All are excited in the little yellow house tonight...we have family coming to visit this weekend. I pretty much always miss my family and sometimes feel like we are in the middle of nowhere. So far from the truth. Abbey and Paul (sister and hubbie) arrive tomorrow afternoon. It has been over a year since we have seen them. And my parents and brother arrive Sunday! It has only been seven months since we have seen them.
My husband and I had this LONG to do list that we wanted to accomplish before everyone arrived. But ya know...we got most of it accomplished. :) Then again my Dad, who tends to fix anything broken in our home will be here so maybe we will be able to use our front door by the end of the visit. Yeh, the key broke in the dead bolt while it was locked. It may be an easy fix we have not tried yet. The new dead bolt is sitting on the shelf waiting for its turn. We were climbing in and out of the front window but thought that was a little too obvious. We are ridiculous, but Ellie thought it was great. :)
Needless to say we are happy, thankful, and excited. We are also praying for good health all around. :) Have a great night enjoying YOUR family!
~This is super random, if you want to see a cool leopard seal video click here. We did not know they were SO huge. ~
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
One Year Anniversary
One year ago today we got up early, went to this building, sat around in a waiting room, practiced our signatures what felt like a hundred times and the end result...we closed on our Little Yellow House! One year and one baby more we are still loving it so much.
House Description~ It was built in 1910, high ceilings, old beautiful doors and knobs, three bedrooms and one bath. The upstairs is fun with two bunker windows, one of the bedrooms and enough room for a sitting area and our great computer/sewing table that a good friend made us. A cute (messy right now) little mudroom that leads out to small deck. Beautiful hardwood floors that I am sure we will scratch up in no time. A one car detached garage. A moderate country kitchen, meaning, our table and chairs are in there. We love this house, and know we do not deserve it.
God amazed us when He gave us this home. For many reasons: like most we had a limited price range (we looked at some homes that were so disgusting inside we did not make it past the front door), this one had ALL the updates for an old house, electrical, central heat and air AND it was beautiful inside, the price had just been reduced, and location wise it is exactly where we wanted to be. We made an offer (which was significantly lower than the already reduced price) and naturally they did not accept it. But we didn't budge, we walked away, a little sad but hopeful God would bring us something else. Three days later they called our realtor to say they changed their minds and will accept our offer! I cried. At the time we were living in this old 1917 farmhouse with NO central heat or air. We did have a wood burning stove that I miss (my husband doesn't --- he was the fire starter :) --- We moved into this house looking at it as an experiment "Is living in the country for us?" We really tried to make it work, my husband bought some laying chicks , because there was a hen house so why not. They loved him --- he would do this crazy whistle and they would flock all around him, there was one that would even sit on his arm! I had a vegetable garden that ended up only producing a lot of tomatoes and cucumbers. The cucumbers took over and killed all the other stuff I really wanted. I ate cucumber sandwiches almost everyday that summer, I don't like cucumbers (lesson: do not grow things you do not want to eat). Now, we went to FLA for a visit, came home to chicken body parts all over the place. Yeh, gross. We had someone taking care of them, but these things (chicken massacres) just happen. Also, there was a wasps problem upstairs (where our bedrooms were) I did not handle this well. Wasps out here are different than in FLA they are big, red, and awful looking. I know there is some movie out there about city folk moving to the country, well we should have been the cast for it. Conclusion...we are city folk and that is ok.
God has given us a gift and we hope to be good stewards of it. And we hope to fill it with happy, creative, God's glory reflecting kiddos!
Ellie and I enjoying sidewalk chalk on the front porch, we did this about everyday. :)
This is to the left of the porch, Ellie and I planted some herbs, two sweet pepper plants, and two tomato plants. She had a blast picking the produce. My dream is to make our entire front yard a veggie garden, it would be more than our small family could handle but it would be nice to bless our neighbors with. But that is one day down the road...we will get there!
These are some Zinnias and Sunflowers Ellie and I planted from seeds. They did so well and we enjoyed them all summer long.
This is one side of the living room, just so you get a feel of what it looks like inside. Miss Ellie reading Better Homes and Garden, so cute!
House Description~ It was built in 1910, high ceilings, old beautiful doors and knobs, three bedrooms and one bath. The upstairs is fun with two bunker windows, one of the bedrooms and enough room for a sitting area and our great computer/sewing table that a good friend made us. A cute (messy right now) little mudroom that leads out to small deck. Beautiful hardwood floors that I am sure we will scratch up in no time. A one car detached garage. A moderate country kitchen, meaning, our table and chairs are in there. We love this house, and know we do not deserve it.
God amazed us when He gave us this home. For many reasons: like most we had a limited price range (we looked at some homes that were so disgusting inside we did not make it past the front door), this one had ALL the updates for an old house, electrical, central heat and air AND it was beautiful inside, the price had just been reduced, and location wise it is exactly where we wanted to be. We made an offer (which was significantly lower than the already reduced price) and naturally they did not accept it. But we didn't budge, we walked away, a little sad but hopeful God would bring us something else. Three days later they called our realtor to say they changed their minds and will accept our offer! I cried. At the time we were living in this old 1917 farmhouse with NO central heat or air. We did have a wood burning stove that I miss (my husband doesn't --- he was the fire starter :) --- We moved into this house looking at it as an experiment "Is living in the country for us?" We really tried to make it work, my husband bought some laying chicks , because there was a hen house so why not. They loved him --- he would do this crazy whistle and they would flock all around him, there was one that would even sit on his arm! I had a vegetable garden that ended up only producing a lot of tomatoes and cucumbers. The cucumbers took over and killed all the other stuff I really wanted. I ate cucumber sandwiches almost everyday that summer, I don't like cucumbers (lesson: do not grow things you do not want to eat). Now, we went to FLA for a visit, came home to chicken body parts all over the place. Yeh, gross. We had someone taking care of them, but these things (chicken massacres) just happen. Also, there was a wasps problem upstairs (where our bedrooms were) I did not handle this well. Wasps out here are different than in FLA they are big, red, and awful looking. I know there is some movie out there about city folk moving to the country, well we should have been the cast for it. Conclusion...we are city folk and that is ok.
