Bridal Shower

Let the wedding events begin!  Yesterday I had the privileged of hosting a bridal shower for my very soon to be sister-in-law, Erica.  My little brother, Justin, and Erica are getting married next month, February 27.  Justin asked Jeremy to be a groomsman, and they asked Nicole to be their flower girl.  So, the next month will be filled with wedding preparations and events.  I'll have some beautiful pictures to post in the next few weeks!

Yesterday however was all about Erica.  With the help of my mom, Valerie and a new friend, Crystal, we put together a rocking good time for Erica.  We had baked ziti, a salad that almost tasted like The Olive Garden, punch and a beautiful pink and brown cake.

We had fun playing games.  Let me share two with you.  The first game was called "The Candy Bar Game".  I had a plate filled with 13 candybars.  Examples are Mars, Whatchamacallit, kiss, bliss, nerds, payday, butterfinger, red hots, sugar babies, etc.  I broke everyone up into 5 groups of 3 and they had 5 minutes to write a poem about Justin and Erica using as many of the candy bars as possible.  The poems turned out really cute, I wish I had brought them home to share with you. 

Another game was a fun story my mom made up while making Erica act it out.  We put together a "honeymoon" bag with all the essentials. 

You know....my mom's flannel pajams for their wedding night

A dance outfit with MADD shorts (Mother's Against Drunk Driving)

An Ohio State outfit to show that Erica supports Justin's favorite team.  She even had to run around and yell "Go Buckeyes"

It was a good time for all. 

Casserole Carrier

I have been so excited to show you my latest sewing project.  I made Valerie a Casserole Carrier for her birthday.  My friend, Pam has one that was made for her, I think nearly 30 years ago, as a wedding gift.  I found the pattern online at this website.  However, I did make a few modification on my own :)

First, I purchased 1 yard of a double sided, pre quilted fabric.  Then, I simply followed the measuring instructions (note, the pattern states the inside flap needed to be 8 inches wide, mine actually needed  to by 10 inches.  I made a mistake in cutting, and almost had to buy more fabric...but I made it work)

The hardest thing for me was trying to finish the raw edges using a zig zag stitch.  My new friend Susan was trying to talk me through it via email, but I simply didn't get it.  Hopefully I'll get a lesson or two from her soon, and it'll make more sense.

This is the carrier when it's fully open. You place the dish in the center, fold up the "side flaps", in this picture it's actually the long flaps int he front and back of the photo. And then hold onto the handles to carry your casserole dish around.

Once I cut the hole for the handles, I thought....hmmm...surly I can do something with this cute little round shape.  I decided to stitch it on the top flat to be used as a spoon holder.  I thought reversing the fabric looked cute.

My other modification was creating a pocket under the dish for a hot pad to go in.  This will help keep the dish hotter for longer.  I'm honestly not sure how this will work.  I don't think the the fabric has enough fill in it to keep a dish warm for to long...but I could be wrong. 

You can see the hot pad I inserted here.

The other great thing is that this thing folds up practially flat.  You can jam it into the corner of your cabinet if need be, or maybe even lay it inside your dish to wait for it's next use.

I've asked Valerie for an honest review after a couple uses.  This was a really fun project to make.  I think I could do it under 2 hours next time.  I would love to make these as gifts for people....so you better watch out, this could be landing under a Christmas tree near you next year! haha

Dirt

My girls LOVE to play in the dirt.  Within moments of being outside, it seems one of them (usually Hannah) has a handfull of the grimy stuff!  Today we stepped outside for a while (mostly because I was out of ideas to do inside and I'm trying to keep the TV off today).  I had to feed Nathan, so they had to play on their own for a while, which of course, soon led them to the bag of dirt we have against the fence.  I wish I had this on film, because I am quite sure I won't be able to explain it, but they had me cracking up laughing.

Nicole & Hannah have a little push car type thing.  The seat on this car raises up (can you see the little slit for the handel in this picture?)

By the way, this picture is 6 months old...I just wanted to show you the car.

