A Little bit about Us...

Quinoa, Quinoa, Bo Binoa, Banana Fa fana fo Finoa....

2011-04-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

My time is running out (or at least I anticipate it is) and so I must take the time to blog about the biggest and most significant difference in having a pregnancy take me by surprise and being able to plan for one: My Health.

Not only for the first time am I able to start my prenatal pills early like I am supposed to, but I have been able to put myself on a pre-pregnancy diet and work out routine. What does this diet look like you ask? Well basically this:

Grilled Chicken (or fish), Green vegetable (lots of them) and Quinoa and thats it. EVERYNIGHT for the last 2 months. Yes Joe has been doing it too (for his own reasons) and yes my kids eat it as well (but they get suckers after dinner!) I also eat non fat yogurt for breakfast, and have bran cereal for lunch. I am not super strict if there is a reason to cheat, like date night or sunday afternoon pancakes. But I never let myself cheat for no reason because I find that there is so often a good reason at least once a week. I do plan on keeping to this diet (very loosely) when I am pregnant because we all know I will be cheating often! So if I can keep to it as much as possible then great! Working out is nothing new, I go through spurts of devotion and then I get a little too chill about it. Of course right now I am much more devoted :) So why do I tell you all this? Well, I am just giddy over the results!!!! 10 freaking pounds lighter than when I got pregnant with Elinor (and she was my first)!!!! That means I am 20 pounds lighter than when I got pregnant with Charley (which means I don't even want to talk about those days anymore). I actually feel like I can take this pregnancy on and KICK IT IN THE BUTT!! Bring on those cravings! Bring on that "never-ending-pit-in-your-stomach" kind of hunger pains! Because I conquered my worst fears and lost my "I never thought I would lose you so I better just be thrilled with the 2 beautiful children I brought into the world, weight." And now I am ready to to go for this third pregnancy and maybe, just maybe have a little more control over how it effects my body.

First Time for Everything

2011-03-22T11:47:00.000-07:00

Elinor is just about 3 1/2 years old. Charley is 19 months old. The time has come for Joe and I to decide if we are a family of 5 or a family of 4. Why must we decide now you ask? Well because neither of us ever wanted there to be a large age gap between our kids. So come May we will begin "trying" (I know the term is horrible) for our third (and Lord willing final) baby. Now I will tell why this is and incredibly significant and momentous occasion. Joe and I have never before been able to plan for a baby. BOTH our first children were surprises! I won't start explaining in a very public blog about how, in our case, our babies were surprises. But BELIEVE me, they were.

Anyways, I just have to sheepishly admit that for someone who has never really ever enjoyed pregnancy all that much, I am kinda actually a little bit EXCITED to start trying....... did I just say that out loud?!?! (Well no, in fact Christie, you did not, you typed it in your blog, moron) Well you get the point. I have also chosen to blog through this pregnancy, if God will's for there to be a pregnancy.

The goals will be :

-To stop an appreciate life exactly as it is at the moment in all it's chaos and exhaustion

-To focus on the differences in every pregnancy I have been through and especially this pregnancy

-To document this pregnancy in a way that will be meaningful to me in years to come

And since I am not a shy girl, this will be on my blog for all to see! Don't worry it will be very appropriate for all audiences. Maybe you will enjoy it! God Bless!

Training Them Up.....

2011-01-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

The burden of training my kids up in the Lord has been weighing heavily on me this past year. I often feel extremely inadequate to be doing this job the Lord has given

me to do. I am pretty sure I am not a "grown up" and yet somehow here I am, with the responsibility of these two precious little souls......or that is how it feel. And then I remember (sometimes from a good kick in the pants from dear friends and family) that it is NOT my job to save my children and that God's yoke is indeed light, when we allow Him to carry our burdens for us. I am at my weakest, most devastated and exhausted when I become so selfish as to believe that I am the one who can MAKE my children good, smart, pleasant, christlike etc. because, I, myself am a wonderful, spirit-filled, disciplined, Christlike woman. The problem is, I begin to act a part instead of actually being any of those things and I become further and further away from the Lord because worry and self doubt become an idol to me. The good news is, God, in all His loving kindness, has never allowed me to stray too far. And eventually I am always brought back to my senses and reminded that it is Christ and His word alone that can bring me peace, hope and any wisdom I need in parenting. So with that burden lifted OFF my shoulders, I am then FREE to pursue what truly is my job! And that is to train my children, as best I can, in the Lord and hold to His promises. (Proverbs 22:6) This is when I am deeply grateful for training tools that are biblically sound and fun for my kids. There is so much, can I say, "Crap" out there, even within the Christian genre. That is why, when I do find something that I love, I get REALLY excited about it. Here is a small list of things I am just really, really excited about right now for my kids:

"The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible. At the center of the Story is a baby, the child upon whom everything will depend. Every story whispers his name. From Noah to Moses to the great King David—every story points to him. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will pick up the clues and piece together the puzzle. A Bible like no other, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation—and at the center of their Story too."