God has given us a gift and we hope to be good stewards of it. And we hope to fill it with happy, creative, God's glory reflecting kiddos!
Ellie and I enjoying sidewalk chalk on the front porch, we did this about everyday. :)
This is to the left of the porch, Ellie and I planted some herbs, two sweet pepper plants, and two tomato plants. She had a blast picking the produce. My dream is to make our entire front yard a veggie garden, it would be more than our small family could handle but it would be nice to bless our neighbors with. But that is one day down the road...we will get there!
These are some Zinnias and Sunflowers Ellie and I planted from seeds. They did so well and we enjoyed them all summer long.
This is one side of the living room, just so you get a feel of what it looks like inside. Miss Ellie reading Better Homes and Garden, so cute!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Package Delivery!
Ellie's Kitchen came in the mail! This is her big Christmas present. Other than her stocking stuffers this is all Clay and I got her. Click here to look @ it.
Why did we pick this one over all the others out there?
~neutral colors
~comes with all the accessories
~wooden as opposed to plastic, it just looks better!
~FREE shipping!
~It is simple, some of the kitchens now are like the size of a small apartment kitchen :)
Thank you to the family members that pitched in, the Pearlsteins are going to have a lot of fun playing restaurant!
Why did we pick this one over all the others out there?
~neutral colors
~comes with all the accessories
~wooden as opposed to plastic, it just looks better!
~FREE shipping!
~It is simple, some of the kitchens now are like the size of a small apartment kitchen :)
Thank you to the family members that pitched in, the Pearlsteins are going to have a lot of fun playing restaurant!
Brrrrr....
It is 8 degrees right now outside, I am looking forward to the high of 31 degrees. Praising God for a home and heat, and a little girl that loves to cut paper while I cut snow flakes to put on her windows. Which she thinks look amazing, it is fun crafting with her. Hoping you are enjoying Christ and His blessings, freezing though it may be today!
And, a BIG thanks to our friend Bryan Buie who fixed my blog last night (from his home in Michigan) --- thank you so much!
And, a BIG thanks to our friend Bryan Buie who fixed my blog last night (from his home in Michigan) --- thank you so much!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Government Song
I know, three posts in one day...but this song brought tears to our eyes and needs to be shared. :)
Click here to watch it.
Click here to watch it.
~Confession~
I have to confess something in order to tell a funny story. We have a mouse problem. Yes, I know, disgusting. It is not bad, we kill one here or there and then some time goes by and it starts over again. We had not seen any "evidence" lately so we thought we were good until the other night I was in the kitchen getting a snack :) and there he was. I HATE them. I am not scared of them anymore, I just think they are disgusting.
We have had a lot of success with the sticky traps. So, last night around 3 am or so I hear all this commotion in the kitchen. I was soooo happy! If you have ever had a mouse problem before you can relate to this weird joy of a small creature about to lose its life. So my wonderful, incredibly tired husband goes in there. Typically he gets a plastic bag throws the mouse that is stuck to the sticky trap in the bag and stomps it. If you know my husband this is not his nature. He is the type that could drink hot tea and read Lewis or Chesterton all day. But, like I said it is 3am and we want these things dead. Well...all of this did NOT happen. No, he goes in there and the mouse somehow got itself stuck under the oven, while still on the trap. All it sounded like was a war in the kitchen. A war between man and mouse. And...like someone was going to rip our oven to shreds. My husband gets the mouse, won the war, took him outside, washed his hands and came to bed. Where he proceeded to pick up where he left off, sleeping. I of course, am wide awake. "What happened???" He tells me...then he tells me he had to crush the mouse with his hand! He did not seem the least bit disturbed by this, I however felt nauseous. And afraid we were all going to die from gas poisoning because of how much he had to move the oven around, but he assured me we were not.
This morning my husband said, "I can't believe I crushed that mouse, it must have been because it was 3am." :)
Well, at dinner tonight my husband shared with our 2 1/2 year old little girl (who I might add is very sweet and girly) about his adventure last night. And the part I assumed he would leave out (the "hand crushing" part) he told her! And she said "yeh! And I killed him with my fork!" We started cracking up. Then my husband tried to get her to say, "meet your maker mouse." But she was done. So what does your family discuss over dinner, conversations here have been all over the map. That's all for now, Swiss Family is on so Mama is sneaking upstairs to wrap Christmas presents. Have a great night with your family!
We have had a lot of success with the sticky traps. So, last night around 3 am or so I hear all this commotion in the kitchen. I was soooo happy! If you have ever had a mouse problem before you can relate to this weird joy of a small creature about to lose its life. So my wonderful, incredibly tired husband goes in there. Typically he gets a plastic bag throws the mouse that is stuck to the sticky trap in the bag and stomps it. If you know my husband this is not his nature. He is the type that could drink hot tea and read Lewis or Chesterton all day. But, like I said it is 3am and we want these things dead. Well...all of this did NOT happen. No, he goes in there and the mouse somehow got itself stuck under the oven, while still on the trap. All it sounded like was a war in the kitchen. A war between man and mouse. And...like someone was going to rip our oven to shreds. My husband gets the mouse, won the war, took him outside, washed his hands and came to bed. Where he proceeded to pick up where he left off, sleeping. I of course, am wide awake. "What happened???" He tells me...then he tells me he had to crush the mouse with his hand! He did not seem the least bit disturbed by this, I however felt nauseous. And afraid we were all going to die from gas poisoning because of how much he had to move the oven around, but he assured me we were not.