Anyway...Hannah and Nicole were running back and forth between the car and the bag of dirt, trying to fill up the seat, one handful at a time.  Finally, Hannah decided she was going to sit on the seat and push herself around.  She straddeled the seat and started to sit down.  Just before her little tooshy hit the seat, she looked over and saw Nicole running back over with a handful of dirt.  Hannah said, "oh" , stood up, lifted the seat, let Nicole drop the dirt, then put the seat down and started to sit again.  Just to look over and see Nicole running back over again, with another handful of dirt.  So, what does Hannah do?  She says "Oh", stands up, lifts the seat, let's Nicole drop the dirt, puts the seat down, starts to sit, looks over again.  Sees Nicole coming a third time and the circle continues.

"Oh"
Stand
Lift
Drop
Down
Sit
Look

"Oh"
Stand
Lift
Drop
Down
Sit
Look

You get the picture.  This went on for at least 5 minutes.  It was so funny to watch the same progression of events, over and over...and even funnier to hear Hannah say "Oh" each and every time.  She was genuinely surprised each time that Nicole had more dirt.  Her little voice is so very cute!

Life...

with 3 children 3 and under is...well, boring would definitely be the WRONG word! It's mostly crazy, exhausting, funny, stressful, entertaining, aggravating, fun, maddening, insane....the list could go on.

This post is mostly for me. Sometimes I write posts for friends or family...but this one is for me. To vent, to remember, to learn, to create as a memory. This blog has sort of become a giant memory book, and this post is written for that book.

I'm quite sure I experience the entire range of emotions, except grief, a person can experience, each and every day. I can't say that a day goes by that I'm not totally stressed out, or laughing hysterically, or frustrated, or angry, or goofy, or calm. I'm pretty much all of those things at some point every day. Some days I'm more stressed than calm or more goofy than angry.

Some thoughts I've had in the last 8 1/2 weeks...

~It's incredibly hard to potty train a toddler with an infant in the other hand. I think I've given up until Nate can at least sit on his own.
~I can only go one place in any given day, and it's best if I wait several days between venturing out of the house alone. What I mean is...if I don't make it to the grocery store over the weekend, I generally MUST go on Monday, and that is the only place I can go that day. And, I better not forget anything because that's the only time I'll make it to the store that week.
~Publix, again, is the best grocery store on the planet. Although I feel like I'm driving a semi-cart, their extra large cart with a bench for two bigger kids is perfect for pushing Nicole and Hannah while Nate is in the Moby Wrap.
~I love my Moby Wrap, even though I was ready to toss it in the wind (not really Teri) at first. That thing is incredibly comfy, Nate likes it, and it allows me to get a lot of work done, especially if I'm out and about. It is also funny because people freak out when they see just legs hanging from my belly.
~An infant's smile does make up for all the crying. I already knew this...but it's hard to remember it during that first month and a half. Now that Nathan is regularly smiling at me, it makes his fussy times bearable.
~I think a great age spacing of children is 3 years. I wish Hannah were a bit older. She's to young to be any help at all (especially to herself), but she thinks she's big enough to do things. It's just insane at times. I don't think I can totally explain.
~I'm totally counting down until I'm finished breastfeeding. I have been pregnant or nursing for 4 1/2 years, minus 2 months between Nicole and Hannah when I was neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. 44 more weeks left.
~I've been alone twice. Once was two weeks ago, I got to run errands while the babies slept were suppose to be sleeping. And last Thursday, when I was at the dentist for two hours getting a crown put on (not my head:-(  Next time I hope to be doing something more fun.

