Christmas in Kansas City

Caleb and Gideon got a remote control train and firetruck. It was so fun to watch them 'drive' around the house.

Briella loves her new baby that came with a diaper, clothes, blankets, and a crib.

All together on Sunday morning!

Thanksgiving in Iowa

We spent a week in Iowa for Thanksgiving and as always there were lots of books to be read, repeatedly.

Briella prefers GrandmaB's bath toys to our own and I couldn't resist those cheeks ;)
We made popcorn, the first time for our kids. It was very interesting and they even clapped when it started filling the bowl!

Briella-isms 2

I know I recently wrote about the funny things Briella has been saying, but I have a few more that I hope you get a kick out of!

I was at Kohl's with both kids in the double stroller and realized I needed to use the bathroom so I went into the handicap one so the kids and my stuff could stay in the stroller. I don't do this often and decided to just get over it and move on. Then I heard Briella say, "I like your blue underwear Mom" (with a grin on her face). Thanks Brie, I'll remember that . . .

While visiting the elderly, passing gas seems as normal as with infants, except to Briella. After hearing a prolonged toot she loudly proclaimed "Ewwwww, she tooted" and when I tried to ignore her inappropriate comment she repeated the facts again and again.

A couple of times recently after getting dressed (usually on Sunday morning) Briella says "I'm SO pretty." I think because we have said this to her (lesson learned), so we have explained that she can say a dress or shirt is pretty, but not that she is pretty, she should let others say that. As I said it has happened more than once so she hasn't quite gotten it yet. She was also helping me with the leaves a few weeks ago and said "I'm SO helpful." Which at the time she was and I was thankful, but again how do we teach our eager to please 3 year old not to brag?!?

We keep learning about this parenting thing and how there is SO much to teach our children. It continues to be a blessing and a challenge at the same time. We are thankful for wisdom from God and His Word and for grace when our wisdom is lacking!!

Great Grandparents

This week we visited my Grandparents in Sioux Center a few times. As of last week they have 46 great-grandkids!! Grandpa is 94 and Grandma will be 85 next week. What a blessing to be able to visit them and see God's blessings through the generations.

Sewing with Mom

Look at everything we made!! A clutch purse for me, 3 glasses cases (for Abbie, Jen and I), a maternity post/pregnancy band (for Mindy), and 2 reusable baggies. It has been a lot of fun, and I look forward to trying more projects on my on!

Sibling Love and a Tutu

My friend gave me some of her extra tulle so that I could make Brie a little tutu (for playing). It looks kind of poufy, but she loves it :)

Briella-isms

Our dear daughter is cracking us up as she is learning more and more and catching on to things. Here are a few of our recent favorites.

We have a couple of Arthur books and she has watched Arthur on PBS a few times, Arthur's little sister DW has caused some confusion . . . Briella now says "DWXYZ."

The other day I said "Yes, ma'am" and she responded "I am not a MAN!!" I tried to explain that ladies can be called ma'aM, but I don't think she got it.

A few weeks ago I was making bread and had dough all over my hands and she said "You have to lick them." As if it is a rule that when your fingers have stuff on them you should lick them, she must have seen that somewhere?!?!

I was helping her get dressed and told her she had such a little butt. She asked, "Do you have a little butt?" I said, honestly, "No, I do not have a little butt. You have a little butt." She knows her opposites and asked, "Does mommy have a big butt?"

Last night we were getting ready for a bath so she was on the toilet and I was taking Gideon's diaper off and she asked "Why does Gideon have a snake?" As if this was the first time this major difference was obvious to her?!?! They bathe together 3 times a week!?!?!

What have we been doing?!?!

