Family Camping Trip (The First Ever)

Camping is something Chris and I have always talked about doing as a family. We went on a handful of trips prior to having children and Chris has gone with his men's group several times, but going all together seemed challenging and I wasn't sure I was up for the work required. But the desire never left. So this year, with our boys ages 5 and 7 we ventured out for a 1-night camping trip.

We drove north to Tomalas Bay/Point Reyes area and camped in a little town called Olema. The campground had a fun little playground and decent bathroom facilities. Great for our first attempt. The boys were enamored with the fire -- mostly interested in putting out the fire with their squirt guns (which I had packed for the beach trip on day 2). 

We arrived in late afternoon with just enough time to set up the tent and start dinner. We cooked macaroni and cheese on the stove and grilled hotdogs once we got the fire going. Then of course, roasted marshmallows for our s'mores dessert. The boys did great roasting their own dinners (with a lot of supervision of course).

The sun finally started setting around 8:30 so we got the boys ready for bed. They were much too excited and talked in the tent until 10 p.m. when we joined them. We finally had to separate them with Chris and I in the middle. And no one slept well (which was expected). I guess we didn't realize how active Stephen is in his sleep; and William couldn't quite hold still either (at one point he was sleeping on my knees!). We got up a little before 6 a.m. and noticed this guy walking nearby:

Heron

(Other animals spotted over the weekend: deer, fawn, raccoon, pheasant, rabbit, gophers, and chipmunks.)

After a leisurely breakfast of instant oatmeal, scrambled eggs, coffee, and hot chocolate, we packed up our site and headed for a nearby hiking trail. We decided to make our way to the "Divide Meadow" which was a 3 mile round trip hike. We don't do a lot of hiking so this was going to be a stretch for the boys, but the trail was well marked and an easy walk. That didn't stop Stephen from begging to be done 5 minutes from the starting point. 

Chris did a great job keeping Stephen motivated and he did walk the entire thing on his own. On the way back Chris started singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall to keep him entertained and it worked! He loved counting down with dad . . . and singing about beer.

The Destination: Meadow Divide

After the hike we took a drive up to Tomales Bay; there is a small beach called "Heart's Desire" which was beautiful. It was a really warm day which was a treat. Very rarely are we warm when at a beach! I even went in the water to cool down. We only stayed about an hour and then packed up for home. We were all very tired.

Our first camping trip was a success. I do hope we can try it again soon. (Really helped to have friends lend us everything we needed for this one!)

Camping is something Chris and I have always talked about doing as a family. We went on a handful of trips prior to having children and Chris has gone with his men's group several times, but going all together seemed challenging and I wasn't sure I was up for the work required. But the desire never left. So this year, with our boys ages 5 and 7 we ventured out for a 1-night camping trip.

We drove north to Tomalas Bay/Point Reyes area and camped in a little town called Olema. The campground had a fun little playground and decent bathroom facilities. Great for our first attempt. The boys were enamored with the fire -- mostly interested in putting out the fire with their squirt guns (which I had packed for the beach trip on day 2). 

We arrived in late afternoon with just enough time to set up the tent and start dinner. We cooked macaroni and cheese on the stove and grilled hotdogs once we got the fire going. Then of course, roasted marshmallows for our s'mores dessert. The boys did great roasting their own dinners (with a lot of supervision of course).

The sun finally started setting around 8:30 so we got the boys ready for bed. They were much too excited and talked in the tent until 10 p.m. when we joined them. We finally had to separate them with Chris and I in the middle. And no one slept well (which was expected). I guess we didn't realize how active Stephen is in his sleep; and William couldn't quite hold still either (at one point he was sleeping on my knees!). We got up a little before 6 a.m. and noticed this guy walking nearby:

Heron

(Other animals spotted over the weekend: deer, fawn, raccoon, pheasant, rabbit, gophers, and chipmunks.)

After a leisurely breakfast of instant oatmeal, scrambled eggs, coffee, and hot chocolate, we packed up our site and headed for a nearby hiking trail. We decided to make our way to the "Divide Meadow" which was a 3 mile round trip hike. We don't do a lot of hiking so this was going to be a stretch for the boys, but the trail was well marked and an easy walk. That didn't stop Stephen from begging to be done 5 minutes from the starting point. 

Chris did a great job keeping Stephen motivated and he did walk the entire thing on his own. On the way back Chris started singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall to keep him entertained and it worked! He loved counting down with dad . . . and singing about beer.

The Destination: Meadow Divide

After the hike we took a drive up to Tomales Bay; there is a small beach called "Heart's Desire" which was beautiful. It was a really warm day which was a treat. Very rarely are we warm when at a beach! I even went in the water to cool down. We only stayed about an hour and then packed up for home. We were all very tired.

Our first camping trip was a success. I do hope we can try it again soon. (Really helped to have friends lend us everything we needed for this one!)

Another Covid Birthday

Everyone has had a Covid Birthday and now we are moving on to the second rounds. This time, it's a little less scary and a bit more hopeful. Stephen turned five on Tuesday and it was worth celebrating! We made it a week long party.

On Tuesday, we started the day with two presents. Enough to keep him entertained during the morning while William was in school. Then after we picked him up, we headed off to the zoo. Bruce the Hippo shares the same birthday with Stephen so we thought there might be some festivities happening, but not this year. We had fun anyway. The boys had been begging to ride the Little Puffer Train since January, and I had promised it could happen on Stephen's birthday. And they loved it.

Since the day was so busy, we waited until Wednesday for own little family party for him with presents (he loved getting so much mail and packages from all the relatives), cake and ice cream. He requested vanilla cake and vanilla frosting (his brother favors vanilla... I think he was just trying to pick something William would like) and he wanted his all time favorite Pokemon on the top. Wailord.  I did a decent job putting a whale on the cake.

And then on Thursday we did a very non-Covid thing and had a mini party at the playground. With one other family who have become such great friends over the last couple of years. I hadn't planned anything big or really planned anything ahead of time but wanted to have a game and dessert to share. So, I made up a theme on the fly and it became a Lego party. We played pin-the-head-on-the-lego-man and had lego head cupcakes. Then they played in the playground and had great fun together.

Stephen picked out this hat at the dollar store weeks ago!

These look more like jack-o-lanterns than I hoped.. but they were delicious.

It was so fun to get to do something so normal! And Stephen had so much fun. So glad we could celebrate. Mini-parties might be my new favorite thing.

Everyone has had a Covid Birthday and now we are moving on to the second rounds. This time, it's a little less scary and a bit more hopeful. Stephen turned five on Tuesday and it was worth celebrating! We made it a week long party.

On Tuesday, we started the day with two presents. Enough to keep him entertained during the morning while William was in school. Then after we picked him up, we headed off to the zoo. Bruce the Hippo shares the same birthday with Stephen so we thought there might be some festivities happening, but not this year. We had fun anyway. The boys had been begging to ride the Little Puffer Train since January, and I had promised it could happen on Stephen's birthday. And they loved it.

Since the day was so busy, we waited until Wednesday for own little family party for him with presents (he loved getting so much mail and packages from all the relatives), cake and ice cream. He requested vanilla cake and vanilla frosting (his brother favors vanilla... I think he was just trying to pick something William would like) and he wanted his all time favorite Pokemon on the top. Wailord.  I did a decent job putting a whale on the cake.

And then on Thursday we did a very non-Covid thing and had a mini party at the playground. With one other family who have become such great friends over the last couple of years. I hadn't planned anything big or really planned anything ahead of time but wanted to have a game and dessert to share. So, I made up a theme on the fly and it became a Lego party. We played pin-the-head-on-the-lego-man and had lego head cupcakes. Then they played in the playground and had great fun together.

Stephen picked out this hat at the dollar store weeks ago!

These look more like jack-o-lanterns than I hoped.. but they were delicious.