~Nicole is an incredible big sister. I love how she is so sweet to Nathan. I love when she calls him Nate.
~Hannah is a sweet big sister too. She is always concerned when Nathan doesn't have a paci in his mouth. And, she was the first to share her stickers with him today.
~I love that Nicole and Hannah are sharing a bed. It's so sweet to watch them bond and play together, even if they should be sleeping. Yesterday, at nap time, Hannah had her head on Nicole's belly, and Nicole was playing with Hannah's hair. They were talking. Today Nicole was playing "This little piggy" with Hannah and making her laugh hysterically when the last piggy went "wee wee wee all the way home". I hope when they are older, this time will help them to become sweet friends and that many memories are shared between them.
~Jeremy is an amazing husband and father. He has really "stepped up" to the plate in helping me out. I appreciate his willingness to help with dishes, or get the girls bathed and ready for bed if I am otherwise busy with Nathan. He is gracious when the house is cluttered with toys or when the bed still lays unmade.
~I thought by now we would be falling into a schedule or routine. Not so much. I still can barely get everyone fed, dressed and groomed before 10 am...myself included.
~I won't lie...there have been a few days so hectic that I saw Jeremy's van pull up and I dropped everything to go brush my teeth and my hair, for the first time that day.
~The girls have watched at least 3 times more TV in the past 2 months than I've ever let them watch. It's so tempting to just turn it on for a few hours, because Nicole won't move, and Hannah will be somewhat interested.  I try to save those times though for the morning I MUST get a shower and dry my hair to go somewhere that I need to look presentable. 

~My hopes of gardening with my girls and baby boy sitting in his chair have died. Our garden is fruit vegetable less, and the recent freezes killed whatever was still growing.
~I am less sure of my mothering now than when I had just one, or even two.
~I feel more judged now by how my children act than I ever have.
~My walk with God is so unsteady. I feel unworthy in so many ways, which both drives me to Him and away from Him. I guess it depends on the day which way I go. Some hard days I feel ashamed and as though I can't talk to Him, other hard days, I just want to cling to Him. I wish it were the latter more than the former.
~I love my family and am grateful that God has allowed me to have a loving husband and three healthy children. I realize I am blessed.
~My selfishness glares it's nasty face WAY more often than I'd like. Most of the time when I'm frustrated it's because something hasn't turned out MY way and I'm mad about it.
~Some days I wish I could move away and have my family all to myself. You know...like Little House on the Prairie (which we are almost finished reading aloud). I want to live in a little house on a lot of land that Jeremy maintains. He can come home for lunch every day and the children play outside in the trees and ponds with no distractions like tv or computer or phones.
~Other days I want to sit the kids down in front of those distractions...All Day Long
~I haven't really spent any time with or spoken with many friends in the past few weeks. I'm just to busy or wiped out when I have a minute. There are a few I email on a regular basis, and I'm thankful for them. But, my person to person contact has dwindled significantly. I think this will get better again in the next few months.
~ I wrote the above statement last week when I originally wrote this post.  Yesterday I happened upon a friend while we were both at Chic-Fil-A.  She was an answered prayer.  We sat and talked for an hour while the kids played in the play area.  It was so refreshing, and JUST what I needed.
~I really need to get my eyes check. I can't see my pastor's face at church, it's just a blury oval, or read the clock on the stove when I'm sitting at our table. But, I feel bad getting my eyes checked and ordering glasses because I've had them in the past and lost them. I'm terribly irresponsible when it comes to those things.
~I want to play more games with Nicole and read to her like I used to.
~I want to sit and hold and hug and rock Hannah more, like I used to. (Ha, I just wrote that one and she woke up crying. Instead of shushing her and making her lay down, I picked her up and did exactly what I wanted...I hugged and rocked her. She is so big. It seems like yesterday when I was rocking her to sleep every night with her little head on my chest.)
~I want to enjoy Nathan more as a baby, because he's already changing so fast.
~I really want to be a good wife and mother. It's one of my greatest desires.
~I wish Hannah didn't suck on a paci anymore, but I'm not up for that battle yet.
~I'm afraid I'm missing out on a lot teaching opportunities with Hannah because I'm so inconsistent right now. Mostly because my hands are usually full with Nathan and I can't deal with situations as quickly as I'd like.  Plus, Hannah is the Master of Distractions.  Seriously...this girl has you talking in circles until you've forgotten why your even trying to discipline her.  She's got it down!

