He Sings Over Us

So you know...

2011-07-20T15:48:00.002-06:00

Hi there!

I just wanted to encourage you to read/follow my other blog: www.oh-write.blogspot.com if you don't already do so. I've decided to share Truett's story over there, and will probably just start posting more of our 'family' stories over there, too. I've prayed for ways for that blog to be a way to minister to people, and this experience with Truett and his heart condition seems to be a great way to share more openly about my faith. It feels a little overwhelming at this point to keep up with 2 blogs, so for now, I'll be mostly posting over there. I'll let you know if anything changes!

Little Faces

2011-07-05T16:39:00.002-06:00

Truett is becoming more and more expressive as he's spending more time awake. I love seeing all the faces he makes. It is such a joy to have him in our family!

Lunch with Daddy and Getting Clean

2011-06-30T14:20:00.003-06:00

Days when Daddy comes home for lunch are the best. Maren loves to see Brett in the middle of the day, and I look forward to having a big person around for a bit. I love this picture...and I'm so grateful to have a husband who loves being around his family. It is a gift that I do not take for granted!

Is there anything better than a clean baby? Oh, he smells so good right after getting a bath! Maren loves to help with Truett's baths. He's going to learn quickly not to mind a cup-full of water poured over his face. Ha!

Monday, Monday

2011-06-27T15:34:00.005-06:00

It's the start of another week...where does the time go? We had a lovely weekend. On Saturday we spent time around the house and celebrated Brett's mom's 60th birthday in the evening. Maren had a great time running around with her 'cousins' Hannah and Abby. She has turned into quite the little social butterfly...loving time with other children.

On Sunday we ventured to church for the first time since Truett's arrival. I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to make it to the early service (8:15) relatively on time. It was great to see friends again, and to have the opportunity to show off our little Truett. He was such a good baby all morning.

Brett and the kids ready for church

Me with my little man

Another gratuitous picture of an especially cute baby!

I feel like I'm slowly starting to figure out what my life is going to look like with 2 kids. I am outnumbered! Thankfully, Maren is almost capable of completely getting herself ready in the morning. I've learned that everything takes twice as long as I think it will, and I'm working on adjusting our schedule accordingly. This morning we took Truett to the outpatient lab for his 2nd PKU test. He was unusually fussy this morning, which kept me on my toes as we were getting ready to leave. He finally fell asleep in the car seat on the way to the office. I wasn't looking forward to having his test done. They do a heel prick to apply blood in several places on a little sample card. Wouldn't you know, after fussing much of the morning and wanting to nurse incessantly, the kid slept through the whole test. His nap continued on through a peaceful trip to the grocery store, too. I breathed a sigh of relief and enjoyed the time out of the house!

What Truett is doing at the moment

What Maren and I (as soon as I finish this post!) are doing...finger paint!

Starting at the beginning

2011-06-26T16:11:00.002-06:00

As tempting as it is to skip ahead to my recent favorite pictures of our 2-week-old boy, I want to be sure to share a few highlights of Truett's first couple of days in the world.

Here's me with a full-grown baby boy.

And here's the not-so-little guy at just an hour old! I still can't believe he weighed a healthy 9 lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 in. long!

All clean and dressed after a bath. Truett is such a little snuggler. Maren has never been very snuggly, and I was hoping Truett would be. I'm loving all the cuddles and naps that we're able to take together!

Our very first family picture, with a tired mommy and daddy. Labor started for me on Friday afternoon and lasted throughout the night. We made two trips to the hospital in the middle of the night only to be sent home. My contractions were slowing down when I was on my back. By the time I was admitted around 4 am on Saturday, I had survived a long night of hard laboring at home. Truett arrived just 3 1/2 hours after we arrived at the hospital. We were thrilled to finally meet our little boy!

Maren has been such a wonderful big sister. She was thrilled to hold her brother and has been so good about helping with him. She's very gentle and loves to talk with Truett. I'm so thankful for her loving acceptance of her brother!

Gigi and Papa meet Truett.

Grams and Grandpa arrived in time to visit in the hospital.

All ready to head home.

We were barely home for a moment before Maren asked to hold Truett again. I can't wait to watch as these two become fast friends!
Our adjustment to being a family of four has been quite smooth. We're so thankful for two healthy kids and for the blessing of great family and friends who've been so helpful these past couple of weeks. I'm feeling great, and we're even getting sleep...praise the Lord! Truett struggled during the first week to figure out sleeping at night. Our second week was much better. He's been sleeping for 4 hour segments pretty regularly, which means he's only up once or twice a night. We are blessed!

My two babies

2011-06-24T15:29:00.004-06:00

I hope you're prepared for a deluge of posts over the next few days! I've got some sharing to do. *wink*

We are loving our early days as a family of 4. Truett is the absolute best baby. Apart from a few issues early on with sleeping during the night (I should say a lack of sleeping during the night!), we've adjusted fabulously. I'll write in more detail later. For now, we're sleeping great and loving our two babies!

Maren came out looking like a mini-Brett, and it's been determined that Truett looks a lot like me. This is the funny thing...

Maren: 6 days old

Truett: 5 days old

They're definitely related!

Oh my...this girl!