It was so fun to get to do something so normal! And Stephen had so much fun. So glad we could celebrate. Mini-parties might be my new favorite thing.

Preschooler B2: Five Years Old

My preschooler turned five on Tuesday. This feels big. It's the end of my preschool parenting. I'm no longer a Mother of a Preschooler (MOPS). I don't talk about MOPS a lot on my blog... maybe I should. It's a mother's group I've belonged to for six years -- a community of women who come together regularly to learn, grow and encourage each other. It really shouldn't be done alone! 

At his latest doctor's appointment, he measured 44.7 inches and weighed 40 pounds! He is grown a lot in the last year! Stephen is still my cuddly little boy who loves to crawl up on my lap and roll up into a ball while I warm him up or rub his back. He still fits on my lap when I read him books and more recently when he reads to me! If he isn't in my lap while he reads, he is rolling on the floor, jumping off a chair or putting something in to his mouth. But when I hold him, he is so focused and still. And he is learning new words everyday!

We started using the Bob Book series a few months ago. By the time I had heard about this series with William he was already reading. The short simple stories and sketches are great for Stephen. He isn't quite ready for the longer books that I had for William. That's my summer goal!

This month, as more things re-opened in our city, Stephen started gymnastics classes. It's just once a week and is more of a fun movement class (and listening to a teacher!) than any actual tumbling yet. This has been so good for him for: 1) a safe place to move around and jump that isn't breaking my couch 2) exposure to a class setting with other children and 3) listening to someone other that mom or dad. We haven't actually been apart of any amount of time in a year so this is a big deal! I was afraid he was going to resist it and fight me when it's time for class but he actually loves it and doesn't resist at all! So thankful we found something he enjoys.

Stephen has really enjoyed having William home this year. They played between every zoom call and Stephen even watched a few of them. It has been an adjustment for him having William back in school two days a week. Stephen is very sweet to share anything William missed out on while at school. When we made cookies and I gave Stephen 4 chocolate chips, he saved 2 for William... and one time he waited to eat his half until William was home so they could eat them together. One of his favorite answers to the question "Stephen, what do you want?" (food, drink, color, activity, anything...) is "Whatever William wants." We are hoping he'll start voicing his own opinion again soon, but for now it's very sweet how close they have become. 

Stephen loves legos, Pokemon, and stuffed animals. This winter the boys watched dad play Zelda (video game) and created an entire set of Zelda inspired lego creations to give dad for his birthday. It's amazing what they will transfer into their play. The boys have started playing MarioKart on their scooter trips to the park; scooter rides become races with pinecones becoming "bombs" or "turtle shells" to blowup the other player. They watch a WildKrats episode and then become animals or play with their growing assortment of stuffed animals. 

He loves when we read Geronimo Stilton books and still loves Richard Scary's "What do People Do All Day?" We read a lot of chapter books for William but Stephen seems to enjoy them just as much. He can sit and listen for very long stints, which surprises but also blesses me.

He has grown and changed so much this year and I'm thankful for this space to pause and take notice of it. We have been together the entire year, so those changes are happening right before my eyes (if I'm paying attention). To see more about his actual birthday celebration, read this.

My preschooler turned five on Tuesday. This feels big. It's the end of my preschool parenting. I'm no longer a Mother of a Preschooler (MOPS). I don't talk about MOPS a lot on my blog... maybe I should. It's a mother's group I've belonged to for six years -- a community of women who come together regularly to learn, grow and encourage each other. It really shouldn't be done alone! 

At his latest doctor's appointment, he measured 44.7 inches and weighed 40 pounds! He is grown a lot in the last year! Stephen is still my cuddly little boy who loves to crawl up on my lap and roll up into a ball while I warm him up or rub his back. He still fits on my lap when I read him books and more recently when he reads to me! If he isn't in my lap while he reads, he is rolling on the floor, jumping off a chair or putting something in to his mouth. But when I hold him, he is so focused and still. And he is learning new words everyday!

We started using the Bob Book series a few months ago. By the time I had heard about this series with William he was already reading. The short simple stories and sketches are great for Stephen. He isn't quite ready for the longer books that I had for William. That's my summer goal!

This month, as more things re-opened in our city, Stephen started gymnastics classes. It's just once a week and is more of a fun movement class (and listening to a teacher!) than any actual tumbling yet. This has been so good for him for: 1) a safe place to move around and jump that isn't breaking my couch 2) exposure to a class setting with other children and 3) listening to someone other that mom or dad. We haven't actually been apart of any amount of time in a year so this is a big deal! I was afraid he was going to resist it and fight me when it's time for class but he actually loves it and doesn't resist at all! So thankful we found something he enjoys.

Stephen has really enjoyed having William home this year. They played between every zoom call and Stephen even watched a few of them. It has been an adjustment for him having William back in school two days a week. Stephen is very sweet to share anything William missed out on while at school. When we made cookies and I gave Stephen 4 chocolate chips, he saved 2 for William... and one time he waited to eat his half until William was home so they could eat them together. One of his favorite answers to the question "Stephen, what do you want?" (food, drink, color, activity, anything...) is "Whatever William wants." We are hoping he'll start voicing his own opinion again soon, but for now it's very sweet how close they have become. 

Stephen loves legos, Pokemon, and stuffed animals. This winter the boys watched dad play Zelda (video game) and created an entire set of Zelda inspired lego creations to give dad for his birthday. It's amazing what they will transfer into their play. The boys have started playing MarioKart on their scooter trips to the park; scooter rides become races with pinecones becoming "bombs" or "turtle shells" to blowup the other player. They watch a WildKrats episode and then become animals or play with their growing assortment of stuffed animals. 

He loves when we read Geronimo Stilton books and still loves Richard Scary's "What do People Do All Day?" We read a lot of chapter books for William but Stephen seems to enjoy them just as much. He can sit and listen for very long stints, which surprises but also blesses me.

He has grown and changed so much this year and I'm thankful for this space to pause and take notice of it. We have been together the entire year, so those changes are happening right before my eyes (if I'm paying attention). To see more about his actual birthday celebration, read this.

Quilt for My Newest Niece

My brother and his wife had their second child last month, a daughter named Mabel Molly. They announced the news and I got busy picking out a quilt pattern and fabric. (I'm not local so it's not like I could run to their house to meet her. So, in my excitement, I sew!)

I had seen this pattern years ago and loved it, but back then it looked a little intimidating, to be honest. But when I came across it this time I thought it was perfect! And it was actually very similar to another process of piecing I had done, so it wasn't that hard. It was quite a process, with a lot of steps and a lot of seams. So, after working on it every spare moment for a month, I'm very happy to say, it's finished! 

And here it is:

If you've been to my house, you can tell I love teal. And I loved finding a peach/light pink and teal floral fabric as my starter. It's very bright, feminine and pretty. I'm not sure if this quilt pattern has a technical name, but I think of bows when I look at it ... or hourglasses. I'd call it my pretty bow quilt!

It's 40" x 45" and made of 90 squares! I haven't made a quilt with so many squares in a while. The last two I made had much larger squares so it wasn't nearly as many to work with. It took some perseverance to keep going this time!

The back is a peach swirl fabric. I used it on the front as well.

All folded and ready to be mailed. I never thought I would sew with white fabric. It scared me. And I'm sure it scares a new mom too, but the crisp look has grown on me and become one of my favorites. 

Congratulations to my brother and his wife! Mabel Molly, I'm looking forward to meeting you! 

My brother and his wife had their second child last month, a daughter named Mabel Molly. They announced the news and I got busy picking out a quilt pattern and fabric. (I'm not local so it's not like I could run to their house to meet her. So, in my excitement, I sew!)