This morning my husband said, "I can't believe I crushed that mouse, it must have been because it was 3am." :)
Well, at dinner tonight my husband shared with our 2 1/2 year old little girl (who I might add is very sweet and girly) about his adventure last night. And the part I assumed he would leave out (the "hand crushing" part) he told her! And she said "yeh! And I killed him with my fork!" We started cracking up. Then my husband tried to get her to say, "meet your maker mouse." But she was done. So what does your family discuss over dinner, conversations here have been all over the map. That's all for now, Swiss Family is on so Mama is sneaking upstairs to wrap Christmas presents. Have a great night with your family!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Be Fruitful from~ Nancy Wilson
I enjoy Nancy Wilson's blog a lot. Not only because she is older and wiser but because she can write on a controversial subject tactfully and gently. This post, in my opinion, is well put and worthy to be read and thought through. If you disagree ask yourself why, and for what reasons. You might find that your reason's for not having babies is selfish, but maybe not. God said children are a blessing (and they are!) but He never implied that His blessings do not come without hardwork and sacrifice. Actually, this really isn't what the article is about, just check it out.
blog help...
Does anyone know how I can shift my text to the right a bit? I really want to keep this background, but not if it is going to look like this. Thanks!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Frugality
Hi there! To the few that look @ my little blog I'm sorry it is has been so uninteresting and boring lately. :) I have a lot of blog ideas but need the help of my wonderful husband for the pictures. He has been super busy with photography lately, which I am praising and thanking God for!
This quick post is about small ways that we, the Pearlsteins, try to honor God through the money He blesses us with and make it last. Ways I try to be frugal...
1. Using cloth diapers...lately I have been burnt out on this, maybe I should hurry up and actually potty training Ellie. :) But this is a great way to serve and sacrifice for the benefit of my family's finances.
2. Make your own bread! I just started this a couple months ago. We have really enjoyed all this whole wheat goodness!! Today I ventured out and tried a new recipe...pesto swirl bread. It turned out well and will go along side the spinach quiche I made for dinner tonight. Which Elli calls egg pie, that works too. :)
3. Make your own laundry soap...sound weird? I thought so at first too. But it is super easy, super cheap, and smells good.
RECIPE~ 1 bar of ivory soap grated like cheese
1 C. borax powder
1 C. washing soda (NOT baking soda)
**borax and washing soda should be on your laundry detergent aisle, if not I know it is on Amazon**
~Use 2 Tablespoons per large load~
4. Shop on the clearance rack and Thrift stores for your clothes. I know some people do not enjoy the "hunt" but you might once you see how much you can save. And, some thrift stores will have sales, which I think is hilarious.
5. Ditch the cell phones!! Did I just write that?? We use Magic Jack for our phone. It is an internet phone so you have to have high speed dsl, which we pay $35 a month for. The Magic Jack is $70 for two years, unlimited local and long distance. That $70 is not per month, but for two years! I will say that my husband was not as inclined to dropping the cell phones, but was willing to give it a try which I am thankful for. He says now that it has not been that bad and is glad we did it.
6. Make a menu for your family's meals. Before I go grocery shopping I make a two week menu. I think this is fun and actually get excited about it. Why do I make it two weeks? Because a wise, older woman at our church was sharing with me that the less you are in the stores the less tempted you are to splurge on something. She is right! Now, I do have to make another little trip in between for more produce, but I usually do not make a splurge buy because I have a list and I do the envelope cash system (thanks Dave Ramsey!).
7. Eat breakfast for dinner one night a week. (It could be another inexpensive meal that your family would prefer over breakfast.)
8. Make your own breakfast foods. With my little helper Ellie we make this on Tuesday mornings when Athan is napping. We make granola, it is really yummy and so easy. You can find a number of recipes online. We also make quick breads, banana, pumpkin, or whatever you like and spread peanut butter over it. On the weekends I will try to make eggs or pancakes. Here is the pancake recipe we use. It takes pancakes to a whole new level, if there is such a thing.
9. Check most of your movies out @ the library. You might have to wait a few weeks but that will make it even more enjoyable.
10. Buy raw milk. Is this cheap? No. But it will benefit your health in the long run, which is really an investment.
I have only touched the tip of the ice burg when it comes to frugality. These were just to spark your imagination for your own family. I want to mention a few things before closing. Frugality will look different from family to family. What works for us may not work for you. Also, the cheapest way is not always the best way to live. If cloth diapers is too much for you and you find yourself snapping at your children, feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, then just stop. Peace and a happy Mama are more important. Maybe you could try again in a few months. There are many seasons in life, and some call for convenience.
There, I posted. I feel better. Have a great night!
This quick post is about small ways that we, the Pearlsteins, try to honor God through the money He blesses us with and make it last. Ways I try to be frugal...
1. Using cloth diapers...lately I have been burnt out on this, maybe I should hurry up and actually potty training Ellie. :) But this is a great way to serve and sacrifice for the benefit of my family's finances.
2. Make your own bread! I just started this a couple months ago. We have really enjoyed all this whole wheat goodness!! Today I ventured out and tried a new recipe...pesto swirl bread. It turned out well and will go along side the spinach quiche I made for dinner tonight. Which Elli calls egg pie, that works too. :)
3. Make your own laundry soap...sound weird? I thought so at first too. But it is super easy, super cheap, and smells good.
RECIPE~ 1 bar of ivory soap grated like cheese
1 C. borax powder
1 C. washing soda (NOT baking soda)
**borax and washing soda should be on your laundry detergent aisle, if not I know it is on Amazon**
~Use 2 Tablespoons per large load~
4. Shop on the clearance rack and Thrift stores for your clothes. I know some people do not enjoy the "hunt" but you might once you see how much you can save. And, some thrift stores will have sales, which I think is hilarious.
