Haven't Felt Much Like Posting

Sorry guys. I don't really feel like writing about random things - but don't really know what to write about what I really want to write about either. So there you have it - a post about nothing.

Why Don't They Notify Me About These Things?!?!

Jakers has switched from 8:30 to 9:30!

When you only watch a 1/2 hour of t.v. per week this can be a little traumatic for a kid.

So we decided to watch Curious George for now. Just this once.

Some Weekly Highlights

So, I have read the articles in NGJ before. The ones about potty training your infant. I always thought to myself that it just seemed impossible. I mean, the theory seemed sound - that we train our children to go in their diapers - but the practice of not training them to do that seemed like a challenge I was not ready to undertake. However, their last article about it got me thinking. I certainly don't feel in-tuned enough to Adia to know when she is peeing - but we've all seen the funny faces our infants make when.... well, you know. So, this week I decided I was going to give it a try. Yesterday morning when I saw the funny face start to come - I quickly jumped up and said, "Wait!" It must have startled her enough to stop because when I ran her into the bathroom and took off her diaper she hadn't gone. So I sat her on the toilet and you'll never guess..... she pooped! Steele and I were both thrilled. Steele even thought she needed to get a candy corn for her accomplishment - she didn't, although I am considering giving Steele one every time she succeeds. I'm certainly not putting any pressure on myself to do it all the time - but hey, if I can get her to do it sometimes it saves a sore bum and certainly a few wipes. So here she is - cute as a button. I wish the second one would have turned out more clearly.

I also had my twice yearly class manager meeting for Jazzercise last night. I decided to host this one at my house and treat the ladies to some yummy food and a little cozier atmosphere than the studio. It gave me a good excuse to rearrange my living room and put up my fall decorations. I'm really pleased with the fact that we moved our love seat back upstairs - it adds a little more seating room.

Here is my dining room table centerpiece.
I think I got the idea from Martha.
Every year I can't wait to bring out the corn.

I did this photo wall a while ago but thought I would post a picture.
I'm still looking for two more family photos to add.

In the past I have had a mental struggle over decorating my house. I used to spend far too much time, energy and money over making my house look nice. After Justin and I moved to Sammamish and lived in a 650 sq. ft. apartment I learned that simplicity is a good thing. While I do think that God created beautiful things and gives them to us to enjoy - I often have a hard time spending money on things that just sit in my house and look good. I can't help but think that my money might be better spent elsewhere. After all, there really are starving children in Africa (and everywhere else in the world) and you just cannot eat candles, or pictures frames... you get my point. So, after living in our current house for two years and not doing much more than choosing paint colors - I'm getting in the mood to decorate again. Home is a wonderful place and I want my family to enjoy being here. So I'm approaching it with caution, creativity and simplicity (and frugality).

And finally, Justin is getting the kids geared up for ski season! Steele will (fingers crossed) be up on skis this year. Justin is getting a season's pass so he can take Steele up for half days and not feel guilty. Justin has been on-line researching ski instruction aids for toddlers to his heart's content. (I am, by the way, thrilled that Steele is going to ski but as I typed "toddler" the thought crossed my mind - toddlers? on skis? toddling?) These will be Justin's glory days - teaching our kids to ski. When Justin and I got married his mom told me he would bug her non-stop about skiing from the time his first ski magazine arrived in August until ski season ended (in the spring) and mountain biking began. He even had Steele watching rockin' ski videos today. Steele was grinning from ear to ear.

Adia will probably go on Justin's back a few times this year.
Here she is with Steele's goggles on.
Can you see the grin?

Here's Steele last year on Justin's back.
You should have heard all the "Hey look! Cool!" comments he got.

Briefly, before I go. I chuckled at this realization the other day. Every day, at the same time - I hear my computer notifying me that I am receiving e-mails. Some e-mails are telling me they had a nice time at our house for lunch. Others, comments on my blog. I thought to myself, "Wow. These are all coming at the same time." And then it hit me...... NAPS!