I had seen this pattern years ago and loved it, but back then it looked a little intimidating, to be honest. But when I came across it this time I thought it was perfect! And it was actually very similar to another process of piecing I had done, so it wasn't that hard. It was quite a process, with a lot of steps and a lot of seams. So, after working on it every spare moment for a month, I'm very happy to say, it's finished! 

And here it is:

If you've been to my house, you can tell I love teal. And I loved finding a peach/light pink and teal floral fabric as my starter. It's very bright, feminine and pretty. I'm not sure if this quilt pattern has a technical name, but I think of bows when I look at it ... or hourglasses. I'd call it my pretty bow quilt!

It's 40" x 45" and made of 90 squares! I haven't made a quilt with so many squares in a while. The last two I made had much larger squares so it wasn't nearly as many to work with. It took some perseverance to keep going this time!

The back is a peach swirl fabric. I used it on the front as well.

All folded and ready to be mailed. I never thought I would sew with white fabric. It scared me. And I'm sure it scares a new mom too, but the crisp look has grown on me and become one of my favorites. 

Congratulations to my brother and his wife! Mabel Molly, I'm looking forward to meeting you! 

Be Strong & Courageous

I started following She Reads Truth (.com) during the Advent season and loved their reading plan/book so much that I decided to do their plan for Lent too. Over the 40 days of lent we are reading the book of Joshua and Mark. I just finished Joshua this morning. Easter is coming!

The memory verse they included in the study was Joshua 1:9, which I had chosen two decades ago as my confirmation verse, and memorized it again in college so I knew it well and it came back to me easily. But as I stewed on it week after week (as the book has you do) the words took on greater meaning.

Courageous/Discouraged

Strong/Afraid

The word courage is defined as "the ability to do something that frightens one or strength in the face of pain or grief." So to be courageous is to be full of courage... to take on the things that frighten you or to move forward with strength in the midst of pain or suffering. 

To be discouraged would be the opposite -- to have a lack of courage. To be unable to move forward in the present pain or fear. The dictionary says "having lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened." Some Bible translations use "dismayed" which can mean to be afraid or broken, shattered. 

If Joshua were discouraged or afraid, he may not have followed the Lord's directions and taken Jericho. Or any other cities God had given them. If he were discouraged, he may have let Israel wander for another 40 years in the desert. Who knows what would have happened if Joshua forgot that God was with him!?

This exhortation to be strong and courageous certainly makes sense for Joshua who was the new leader of Israel looking to take over the land God promised them. It would indeed require strength and courage to face many battles. Does it apply to us?

I think it does. We received the same promise of God's presence of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. God is with us wherever we go because the Holy Spirit is in us. We are also told in 2 Timothy 1:7 " For God gave us not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control." 

The other word that came to mind as I read this was "encourage" -- to give someone support, confidence and hope. Our words have such strong powers -- we can encourage someone just as easily as we can discourage someone. Our self-talk can do the same. 

I'm hoping that I can fill my mind with scripture so that my self-talk is really gospel talk. That I can be encouraged by the Word of God to be strong and courageous -- for whatever task lies ahead. After all, God is with me wherever I go.

I started following She Reads Truth (.com) during the Advent season and loved their reading plan/book so much that I decided to do their plan for Lent too. Over the 40 days of lent we are reading the book of Joshua and Mark. I just finished Joshua this morning. Easter is coming!

The memory verse they included in the study was Joshua 1:9, which I had chosen two decades ago as my confirmation verse, and memorized it again in college so I knew it well and it came back to me easily. But as I stewed on it week after week (as the book has you do) the words took on greater meaning.

Courageous/Discouraged

Strong/Afraid

The word courage is defined as "the ability to do something that frightens one or strength in the face of pain or grief." So to be courageous is to be full of courage... to take on the things that frighten you or to move forward with strength in the midst of pain or suffering. 

To be discouraged would be the opposite -- to have a lack of courage. To be unable to move forward in the present pain or fear. The dictionary says "having lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened." Some Bible translations use "dismayed" which can mean to be afraid or broken, shattered. 

If Joshua were discouraged or afraid, he may not have followed the Lord's directions and taken Jericho. Or any other cities God had given them. If he were discouraged, he may have let Israel wander for another 40 years in the desert. Who knows what would have happened if Joshua forgot that God was with him!?

This exhortation to be strong and courageous certainly makes sense for Joshua who was the new leader of Israel looking to take over the land God promised them. It would indeed require strength and courage to face many battles. Does it apply to us?

I think it does. We received the same promise of God's presence of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. God is with us wherever we go because the Holy Spirit is in us. We are also told in 2 Timothy 1:7 " For God gave us not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control." 

The other word that came to mind as I read this was "encourage" -- to give someone support, confidence and hope. Our words have such strong powers -- we can encourage someone just as easily as we can discourage someone. Our self-talk can do the same. 

I'm hoping that I can fill my mind with scripture so that my self-talk is really gospel talk. That I can be encouraged by the Word of God to be strong and courageous -- for whatever task lies ahead. After all, God is with me wherever I go.

2020 in Review

What a year. Everyone is saying this. Everyone is thinking "Thank goodness it's over." And yes, while 2020 had a lot of really intense challenges, many of these challenges will carry into the new year as well. It isn't going to all magically heal or go away. If this Advent season has reminded me of anything, it's that my HOPE is in JESUS. Not the world, economy, politics, or even my health.

San Francisco was very restricted for most of the year. Even when things opened up, we stayed to ourselves most of the time: I went to stores a handful of times, Chris got a haircut once, we went to a museum four times and we get take-out dinner once in a while. My MOPS group gathered once a a month outside (staying distanced and wearing masks). We did a few outdoor meet-ups with friends with children and once the playgrounds opened in October, our days felt a bit more normal. While at home, the boys have gotten very good at Mario Kart video games, playing Pokemon and other card and board games, building legos and reading books together. (They love the Geronimo Stilton series... it never ends.) It has been a very quiet, slow year.

I had to laugh when I went back and re-read my post for my 2020 goals. Here's an except: 

I want 2020 to have balance of all the good things -- healthy eating, moderate and regular exercise, time in the Bible, focus on my marriage, time to myself, time with my community, focus on my kids eating better meals, focus on my kids education and friendships, wisdom in financial issues, more self-confidence, etc. I want so many things to be more intentional. 

What made me laugh? Well, the part about focusing on my community, my children's education and friendships specifically. Community changed drastically this year. When Covid-19 first arrived our calendars remained quite full with Zoom calls. Nearly every evening Chris or I had something going on. But then it dwindled. We (and others) got tired of the screen time. We still had our small groups and my MOPS group to attend virtually, but other things fell away.  

Education has been at the forefront of my mind all year. I didn't expect this when I wrote that goal.  I had been thinking about Stephen starting preschool . . . not homeschooling preschool and managing distance learning for 1st grade! But this experience has opened my eyes to many things about my children's learning experiences. William is very compliant and listens well to his teacher in Zoom class. He has a stellar internal clock and knows when he needs to be logged in without me saying much. He is fairly independent. BUT, he isn't challenged very much and when things are easy he tends to not care or try harder than the bare minimum. Trying seems like work. We need to exercise that muscle! Stephen would not do well in a distance learning environment... so praying we get this figured out by next Fall when he starts Kindergarten! He learns by active playing. He has learned a lot this year -- from watching/listening to William, from playing games, and putting up with mom's attempt to teach.

My diet plummeted as I was home all day and found myself snacking because there was nothing else to do. On the other hand, with Chris working from home since March, I started walking again each morning and in August started running a bit too. 

I did keep up with my Bible reading plan! Up until December when I switched over to the She Reads Truth Advent book - which is still scripture everyday, just not the plan I had been following. So, that goal was met! So thankful for the quieter pace to keep that a priority this year.

And the kids still refuse to eat what I make. Or rather, William flat out refuses. Stephen will try it. It is hit or miss if he eats it all or requests something else. Breaking this habit of mine/theirs has been harder than I had expected.

