orthodox Jvari Monastery (Monastery of the Cross) was built in the 6th century A.D. overlooking Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Caucasian Iberia. The monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Georgia has been continuously inhabited since the early stone age.  They were known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as the region of Iberia and Colchis and were considered and advanced society with well formed political systems in place.  Colchis may sound familiar from your past knowledge of Greek mythology, as it was the place that Jason and the Argonauts went to find the golden fleece.

After the Romans began their conquest, the area now known as Georgia became a client-state of Rome for nearly 400 years.  They named Christianity as their national religion in 327 AD, which gave a great stimulus to the development of literature, arts and the unification of the country.  After Rome fell, Georgia was aligned with Byzantium and thrived.

Due to its geographical location between the powers of the Byzantine Empire and Persia, it became a buffer zone of sorts.  Power switched back and forth between these two powers until the Middle Ages.  Then, Georgian kings pushed out the Turks and regained power and saw a rebirth of their culture and political structure.

Wikipedia, that great source that is *always* to be trusted says, "this early Georgian renaissance, which preceded its European analogue, was characterized by the flourishing of romantic- chivalric tradition, breakthroughs in philosophy, and an array of political innovations in society and state organization, including religious and ethnic tolerance."



In the late 1700's, Georgia entered into treaties with Russia with the idea that Russia would help defend them against the Turks.  They did not come to their aid, and the Turks continuous attacks weakened the region.  Then, in 1800, Russia forcibly decreed Georgia was now under their control.

During the Russian Revolution of 1917, Georgia declared their independence and had it until 1921 when the Red Army invaded.  It wasn't until 1991, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, that Georgia was able to declare Independence again.

Russia still claims it has control over two areas of present day Georgia -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia. 

Georgia is on very friendly terms with America as it sees us as a much-needed ally against further oppression by Russia. 

I am very much looking forward to seeing this country for the first time and learning more while I am there about its rich history.  Sander and I have been learning more about the Byzantine Empire and I am fascinated at how often we have overlooked this part of history in the west.  The Byzantine Empire was alive and well during the dark ages in Europe and in many ways kept learning alive when the west forgot.  Georgia was a big part of this.

Ok, I hope this wasn't too nerdy of a post.  If no one reads it, it at least helped me organize my research and cement it in my own mind.

*Most of my "facts" come from the CIA factbook and wikipedia.

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Part I: Headed to Georgia

It is time for a little more of an informative post. The pictures of Dexter are cute and all, but we do have a few other exciting things going on.

This won't be a long post, but more will follow in a little mini-series I am calling: We're Headed to Georgia...and I Don't Mean Athens.

In early spring of 2009 Sander headed to the Republic of Georgia (see map below for location) with a small group of guys from our church.  They had been praying for a remote people group who lived in the Caucasus mountains.  I think I have an old post that tells all about that trip -- let me find it and post it soon.

Well, several people from that initial trip have decided to move permanently to the region to provide relief and development work with a Non-Governmental Agency (NGO) and in partnership with our church.  Those families became really close friends of ours after Sander went on the trip, so we have been missing them terribly.  One family had a baby soon after arriving, so as soon as I knew she would have the baby in Georgia, I offered to come and visit in the fall to help her with the new baby as they ajust to a new culture.

The plans have been slow to come together, but now our tickets are booked and Sander and I will be going in mid-November.  We will miss Dexter terribly, but he will be safe with the grandparents while we are away.

More to come that tells you why we are going and what we hope to do while there.  Before I go, you have to see a picture of some of the types of things we will see while we are there.  Georgia is a country rich in history (oh yes - you know I will share about that too!) and there are many sites like the one below:

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Dexter's Got a New Stool

As you can see, Dexter is very excited about his new stool.

"Now I can reach the water all on my own!"

It is a little bit more dangerous than we thought...he has falen off a few times. Eek. 

 

Here he is, mad that I turned the water off. Ahhh, sweet baby.

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Pumpkin Patch

"I want to pick up THIS one!"

Our neighbor Mrs V took us to the pumpkin patch today - you can tell it was a very fun time for our little guy!