So, it has been awhile and I'm not really sure why. I have a little scratch paper with some cute/funny things I could write about the kids . . . I even have a couple of pictures . . . maybe later. Here is some random things that have been on my mind and taken up my time lately:

Since November started we have remained busy with the usually stuff mentioned in the last post with words . . . I also spent 12 hours one weekend scrapbooking!! Yeah! It is so much fun to do a bunch of pages with other people. I worked in Gideon's book and he went from 3 months to 18 months! Wow! I'm practically current!! I did not work on Briella's book, she is currently 2 in her book, so not too bad. One of these days I'll have time and creative juices to get working on hers again.

I have also been getting up early to fit in more time for daily devotions which is a huge blessing even though it was not easy to start setting the alarm an hour earlier than I used to. I am also trying to fit in some exercise each day (often during nap time or after the kids are in bed). My cousin/friend (Thanks B!) found this awesome site that has TONS of videos you can download for free! I love the walking videos because it is a great cardio work out and I can stay inside and not get bored on my treadmill. I also spent $2 on a exercise ball workout this summer and finally started using it.

I have found a couple of other fun food sites that I have really enjoyed: Our Best Bites
and Sisters Cafe.

I am also reading more and more about natural health remedies. Since moving back to the midwest I have needed some help with colds and I remembered my college roommate saying her sinus doctor told her to rinse with salt water. I was shocked when she told me she just sniffs it up from the palm of her hand, but I tried it and I am a believer! You can also buy nasal sprays or a netipot, but this works for me. We are stocked up on Vitamin D to boost immunity, and echinacea and garlic to fight off sickness, too. I'd rather spend money on these more natural health items than go to the doctor and pay for a visit and more drugs that I'm not so convinced are always helpful. We also use a honey cinnamon mixture that seems to help with coughs and sore throats. Keeper of the Home has lots of information that I've found interesting and useful and I've looked stuff up here before, too.

I'm also excited to try to sew one of these with my mom over Thanksgiving. In the next few weeks I want to make an Advent Calendar or a Jesse Tree to teach Briella about Christmas, but I haven't quite figured out which one to make and how to do it.

Oh and I ordered our Christmas picture/cards already! I found a good deal and just went with the pictures we had, so I should be sending those out sooner rather than later this year!!

WW--Fun times

October is almost over?!?!

We've been keeping busy with all sorts of stuff this month . . .
Youth Group--3 Sundays this month, Road Rally last Saturday, fundraisers and other planning
Parenting Group--We started a new group at church to watch a DVD series by Paul David Tripp, we've only met once but we are 'leading'/coordinating so it takes some time to keep track of how many copies, bulletin announcements, and who wants to watch it at home because they missed . . .
Weddings--We had a couple from church get married and one of Stephan's cousins got married, it is always fun and encouraging to attend Christian weddings and be reminded of our own vows and God's plan for marriages.
Library--I agreed to help order books for our church library and it has been fun to look at books, but it takes time to read/approve the books (any suggestions for books?!?)
Kids--We are enjoying some time outside with the leaves and going on walks.
Briella is now interested in finding B's for Briella everywhere there are letters, she is learning a lot of songs from our Steve Green CDs and can now say the Lord's Prayer, she also learned Matthew 1:21-23 for Sunday School. It is so precious to hear her recite both, God is good.
Gideon is still loving trucks, cars, and balls of course, what a boy! He will throw anything he is allowed to throw and has been found singing/reading books to himself too.

WW-Art Prize

Apple Orchard Fun

Saturday we went to a local orchard . . . It was a bit chilly, but we had a good time. We got a wagon ride out to the orchard, which made both kiddos a little nervous. Briella picked several apples and chucked them into our basket. I removed several apples that had suffered from being chucked into the basket. Gideon seemed to find all of the half eaten apples and wanted to taste them . . .




We were ready to go, but I thought we should try another picture by the cute fall decor, but with cars going past Briella was very worried that I was not watching for cars and Gideon was very excited to hear and see the cars . . . so this is the best we could do. oh well.

Yep, it was cold . . . and yep, she is a chicken.

