life in our little house

Grateful

2011-06-27T07:14:00.001-06:00

Five weeks ago today marks the time from the morning of my sudden brain hemorrhage. We are so very grateful for the way things have turned out given the scary circumstance and feel God's goodness and protection in many many ways. When I look back on the past year, I see his hand in lots of little details preparing us for this time...like Patrick's move to a new (and wonderful) firm which has provided us excellent health insurance (10 days in the ICU is not cheap) as well as the flexibility for him to take lots of time off, the selling of our small business a few months ago, having only one week left to finish for our school year when the bleed occurred (Sophie got a freebie!), and countless other little things that have been and continue to be so comforting to think about during this crazy experience. I feel I have been given a second chance to live life.  Life for sure is a gift and can change in the blink of an eye...

Monday morning, May 23rd:
Patrick had just brought me a cup of coffee in bed around 7: 15. He had lovingly been getting up with the kiddos every morning so that I could sleep in a little being in my third trimester. I sat up to drink my coffee and in a matter of seconds an intense pain instantly hit the back of my head. It quickly spread forward and then down my neck.  I told Patrick at first that I had a sudden headache that I thought was really weird since headaches usually build slowly.  He Googled "third trimester migraine" on his phone. The point at which the pain spread down my neck I knew something was really wrong. After calling my OB we left very quickly for the ER and thankfully were seen almost immediately once checked in. The pain continued to get worse which I didn't think was possible. Definitely worse than two all natural childbirths combined. The narcotics they gave me to manage the pain did nothing. Being 32 weeks pregnant complicated things tremendously. The tests and drugs which normally would have been given had to be weighed carefully with the risks to the baby. I eventually had an MRI done which came back normal.  A short time later another type of MRI scan, an MRV, was ordered and revealed the "sub-arachnoid" bleeding in my brain.  I vaguely recall a flurry of doctors/nurses and being taken to the ICU which would be my new home for the next 10 days. My massive headache continued until around 9:45pm when I was finally given just the right combo of narcotics and steroids. I didn't sleep at all that night or the following (due to the heavy dose of steroids), but was so happy to be pain free that I gladly watched the clock tick.

After three cerebral angiograms (a test where contrast dye is shot up through the femoral artery into the brain and then x-ray ed) over the the course of 10 days it appears "highly unlikely" that the bleed was caused by an aneurysm. Great news for sure, but what did cause it? Well, no one really knows. Comforting? Not so much, but the fact that I have a greater chance of being struck by lightening twice brings a bit of reassurance. Apparently I had the rarest of all brain hemorrhages as well as the most benign and with no discernible cause. Couple that with my age, pregnancy, no family history, nor any recent head trauma and I am probably one of 5 in which this has ever occurred. I'm an "anomaly"! Yes, just what I was going for of course.

My wonderful neurologist said the recovery time would be a minimum of 4 weeks.  I have felt pretty well the last week other than being REALLY pregnant and ready for the baby to come. My strength is slowly but surely coming back, along with my ability to concentrate on things (such as reading/writing).  We have been pleasantly surprised that I have not had many headaches (which were expected) since returning home.

The hospital care we received was incredible. The ICU nurses were amazing, along with the nurses from labor/delivery who came to monitor the baby three times per day. Aside from some differing opinions between my neurologist and neuro-surgeon, the care from multiple physicians was also phenomenal. I am super grateful for the providers from my OB practice and the care they have shown through this whole ordeal. I'll obviously be seeing a lot more of them in the very near future...

While the time in the hospital was incredibly difficult for me personally and for our family, I honestly would not change one thing about it.  There was and continues to be a good purpose in it and we are so very grateful for the Lord's healing.

Our children did beautifully considering that I had never been away from any of them for more than 36 hours. That was probably the hardest part of my hospital stay - just missing them terribly, especially on Thomas' birthday. Patrick and I decided that the next time we are apart from them for 10 days it will be for a vacation! A wise friend said "you guys really need to get out more!" Yes, indeed.

We are overwhelmed by the amount of help that has come from both near and far. Thankful does not even begin to do justice to our family, friends, and neighbors. Childcare, meals, yard work, notes, flowers, treats, care packages etc. have been given so generously. Above all we have felt the prayers of many and are so appreciative for the constant support.

Being home with our family has been a wonderful step up from the ICU as I continue to rest and heal. Each day I am amazed at how my perspective on life, marriage and motherhood has changed. Grateful beyond words sums it up.

"This God - his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."
- 2 Samuel 22:31

Habits

2011-01-12T20:22:00.003-07:00

I really really enjoyed reading this today...
The Habits that Make all the others possible

"Because life is not a thing to be wrestled with, subdued and conquered; life’s a beauty to be considered. God didn’t say control the landscape, but to consider long the lilies."