I am in LOVE with this Bible. I cried when I read the first page. It begins with the premise that all little kids (who grow up to be adults) are smitten with the idea of a prince, a hero, a rescuer...... but that there is no human that can possibly fill this need. However God provided us with the perfect prince, the hero of all heros, the ultimate rescuer, Jesus. This bible bridges the gap between the Old and New Testament for kids that I never fully understood until I was an adult. And most importantly, it is a wonderful aid in evangelizing to my kids. Even though it is a little over Elinor's head right now, it has already opened doors for her to ask great questions about who Jesus is and how much He loves her.

Sovereign Grace Music puts out some really awesome music. And this CD is seriously awesome. There are two things I really love about this cd: 1) The music is actually GOOD! (I even like it for myself even though it is kids music) and 2) The words and message of the songs are straight out of the scriptures. Its not full of silly kid music nonsense but actual words that can be hidden away in my kid's hearts! This particular album focuses on the fruits of the spirit and there is a song for each fruit. Here is an example of one of the songs that I absolutely love. It is jammed full of biblical truth:

Peace, You give me peace

When the storms come and I’m afraid

Peace, You give me peace

When I trust in the words You say

You give me peace

If You can calm the sea Then You can comfort me

If winds obey Your voice Why should I fear their noise

And though my eyes can’t see I know You’re with me

When someone starts to fight And does things I don’t like

I hear Your gentle voice Saying I have a choice

To make an enemy Or to spread Your peace

Isn't that truly beautiful? I just love it.....

And finally, I am REALLY excited about this book. Elinor just got it for her birthday and it is amazing. I have known about R.C. Sproul's children books for awhile now and I have wanted to buy them, but they are a little bit old for my kids so I have held off. But this book is definitely the one to start with. It is so rich with wonderful theology written in a magical fantasy that any little girl or boy would be drawn to. Here is a summary I found:

Summary

In The Lightlings, Dr. R.C. Sproul weaves an allegorical tale that captures the essence of the biblical story of redemption in a manner that will fascinate and delight children. A race of tiny beings known as lightlings are a picture of humanity as they pass through all the stages of the biblical drama - creation, fall, and redemption. In the end, children will understand why some people fear light more than darkness, but why they need never fear darkness again.

So there you have it! When the dog bites, when the bee stings......these are a few of my favorite things :)

Dates, Girlfriends and Church Fellowship

2010-10-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ok Ok! Its obvious I am kind of a "hot or cold" type of person. I always have been! I am kind of all or nothing when it comes to many extras in my life and blogging is certainly one of them! In fact directly after my last blog about loving working out, I decided to NOT work out until the summer was over! Fortunately it had not effect on my weight loss and I proceeded to reach my goal weight! YAY!!! Anyways, that was a tangent I did not mean to get on. What I would like to blog about is the final 3 "outlets" I have in my life that help me keep my sanity. I am putting them all in the same post because, frankly, I am tired of the topic (I have a difficult time keeping interest in things). But I was raised to finish things I started, so here it goes.

#3 Dates with my wonderful, amazingly handsome husband, Joe

The honest truth is, after a few weeks of a busy schedule, activities with the k

ids

and Joe's long work days, we just miss each other! Joe is always really good about planning dates and finding a babysitter

when he feels we need time alone. We also trade babysitting favors with some of our friends and that way we never need to pay for a babysitter! (Plus we have Grammy in a pinch too:)) Joe is the person I would most like to be with at all times and I find these date nights to be refreshing and they definitely qualify as an "outlet."

#4 Going out with my girlfriends or with the girls in my family

MUCH less frequently I get to go out for a girl night. Mostly these events center around movies coming out in the the theater (in the case of my girlfriends) or birthdays (in the case of my family).

I honestly just LOVE the excuse to get all dressed up and do my makeup a little dramatically and go out for the night. Sometimes these event include a costume party or perhaps

going to someones house and watching a long BBC movie.