Sorrow to Joy

I have been putting this off for a very long time. I don't even want to finish this, I probably won't tonight. But, I need to write about our precious child that we lost nearly two months ago.
Some days it seems like a long time ago, but I remember clearly that first morning when Stephan left early for work and I could not get back to sleep. The cramping was unbearable, the grief unimaginable; I could not find words to even pray. I tried to say the Lord's prayer, repeating over and over "thy will be done" and then trying to site Psalm 23 "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, thy rod and thy staff comfort me."

I don't know what to write, but I need to write. I want to share the deep sorrow I felt and still feel for this tiny life that was a part of me for 11 weeks. Those weeks are incredibly precious to me, I had so many thoughts about and plans for this little one and it hurts that I won't have this baby that was to share my birth month, that was going to break our tie between girls and boys, that was going to be just a few months younger than a cousin to be born in October, that I don't have to move one or both of my kids upstairs to make room for a new baby, that I can't hold my little one or say "I love you and I loved you the moment I knew you would be a part of our family," and so much more . . .

Our family and friends have been so helpful, supportive, encouraging, caring. God has been gracious in so many ways, providing deep peace knowing that this is His sovereign will, surrounding us with loving family and friends, and blessing us with each other and our dear children. When Briella asked about the baby and I told her there is no more baby, the baby is with Jesus in heaven, she just nodded and then hours later said "You have another baby later" as the tears fell I learned what it means to have childlike faith. She has often said "Mommy you sad?" then "I have hugs for you." What a blessing, I am so thankful for her and Gideon who is also generous with his hugs. They have always been precious, but even more after such a profound loss.

I have learned and grown so much. My heart aches more for those who have lost, I love my husband and children more than I thought possible, I cling to God's promises sometimes in desperation and sometimes with great confidence, I appreciate and savor my times of personal devotions, I am more thankful for the blessing of a new day of life.

There is still a hole in my heart and at times it aches to hold that baby that we waited and prayed for. Other times I am so thankful for the blessing of our family and the faith and knowledge we have been given by our heavenly Father. In that there is joy.

Please remember to pray for those who are currently waiting to get pregnant or who have lost babies before or at birth. We often overlook these hurting members of the Kingdom because not everyone shares these struggles . . .

Proverbs 16:9 "A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

Jeremiah 31:13b "I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow."

WW---I love laundry!

Ameteur Photo Shoot . . .

We recently went to a local park to take pictures of the kids. Here are a few cute ones that you might enjoy :)


I'm not even sure how many pictures we took, A LOT! But I'm quite sure only 10% of them are even worth looking at . . . unless you like to see the side or back of Gideon's head, or either of them running away. I think we did get a few that we will be printing and sending out.

WW--Sad to see Daddy go

Happy 3rd Birthday Briella!

We had a weekend long celebration for Briella's birthday. Having a birthday on Sunday just kind of throws things off a bit. So Saturday morning Stephan took Gideon to run a few errands and Briella helped me make her mooonkey cake (she says "moon" and then "key" even though we've tried to get her to say "monkey") . While decorating the cake she said these things repeatedly "Is this my mooonkey cake?" "Make eyes for my mooonkey" "I free" "We will share it") Can you guess what I was saying repeatedly?? (yes,but we will share it, say monkey, pretty soon, it's THree). Later we all walked to the farmer's market, and then we let her open her presents (a few strawberry shortcake dolls with clothes, a doll seat/carrier, Steve Green CD's, and Memory). She was excited about each gift, but first started playing with the carrier, later she wanted to play with "my little girls."
After lunch we broke into the moonkey cake and she mostly ate the frosting . . .



Our favorite three year old seems to have grown up overnight. She notices and remembers so much more and it is amazing to me what she thinks about. She is excited to start Sunday School next week and keeps reminding me "Mrs. Koetje will be my teacher." She loves to help me do things and insists on doing more things herself. She wants to know everyone's name and is somewhat confused about who is her cousin and who is her friend and who is a stranger. We are so thankful for such a blessing.