~My other greatest desire is that my children know and love the Lord.
~There have been days I wanted to give up and let someone else raise my kids because I just didn't think I could do it anymore.  And then, there's other days that I don't want my children around anyone else except me and Jeremy. 

~I can't decide if I'm going to post this because I know there will be a few people who will choose to read this all the way through and have nasty judgmental thoughts about me. Even people who love me, and I'm having a hard time with that...you know....knowing that I haven't pleased somebody.  Because of that I've gone through and deleted a lot of my thoughts.

~I'm doing the best I can...even if that means just treading water for a few more weeks and accomplishing little on my to due list.
~I still like the idea of having children close together in age.
~I like the book of Proverbs and have been learning a lot from our pastor's series and from reading on my own. There's an incredible amount of wisdom there in parenting your children...why do I feel like I need others opinions?
~I want to let loose a little more and just have fun and be silly. I take life WAY to seriously.
~I hate running, but have enjoyed using the treadmill, once I turn it on anyway.
~I have eaten way to much chocolate and drank way to much Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb...but they have a calming effect on me. It's like a drug I think.
~When Nicole was born, Jeremy installed a camera in her room looking into the crib.  The camera displays on our TV.  Right now it's pointed at the girls in bed so we can yell at them to "lay down" or "stop hitting each other" from the living room.  I actually think it's really fun to just sit and watch them interact. 
~I often look at my children and wonder what they'll be like in 5 years or 10 years of 15 years.  I feel like I've got "glimpses" of what Nicole will look like when she's 15...it's a bit creepy sometimes.  I love to think about it though.  I don't have big dreams like "I want my son to be a professional baseball player, or my daughter to be a doctor"  I don't care much they do...I care more about what they become.  I dream more of them being kind and loving, compassionate and giving...Godly young people who love the Lord and love others. 

~My life is crazy, filled with wet and dirty undies and diapers, markers written on paper, hands, faces, walls and floors, play-doh...both molded and eaten, messes made and cleaned hours later, incredible amounts of spit up...projected on the floor, in my hair and on the couch, sticky hugs, wet kisses, silly routines that must be followed each night, a husband who loves me, and three children who keep me busy and on my toes. Really....I'm truly blessed.

This post is sponsored by the letter "N"

As in, Nate!

My friend Tanya made some adorable onsies and burp clothes for Nathan.  This is one set...aren't they cute?

Finally, a great picture of the three little (getting to be big) ones. 

Here is a mishmash of nice and silly pictures.

 

 

 

Little Hands

One of the best feelings in world just might be when little hands are gently stroking your face or hair with love.  I get that... times 3.  Things to remember when everything else seems crazy

A few questions

As I was doing chores today while the kiddos slept, I was thinking...as I often do. And I came up with a few questions I'd like to ask a few different people.

To Mrs. Duggar (mother of 18, going on 19 children)

1. We know what life is like now for you...but what was life like 15 or 16 years ago when you "only" had 3 or 4 kids, all very young. Now you have lots of older children that can help with tasks like cleaning, cooking, putting socks/clothes on little ones. How did you handle just having a few little ones? Were you as calm and organized then?

2. Again...16 or 17 years ago, how did you handle the emotional stress of having a handful of little ones. Did you have lots of other, adult helpers throughout the week, or did you do it on your own? How did you discipline them?

3. When your little ones were a bit older, maybe 12 or 13 years ago, how did you homeschool with school age children while also caring for newborns?

4. When your children were preschoolers, did you spend much time teaching them throughout the day, or did you just sort of do what needed to be done to keep life as in order as possible?

To an Amish mother...

1. How do you discipline your children?

2. Your children are always so quiet, calm and polite when a guest is over, how did you teach that? At what age did you expect them to be quiet and not interrupt?

3. How do you do everything you do all day without modern convenience? Tell me your routine and schedule so you can clean, wash, cook and garden.

To an average mother of  3 or 4 children...
1. What was your favorite time with you kids? When they were infants & toddlers? When they were in elementary school? When they were in middle or high school? (When they move out doesn't count! haha)

2. What advice would you have liked to have had when your children were younger.

3. Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

What other questions would you ask?  Who else would you like to ask questions to?