Oh no, if not for the black and gray sweater, we may have lost our orange headed little man.

We managed one "decent" pic together - hooray!

All the rest of the MANY pics are in the picasa album here.

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No More Summer SAD

SAD stands for Seasonal Affected Disorder. Here is how the Mayo Clinic defines SAD:

Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that
occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal
affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the
winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often,
seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer.

Obviously they don't know about Houston. I get SAD in the summer. It is hot. I can't open the door of my car without singing my eyebrows, and don't even get me started on what grocery shopping trips look like with a toddler in tow. I am housebound and hot. This is why all major wars break out at the end of the summer - people just can't take it anymore!

So yesterday, when it was 61F in the morning (GLORIOUS!), and I had to put Dexter in a jacket -- it was as though the light shone brighter, the air was sweeter, and I realized life was worth living after all...ok, maybe I am getting a tad dramatic. But just a tad.

Dexter adores his Tonka truck and pushes it everywhere.

My neighbor let us borrow her little red wagon so all the kids could ride to the park.

We had a wonderful time, and didn't even sweat. HOORAY!

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Hospitality

At MOPS this week we had a guest speaker come and share with us about hospitality.  I saw the handout before she began and saw things like: Wreaths, Candles, and Doilies.  "Ho Hum," I thought, "like I have the time or the desire to use those.  I am not the June Cleaver type."

Then the presentation began.

She started out by dispelling any pre-conceived notions we might have about hospitality.  She made it very clear that hospitality isn't about you, it is about THEM.  So, no more "my-house-isn't-nice/clean/pretty/big-enough."  No more, "Well, I just don't feel like it."  No more, "I am just not good at having people over."

She said that is world is a pretty harsh place and it is a special honor as a woman to provide a warm and welcoming space for guests.  A place they can feel loved and cared for, where they are the focus.  Again, it isn't about you, it is about them.  As she talked I realized how self-centered I'd become in regards to hospitality and my home  My main barriers to having people over are thoughts like: I feel like my home isn't nice enough; I feel like my home isn't organized enough, or that I am too busy.  The main issue there is me.  Ugh.  That's a reality check.

She wasn't here to share with us how to be perfect, she was here to share with us ways that we can make people feel welcomed.  Put a wreath on your front door and clean off those cobwebs -- not so you look like the perfect homemaker -- but so people feel like they are wanted and welcome at your door.   That was the motivation behind all of her tips and tricks, which completely changed the tone of the whole presentation for me.

As a young mom who feels like life is a constant "to-do" list for others that I just can't master, I cringed when I thought the talk was going to heap more guilt upon what I'm not doing.  Instead, it was a complete guilt reliever!  It isn't about my house (whew -- don't need to organize every room in the house like I feel like I should), it isn't about what I cook (whew -- don't need to master that beef tenderloin recipe just yet), it isn't about the size of your rooms (whew -- no need to buy a new house) -- it is about THEM.  That is it.  Just have people in my house.  Make them feel wanted and loved.  That's it.

So, if you have been struggling with wanting to have people over, relax.  It isn't about you, it is about THEM.  Think of those people in your life that you know would be touched by being welcomed into your home, make up some PB&J, and have them over.  Serve it on real dishes, clean off your door before they come, and have a heart that says "you are welcome in our house."  Simple, right?

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Buddies

On Monday I watched my friend's little boy who is close to Dexter in age. Dexter was SO excited. Wyatt went down for a nap as soon as he got here and Dexter just burst out crying. I took him outside to distract him, which worked for a few minutes, then he wanted to go in and look for him. He kept going to the door where Wyatt was sleeping and crying. As soon as he got up Dexter was all smiles and just thrilled as could be to have a little buddy to play with.

Here they both are sitting in my lap. Dexter is pointing out the buttons and turtles on Wyatt's outfit.

Lunch time! They were so cute and quiet. I loved having someone else there to entertain D!

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Quinoa

I love quinoa, it is the ideal food! Wikipedia says:

In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.[5] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

I was on a huge quinoa kick a few months ago and bought a huge bag from Costco(only $8 for a 4lb bag!) and went through it in about a month. For whatever reason I haven't made it in awhile, but every time I do cook with it I think I should make something with it every day. It is perfect with bbq, salmon, or just on its own for a light lunch. See below for my absolute favorite recipe...