2011-05-02T15:23:00.003-06:00

Today is May 2nd, and it snowed this morning. Ugh. The summer Maren was born was unseasonably hot, and so far the spring before baby boy arrives is proving to be more winter-like. What is it with my pregnancies and extreme temperature abnormalities? I do have to say...I'll take the colder weather any day!

Last week we were blessed with a couple of warmer days, and we enjoyed a little family walk to the park one evening. Maren wanted me to run with her and Brett. Ha. There is no running for me right now. Have I mentioned that Maren's been dressing herself lately? She's been picking out her own clothes and completely dressing herself. Before I had children I vowed to not be one of those parents who left the house with their children looking like they were dressed by a committee. Let the record state that I'm eating those words. There are still days when I choose what Maren wears, but there are plenty of days when I allow her to choose her outfit from head to toe. This was just such a day, and this is what she wore to the park. Stunning, no?

This spring Maren has masted the little climbing wall at the park.

The reward for her hard work is a nice ride down the slide.

Swinging is still a favorite. Maren would swing for the entire duration of our stay at the park if she had a willing push-er.

Easter Celebration

2011-04-27T14:32:00.006-06:00

We enjoyed a wonderful weekend of Easter celebration, despite waking up to SNOW on Sunday. The Easter Bunny visited our home on Saturday morning this year. We wanted to enjoy a slower morning on Sunday, free from commercial hype. I remember waking up as a kid to trails of jelly beans leading to special treats. Maren has now experienced some of that same excitement. As we were setting out the goods Friday night, Brett commented that he could picture my parents placing trails of jelly beans all over our house. Let me just say...it was a lot of work!

Maren wasted no time in figuring out that the trails led to 'stuff'. On a side note, we were glad to discover that Bo takes no interest whatsoever in jelly beans. Phew!

Discovering some Play-Doh toys.

A sparkly egg filled with chapstick.

Like I said, we had a lovely snowy Easter morning. Maren still was able to wear her cute dress, we just added tights and a sweater.

We feel so blessed to have a wonderful church family. I sang with the choir for a special concert during the Sunday School hour. We followed up the music with a continental breakfast in the gym. Brett and I were blessed to enjoy fellowship with good friends, but mostly we enjoyed watching Maren as she flitted about with her friends. We're thrilled to see her developing young friendships with such delightful kids. We love to think of her already forming special traditions and memories of her childhood. Of course, we enjoyed the reminders throughout the morning of what this sacred holiday really is all about. We have an incredibly loving, sacrificial Christ who paid the ultimate penalty to free us from an eternity of ruin, if we just believe. What a gift to be celebrated!

Our family of [almost] 4!
Maren with Papa and Gigi.

Yes, that is the remnant of a tattoo on her arm. I didn't scrub to get it off because I thought it would be hidden by the sweater all day. Maren had other plans, which included showing off her new dress sans sweater. Oh well!

We enjoyed Easter brunch at Brett's parents' house with some other in-town family. Maren and Noah participated in a little egg hunt. They both had a great time searching for treat-filled eggs.

This was Maren's first find...her face says it all!

Noah and Maren comparing their loot.

Grams comes to town

2011-04-25T15:46:00.003-06:00

Mom flew out for a little visit a couple of weeks ago. I am so thankful that she was able to come before baby #2 arrives. We were able to do some fun things and we made some great memories. I already look forward to her return with my Dad sometime in June, but I know that visit will have a much different flavor.

I am really terrible about taking pictures. When I'm with family, I typically prefer to just soak in the moments. A camera so often feels like a burden to me. Near the end of her trip, I did make myself snap a few pictures of Mom with Maren. I want Maren to have something to look at someday!

This is my absolute favorite shot from the afternoon...it pretty much sums up Maren's take on her week with Grams around. She was thoroughly entertained and thrilled by my Mom's presence.

Our days began around 6 when Maren would come into our room asking if she could go see Grams. Most mornings I was able to hold her off until 6:30. I'm glad my Mom was such a great sport. We did some fun shopping, including a trip to the antique mall where I scored a great vintage globe for the baby's room. We picked out a new paint color for the dining room (which my dear husband painted the very next day...he thought it would be fun to get it done before Mom had to go home.) Once the new paint was up, we moved some things around and spent my birthday money on a few new accessories for the space. We did lots of baby boy laundry. We drank plenty of coffee and taught Maren the art of dunking Swedish almond toast. Mom and Maren read about 1,000 books. Mom and I shared some meaningful talks. It was a fabulous several days.

I'm waiting to hang curtains in the dining room, and then I'll share our mini-makeover of the front room and dining room. Wouldn't you know, the curtains I ordered and LOVED have been discontinued. As soon as I find a replacement, you'll get a tour!

A Typical Morning Scene

2011-03-18T13:14:00.002-06:00

I told my mom just the other day that I've been bad about taking pictures lately. I feel like the first couple years of her life Maren was changing and growing and doing new things on a daily basis. I know that she's still learning and changing so much, but it doesn't seem as apparent to me each and every day. And, our life seems pretty much the same from day to day and week to week. We've got our little routines, and I just don't think to take pictures unless something out of the ordinary happens.

I'm trying to get better about capturing moments of our everyday life. I know Maren will appreciate the effort someday, and I'm pretty sure the grandparents appreciate the effort right now!

