tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23212241805045517382012-02-14T08:08:28.134-05:00Heathernoreply@blogger.comBlogger1641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-68075823871914283712012-02-13T15:00:00.002-05:002012-02-13T15:00:32.128-05:00

Taking care of sick little ones is exhausting. Will had a fever most of last week with a runny nose and cough to boot. By Friday, I thought it seemed worse than the average cold, so we went to the doctor. Sure enough, poor baby had both ears infected. Little ones who can't communicate are so tough when they're sick. It's so hard to know what is really wrong. He's such a happy little guy most of

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-21765228205111435112012-02-13T14:02:00.001-05:002012-02-13T14:02:26.790-05:00

I'm kind of proud of myself for fixing this on my own. I spent way too much time trying to do it on my own, then recruited my sweet husband to help. He spent about a half hour trying to fix it, got annoyed and called his brother--the website design guy. My kind brother in law messed with it for a while and couldn't figure out the problem either. SO...today, I messed around with some things and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-52326840931891107362012-02-09T12:38:00.001-05:002012-02-09T12:38:05.130-05:00

if you actually visit my blog, I apologize for the layout issues that I'm dealing with here. Please be patient as I try to figure things out! thanks!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-1879611454031028862012-02-04T08:56:00.001-05:002012-02-13T13:38:05.841-05:00

Linking up with Moments to Remember again. This week brought a new development with our youngest learner. Will has a sudden LOVE for books. I'm hoping and praying that it sticks. I will do everything I can to encourage that love for sure! Moments to Remember was developed as a simple way to look back on our week as homeschoolers and find photos that encompass the memories we want to remember

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-13031544282055409882012-02-03T09:55:00.000-05:002012-02-03T09:59:51.290-05:00

This week I had every intention of posting some more personal thoughts that I have been pondering, but when one kid got sick and I pulled a muscle in my neck, many plans got shifted. Maybe those thoughts need some more thinking...hopefully I'll post them soon. Writing is like therapy for me. I love it. Anyway, for now let me share some funny conversations that have been had around here with these

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-85002034703691342392012-01-28T09:27:00.000-05:002012-01-28T09:31:26.999-05:00

I'm joining with 1+1+1=1 and homeschool creations this week to post a moment I want to remember from this week. Moments to Remember was developed as a simple way to look back on our week as homeschoolers and find photos that encompass the memories we want to remember. The week may have been tough, there may have been more bumps than smiles, but in the end these are the moments that keep us

Heathernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-56446978562585455512012-01-26T21:41:00.000-05:002012-01-26T21:42:00.506-05:00

If you have small children and take them with you to get your groceries, you know that every trip is an adventure. I have to admit that as I load my 3 boys into the van to go to the store each week, that perhaps I should rethink this homeschooling gig. Don't get me wrong, I am really enjoying it so far. However, now that I have three children, I actually enjoy grocery shopping by myself and as

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-75969666897070496602012-01-24T22:06:00.003-05:002012-01-24T22:06:40.654-05:00

I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like thine can peace afford. Refrain: I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee; O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee. I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby; temptations lose their power when thou art nigh. (Refrain) I need thee every hour, in joy or pain; come quickly and abide, or life is vain. (

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-61834681633068244092012-01-24T21:33:00.000-05:002012-01-25T08:49:14.504-05:00

My second born is a riot. He is a jokester and is constantly in motion. It's funny, he's pretty naturally athletic and loves sports, and yet he falls down ALL THE TIME. I'm not exactly sure how he manages that, but he does. I think it must be the law of averages--if you run everywhere, you're bound to fall more often than someone that walks everywhere, right? Last week, while doing a math

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-77600474339705404002012-01-03T21:45:00.001-05:002012-01-23T16:34:21.181-05:00

This kid is giving me a run for my money! Here's a glimpse into a bit of my normal: (please pardon the poor photo quality--my camera is broken and we're making due with cell phone pics) putting the kids cups and snack bowls into a drawer that they can reach has been a blessing to me for some time now, but... Captain Destructo likes to get them out, try each one of them and then disperse them

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-157136500073716012012-01-02T11:09:00.000-05:002012-01-02T11:09:32.870-05:00

After having a couple weeks off for Christmas/preparing to have Pete open his own business, I was all set to start the new year off with a bang. I had lessons all prepped for school today, including some fun stuff to help ease the boys back into the swing of things. However, my plans are often derailed and today was evidence of that. Our sweet Lord, in His kindness, heard Jon's prayers for snow

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-70175233361954037202011-12-22T09:52:00.000-05:002012-01-23T16:36:43.137-05:00

and the one among us who has been Gross the longest, has been a busy boy. In fact, I caught him like this the other night: We are at t-minus 11 days until the opening of Pete Gross State Farm. This journey has been long already and it's only just begun. That said, we are really excited about what is ahead. We believe that God has given Pete the gifts and experience in sales, marketing, and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-77370947496392736152011-12-22T09:35:00.001-05:002011-12-22T09:35:44.452-05:00