Recently, I hosted

a dinner party for some of my girlfriends and I went to Catalina

with the lovely ladies in my family. Friends and family are truly gifts from the Lord and I am grateful that I am able to surround myself with such wonderful ladies in my life.

And Finally #5 Mid Week Bible Study

Joe and I together attend a Shepherding Group on Tuesday nights. It is full of people I care for and those who care for me and my family. The group is full of older and younger people, married couples and single folk, stay at home mom's and working moms etc. We study the scriptures though discussion. I leave Tuesday nights feeling challenged and refreshed spiritually.

ANNNNNNDDDD thats it folks! I finally finished this topic! Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Sweat and Spandex

2010-05-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

Outlet #2- The Gym

Working out is the mother of all "Outletting." It is an age old, tried and true form of easing tension, refreshing the mind, letting out aggression etc etc etc. But for me it is a fairly new love affair.

My entire life I have been an active sort of girl, but I was also quite thin and never felt "unhealthy" so I never really cared to commit to a normal exercise routine. In college I had a major achilles injury, which I still struggle with from time to time. Then I got married and was enjoying that too much to care to work out. Then I was working full time and was too tired. Through all of this I still worked out here and there and I still remained thin. But I certainly did not feel "healthy." Then I got pregnant...... (insert sigh). I was sick, I was tired, I was hungry and I gained weight (surprise surprise). Soon after having Elinor, I finally found the motivation to work out consistently. Something woke up within me and I decided I wanted to not only get my body back to normal but I wanted to be healthy...really really healthy.

My workout routine has been a progression and I am sure it will progress some more as I become more fit. But I am really happy with my current routine and for the first time in my life I really feel "addicted" to working out. So here is my current routine

I work out 5 days a week in theory (which is not always possible with 2 kids) And I do a different class each day. All my classes start at 8:30 am and they last an hour

Mon- Advanced Step, Seriously never thought step could be this hard. It is so fun now, but the first week I tried it I cried at the end and almost walked out I was so embarrassed at how slowly I was picking up the steps. Fortunately, I found out that this was a typical reaction to this specific step class (the instructor is a rock star!). People I did not even know where coming up to me and encouraging me saying "it was a right of passage" and that I would love it if I kept with it. So I did and they were right.

Tues- Muscle Conditioning, sort of like a circuit training. We do rounds of leg, stomach and arm exercises. I love this class because it is changing my muscle tone and I LIKE IT!

Wed- BOSU, Seriously the class I dread when I wake up in the morning. This is a BOSU

This class works my every muscle in my body and my endurance until I feel like I am going to pass out. BUT anyone and everyone I have talked to about this class says If any class changes the body it is this one! So far I can agree (however I am still the wimp in the class who is getting water every 10 minutes).

Fri- Power step, This is like a mix between advanced step and muscle conditioning. We take 5 minutes working our heart until it feels like it going to burst, and then we cool down by doing some weight training. This continues for an hour.

Sat- Spin. My first love. This is what I used to do 3 days a week when I was first getting into working out. I still love it, but It wasn't giving me the results I wanted all by itself so I moved on. I will also add that this is the PERFECT class to do while pregnant. It is easy on your joints and your bladder :) I was able to keep it up for the whole 9 months while pregnant with Charley and it made a huge difference in the way I felt after the pregnancy.

So that is my schedule! One day I will run more.....but i really hate running and can't get beyond 3 miles without dying of boredom.

I will leave you with these wise words and inspiration from Olivia Newton John

No Business Like Show Business

2010-04-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

I think every Mom would agree that kids can quickly become the center of.......well everything! And it can happen pretty fast whether we intended it or not. We start missing adult conversation, we start losing our patience with our kids way too easily, we start forgetting to pay attention to our husbands, we start thinking "who am I, where am I???" and the list can go on.

So I am going to do a series of posts on the things I do as an outlet.

The first outlet I am going to post on is actually unique because it is not something I do regularly (as in daily, weekly or even monthly). It is something that comes in spurts and it really is a part of who I am. It is Performance in any way, but more specifically I love Musical Theater. I choose this topic first, because I just finished a show yesterday, and it is on my heart and mind.

There are some things I feel I must say about this particular hobby:

1) I am so grateful that this is something my family support me in. They enjoy this being part of my life and if it ever became and idol to me I know they would keep me accountable.

2) This is something that uniquely brings people together. I cannot explain the joy it is to be a part of something with a group of people and know that you have created something great. I have been blessed with making some deep friendships through the performances I have been in. And I realize this is a true blessing from God.