Other highlights from this year were:

- In February, Chris's parents took us (without the kids -- Thanks Kate for watching them!) to Napa for a weekend. We toured a few lovely vineyards and had a great time together. Then they spent a few days in the city with us so the boys could see them. It was so fun. And looking back, it is so fortunate that this happened when it did. 

- Stephen turning 4 in May, growing in speech, abilities, and cuteness all the time. William turned 7 in October; he is loosing teeth, growing taller, becoming a quick thinker and figuring out what respect/disrespect is.

- We enjoyed more nature this summer with beach trips, park hikes, and renting a row boat one morning. The boys also got better at biking! We've done one family bike day in Golden Gate Park, but otherwise Chris takes the boys and I get some stuff done at home.

 - Putting finishing touches on our home. Still many things left to do so maybe "finishing" isn't the right word... but it feels more like home now. We've been in our condo for nearly two years now! So thankful it has space for all we need to do from home these days. I also loved decorating it for Christmas.

 - Road trip to Utah to help my sister move. This is the only trip we took all year and the only time we saw my family. So grateful it happened. My sister has since then had another baby so I can't wait for when its safe to to back to meet niece (and see all of them) again.

The year wasn't a waste. We had several highlights! Plus, we loved being together as a family more. I know my boys better and they love each other more than ever before. But outside our walls, the city seems to be changing and friends have moved/are moving away. Our nation is struggling to find unity and do the right thing. There is division on so many levels. There is a heaviness from this year that will linger for a while I'm sure. So, while we had highlights and many blessings to be thankful for, we are grieving too.

That's all for 2020. Wishing you a very Happy New Year filled with HOPE, LOVE, and FAITH.

What a year. Everyone is saying this. Everyone is thinking "Thank goodness it's over." And yes, while 2020 had a lot of really intense challenges, many of these challenges will carry into the new year as well. It isn't going to all magically heal or go away. If this Advent season has reminded me of anything, it's that my HOPE is in JESUS. Not the world, economy, politics, or even my health.

San Francisco was very restricted for most of the year. Even when things opened up, we stayed to ourselves most of the time: I went to stores a handful of times, Chris got a haircut once, we went to a museum four times and we get take-out dinner once in a while. My MOPS group gathered once a a month outside (staying distanced and wearing masks). We did a few outdoor meet-ups with friends with children and once the playgrounds opened in October, our days felt a bit more normal. While at home, the boys have gotten very good at Mario Kart video games, playing Pokemon and other card and board games, building legos and reading books together. (They love the Geronimo Stilton series... it never ends.) It has been a very quiet, slow year.

I had to laugh when I went back and re-read my post for my 2020 goals. Here's an except: 

I want 2020 to have balance of all the good things -- healthy eating, moderate and regular exercise, time in the Bible, focus on my marriage, time to myself, time with my community, focus on my kids eating better meals, focus on my kids education and friendships, wisdom in financial issues, more self-confidence, etc. I want so many things to be more intentional. 

What made me laugh? Well, the part about focusing on my community, my children's education and friendships specifically. Community changed drastically this year. When Covid-19 first arrived our calendars remained quite full with Zoom calls. Nearly every evening Chris or I had something going on. But then it dwindled. We (and others) got tired of the screen time. We still had our small groups and my MOPS group to attend virtually, but other things fell away.  

Education has been at the forefront of my mind all year. I didn't expect this when I wrote that goal.  I had been thinking about Stephen starting preschool . . . not homeschooling preschool and managing distance learning for 1st grade! But this experience has opened my eyes to many things about my children's learning experiences. William is very compliant and listens well to his teacher in Zoom class. He has a stellar internal clock and knows when he needs to be logged in without me saying much. He is fairly independent. BUT, he isn't challenged very much and when things are easy he tends to not care or try harder than the bare minimum. Trying seems like work. We need to exercise that muscle! Stephen would not do well in a distance learning environment... so praying we get this figured out by next Fall when he starts Kindergarten! He learns by active playing. He has learned a lot this year -- from watching/listening to William, from playing games, and putting up with mom's attempt to teach.

My diet plummeted as I was home all day and found myself snacking because there was nothing else to do. On the other hand, with Chris working from home since March, I started walking again each morning and in August started running a bit too. 

I did keep up with my Bible reading plan! Up until December when I switched over to the She Reads Truth Advent book - which is still scripture everyday, just not the plan I had been following. So, that goal was met! So thankful for the quieter pace to keep that a priority this year.

And the kids still refuse to eat what I make. Or rather, William flat out refuses. Stephen will try it. It is hit or miss if he eats it all or requests something else. Breaking this habit of mine/theirs has been harder than I had expected.

Other highlights from this year were:

- In February, Chris's parents took us (without the kids -- Thanks Kate for watching them!) to Napa for a weekend. We toured a few lovely vineyards and had a great time together. Then they spent a few days in the city with us so the boys could see them. It was so fun. And looking back, it is so fortunate that this happened when it did. 

- Stephen turning 4 in May, growing in speech, abilities, and cuteness all the time. William turned 7 in October; he is loosing teeth, growing taller, becoming a quick thinker and figuring out what respect/disrespect is.

- We enjoyed more nature this summer with beach trips, park hikes, and renting a row boat one morning. The boys also got better at biking! We've done one family bike day in Golden Gate Park, but otherwise Chris takes the boys and I get some stuff done at home.

 - Putting finishing touches on our home. Still many things left to do so maybe "finishing" isn't the right word... but it feels more like home now. We've been in our condo for nearly two years now! So thankful it has space for all we need to do from home these days. I also loved decorating it for Christmas.

 - Road trip to Utah to help my sister move. This is the only trip we took all year and the only time we saw my family. So grateful it happened. My sister has since then had another baby so I can't wait for when its safe to to back to meet niece (and see all of them) again.

The year wasn't a waste. We had several highlights! Plus, we loved being together as a family more. I know my boys better and they love each other more than ever before. But outside our walls, the city seems to be changing and friends have moved/are moving away. Our nation is struggling to find unity and do the right thing. There is division on so many levels. There is a heaviness from this year that will linger for a while I'm sure. So, while we had highlights and many blessings to be thankful for, we are grieving too.

That's all for 2020. Wishing you a very Happy New Year filled with HOPE, LOVE, and FAITH.

Christmas Time in the Year of a Pandemic

 

Merry Christmas from the Babiaks!

We hope you found a way to make this Christmas season special. Maybe the quieter holiday allowed for more reflection, more prayer, more thankfulness for Christ's birth than ever before. 

This year has provided a multitude of challenges for every single one of you, my dear readers, as well as my own family. Some of you have lost loved ones, jobs, and friendships. And those losses are strongly felt during this holiday. I mourn with you. 

Virtual life - school, work, MOPS group, playdates, church meetings, etc have taken over our normal social/communal style of living. We aren't running around seeing our friends or racing to the next thing. We're at home. With our children. All the time. Our calendars contain links to Zoom calls, but little else. 

So, for us this Christmas, as we stay at home (yes, we canceled our trip to Texas) we are making space for Christ's birth to touch us deeply. Making time to be in the moment with our children (and each other). And I hope you can pause a bit to do the same.

Our Advent craft countdown with the boys is finished!

Some things I've enjoyed doing this month to help prepare my heart for Christmas:
 - She Reads Truth Advent Reading Plan & Podcast
 - Truth in the Tinsel Advent Reading/Crafts with the kids
 - That Sounds Fun Podcast by Annie F. Downs
 - Noel by Chris Tomlin & Lauren Daigle
 - The Lazy Genius Podcast Episode #189

May you have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Praying 2021 brings something amazing your way.

 

Merry Christmas from the Babiaks!

We hope you found a way to make this Christmas season special. Maybe the quieter holiday allowed for more reflection, more prayer, more thankfulness for Christ's birth than ever before. 