This kiddo is non-stop lately. His favorite thing to do is carry things around and dump things out. And just when I think I've moved things from his reach that would lead to a big mess, he reaches just a bit higher and makes a crazy mess. In fact, ironically, I just had to go get him because he found a diaper that I had put in the laundry room--the last step before the garage--and was carrying it

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-57566602496541385322011-12-21T13:41:00.001-05:002011-12-21T13:55:42.925-05:00

If you want to feel better about your Christmas baking or crafting or even your lack there of, you've come to the right place! We've had simple pinterest projects take close to two hours and way more work than you would think: supposed to look like this: but ours ended up like this: We tried to make these: but ours turned out like this: That wasn't a complete loss because the kids

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-40446421834201397072011-12-19T10:31:00.000-05:002011-12-19T10:31:31.333-05:00

We're about to destroy the kitchen with our holiday baking and cooking! For a look at what we're making check out this link. If I can get my camera working again, there will be some fun pictures to follow. If not, there might be some grainy cell phone pics instead!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-90003400103833335902011-12-15T15:52:00.000-05:002011-12-15T15:52:08.989-05:00

Wow, I almost forgot to post about my darling Will's first birthday! This cute baby wasn't feeling so good on his big day. His first birthday fell the day before Thanksgiving this year, so we had a houseful of guests--Will got to be surrounded by his grandparents, aunt and uncle and cousins on his special day. We were also celebrating Christmas with them, so there wasn't a big to do, but he

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-28092648014217520922011-12-15T15:38:00.001-05:002011-12-15T15:41:59.334-05:00

There is nothing new under the sun, but in the past month, I've been struck with a simple truth. As a believer, time in God's Word is essential to our very being. I was sick for several days the week before Thanksgiving. Then there was the craziness of Thanksgiving and all the family busy-ness that week. Then we had one week of "normal" followed by a nasty cold that really wiped me out last

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-70542110722580722452011-12-15T15:25:00.003-05:002011-12-15T15:59:49.968-05:00

"Instead of a trap door, what about a trap window? The guy looks out it, and if he leans too far, he falls out. Wait. I guess that's like a regular window." "When I found the skull in the woods, the first thing I did was call the police. But then I got curious about it. I picked it up, and started wondering who this person was, and why he had deer horns." Those are just a couple of my

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-49931172198999987592011-12-15T14:58:00.000-05:002011-12-15T15:41:15.618-05:00

Our house here has more closet space than our previous houses, but it does not have a hall closet. In fact, there's not even room for our cute bench in the entryway here. So...all of us have been trying to use the coat tree and it has not been working. Five of us with our sweatshirts, light weight coats, and winter coats on 3 little hooks just wasn't getting the job done. So, I thought, why

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-13860623950928278502011-12-15T14:50:00.000-05:002011-12-15T15:40:51.754-05:00

These boys, especially Jon, love all things crafty. I enjoy those types of things, too, but...may or may not be guilty of avoiding most crafts with my kiddos since the work for me before, during and after is usually pretty involved. However, I have been pleased to find that recently when doing crafts, it is much less labor intensive for me. Jon and Sam are much more self-sufficient and much less

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-25103237101053088422011-12-15T14:43:00.003-05:002011-12-15T15:40:30.976-05:00

There are so many things that I haven't blogged about, but I'll start with the Christmas tree. We waited until the week after Thanksgiving to get out the decorations and then go get our tree. Being in a new spot and trying to figure out how to decorate here and even where to get a tree added some excitement to the mix, but it's been fun. We went to Big Tree Plantation to get our tree, because we

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-79686261314577903512011-12-13T10:20:00.000-05:002011-12-15T15:39:48.143-05:00

that's how I've been feeling lately...a bit scattered. Here are some pictures to highlight the past month. For those that enjoy my random ramblings, don't worry, those will probably be coming later today. For now, enjoy some photos of my dear ones:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-45359781796234749412011-11-04T17:37:00.000-04:002011-11-04T17:38:14.268-04:00

Today I had one of those moments when your watching your kids do something simple and it strikes you that there are like a million little lessons that you could be soaking up if you only look a bit more carefully. I posted a couple days ago about Jon's new found love of climbing the tree in our front yard. Well, as always, Sam wants to be where Jon is, doing what Jon is doing. However, he

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-21376488182658050582011-11-02T16:01:00.000-04:002011-11-02T16:01:58.661-04:00

...and this kid will be one. I can't even believe how quickly the time has gone by. He is so much fun. He's learning to point to his nose and his eyes and teeth, ears and hair. I love when he leans in to give me "kisses"--which Pete thinks is crazy. I'll admit, there aren't a lot of situations in which I am excited to have my children, or anyone for that matter, slobber on me, but from this

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-46307917538768916872011-11-02T15:47:00.002-04:002011-11-02T15:49:16.832-04:00