Just Loving My Little Family

The other day our favorite local coffee shop had a grand opening for their new location which just happens to be at our favorite local park. Could there be a better combination? Just had to share a few joy filled pictures. They bring a smile to my face just looking at them.

Justin and Steele had fun on the playground while Miss Adia and I headed out for a little photo shoot.





































Our first attempt didn't start out too well.... but they got cuter by the moment!

We've also begun school and Steele is LOVING it. I'm so excited.

(Ok - so does it take anyone else forever to get all their pictures lined up the proper way?! Just when I thought I had it - I'm so confused!)

Just About Done

This book has been sitting in my bathroom for months now. I'd read a page here and a page there and now I'm just about finished with it. It is clear and easy to read - and surprisingly.... short! Although you would never know it considering how long it was sitting on the back of my toilet. Both of our children have been baptized so I guess I wasn't in any rush.

If any of you have ever wondered about the practice of infant baptism I would really encourage you to read it. I've swung the full pendulum swing. Having been born into a Catholic home and baptized as an infant, I came to true knowledge of Christ's salvation as an adolescent and was baptized as a teenager. And now? I recognize God's grace to me and His hand on me as he placed me in a family that acknowledged God and Jesus. I praise God for His covenant made to Abraham and for the covenant made to those of us who are now heirs with him - symbolized then by circumcision and now, by baptism.

COMING SOON!

And I'm so excited I can almost taste it!

I Go To Bed Early Now

Anybody else with me on this one? I get tired so early. It's about 10 right now and I feel like it's way past my bed time. The other night while visiting my in-laws I went to put the kids to bed at 7 and decided to lay down for a while. At one point I think I woke up and put my pajamas on but otherwise I slept from 7 to 7. 7 to 7! I couldn't believe it.

I think Justin and I decided we're going to try artificial insemination. Natural insemination hasn't worked for 7 years and while I'm not at all desperate to have a birth child, I do think it would be the best thing for my health. I feel a little selfish that that's the deciding factor for trying to get pregnant. I told my friend Amy that the other day and she just laughed and told me it wasn't selfish of me to want to get pregnant.

To be honest, I'm not all that keen on the whole "giving birth" thing. I've had it pretty pain free so far and I wouldn't be all that sad to keep it that way. But tonight Steele and I prayed that God might make a baby grow in mama's tummy. He kind of giggled when I said it and I said to him, "Wouldn't that be silly?" And we giggled about it together.

I've never doubted that God could enable me to conceive one of these days - if He chooses. I've always just thought to myself, "If and when it is God's timing, it will be." And if I get to be 50 years old and I have never had a birth child I will think to myself, "Well, I guess God never intended for it to be. But aren't I blessed that He gave me so many children anyway." And I will not be able to be anything but overflowing with thankfulness.

Justin and I were talking about it the other day - getting pregnant that is - and I said to him, "I think if I ever get pregnant I will look at that pregnancy test and not be surprised one bit. (Because, after all, we know that God does amazing things) I'll just say.... hm... that's weird. I'm pregnant."

And for your viewing enjoyment..... no, not pictures of me getting artificially inseminated. Is that inappropriate to say on here? Anway... pictures from our weekend at the farm.

At Country Cousin Restaurant
Justin went there as a boy.

Steele and Grandma on the John Deere


Adia and I saying "hi" to B.U.F.


Not a very exciting picture but you can see
part of the Steelhammer's 200+ acres in the background


I saved the best for last...
Great Grandma and Grandpa Steelhammer
We love you!
(You'll never guess how old they are)

And Wouldn't You Know It...

...the moment I post about not insisting that Steele say thank you - we head down to my in-laws' house (trailer) and there were just a few times when it seemed appropriate to direct him to say thank you. I did wonder to myself whether I was doing it for his sake or for hers - it is not unusual for me to feel self conscious about my parenting in front of the in-laws. But I guess it doesn't really matter who it was for. Just goes to show ya that for some things, most things - there's no perfect formula.

I'll post pictures later.