Picture Post

Maddox's 3rd Birthday

Here are some pictures of Maddox's 3rd birthday party. He had 6 friends come and we had such a fun time! We did it at our church because our house a little small for a wild kid gathering.







He's got his gifts packed and ready to go. He hated having to wait for us to clean up!


I can't believe he's already 3! It has been 3 VERY fun years!

Fun With the Kids

This is a short video of Maddox and Juliette's favorite past time. I just wish it was as simple as that...



Each time they get to one side of the house they have to have me come and turn them around. Juliette never wants the game to end.


I have to say that I love that they are playing together, it's very sweet.

A New Year

It's a new year and I've been thinking a lot. Maybe way more than I ought...but, those thoughts are there none-the-less.

I want this year to be FULL! Full of fun, family, adventure, creativity and happiness.

I become to discouraged when I think of all the money we don't have. But, I'm trying very hard this year to thankful for what we do have and to enjoy life with all of that fullness.

When I talk about full, I don't mean busier. I want to enjoy my kids A LOT. They are growing up so quickly (Maddox is going to be 3! *gasp*) and I want to enjoy them the very most.

So, what does this mean for me?
1. It means getting organized. Very very organized and working on a daily moment by moment basis to keep it tidy and organized. We've been in this house for a year now and it has everything that we need and I love it. It's just taken me a year to figure out what works and doesn't in the space that we have.

2. It means running less errands during our week days (Monday-Thursday). When I run too many errands, I spend money I shouldn't on things I don't need. So, I'll menu plan and grocery shop once a week on Kyle's day off so I can stay focused and remember everything that I need in that one trip. On our week days home, I plan to take the kids out of the house on fun walking trips (who cares if we get a little wet!). I'd like to walk to the library and go on nature walks to look at all of the beautiful nature that we have around us.

3. It means spending quality time with Maddox and Juliette. I want to start teaching Maddox his alphabet and numbers and I want to read 3 good books (not little board books) to them every day.

4. I want to create more. I love having my Etsy shop and I would love to expand it to include other things than just kids hats.

That is where my thoughts have been and I'm sure that they will include many more things over the next few weeks.

This N' That

Grandma and Juliette

Great-Grandpa Zutter and Maddox

Great Grandpa Zutter, Grandma, Maddox and Juliette

Juliette, Grandma, Maddox and Grandpa enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

Juliette sporting her new hat and some of Grandma's glitz.

Maddox feeding the ducks

Juliette and Grandma

Grandpa and Juliette

Grandma and Juliette

Maddox sporting his new back pack waiting for the air plane

Happiness

I'm happy to say that my early hour awaking is a habit! I only slept in until 8 one day and that felt like such a treat :-) The disappointing part is is that Maddox has woken up around the same time as me 4 days in a row. Maybe I need to start getting up earlier. *gasp* I'm not ready for that!

The toys have even mostly been put away at the end of each day, too!

Hm..now it's time to incorporate something else. The next thing I'm going to tackle is after breakfast completely cleaning the kitchen. I tend to leave it half done because the kids need to be dressed and played with, etc. So, here's to completely cleaning up the kitchen after breakfast, including sweeping the floors and spot mopping! The same will go for after dinner. I don't just want the dishes done, I want everything wiped down and "company ready"!

Here it goes!

Pumpkin Patch

Chugging Along

7am doesn't seem to be coming quite so quickly and difficult any more. I'm actually starting to wake up on my own about then, so it's getting easier every day! I didn't let myself sleep in on Friday or Saturday! I will in a few weeks, but for now, I'm going to push through.

I've started drinking tea again. Nom, nom, nom :-) It makes my heart happy. I just need to remember to drink decaf or herbal after 6pm! We drank some with dinner at around 7pm the other night and neither of us could fall asleep. Oops. I need to go stock up on some new flavors for the winter. Does anybody recommend any?

I don't remember the last time I had such a full schedule, but I'm really thriving in it. Keeps me motivated knowing that I have places I need to be at certain times. I'm doing the Beth Moore Daniel study on Tues. at 10am with a wonderful group of women of all ages. I'm leading a small group with some high school girls one day a week, every other week I have play group at the church 2 mornings a month and that's a blast (the kids are actually playing SO well together this year because they're a bit older) and then one morning a month I have a Women's Ministry team meeting. A bonus is is that most of what I do have some great friends participating, so I get to see them 2-3 days a week!

Alright, off to shower before the kids wake up!

This is the Point at Which...

I WANT TO GIVE UP!!!

I have successfully gotten up early 5 DAYS IN A ROW and now, I'm tired and want to give up. I was tempted to let myself sleep in tomorrow, but I'm resisting the urge because I want this to be a habit and I don't want to undo what I've done the last 5 days. I know I'm just tired because my body isn't used to this.

It's an amazing feeling being completely ready for the day before the kids wake up. I love it! I have felt so refreshed all week in that aspect. Most days before bed I've gotten all the toys picked up, too. So that's huge for me, too.

Yeah for healthy habits!

Healthy Habits

I feel disorganized a lot and then I try to become more organized and run more effectively. On Sunday I make a list of how I want my days to run (wake up early, make beds, sweep floor, etc. etc.). Monday morning hits and I don't get my shower before the kids wake up and whammo, my schedule is out the window because I'm not 3 steps behind. I try to bite off too much new stuff at once.

I'm going to start incorporating one healthy new morning habit and one healthy new evening habit every few weeks so that over time I'm more where I want to be.