In September, Pete had a work convention in Las Vegas that we were able to attend together. Thanks to our parents, who took turns loving on our kids and to Pete's company for making it possible. Before we left, I figured out that we had only had one, yes, ONE, date night since Will had been born 10 months earlier. We had been so good about making date nights a priority before, but it just sort of

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-60415930304965932122011-11-02T15:36:00.002-04:002011-11-02T15:38:40.058-04:00

Here's a pictorial post about our new place. While it's not perfect, I'm not going to dwell on the things that we don't love but share the many things that we do enjoy. The space we have for homeschooling, right off of the kitchen: Jon's space to play with his legos, do independent school work, or make crafts in the basement: Okay, so quickly on thing that I really miss is having a

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-21844057438209735732011-11-02T15:12:00.000-04:002011-11-02T16:02:52.042-04:00

We joined Classical Conversations last year when Jon was five. We've known about and hoped to join since our days in Virginia where we saw so many families we loved taking part in the homeschool co-op at our church there. Last year, the Beavercreek CC was such a blessing for us. Now that we've moved down to Cincinnati, the South Lebanon campus has become our new CC home. It's been a transition,

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-25840643734150043562011-11-02T15:03:00.000-04:002011-11-02T15:37:48.790-04:00

In the words of my friend, Jen, I'm doing a little "ketchup blogging." Just posting a few different posts to catch you up with us. We had a quick visit from our friend Sue. Sue used to go to church with us in Xenia and was the boys VBS teacher two years in a row. In case you didn't know, that means she is on the same level as a rock star in their eyes. :) Then she surprised us by stopping at

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-60030368349089413492011-11-02T12:32:00.000-04:002011-11-02T15:37:27.871-04:00

Used to be Curious George. I mean, what's not to love about that silly little monkey? Besides the fact that he keeps all three of my kiddos entertained for 23 minutes, he's cute and is always learning something new and having fun doing it! But I digress. My new favorite monkey is Jon. He's also my favorite 6 year old, and he just taught himself to climb our tree!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-91605665556209624522011-09-14T23:18:00.002-04:002011-09-14T23:19:21.652-04:00

I haven't been very good about updating about Will. His first birthday is approaching SO quickly and then he'll get a big post. Will has gone from infant to toddler since my last post, here are some of the major accomplishments: Will... ...has 8 teeth, yes EIGHT! Six came in during a three week span around 7 months--CRAZY! ...is pretty much done nursing. We just stopped this week. He's

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-3267304740394961152011-09-14T23:03:00.000-04:002011-09-14T23:03:35.810-04:00

Time is just flying by. I cannot believe that my sweet Sam, or Sammer as he is still often referred to around here, can be four years old. In some ways, he seems older than four because he's always keeping up with Jon, but in other ways, he still seems so little. His birthday was a rough day for me--which was not really at all related to him, but probably affected him none the less. Last year his

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-29651367116468196612011-09-14T22:48:00.000-04:002011-09-14T23:03:47.760-04:00

I cannot believe that my baby, my first born, turned six--last month. I've been terrible about blogging, but the reasons for that are a whole different blog post! Jon turned six at the end of August. And for his birthday, he gets a blog post all about him! Jon... ...is driven. Once he thinks of a plan, watch out! ...is goal-oriented. He works so much faster if he knows what is next. ...is

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-3681542667120924352011-08-17T16:55:00.000-04:002011-08-17T16:55:02.494-04:00

Welp, in regard to our move to Cincinnati, it looks like we've gone from applying the breaks to full speed ahead. Once Pete found his office space for his agency, we really got the itch to get moved down there and get our life all in one place. The fact that moving means putting distance between ourselves and some very dear friends hasn't even really had time to sink in, because it's all

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-21849869013634084342011-08-08T14:28:00.001-04:002011-08-08T16:08:09.482-04:00

God is just so gracious to me. I've been teetering and tottering between being really excited about all that this year has in store for us and being really scared and worried about all that it has for us. That has led to some days of not letting myself even think about moving, homeschooling first grade while taking care of a toddler and a four year old, my husband starting a business, etc. And

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-12464683055975524082011-08-08T14:00:00.000-04:002011-08-08T14:00:11.767-04:00

For many various reasons, I decided to start our school year a little early. The biggest reason being that I knew we'd need to ease back into things and I wanted to have the flexibility to do that. So today, we did one hour of school and everyone had a great time. Tomorrow we'll probably do the same, maybe add 10 minutes if I feel like we can do that well. The other thing I love about starting

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-87898607781272098312011-06-22T15:33:00.000-04:002011-06-22T15:33:00.350-04:00

Ultimately, as a parent who has been saved by the grace of God by the death and resurrection of Christ, one of chief goals is to have children who love the Lord and seek to know Him more and live their lives in serving Him and sharing His love with others. There are many things that we do around here to that end, but Sunday I read a blog that I think will play a big role in helping our little