So, in honor of breaking out the quinoa again, I thought I would use my new measuring cups. They were so pretty I had to take a few pictures.

Black Bean, Red Pepper, Corn, and Quinoa Salad*Serves 4
Total time: 30min

5 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1/2 cup(s) quinoa, rinsed in cold water and drained
1 cup(s) chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
2 tablespoon(s) lime juice
1/8 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1 cup(s) cooked or canned black beans, drained
1 cup(s) whole-kernel corn
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 1 cup)
1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 tablespoon(s) cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoon(s) fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions
-In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add quinoa and stir until toasted and aromatic -- about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, cumin, and salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed -- about 15 minutes.

-Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes; with fork, fluff quinoa and set aside at room temperature to cool.

-In medium-size bowl, whisk together remaining 4 tablespoons oil, the lime juice, and black pepper. Stir in black beans, corn, tomato, red pepper, green onions, cilantro, chopped parsley, and cooked quinoa.

-To serve, divide greens among 4 salad plates. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving.

*Recipe from Good Housekeeping

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Scripture Memory

I know a lot of you out there have young kids, and perhaps you'd like to help them memorize things now that will be lasting reminders in the future. My friend has older children and just posted a great blog post about helping her little ones learn scripture.  I totally agree that what I memorized as a kid is what I rremmber today.  I STILL have VBS songs stuck in my head.  I hope that I can have the motivation to be organized as Dexter gets older.  I sometimes start with a bang but quickly fizzle...

Here is the full text, check out her blog though.  She has lots of great stuff

"Like a good Baptist girl, I grew up doing Bible Drill. We memorized verses, learned the books of the Bible, and competed in drills to see how fast we could recollect what we'd learned. At the time, it wasn't one of my favorite things, but, now, I'm really glad I did it. The verses and passages I put to memory are still there, especially those my friends and I made little rhymes for to help us remember.


Kids know and remember more than we give them credit for, don't you think? Based on how I remember what I learned as a kid, I'm purposeful about helping my kids memorize Scripture. Even if the concepts in the verses are sometimes difficult for such young minds, I trust that the Lord will begin to help them understand and that He'll bring the words to mind throughout their lives. As we work on them, it's also an opportunity to talk about the gospel and about things like obedience.

Scripture memory is one of those things that we (as adults or with our kids) often put off or start and then lose our steam. I've been there. Over time, I've developed a system that works for me and for my children. I'm starting to see the fruit of my labor: my kids have Scripture tucked away and even remind me that it's time for Bible verses when I forget.

If you'd like to start with your kids, but don't know where to start, here's what I do and what I've learned through trial and error:

•Kids can start at age 2-3 or even younger if they see an older sibling doing it. My oldest is great at memorizing and started young, but I tried to push my middle son to start at the same age as his older brother and he really resisted to the point of it being a struggle. I decided to stop rather than make it something he despised. He sat and listened to Will do his verses everyday and everyday I would say, "Reese, are you ready to do your verses?" One random day, he finally said Yes! with enthusiasm and he's never resisted again.

•We work on our verses during or after afternoon snack every weekday. I write out a group of verses that each child needs to learn in order to receive a reward and hang it on the fridge (I now keep it in a binder with each verse on a separate page). Everyday, we review the one they just learned and then work on the latest verse. Reese likes to say all of his verses in order and I do this with Will every so often to review. Each day, they get a sticker for the verse their working on.

•After they reach their benchmark, they get to pick out a toy, but a reward can also be an experience...whatever would be a reward for them.

•I try to make this time as fun as possible and I celebrate with them with each verse they learn. Saying the verse to Dad is also a time of celebration and encouragement. We also sometimes talk about why we're memorizing Bible verses and why the Bible is important to us.

•The most helpful reinforcers of Scripture memory are music CD's with verses set to music. My kids LOVE Seeds Family Worship CD's and Steve Green's Hide Em In Your Heart. I have been shocked at how fast they pick up verses just from listening to these CD's as we drive around in the car.