3) I know that God has created me with this love of performing and I am so grateful that I have been given opportunities to cultivate this. But it is only a blessing if it does not get in the way of my relationship with God, or my ability to be the mother and wife I should be, and those things are my priorities.

Ok Let's Go On With the Show (or post in this case):

This past show was due to a Musical Theater workshop that I participated in. It finished off with a Broadway Review, in which all the workshop participants performed as a character they would/could be considered for if they were to actually audition for it. In addition to that we participated in other group numbers throughout the show to make it cohesive. I was given a couple of step out parts beyond "my" song. This was important to me because I felt it showed my ability to change my voice and personality to become any character given me. It was ridiculously fun to be able to jump from a Revolutionary era Newlywed from "1776", to a teenage girl in the 60s from "Bye Bye Birdie", to a peace and love driven hippie in "Hair", and all the characters in between.

Because we performed songs from the show "A Chorus Line" I was required to produce a Headshot. Since I have never actually gone on auditions, I never have needed them. But now that I have them it kinda makes me feel "legit" :) Here are a few of the shots, you'll have to tell me which one you like best

Here is "my song" It is from the play 1776, and I am Martha Jefferson a young newlywed singing about her sweet Thomas and why she loves him so enjoy!:

Here is group number from Bye Bye Birdie called "Telephone Hour." We are all high schoolers who are enthralled with the gossip of two of our friends getting "pinned." I have a solo at the beginning of this song and the first half is definitely the cutest part, the camera man was a little bit behind on getting his camera out :)

And finally, here we are doing our bows at the end. I wish I could show you the whole show! :)

My Mother's Day Wishlist......

2010-02-02T11:18:00.000-08:00

Just for fun......no real expectations involved!

Wii- $199 @ bestbuy.com

itouch- $199 @ store.apple.com

1 month membership to Cardio barre- $100 (give or take)

A professional spring cleaning- $200

This Leather Jacket- $346.50 @ shopbop.com

A mommy necklace-$75 @ figsandginger.com $125@ heartandstonejewelry.com

Knife Set- I go back and forth between Cutco and Wusthof, but since my dear friend Annika Velji (www.goodeatssd.blogspot.com) and Ina Garten both swear by Wusthof..... $130 @ Amazon.com

Spinning Cleates- $94 @ Zappos.com

Airbrush Tanning Package $150 for 5 Tans @ www.bliss-makeup-artistry.com

The Fog is Lifting

2009-11-22T09:47:00.000-08:00

Moms, you know that feeling after you have a baby where you kind of feel like you are in a fog. Not that its bad, but you are just in a mode of functioning in which your brain is not totally functioning. That feeling where if you worked on household finances or tried to do a meal plan for the month or even thought about all the project that need to get done, you might start crying even though you really are totally fine? Well I can finally say that my own personal "fog" is finally lifting. Here are the factors that contributed to my prolonged "fog":

1. Having Charley- this goes without saying of course

2. Elinor breaking her leg- looking back now, this was a minor event. However, at the time, it was very difficult to process everything working out. She has had her cast off for about a month and so far the doctor says the bones are not growing funny.

3. Finishing up a very long and emotional short sale of our home- We happened to buy our home right before the economic crisis began and before we knew it we were upside down. God has graciously delivered us from this situation and we are FINALLY done with the whole ordeal. It was sad to let go of our home because it is where we brought home both of our babies and we have some sweet memories there.

4. Getting moved and settled into our new home- we are renting a fabulous home in Simi Valley and it is really perfect for our family. It is taking a little bit of time to totally get settled in since we are caring for two kids under two, but it certainly feels like home.

Some things I am really looking forward to now that I am starting to feel like myself:

1. Celebrating Christmas with my family. I bought a book at the Christian store that counts down christmas for kids with an activity everyday. We are going to actually celebrate advent this year and do something special everyday. Things like decorating cookies, reading christmas books, and making paper chains for the tree. Every night we are going to light a new candle, one for every day counting up to Christmas. I really think Elinor will love this.

2. Cooking- cooking is something I really truly love to do. I have had a fascination with cooking (not baking mind you) since I was really young. I love finding new recipes and eating something new all the time. But this is also something, for whatever reason, that takes a back seat whenever I get really busy or overwhelmed.

3. Working out- I didn't want to take Charley when he was so young, then Elinor broke her leg and I was not sure how she would do in childcare, then people started freaking me out about the swine flu...... but I am over it, I tell you! It is time to get back to the gym!