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-78704646353777074872011-06-08T20:42:00.000-04:002011-06-08T20:42:28.608-04:00

Let's pretend it's Monday. Monday, I was at my in-laws' house in the morning. It wasn't exactly how I had planned, but life rarely is, I'm finding. It all actually started on Saturday when we got the unexpected call that my grandpa--grandfather is a far too formal title for him--had passed away. He had been doing all his normal things the previous week and even that morning. Grandma had made

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-7925006792437340532011-06-02T09:10:00.000-04:002011-06-02T09:10:49.784-04:00

How quickly I forget things...and take things for granted. The month of May was filled with rain-soaked days. Rain was a given almost every single day of the month. I would hesitantly open up weather.com and grimace at the forecast of rain, rain and more rain. Today, I realized that in the past couple days, since we've been having more "seasonable" weather, I haven't checked the weather. I have

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-29997842629934884562011-06-01T16:19:00.001-04:002011-06-01T16:19:47.989-04:00

Any of you that are friends with me on facebook know that my kiddos have been sick a bunch lately. It started with an upper-respiratory virus a few weeks ago that turned into ear infections and bronchitis for both Jon and Sam. Pete got the virus also, but managed to get better much quicker than the kids. Thankfully, Will and I were able to dodge that bullet! Really, after getting over my own

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-45735965256662601852011-06-01T16:10:00.000-04:002011-06-01T16:10:44.709-04:00

My littlest boy is now 6 months old! Time is just flying. ~He weighs 20 lbs, 4 oz.--which is the 90th% ~He's 28 3/4 inches long--97th% ~He's sitting independently all the time. ~Rolls both ways--when he wants to do so, that is. ~Get's up on his hands and knees and lunges to get things ~Eats a little bit of "real" food, but still mostly spits a lot of it back out. ~Smiles and laughs often--

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-41212124550987413442011-05-13T15:35:00.002-04:002011-05-27T14:32:44.459-04:00

So there are always so many things that I could say about homeschooling and how we got here, but I don't really have time today to delve into all of that. Today is just a recap of this year and what I've done with Jon. Some--most--of this is for my own record keeping, but hopefully it will be helpful to others as well. This is our first year homeschooling, and although I was a classroom

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-17177905965132416332011-05-03T23:06:00.001-04:002011-05-27T14:33:06.027-04:00

A quick update on Sam--the poor middle child is getting done last and I'm getting tired, typical, right? Sam is silly and fun-loving. He's more emotional and way more laidback than Jon--a bit more like his mama. ~Sam loves to do just about anything with Jon. He'll even just watch Jon build something or write something. He LOVES Jon. It's about the cutest thing in the whole world to me. The

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-35603183696243537112011-05-03T22:47:00.001-04:002011-05-27T14:33:16.467-04:00

Just wanted to hit the highlights of life with Jon. He's such a fun kid. He's mostly like his dad--practical and prepared, but he's definitely his own little person. ~He likes to do things methodically--he makes a new lego project for himself and one for Sam each week and then leaves them built for the whole week. ~He loves words and reading. I found him making his own church directory with

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-62158022380200383592011-05-03T22:25:00.001-04:002011-05-27T14:33:52.951-04:00

I've been terrible about blogging lately, so today is catch up day. First, here's the latest on our little guy, Will. He's five months old now and such a happy little guy. He recently took his first bath with his brothers. He had his first taste of "food" with some homeground oatmeal and then since then some pureed green beans. Typically, like 9 times out of 10, he's happy as can be to see

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-22728223351898247632011-04-15T11:25:00.001-04:002011-05-27T14:34:15.216-04:00

I recently read a blog that pretty much said, in our attempts to seem all together, we really make each other feel worse. I know that personally when I see other moms who seem to have it all figured out, it does make me feel a bit bewildered and even, at my worst, like a failure. So with that in mind, I'm going to clear the air, in case you thought I had it all together, I definitely do not.

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-18734138804834432782011-04-01T13:26:00.001-04:002011-05-27T14:34:30.510-04:00

This little boy, whom I refer to lovingly as our chunky monkey, is not so little! We just got back from his 4 month check up. Here are some fun facts about our youngest gross boy: At 4 months: ~weighs 18 lbs, 10 oz. ~is 27 3/4 inches long ~is super laid back and happy 99% of the time ~still sucks his thumb, but isn't picky about which thumb anymore--maybe he'll be ambidextrous? ~LOVES his

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-79085991386342791522011-03-02T14:21:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:36:31.319-04:00

[In] the whole of world history there is always only one really significant hour — the present… ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer I've been convicted lately of thinking too much of the future. Although it's beneficial to plan for the future, it's much more important to fully live in the minutes that we've been given. I'm off to fold laundry and pray for the ones who will be wearing the clothes I fold and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-87774016982418224722011-02-28T17:11:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:34:59.142-04:00