5. Ditch the cell phones!! Did I just write that?? We use Magic Jack for our phone. It is an internet phone so you have to have high speed dsl, which we pay $35 a month for. The Magic Jack is $70 for two years, unlimited local and long distance. That $70 is not per month, but for two years! I will say that my husband was not as inclined to dropping the cell phones, but was willing to give it a try which I am thankful for. He says now that it has not been that bad and is glad we did it.
6. Make a menu for your family's meals. Before I go grocery shopping I make a two week menu. I think this is fun and actually get excited about it. Why do I make it two weeks? Because a wise, older woman at our church was sharing with me that the less you are in the stores the less tempted you are to splurge on something. She is right! Now, I do have to make another little trip in between for more produce, but I usually do not make a splurge buy because I have a list and I do the envelope cash system (thanks Dave Ramsey!).
7. Eat breakfast for dinner one night a week. (It could be another inexpensive meal that your family would prefer over breakfast.)
8. Make your own breakfast foods. With my little helper Ellie we make this on Tuesday mornings when Athan is napping. We make granola, it is really yummy and so easy. You can find a number of recipes online. We also make quick breads, banana, pumpkin, or whatever you like and spread peanut butter over it. On the weekends I will try to make eggs or pancakes. Here is the pancake recipe we use. It takes pancakes to a whole new level, if there is such a thing.
9. Check most of your movies out @ the library. You might have to wait a few weeks but that will make it even more enjoyable.
10. Buy raw milk. Is this cheap? No. But it will benefit your health in the long run, which is really an investment.
I have only touched the tip of the ice burg when it comes to frugality. These were just to spark your imagination for your own family. I want to mention a few things before closing. Frugality will look different from family to family. What works for us may not work for you. Also, the cheapest way is not always the best way to live. If cloth diapers is too much for you and you find yourself snapping at your children, feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, then just stop. Peace and a happy Mama are more important. Maybe you could try again in a few months. There are many seasons in life, and some call for convenience.
There, I posted. I feel better. Have a great night!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Is There Something in the Water?
So I'm just saying...
~when you have two kiddos that will not take their afternoon naps
~a very sad two year old wailing because she dropped her ormament (yes, an ornament) between the wall and her bed --- I agree with her, how awful ! (for a 2 1/2 year old anyhow)
~bread in the bread machine
~changed dinner to spaghetti because that is easy
~a portion of your home looks like a fabric store exploded there (my upstairs!) I was working on our new stockings last night
~you are feeling like maybe, just maybe you are coming down with the bug your kiddos are getting over :(
TAKE THAT SECOND SHOWER FOR THE DAY...that's all I'm saying. :) Have a great day enjoying Christ and His MANY blessings. We are here in the little yellow house!
~when you have two kiddos that will not take their afternoon naps
~a very sad two year old wailing because she dropped her ormament (yes, an ornament) between the wall and her bed --- I agree with her, how awful ! (for a 2 1/2 year old anyhow)
~bread in the bread machine
~changed dinner to spaghetti because that is easy
~a portion of your home looks like a fabric store exploded there (my upstairs!) I was working on our new stockings last night
~you are feeling like maybe, just maybe you are coming down with the bug your kiddos are getting over :(
TAKE THAT SECOND SHOWER FOR THE DAY...that's all I'm saying. :) Have a great day enjoying Christ and His MANY blessings. We are here in the little yellow house!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thrift Store Find #1 (and #2)
I have a series to come of great thrift store finds. These two yellow chairs were $2 a piece at Thrift Haven. I love them and so does Ellie. Now I want to find a second hand end table, paint it orange and paint the top with chalk board paint. You see we plan to get a kitchen for Ellie for Christmas and I think it would be so fun to have a table and chairs to enjoy all her imaginary cookery! She is so cute sitting there...that is her "sick" attire --- shirt, diaper, and flip flops. This girl could wear just her diaper and shoes everyday and be perfectly happy. She does not want clothes most of the time, but shoes? Shoes all the time.
We added Nayshe to the mix and that was fun. Doesn't he look like a little bug with that big smile? Sometimes I get panicky and say to Clay..."what are we doing? we have two kids!!" He of course just laughs and says something like "we're doing great!" I love him and those two bugs of kiddos more than I thought I could love someone.
Thrift Store Find #2 are those cute black flip flops Ellie is wearing. Not only does she love her shoes but mine as well. Daily she will go into my closet and grab a pair and inch her way around the house. Considering how dangerous this could be she does quite well. Her favorites are my flip flops (remember I am from Florida!). I have been wanting to find some for her. I found these at the DAV Friday night when I was trying to do part of my grocery shopping. She slept in them Friday night! We let her go to sleep in them and then later in the night I went back in and took them off, she woke up from a dead sleep saying "put them back on!" She's crazy. I love her for it. Oh, the flip flops were $3 --- it was her "I'm so pitiful I need a sick present".
My point with this Thrift Store Find series is that it is so trendy right now to "go green" it is not just about buying cars with better gas mileage, using vinegar to clean, soap nuts in your wash, or whatever else, but reusing someone else's stuff (especially when there is so much life left in it) is a big part of going green. The next time your curling iron dies check out the thrift store...there are always like 100! And usually there is a testing area to see if it really works. My blow dryer (which I bought 2 years ago at Thrift Haven for $1) died so I went a hunting. Thrift Haven did not have any, but Goodwill did. It was $3 -- which I actually thought was expensive--- ha ha!! But really, there is a lot you can find at thrift stores. Every time I walk into a dirty, smelly, germ-infested thrift store this adrenaline starts flowing through me, and I think "what am I going to find today?" Happy thrifting and goodnight!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Garbage Disposal
What should not be put down a garbage disposal...
1. a penny (In my defense I think it was down there before we moved in)
2. a match stick (that was an accident)
3. egg shells
4. an apple core
5. the big, nubby end of a carrot
6. the little plastic part to a child's sippy cup (accident)
7. a spoon (accident)
8. popcorn kernels (that was a big no no)
9. the little branches that grapes come on
My patient husband has become quite the expert on unclogging a garbage disposal. He said to me one day...I know you love having this thing, but you could hold back a little bit...he is so funny.