Four!

2011-01-05T16:24:00.005-07:00

Can't wait to welcome another baby into our family! And just when I said I would really never want to have a baby in the middle of the summer...July 14th. God has a wonderful sense of humor doesn't He?

Ultrasound at 12.5 weeks...

Summer Recap

2010-09-13T14:02:00.003-06:00

Well, since the ENTIRE summer went by with nary a post, I'm doin a little catch up...

M A Y
Thomas turned FOUR. Learned to ride his bike never using training wheels. Got a full size youth hockey goal. Had a party at a nearby park/creek. Lovin life.

J U N E
Patrick accepted a job offer from a new firm. Great people, interesting cases. 10 minute commute. All around great. Worked 30 days straight. Including on his birthday and Father's Day. On his way home from work on a SATURDAY, he was hit by an elderly lady who ran a red light - SUV totalled. VERY thankful no one was hurt.

But Henry said I could borrow his car...

J U L Y
Better work hours, no car accidents, a fun Fourth of July parade in our neighborhood (some rad float making too), and celebration of our 9Th wedding anniversary. Words cannot possibly express how grateful I am for my husband. LOVE pretty much sums it up.

A U G U S T
What?
Hank turned TWO. I literally remembered the afternoon before. Promptly spent an hour and a half in our favorite toy store with the kiddos and my mom. Good times. LuLu brought over vanilla steamers and pastries for breakfast. Don't judge, it's just milk laced with vanilla syrup (that he consumes in less than 30 seconds) - what's not to like about that? Pizza for dinner and cupcakes for dessert. Wonderful day spent at home. It's amazing how "partyish" life can be with three kids.

Thomas gave himself a bang trim...

Soph was a flower girl in a dear friend's wedding. Best time in all her six years staying up late dancing until 11pm. Wants to become a professional flower girl actually. Amazing wedding complete with lots of good Irish folk, great friends, food, and drink. It took us all at least a week to recover from the festivities.

Patrick's boss, Irnie, invited us down to his farm in Castle Rock. The kiddos gathered fresh eggs from the barn, rode a horse, and took a tour of the farm in the scoop of a John Deere front end loader. Really fun day!

Sophie started in a homeschool enrichment program 1.5 days a week through a local charter school. Her favorite teacher is Mrs. Bacon. It was meant to be. She loves it, I love it, everyone is happy.

School in our home started right after our annual Labor Day trip to Pecos, NM. Which will be a whole nother post. It was awesome...

Lemonade! Lemonade!

2010-06-15T23:29:00.001-06:00

Change

2010-04-15T15:45:00.001-06:00

Some things never change. Like God's infinite love for us. And some things constantly change. Like children. I feel surrounded by change lately. Change in major life things and change in teenie tiny things. Change is often challenging for me but I know it is a necessary part of life, and without it there is no growth. So rather than fear it (which is my usual inclination) I'm trying my best to embrace it, be hopeful in it, and desire it. Because really, when it comes right down to how God created us, change can be incredibly beautiful.

I have been reminded quite a lot recently that "the days are long but the years are short." I can imagine looking back over these days in utter amazement at just how darn fast they went by, how sweet they have been, and how much change takes place in growing up.

And in the blink of an eye, my baby is now my boy...

Sweet Friends

2010-02-19T20:23:00.008-07:00

Three of the Molitor children came over to play one afternoon a few weeks ago. Having six kiddos running around the house gave me a teenie tiny taste of what it is like for the their family of seven and for Patrick's sister with her NINE. Right now, having three is totally manageable.
Sophie and Ruthie enjoyed doing school work together, Thomas and Walter played hockey and acted just as boys should, Henry and Rebecca followed each other around like sweethearts. We ventured to the park across the street and on our walk home stopped by the creek for some "exploring". Lots of giggling and makebelieve was had by all.

Tis the Season

2009-12-14T23:59:00.007-07:00

It has been a busy six weeks! Time has seemed to fly and stand still all at the same time. Just yesterday I realized that since Sophie's birthday in early Nov, I haven't taken a single photo of my kiddos (excluding phone pictures) which is saying a lot. I feel a little sad about that since Henry has changed quite a bit in the last few weeks. He seems to have lost his baby look and is full speed ahead as a toddler.