This year has provided a multitude of challenges for every single one of you, my dear readers, as well as my own family. Some of you have lost loved ones, jobs, and friendships. And those losses are strongly felt during this holiday. I mourn with you. 

Virtual life - school, work, MOPS group, playdates, church meetings, etc have taken over our normal social/communal style of living. We aren't running around seeing our friends or racing to the next thing. We're at home. With our children. All the time. Our calendars contain links to Zoom calls, but little else. 

So, for us this Christmas, as we stay at home (yes, we canceled our trip to Texas) we are making space for Christ's birth to touch us deeply. Making time to be in the moment with our children (and each other). And I hope you can pause a bit to do the same.

Our Advent craft countdown with the boys is finished!

Some things I've enjoyed doing this month to help prepare my heart for Christmas:
 - She Reads Truth Advent Reading Plan & Podcast
 - Truth in the Tinsel Advent Reading/Crafts with the kids
 - That Sounds Fun Podcast by Annie F. Downs
 - Noel by Chris Tomlin & Lauren Daigle
 - The Lazy Genius Podcast Episode #189

May you have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Praying 2021 brings something amazing your way.

A Quilt for my Niece

My sister Molly had her fourth child in mid November. Which means I got to make another quilt this winter. I had so much fun making the one last December for my nephew I decided to use the same pattern and make a similar one for sweet Johanna Monet. 

With all the Covid-19 restrictions, I'd only been to the craft store once this year. So it felt a little surreal and somewhat indulgent to walk into Jo-Ann Fabrics right before the holidays. And yes, I used the opportunity to stock up on a few holiday projects as well. But this is about the quilt!

I had originally intended to go with a red color scheme, but couldn't find exactly what I envisioned. Then my eyes landed on this floral/butterfly blue fabric and I fell in love with it. It took some hunting for coordinating fabrics and patterns but I did it! So, here it is:

I couldn't find anything orange that I loved at the store, but I knew I had two orange fabrics from previous projects. This orange square with the circles is from a quilt made over seven years ago. Glad I had a stash -- and even more glad to get to use it!

With our slower than normal life style these days, this quilt came together very quickly. It still took me several days, but with Chris's help with the boys, it wasn't hard to find the time. I really enjoyed making this one and am very pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully Johanna will have it for years to come!

My sister Molly had her fourth child in mid November. Which means I got to make another quilt this winter. I had so much fun making the one last December for my nephew I decided to use the same pattern and make a similar one for sweet Johanna Monet. 

With all the Covid-19 restrictions, I'd only been to the craft store once this year. So it felt a little surreal and somewhat indulgent to walk into Jo-Ann Fabrics right before the holidays. And yes, I used the opportunity to stock up on a few holiday projects as well. But this is about the quilt!

I had originally intended to go with a red color scheme, but couldn't find exactly what I envisioned. Then my eyes landed on this floral/butterfly blue fabric and I fell in love with it. It took some hunting for coordinating fabrics and patterns but I did it! So, here it is:

I couldn't find anything orange that I loved at the store, but I knew I had two orange fabrics from previous projects. This orange square with the circles is from a quilt made over seven years ago. Glad I had a stash -- and even more glad to get to use it!

With our slower than normal life style these days, this quilt came together very quickly. It still took me several days, but with Chris's help with the boys, it wasn't hard to find the time. I really enjoyed making this one and am very pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully Johanna will have it for years to come!

Challenge Complete: Foster the Bay 6 Day Fitness Challenge

Challenge week is over! Whew! Foster the Bay hosted a 6-day fitness challenge to raise awareness and funds for their organization, which partners with churches to raise up foster families in the Bay Area. You can read why I wanted to support this organization here. Each morning of challenge week (November 16-2), I was given a fitness challenge and the reason behind it. Here's how the week looked:

Monday: The Juggle

3 reps of 20 lunges in the living room, 3 reps of 20 jumping jacks in the kitchen and 3 reps of 20 shoulder taps in the bedroom. Why? Foster families juggle appointments with social workers and therapists, family visits, school calendars, trainings and a whole myriad of other responsibilities. This challenge reflected the chaos and exhaustion that foster families face.

This one wasn't too bad - but my legs did feel it by the end!

Tuesday: Peaks & Valleys 100 burpies. Why? Every person involved in the foster care system (case workers, judges, parents, foster families and the child) experience highs and lows along the journey. I did 100 Burpies to represent and remember those ups and downs. 

I don't have a photo of the burpies, but believe me when I tell you this one was a struggle! Wow, my arms, back and legs hurt all day and the day after. But I did it. I had to break it down into smaller sets of 10 but I finished!

Wednesday: Walking Wednesday Walk for 30 minutes and pray. Why? Foster care is one of the hardest journeys one can walk through. Walk 30-minutes (or more). You could also take the time to pray for those in the foster care community! Here are a few prayer points:

• Pray for peace, hope and love for kids in foster care across the Bay Area.
• Pray for wisdom, stamina and provision for Foster Families as they care for children in the midst of a pandemic.
• Pray for creativity, generosity and perseverance for Support Friends as they seek to provide critical help to Foster Families.
• Pray for the necessary resources for the mission of Foster the Bay to continue moving forward.

My body needed this day of walking. I had a dentist appointment that morning so I walked there... showed up with a very sweaty top (oops!). I enjoyed the walk and purposeful prayer time.

Thursday: The Bag Carry/role a packed bag or suitcase around the block three times. Then do 3 reps of dead lifts, over head press or other exercise with your bag. Why? The trauma that kids in foster care experience can be complex and heartbreaking - being removed from their family of origin, shifting across multiple homes, new family dynamics, new schools and new communities. This fitness challenge is a small reminder of what these kids walk through and how important it is for us to stand beside them in this difficult season of their life.
Foster the Bay strives to provide stability for kids in foster care by providing loving and safe homes until these precious kids are reunited with their families or find their forever homes. 

This one was a little awkward. I did the workout outside so it felt weird to do bicep curls, upright rows and dead lifts with my backpack (which weighed 13 pounds). But I did it! 

Friday: The 6,000
Run 6,000 steps. Why? At any given time, there are approximately 6,000 kids in foster care in the Bay Area. These are babies, children and teens who each have a name and a story…and every one of their stories matter to God.

I go usually do a 20 minute walk 5 days a week, and I've been working on running more but this one was definitely a stretch. This is the most I've run in a long time, maybe ever. It took me a little over 45 minutes to finish with lots of walking breaks. But I stuck with it and finished! I felt really proud of myself... and a little challenged to do something like this more often.

Saturday: 429
Do a combination of different strength exercises adding up to 429 repetitions. Why?According to the national average, a foster child will stay in foster care for approximately 429 days. As we cross the finish line of our challenge today, we’re going to reflect on these difficult days when they are separated from their families.

This one looked so daunting. 429 reps? Wowzer. I thought this would take me all day, but once I started it was easier to just keep going. Here's what I did (in sets of 20 with short breaks):

60 push-ups (on my knees)

60 plank knee-to-elbow

60 squats

60 crunches

80 jumping jacks

40 lunges

49 shoulder taps

20 tricep dips

I learned a lot this week. About Foster Care and about myself and what I'm capable of. I'm not one to push myself to do a hard workout so I just assumed I couldn't do it. But this proved that I could. Chris and I have been inching our way into finding out more about fostering in the city and now more than ever it's something I want to pursue. It's intimidating, just like these workouts were, but the purpose behind it and the child it impacts are too important to ignore.

I didn't reach my goal of $1000 (yet!), but I'm so proud of how much good we did! Thank you to all those that give. We raised $650!

