because we're crazy...

We are moving next weekend...I'm am just getting going with my packing and we somehow have to pick carpet and wall colors and hardwood floor stain, too.  We weren't planning to move, and we had just decided that we would be in our house for at least a few more years.  That was 2 months ago.  Then, one Sunday afternoon, the kids woke up early from their naps and we randomly went to an open house.  We go to a lot of open houses just for entertainment (because we're weird, I know), so it was not that unusual.  But, this one was different...it is a major fixer upper (which we wanted), in a good school district, and had a huge yard.  I kept thinking about it the whole next week (and bugging HJ about it), and we went back to take a look with a realtor.  Fast forward a  few weeks, and we have sold our current house (in a week!!), and we're closing on the new house tomorrow.

HJ and I really like to renovate houses together...I guess it's become kind of a hobby, so we are looking forward to fixing up this new house.  Currently, the entire interior (including the kitchen cabinets) is blue!  But, I am also sad to leave the house we are in.  We moved here when W was just 10 months old, and it has been such a good house for us.  I know houses are just material possessions like anything else, but this one has so many good (and tiring, stressful, crazy) memories.  We brought both the girls home from the hospital to this house and we have really grown up some much ourselves here.

So, enough of the talk....here are some before and afters from our current house. The befores are the top picture in each section:

Exterior

Living Room

Dining Room:

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Nursery

Kids' Bathroom

Hallway (no before shot)...we recently painted the whole thing with dark teal chalkboard paint (when we were thinking we would be staying here for many more years and weren't worried about resale...haha...)

Big Kids Room (until W recently moved upstairs to avoid being woken up early in the morning:)

Kitchen (no before's)...we didn't do much to this room because it had just been renovated before we moved in.  We just painted the walls white...so picture the before as this with beige walls.  Basically, a sea of beige.  If we were staying here, I would have liked to eventually change things up, but I guess I'll save my kitchen renovating ideas for the next house.

Upstairs (the previous owners painted this whole room, including the ceiling, beige before we moved in...wish they had left it white.  This room was next on our list to redo before we decided to move). We did put central heat and air up here so it was much more comfortable at least.

That's it...we're going to miss this sweet house, but we're excited for a new adventure!

#survivaltips

Here's another post on how we get things done around here.  Just to clarify, this is not parenting advice...just tips on how we make it through the day with 3 small kiddos.  Some day I'll look back at these posts and laugh at the fact that just walking across the street was a difficult feat.  You can find my first #survivaltips post here (on how to cook a meal with no boiling water, no knives, no handwashing while wearing a baby in an ergo...fun times).  Today's topic is, as mentioned above, crossing the street.  Or the parking lot.  Really, just getting in and out of places in general.  I know this seems trivial, but the most stressful part of my day is often getting in and out of the car and in and out of school/church/stores, etc.  Here are some things that make the process smoother for me:

1. Giving the kids specific directions before we get out of the car always makes things go better.   For example, if we are just running into target to grab toilet paper, this needs to be explained before we walk past the princess toys and the legos or there will be a melt down.

2. Giving them something to do works better than telling them not to run out or to wait for me.  Everyday while I get E out of her car seat, I tell the other two, "Backs to the wheel".  This means for them to turn around with their backs touching the car.  It helps them focus on something instead of thinking about how much they want to run away.  I may or may not have a "backs to the wheel" song to the tune of "everybody move to the back of the bus".  Outkast.  I'm cool like that.

3. Practicing when I know it's not dangerous also helps.  If I absolutely know there are no cars in the parking lot and no cars coming, I will let them practice crossing the road and walking without holding hands.  This is mostly for H right now because W doesn't usually hold my hand in the school or church parking lot (because I only have 2 hands). If we go to a store with a busy parking lot, I try to get a cart before I get them out of the car or have W hold H's other hand.

4.  Sometimes getting everyone in their carseat is just a free for all.  Teaching them to buckle their top buckles has helped, but one of them will still often hop in the front or lie in the floor board...it's definitely a work in progress, especially when it's 5:00 and everyone's hungry and tired, including me.  The concept that hurrying into the carseats will make supper come faster has not sunk in yet.