4. My quiet times, It always happens that when I should be in God's word more, I end up being in it less. I have a dream, that one day I will be mature enough that this will not be the case :)

In the end, I can see that God's Grace is truly sufficient through everything. I have a beautiful family and nothing to complain about.

Life with Two

2009-09-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

The Day Before

2009-09-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that there have been some huge plusses to knowing the exact date I am going to give birth. I have been able to plan out the days before labor to the minute! ;) hmmmmm..... Haven't I learned yet that things never go exactly as planned?!!! Well let's just say we had a slight "hitch" in our schedule when we found fleas on our dog Roxie monday night. AHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I know I am not totally in my right mind right now but someone PLEASE agree with me that this is just about the worst thing that could happen while 9 months pregnant, with an infant coming in a few days and a toddler that enjoys licking just about every surface she comes across. Fortunately we caught it early and though I went into a slight panic waking up the whole house late Monday night to bath, vacuum, strip sheets, and wash clothing, we had it under control quickly. But like I said my in depth cleaning, packing, and memory making schedule was messed up. Thank you Jesus for reminding me you are in control and I am not, I would not want it any other way. And might I add that I have the most amazing and understanding husband in the world!

However, there was one thing that was so incredibly important to me and I am actually rather emotional about the whole thing. And that was purposefully making memories with Elinor before she is no longer my only baby. I have had a plan for a long time now that the day before Charley comes I wanted to have a special day with Elinor. I am so very thankful to God that He allowed us to have the sweetest most precious time together today as a family. I know I will cherish these memories. It is hard for me to put into words all the emotions that are going through me when it comes to Elinor becoming a "big sister" so I will not try. Here are some pictures of our last day before we become a family of 4.

Silly Elinor and Daddy

Winning some tickets at the arcade

"Look what I won!"

Our last Family of 3 Picture

Mommy's Choice for Elinor

Elinor's Choice (the one we actually bought)

My babies

Greek food! She loved gyro

She totally got sick on sherbet

Not so photogenic moments, just for fun....

2009-08-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

Some of Elinor's "less than best" moments :)

This is what we like to call her "Napoleon Dynamite" Hair

High on Life and Pretzel Sticks

First time eating Chinese Food........

Quick trips to the beach = not rubbing sun screen in all the way

Quick Potty try after swimming in the pool

5 Years Later and I Couldn't Love Him More

2009-07-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

WARNING: this is the sappiest blog I have ever an will probably ever write. However, it was on my heart and I now share it with you.

When I first saw Joe it was at a basketball game at Grace College. He was on the team and my friend Annika (whom I was visiting since I was not attending the school yet) pointed him out to me as he ran on the court. If I did believe in "Love at first sight", I experienced it at that moment. I will not say that Joe was the reason that I transferred to Grace College the following semester, but I do believe that my life story which lead me to make the decision to go to Grace was all designed by God to bring me to Joe. I even remember being in Elementary school and watching a high school basketball game in which GBHS played a team from Manila, Philippines called Faith Academy (Joe's school and Raina, Joe's sister was actually playing on the team) I remember thinking to myself, "My future husband could be anywhere in this world, he could even be in the Philippines" Yes, a silly romantic thought of a young girl, but it is a memory that stuck with me and in the end came true. Like I said before I don't believe in love at first sight, but I do know this: I prayed fervently for God's perfect mate for me since I was a young girl. I prayed that God would never let me settle and that I would patiently await His best for me. Since the day I married Joe I have never doubted for one second that he was what I had been praying for my whole life. From the moment I saw Joe, I only had eyes for Joe. Thank you, Jesus for the amazing blessing my husband is to me. And thank you Joe for waiting patiently for me as well. I love you, I admire you, I respect you and I am so grateful for our life together. Here are some pictures of our first trip to vegas exactly 5 years ago, And our recent 5 year anniversary trip to Vegas exactly 5 years later.

Free Summer Fun

2009-07-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

This summer we have been exploring some of the free things that Simi Valley has to offer for Kids. Here are some pictures of a free craft time offered at the Simi Valley Mall.

Only One Year Later

2009-06-09T16:52:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures that we took last year while camping in Yosemite. Elinor was 4 1/2 months. And here are the "same" pictures taken while camping in Morro Bay. Elinor is 1 year 5 months old.

