What a start to the year

January is already over. I just cant believe it.

This last year has been a little hard on our little family but when I really sit back and look back we have experienced so many blessings.

The loss of a job. When the hubby got laid off in April we did not think that it was such a blessing but as the months went on we were able to be a blessing to many people. Giving of our time and just helping out those who needed or help. We have spent some really great family time together.

The bun. Babies are always such a blessing even in hard times.

The gift of trees. In the begging of the summer we were given 7 trees to do whatever we need with. Out of those trees we were able to sell a number of cords and also keep enough wood for us to stay warm this winter and maybe even next year.

A new wood stove. To help us burn all of the wood the city of Tacoma thought there clean air act gave us $2,800 to go toward the purchase of a new wood stove. We are still waiting on it but it should be here very soon.

Paid medical bills. Two Decembers ago the little man went in for surgery. Even though we had medical insurance we were still left with a large bill. We had been paying on it but this last month we got a collections notice on it. After talking with them and applying for financial assistance our balance was paid 100%.

Taxes. We normally go get our taxes done by a gal but this year we did them online and to our surprise we are getting back twice as much as we thought we would.

God has shown us so much blessing during our time of need. We still remain faithful in our giving have never missed or been late on any bills.

I have learned that through hard times it does no good to dwell on the bad. I am just going to stay positive and keep looking at the good.

Father and Son

The little man has always been a mamas boy. I dont have a problem with it but I know that it might become a little problem when the little lady shows up.

So to help him out a little he has been spending more time just him and dad. Sometimes it is just the little things like getting a glass of milk, wiping his bottom or putting on his shoes. Other times it is the bigger things like father son outings, tucking him in to bed and building something with power tools.



As of a few weeks ago when the little man would wake up in the morning he would walk right past daddy to find me. So lately (about every week or so) I have been finding my self gone in the morning before he wakes up. The first few times he would walk all over the house looking for me and than start crying, but yesterday he woke up looked for me, asked about me and was fine. No tears.

Just maybe having another baby is going to be harder on me than the little man. We will have to see. Only time will tell.

This is the house that the little man built...

With a little help from mom.



And this is what it looked like a few minutes later.



*All pictures in this post were taken by the little man.

Where did the week go?

I feel like all I did was blink my eyes and now it is Saturday afternoon.
I spent lots of time with family, cleaning, dealing with a whining two year old and a little bit of resting.

Tuesday started off real rough. It was the start to the whining that I have heard all week. It started the minute he woke up and went on for almost an hour. Nothing I did made it any better. So after finally getting dressed we made it down to my parents house for my sisters birthday celebration. As soon as we walked in the door the little man said with a big smile on his face 'Grandma I have been whining' and that was the end of the whining for the day.
The little man had fun playing with his cousins, eating junk food and just being a kid. The visit ended up being on the short side because I wanted to make sure the little man got a nap and I had a doctor appointment early that afternoon.
The hubby drove me to my appointment because the little man was passed out in the back seat. My doctor said that the little lady is sitting really low and was a little concerned that she might be helping me to dilate already but that was not the case. I really did not need him to tell me that she is low, I could feel it. I do feel like I am having a lot more contractions with this pregnancy than the last. Just as long as she stays in for at least 3 more weeks that will be fine with me.

Wednesday I was planning on cleaning the house but I was so tired I only got a little done and the rest finished today with some much appreciated help form the hubby.

Thursday I have my moms group so I made this pretty amazing cream cheese coffee cake. After the group the little man got to play with one of his friends for a little while and I got to have even more mom time.

Friday the little man woke up in a mood. At first I thought it was because he was hungry or still tired, but I have no idea. After breakfast he was still whining and after his nap he was still whining.

Is it just a faze or is this just payback for me being a whiny kid? Is it because he knows there is going to be a baby here soon and he just feels the need to whine all the time? I have about 6 weeks or so to find out how to stop the whining, I hope that this is enough time.

I have started reading a book so we will see if maybe that can help me to get him to stop the whining. I need as much help as I can get.

Bowling

On Saturday we went to another birthday party. This time it was mostly boys. The little man had a blast. It was every little boys dream, a car themed party at the bowling ally with lots of cake.



The bowling ally did not have shoes small enough for the little mans little feet (size 7). So they said he could wear his own shoes or socks, but of course the little man did not like that idea. He wanted to wear 'cool' bowling shoes just like all the other kids. So he wore the far too big shoes.




After just a few times of pushing the heavy ball down the ally he was finished bowling.



So daddy got to finish up his game.

And the beat goes on

The back room in our house is no more. It has been replaced by a music room. I am so excited to see the boxes and piles of STUFF gone. Some of the STUFF went to the goodwill, others to the trash/ recycling and the rest of the STUFF got organized in the many storage places in our home.

The boys are having a great time trying out the new room. Taking turns on the guitars and drums.





I just love the little mans make shift capo. Its a clip that came with our hair shaver. He has such creativity.


It was not until the hubby pulled out his guitar that that little man started playing right handed. He will still go back and forth on what hand he want to use more. Sometimes it is the right and others it is only the left. Sometimes it is both at the same time. It does not matter to me as long as he continues his love for music. And I guess if that fades I will have to learn to live with that also.