All these little things remind me of how far they have come.  Even tackling these little obstacles is a victory, but sometimes it's hard to remember to celebrate one child learning to buckle a seat belt when another is currently beeping the horn or eating cheerios out of the depths of the carseat.  I'm trying to notice when they get better at things and encourage them in even these little victories.

more reading and watching

Here are a few things I've been reading lately:

A Christian commentary on "The Overprotected Kid"

TIHIF (every Friday)...you're welcome.

Love this series by Andrew Peterson!! The fourth book should come out sometime this year (I think?), so now would be a good time to read the first 3! HJ just finished reading the first one to W, and he loved it.  He keeps making comments about Fangs and Janner like everyone knows who they are.  And, if you haven't ever listened to Andrew Peterson's music, it is wonderful.  You will listen the first time through and think, hmmm, that was good.  Then, you will listen again and really hear the words and think, wow, that's really good.  And, each time you listen you'll catch another reference to a book or scripture until you are just amazed by his writing.

Stop it!


Happy weekend!

another birthday

 This girl also had a recent birthday.  Can you believe she is one?  This year has flown, but it has been a good one.  E is such a sweet girl.  Since becoming mobile, she is into everything.  She just started walking this past week.  She is especially fond of breaking into the pantry and finding food, trying to eat her siblings' markers, and splashing in the toilet.  In other words, she keeps me on my toes.  

Here comes my documentation so I won't forget these things.  Feel free to skip to the pictures:

She is saying mama, dada, haza (hazel), "eat it" (to all foods), that, bye-bye, and I feel like a few more that I can't think of right now. She waves and gives the sweetest kisses ("mmmmm-ma").  She sleeps like a champ (like she has since she was five weeks old) and eats more than W and H combined.  She is such a happy, busy little lady.  She is starting to play more with the big kids, or at least she tries to be in their business all the time.  We are so thankful she is a part of our family!  We love you, sweet girl!

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a few things I've read and watched this week:

beautiful video on foster care...
ReMoved from HESCHLE on Vimeo.


#lololololol...





thought provoking article on childhood play (definitely not from a christian perspective, but still interesting)...
The Overprotected Kid

Have a great weekend!

two months later...

I got a little behind on posting for W's birthday, but here we go.  W turned FIVE in January.  I can't believe it.  The past five years have flown by.  Our little family has grown and changed so much, and so have we as parents!  More on than below, but first a little about the birthday boy.

This year has been a big one for him.  He has really become so independent (which gives me hope that we won't always be in the toddler stage).  He loves to listen to chapter books, draw characters to cut out and play with, build with legos, and dress up.  He is a serious guy and asks about a thousand questions a day.  He has a true sense of fairness and compassion for people that we are starting to see.  I know God will use him in big ways!  He loves his sisters fiercely, and he and H are the best of buddies (which is great except when we are trying to get them to go to sleep in the same room #impossible).

Getting his clues for his scavenger hunt on his birthday...it lead to his new lego table (which was previously his train table).  He loves all scavenger hunts, maps, adventures, etc.

Realistic view of what your birthday party looks like when you're the oldest of 6 cousins

Blowing out the candles of our cake (I had a birthday, too, but I won't mention my age).

Attempted family shot...no kids looking at the camera.  Nice job.

Birthday morning...a little help from baby sis

I think each time your oldest has a birthday, it makes you look back over however many years you have been a parent.  I can't believe I have been a mom for five years, and I also can't remember a time when I didn't have all these littles running around.  Parenthood can be tough, but it is also so wonderful.  If I have learned/am learning anything over the last five years, it is not to judge.  Having three kids is teaching me that every kid at every stage is so different.  What was difficult with one may be a breeze with another.  One may sleep through the night/nurse/potty train/give up the paci/obey/share so easily, so you think it was you that did it so successfully, and then you try the same thing on the next child and fail.  There are so many times that I wish I had encouraged a new mom, instead of just advising.  We are all trying hard, and my kids are teaching me so much about grace toward others and myself.