Last weekend was FULL. Four parties in three days. Patrick's firm holiday dinner on Friday night (which wasn't nearly as awkward as I was expecting it to be!), a birthday party for a neighbor then a cocktail supper with a dear group of friends Saturday night, and the Downing House Christmas open house Sunday night. I also got to spend some great time with two friends (Ginger and Byranie) who were visiting from out of state this weekend. The couple of hours alone with each of them was such a treat and a wonderful break from the constantness of motherhood. I'm wishing I had more pictures but just managed to get a few on Sunday night at the Downing House...

The next few weeks slow way down for us. We'll take a few weeks off from school and just prepare for Christmas. Then, the weekend after we'll drive down to New Mexico to spend some time with my side of the family. I haven't seen my brother Matt and his sweet wife and kiddos in over 3 years. The longest stretch of time for sure. Looking forward to meeting my niece Maisie and for them to meet Henry. Also, let's not forget the massive amounts of green chile we'll consume.

I must now muster up the energy to stand in line at the post office for stamps.

Merry Christmas!

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

2009-12-14T23:26:00.003-07:00

We've been listening to Fernando Ortega's Christmas Songs pretty much all day every day for several weeks. He has some beautiful renditions of classic Christmas hymns as well as several songs of his own. My favorite this year...

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Such a beautiful reminder of our sweet Saviour's birth and the JOY, PEACE, REST and HOPE that comes from knowing Him.

http://www.fernandoortega.com

Quotes of the day

2009-11-02T15:30:00.004-07:00

Thomas running around in his undies...

Me: "Thomas go put your pants on so we can go to Great Harvest."

Thomas: (very convincingly) "Mom, did you know some kids don't wear pants when they go to Great Harvest?"

Me: "No, no I did not know that."

Sophie holding her bucket of Halloween candy...

"Mom, if you just give us the whole bucket then we'll get totally sick of it and won't ask for anymore for like, ten years."

As I'm writing this, Thomas runs in with his pants on, but missing his shirt. Arrgggg. Sometimes getting out the door is ridiculous.

Cannon Beach, OR

2009-10-11T08:02:00.005-06:00

We returned a few weeks ago from our first vacation ever as a family. Not just the little drive up to the mountains on the weekend sort of vacation, but a REAL vacation. Like fly somewhere vacation. I will go ahead and skip the part about flying with a 14 month old who is often mistaken for a screeching baby pterodactyl and instead move directly to our blissful week at the beach.

Words cannot describe, nor pictures do any justice to, the beauty of Cannon Beach. The first two times we walked down to the ocean I literally cried. And I am not a crier. It was truly breathtaking. I think Sophie was particularly overwhelmed with the magnitude and different feel of the landscape because she did her "snugly thing" about 100 times over the course of the week. The kids had a ball and Patrick and I totally enjoyed watching them play and explore all day. Surprisingly, Sophie liked playing in the little cottage where we stayed almost as much as on the beach. She is such a nester girl! One of Thomas' favorite things was kite flying and digging pits in the sand. Henry's favorite thing was eating the sand! The weather was apparently wonderful for Oregon. It rained and was chilly at times everyday but I think we had more sunshine that one week than they usually do in a month. We were happy about that for sure!

We went hiking two of the days. One day in Ecola State Park just north of CB and another day we drove across the Columbia River into Washington to hike to the Lewis and Clark center at Cape Disappointment. So cool. We ate our weight in seafood, had bonfires on the beach and on our last day hit low tide just in time around Haystack Rock to see hundreds of starfish, sea anemones, mussels, crabs and every kind of sea bird imaginable.

My mom and Aunt happened to be visiting some friends in Olympia, WA and were able to come down the coast and join us for 3 nights. It was fun having them with us and a treat for Patrick and I to have the ability to go out by ourselves occasionally. One of my favorite things was going on an early morning run together along the water and finding a crab that Patrick bravely picked up and carried home for breakfast. I am still in awe really of how well everyone did for the week away from home. We all slept soundly, stayed healthy, relaxed, and had so much fun together. So grateful for the time together and for God's protection.

It was a fantastic first family vacation.
All future ones will have A LOT to live up to...

The sand was super soft

The cottage surrounded with blackberry bushes

Hangin with George

Loved this oar handrail

I want this

Kite flying

Funny Thomas taking a rest in the background

Cove beach on our hike

Crazy big mossy trees

Indian Beach in Ecola State Park

Tide pool with LuLu

Love the reflection in his glasses

Haystack Rock

Sticky anemones

Psalm 33:5-9
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

Pecos Cabin

2009-09-12T08:02:00.003-06:00

We spent Labor Day weekend at my brother's family cabin in the pecos mountains just north of Santa Fe. Had a GREAT time minus Hank screaming for 90% of the 6 hour drive down. Our last trip was when Mr. T was a baby, so this time marked his first real cabin experience as a boy -- and he loved every minute of it. Especially the freedom to get a root beer or other sugary beverage whenever he pleased. All bets are off when it comes to healthy habits down there. Dirt, rain, mud, rivers, fish, wood, fire, smoke, melted marshmallows and no baths made the kids very very happy. I tried not to look at their little fingernails too much.