Good morning

I had a great start to my day. Got to sleep in until 7:30. Got the girls dressed and fed, man, I was on a role. So, I started cleaning up breakfast and unloaded the dishwasher....


....only to figure out after nearly all the dishes were put away, that my dishwasher was never turned on last night. Oops...Hope I found all the dirty ones in the cabinet and put them back in the dishwasher.

The weather, organizing and games

Like the rest of the country, it's been incredibly cold here. Well, that's changing today. This afternoon it is a beauitful sunny day with temperatures in the low 60s I believe. Perfect! Does anyone know of a place where the high is in the 60s and 70s at least 90% of the year? If so, I would like to move there. Thanks!

Anyway...last week, even Florida dipped into the freezing temperatures! Saturday was the worst day for me. It *might* have made it to 40, but I'm pretty sure it didn't get out of the 30s AND it was raining. A slow, nasty, cold, steady rain all day. I can handle one day of that, and then I'm ready for my sunshine. I have really enjoyed the cold temps, even the really really cold temps, mostly because the sun was still shining so there was a hint of warmth on your face. But, when there's no sun, it's no fun!

I also think it's hysterical to look around here when it's cold. Today I went to the grocery store. My car temp gauge said it was in the mid 40s, and people had on what looked to be snow books with fur and fringe all around and big heavy jackets. Seriously....within an hour of that temp reading, it was already in the mid 50s. I have lived here my whole life in the warmth, but I can't help but giggle at the people who bundle up like it's going to snow. I'm sure that lady I saw is sweating in her boots now.

I have loved wrapping myself in blankets (even when it's 80 out I like to do that. I've enjoyed having the windows open. I feel like the air is easier to breath when there's a little chill in it. I'm sure I would feel MUCH differently if I were in snow covered Ohio, or worse, North Dakota where I heard of temps (maybe it was wind chill, I don't know, in the negative 50s!)

I think I'm rambling and procrastinating from doing housework. Here is a picture of Jeremy scraping the ice off his van on day last week. We don't have an ice scraper, so he used a spatula from the kitchen.


Subject Change
If you watched the treadmill video, then you saw our garage. We just finished organizing it a few weeks ago. Over the past couple of months, we painted the floor and walls, built new shelves, organized all of Jeremy's items into drawers and simply worked really hard to get HIS space back in the order He likes it. I think it looks great too.



AND...here's a pic of the girls sporting their home made aprons. I love 'em.

Finally...here's a cut picture of the girls playing with a Christmas present. Nicole insists it's a tent and not a tunnel.

My cousin Colt

My cousin, Michael and his sweet wife Jyme Beth have 4 very adorable boys, Colt (almost 7), Judd (almost 5), Lane (3 1/2) and Jace (1). Colt was born with his hip out of socket, a problem which required surgery when he was a little baby and a body cast for 12 weeks. He is now almost 7yrs old (his birthday is the 16th) and a vibrant, growing and very strong little boy (who has had quite a rodeo carrier thus far. I'm not sure what all these events are, but he is first in the down & back and barrels and second in stick horse race and goat tail tye in his age category).

His parents just found out that he has to have another hip surgery because one of his growth plates was damaged during his first surgery. Now that Colt is growing up, this is causing a problem because one hip is growing faster than the other. Unfortunately, he has to have this surgery this Thursday...before his Rodeo season ends. He is very disappointed because he may not be able to finish his season the way he hopes to. He will not be able to have any physical activity for at least 6 wees (that's gonna be tough on Jyme Beth too!).

Anyway...I wrote this for two reasons....one-so you can be praying for him. His surgery is this Thursday morning and should last about 1 1/2 hours.
And 2...they would love to have cards sent to him while he recovers. So...if you'd like to send a little get well card to Colt, please contact me and I'll give you their address. It would cheer him up, because he is scared about the surgery and bummed about missing out on his favorite things for the next month and half. (Plus his birthday is on Saturday).

Thanks guys!