Hopefully this spring (or when the rain stops for a while) we will get a piano that will add so nicely to the room.

On a side note, just today on facebook one of my friends shared this video with me so I decided to share it with you. I dont think that this will be the type of music the little man will be playing but I have got to say that this kid has some real talent.

Wordless Wednesday

32 weeks

Girls, girls, girls

We went to a birthday party this weekend. There is nothing like a one year olds birthday. There was lots of snacks, cake and girls.



The little man was the only little boy there. Not like he even noticed. He had a great time running around after the girls, playing dolls and 'cooking' food.



The little man enjoyed the cake also.

We had such a good time hanging out with our friends that we made it a night. Pizza and a movie was a great way to end the day. I thought that 'My sisters keeper' was going to be a good choice but I ended up crying the whole movie. If you have not seen the movie I would recommend it but make sure you have a whole box of tissues next to you.

Macaroni and music

So this new year I have been trying out some new recipes and trying to use the great invention called the 'crock pot' a little more. I have a wonderful crock pot book that I like to look thought every now and again. The only thing that I really dont like about it is that there are no pictures and no ratings but ever recipe still makes my mouth water. So after looking through many cook books I always end up back at the same place allrecipies.com.

So I came across this recipe for macaroni and cheese in the crock pot and I just had to try it out. So that is what we had for dinner tonight.



It did not turn out half bad. I did change up the recipe a little by not cooking the noodles before hand. It was not as creamy as I would of liked but it still had a great flavor and both of the men liked it. I think that I will try making it again but next time I might add a little more milk and cheese to maybe make it a little more creamy.

After dinner the hubby and a few friends got together for a little jam session at the church. The little man and I stopped by for a little while but by the time they started playing it was already after 9pm. So we stayed for a few songs. The little man was really excited to see his daddy playing the drums.



The little man jamming out before we headed home. Now he is all tucked into his sleeping bag sound asleep in his bed. Getting ready for our busy day tomorrow.

Whats in a name?

Coming up with a name for the bun has been a battle. Every name that I like the hubby hates it and every name that he likes I cant stand. I dont remember it being this hard when we were naming the little man.

Its just a name, right? I once thought that but the more and more I thought about it, it is so much more. It is how you are identified in this world.

There are so many names out there and yet so many people share the same name. I have not met too many Karens but I know there has been many of us that have walked on this earth. Everyone had there own story.

There is nothing wrong with sharing a name with someone else, it is just I dont really want my children having to go to school with 50 other kids with the same name. There is nothing wrong with a common name. I know many people that share names with others that I know and there is nothing wrong with that. (Come to find out the little mans name has gotten pretty popular over the past few years.) If my children do end up going to school with other children with the same name it is not the end of the world.

So when I was looking at names I wanted them to have a little bit of uniqueness to them, but I also did not want them to be to far out there either. It dont believe that you have to have a unique name to stand out. I guess it is just a little way that I can bring my uniqueness into my childs life.

So the bun now has a name. I dont think that we will change it because it is the only one we both agree on. But there is still 8 1/2+ weeks to change our minds. So 'little lady' it will be.

I want to hear your name stories. How did you come up with your childrens names? Or how did your parents come up with your name? I want to know if I am the only one who has had such a hard time.

Camping out

In the living room.

The little man received a sleeping bag for Christmas from his Grandma and Grandpa O. So today he wanted to take it out.


So he took is nap in it with his John Deere blanket (also from Christmas) out in front of the fire in the living room.

Nap and bed time have become a battle (again) in our house. So any way that I could get him to take a nap without a struggle was fine with me. Maybe tonight will be a little better. If the sleeping bag helps him to 'sleep better' than he can sleep in it every night.

Like father, like son

Today while cleaning out the back room a little bit more the little man found a Chevy bow tie. We have many of them all over our house. We did not think much of it and moments later he had it placed on his car and was driving around.

All in a days work

Nothing can slow the little man down.

Coffee anyone?

We are now up and running.

First service was great. Looking forward to all the other great services to come.

Duck, Duck

We have been spending lots of time up at the church lately, getting the last minute things finished before the 'soft' opening on Sunday (Tomorrow). I cant believe that the day is almost here.

While the hubby works hard and I do a little here and a little there the little man has to find things to do to keep himself busy. He will go off into the two and three year old classroom and play cars, Lego's or cook up a pretend dinner. Sometimes he will grab his tools and 'help' Daddy or anyone else that needs help.

Most of the time there are other kids up there to play with. I went to go check on them yesterday and this is what I saw.


The little man involved in his first game of duck, duck, goose. As you can tell he is still grasping the concept.

He really does not seem to mind that most of our days lately have started and ended with church.

Tomorrow is the big day. I am ready. I am excited. Now off to the church for another late night of cleaning. It is so worth it.

Bringing in the new year with lefsa

Nothing says the new year better than rolling, backing, cooling, buttering, and eating lefse.

Yesterday morning the little man and I headed over to my family's lake house for this long over due event. I think that it has been more than 3 years since the last cook off.

Oldefar manned the griddle, us ladies took turns rolling out the rounds and the little man was the official taste tester.





Now with a freezer and fridge full of this great treat, I am ready for the new year. Bring on 2010.