We had some great food, fellowship, games and good laughs. Almost everyone napped in the afternoons and I got to read for a whopping HOUR (without getting up!) while listening to the sweet sound of the river. This made me very very happy. It was nice to have down time without feeling like I was procrastinating something at home. I really wish I could learn the fine art of just "being", even when we aren't some place far away. Top on our list is a cabin of our own someday closer to home. However, it will be very difficult to top the charm of the Pecos. My sister-in-law Juliette's grandparents built it in the fifties starting with the riverrock fireplace. Most everything in it is just as it was back then. Metal dishes, burnt orange linolium, retro cowboy curtains and all. The coolest part though has to be the walls and ceiling in the kitchen (and now bathroom) that guests have been signing forever. A thousand or more names, quotes, and dates to mark the coming and going of its lucky friends. Sophie did not take the task lightly and signed her own name amongst some hearts enough times to count for all of us. It was fun to mark the kiddos current heights on the door jam and to see the dozens of marks for my nephews who will soon be taller than me! I still remember Nathanael's first trip to the cabin as a baby 13 years ago. Those boys are a riot and never cease to amaze me. I love thinking of Hank's first trip to the cabin, and what he will be like 13 years from now...

His favorite ride

A few tantalizing flies

This was probably his tenth or so

Charlotte, Lucas, T, Sophie, & Sammy

Auntie JJ brought along her nail polish of course!

My mama having a great time playing spoons

Beautiful Juliette

A very tired boy - FINALLY!

Nathanael playing Apples to Apples.

Want S'more..

Happily eating the leftover scone dough

The best place to wake up in the morning

Me and my friends back in 1996.
Totally high school.

Sophie prefers to "draw" her name

A shower could be useful

Most photogenic family EVER.

The Bryant ladies

LuLu and Aunt Linda

Cousins

Something She Made.

2009-09-11T21:20:00.006-06:00

Hope to make a story board out of these someday.
I loved watching her enjoy the wonder of sailing this little boat.

A well loved blankie

2009-09-11T21:05:00.001-06:00

Two wheelin it!

2009-08-30T16:06:00.003-06:00

Bye Bye training wheels!

Here she is excited...

And not so excited...

and then very nervous...

"This is GREAT"...

Impromptu photo shoot

2009-08-25T21:37:00.004-06:00

While visiting my mom yesterday I noticed I had dressed everyone in color coordinating clothes (not usually my thing)...so out came the camera...
it got very windy which made for some funny faces!

Our little old soul...

The Sandlot

2009-08-25T21:05:00.000-06:00

T's favorite movie. Shown on a giant screen. After dark.
Friends. Popcorn. Beautiful late summer evening at Platt Park.
Doesn't get much better than this for a boy who loves baseball.

DH Swim

2009-08-17T21:12:00.006-06:00

We meet a sweet group of friends at the Downing House every Monday for swimming and lunch. It really has been the highlight of our summer this year and I hope it will be a tradition for many more to come. Certainly a blessing to spend time with these friends of ours on a weekly basis. Today was the last day most of us could be there since school is starting for some families this week. We missed the Dornbirers and Yonans today but snapped some photos of most of the gang before the summer comes to an end...
I learned it is very very difficult to get this many children to look at the camera and be happy all at once.
Mrs. Jill Gilley gets the award for most awesome smile.
Love, love and more love to these precious friends!

Homeschool here we come...

2009-08-17T20:54:00.009-06:00

Today marked Sophie's first official day of Kindergarten at home! She was enthusiastic to say the least -- up by 6:30am dressed and ready to go. She literally jumped like a kangaroo into our bedroom this morning with an enormous smile on her sweet little face. Her enthusiasm wained a little bit after about an hour of our lesson...Thomas constantly asking for a snack amongst other things did not help. We had to finish our reading during the boys afternoon nap which actually worked quite well. I was asking Soph to think of words that start with the letter "W". She said "water", and then got stumped, so I said "What do you do if you are really really wanting something to happen?" (I'm thinking of "WISH" here) and she says "oh, WHINE." It does start with "W" and was certainly a good laugh! Hopefully we'll get the hang of our school schedule sooner than later. But even if we don't, I'm not too concerned. I can tell I'm going to love this...
I hope my children will too!