If you are interested in donating, here's how:

Online Payment Page: 
https://pushpay.com/g/echochurchfosterthebay 
(Choose FTB 6-day Challenge from drop down and put my name in the comment line)
Mail a Check: Foster the Bay; 1172 Murphy Ave., Ste. 130; San Jose, CA 95131

Challenge week is over! Whew! Foster the Bay hosted a 6-day fitness challenge to raise awareness and funds for their organization, which partners with churches to raise up foster families in the Bay Area. You can read why I wanted to support this organization here. Each morning of challenge week (November 16-2), I was given a fitness challenge and the reason behind it. Here's how the week looked:

Monday: The Juggle

3 reps of 20 lunges in the living room, 3 reps of 20 jumping jacks in the kitchen and 3 reps of 20 shoulder taps in the bedroom. Why? Foster families juggle appointments with social workers and therapists, family visits, school calendars, trainings and a whole myriad of other responsibilities. This challenge reflected the chaos and exhaustion that foster families face.

This one wasn't too bad - but my legs did feel it by the end!

Tuesday: Peaks & Valleys 100 burpies. Why? Every person involved in the foster care system (case workers, judges, parents, foster families and the child) experience highs and lows along the journey. I did 100 Burpies to represent and remember those ups and downs. 

I don't have a photo of the burpies, but believe me when I tell you this one was a struggle! Wow, my arms, back and legs hurt all day and the day after. But I did it. I had to break it down into smaller sets of 10 but I finished!

Wednesday: Walking Wednesday Walk for 30 minutes and pray. Why? Foster care is one of the hardest journeys one can walk through. Walk 30-minutes (or more). You could also take the time to pray for those in the foster care community! Here are a few prayer points:

• Pray for peace, hope and love for kids in foster care across the Bay Area.
• Pray for wisdom, stamina and provision for Foster Families as they care for children in the midst of a pandemic.
• Pray for creativity, generosity and perseverance for Support Friends as they seek to provide critical help to Foster Families.
• Pray for the necessary resources for the mission of Foster the Bay to continue moving forward.

My body needed this day of walking. I had a dentist appointment that morning so I walked there... showed up with a very sweaty top (oops!). I enjoyed the walk and purposeful prayer time.

Thursday: The Bag Carry/role a packed bag or suitcase around the block three times. Then do 3 reps of dead lifts, over head press or other exercise with your bag. Why? The trauma that kids in foster care experience can be complex and heartbreaking - being removed from their family of origin, shifting across multiple homes, new family dynamics, new schools and new communities. This fitness challenge is a small reminder of what these kids walk through and how important it is for us to stand beside them in this difficult season of their life.
Foster the Bay strives to provide stability for kids in foster care by providing loving and safe homes until these precious kids are reunited with their families or find their forever homes. 

This one was a little awkward. I did the workout outside so it felt weird to do bicep curls, upright rows and dead lifts with my backpack (which weighed 13 pounds). But I did it! 

Friday: The 6,000
Run 6,000 steps. Why? At any given time, there are approximately 6,000 kids in foster care in the Bay Area. These are babies, children and teens who each have a name and a story…and every one of their stories matter to God.

I go usually do a 20 minute walk 5 days a week, and I've been working on running more but this one was definitely a stretch. This is the most I've run in a long time, maybe ever. It took me a little over 45 minutes to finish with lots of walking breaks. But I stuck with it and finished! I felt really proud of myself... and a little challenged to do something like this more often.

Saturday: 429
Do a combination of different strength exercises adding up to 429 repetitions. Why?According to the national average, a foster child will stay in foster care for approximately 429 days. As we cross the finish line of our challenge today, we’re going to reflect on these difficult days when they are separated from their families.

This one looked so daunting. 429 reps? Wowzer. I thought this would take me all day, but once I started it was easier to just keep going. Here's what I did (in sets of 20 with short breaks):

60 push-ups (on my knees)

60 plank knee-to-elbow

60 squats

60 crunches

80 jumping jacks

40 lunges

49 shoulder taps

20 tricep dips

I learned a lot this week. About Foster Care and about myself and what I'm capable of. I'm not one to push myself to do a hard workout so I just assumed I couldn't do it. But this proved that I could. Chris and I have been inching our way into finding out more about fostering in the city and now more than ever it's something I want to pursue. It's intimidating, just like these workouts were, but the purpose behind it and the child it impacts are too important to ignore.

I didn't reach my goal of $1000 (yet!), but I'm so proud of how much good we did! Thank you to all those that give. We raised $650!

If you are interested in donating, here's how:

Online Payment Page: 
https://pushpay.com/g/echochurchfosterthebay 
(Choose FTB 6-day Challenge from drop down and put my name in the comment line)
Mail a Check: Foster the Bay; 1172 Murphy Ave., Ste. 130; San Jose, CA 95131

Challenge Accepted: Foster the Bay Fundraiser

In 15 days I will begin a six-day fitness challenge to spread awareness and raise funds for an organization I have come to really care about. Foster the Bay is a nonprofit working to increase the number of foster homes available in the 10 counties that make up the Bay Area. They do this by partnering with churches, raising awareness of the need for homes, providing support and walking with families as they enter into this new endeavor and they also work with these churches to build support networks so these families are not doing it all alone. These support networks help gather necessary supplies (cribs, mattresses, clothing, etc) for new placements as well as bring meals, babysit, provide needed breaks and support. 

I heard about this organization through a couple at our church when they first started looking into fostering; then I found myself going to an interest meeting last year and feeling my heart strings being pulled to help in some shape or form. We invited the organization to speak at our MOPS group and share their vision and heart for foster kids, and this summer Chris and I attended their virtual fundraising gala. 

I have several friends from college who have fostered children and eventually adopted; my brother-in-law and his wife are also raising a foster daughter. I've wanted to be a part of caring for kids in tough places for a long time and I love that I get to watch others actually do it. I'm praying that someday we will be in a place to love and care for child in this way. 

But until then, I'm doing what I can. And that is bringing this to your attention. 

There are 6,000 children in the Bay Area in the foster care system. One of the biggest concerns is that there aren't enough foster homes in the area to keep these kids in their counties. So they end up being moved farther away and uprooted from their city, their schools, and nothing is familiar anymore. All of this (including being taken from their parent or moved from one home to another) is really traumatic for these children.  We can help. We can raise funds for this organization to reach more churches, more families that have a heart to help children to have safe and loving home and we can pray.

Would you consider sponsoring me on this challenge? I'm 25% to my goal already, so I know we can make it the $1000 mark in 2 weeks time! I have no idea what the fitness challenge will include, so stay tuned. I'll share more the week of November 16-21!

There are 3 ways to give:

Facebook Donation: 
https://www.facebook.com/donate/792093014680769/
Online Payment Page: 
https://pushpay.com/g/echochurchfosterthebay 
(Choose FTB 6-day Challenge from drop down and put my name in the comment line)
Mail a Check: Foster the Bay; 1172 Murphy Ave., Ste. 130; San Jose, CA 95131

Thank you!

In 15 days I will begin a six-day fitness challenge to spread awareness and raise funds for an organization I have come to really care about. Foster the Bay is a nonprofit working to increase the number of foster homes available in the 10 counties that make up the Bay Area. They do this by partnering with churches, raising awareness of the need for homes, providing support and walking with families as they enter into this new endeavor and they also work with these churches to build support networks so these families are not doing it all alone. These support networks help gather necessary supplies (cribs, mattresses, clothing, etc) for new placements as well as bring meals, babysit, provide needed breaks and support. 

I heard about this organization through a couple at our church when they first started looking into fostering; then I found myself going to an interest meeting last year and feeling my heart strings being pulled to help in some shape or form. We invited the organization to speak at our MOPS group and share their vision and heart for foster kids, and this summer Chris and I attended their virtual fundraising gala. 