1. a penny (In my defense I think it was down there before we moved in)
2. a match stick (that was an accident)
3. egg shells
4. an apple core
5. the big, nubby end of a carrot
6. the little plastic part to a child's sippy cup (accident)
7. a spoon (accident)
8. popcorn kernels (that was a big no no)
9. the little branches that grapes come on
My patient husband has become quite the expert on unclogging a garbage disposal. He said to me one day...I know you love having this thing, but you could hold back a little bit...he is so funny.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Our Little Yellow House...
Here's what our house has looked like lately...
1. An adorable two year old girl I tried to potty train today, we gave up...until tomorrow.
2. A strikingly handsome with long, luscious brown hair five month old is coughing and most of the time can not breath through his nose. If it were not for an amazing midwife ( and her mother) we would have probably taken Nayshe to the ER Friday night, but that is another post. He is doing much better, smiling and playing but still coughing. Mommy wants the coughing to stop...but she is thankful he can breath.
3. A bath time that ended with poop in the tub! We progressed to the kids' room and she pee-peed when Clay was putting her pj's on (I guess we took her out of the tub too soon). Every time Clay helps me with bath time drama happens. :) We do not know why this happens because his help is wonderful but every time (yes, this is not the first time) she poops in the tub it is when Daddy is giving her a bath. Weird. Mommy thinks it is funny.
4. Daddy gave me another sewing date tonight, he told me to sew for hour no matter what it sounds like out here...I'm thinking "sounds like?" ---- Mommy sewed for 40 minutes, I HAD to come out, both babies were crying. He tried. He blessed me greatly. I recovered a down feather pillow ( thrift store $1.50) and fixed this dress that I really love but felt like a Hoochie MaMa when I wore it to church a few weeks ago. Wanted to run back home and change... it is Proverbs 31ish now.
5. Matt Costa's "Vienna" playing over and over. Since Athan has been sick we have regressed and are not putting him down to bed awake (big deal, we'll get back there) Clay gets him to sleep with this song playing. Clay and I like the tone of it. Athan does too I guess. :) He is sooooo cute!!
6. A lot of laughing and a lot of crying from a spunky, blue eyed, beautiful 2 1/2 year old. Emotions change faster than Clay and I can keep up with sometimes. Long suffering....thanks Paul.
7. My wonderful husband looking over my shoulder correcting alllll my typing and grammatical mistakes -- making me nervous -- he is going to read now. :)
Have a goodnight~ love, the Pearlsteins
1. An adorable two year old girl I tried to potty train today, we gave up...until tomorrow.
2. A strikingly handsome with long, luscious brown hair five month old is coughing and most of the time can not breath through his nose. If it were not for an amazing midwife ( and her mother) we would have probably taken Nayshe to the ER Friday night, but that is another post. He is doing much better, smiling and playing but still coughing. Mommy wants the coughing to stop...but she is thankful he can breath.
3. A bath time that ended with poop in the tub! We progressed to the kids' room and she pee-peed when Clay was putting her pj's on (I guess we took her out of the tub too soon). Every time Clay helps me with bath time drama happens. :) We do not know why this happens because his help is wonderful but every time (yes, this is not the first time) she poops in the tub it is when Daddy is giving her a bath. Weird. Mommy thinks it is funny.
4. Daddy gave me another sewing date tonight, he told me to sew for hour no matter what it sounds like out here...I'm thinking "sounds like?" ---- Mommy sewed for 40 minutes, I HAD to come out, both babies were crying. He tried. He blessed me greatly. I recovered a down feather pillow ( thrift store $1.50) and fixed this dress that I really love but felt like a Hoochie MaMa when I wore it to church a few weeks ago. Wanted to run back home and change... it is Proverbs 31ish now.
5. Matt Costa's "Vienna" playing over and over. Since Athan has been sick we have regressed and are not putting him down to bed awake (big deal, we'll get back there) Clay gets him to sleep with this song playing. Clay and I like the tone of it. Athan does too I guess. :) He is sooooo cute!!
6. A lot of laughing and a lot of crying from a spunky, blue eyed, beautiful 2 1/2 year old. Emotions change faster than Clay and I can keep up with sometimes. Long suffering....thanks Paul.
7. My wonderful husband looking over my shoulder correcting alllll my typing and grammatical mistakes -- making me nervous -- he is going to read now. :)
Have a goodnight~ love, the Pearlsteins
Thursday, November 5, 2009
POOP
No, this isn't bathroom humor. It is more like diaper humor, no, more like a milestone in a wee little one's life. Athanasius is five months old and has struggled with constipation on and off. Well...tonight he had a blow-out diaper! For most people this is really gross, but to me --- a mommy --- it was great. :) It is funny the things you get excited/thankful for when your circumstances change. With Ellie it seemed like every diaper was a blowout (what an over achiever) but with Athanasius just A poopy diaper is exciting.
I hurt my neck a couple weeks ago and had to take it very easy for a few days. Which for me is hard --- I tend to be the hyper, so many things to do, can't sit down kinda gal. :) But it was EXACTLY what I needed, a little step back in the world of gratitude. I couldn't wash the dishes, I couldn't lift Ellie into her highchair, I couldn't even sleep on my side without being in pain. It was hard and even a little scary at first but He forced me to rest in Him and to be thankful for things I do everyday that I never thought twice about. It wasn't that I was complaining about these things, the mundane, but I was not thanking Him for them. The experience also enlarged my imagination. How many mothers are there that may be blind, confined to a wheel chair, or whatever the handicap may be that can not take care of their children the way they would like. It was hard enough asking a friend to come over and babysit while Clay took me to the chiropractor. I can't imagine someone taking care of them everyday while I had to watch on the sidelines. We are all fragile, weak beings that depend on His care and mercy every second of every day.