Had to take a picture by the front door...
even though we didn't go anywhere:)

Holding her favorite little drawing notebook

I'm Pretty sure she'll be teaching me a thing or two!

Cannot Believe...

2009-08-04T22:05:00.005-06:00

Henry is ONE!
Today was his big day and it came and went so quickly.
Mr. T asked about every five minutes {ALL DAY LONG} if it was time for the cake. No sweetheart, not until after dinner...like 8 hours from now. We had a usual day of swim lessons, chores, naps and errands. I took Henry on a little shopping excursion to Antrhopologie to get him a Jelly Cat stuffed dog. It was a fun outing for us and to Patrick's amazement and relief, the doggie was the only thing I purchased. I was thinking I could buy myself a "happy GIVE birthday" present but I refrained. Henry seemed pretty unfazed by his day until we sang happy birthday to him during dinner. He had the sweetest expressions that I had never really seen before tonight. I think he knew he was the man of the moment. Really glad we sang to him during dinner too because he was screaming while we sang to him for his cake. Something about not liking me wiping his eye with a wet cloth. I should have left his goopy eye well enough alone. It was a bummer, but he settled down after nursing and eventually enjoyed his cake and toys.

The first six months of his life were a total blur to me as I adjusted to being a mother of three. The last six months have been wonderful and I cannot imagine our family without our sweet boy. I enjoyed thinking today about Henry's birth and just how amazing it was that he was so healthy despite being 5 weeks premature. Thank you Lord for this gift of life.

Things he likes:
Rollin, rollin, rollin...
His big sister saying "YEEEAAAAHH HENRY!!!!!"
and "you're such a little chunker"
Hiding small choking hazard type objects like marbles in his mouth.
Nursing
Black beans and tomatoes

Nicknames:
Sir Henry
Henry Huggins
Hank
Hen

A great June

2009-07-01T21:55:00.003-06:00

We had a fun first month of summer and are thoroughly enjoying the laid back season. Now that the rain has mostly passed we are at the pool pretty much everyday - the kiddos love it and I love the guaranteed naptime that follows. So nice. A huge Whole Foods just opened up the street from our house - we can walk, which is a treat and aside from being a really lovely shopping experience (even with three little ones) they have super yummy gelato. Perhaps that is why everyone behaves so well! I love getting the free samples - last night I tasted $25/lb sopprasetta salami from Italy. Yum. We celebrated Patrick's birthday last weekend and some of my family came for a visit from NM and TX. We had a great time at the cabin and enjoyed watching the cousins (and Patrick of course) play air soft in the woods. H. enjoyed his first "smore" minus the chocolate. Seems like we are just getting started with the whole summer but S. will start school in 6 short weeks! Kindergarten - YIKES! We'll live it up while it lasts!

His new thing: waving hello

Eating gelato while crossing the creek.
Have absolutely no idea why she is pointing.

After the Walk for Alternatives

"Scooter for Alternatives"

Gracie joined us for family movie night

Cousins chillin

Auntie JJ:)

Locked and loaded

Goggle eyes

A valiant return from the air soft war

My nephew feeding H. his first marshmallow

My content girl with a smore

Winnie, S., & Papa John

H. loves his LuLu

A noble attempt to capture the family

This is so our life: a little blurry with a lot of love!

Happy Birthday T man

2009-05-26T21:56:00.005-06:00

So very very glad this little guy was born three years ago today.
He makes my heart skip a beat I love him so much.

Things he likes:
Hockey sticks, hockey pucks, hitting hockey pucks really hard with hockey sticks inside the house.
Firetrucks
Playing "baseball" and running the imaginary bases in our backyard.
Broken windows in our house so far:
One
Loves to watch:
Little Bear, The Sandlot, and Miracle.

Presents:
#1 Table hockey set
#2 Ball thrower/tball set
#3 Batting helmet
#4 book: Z is for Zamboni
#5 Goggles

We celebrated on Memorial Day since Patrick had work off. The boys went to the icerink to skate, met at Chick-Fil-A for lunch, played oodles of table hockey and then BB-Qed. It was rainy and chilly so Patrick built a fire in our kiva which Thomas always loves. The highlight of the day for T was having our neighbors Patrick and Mary Sarah (who are super sweet) over for some cake after dinner. When they left Thomas promptly said "I love Mary Saywaa". And he does. And it is really really cute. It was a great day celebrating his sweet life.

Golf cart ride with the Ivers

Showing Henry how to turn on the ball thrower.

Acting like the boys on the Sandlot.

Jolly man

2009-01-30T20:37:00.003-07:00

Henry is like this most of the time. Now, if I could just get his siblings to behave....