The Gift of Freedom

2009-05-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

Elinor LOVES to swim. Since the beginning of May she has been swimming between 2 and 4 times a week. Mommy loves Elinor to swim because she inevitably will always take a 3 hour nap post water activities:) Elinor is incredibly fearless (to a major fault) and she gets rather peeved off when the person holding her will not let go of her. She clearly has no idea that letting go=sinking=a very bad day. So Joe and I bought a tube that she can sit in and move around on her own. It lets her sink into the water up to her chest. She hated it. It hindered her desire to put her face under water at will and to roll onto her back. So we searched for the perfect solution. First we bought this amazing little bathing suit that has floaters inside the body of it. She loved it but it didn't exactly keep her upright, not that she cared. Joe and I just have this odd desire to have our daughter with us for the next many many years so we decided not to let her float face down in the water. So we bought the good old arm floaties and PRESTO, we have found the perfect combination for Elinor's freedom. Now mind you we are never more than a few feet away from her at any given moment. But to Elinor we handed her adventure and bliss on a silver platter. To see my little girl that excited and happy without endangering her life is a good thing indeed.

Our Little Guy

2009-05-04T11:43:00.001-07:00

Its hard to tell what's what in this picture but I know that little thing sticking out was NOT in Elinor's picture :)

Recent Cuteness

2009-04-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

Cuddly Girl

2009-03-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Elinor lately is super active. She runs around at a mile a minute and I feel like she will never slow down sometimes. She also loves to entertain people. She knows how to make people laugh and she practices her skills whenever she gets a chance. Oftentimes when we go pick her up from church childcare or the childcare at the gym we will catch her in the middle of the room (doing whatever it may be) with all of the workers watching her and laughing. Needless to say she is also a handful! But we love every second of it. One thing I am loving the most about her right now, is how cuddly she is when she finally slows down. Here are some pictures of her more docile moments.

Pictures and Video

2009-03-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

Some funny/cute videos-

#1 Uncle Tim helping Elinor go down a slide. She was pretty annoyed about the whole thing
#2 Grammy and Auntie Casie walking with Elinor at Disneyland. Just thought it was pretty cute

Fun with Nonnie and Poppie

2009-02-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

My Valentine

2009-02-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

Since Joe had been gone all week we decided to stay home for valentines day. I wanted to make something really yummy, semi fancy, and also something that Joe would consider one of his favorites. So I decided to make Chicken Cordon Bleu with lemon feta noodles with peas. Two of Joe's favorite dishes. I wanted to make it special so I used Prosciutto and Gruyere. It turned out really good! So I took a picture. (the corn was added just because I had it)

We got Elinor a bubble maker for valentines day :)

Spending Time with Family

2009-01-20T23:01:00.000-08:00

Elinor's Party

2009-01-12T21:12:00.000-08:00

It was amazingly fun! So many people came to show their love for Elinor and it really meant a lot to Joe and I (and I am sure Elinor will see pictures and think it is nice.... :)) Elinor LOVED being the center of attention and getting to eat whatever she wanted. Apparently, she doesn't need an afternoon nap when she is getting her way all day! :)

Elinor through the Year

2009-01-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

One Month

Two Months

3 months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

12 Months

Crazy Hair #2

2009-01-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

I let joe loose on Elinor again!

Christmas

2008-12-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

I had grand ideas about how wonderful Elinor's first Christmas was going to be and in its own way, it was wonderful. Unfortunately both Joe and Elinor were very sick and Elinor spent most of Christmas Eve and some of Christmas Day throwing up :( However I did find the common sense (between giving Elinor clear liquids and changing her clothes) to get pictures and enjoy the moments she was happy. Apart from it being Elinor's first Christmas, I was also excited start a new tradition of opening "crackers." I first heard about this when I was in England a few years back. So below are some pictures of the festivities as well as some of Elinor in her Holiday dress. (of which i bought 3 months ago and was sooo excited about, but she only wore it for about an hour......sigh)

This last picture was right about when we had both had enough of Christmas :)

Winter

2008-12-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

It's been unbelievably busy so I have not been good about updating my blog. Here are some recent pictures we took one day when it was freezing cold (by SoCal standards) and we spent most of the day by the fire inside. Christmas pictures will be with you shortly :)

Thanksgiving Extravaganza

2008-11-27T21:35:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving my sister and I decided we did not want to do the same old food that we have done every year for Thanksgiving. By this I mean we did not want to use the same recipes that were passed down to us from my dear Grandma Dee. Though the food does evoke a feeling of nostalgia and therefore is tasty in its own way, it really does not tantalize the palate like I would like. However, we have 3 men in our family who would not appreciate a drastic change (these things must be done slowly you see) So we searched every gourmet website and cookbook we had to find recipes that were traditional but not boxed, canned, and full of lard.