I have several friends from college who have fostered children and eventually adopted; my brother-in-law and his wife are also raising a foster daughter. I've wanted to be a part of caring for kids in tough places for a long time and I love that I get to watch others actually do it. I'm praying that someday we will be in a place to love and care for child in this way. 

But until then, I'm doing what I can. And that is bringing this to your attention. 

There are 6,000 children in the Bay Area in the foster care system. One of the biggest concerns is that there aren't enough foster homes in the area to keep these kids in their counties. So they end up being moved farther away and uprooted from their city, their schools, and nothing is familiar anymore. All of this (including being taken from their parent or moved from one home to another) is really traumatic for these children.  We can help. We can raise funds for this organization to reach more churches, more families that have a heart to help children to have safe and loving home and we can pray.

Would you consider sponsoring me on this challenge? I'm 25% to my goal already, so I know we can make it the $1000 mark in 2 weeks time! I have no idea what the fitness challenge will include, so stay tuned. I'll share more the week of November 16-21!

There are 3 ways to give:

Facebook Donation: 
https://www.facebook.com/donate/792093014680769/
Online Payment Page: 
https://pushpay.com/g/echochurchfosterthebay 
(Choose FTB 6-day Challenge from drop down and put my name in the comment line)
Mail a Check: Foster the Bay; 1172 Murphy Ave., Ste. 130; San Jose, CA 95131

Thank you!

Decorating Attempt: Couch Pillows

I have found myself being inspired by author Myquillyn Smith, also known as The Nester over the past few years.  I discovered her website and book, Cozy Minimalist a couple of years ago when I was desperate to purge and think more minimalistic with my home. She has a very warm style and is very intentional in how she decorates her home -- yes she decorates even though she believes in having minimal stuff. Now, I have a long way to go before my home even remotely resembles her's (it never will...), but I loved the way she talked about using texture and color to compliment her home instead of clutter it. 

I recently heard her being interviewed on the That Sounds Fun Podcast with Annie F. Downs. They were talking about the top three things to have in any home to make it feel welcoming and cozy. I believe they were 1) rugs 2) curtains and 3) pillows. 

One of the first things we purchased when we moved into the condo was rugs, mostly because we had laminate flooring, children and neighbors. We desperately needed to reduce the noise! So we have a large rug and two runners in our upstairs hallway/living room. They all match with the same whimsical teal, blue, beige pattern . . . because I couldn't comprehend how to match rugs and runners any other way. And then we purchased our couches which are grey. And this is what it looked like for a long time:

We have a loveseat and couch and it came with four pillows that matched the fabric of the couch and one more decorative pillow seen above. Hearing the podcast recently reminded me about using colors and textures to decorate for seasonal changes. With Fall approaching I was compelled to make a change. And the pillows were an easy way to do it. I didn't even buy new pillows, I just bought new covers. And being this was my first attempt at really decorating I went on the cheap side because I had so much doubt about what I was doing... and even things like pillow covers can add up quickly!

I purchased two teal covers (which ended up being more shiny than I had anticipated, but match the rug fairly well), and two cream, pom-pom, corduroy-like fabric covers to bring in a bit more texture and warmth, and then one smaller orange frilly cover for a Fall accent.  It looks so different, right?!

I intend to keep the teal covers on year-round and I might keep the cream ones on too but to me they feel more Fall/Winter. So, I'm going to keep my eyes out for something else for Spring/Summer. But can hold off until I find something I really love. The orange covers will be transitioned to other covers as the seasons change too, but it was really fun to try something a little "out there" for me. 

We still have to tackle the idea of curtains which is fairly daunting to me. But slowly our space is coming together. 

I have found myself being inspired by author Myquillyn Smith, also known as The Nester over the past few years.  I discovered her website and book, Cozy Minimalist a couple of years ago when I was desperate to purge and think more minimalistic with my home. She has a very warm style and is very intentional in how she decorates her home -- yes she decorates even though she believes in having minimal stuff. Now, I have a long way to go before my home even remotely resembles her's (it never will...), but I loved the way she talked about using texture and color to compliment her home instead of clutter it. 

I recently heard her being interviewed on the That Sounds Fun Podcast with Annie F. Downs. They were talking about the top three things to have in any home to make it feel welcoming and cozy. I believe they were 1) rugs 2) curtains and 3) pillows. 

One of the first things we purchased when we moved into the condo was rugs, mostly because we had laminate flooring, children and neighbors. We desperately needed to reduce the noise! So we have a large rug and two runners in our upstairs hallway/living room. They all match with the same whimsical teal, blue, beige pattern . . . because I couldn't comprehend how to match rugs and runners any other way. And then we purchased our couches which are grey. And this is what it looked like for a long time:

We have a loveseat and couch and it came with four pillows that matched the fabric of the couch and one more decorative pillow seen above. Hearing the podcast recently reminded me about using colors and textures to decorate for seasonal changes. With Fall approaching I was compelled to make a change. And the pillows were an easy way to do it. I didn't even buy new pillows, I just bought new covers. And being this was my first attempt at really decorating I went on the cheap side because I had so much doubt about what I was doing... and even things like pillow covers can add up quickly!

I purchased two teal covers (which ended up being more shiny than I had anticipated, but match the rug fairly well), and two cream, pom-pom, corduroy-like fabric covers to bring in a bit more texture and warmth, and then one smaller orange frilly cover for a Fall accent.  It looks so different, right?!

I intend to keep the teal covers on year-round and I might keep the cream ones on too but to me they feel more Fall/Winter. So, I'm going to keep my eyes out for something else for Spring/Summer. But can hold off until I find something I really love. The orange covers will be transitioned to other covers as the seasons change too, but it was really fun to try something a little "out there" for me. 

We still have to tackle the idea of curtains which is fairly daunting to me. But slowly our space is coming together. 

Book Review: Too Much and Never Enough

It has been a while since I've written a book review here. I've been reading a lot and blogging less. I hope to add more in the coming weeks. But this was worth writing about. This week, I read "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man" by Mary L. Trump. 

I had not been very aware at all of President Trump's past so when I heard about this book I was intrigued. Our childhood stories have so much to do with how we handle our current relationships and how we see life. Mary L. Trump is Donald Trump's niece and a psychologist so she carries some unique perspectives to his childhood and how that created the man we see today. I will say that the bias she carries as the daughter of Freddy Trump who died young and was seemingly the black sheep of the family is highlighted throughout her writing, but the relationship between brothers does reveal a lot about President Trump's character.

I jokingly told Chris, "If you need motivation to be a good parent (showing empathy and being present for your kids), read this!" Meaning it tells the story of what can happen when both parents are absent (physically, emotionally or mentally). Also, how dangerous it is to have a "favorite" or compare your children to each other.

Fred Trump didn't like what he saw in his son Freddy; he only spoke critically, offering no praise or support. Donald watched this and quickly learned how to be "the best" and ignore anyone who said otherwise. Although several years younger than Freddy, Donald saw himself as better than Freddy from early on. And very quickly became is father's favorite. 

The book goes on to describe how Fred ignored behavioral issues and essentially encouraged Donald to bully others to get what he wanted. His whole family believed that Donald got what he wanted, so there was no reason to stir the pot or disagree. And in his current role, he has surrounded himself with people who will agree with him or risk being fired for challenging him. He has been this way since childhood.

I was also shocked (and outraged) by how many millions of dollars he has lost in his business and how his father kept bailing him out. How banks supported his failing businesses because of the publicity it brought them with the Trump name. And how he and his family have gotten away with tax evasion for decades. And he sees nothing wrong with that. 

I wish no disrespect for our President; there are certainly things I wish would have been handled differently. Knowing his story (albeit from someone else's perspective) helps paint the bigger picture of why he makes the choices he makes. I will continue to pray for the decisions on his shoulders and that he would see those around him as equal, valuable humans. I wish his father would have seen his children that way.