Kathryn

2008-11-25T21:52:00.004-07:00

Patrick's sister, Kathryn, has nine kids. Yes, you read that right. Nine. I am amazed at her life. She is lovely, cheerful, gifted, and so fun. They are leaving to visit her husband's family for Thanksgiving and in preparation she wrote this.
Can you even imagine packing for 11 people?

I love you sweet Sophie

2008-11-15T21:12:00.004-07:00

We celebrated Sophie's 5th birhtday on friday. She's been looking forward to being 5 for MONTHS and frequently prefaced things with "when I'm 5..." As an added bonus to her new age, she awoke to the first snow of the season.

Her favorite presents:
Harmonica
Razor Scooter
Super cheesy light up Sleeping Beauty doll.

Fishing

2008-09-27T21:02:00.007-06:00

There's a little pond just down the street from our house that has an abundant supply of small blue gills. Patrick has been taking Sophie and Thomas there on the weekends to give me some quiet time. I walked down with Henry this evening to get in on some of the action after they had been down there for awhile. They caught at least 10 today with Sophie reeling in the fine whopper pictured below. We practice catch and release of course, for those of you concerned with the fishies' well being.

LuLu

2008-09-27T20:53:00.002-06:00

We love having my mom (aka "LuLu") close by. She is a source of constant love and laughter - plus, she has mad laundry folding skills. The kiddos adore her and I think it is pretty safe to say that she adores them. I seriously don't know what we would do without her. I took this photo a few days ago on her birthday - what a sweet memory of her and Henry.

Sophie's Influence

2008-09-26T21:32:00.002-06:00

This is what happens when Patrick is not home.

6 1/2 Weeks

2008-09-19T21:29:00.002-06:00

Henry

2008-08-08T12:10:00.004-06:00

Afternoon Tea

2008-07-18T19:05:00.003-06:00

One of Sophie's favorite things...

4th of July night at The Winsteads

2008-07-05T21:02:00.003-06:00

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T15:49:00.005-06:00

We started the morning off with a parade through our neighborhood - complete with a real firetruck and all. Sophie and I decorated the wagon - we didn't go "all out" like a lot of people in the parade, but hey, it was our first year doing it and I felt pretty good about even making it:) The parade started and ended at the pool and afterwards we all swam and indulged in Hot Dogs and Snowcones. This was our first neighborhood event, and it was a treat. Patrick is not so much a fan of swimming, but even he had a good time. Being in the pool is really the only thing that makes me feel like I'm not pregnant - not the getting to the pool and getting out of the pool and chasing a two year old around the pool - but time actually in the water is pure bliss. Plus, Sophie is quickly becoming a confident swimmer which makes me happy. It was also super fun having Patrick with us and he certainly lightened the load with Thomas. I love holidays.

Rest time this afternoon and then off to watch fireworks tonight with some friends. It has been a bittersweet day for me since my whole family is in Texas at a family reunion. We planned on going until my doctor advised me not to travel. The irritating braxton hicks have not let up and it they are really taking a toll on my body. Can't wait to have this baby! Anyways, I am missing seeing everyone and really wish we were there. So, here are some pictures of our day close to home...

Where did May go?

2008-06-08T13:50:00.011-06:00

Hmm, a lot happened in May. We got the exciting news that Patrick passed the Bar Exam with flying colors! The law firm he is now working for asked for him to start a few weeks earlier than expected, so we tried living it up as much as possible before his first day of work (last monday).
We celebrated Thomas' 2nd birthday on Memorial Day with family and a few friends. Patrick set up our tent in the back yard and we put his train set in it - ironically, the little girls mostly played with it while he was busy playing "backieball" - A lot of kids on our street have basketball hoops on their driveways so he has become obsessed with basketballs. We bought him a little one so he can play in our backyard and he's proven to be a darn good shot. Unfortunately our lab McKinnley also likes basketballs and has managed to puncture just about every one we leave outside.
I feel like I'm more pregnant than I actually am - at least I'm in the third trimester, but I am seriously wishing the summer to be over. Going to the pool is really a two man job. I'm not moving as quickly as usual so I have to be really careful with both of the kids swimming. Sophie is doing great and can swim independently. Thomas on the other hand likes RUNNING from the baby pool to the big pool and then back to the baby pool. This gets quite old. Last week after I had changed him into dry clothes, I was packing up our bag and before I could utter a word he had jumped into the baby pool. It was a very low moment for me and I started crying once we got to the car. Moving on.

A few pictures from the month that totally flew by...

Patrick's dad gave Thomas an old cigar box filled with treasures for his birthday - it contained a sack of marbles, a miniture horse, a sucrets tin, and keys to a 1950's Ford Fairlane. Patrick said it's like contraban for toddlers. We love it.