Just the past couple of months Maren has taken on a keen interest in Bo. As much as he allows, she plays doctor on him, tries to ride him, cuddles him, covers him with blankets and 'puts him to bed'. She loves to give him treats and she's learned how to make him do tricks. He's finally learned to understand her enough to actually do the tricks she's requesting of him. It's fun to see them becoming such buddies.

This is a typical scene around our house these days...Maren and Bo all snuggled up together enjoying a morning cartoon. Maren's also started to enjoy having a little bit of clothes-less time in the mornings before we get dressed for the day. Who needs a nightie and slippers when you've got a big furry animal to cuddle up next to?
As a side note, and just so I remember...do you see the bandaid on Maren's big toe? She dropped our iPad on her toe a while ago (seriously...I think it was over a month ago), and she has to have a bandaid on the toe at all times. She instantly got a huge blood blister the size of her entire big toenail, and she is completely freaked out by the looks of it. Just a couple nights ago during her bath, Brett realized that she'd lost her toenail. (I don't like to think too much about that because we have no idea where it could be...hopefully not around our house anywhere!) She's got a little half-nail now where a new one is growing, and all of a sudden the need for a bandaid has disappeared, thank goodness!

She is such a girl...

2011-03-17T17:26:00.004-06:00

Maren has become enamored with putting things in bags. I find the most fascinating collections in various bags strewn about the house. She has yet to become discriminate about the types of bags at her disposal...she's utilized plastic grocery bags, old purses of mine, small purses of her own, ziplocs, brown lunch bags, paper shopping bags, mesh laundry bags...they all fulfill the same purpose to Maren...carrying around her 'stash'. This particular collection came fresh out of my laptop bag...what do you see?
The contents of the laptop bag were: Buzz Lightyear, a princess doll, one large plastic bead, toy keys, a small car, 3D movie glasses, a purple matchbox car, a horse, and a Benjamin Moore for Pottery Barn paint deck. I think she's done a great job of assembling the necessities. Any respectable woman would agree.

This is how Maren wanted me to take her picture:

Showing off the goods:

The result of me requesting a smile:

I love my funny, blue-eyed girl!

One eventful night

2011-03-08T11:01:00.004-07:00

Brett, Maren and I went to dinner at some friends' house on Friday night. We put Maren to bed in their guest room around 8, and the adults enjoyed games and great conversation until about 12. I heard Maren cough a few times, and we decided we'd just get her up and head home. As Brett went up the stairs she was coughing more and more...sounding like she was going to throw-up. We hurried her into the bathroom in order to avoid a mess in their guest room. By the time they were in the bathroom, Maren was still coughing like she was needing to throw-up, but she had also started gasping for air. After a minute or so, she stopped coughing but continued to struggle to breath. When her lips started to turn blueish, I decided to call 911. My first thought was that she was having some sort of asthma attack. She'd never done anything similar before, so we really had no clue what was going on. Our friends also live about 25 minutes from the hospital, which I felt would be too long a drive with how much Maren was struggling to breath.

The paramedics arrived quickly. By the time they got to the house, we were able to get Maren calmed down so she wasn't crying hysterically AND struggling to breath. She kept looking at me saying , "I'm scared." It was heartbreaking and very scary. After a brief examination at the house, the paramedics decided that she needed to get to the hospital soon. We rode in the ambulance, and our sweet friends drove our car down to the hospital for us. Maren received a breathing treatment in the ambulance, which helped immensely.

Here she is with her little dinosaur mask.

At first she did not want to put the little monitor on her finger. I told her it was a special sticker with a light inside (it was!) and that we'd take a picture to show to her friends...she finally obliged. By the time we reached the hospital she was doing so much better with her breathing. She even started asking the paramedic (her name was Erin) questions about everything in the truck. I was just thankful she had returned to her sweet self.

At the hospital they gave her a dose of steroids and determined she had a sudden case of croup. It was strange how it came on without even a cold beforehand. I had always expected croup to display with a terrible, barky cough. She didn't have that cough until the next day.
By the time we were discharged, it was past 3 am. We all went home feeling exhausted and so thankful for a treatable diagnosis. It was incredibly scary to deal with a breathing issue, though. There was nothing we could do for her as she was struggling for air. Brett and I both maintained our composure throughout the whole ordeal. It's amazing how you're able to click into functioning mode in the midst of a scary situation. When I was finally in bed, I did shed some tears. I think I was overcome with the realization of how much I take our health for granted, and how quickly things can change.

I love Maren dearly, but there are days when I find myself getting irritated with her two-year-old-ness. She always wants to jump on the bed while I'm trying to fold laundry. She invariably makes a mess of things when she's 'helping' me cook dinner in the kitchen. She somehow gets decibels louder while I'm trying to talk on the phone. She puts stickers all over things...furniture, windows, herself. I think this little scare really put things into perspective for me. I want to make the most of every day the Lord gives me...both with Maren and in other areas of my life. It's somehow made me want to be a better mom. I didn't take a shower this morning until after 9 because Maren wanted to read books, so we read. I really feel like I have a renewed desire to just be more available to her during the day. Laundry can always wait, or I can refold things if she somehow messes them up. Even if she goes on to lead a perfectly healthy life, these days of having her home with me, and even of having her be the only child are fleeting. And, lest you be wondering, I'm not going to turn into Maren's servant or give her free-run of the place at any expense. ;) I realize that boundaries are good, and discipline is necessary. Maren's never been a burden to me, but I want to make sure that my role as 'Mom' doesn't turn into some sort of monotonous-following-of-tasks. I want to be present in each moment, and to enjoy all the little nuances of parenting my sweet girl.