It has been a while since I've written a book review here. I've been reading a lot and blogging less. I hope to add more in the coming weeks. But this was worth writing about. This week, I read "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man" by Mary L. Trump. 

I had not been very aware at all of President Trump's past so when I heard about this book I was intrigued. Our childhood stories have so much to do with how we handle our current relationships and how we see life. Mary L. Trump is Donald Trump's niece and a psychologist so she carries some unique perspectives to his childhood and how that created the man we see today. I will say that the bias she carries as the daughter of Freddy Trump who died young and was seemingly the black sheep of the family is highlighted throughout her writing, but the relationship between brothers does reveal a lot about President Trump's character.

I jokingly told Chris, "If you need motivation to be a good parent (showing empathy and being present for your kids), read this!" Meaning it tells the story of what can happen when both parents are absent (physically, emotionally or mentally). Also, how dangerous it is to have a "favorite" or compare your children to each other.

Fred Trump didn't like what he saw in his son Freddy; he only spoke critically, offering no praise or support. Donald watched this and quickly learned how to be "the best" and ignore anyone who said otherwise. Although several years younger than Freddy, Donald saw himself as better than Freddy from early on. And very quickly became is father's favorite. 

The book goes on to describe how Fred ignored behavioral issues and essentially encouraged Donald to bully others to get what he wanted. His whole family believed that Donald got what he wanted, so there was no reason to stir the pot or disagree. And in his current role, he has surrounded himself with people who will agree with him or risk being fired for challenging him. He has been this way since childhood.

I was also shocked (and outraged) by how many millions of dollars he has lost in his business and how his father kept bailing him out. How banks supported his failing businesses because of the publicity it brought them with the Trump name. And how he and his family have gotten away with tax evasion for decades. And he sees nothing wrong with that. 

I wish no disrespect for our President; there are certainly things I wish would have been handled differently. Knowing his story (albeit from someone else's perspective) helps paint the bigger picture of why he makes the choices he makes. I will continue to pray for the decisions on his shoulders and that he would see those around him as equal, valuable humans. I wish his father would have seen his children that way.

Big Boy: 7 years old

My first born turned seven this today. I can't even begin to describe how crazy this is to me. So much has happened in seven years. He has grown and changed so much since that first day I held him. This 7th birthday was unique as are all the birthdays celebrated during the pandemic. Parties and plans have been canceled for everyone. But William was not going to let this dampen his excitement about his birthday. He declared months ago that we would be having a Pokemon party - just for the four of us.

And so on Saturday, we put up a homemade Pokemon birthday banner (thanks to the help of a Cricut a friend let me borrow) and watched the Pokemon Movie and ate a Pokemon cake with ice cream. We let him open one present early and held off on the rest until his actual birthday. (So this morning at 7:30 a.m. he opened the rest!) And at the end of the day he was so happy and felt so loved. Just as he should on his special day. 

He requested the candles be the flame that come out of Charizard's mouth.

William is growing as fast as ever. The jeans I bought six months ago are now getting to too short. He is now 52 inches tall and 53 pounds. His feet look huge. I've been saying these things for 7 years . . . and I'm sure I'll be saying them for another decade. He isn't going to stop growing anytime soon.

William loves legos, Pokemon, and duplos. He loves being read to. Throughout sheltering in place, we have been reading books by Geronimo Stilton, about a mouse solving mysteries. And since the library has reopened (for curbside pickup) we have been reading new ones nonstop. Thankfully Stephen likes them too! His favorite shows are Wild Kratts and DinoTrucks. And our newest "toy" has been letting the boys pay video games with Dad - MarioKart is a favorite now.

He has been doing first grade virtually for the last six weeks and although he doesn't love it (or even like it slightly), he does participate without too much fuss. When the zoom classes run long he gets upset and asks to leave early. And he doesn't like showing up for the class before the teacher. He is very prompt on his own and I barely have to remind him to "go to class." He learning a lot about responsibility this year - signing in to his zoom class on his own and deciding when he wants to do his homework. There aren't any forgotten lunches or homework left at home right now. He misses recess and seeing his friends in person. He was so looking forward to playing soccer with his class (and beating the new kindergarteners). That will have to wait. Still no word on when they can go back to in-person learning. 

During this season of being home so much more than we are used to, we've added a few chores to William's list. He is now big enough to take out the trash which we give a "commission" for. He was so interested in earning more money that we even had him washing dishes, but his interest was very short lived with that one. And the level of cleanliness we expect in the bedroom has gone up a bit. 

As William gets older we are seeing him explore boundaries and experience bigger emotions. When he was young, he was fairly compliant and went with the flow. Now, he is very willing to put up a fight to get his own way and complain when it doesn't happen. He tends to show a bit of anxiety when we are running late or things are uncertain. I'm seeing more of myself come out of him all the time in this area. He also has new fears of spiders, fires and death that lead to long conversations and prayers.

Pandemic life and fire season have certainly changed our year. And he is old enough to know that things aren't quite right. Thankfully he handles it like a champ most of the time. 

My first born turned seven this today. I can't even begin to describe how crazy this is to me. So much has happened in seven years. He has grown and changed so much since that first day I held him. This 7th birthday was unique as are all the birthdays celebrated during the pandemic. Parties and plans have been canceled for everyone. But William was not going to let this dampen his excitement about his birthday. He declared months ago that we would be having a Pokemon party - just for the four of us.

And so on Saturday, we put up a homemade Pokemon birthday banner (thanks to the help of a Cricut a friend let me borrow) and watched the Pokemon Movie and ate a Pokemon cake with ice cream. We let him open one present early and held off on the rest until his actual birthday. (So this morning at 7:30 a.m. he opened the rest!) And at the end of the day he was so happy and felt so loved. Just as he should on his special day. 

He requested the candles be the flame that come out of Charizard's mouth.

William is growing as fast as ever. The jeans I bought six months ago are now getting to too short. He is now 52 inches tall and 53 pounds. His feet look huge. I've been saying these things for 7 years . . . and I'm sure I'll be saying them for another decade. He isn't going to stop growing anytime soon.

William loves legos, Pokemon, and duplos. He loves being read to. Throughout sheltering in place, we have been reading books by Geronimo Stilton, about a mouse solving mysteries. And since the library has reopened (for curbside pickup) we have been reading new ones nonstop. Thankfully Stephen likes them too! His favorite shows are Wild Kratts and DinoTrucks. And our newest "toy" has been letting the boys pay video games with Dad - MarioKart is a favorite now.

He has been doing first grade virtually for the last six weeks and although he doesn't love it (or even like it slightly), he does participate without too much fuss. When the zoom classes run long he gets upset and asks to leave early. And he doesn't like showing up for the class before the teacher. He is very prompt on his own and I barely have to remind him to "go to class." He learning a lot about responsibility this year - signing in to his zoom class on his own and deciding when he wants to do his homework. There aren't any forgotten lunches or homework left at home right now. He misses recess and seeing his friends in person. He was so looking forward to playing soccer with his class (and beating the new kindergarteners). That will have to wait. Still no word on when they can go back to in-person learning. 

During this season of being home so much more than we are used to, we've added a few chores to William's list. He is now big enough to take out the trash which we give a "commission" for. He was so interested in earning more money that we even had him washing dishes, but his interest was very short lived with that one. And the level of cleanliness we expect in the bedroom has gone up a bit. 

As William gets older we are seeing him explore boundaries and experience bigger emotions. When he was young, he was fairly compliant and went with the flow. Now, he is very willing to put up a fight to get his own way and complain when it doesn't happen. He tends to show a bit of anxiety when we are running late or things are uncertain. I'm seeing more of myself come out of him all the time in this area. He also has new fears of spiders, fires and death that lead to long conversations and prayers.

Pandemic life and fire season have certainly changed our year. And he is old enough to know that things aren't quite right. Thankfully he handles it like a champ most of the time.