After his party the boys went to the park to play ball...

Mandy, a close friend of mine from high school recently moved to Denver. It has been super fun spending time with her and catching up - The last time we saw each other was 7 years ago a wedding shower for Patrick and I in Albuquerque. Can't believe our 10 year high school reunion is this summer...

Home

2008-04-29T22:36:00.002-06:00

Well, the move is complete. Not the unpacking, but the moving part at least - and it feels good to have that behind us! We got everything out of our old house today just in time to have it cleaned and ready for the renters to move in tomorrow. Our new house feels wonderful and I'm starting to accept the fact that there will be boxes left unpacked for months. Barb, if you know any good elves please send them my way! I definetely did not follow my doctors orders with the whole "moderate rest" thing, but now my body hurts enough that I'm forcing myself to not unpack constantly. The kiddos are loving their new house and especially the backyard. Thomas has found about 30 balls hidden in the landscaping and Sophie dug up a "hidden treasure" (play pirate coins) left by the little boy who lived here before us. Other than having to remove part of the banister up our stairs in order to get our wardrobe up, the move went pretty smooth.

A few Sophie quotes from the past few days...

"This is a great house, I'm really glad we moved in before somebody tried stealing it"

"I love our new house and I love Jesus"

We were preparing to go to a friend's dance recital last night when she said:
"I can't wait to go to Ruthie's recycling" - I had been talking on the phone earlier with the trash company about setting up our recycling, so I think thats were she got a little confused:)

Way to late for me to still be awake. Love and hugs....

Moving and the Babe

2008-04-23T21:44:00.003-06:00

We move this Saturday. Yikes. I'm excited, sad, overwhelmed, and tired! Had my 20 week ultrasound done on Monday. Baby looks great and we found out what we are having a...

Bummer though is that I have Placenta Previa (a low lying placenta) and I'm having frequent uterine contractions. I had the contractions starting at 18 weeks with Thomas but didn't have the Placenta Previa. So, I've been put on "moderate rest" meaning no excercise, no lifting, no constant activity, and the list goes on. Hmmm, I'm pretty sure the boxes are not going to pack themselves nor are Sophie and Thomas going to sit still all day! We have lots of help on moving day, but in terms of packing I'm getting a bit nervous that even if I stayed up for the next 48 hours things would still not be totally packed up. We would greatly appreciate your prayers this week and weekend!

Tangelos

2008-04-16T14:01:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Michelle I've had a hankering for Minneolas. Fortunately for me, they were on sale yesterday at our local market for 10 lbs for 10 dollars. No, I did not buy ten dollars worth - but almost:) They are soooo yummy!

2008-04-11T21:14:00.008-06:00

Today was not the best day for me as a mother. I was distracted with phone calls and a what seemed like a million little things that had to be taken care of now. Sophie and Thomas were bored despite my many attempts to provide them with projects and offers of DVD's. They fed off my frustration/distraction and used it to try and get away with inappropriate behavior. I didn't give into their attempts of disobedience or whininess (for the most part), but my responses to them were less than loving. I was short and unjoyful. The house was (still is) a mess and my patience running thin. We had family movie night tonight which was fun and relaxing but even that felt rushed. The Avs are in the NHL playoffs, so we hurried through dinner to start the movie in order to be able to watch most of the game after the movie and bedtime routines. (This isn't flowing quite as well as I'd like, but again, just one of those days!) I'm sure we all have those days because lets face it, we are fallen, but for some reason I really felt alone today and certainly felt like a bad mom. Thank God his mercies are new every morning (and always). Today really could not have been a more "perfect" day to precede reading this on A Wise Woman Builds her Home.

p.s.
I also enjoyed the author's strategy for spring cleaning in one of her more recent posts.

Childhood

2008-04-09T07:37:00.005-06:00

I walked outside fairly early this morning to get the newspaper and the air smelled exactly as I remember while walking to elementry school during the spring in Austin, TX. The air in Colorado pretty much never smells humid like it did this morning - it was a really odd moment considering that last night I dreamt about my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Chandler. Strange, but kind of fun:)
We close on our new house today and I'm starting to feel a little nervous. We've been thinking about moving for awhile, but now that it is really happening reality is setting in that we will actually have to MOVE. While we have totally outgrown our house, I'm feeling a little sad at the thought of leaving the place where we've had two babies and made so many wonderful memories together.