In case you're wondering...

2011-03-06T16:46:00.002-07:00

...this is what I look like these days!

Sleepy Sunday

2011-03-06T16:34:00.003-07:00

During the winter months, Brett and I frequently enjoy a Sunday afternoon nap along with Maren. Our naps are typically over when Maren wakes up, so this particular Sunday was quite a treat!

Maren quietly came downstairs and crawled right up next to Brett and went back to sleep. It was so sweet to watch her rest, and I know Brett enjoyed the rare cuddle time with our usually-busy little girl. She's growing up so quickly, and these quiet, unexpected moments are a treasure indeed.

The Return of the Tacky Sweater Party

2011-01-27T14:16:00.003-07:00

After taking a break from it last year, we decided to host another Christmas party this year...again inviting people to wear their most festive holiday attire. We kept the party on the smaller side and our friends left their kids at home. We had a great time laughing, eating, and playing games with some great people.

I love this picture of us...after a couple of other attempts at getting a picture before everyone showed up, I was teasing Brett about having squinty eyes in our pictures. This was his best effort at remedying that. Ha!

I made all the desserts for the evening...buckeyes, chocolate-dipped macaroons, peppermint patties, Swedish butter cookies, and fudge. Mmmm...makes me excited for Christmas next year!

The men in their fabulous sweaters.

And the ladies...such great friends!

We did a White Elephant exchange. Tony and Heather took home a lovely unicorn and rainbow shirt with a nice little horse decoration.

Ben and Jaime showing off their new towel-holder. You attach this lovely to the wall, and just stick a corner of the towel right in that little hole...classy, huh?

More Holiday Celebration

2011-01-27T14:08:00.002-07:00

We spent one evening just before Christmas driving around the city looking at lights. This house was particularly impressive. Maren loved looking for houses with lots of lights and kept asking to see more.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo does a great 'Lights Safari' every Christmas, and we've gone for the past couple of years. Again, Maren was so much more interested this year. My favorite part about being there after dark is seeing the big cats while they're active.

Brett and Maren [sort of] enjoying a close encounter with the giraffes.

My two favorite tigers.

Maren on the carousel...she loves riding all by herself now!

Maren and Santa

2011-01-27T14:02:00.003-07:00

Each December the bank hosts a 'Santa Morning' on a Saturday in December. They have the best Santa with a real beard, and we love it that Maren gets to actually take some time to talk with the big guy when she's ready. This year she wouldn't sit on his lap, but she was sure to get close enough to ask for a horse. I thought little girls didn't ask for ponies until they were at least 7?!

Yes, by this time I had passed the point of being able to suck in my tummy...our baby made itself known to world around this time!

Light Parade

2011-01-27T13:47:00.004-07:00

I have some serious catching up to do on this little blog! You'll have to bear with me as I take a trip down memory lane and finish up Christmas posts.

We started the tradition several years ago with some good friends of going downtown Colorado Springs for the light parade each December. It's a great way to kick off the Christmas season, and we had an especially fun time this year as Maren was thoroughly entertained by the festivities!

Our family of 3, plus one in the oven!

Me and my girl.

Hannah, Maren, and Abby are good buddies. Hannah is just 10 days older than Maren!

Sticky Rolls

2010-12-22T18:54:00.004-07:00

I grew up loving my Grandma's sticky rolls. Oh, these rolls are the best, and we used to just have them when we'd visit Minnesota. I have one memory of when I was quite young, and my brother and I had gotten up ridiculously early. (Which is funny now, since Maren is up every morning by 6, cheerful as ever.) We were helping ourselves to sticky rolls, and I dropped my Grandma's glass butter dish. (Yes, there's about 3 cups of butter in the rolls and we put more on top. SO. GOOD.) It broke into a million pieces, and I felt awful. I'm sure the crash must have woken up the entire house. Grandma was so forgiving, and made me feel completely loved even though I had broken her dish. She sat with us and enjoyed the sticky rolls bright and early. I'm not sure why that story has stuck with me, but it has. She probably has no recollection of that broken butter dish, but I will never forget.

Well, Grandma moved out of her house around the time I got married, and now one of my dear Aunts makes the rolls when we come to visit. My mom makes them every year at Christmas for our immediate family. It's a tradition that needed to be carried on, and being the baking-lover that I am, I gladly learned to make the rolls a couple of years ago.

It takes the better part of a day to make 4 9x13 pans, and I was excited to have help from Maren this year. Granted, she's not especially helpful with this sort of thing yet, but she does love to be in the kitchen and be a part of the activity. She quickly lost interest in the first portion of the prep, but by the time I was rolling out the dough, layering the butter, sugar and cinnamon and cutting the rolls for the pans, she was enthralled. I gave her a little piece of her very own dough, and she was a quick study in the process of making the perfect sticky roll! I had to make a spot for each of her rolls in the corners of the pans. I'm so excited to share this Christmas tradition with my girl.

These are the only pictures I took of our morning. They make me laugh, because Maren would not take her eyes off the dough I had rolled out on the counter while I was taking the pictures. She is so funny. I love spending my days with this girl!

Notice the brown sugar all over her face and shirt. She is very tactile and not terribly concerned by messes!