To start, I'm going to start getting up early and getting a shower before the kids get up. It's huge for me to get my day started off right. I'm going to start setting my alarm for 7am. I know it doesn't seem that early and it's not, but it's better that I set my alarm for 7am and have a chance to wake up instead of being woken up between 7:30 and 8 with a little 2 year old in my face. That makes me kinda grumpy.

My evening habit will be to have all of the toys put away before Maddox goes to bed. Again, not a huge thing, but it helps me to relax after he's in bed and it helps me to feel better when I wake up to a clean house

So, here it goes! 7am wake up calls and toys put away! If I find I need my wake up call to be ealier then that I'll bump it up in a few weeks. Gradual is good.

Life

Okay, I'm not good at this whole blogging thing...

I'm going to keep popping on here to do updates on the family only. I'm not a writer and I don't want to be...I just want people to know what's going on with the kids and us.

I just got home from a women's retreat yesterday and it was really nice. There were just 19 of us and it was perfect. Had a great time with everybody and the speaker was great, spoke right to my heart. She spoke on the callings that God puts on our hearts and how to have faith to slowly get there. Very refreshing, just wish I could have left Juliette home with daddy!

I've decided to quit reading blogs of people I don't know except a few that I read for good deal finding and healthy living. I think it's like soap operas and I get sucked into needing to know every detail of their lives and really it doesn't matter! Just a waste of time for me. It's hard and sometimes tempting to pop on to look at them, but I'm trying really hard not to.

The kids are doing great. Maddox's language development in the last few weeks has blown me away. He's says things in full complete sentences and is often saying words I didn't know he knew! He's starting saying "I love you, too" when we tell him that we love him. My favorite thing ever has got to be when he comes running up to me with arms open wide and says in the saddest voice, "I need a hug!"

Juliette is almost crawling. She's a very determined little girl and definitely wants things done her way. She's currently picking on her brother who is trying to sleep (he's on the floor, it's his fault ;-) .

Today

It's a blistery 73 degrees in my house this morning and I'm indulging in a cup of Sencha tea. Yum! Did I mention I've been up since 6am? That was sleeping in compared to what I expected when Maddox fell asleep for the night at 6pm completely missing dinner. Juliette has been my 6am waker most recently, but the last few days it's been 8ish! Why ever can't they be on the same schedule!?!

As I was sitting here in my early morning awake-ness I picked up my most recent Parents magazine that I had yet to read. One article in particular caught my attention "39 Things Every Mom Should Know". I thought I'd share a few that made me giggle (only because I KNOW first-hand on most of these).

3. Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up naptime to wash dishes or clean the toilet is truly soul crushing.

5. If the kids are awake, bit the bullet an be awake yourself. You'll waste so my hours trying futilely to extend early-morning snoozes that it's not worth it.

6. Just throw away the poopy underwear.

7. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.

9. Buy cheap shoes when kids are little. Feet grow faster than you think. (Emily here: except in the case of Maddox's summer Keens...best $26 I spent! Great shoes and I can resell them on Ebay for what I paid for them :-)

15. Answer this question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes? (Nothing. Happened 3 times this week)

17. Try to like what they like. It kind of sucks when it's Bob the Builder, but the payoff will come when they discover Lemony Snicket.

19. If your child falls asleep occasionally without brushing his teeth, don't wake him; baby teth do eventually fall out. (Again, I know this first hand...happened 3 times this week)

26. Don't administer a punishment that hurts you more than it does them.

32. Buy quaint wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.

34. Teach them to like cool music. Why suffer through The Wiggles?

36. Give awards for actual achievements.

39. Independence is a wonderful thing. For everyone. So is together time. Make sure you have a healthy does of both.

by Kacy Faulconer

Hat Giveaway!

I just opened my first Etsy store, MJ Hat Shop, and as a GRAND OPENING I'm giving away one of my handmade crochet hats to a lucky winner! These are original hats that I created the patterns for and they have been child-tested on my own two wonderful kids.

I am a stay-at-home mom and I love spending time with my kids everyday! In the evening when the kids are in bed I love to crochet. I decided to open an Etsy store as a creative outlet.


Make sure you check my shop often as I'm adding new styles of hats all the time!

Details:

-Go visit my Etsy shop and in the comments section of this post tell me which one is your favorite (if you win, you can choose a different one)
-Make sure you leave your e-mail address in the comment (this is just the way I'll contact the winner, I won't put you on a mailing list)
-One entry per person, per day
-This giveaway is open until Saturday, Sept. 12 at 12 noon.
-I will use random.org to determine the winning comment.


Best of luck to you!

So I Have This Sister...

We're not actually blood related, but I think I've known her for about 10 years and she's been apart of my family for over 7. She's a very influential person in my life. She e-mails me with cute pictures and before you know it, she's talked me into making things for her...

Like these owls:

And this squirrel:

And this flag garland:

And, I've even made her one of these (not these colors, Shel):


I'm a self-taught crocheter and knitter. It's amazing what you can find on Youtube. Shelley challenges a special piece of my brain. The part that needs follow patterns and count my stitches(like the owls and squirrels) and to entirely make up my own patterns (in the case of the garland and apple cozy).

One thing I've learned is that I have to write down the patterns that I am making up as I go along or else when I sit down again to work, I've completely forgotten what I was doing. I always think I'll remember, but I don't.

I'm Baaaack!

Haven't heard from me in awhile, eh? Now that we've got Flickr hooked up to the family site, I don't have to spend all my time and energy posting pictures 5 at a time!

Hm...now what to write about...

Photos!!!