The Difficulty of the Perfect Picture!

I am sure other mothers have this problem...but it is SO hard for me to get a good picture of the boys! They really are cute I tell myself...why can't they both smile at the camera and at the same time? Sometimes I feel like they are plotting against me! Here are a couple of examples...

Both boys are NOT looking at the camera...Jacob's smile is adorable though!

Baker is NOT looking at the camera

Jacob is NOT looking at the camera...and possibly picking his nose!

Baker is done with getting his picture taken...so is Jacob!

Jacob looking at the camera...and Baker trying to escape the picture!

Where is Baker????

Cute one of Baker...but where is Jacob???

This is the best we got...

Our Story

Dave and I met through FOCUS 7 years ago. We were placed on the same team together at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He was my team director and I was a first year missionary on a dating fast. I loved my first year as a missionary but it was very difficult at times. I knew that I loved Dave in October of that year...but had a long time until my dating fast was over. That year was amazing in what it taught me; patience, trust in God's will and the love our heavenly Father has for us. That year taught me that before I could hand my heart over to a man I needed to give it fully to our Lord. I learned so much about who I was that year and my relationship with our Lord really blossomed. In May of that year Dave asked me on our first date and on June 2nd, 2005 (after my dating fast was completely over) we went on our first date in Madison, WI during Summer training. It was everything that I imagined...the wait was worth it.

During our courtship Dave lived in Las Vegas, NM and I lived in Atchison, KS. We both still continued to serve with FOCUS. Distance dating is never fun but Dave and I were blessed to see each other once a month. As soon as our dating began I was ready for Dave to propose....seriously it could NOT come fast enough! I knew that he was the man I was going to marry! I truly thought that he was going to propose at Christmas time. I was going to Michigan to spend the holiday with his family. I was picturing a proposal at midnight Mass...how romantic! My mother assured me that I was not going to get engaged over the holiday...but I was still hoping. You can imagine my disappointment when it didn't happen. Poor Dave, can't a guy surprise a girl is probably what he was thinking :)! Life continued and I was really trying to focus on not being so anxious for engagement, just to enjoy the time we dated and to really leave it up to God...and Dave.

February came and myself and my teammates were heading to KCCSC (Kansas City Catholic Student Conference) in Topeka. That Friday night I was sitting in adoration and trying my best to hand over all my feelings of engagement to our Lord (I WANTED TO BE ENGAGED SO BAD its embarrassing!) That night my heart truly released control of the situation and I was ready to just wait, be patient and enjoy my courtship with Dave. That night I had a dream that Dave came to the conference to surprise me. He proposed and when I looked down at the ring it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen and all the diamonds were falling out. I woke up smiling because I knew this was my release of control...this was me handing the situation over to God and letting Him steer the wheel. That afternoon I called Dave and told him about my time in adoration and about my dream. I also said...and I qoute, "Honey, I'm ready to be content with our dating. If you came today to propose I would say "NO" because its just not the right time. I am ready to be patient!"

Now lets step back a few moments and look at things from Dave's point of view. Dave was in the car driving 13 hours from New Mexico to Kansas...and he was an hour away from surprising me (and proposing) at the conference when I decided to tell him about my conviction and my dream. Just a hand full of people knew about him coming to arrange a few things, other then that myself and the rest of the room was going to be completely surprised upon him entering. Can you imagine what Dave was feeling at this moment? Poor guy :(! He tells me now that he was tempted to turn around and blow the whole thing off...but continued with it anyways. That its good for a man to not be certain about a women's answer...to really be asking her and waiting for an answer.

So Dave walked into the conference and I was COMPLETELY SURPRISED! How did he pull this off...drove 13 hours, talked with me on the phone while driving, and I had no idea. It was February 11th so he told me it was a valentines surprise. We sat through dinner and a talk by Matthew Kelly, talked with friends and then we went out for drinks. Looking back I didn't know that Dave was going to propose, I thought he truly had come to surprise me for valentines day...but he was touching his pocket a lot and seemed nervous! We went out to a small restaurant and drank wine and ate cheese curds. It was wonderful to be with him. He then took me to a park...a rose garden to be exact...except it was February so everything was dead. It had a beauty about it though as we walked on the path hand in hand. He then stopped, got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I of course said yes and the rest is history! I was ecstatic...the ring was BEAUTIFUL! Not ugly like in the dream...and it was the right time. In my own heart I needed to be patient and was ready to do that...even if it was just for a short 8 hours!