Just because...

2010-11-05T09:57:00.001-06:00

...I think she's so cute!

The littlest cheerleader

2010-11-01T19:17:00.002-06:00

Maren got this cute cheerleader outfit from her cousin, Paige, and it made the perfect Halloween costume. I made the pom-poms out of an orange, plastic tablecloth, we put some ribbons in her pigtails, and she was ready to go.

It's funny...I wasn't thrilled with how the pom-poms turned out, but as soon as Maren got her hands on them she ran around the house saying, "Go team...go, go, go!" She LOVED them! I'm so glad she's not a fussy customer!

We went trick-or-treating with a bunch of families from church. It was a low-key evening filled with friends, food, and lots of fun!

I think this might have been the first time Maren was in a group picture where she actually stood still and smiled the entire time...she's turned into such a delightful little girl!

What a good daddy...the pom-poms were given up after the second house.

Our little family!
Several of the moms and littlest kids stayed back at the house...I went to the first several houses, and then headed back for some hot cider. Maren and Brett were some of the last ones in...she was so excited to be out and did not want the evening to end!

Down at the Farm

2010-10-18T13:25:00.003-06:00

We spent a day at the farm a week ago, and Maren had the time of her life! She was fearless, and so engaged with all the different activities.

She fed the chickens...

...and the sheep...

...and the goats!

She buried Brett in the corn tub...

...and climbed to the top of the hay pyramid.

She rode all by herself in the barrel train. She picked out the exact car she wanted to ride in...are you surprised which one she chose? *wink*

She made friends with a very large pig.

Brett and Maren had a duck race...

...and the highlight, by far, was riding the pony! I didn't know if she'd get on once it was actually her turn, but she rode all by herself, and LOVED it!
Days like this are so precious with Maren...she is so much fun, and genuinely loves people and life. I was so proud of her when she shared her animal food with another little boy in the barn. She is a kind little girl, and we're so thankful that she's ours!

I've been a bad blogger, I know!

2010-10-06T18:56:00.006-06:00

Oh my...I have been seriously MIA from this blog for a while. (Can I blame it on my other blog?) I do have lots of great pictures of Maren to share, and it's almost too overwhelming to go back now and catch up. I will do my best to post some favorites from our trip to Minneapolis and our little jaunt into the mountains last weekend. I'm not making any promises though!

Whenever I take pictures around the house for any reason Maren asks to have her picture taken. She is such a little ham. At least she's learning to smile now!

Maren wanted Bo to look at the camera, but he was having nothing to do with our little photo-shoot. Also, Maren has been quite particular about her hair accessories lately. She only wants to wear big bows, and this pink one is her favorite. What's a mom to do?

August and the Mower

2010-08-30T16:23:00.003-06:00

I realize these pictures aren't the best, but they make me smile, and I guess they're more about remembering for me. Maren got a lawn mower for her birthday from her Gigi and Papa. She's been loving anything she can push around lately...namely her doll stroller and now the mower.

Brett and I gave her a new baby, and Maren named her 'August'. We asked her what the baby's name was, and she said it was August. I wasn't sure she understood the question, but she's been referring to the baby as August ever since. I have to say the name has grown on me.

This is how Maren's been transporting August lately...via lawn mower. She's very careful to be sure August has her entire body on the mower, and then she walks her all over the house. I tell you, there is never a dull moment with this girl!

Maren's Haircut

2010-08-25T14:25:00.003-06:00

People often ask me if I've ever cut Maren's hair. Up until recently, I really had only trimmed it in places. We did have to keep her little mo-hawk in check to some extent.

Oh dear!

Maren has some adorably curly hair, but it was beginning to get a little scraggly on the ends. So, a few nights ago we plopped her down in a little chair, and I worked my magic! (Did you know that I cut many of my roommates' hair in college? I cannot believe they let me do that. I don't think I ever did anyone too much harm!)

Here's Maren's new 'do. What do you think?

I actually cut about an inch off. Yikes! It looks so much better now. And, she's been asking for another haircut everyday since. ;)

Two!

2010-08-19T14:12:00.004-06:00

We had such a great time celebrating Maren's second birthday. I can't believe the difference between last year and this year. She talks so much, understood more of what the day meant, and was so interested in everything that was going on! We had a special pancake breakfast with chocolate milk (Maren's request). Maren and I went to church for Bible study, and we met Brett at McDonald's for lunch (again, Maren's request!)

We kept her party on the small-ish side (for us!) and only invited family and Maren's friends who are near her age. She was such a little social butterfly, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her soak in all the extra attention.

Maren was sneaking a peak at her cakes. She's learned to pull her stool over to the counter when I make cookies. On more than one occasion, I've found her helping herself to cookies from the cooling rack. She couldn't quite reach the cakes from the stool. *wink*

We were blessed to have Maren's special friends share the evening with us. Abby, Hannah (who was sad about something!), Noah, Maren, Colie and Isaiah.

Princess Maren and her friend, Colie. I met Heather (Colie's mom) in our childbirth class. The girls were born a couple weeks apart, and have become good little friends!

We call Hannah and Abby 'cousins'. Actually, the girls' grandmas are cousins. Hannah is just a week older than Maren.

Maren insisted on wearing her shades to open gifts. She was so good about saying 'thank you' to the gift-givers. I loved seeing her so excited about the fun new things she received!