God sends her posts to me at just the right times and reminds me that He is in everything. Seriously, if you have just 2 minutes to read it, it will encourage you. If you have longer and quiet, that would be even better, but regardless, you should read it. ~a husband who sees how much his words affect our boys and strives to use those words for His glory ~little boys who love each other and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-60547514461156767732011-02-25T09:04:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:35:25.861-04:00

I recently bought notebooks from Snapfish that are personalized with a picture of each boy on the front and titled, Jon's Book of Quotes and Sam's Book of Quotes. It's been fun for me to take a few minutes here and there to record some of the things that come out of their little mouths. Seriously, they crack me up! Here are just a couple from yesterday: Sam: "Mama, it's 10:23!" Me, knowing

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-56730755440157175342011-02-23T14:39:00.001-05:002011-02-23T14:39:44.122-05:00

Lately, I've been taking pictures and posting about Will more than Jon and Sam and I don't want them to feel like they're just "the other two" or the "older boys." And actually, they've been cracking me up left and right lately with some of the things that they've said. So...here's a taste of the things they've been saying and doing. playing in the sink on a cold day Sam and I were driving home

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-43701478462705664542011-02-23T10:42:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:35:37.731-04:00

It is so fun watching this little guy as he grows and changes! Here are some things I want to remember about Will at 3 months: ~he coos more and more ~smiles are more and more frequent ~he loves flapping his arms and legs around ~he giggled for the first time yesterday! ~he prefers his right thumb, but I have found him sucking the left twice! ~he loves schedule and his typically goes like this:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-59090393801844192752011-02-15T15:09:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:35:50.687-04:00

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes...Ace of Base anyone? Whenever I think of that song I think of high school swim team and listening to a friends walkman...okay, now that I've dated myself, I'll leave that rabbit trail and get to the real story--the sign in our yard. Yes, our house is for sale. Yes, we are moving AGAIN. And while there are a lot of things about moving that do not

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-75816278608056051122011-02-07T12:26:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:36:15.287-04:00

I've been really bad about linking and blogging my list, but I have been journaling them often. Here's a few from the past week: ~electricity during the ice storm ~safety for my sweetie while traveling to and from work through the snow and ice ~little boys playing in the basement while I read God's Word (this only happened one morning, but I was SO thankful!) ~a baby who found his thumb and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-92142648830762722512011-02-04T09:32:00.001-05:002011-05-27T14:36:48.356-04:00

It's been almost ten years since our first date. I can't really believe it. Yet on the other hand, it seems like we've always been together. It's really funny to think that just a few short months before we started dating, I was trying to convince a friend that she should date him. I'm sure glad she didn't! Today, since the older two are at my parents house and the littlest is sleeping, I

Heathernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-91617097980565610572011-01-26T12:44:00.002-05:002011-05-27T14:37:04.297-04:00

Where has the time gone? My little guy is two months old! Here's the latest on Will: ~weighs 15 lbs, 5 oz. ~is 25 1/2 inches long ~loves to smile and coo ~loves sleeping on his tummy (gasp!) ~typically sleeps through the night 8-10 hours ~appears to be a thumb-sucker (just like his mama!) ~wears 3-6 month clothing ~rarely cries :)

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-36227494133120181352010-12-17T20:06:00.005-05:002011-05-27T14:37:14.779-04:00

Here are a few pictures of our new little guy:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-8464954702774521252010-11-30T11:17:00.006-05:002010-11-30T12:56:50.519-05:00

Alright, first the disclaimer--this is a birth story, men, you might not want to read this. It will include some details that you might not want to read--because it's a detailed account of childbirth. Just click away if you're not interested, I completely understand! Also, I got interrupted a million times while trying to write this, so forgive me if it's disjointed! Now, before I tell Will's

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-15531972751763478292010-09-17T20:53:00.007-04:002011-05-27T14:37:30.464-04:00

So...it's been just over four weeks since the "water damage" occurred at our house. And it has been an adventure. We've got all the contents of our kitchen in our dining room and a good chunk of our house has either no real flooring--i.e. just plywood with tacks on the outside edge. Also, until this past week, we didn't have a sink or stove or oven or dishwasher--at least not hooked up and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-49983706134525443272010-08-24T15:07:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:37:56.922-04:00

I'm not sure how two months has passed since my last entry, but...it has! We've spent our summer doing the normal summer things--parks, pools, slip n' slides, sprinklers, riding bikes (not me so much, since I'm getting larger and larger!), having picnics, etc. We've gotten to see a lot of extended family and enjoyed many play dates with fun friends. Some of the mentionable highlights are: ~

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-59468345428723744452010-06-28T20:56:00.004-04:002010-06-28T21:15:18.316-04:00

I've been following Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience for several months now and I'm always challenged by what she shares. Today she spoke of losing our culture as believers and shared that her husband--the Farmer--said he thinks he lost the culture of his family when his parents didn't teach him the language. Today, I've had a bad attitude. My husband is traveling. I was violently ill with a

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-70372481893318172302010-06-01T09:05:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:38:28.871-04:00