I didn't intend to write all that, basically I'm really happy my son had a poopy diaper! :) Have a great night.
I hurt my neck a couple weeks ago and had to take it very easy for a few days. Which for me is hard --- I tend to be the hyper, so many things to do, can't sit down kinda gal. :) But it was EXACTLY what I needed, a little step back in the world of gratitude. I couldn't wash the dishes, I couldn't lift Ellie into her highchair, I couldn't even sleep on my side without being in pain. It was hard and even a little scary at first but He forced me to rest in Him and to be thankful for things I do everyday that I never thought twice about. It wasn't that I was complaining about these things, the mundane, but I was not thanking Him for them. The experience also enlarged my imagination. How many mothers are there that may be blind, confined to a wheel chair, or whatever the handicap may be that can not take care of their children the way they would like. It was hard enough asking a friend to come over and babysit while Clay took me to the chiropractor. I can't imagine someone taking care of them everyday while I had to watch on the sidelines. We are all fragile, weak beings that depend on His care and mercy every second of every day.
I didn't intend to write all that, basically I'm really happy my son had a poopy diaper! :) Have a great night.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sunday Walks with Daddy
Our little baby boy, Athanasius Michael, was born this past May and since then Clayton started this fun tradition with Ellie on Sunday mornings. Our church does not start until 10:30 and we only live five minutes away, so after Clay and Ellie get dressed and ready they head out the door to what Ellie calls their "special place". They go on a walk, usually downtown or Commercial St. and Clay takes pictures of Ellie. It is really fun for both of them and it gives Mommy the chance to get ready for church too. :) The above picture was taken this past Sunday. I love it. She looks so thoughtful. And Clay did a beautiful job at the editing. Thanks Babe for being such a great Daddy!!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
No Money left in the envelope :)
Like a lot of people on a budget we do the envelope system. I love it, I actually stay within our food budget. I really think there is something psychological about seeing your money as opposed to just swiping your debit at the check out. Well, like the title says, I have no more money left in my grocery envelope, but that is okay I get to go shopping again on Saturday. But this quick post is about a couple ideas I have done when your food is running low and you are really trying to stick with the budget. :)
1. Shredded carrots make a really good and different pizza topping. I tried Saturday for our lunch and we didn't even taste the carrots they just added a lot of sweetness.
2. Calzones instead of pizza. Are you running low on cheese, topping ideas, everything? Make several calzones instead of a pizza and your family will not know. Dinner at our house tonight will be calzones that are filled with a little ground beef, onion, potato, and cheddar cheese. On the side I will have carrot sticks and chilled bowls of canned pears. I know my husband will love it --- beef, cheese, and potato all wrapped up together. :)
Those are my only two ideas right now...have a good dinner and evening with your family.
1. Shredded carrots make a really good and different pizza topping. I tried Saturday for our lunch and we didn't even taste the carrots they just added a lot of sweetness.
2. Calzones instead of pizza. Are you running low on cheese, topping ideas, everything? Make several calzones instead of a pizza and your family will not know. Dinner at our house tonight will be calzones that are filled with a little ground beef, onion, potato, and cheddar cheese. On the side I will have carrot sticks and chilled bowls of canned pears. I know my husband will love it --- beef, cheese, and potato all wrapped up together. :)
Those are my only two ideas right now...have a good dinner and evening with your family.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Family Art Project
So...I was at ALDI"S and they had great looking pumpkins for $2.49...so I splurged. It was so fun to do a FAMILY art project. Ellie loved it; after dinner it was about all we did other than bath time. :) She is still wanting to paint more on the pumpkin so tomorrow we may give it a make over. And sweet little Athanasius was a trooper in his exersaucer. We brought it into the kitchen so he could still be apart of family art time. He is so cute! I just have to squeeze him every now and then.
I think this is the most beautiful pumpkin I have ever seen ( I am a little partial to the two main artists involved). Bravo Clayton and Ellie.
Yesterday I ran into my favorite thrift store in Springfield, Thrift Haven, to look for art supplies. I was praying for googly eyes, plastic beads, and anything that sparkled. I know it may sound like a small request but there was a plastic baggie for $1.00 that contained all three items and a bonus package of little jingle bells. Thank You Father for hearing such a small request! We actually made a couple pipe cleaner bracelets with the beads this morning before breakfast. Maybe we have an Aunt Abbey in the making. :)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
New Scone Recipe
Tonight after church I wanted to make a treat for my family. I was thinking oatmeal cookies but then thought...mmmm....scones sound good. My husband LOVES foods that go well with coffee/hot tea --- scones, shortbread cookies, biscottis, etc. If I want a new recipe I usually go to the Taste of Home website because they are not only good but practical (the kind of recipe you would have the ingredients for :). The scones turned out great! The recipe calls for 2 C. of flour, I did one cup white and one cup whole wheat. I also added cinnamon, you could probably add anything you wanted, chocolate chips, coconut, cranberries, etc. The main reason I chose this recipe over ALL the others is because it only called for 1/4 C. of butter. :) Scone recipes usually call for a lot of butter, so we were really happy that this one did not and was still very tasty. You can find the recipe here. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Baking in a Crock Pot
I got the idea to bake in my crock pot from here ---- I can not take the credit for this idea. I was really interested in trying it, but also really skeptical. I made a simple coffee cake recipe. I did not make the crumble topping I usually do because I did not want to waste more ingredients if it did not turn out. :) Another change, the recipe calls for 1 1/2 C. flour, I did one cup white and half a cup whole wheat. Well, after one hour and fifteen minutes on high in the crock pot we a had a really yummy and moist cinnamon coffee cake! I am excited about this, about not heating a big oven for a small something. You can see in the first pic that it is just a bread pan right in the crock pot, and your lid should still rest well on top even though the pot is removed. Try it, it is fun. :)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
We have a GREAT chuch!