Unfortunately, the wind blew out the candles before Maren got to them. She sang the entire 'Happy Birthday' song along with the rest of us!

I love this picture! Maren's helping herself to Isaiah's cake, and he's just watching her do it! What a good buddy he is!

Playing with balloons before bedtime.
I love you, sweet Maren! I'm so thankful for the joy and excitement you've brought to our family these past 2 years. We pray the years to come bring more of the same, and that as you continue to grow, you will learn to love Jesus and be a light for him! Happy birthday!

The Accident

2010-08-15T16:49:00.005-06:00

Just last week Maren and I were visiting a friend's house, and I commented that I'd be amazed if she made it to 5 without breaking a bone. She is fearless...constantly jumping off things, running, throwing things.

While she has yet to break a bone, she did survive her first visit to the ER this week, and the consequent stitches.

We were playing at the park with a friend, and Maren slipped while climbing up the slide. From what I can tell, she bit her bottom lip, which resulted in 3 puncture wounds. Right away there was blood everywhere, and I was thrust into my first ever traumatic-mothering-moment. My friend, Naomi, was with me, along with her little boy, Isaiah. She assured me that I was calm, which is kind considering my full-out sprint back to the house wearing flip flops and pushing Maren in our non-jogging stroller. Ha! I always bring my phone with me to the park, and almost always have kleenex or wipes in the stroller...wouldn't you know this was the day I had neither. Ugh.

I called Brett right away, and then called the pediatrician, who recommended taking her to the ER or to a walk-in clinic. We went to the clinic across from our house first, and after a 30 minute wait, the doctor took one look at Maren's lip and recommended we go to the ER. Since it was lunch time, and I knew the ER wait had potential to be long, we stopped at home to pick up a little lunch. (The clinic doctor gave Maren the okay to eat something.)

Brett met us at the ER, where we waited for a LONG time. Maren hadn't taken a nap, and was such a trooper. After about 3 hours, we finally made it into a room, and had such wonderful nurses. The doctor on duty felt comfortable stitching Maren up herself. She recommended holding her down, and getting it done quickly. The following 15 minutes was probably the longest of my life. It was so hard to see my little girl in pain, and to have no way to comfort her. Brett and I stayed right by her side while the nurses held her down and the doctor stitched up 3 places. Thankfully, when it was done Maren and I were able to go straight home while Brett stayed to fill out the paperwork. We hadn't even made it out of the parking lot before sweet Maren was sound asleep.

These pictures were all taken the night of 'The Ordeal'. When Brett was helping Maren brush her teeth before bed, she took a look in the mirror, pointed to her lip, and asked, "What's this?" Brett told her they were stitches, where the doctor had fixed her up. Until that point, I don't think she'd even realized that anything was different on her face.

When I ask her now where her stitches are, she'll point to her bottom lip. When asked about why she got stitches, she says, "I fell down the slide with Isaiah." I'm so proud of how well she's handled her little injury, and I hope it's a long, long, long, (NEVER again) time before we have to experience anything like this again!

Close Encounters

2010-08-15T16:30:00.005-06:00

Last weekend we enjoyed a little family outing to the zoo. It's been several months since we've been, and we had such a blast. Maren was thoroughly entertained by the animals. One of the benefits of having a membership is that we don't feel rushed during our visits. We stop by the animals we feel like seeing on a particular day, and don't feel badly about missing others.

Maren loved watching us feed the giraffes, but she was not interested in getting so close herself.

Playing in the tunnels.

We did manage to find a new-to-us exhibit, which was delightful for Maren, and utterly disgusting to me. It's a 'house' (really just a room) filled with small, colorful birds. There are easily over 100 birds flying all over the place. It is dirty and it stinks, and Maren was in bird heaven.

My favorite exhibit at the zoo is the grizzly bears. If you catch them on a good day, it is awesome to watch the bears in their 'element'. When we first arrived, there were hardly any other visitors in the viewing area. One of the bears came right down to the front and enjoyed a swim. Maren had a death grip on Brett at this point. I don't blame her, as I was sitting back just praying for the integrity of that glass. *wink*

This picture makes me laugh...Maren wanted to stay with Brett, but she was leaning as far away from that bear as was possible while in Brett's arms.

Proof that I was at the zoo!

Maren loves playing in the water. While we were cooling off in the kid's area, the zoo workers alerted us to the fact that a wild bear was lurking just outside the confines of the kid's park. We were able to see the bear up in a tree from where we were standing. Ahhh...Colorado!

Higgins Lake: The Final Chapter

2010-08-10T18:31:00.003-06:00

Here are the rest of the pictures!

Brett skiing:

Maren carrying my shoes up to the house:

Our little fish:

Jumping to Grandpa!

A bigger fish named Zach:

During our time in Grand Rapids, Allison, Jodi and I took the kids to the Childrens Museum to see the Curious George exhibit. If Maren were old enough for a boyfriend, George would be her first pick!

Paige, Ellie, Maren, Will, and Jack...we were pleasantly surprised with how smoothly our outing was! We even took all the kids to McDonald's for lunch after. It was a wonderful morning!

Higgins 2: in no particular order!

2010-08-09T15:35:00.003-06:00

Here's some more favorite shots from our time at the lake. As I look back at these pictures, I can't help but smile at the delight on Maren's face in many of these shots.

