cookie baking with babies & cookie cutters that don't work

For Kathy & Barie...I can't help but look at these pictures and laugh.  I take all credit for what a funny, crazy baking endeavor this proved to be.  Kathy was so sweet to invite us over to her new, beautiful home the week before Christmas.  She thought it would be fun to do something crafty together.  So my brilliant idea was..."We can bake Christmas cookies with my new 3D cookie cutters!"  Now looking back, this would have been a fantastic idea if...

...3D cookie cutters actually worked & the cookies could stand up in their little stands

...we had picked the right time & temp on the oven to cook the cookies

...we weren't needing to nurse & care for little infants

...and if I didn't have "mommy" brain and put the wrong ingredients in the frosting to make it sour and yucky

Doesn't this sound like it was fun?  It was!  I love getting together and NOT being superwomen!  The time that I have with these 2 ladies is priceless to me.  I always leave encouraged and strengthened in my faith.  I thank God for their friendship constantly.  Only thing is - I'm putting myself on creative-project-idea-probation...for a little while.

baby's first christmas

This year is peaceful with a baby.

this just made my day...

Here we are at the Christmas party for dance class. I just had to share this (very accurate representation of my kid) silly video. The teacher lets them play this game at the end of class...called "freeze dance." My girl is not hard to find...she's wearing the gray skirt...and she's the crazy one.

5 month update

I'm too brain-dead to think of her latest milestones. I thought I'd cheat with 2 videos.

christmas break started today!

Here we are at the end-of-semester party.  The moms helped throw together a birthday party for Jesus for the kids.  I was the last mom to sign up for what to bring...so, I got the birthday cake!  Surprise, surprise.  I didn't realize at that particular moment that there was a specific recipe I needed to make.  But here's the deal...it ended up being a real blessing for me.  I loved the presentation that Ms. Carlson did for the kiddos using the cake, my labor of love.  I think I may even make it again.  So, here's the recipe - Grandmother's Birthday Cake for Jesus.  

And here's how it is presented:

The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born. The bottom layer of the cake is black to signify that we all are sinners, which is why Jesus came to earth. The red layer symbolizes Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross for our sins. And the green layer denotes the new life we have in Christ after our sins have been washed away. The pure white frosting stands for the righteousness and purity of Jesus Christ, and the border of red hearts represents brothers and sisters united in Christ and circling the earth as his witnesses. On the top of the cake is the gold star, the Star of David. The star shone bright heralding Jesus' birth and lighting the way to the manger. The red candle is Jesus who came into the dark world to bring truth and light to all who are willing to receive it.Each person holds a green candle and lights it from the red candle and says, "We are the light of the world to shine for Jesus." Place the candle on the cake (be sure to assist small children). When everyone has had a turn, finish by singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

why blog?

I've been thinking about this blog a lot lately. Why have I come to love it? I came up with a few reasons and I wonder if you can identify. Don't ask me why I am writing this...maybe it will encourage other young moms to blog?  I don't know.

• Journaling has always been good for me.  I look back on times that I faithfully journaled, and I can remember more vividly what was happening in my life and what I was learning.  
• I really like taking pictures and it is even more fun when I can share them.  I won't lie, it feels really good when a friend tells me that a picture of my kiddo made her laugh or one of the grandmothers was touched.  You know how it is.
• Sometimes it helps to "keep in touch."  Life is consistently busier than I would prefer.  It feels good to reach out and stay connected.  I have the secret hope that it encourages my friends to do it too.  Because I love seeing pictures of my friends kids!  If I could see my loved ones everyday, this desire wouldn't be as strong.  But I still want to be connected.
• Similar to the point above - I really want other people to share too.  What else would I do when procrastinating from the other things I should be doing?  It's fun.  

My basic point is that a year and a half ago I was really intimidated by sharing about my life over the Internet.  For some reason, it didn't seem authentic enough to me.  Since then I have really benefited from sharing about our family.  I don't really think I have much to say that will benefit other people, most of the time.  But I'm trying to grow out of that.  If for no other reason, it will help me.  Don't get me wrong, I am aware that I am not all that vulnerable on this blog.  I'd like to become more that way, but I struggle with how it is perceived.  It has been my experience, that if I share something pretty raw it creates worry that I am not "doing good," when I was trying to be honest and real.  On some of my worst days is when I'll want to post a sweet picture or an uplifting thought because it ministers to me.  (Keep that in mind, if you look at this site and think I have it together...it is easy to come across that way over the Internet.  And that is one of my biggest pet-peeves.)  I could be a lot more brave in what I record on this blog.  We'll see what happens there.  By the way, if you read all of this I am sure you are among the few.  I'm pretty sure people just look at the pictures, but no judgement there...I often do the same.      

my new, amazing family member!

My cousin, Brittany, had her sweet baby boy today (all his info here). I rushed to meet my new second-cousin or 1st cousin-once-removed...or whatever! He's my new family member and when I saw him I instantly loved him like he's my nephew. It has been such an amazing time for Adam and I, seeing several couples very close to us become first-time parents.

His red-hair is awesome.  And what an incredibly handsome boy! Photos taken by Patrick (one great, new daddy).