Dave left the next morning to drive back to New Mexico...it was hard to say good-bye, just like every time its hard, but this time more so. He wasn't just my "boyfriend" anymore...he was my fiance! I was getting married to the man I loved...the moment I could not wait for was finally here!

Our engagement was 9 months and we got married November 25th, 2006! I feel so blessed to have met Dave and to be his wife. He is an amazing man, husband and father. In God's time all things are perfect...and this is perfect!

Dave and I the summer we started dating!

Movie Pick of the Week!

Last night after the boys went to bed, Dave and I snuggled in to watch a movie...one of our most favorite past times! This weeks pick was The Social Network. I was really looking forward to watching this movie for several reasons, first because I am an avid user of facebook and wanted to see how it all for started and secondly because it is up for several awards (which you can't always read in to because sometimes the movies they pick to win are not my favorite). Anyways, as the movie started Dave asked if I minded if he played a game of football on his i-pad...I just rolled my eyes and told him I didn't mind :)! But after five minutes, the i-pad was put aside and his full attention was on the movie! We really enjoyed it...and talked a lot about the movie and the way several characters were portrayed, especially Mark Zuckerburg, the co-founder of facebook.

This movie was based on true events...but who knows how accurate it all is. After the movie ended my heart felt very sad and heavy, especially because of how the friendship ended between Mark and his best friend, the other founder of facebook and because of the secular world we live in and what college campuses are like for many students. I feel as though I live in a bubble and I am so unaware of what goes on, especially on college campuses. I find that I look the other way because I don't want to believe that its true, that people in this world really act like that, drink that much, use drugs, have casual sex, talk with that language and inappropriateness and that women don't care about themselves enough to keep there clothes on. It makes me so sad...but its a good reminder of why my husband and many others do what they do through FOCUS and that I need to pray more...pray more for our college campuses.

All in all it was a really good movie, well directed, well written and super interesting. During the movie I asked Dave if all people have the ability to be as smart as these guys at Harvard? If I, for instance, have the ability and the smarts to have created facebook...(which I do not!) or if its genetics. He just laughed at me, which I think was a hint that he does not think I have the ability :)! How is someone that smart...I cannot even imagine. I cannot even imagine starting facebook in my dorm room with my roommates and having it become so popular and end up being worth 25 billion dollars and having 500 million users...are you kidding me????

If you have seen it, let me know what you thought? And if you haven't...go rent it from redbox! I think you just might enjoy it!

The "K love Challenge"

So I happen to be an American Idol fan :) I haven't had much time to watch it the past couple of seasons...but I always find time to catch the finale! But before there were kids, a bedtime, dishes, etc. I wouldn't miss an episode! Jason Castro was on a couple seasons ago...he was a favorite of mine!

Recently I have discovered a new love for Christian music....I took the "k-love challenge" where all I listened to for a month was Christian rock...it was amazing and totally changed my perspective everyday! I just loved having my car and house filled with songs about our Lord...I loved hearing Jacob in the back saying, "Mom, this is my favorite song!" or hear him sing a long. Melt my heart for sure!

Jason Castro's first album wasn't Christian but he had a conversion while on tour and made his second album for/about our Lord. I purchased this album today and LOVE it! Here is one of my favorites...its the acoustic version, the one on the album is more up beat! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

...with chickpeas!

Okay, I know that there is some talk about if you should/shouldn't mix and hide vegetables (in this case chickpeas) in your children's food. Some say that when you mix the veggies in they don't know they are eating them so they will never willfully eat them on there own. I get that point and I understand it...I am just saying that my boys will not voluntary eat a vegetable to save there life. Every night (almost every night) for dinner there will be a side veggie and Dave and I have to tell them both repeatedly to take 2 bites..."just 2 bites!" On occasion they will eat the sweet potato fry on their own...but honestly its pulling teeth every night! I wish I had that child that just loved vegetables, like my cousin, her children choose to eat the veggie first. I asked her her secret and she just laughed and said "they always have!"

So with all that said...I do, at times, puree and mix vegetables in with my kids food! A.) because I know they are getting their dose of veggies and B.) because it really tastes yummy!!! We all love it! I get a lot of my recipes from the cook book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. Her macaroni and cheese with butternut squash and butter noodles with yellow squash are a huge hit around here! I also really like her baking! I LOVE to bake and if I can get away with the boys eating a cookie a slightly bit healthier, I am going to do it! With her baking she uses a lot of egg whites as well as brown sugar instead of white sugar. And there always is a vegetable...sounds gross I know, but some of these recipes are really good...and my boys love them! Now... just so we are all on the same page, I do LOVE a good chocolate chip cookie recipe like this one, but at times I do use the healthier one! Depends on the mood I guess :)

Here is the recipe....