Another boat ride:

Deep in conversation with Paige:

Helping Grams make cookies:

2 chocolate-y, messy, happy little ladies:

Our family:

The fabulous combination of naturally curly hair and humidity. It never looks this way here in Colorado!

Maren and Will sharing some time on Brett's lap:

The trampoline was a favorite spot for the entire stay at the lake. Maren was fearless, and jumped right alongside all the 'big' kids!

Driving the boat with Grandpa:

My happy, sun-drenched girl!

I'm back...and Higgins pictures part 1

2010-08-05T21:12:00.005-06:00

Oops...I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post. Brett checks the blog on a regular basis, and informed me tonight that I've been a bad blogger. I honestly can't believe I missed the entire month of July. We were busy having so much fun up at the lake, and I've got plenty of pictures to share! I'm going to break up our lake pictures into a few posts, in no particular order. Enjoy a little glimpse into our summer!

Maren loved playing in the little pool on the front lawn. She wasn't shy at all about dumping water all over herself and anyone else who was around.

Me and my sweet girl warming up after a swim.

Maren loved tubing with her Daddy. I was pleasantly surprised with how much she enjoyed going fast. She's a brave and adventurous little girl!

Last year we started a new tradition of going to a movie in the one-room theater in 'town'. This year we saw Eclipse, and it was a great evening! Check out the 'stuffed' animals around the walls. It's a pretty spectacular place to see a flick.

Maren and Paige became great buddies during this trip. It was a blessing to see the early beginnings of what I hope will be a life-long friendship.

All dressed up with no place to go

2010-06-27T16:00:00.003-06:00

I found a box full of dress-up clothes for Maren this spring at a garage sale down the street. They've already been well-worth the price I paid! The box had about 6 dresses and 5 or 6 pairs of plastic, high-heeled shoes. Maren's favorite pair is the white ones with the light-up buttons and the music that plays when she walks. (Delightful...let me tell you!)

The shoes have even made their debut at the grocery store and the park. Maren's got discriminate taste, and she only wears her 'best' out of the house.

Sunday morning

2010-06-06T14:55:00.003-06:00

We are having a spectacular summer. Our neighborhood pool is open, which has been great fun. Maren has quickly grown into a little fish. Oh, she is such a delight right now! Of course, she's always been a delight, but we are having a blast with her in this season as she becomes more and more of a little person right before our eyes! She's talking in short sentences now, singing songs, making jokes, being very silly, and getting cuter every day. People have asked if I 'touch-up' her eyes in her pictures...I don't! They are naturally that blue...lucky girl. This morning I put her hair in pigtails, and we tried to snap a few pictures before church. She doesn't sit or stand still for long at all, but these are my favorites. After a nice morning at church, we packed a lunch and went to the pool for a couple of hours. I am deeply thankful for my precious family and the fun memories we are making with Maren!

You're Invited

2010-05-27T15:23:00.003-06:00

By now you all know about my little Etsy project. I have been having a wonderful time creating, planning, learning and growing my new business. One of the ways people market creative endeavors is through the blogging world. There are so many wonderful creative blogs out there, and I have learned a great deal by reading and stealing ideas. ;) After some thought, I decided to create a companion blog for my Etsy store. I thought about just using this one, but I'd prefer to keep this for more personal, family-types of posts. My other blog will be where I share more of my creative ventures and ideas. I'd love for you to stop by sometime! I posted my first tutorial yesterday. {Jodi and Mom: it will spoil gifts that are in the mail for you, so if you want to be surprised, don't peek!} AND, I already have 3 followers, none of whom I know in real life. I'd love for this to be a nice extra income for us, and I've had a great time thinking of ideas and diving in! Thanks so much for the support along the way!

Enjoy...

www.oh-write.blogspot.com

Just another weekend

2010-05-27T15:01:00.003-06:00

We spent last weekend shopping some garage sales, eating s'mores, and enjoying ice-cream cones. Summer has officially arrived!

This is Maren's haul from garage-sale-day. We were really just browsing...out enjoying the sun and the fun of looking at other people's junk. I am convinced that Craigslist has done a number on the garage-sale-market. Most people had about 12 things out on a table. Seriously, people, why bother? We did find one man (bless his heart!) who had some of his kids' toys for sale. Maren has a few Fisher Price Little People things, and she has been loving them lately. She also loves animals, so I was looking at the barn when the guy told me he really just wanted to sell the entire set for $20. At this point, I maintained my composure and casually said, "Ummm...okay, I'll just take it all." $20!!! For all this stuff! I've been watching for the barn on Craigslist, and have seen it listed alone for $10-$12. Maren has been pleased as punch with her new toys. Surprisingly, her favorite thing is the garage and cars! (I was originally thinking I might re-sell the garage at our own sale in a few weeks...guess we'll be keeping it!) All of the pieces make noises, and I have to admit that Brett and I might be having just as much fun playing with the new-to-us toys as Maren!

Friday night we lit a fire and roasted marshmallows. We invited our neighbors over to join us, and stayed up way past the kids' bedtimes talking and watching as they ran around the yard. They have 3 boys and a little girl who is just a bit younger than Maren. I'm sure with so many older brothers, she'll need a little neighbor friend to play with! I think each of the boys might have eaten about 12 marshmallows. This is not an exaggeration...they ate an entire bag!