The best thing about all this: I learn Scripture too!

Tomorrow, I'll tell you how I choose verses and what verses I'm using so you can get started."

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Old Yard

Going through the old pictures in our picasa gallery I came across this old video we took when we first looked at the house we currently own.  The backyard was crazy!  Lately I have thought there is still so much I'd like to do around the house, but I forget how far we've come.

From Home...?

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Mommy Help

So, all of us mommies out there - we've got a lot of pressure on our shoulders.  I have to admit, in my case, much of it is heaped on due to my own efforts.  Yes, people around me and "society" (who/whatever that is) add some weight too, but the huge majority is there because of me.


I wish I was as care free as some hippie surrounded by her love children, eating tofu and bean sprouts while singing the days away.  But, alas, I was born to more puritanical stock than that.  I have a drive to do, perform, produce, be great.  Ah greatness, that one is really something I long for.  I don't think it is wrong, but it sure can produce some stress.


This isn't what we are made for.  Jesus himself says to be free from anxiety as the birds don't worry about food or clothing - so should we!


Seems like most books I read about being a mom just add more pressure.  Yes, I want to shepherd my child's heart, but what about when they head butt me for the 15th time that day and I just can't take it anymore?  Then I feel like perhaps I am not just having a bad day, but raising a child who will hold up the corner store at age 5 due to my failings.  And don't even get me started on my thoughts on baby books (I wrote a whole post about that right after Dexter was born)...the weight there was suffocating.


So, here is a book I am really enjoying! 

Out of the Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker doesn't look like much; 40 short devotionals on stepping out of the "Spin Cycle" of Motherhood.  But, these short devotionals pack quite a punch - with humor and grace she reminds you that this load isn't for us to bear.

Here is the Mommy Ode that she has at the front of the book.  Thanks Nicole for posting the whole text:

A (Fairly Lame) Ode to Mothers




An ode to the marvelous woman called "Mother"
Though not one of us is exactly like another.
From the second we're born to the minute we die
Our preferences are as limitless as stars in the sky.


We might have been perfectly gracious before
But childbirth entered us in the Mommy War.
Rather than letting everyone else be.
We criticize parenting that isn't exactly like...me.


So once and for all let me put this to rest
None of us owns the title of "best."
Natural childbirth does not make you a hippy
Epidurals are not just for women who want to feel trippy.
In a bathtub with a doula or in a hospital bed
We all got a baby with limbs and a head.


Nursing is great if nothing goes wrong
But some nipples turn inward and refuse to play along.
This is a choice for each mom -- it's her route
So it's just A + B and everyone else can C their way out.


Schedules and timers do not make you cruel
Feeding on demand does not make you a fool.
In the nursery with a monitor or in the family bed
Every chick gets to pick where her baby lays his head.


If I see one more mom roll her eyes at “organic . . .”
“Partially hydrogenated” throws some of us into panic.
But neither judge Sonic burgers and fries
Some of us just want to enjoy food before we die.


Preschool, home school, public, or Montessori
Listen, my friends, and I’ll tell you a story:
Two moms differed on favorite school trends
Their kids turned out pretty much the same. The end.


If a girl gets the title of “mom” accidentally
The worst thing we can do is treat her judgmentally.
How about some love, some help, some advice?
She needs our love and we shouldn’t think twice.


Discipline through various methods will prevail
Look, we’re all just trying to keep our kids out of jail.
These things are just preferences, not right or wrong
What matters more is teaching our kids to get along–
To love and to share, to speak gently and kind,
To obey so that mom won’t go out of her mind.


Showing them Jesus is our common ground
Teaching them how he can always be found.
He’s present in public school and Waldorf (so trendy)
He’s over at Whole Foods but also at Wendy’s.
Jesus never cared about these sorts of things
It’s our hearts that he wants and the worship we bring.


It’s time for us moms to declare a truce
Regardless if we buy Capri Sun or 100 percent juice.
My way is not your way, and your way isn’t mine
But both of our kids will turn out just fine.


Rather than judging and looking down our noses
Let’s enjoy the common ground motherhood poses.
As believers, we all love the same good Lord
We all have children who tell us “I’m bored.”