At our church, Christ the King, we have had a baby boom it seems. The anatomy of CKC right now seems to be mature families with grown or teenage children (and still some young ones down there somewhere) and then us beginners with one or two babies. Quite at polar ends of the spectrum, but that is what makes it work soooo well.
I just want to say thank you to all those that have held our babies so we could finish our lunch, thrown them in the air over and over, let them chew on your shoulder, droll on your arm, for reading stories to them, for taking them on the play ground, and for just loving them! It is really sweet when Ellie starts singing "no more monkeys jumping on the bed" and informs me that "Mr. Luke"taught it to her. Thank you all for helping and encouraging us.
And to all the single, young adults (which are really my age or older :) We can't wait to bless you by holding your babies one day!
I just want to say thank you to all those that have held our babies so we could finish our lunch, thrown them in the air over and over, let them chew on your shoulder, droll on your arm, for reading stories to them, for taking them on the play ground, and for just loving them! It is really sweet when Ellie starts singing "no more monkeys jumping on the bed" and informs me that "Mr. Luke"taught it to her. Thank you all for helping and encouraging us.
And to all the single, young adults (which are really my age or older :) We can't wait to bless you by holding your babies one day!
Friday, October 9, 2009
new blog
I stumbled on this new blog. I think new and young mommy's will enjoy it, she has ALOT of fun craft/learning ideas for young ones. Her ideas, from what I can tell, seem pretty simple to set up and inexpensive. Check it out: chasingcheerios.blogspot.com
A Prayer From a Two Year Old
At lunch I always ask Ellie to pray for the food, this was her prayer yesterday:
"Thank You God for the yellow bulldozer, thank You for Nayshe (Athanasius), and thank You for pizza, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen!"
Clay taught her the last part (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) she says it super fast and loud. What passion! :)
"Thank You God for the yellow bulldozer, thank You for Nayshe (Athanasius), and thank You for pizza, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen!"
Clay taught her the last part (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) she says it super fast and loud. What passion! :)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Ellie to the Rescue!
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Athanasius and Ellie were looking at books on their quilt and naturally Athan wanted to get his into his mouth. Remember, I am just taking pics, not talking, just observing. Ellie notices his struggle, so she kneels down and gives him her book. So sweet! You can see her little hands in the picture. And then you see him droolin' it up...thanks Big Sis! I wish you all could see them. Athan really loves Ellie. His eyes follow her all around the room. And, she REALLY loves "her boy."
~Look at that hair! Maybe Clay should have named him Sampson!
~ Sounds From a Little Yellow House ~
These are some sounds you might hear from our house tonight...
1. a sewing machine (Clay gave me some time to finish the dress I have been working on, he wanted me to go out and browse a store or whatever I wanted, but they are a hard bunch to leave! Thank you Babe, I had such a fun time sewing!)
2. nickle creek (Clay also got me some music going on this online radio he uses imeem.com --- check it out, it is neat. )
3. Kungfu Panda, which also means ALOT I mean ALOT of laughter from Clay and Ellie. They love this movie, and the movie also sparks creativity in their fighting skills. It was good that I was upstairs, Mommy's have a hard with that stuff. :) I guess I just do not want to hear the "pop" when her shoulder comes out of joint, but she loves it and Clay loves it, so...their kungfu skills must still develop and grow. :)
4. Baby noises from a laid back, wishing he could join in, Athanasius :)
5. Crying from Ellie when I finished the dress and wanted to try it on her. She was in her favorite attire, being "nakey", just a diaper. The girl tells me every morning without fail that she wants to be nakey and several times throughout the day. She calmed down though when things went back to nakiness.
6. More crying from Athanasius (I'm still unsure if I am spelling his name correctly, that's a problem I never thought I would run in too...thanks Babe! :) --- I guess he didn't know he was hungry until he saw me. It is kind of like when you walk pass Chik-Fil-A in the food court and realized you really "need" that #1.
~Sounds fun doesn't it? We love it, and wouldn't have it any other way. I just think one day we will be old and it will be quiet and we will miss this.
1. a sewing machine (Clay gave me some time to finish the dress I have been working on, he wanted me to go out and browse a store or whatever I wanted, but they are a hard bunch to leave! Thank you Babe, I had such a fun time sewing!)
2. nickle creek (Clay also got me some music going on this online radio he uses imeem.com --- check it out, it is neat. )
3. Kungfu Panda, which also means ALOT I mean ALOT of laughter from Clay and Ellie. They love this movie, and the movie also sparks creativity in their fighting skills. It was good that I was upstairs, Mommy's have a hard with that stuff. :) I guess I just do not want to hear the "pop" when her shoulder comes out of joint, but she loves it and Clay loves it, so...their kungfu skills must still develop and grow. :)
4. Baby noises from a laid back, wishing he could join in, Athanasius :)
5. Crying from Ellie when I finished the dress and wanted to try it on her. She was in her favorite attire, being "nakey", just a diaper. The girl tells me every morning without fail that she wants to be nakey and several times throughout the day. She calmed down though when things went back to nakiness.
6. More crying from Athanasius (I'm still unsure if I am spelling his name correctly, that's a problem I never thought I would run in too...thanks Babe! :) --- I guess he didn't know he was hungry until he saw me. It is kind of like when you walk pass Chik-Fil-A in the food court and realized you really "need" that #1.
~Sounds fun doesn't it? We love it, and wouldn't have it any other way. I just think one day we will be old and it will be quiet and we will miss this.
It's raining, it's pouring...
