Chloe

Chloe has hit some milestones this week that I want to document. Like....
1) Crawling! Not full-on all over the place, but definite hands and knees action
getting where she wants to go.
2)Speaking! Starting to babble me me, ne ne, and da da!
3)Eating! We officially tried her on bananas and mashed potatoes (in very tiny
amounts), but she gagged and I don't think she's quite ready for flavor even though
she reaches for my plate or cup whenever there is one near. Unofficially, she has
tasted goldfish cracker, apple with nutella, a peanut, a ritz cracker, paper,
magazine, box, and my personal favorite, various and assorted floor crumbs of
unknown origin.
4)Sitting! For short amounts of time when propped up she can remain in a sitting
position for a little while.

It's really only a matter of time before my sweet baby girl grows into a big girl-- excitement and heartbreak are all mixed up together.

holiday and other happenings

Big stuff going on around here these weeks. Christmas was wonderful and I really enjoyed every gathering we went to. I really enjoyed being with my and Nathan's family. I really feel like this was our last commercial Christmas, since that's the way we are shifting, but it was very fun and the kids had a blast and I loved watching them enjoy it. New Year's at Nathan's sister's house was fun too.

This week we decided to go as organic as possible to see if we can afford it. We wanted to see how much we would actually spend if we eat healthful meals at home instead of semi healthful at home and going out to eat several times.

Also, we joined a gym this week!!! I am so excited! It's a little further away than I had hoped, but the ones that were close were outrageously expensive comparatively, and not nearly as nice. We joined Urban Active Fitness, and it has a pool for Nathan, a room full of equipment to use while watching a movie, LOTS of other equipment, a whole floor of weights (which I will never use) an indoor track and best of all a child care center where I can take all 4 kids to play and exercise while I do. Not only can I take them, I can afford to take them. I don't think I can afford not to! Nathan and I could even go on a date there. Put the kids in the kids room and go for a walk together on the track, or race in the pool, or even just read a book while I bike (like this other girl was doing last night:) or take a shower. There is also a mini-gym inside the ladies locker room in case I don't want to work out in front of men. This is so exciting for me!

Since we are eating healthfully this week we go to shop at whole foods (yay!) and I was wearing Chloe in the moby and she was wearing her super cute crocheted hat that I made her and I was approached by a lady who is opening a kids clothing store to see if I would consider selling them!! I am so excited. It would be nice to make some money from a craft! Especially one that I enjoy :)

My birthday is next week, and I'm not sure what we're doing yet, but I think we're going out with Jamie and Josh Pike since her birthday is one day before mine. Here I come 26!

Nathan posted iso of a church on freecycle and we got some responses, and there is even one church we are going to try! Cross your fingers eyes and toes that this is the one cause I'm tired of searching. It should not be this hard to find a church that we like! There is not one church in H-burg that we like well enough to consider, so we'll still be driving a ways, but at least it will be less than one hour and 10 minutes to our old church.

Alright I'm sure that's enough information about my everyday life for now. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Birthday!

PS I am a total nerd and read all 4 twilight books, and I. loved. them. In case you haven't heard (ha!) they're great :)

home again, home again

We're back from our mini-break and it was wonderful! We had such a great time and just relaxed. We read, went to the movies (that's a rarity!), shopped, ate, and we got to swim for the first time in a really long time.

Nathan is going on a business trip next week for four days, and I'll be home by myself with the kids. We have never been apart for more than 24 hours, so I'm a little anxious. Plus he's going to Boston, so if there is a blizzard, well, I just will try not to think about that. I will also be responsible for the cows for the first time. We'll have to get him packed up and ready to go. We also have another Christmas celebration this weekend, so it'll be busy busy here for a couple of days.

Also, hopefully I'll be getting a haircut! I'll let you know if it changes color :)

gettin' the heck outta dodge

Packing, cleaning, and planning for our vacation this week! Three days and two nights of fun, reading, crafting, sleep, and shopping! I can't wait! I got snacks and drinks at the grocery store last night and started packing the kids bags. Right now Nathan is at a foreclosure auction hoping to score some cheap land right across the street from our property. I had a dream that we got it for $500 dollars last night! Hoping that was a premonition :) I'll let you know if we get it or not.

Thrifty Finds

I found some 100% lambswool yarn at goodwill--a gallon size freezer bag full-- for $1.50... Are you as astonished as me! And it is a pretty brown with some other specks of color thrown in! It does smell a little like old people, but I'm willing to work with that. Any tips on washing wool? I love thrifting. I also found 3 books and 4 orange place mats that are going to become a tote I think. I'm going to go to a different goodwill today:)

Update on the gym--not cheap. I would almost consider it false advertisement, so I will be looking around for a good deal. Sometimes the wellness center in Danville runs a special after new year's.

Hoping your advent season is wonderful!

and so it begins...

Well, Christmas celebrations begin this weekend with an annual pot luck/family reunion of sorts hosted by 2 of Nathan's great aunts who are just super ladies. After that one there will be at least 5 more Christmas celebrations. I'm getting nervous that I am not going to get all my crafting done in time for Christmas. I'm pretty sure of it in fact, but...

Next week Nathan has the whole week off! We are going to take a couple of days to disappear and have some fun without the kids. Of course, we'll take Chloe so she can eat, but the others will go have some fun with grandparents or other relatives (not exactly sure which ones yet:) I think we're going to the Gatlinburg area, so if you have accommodation suggestions, please leave me a comment. Maybe I'll get some crafting done while relaxing in Tennessee.

Enjoy your weekend!

Disconnect...

Lately I'm becoming more and more aware of the disconnect between the way things are and the way I want and need them to be.

I want to be this on fire for God Christian showing Christ's love literally with every breath and word. I am failing miserably to do that and even struggling to spend time in prayer. Struggling with myself as we search for a church to know exactly what I believe, and to know that the kind of church I'm comfortable in may not be the kind of church i should be in. And, honestly, just struggling to understand why I believe what I believe.

I want to eat sustainably and responsibly but there is a struggle with actually cooking that way and affording to cook that way and spending my time that way. I know this will come with time especially once we're all moved out to the farm and raising almost all our meat, fruit, vegetables, and grains, but it very frustrating to want one thing in my head and another in my mouth. I'm not gonna lie, I could eat a whole box of hostess cupcakes if I had to :)

I want my house to be clean or at least moderately straight most of the time. I am not talking immaculate, I would just like to not have to freak out if company is on the way in 20 minutes. Housekeeping is a struggle for me and always has been. Growing up I always said I would have a maid. Ha!

I want to be a normal weight and I'm not. I want to eat healthier and exercise more (it wouldn't take much to be more!) in order to lose some of the 4 babies in 4 1/4 years weight I have put on. I think I am actually joining a (very cheap) gym tonight. I'll let you know how that goes.

As disconnected as I am feeling right now, it is a very happy time in our family right now. Nathan and I are getting along famously and the kids are growing and amazing. I guess this is the way it is in this life, ever striving...