Ingredients:

nonstick cooking spray

1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

3/4 cup trans-fat-free tub margarine spread (***I always use butter instead)

2 Large egg whites

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I put in some butterscotch morsels as well!)

3/4 cups walnuts (optional)

3/4 cups raisins (optional) ***I use

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg whites and vanilla, then add the chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and mix on low speed until thick dough forms.

3. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Press gently with fork to flatten. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and just set, 11-13 minutes, do not over-bake. Let cool.

Sorry about the picture...and the cookies are not very pretty...but they do taste good!

4. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Baker liked them for sure!

I really think you will like these! If you try them...let me know what you think!!!

Peaceful Sleep

Sleep is something that was not happening in this house until maybe a month or so ago... life was always tired for me and I knew some things needed to change. Let me explain...

When Baker was born...he didn't sleep. He never liked it. Typical newborn for sure though, slept when being held, but lay him down and awake we would be. I didn't care much at first...I just figured he would get it eventually. We tried everything, he would sleep with me, we would put him in the crib, the swing, whatever it took but he would NEVER sleep long. At about 8/9 months old he had the nap thing down! Praise the Lord he would take two good naps a day. I could lay him down and he would fall asleep (believe me, we worked on it). Night time was a different story...he would wake up 2/3 times a night to nurse...I didn't mind. At about 12 months I decided he didn't need to be getting up in the middle of the night to nurse anymore...he was a big boy! He ate three meals a day...plus snacks and still liked to nurse. At 14 months, night nursing was completely done! This was crazy for me because Jacob was done nursing at night by 8 months (his own choice). I figured Baker would eventually get it just like Jacob did, but he NEVER did...he loved nursing in the middle of the night! We had to work with him a lot to cut out those feedings (which is a story for another day). So at 14 months old he was done nursing at night...but that didn't mean that he was sleeping through the night :)! He would still wake up and just cry (not every night, but enough for sure).... at first we would just let him cry and after a while he would fall back asleep. And then, for a month or so he WAS sleeping through the night...a miracle for sure :) Then, he started waking up again... and I would go in there and rock him back to sleep (what was I thinking?!?!?) Then EVERY night he would wake up and want me to rock him...this child is almost 18 months...is this normal ?????? So, we had to let him cry AGAIN (which is honestly the WORST)...but this time he would just scream for me. It was horrible! Jacob and Baker shared a room so he started waking Jacobean up. I would go in there to get Jacob and Baker would see me and get MORE upset. And believe it or not he starting THROWING himself out of the crib. It was miserable, scary, frustrating...etc.!

So this it what we did...We split them up. It was sad...but they will share a room again someday:) We purchased a crib tent so little Baker bear wouldn't try to kill himself anymore and we just let him be. Now they both sleep so peacefully. Baker sleeps from 7:30 to 7:15 every night...with limited interruptions (I mean 95% he doesn't get up at all) and if he does wake up he goes right back to sleep! And Jacob is sleeping peacefully as well....and they are both HAPPY boys when the wake up! And I am a happy mom because I am FINALLY (after 18 months...CRAZY I know) getting a full nights rest!

Sleep is a beautiful thing! With children God's grace is abundant, especially when it comes to limited sleep. But seriously at 18 months in this house we should ALL be sleeping and receiving God's grace in other areas :) Next time I will do things differently for sure! But this whole saga did show me that all children are different and something that comes easy to one child might and probably will be completely different with another.

I look forward to night now... and seeing my beautiful boys in the morning after a good nights rest!

Needs to get back to blogging!

I love reading blogs...and if by chance you are reading this then know that I probably am a big follower of your blog as well! I ALWAYS have blog ideas on my mind...and then nap time comes and a million things come for me as well. I love how many of you make time for blogging...such inspirational woman out there that help me want to be the best version of myself. Tonight I sat down to read my handful of blogs...and the tears were flowing...tears of happiness, sadness and how beautiful our Lord is. I want to blog too! I want to share my heart, my stories and my moments of laughter in the day! Tomorrow is a new day...and instead of napping (which I am embarrassed to say I do almost every day) maybe a blog will come your way!!! Love to all my sisters out there!!!!

Good Night!