For the last five years, I've been stumbling through and learning to be a parent.  But you know what?  W loves me unconditionally.  He extends forgiveness every time I mess up.  When I lose my temper, when I'm impatient, when I am tired of answering five-year-old questions, he loves me.  God is teaching me about grace through his sweet five-year-old heart.  I want to love as freely as him.

Happy Birthday, to the one who made me a mama!  You are so very loved!

part time

I'm thankful to be home with these girls a lot more now that I'm working part time.  W is in JK, so he goes to school even when I'm off.  It is definitely an adjustment, and some days I feel like I'm trying to work 2 full time jobs instead of being part time.  It is such a different pace after being in such a goal-oriented situation (med school and residency) for so long.  It is hard for me to not measure the success of each day by what I accomplished.  It is hard for me when the house is messier and there's more laundry at the end of each day than when I started, but I am praying that God is accomplishing his work in these little hearts (and mine as well).  

princess dominos: 

feeding her babe while I feed mine (please ignore the mess:)

baby e...turning one next month!

Happy Friday!

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

#survivaltips

I was thinking that if I do keep blogging, I want to add in a few things that help us get through the week.  I'm sure this never happens to anyone else, but there are days when it is nearing six o'clock, there are multiple bigger children whining and a baby crying, and something has to be done about dinner.  Before kids, I either cooked or we went out.  We didn't really eat dinners at home that weren't "cooked".  Now, sometimes I have to throw something together that previously wouldn't qualify as a home cooked meal, and that is ok.  You have do to what you can to do to survive some days.

So, here is a meal you can make in ten minutes even if you have a baby in an ergo (no boiling or draining water, no dishes to hand wash, no opening the oven).  Boom.  Amazing...and the kids will love it.

Microwave (Kraft) Mac and Cheese:

-put the pasta in a microwave safe bowl (pyrex)

-barely cover the pasta with water

-put four slices of butter on top of pasta

-microwave on high for 6 minutes

-add the cheese and a little milk (I don't measure)

-stir

While the M&C is cooking, I cut up whatever fruit we have in the frig and put it on plates.  If we're out, applesauce or mandarin oranges.  If we're out of that, sorry kids, we'll be healthy another day.  Then, I put hot dogs in buns and roll them each in a paper towel.  Microwave on high for 20 sec per hotdog.  I try to get the whole wheat buns and pasta to be a little healthier. Sometimes.  Also, my biggest OCD tendency is that I am terrified of choking, so I cut all the kids hot dogs up.  I even still cut W's in half lengthwise.  HJ thinks I'm nuts, but oh well.

here we go...

I'm not sure if there's anyone out there who will read this, but here we go.  2013 was a wild year, and I fell off the blogging wagon.  I keep going back and forth about continuing this blog or not.  I like looking back and seeing how things have changed and remembering things that would otherwise be forgotten.  So, I'm just going to try it out again and see how it goes.

Last year, I turned 30.  We had baby number three, I finished residency, studied for boards and took them (and passed, hallelujah!), HJ started a new job (same company), and I started a new job.  It was insane.  We are insane.  But, I am looking forward to 2014 as having fewer "new's" and more "same's".  

Here are a few other recent happenings:

H turned three! I can't believe it.  She is so full of life, spunky, and independent.  She loves all things princess and ballerina, and I am getting educated on the girly side of things.  She prefers to sleep in a tutu, too.

And E is now 10 months.  You would think that a third child would bring more chaos to your life, but she has brought only more joy!  She has been the easiest, happiest baby...such a blessing in a crazy year when I needed sleep to study for boards, and God just provided more than I could ever deserve or imagine.  She tries hard to keep up with her older siblings.  She loves to eat and be in the middle of any action that is happening.

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 W has gotten so big lately.  He is a serious guy, just like HJ.  He loves to read chapter books, build legos, and most of all dress up.  If we are at home, he is in costume...his new favorites are Max Steel, the Flash, and Triton (Ariel's dad in the Little Mermaid).  He will be 5 this month!

That's all for now...Happy New Year to anyone reading this:)