Do you ever feel like you need to have all your ducks in a row before you can do something? For instance, in college I thought that I needed to be this perfect version of myself before I could date and marry Mr. Right. Thankfully, God used people to speak truth into my life and help me to realize that sometimes finding Mr. Right, dating him and marrying him is a part of God's plan to sanctify

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-58817346080360468182010-04-16T18:41:00.004-04:002011-05-27T14:38:58.747-04:00

I just realized that I haven't blogged in ages. Besides my usual excuses-just trying to balance everyday life--I actually have a very good reason. You see I've been sick and exhausted, for a very good reason. I'm pregnant with baby #3! I'm 9 weeks along and due November 20th. We're all really excited. Sam and I are hoping for a girl, but Daddy and Jon are hoping for another boy. Either way

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-29143334777200073762010-03-10T10:15:00.003-05:002011-05-27T14:39:17.459-04:00

I just read this blog and it had some great ideas. A few of them we have already been doing, but several were new to me. Here are three of my favorites: * "Yes Mommy" - Since I started encouraging the kids to respond to requests with "Yes Mommy," they suddenly seem to respond faster. There's something psychological about that phrase that commits them to doing whatever I've asked them to do.

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-24628878915748715752010-02-23T14:52:00.013-05:002011-05-27T14:40:08.899-04:00

This year is flying by--I really can't believe it's almost March. I'm going to try to sum up what we've been up to with a few words and a few pictures. Pete He finished up his time at DewTechnology in January and had a couple weeks off. We thoroughly enjoyed that time together. :) Then he began studying for some state insurance tests and just finished and passed them last week. This week

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-21032791413036785782010-02-10T17:49:00.004-05:002011-05-27T14:40:32.628-04:00

Long time, no post...sorry! Currently, we're recovering from the stomach flu. It started with Jon on Saturday and then Pete and I got it on Monday night/Tuesday morning and by Tuesday night, Sam joined in the fun. Today, we're all on the upswing--Sam, Pete and I all on the toast diet and Jon actually beginning to eat "real food" again. Today, I tried to keep Sam still--a difficult feet--in

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-50714545535701473862009-12-10T15:25:00.003-05:002011-05-27T14:41:07.568-04:00

I'll start at the beginning--b/c that's a very good place to start (Sound of Music reference)--Pete has always wanted to own his own business, but hasn't had direction/financing to do so. So, we've prayed about it and God has always provided good jobs for Pete that have taught him a lot. They weren't always, scratch that, they were never his dream job, but each job has had it's ups and downs

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-68648924449066574502009-11-30T16:01:00.005-05:002011-05-27T14:41:34.757-04:00

So, a few of you already know this, but I wanted to take the time to update the rest of you. The Friday before Thanksgiving, the company Pete works for announced that they are closing their doors by the end of the year. Thankfully, they wanted Pete to stay on until the end, and if he does that he gets a severance package. Pete's been looking for other job opportunities for several months

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-38817737630542790652009-11-20T16:08:00.004-05:002011-05-27T14:41:49.610-04:00

My brother, Scott, came to visit and brought a few gifts. The most treasured is The Beginner's Bible that he gave Jon. Jon has already had over 175 pages read to him out of it since receiving it only this morning! He took it to bed with him at naptime and he came out hugging it afterwards. It's really incredibly precious in so many ways. We also got some news today that displays God's

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-78001934662615472132009-11-16T23:12:00.003-05:002011-05-27T14:42:31.555-04:00

So we checked out the Leap Frog "Talking Words Factory" dvd from the library and although it's cracked and we can only watch the first 15 minutes, this is what Jon's already picked up on:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-73312923544173926572009-11-15T21:18:00.003-05:002011-05-27T14:42:59.605-04:00

After seeing it on other blogs and hearing about it from a few moms that I actually know in "real life" I finally got the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD from the library and I'm amazed. I believe my boys are becoming obsessed with letters. Even Sam knows almost every letter and their sounds after watching what he calls, "that Baby Tad movie!" While it's not a masterpiece in any way for an adult

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-36497616964794659742009-11-09T15:00:00.009-05:002011-05-27T14:43:21.515-04:00

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm always looking for good quality toys to get my kids. I figured others are probably doing the same. I'm going to share a few of our favorite books and toys with you and tell you why they're favorites. I'd love to hear from you--which toys are your kids favorites and which are your favorites! ;) First, let me clarify that I am not a paid reviewer.