Today it is raining, and I love it. It is so cozy and nice to be inside with my kiddos; I have bread going in the bread machine, no dishes in the sink and two tired babies from a lot of playing and pretending. Ellie and I did something this morning we have never done before...a craft! We have been working on shapes with her, so she would tell me what shapes to cut out, I would help her glue them (she LOVED the glue) and she would put them on a blank card (a big pack of cards from Hobby Lobby). She got a kick out of it. We made five! So...there might be some certain someone's getting some mail soon. :) I thought maybe we could start doing a craft a week and go from there.
(pictures coming soon...)
Yesterday was a big day for us. The bulldozer was still on our street digging up the sidewalks on the other side of the street. So Ellie was glued to the windows most of the day. And then the cement guys came at around 8:00pm (yeh, I know, poor guys) and they didn't go home until 7:30 this morning (YUCK!). Oh, and a house behind and to the left of us went up in flames. That was a little scary, that happen around 10am, and they were out there all day. The neighbors down the street that offered my husband weed awhile back kept walking through our yard alllll day to check it out. That was weird. Yeh, what do they do for money???? Anyhow, the city ended up tearing the house down at dinner time, and I will admit when Clay got home we went back there too (with all the other curious neighbors) and watched. It was a better view than from our back deck.:)
I just took a look at my cousin's wedding registry and wish I could register all over again. I wish I could have registered after I got married then I would have known what I really needed. But, we learn. And it is really fun looking at what someone else wants for their home, it will be fun to pick something out!
Well...it is nap time so I better try to get something done...or maybe I will take a nap. :)
(pictures coming soon...)
Yesterday was a big day for us. The bulldozer was still on our street digging up the sidewalks on the other side of the street. So Ellie was glued to the windows most of the day. And then the cement guys came at around 8:00pm (yeh, I know, poor guys) and they didn't go home until 7:30 this morning (YUCK!). Oh, and a house behind and to the left of us went up in flames. That was a little scary, that happen around 10am, and they were out there all day. The neighbors down the street that offered my husband weed awhile back kept walking through our yard alllll day to check it out. That was weird. Yeh, what do they do for money???? Anyhow, the city ended up tearing the house down at dinner time, and I will admit when Clay got home we went back there too (with all the other curious neighbors) and watched. It was a better view than from our back deck.:)
I just took a look at my cousin's wedding registry and wish I could register all over again. I wish I could have registered after I got married then I would have known what I really needed. But, we learn. And it is really fun looking at what someone else wants for their home, it will be fun to pick something out!
Well...it is nap time so I better try to get something done...or maybe I will take a nap. :)
Monday, October 5, 2009
My FIRST post...
My sweet husband has been on me for a long time to start my own blog. Why? Because his really awesome (there is no charge for awesomeness) blog is, or should be just for photography [very serious]. Of Pigtails and Dinosaurs is here for all our family that is far away and those of you that want to read about our little world. Maybe it will be worth reading about, I don't know. But, I do know that it will be fun and that our Ellie and Athanasius are blessings from God and this is a great way to document and share their growth. So here we go...
While we were playing outside today Ellie ran up to her bouncy ball kicked it and said, "I'm gonna play football Mama!" And kept on running. How does she know about football? From Shea B. game this past Saturday. To say she enjoyed herself would be an understatement, she loved it! We were happy to support Shea but we did not anticipate Ellie's reaction to it. Maybe it was because she sat with the big girls and Kailey gave her candy. She talked about it for a long time that night and still is. "First" experiences are fun, especially when you are two. :)
Athanasius is asleep for his afternoon nap. He is reaching out for things now, and has a very serious, focused face when doing so. Everyday there is something new it seems with both of them. He has also found his foot, I'm sure that is very exciting. Ellie try's to help him with that sometimes, she try's to help him with a lot. :) We wonder what life will look like when he is more independent and doesn't need big sis so much. We love this...Ellie calls him "my boy" ---- "mama, I want to see my boy" All throughout the pregnancy we prayed Ellie would love Athan and not be jealous. God has answered that over and above!
Ellie found a slug today outside. She wanted it off her wagon though, so we got it on a leaf and put it in her play house where a little while later she squashed it, I don't think she did it on purpose though. Another exciting moment today was when a bulldozer started ripping up the side walk in front of our neighbors house. We stood on the front porch and watched. She loved it. She asked, "Mama is the bulldozer yellow?" I thought, I may be afraid of homeschooling when the time comes but at least she knows her colors. :) Thank You God for little moments like that. But sadly the bulldozer continued on his way, more sidewalks to dig up.
While we were playing outside today Ellie ran up to her bouncy ball kicked it and said, "I'm gonna play football Mama!" And kept on running. How does she know about football? From Shea B. game this past Saturday. To say she enjoyed herself would be an understatement, she loved it! We were happy to support Shea but we did not anticipate Ellie's reaction to it. Maybe it was because she sat with the big girls and Kailey gave her candy. She talked about it for a long time that night and still is. "First" experiences are fun, especially when you are two. :)
Athanasius is asleep for his afternoon nap. He is reaching out for things now, and has a very serious, focused face when doing so. Everyday there is something new it seems with both of them. He has also found his foot, I'm sure that is very exciting. Ellie try's to help him with that sometimes, she try's to help him with a lot. :) We wonder what life will look like when he is more independent and doesn't need big sis so much. We love this...Ellie calls him "my boy" ---- "mama, I want to see my boy" All throughout the pregnancy we prayed Ellie would love Athan and not be jealous. God has answered that over and above!
Ellie found a slug today outside. She wanted it off her wagon though, so we got it on a leaf and put it in her play house where a little while later she squashed it, I don't think she did it on purpose though. Another exciting moment today was when a bulldozer started ripping up the side walk in front of our neighbors house. We stood on the front porch and watched. She loved it. She asked, "Mama is the bulldozer yellow?" I thought, I may be afraid of homeschooling when the time comes but at least she knows her colors. :) Thank You God for little moments like that. But sadly the bulldozer continued on his way, more sidewalks to dig up.
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