The outcome... success! The men loved it and we felt better about the food we put on the table. The menu consisted of citrus and herb brined Turkey, roasted sweet potatoes with a light streusel topping, apple and chicken sausage cornbread stuffing, caramelized leek mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, broccolini and an amazing cranberry and tart cherry sauce courtesy of my sister. Tradition still being important to us, we finished off with my mom's amazing pecan and pumpkin pies. Why do I tell you all of this you ask? I dunno...I guess because I am proud of all of the hard work as I am sure many other cooks are feeling pride in a hard days work right now as well. Anyways, Thanks for listening (or reading) and enjoy what you really checked this site for..... pictures of Elinor :)

Whenever Daddy Watches Elinor.....

2008-11-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

Something like this happens....

Visiting Family

2008-11-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

We went to visit our family out in Palmdale and Elinor had a chance to play with her cousin Ruby who is the same age as she is. It was so fun to watch her interact. I can't believe how grown up she is.

Elinor is still learning how to give kisses

Two of the happiest girls around....

Holloween 2008

2008-10-31T22:06:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I went to a Fairy Holloween Party with a few of my girlfriends. It was fun to frolic about.

Cute Elinor

2008-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Toys Toys Toys

2008-09-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

Who needs a playpen when you have an ottoman full of toys?? Hey, she loves it so don't judge!:)

So Beautiful

2008-09-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

Pearl and Elinor

2008-08-31T22:44:00.000-07:00

When Pearl came to visit a couple weeks ago, she and Elinor were able to interact more than they ever have before. Unfortunately, Elinor is in the stage where she is enjoying how loud she can be. I don't think Pearl appreciated it.

Our Yearbook

2008-08-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is a funny program that seems to be circulating right now. Here are some pics of Joe and I had we been born in different decades. Always a cute couple no matter what decade :).....

updated 2 days later...... I realize that I got a little obsessed with this program when I decided to do it to Elinor too. But come on, this is hysterical!

BIG WEEKEND!!

2008-08-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Elinor experienced her first trip on an air plane last week. We headed up to Chico for my brother's wedding. She did great, not a single fuss. She actually just ended up sleeping most of the trip

Joe's sister, Raina, just happens to live in the Chico area as well so we were able to spend some fun time with her and her kids.

Friday and Saturday were big days. On Friday we had the rehearsal for the wedding and Elinor had to practice her part in the wedding. Everyone wanted to hold her and play with her. Amazingly, she stayed cheerful and sweet the whole night.

At last the big day!

Just for Fun

2008-08-05T21:10:00.001-07:00

Just for Fun......since I have not posted in awhile.

Elinor does't like the word "Ow"

2008-07-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago we discovered that Elinor does not mind loud noises. She does not mind people getting in her face and making weird sounds. She likes being thrown around. She doesn't mind our dog barking right next to her. No, she can handle just about anything. But every brave soul must have a nemesis and for Elinor it is the word "Ow." I know this video may seem cruel, but now that we know her weakness we do not use it against her. However, we could not resist capturing this memory one time for Elinor's later amusement (and ours to be perfectly honest).

Independence Day

2008-07-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

We went to my Aunt Gloria's house

for the Fourth of July.

Elinor LOVED swimming. We had a lot of fun.

Family June 2008

2008-07-03T20:53:00.001-07:00

Recently Joe's mom came out to visit. It is always so much fun when she comes because it creates an opportunity for his whole family to get together and do some special things. This time we all went to Sea World. Joe's sister Annie, lives down in the San Diego area and we stayed down there a couple days so all the kids would have more time together. We also spent some time with his Family in Palmdale. I was sad for it all to end, but I will look foward to the next time! Here is a slideshow.

Elinor's Dedication

2008-06-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

Elinor was dedicated at our Church last sunday, Father's Day. It was really a dedication more for us as her parents. We know that a baby dedication does not s

ave her and that it is her own relationship with Jesus Christ that matters. So we were asked three questions on this special day by Pastor John. They went something like this: "Will you recommit to your own relationship with Jesus Christ?" "Will you recommit to the vows you made to your

spouse when you got married?" "And will you commit to raising Elinor up, teaching her Gods Word and Gods love for her?" We answered "we will" to all three questions. It is a huge responsibility to raise a child and it is not about what kind of gratification we can get

as parents but it is about training our daughter (and future children) to love God and serve Him. The main challenge will be that Joe and actually live what we believe. So that Elinor will see that our words are not in vain.

Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it. "

Here are some fun pictures of the last week

Swimming and Pigtails

2008-06-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

We took Elinor Swimming on Friday. She really loves her bath and she loved the river in Yosemite, so we were sure she would love the pool. I am not sure if it was because she skipped her morning nap, but she really hated it! We only took her in for about 5 minutes:)

I also have to post a couple of these pics because I think they are the cutest things I have ever seen. I decided to try putting pigtails in Elinor's hair and it sort of worked (they are a bit off)

Yosemite

2008-05-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

We went to Yosemite National Park for a week. I was a little bit nervous about taking a 4 month old tent camping. I know now that I had nothing to be worried about. Elinor LOVED the outdoors and she still slept good

She was wonderful the whole trip and I was shocked about how well she did on the 7 hour car drive up to Yosemite. She made it about half way back before she let us know that she had had enough!

Before

After

Family

2008-05-11T19:04:00.001-07:00

Last week Joe's sister, Annie came out to visit with her two kids, Johnny and Pearl. Pearl is only 4 months older than Elinor and I am so excited to see them grow up together. We had a lot of fun and I am grateful for the comfortable relationship I have with my sister-in-law. here are some pictures of our time.

Sad Day

2008-04-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

Elinor had a set of shots yesterday and she was not having

a good day afterwards. She is such a sweet little girl and she bears her discomfort amazingly well. But you can see in this picture her sad little eyes and it makes me want to kiss all her pain away.

Two Firsts

2008-04-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

Elinor has started eating rice cereal and she loves it. She had no idea how to eat it at first and it would just spill down her chin. Once she figured it out she could not stop smiling. (It still spills down her chin quite a bit). This girl likes to eat!

She also had her first professional pictures taken today. She was not in the best mood for the sitting but I think we got a few of her smiling. We thought she looked so cute in her little outfit that we took some pictures beforehand with each of us

Funny picture

2008-04-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Does she look more like me??!!!

2008-04-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

I dyed my hair a darker color and I have heard a lot of comments about Elinor looking more like me now. I think she still looks exactly like her daddy, but maybe now I am not so much of an outsider! :) Her hair is actually growing in much lighter, so she will probably end up a blonde in the long run.

Speaking of hair.....her daddy decided to have some fun with it today since it is getting so long.

Here are a few pictures of his little salon session

What a difference!

2008-03-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

My baby girls is 12 weeks today. This may not seem like a very long time to someone who has never had the opportunity to watched an infant day in and day out. She has changed completely from the day we brought her home.

and the Elinor that is playing with her daddy right now is NOT the same as the little Elinor of last week. Just in the last week she has started "talking" all the time.

She now expresses her needs in more ways than crying. She laughs and smiles and makes it clear that she loves her mommy and her daddy best.

We are loving every second of it!

This makes me happy

2008-03-07T20:21:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure Elinor is going to be a daddys girl...

To Begin With...the year 2007

2008-02-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

This past year was easily the most exciting and crazy year of my life. I decided that I needed to start a blog, mainly because of my new daughter, Elinor Jane Saunders. My sisters-in-law keep everyone up to date on what is going on with their kids by blogging. So I decided to follow suite. So to start with lets get you all caught up.

In 2007:
Joe graduated from the California Highway Patrol Academy in March. He had been at the academy for 6 months. I was so proud of him and his accomplishment. Shortly after his graduation we moved into our first home that we bought in April. We were so excited to fix it up and make it our own. We got about half way through all the renovations we wanted to make when I found out I was pregnant on Mothers Day in May. It was quite a suprise! We were not planning on getting pregnant for a couple more years, but once we heard the little heart beat we were so excited! Then in June we bought our first puppy and named her Roxie Hart. She is definitely an important part of our family! In August it was time to find out the gender of our little one....a girl. And we decided to name her Elinor Jane. Elinor after Elinor Dashwood in Jane Austen's novel "Sense and Sensibility" and Jane was after my sister Casie and best friend Annika, who both have Jane as a middle name. Not to mention Jane Austen herself! As the fall came and went the aniticipation of our little girl grew and so did I! Finally December 31, 2007 at 11:13 am Elinor was born and she was perfect.She was 7lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long. She has the sweetest disposition and her daddy and I cannot get enough of her. She is now 2 months old and I cannot believe how much she has changed already. I am truly blessed by the gift that God has given me and my prayer is that Joe and I will raise Elinor (and her siblings) to be like Jesus and to love Him. That brings us to now and this blog will be dedicated to recording the growth of my family in size and in love. Welcome to my Blog!