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-35448369127419544612009-11-03T11:17:00.005-05:002011-05-27T14:43:45.755-04:00

I've been quiet in the blogging world lately for a variety of reasons. The past few weeks it's been because of sickness in our house. Before that...I'm not even sure. I think sometimes I feel like if I don't have something really profound to say or some really cute story to tell that I shouldn't post, but...today, I'm posting nothing profound or adorable, just an update of sorts. Jon and

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-53388163314070600572009-10-12T22:16:00.002-04:002011-05-27T14:44:02.079-04:00

This will mostly be a picture post. I took the boys to the pumpkin patch nearby and they had a blast. There are several swing sets with great slides and they were just laughing and having so much fun. I had to drag them away to get them to look at the pumpkins! Here are a few of my favorite pics:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-34887046464113004022009-09-22T16:37:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:44:20.297-04:00

I have to keep this short...there are so many things that I need to get done right now, but first I just want to share this praise with anyone who will listen/read. This afternoon while driving in the van, Jon told me that he really wants to go to heaven. Then he asked me to help him pray and he asked God to forgive him of his sins (which we explained as disobedience) and confessed that he

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-14348453441538736112009-09-22T08:12:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:44:47.735-04:00

Typically this blog is mostly about those cute little "Gross boys" and not so much about me, because let's face it, telling stories about toddlers is much more interesting than telling stories about their mom. :) Today though, I'm going to steal the stage for just a minute. Just long enough to ask you to pray. Today marks three years from the day that my younger brother Joe died. He was only

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-23464482964589949682009-09-21T14:53:00.007-04:002011-05-27T14:45:11.184-04:00

First, I stole this idea from this great blog. But ever since seeing it, I've been wanting to do it with Jon. The beauty of this idea is that your little one doesn't have to know how to read, just be able to match up the words. Plus it does help with word recognition once they start to memorize the verse! Bonus! :) Here's a couple of pictures followed by a video of part of our project.

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-91315447352691616112009-09-09T14:58:00.005-04:002011-05-27T14:59:53.796-04:00

These little boys fill my days with so much joy and laughter and frustration and craziness, but mostly joy and laughter. And I am so thankful to be their mom and to watch them grow and help teach them and mold them. I pray everyday that they might grow to know and love the Lord as their Lord and Savior at a young age and become men who seek after Him and serve Him all of their days. For now,

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-33395712513177346172009-09-07T20:14:00.005-04:002011-05-27T14:45:47.078-04:00

Sam singing Happy Birthday to Me: Jon singing a song from Word World:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-84786529767335031902009-09-07T20:04:00.006-04:002011-05-27T14:53:43.848-04:00

We just had the treat of having Grammie--my mom--come for a week. Unfortunately, the boys were both sick when she got here with a nasty virus. Thankfully, Grammie was a huge help with them. She helped me to stay sane throughout the week! Then my brothers and Dad, cousin, Marcy and her son, Riley, came for a long weekend. It was so great to be surrounded by family. The kids were in heaven

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-63966941275880802652009-08-27T19:43:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:50:20.123-04:00

Today, we got new bedding and the boys were all about the bag it came in. They kept asking if we would zip them up in it. They even took turns and took their blankies in with them. It was really hilarious. I'm not sure what it says about our kids/our life that they had a blast being zipped in a big bag...but they were enjoying themselves and having good clean fun, so...

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-63411180258599672272009-08-26T07:14:00.006-04:002011-05-27T14:50:40.077-04:00

That's right, my oldest little one turned four last week! Crazy! We decided to do things a little differently this year for a couple reasons and not have a traditional birthday party. Instead, we found other ways to make his day fun and because of the weather and his daddy's work week, we ended up celebrating for three days--can't beat that! ;) Day one included: 4 streamers and the #4

Heathernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-17874565071729216792009-08-14T21:25:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:51:02.166-04:00

My boys crack me up on a regular basis, and because I know that a few of you--namely my parents and few random others--enjoy hearing about what they say and do, I thought I'd share. Here are just a few that come to mind: At Target, buying a body pillow to replace the one I've had since freshman year of college--'97: Jon says, "What's that, Mom?" Me, "a body pillow--like the green one I have at

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-16019596993455657022009-08-12T14:42:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:51:48.342-04:00

Jon just started playing soccer last week. It's great--he's in a rec league in Cedarville that is for 4 and 5 year olds (he'll be four next week) and it's coached by the Cedarville Soccer players. The games are 3 times a week, but they're only 30 minutes long--which is perfect for their little attention spans! Here are some of the highlights so far: He actually kicked the ball and had control

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-86447087323461784752009-08-01T13:05:00.005-04:002011-05-27T14:52:31.934-04:00

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-47372122087671945532009-08-01T13:00:00.004-04:002011-05-27T14:52:58.357-04:00

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-45992311746624116542009-07-28T16:04:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:54:07.072-04:00

Our trip was so fun and such a whirlwind...we saw so many people and did so many things, that I didn't get pictures of even half of it. Especially since I didn't have Pete along to help, I'm really thankful that I got any good pics! :) Here are a few, more to come including so cute ones of the boys fishing with my dad!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-44613797365319077662009-07-28T15:59:00.003-04:002011-05-27T14:54:41.027-04:00

Back around the 4th, we took a family trip to the zoo. It was great--everyone loved it! Our only complaint was that it was crowded being the Friday before the holiday. Here are a couple of cute pics from our trip:

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-55778713023862545842009-07-28T15:56:00.004-04:002011-05-27T14:55:04.604-04:00

sorry I've been MIA on here...these two munchins have been keeping me on my toes. Here they're both in time out at the same time--maybe I should keep them there while I get caught up on here!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-54458695936658078622009-06-17T15:03:00.005-04:002011-05-27T14:55:19.178-04:00

We patched the slip n' slide and inflated it and the fun began. Here's a short clip of the fun, followed by a few fun pictures! :)

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-77349304976855566562009-06-05T14:46:00.006-04:002011-05-27T14:56:07.991-04:00

This is mostly for me and my family/loved ones on facebook that might care. Over the past couple weeks as we've visited family, people who have tried to lift Sam have commented on what a chunk he is--he's not fat, but he's got a little chub and is definitely solid! When people make these comments, Pete is quick to say that he seems even chubbier than Jon was at this age and I disagree...so I'm

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-32827914483791686462009-06-03T15:29:00.006-04:002011-05-27T15:00:11.188-04:00

I bought Jon and Sam bike helmets last night. First thing this morning, Jon found his and immediately wanted to wear it--along with the knee pads and elbow pads that came with it! He wore them from 8am until about 11:15, and only took them off then because we needed to run a few errands and I insisted. :) Here's a couple cute pics of both boys in their helmets and then a video of Jon singing

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-38337792198225196492009-05-29T20:32:00.005-04:002011-05-27T15:00:34.493-04:00

We just returned from 6 days in Michigan with Pete's brother and his sweet family. It was a great trip. I wasn't sure how it was going to go b/c I knew Pete and his brother were planning to go fishing and camping for part of the time and the sleeping arrangements for the kids were questionable to say the least. However, Summer and Andy came up with a great plan for sleeping, which gave me so

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-42562183253124848942009-05-21T10:53:00.004-04:002011-05-27T15:00:46.674-04:00

Two posts in one day??? I know, it's crazy! However, we're getting ready to go to Michigan and I figured I needed to catch up on the last trip first. :) A few weeks ago, we went up to Pete's parents' house and spent the weekend. While we were there, Pete went turkey hunting with his dad. They had a blast and Pete got his gobbler on the second day. :) His dad got a picture, I'll have to

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-25825123186868215532009-05-21T10:20:00.004-04:002011-05-27T15:03:28.572-04:00

I have been so bad about blogging lately. The few times that I've gotten on here lately, all I've done is upload pics or videos. I'm sorry! Life has been busy and I've been trying to be on this contraption less and spend more time doing more important things--spending quality time with the fam, reading, journalling, praying, exercising, etc. But I do intend to be more consistent about

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-21523865919815633502009-05-15T16:50:00.004-04:002009-05-15T17:17:55.859-04:00

Jon riding his bike

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-89889741282118727052009-04-23T14:37:00.005-04:002009-04-23T15:51:50.437-04:00

The other morning the boys were playing and the camera was nearby, so I got some video of playdoh fun and Sam's skills with Jon's magnet book. He doesn't know all of his letters, but he's really good at matching the magnets in the book and he's always quite proud of himself! :) Enjoy!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-28807593261158394292009-04-07T20:03:00.008-04:002011-05-27T15:03:45.717-04:00

the kids listening to the Easter story Sam was leaning on Jon...it was really sweet until Jon shoved him away! Jon's ready to begin the egg hunt--he was determined to "win"! Sam getting ready to begin the hunt finding his favorite color eggs--yellow! last one!

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-1964198375501937762009-04-07T15:12:00.003-04:002011-05-27T15:04:02.962-04:00

A couple weeks ago, we had fun at our neighbors' house and before we left they gave us some doughnuts. Jon and Sam split one. When Jon got to his last bite, he handed it to me and said, "that doughnut is just too big for my tummy, Mommy!" For days afterwards, anytime he was full, he would say, "I'm still full from that big doughnut, mom." Saturday, I had gone upstairs and I hear from

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-82823690763034110052009-04-03T13:55:00.003-04:002011-05-27T15:04:15.114-04:00

I wish you could hear them all--well, actually not all of them, occassionally they're embarassing! This kid cracks me up. Soon, Sam will be joining Jon in these posts. He's talking more and more all the time. Obviously, Pete and I--and Jon actually-- understand him much better than anyone else, but he's quite verbal. (wonder where he gets that?) ;) For now, here are some of the highlights

Heathernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2321224180504551738.post-54042467220646049812009-03-26T14:11:00.009-04:002011-05-27T15:04:42.365-04:00

Sam in a friend's bike helmet, eyeing a big bike Tuesday evening was gorgeous...high 60's and sunny. We walked down to our neighbor's house and had fun with them and others from our neighborhood who stopped by as they were strolling around. Here's a few pics to sum it up: Nancy made hopscotch for the kids the men played a little basketball Nancy with her girls Nancy pulling the kite while

Heathernoreply@blogger.com0