We all need more sleep than these tiny five hours
Most of us struggle to find time for a shower.
We haven’t been to the bathroom alone in an age
Our mothers have all told us, “Relax, this is just a stage.”


We all love our babies so much we could die
We’d take a bullet for each one without batting an eye.
Though we are different, we’re in the same tribe
Motherhood requires a similar vibe–
Love and affection, sacrifice and grace
Laughter, which keeps the whole mechanism in place.


Though different, by the grace of God, I suspect:
ALL our children will rise up and call us ... collect.


She looks well to how things go in her household. ... Her children rise up and call her blessed. Proverbs 31:27—28 AMP

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Labor Day weekend

Sander's dad came into town Saturday night and Dexter had a great time "helping" grill the steaks. Well, he was more of a supervisor from the bed of the truck.

Then, on actual Labor Day, we got out early and we doing some yard work while Dexter played in the pool. It was a good thing we got our work started early as it rained quite a bit.

Here we are - Sander is weeding (deforesting) our front bed and I am about to prime a new/old side table.

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Table and Chairs

Tada!! I actually put one Ikea chair together. (All other items you see assembled were done by my oh-so-handy husband)

Dexter LOVES having his own little seat! He gets all his cars out and hops up to the coffee table to play with them. When I got him up from his nap after I put the first chair together, he had this "Oh wow - for me!?" look on his face that was priceless.

All set for lunch or future play-doh fun.

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Redecorate?

I have been thinking about redecorating our bedroom for awhile. It just doesn't feel like us. I know, I picked out the curtain fabric just 2 years ago, have we really changed all that much since then? I just feel like I have gotten more comfortable with my style (thanks to Design Sponge and Young House Love).

So when I heard this song on Wednesday for the first time, I said - THIS IS IT!  This song embodies what I want my whole house to feel like!  I've been listening to this song non-stop all week.  Enjoy!

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Extreme Blog Giveaway!

Ok guys, I have to tell you about this fabulous giveaway going on over at my friend's blog. The Hoover Household is teaming up with Penny Lane Designs to give away one of Penny Lane's fabulous pre-fab blogger templates.

I am in LOVE with Swirly Vines:

And isn't Navy Garden divine?

So, go check out the giveaway and get your name in the hat today! The giveaway ends next Friday, September 10 at noon EST.

Best of luck!

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Ikea day

Since today is such a rainy day here in Houston, I thought I would tackle assembling the Ikea furniture I just bought. Well, I am in the middle of the project and it is not as easy as I thought it would be. I have always let Sander put our Ikea items together, but since his home "to-do" list had grown over this week, I thought I would try it out.

At first I felt like a super-woman, laying out the pieces, "reading" the instructions (they just have pictures so they don't have to translate them for all the countries they sell to), and starting to fit the pieces together. Well, perhaps a few words would have been helpful. I had to take the bottom leg supports off, but thankfully after turning them around, they went back together. After 45 min, a little bit of sweat, and just a tad bit of frustration, I thought I would take a blog break.

When (if) I get them finished, I'll let you know.

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Sweet 27

A very merry birthday, to me (to who?)...

This year's birthday was so much fun! Last year we were in the throws of reflux and extreme sleep deprivation with Dexter, so it was really fun to actually celebrate this year. It worked out beautifully that Dexter had MDO Wednesday so I was able to jaunt around town and enjoy myself while he was safe and sound.

My good friend who turned 27 on August 30th called and asked if I felt 27. I replied that I have felt like I was 30 for over a year now so it is actually a great relief to realize I am only 27. = )

Sander kept up the tradition of presents at breakfast by putting up the birthday banner and setting out my gifts the night before to "surprise" me in the am.

Isn't the card adorable? It was from Sander AND Dexter.

Then, while I was out, a dear friend came by and left birthday balloons, a banner, and a card on my front porch. As I drove up I thought, "did Sander put this out after I left? No...it looks way to girly!" It was such a sweet surprise (one of many surprises I had throughout the day)!

It was such a special day. I really feel like Houston is really my home now...thanks all!

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