The garden we built over several summers

Vail

2008-03-28T15:37:00.003-06:00

We headed over to Vail for lunch and ice skating on Tuesday. We had some wonderful German food at Pepi's and walked around town for a bit. Sophie and Gracie had fun being cute together but Thomas got a little bored with the whole afternoon. That is, until we found a candy shop:) I must admit the candy was more for me than the kiddos - I've had this wierd craving for Swedish Fish lately. I don't usually like candy in general, but during pregnancy all bets are off.

We are still not fully unpacked from the trip - I'm almost caught up on laundry, but all of the other various things one must bring on vacation with children are yet to be put in their proper places. Arggghh. It was still worth it though!

On Holiday

2008-03-28T14:38:00.003-06:00

Our first official "time off" since the end of law school/Bar exam. After church on Easter Sunday we headed up to the mountains for a little bit of skiing. We stayed in Arrowhead just west of Beaver Creek - it such a fantastic week that nobody wanted to come home. Sophie went to ski school for the first time - she did great, even though some boy stole her gloves. Patrick enjoyed a beautiful day of snowboarding with our friend Grace. I sadly did not partake but am hopeful for next season! My mom and Aunt Linda came out to watch the hillarious ski school production. Thomas was chomping at the bit to get out there too - next year buddy.

He is Risen

2008-03-27T14:18:00.000-06:00

Wow, can't believe a month has passed since the last posting. Here are some pictures from Easter morning out at Fiddler's Green (our church has the service there every year). It was a beautiful day - chilly, but nice and sunny. They always have great goodie bags for the kids, which kept Thomas occupied with a candy necklace for half of the service. The other half was spent chasing him around. Sophie was so satisfied with her coloring book and cozy blanket that she hardly moved.

2.5 Hours and Counting

2008-02-27T13:58:00.005-07:00

Patrick has a few hours to go on the Bar. Yesterday consisted of essay questions and today is the mulitple choice section. He met numerous people taking the exam with him who had failed it last July. Lets hope that's not the case with him! Previously, I didn't think it was a big deal that it takes two months to get his results - but now, it's killing me! Regardless, we are having some friends over tonight for Indian food as sort of a pseudo celebration - can't wait!

I took Sophie to my 12 week appointment today - it was a fun little mother daughter outing and she was super excited to hear the baby's heartbeat. Then we went to lunch at noodles & Co. - which for the record is where she ALWAYS picks to have lunch when we go out. I love that she knows what she likes. My belly is already starting to pop out - guess my body is used to being pregnant this third time around. I'm thankful to have hit the 12 week mark. In addition to the heartbeat we also heard the baby kick, which was so amazing and reminded me just how much a baby develops in such a short period of time. How can one believe that life does not start at conception?

Now that you know

2008-02-24T10:24:00.003-07:00

So I didn't actually tell anyone that I had started a blog because I don't like commiting to things I'm not sure I can keep up with. But, since I left a comment on Byranie's blog and it allowed her to see I had a blog, which she so kindly linked, I guess I'm officially into it. So Byranie, this one is for you baby:) I promise I'll post again in my second trimester too...

These last few months have been a whirlwind. Patick Graduated in December right around the time I did my first post. He took two weeks off for Christmas and then started his Bar prep course January 2. He has pretty much taken off of work since he started the course, but I've actually seen him less since he has made studying his job. Graduation was totally anticlimactic since both of us knew the Bar Exam would prove to be more of a challenge than night school for 4 years. Finally, FINALLY, he is almost done! Today marks his last day of studying - he will take tomorrow off completely and then take the Bar all day Tuesday and Wednesday. We are both already feeling giddy about it all being over. It's kind of a bummer that he won't get his score until May, but he feels like he has prepared well and gosh darn it, were going to go ahead and celebrate! He has done a really amazing job of staying focused and making us feel special even though he's been super busy. I've arranged to spend the night out on Friday sans kids thanks to my mom. Sushi and a posh hotel downtown seems fitting for the occasion. Patrick is unaware of my plans, but I'm sure he will be okay with the arrangement:)

2007-12-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

Snow Day, Blog Day

2007-12-08T22:32:00.000-07:00

It really feels like winter today and I've been battling a severe case of cabin fever. Cold, cold weather and not enough snow to play in. So, in putting off a long list of Christmas "to do's" I've decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon. Nothing like a new project to get me going! No more excuses that I don't have time - okay, I really don't but I am prepared to start staying up past my bedtime. Or perhaps I'll get in the groove and manage to keep up with Sophie, Thomas, and well, our house while sharing some thoughts along the way. Ah, but where to start? I frequently think "oh, I could blog about that if I had a blog" - and now that I do (have a blog) I've got nothing. Like I said before - cold, cold day. Sophie and I did watch Little Women though, my favorite movie of all time:)