Saturday we worked on a few projects in the yard...we added new mulch to the front garden and installed a little rock-wall around a pine tree in the back. (I'll post pictures someday) We also picked up some cones at the grocery store, and Maren went to town. She loved it, and both she and the chair needed baths by the time the cone was gone. :)

The proof is in the Play-dough

2010-05-14T16:00:00.005-06:00

Before I became a mother, I would've said that I'm a fairly organized, detail-oriented person. I kept lists, my drawers were tidy, I vacuumed more than once a week. Somehow, having a little person around has managed to lighten me up a bit. Maren loves to eat Kix cereal, which inevitably winds up crunched into the carpet. I occasionally re-start the dryer because I'm not quite ready to fold clothes yet, but I don't want them to get wrinkles. (Oh, just admit that you do that too!) I now have a drawer in the kitchen designated for piles of stuff that I don't know what to do with but don't want out when guests come over. There's more, but I won't embarrass myself beyond necessity right now. I think you get the point...I've changed.

Well, Maren has been enthralled with Play-dough lately. Up until recently, I would give her one color to play with, and she was happy as a clam. Apparently, her contentment with one color wore off, and she now insists on playing with 2 or 3 at a time. Ugh, I squirmed the first time I gave her globs of multiple colors, knowing they would never stay separated. And then I thought, who cares? Maren thinks she's making a masterpiece, and once I got over my initial twitches as I saw the colors smooshing together, I couldn't have agreed more!

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T18:46:00.005-06:00

I tend to spend the days surrounding Mother's Day in a state of nostalgic reflection. I think of my own mother and the priceless lessons learned from her. I am thankful for the cherished friendship we share now, and can't help but pray to share a similar relationship with Maren when she becomes an adult.

I think of the uncertain years of waiting for Maren, and the mixed emotions I experienced on this day of celebrating my dear mom, but also feeling the void of having no children of my own. I am acutely aware of friends and women in my life who must experience sadness on this day of celebrating motherhood, whether they mourn the loss of their mother or the absence of children. This year, I also couldn't help but reflect on the loss of our baby last October. If I would've had a healthy pregnancy, we would be welcoming the baby in just a few weeks. Somehow even after all the time that's passed, it's comforting to acknowledge the loss we experienced. We continue to pray for peace as we wait on the Lord's timing and plan for the continued growth of our family.

I rejoice in the gift the Lord gave us in Maren, and I treasure my role as her mom. My heart was so full on Sunday, and it was a day of remembering for me. Maren's name means 'longed for' and her middle name (Eleanor) means 'light'. Knowing her now, I couldn't choose a more appropriate name for her. She truly is our little light. We pray fervently for her to come to know Jesus, and for her to truly be a light to those around her.

We are entering a trying season as Maren is exploring her independence, and inevitably testing my resolve. Especially on the longer days of training and repeated discipline, I find it invaluable to remember the spiritual calling of motherhood. I trust the Lord has a plan and a purpose laid out for this little lady, and I count it a gift to be a part of God's plan for her. As we celebrated Mother's Day, I couldn't help but be thankful for all the parts of being a mom...the kisses and hugs, the laughter, the learning and growing, the sick days, the sad times, the times when I don't feel like I have a clue about what I'm doing. I am thankful for the realization that all of it is what God is using to mold Maren into the person he has made her to be. I am thankful for the gift to share these moments with this precious girl.

Maren and I before church. Do you like my new urn in the background? We spent a lovely day in the yard on Saturday!

Our little family at the Broadmoor for brunch. It was such a delectable treat!

Me and my best girl.

Maren with her Gigi and Papa.

Maren loved watching the piano lady. She was so happy to walk around and say 'hello' to people. She seems to make friends everywhere we go!

My new cleaning lady

2010-05-05T16:15:00.002-06:00

Best thing is, she's free and incredibly fun to watch!

This is the face Maren makes when we ask her to 'smile'. How is it that she's already got an adorably fake smile at the age of 20 months?

Don't worry, it's better today

2010-05-03T08:44:00.004-06:00

Do you think I should change the name of the blog to "The Randomly Changing Weather of Colorado"? We had another crazy weekend of snow. Yes, it is May, and it was snowing here yesterday afternoon. I hope these are the last snowy pictures of Maren posted this season. And I warn you, if they're not, you might not hear from me for a while as I will be in therapy. At least it's beautiful today...we've got plans to go to the park. In our t-shirts and sandals. We'll take what we can get!

Brett was teaching Maren to catch snowflakes on her tongue. The flakes were HUGE!

These two are good friends.

Enjoying a little homemade hot chocolate and a marshmallow.

Showing off the chocolate-milk-mustache

She's saying, "Oh, delicious!" Just a little something I've been teaching her. :)

In case you didn't know...

2010-05-02T14:55:00.003-06:00

I started an Etsy store! Thanks to some very supportive family members and friends (and even a customer who I don't know!), I've had a successful 'launch'. I have long been an admirer of Etsy vendors, and I always think to myself, "Hey, I could do that!" So, I finally did it!

I've had a great time figuring out all the little details, and I will make my second trip to the post office tomorrow. So fun! Yesterday I went fabric shopping with my mother-in-law, and we found some fun new fabric. I'll be busy making up some more of the 'Notable' notebooks this week...they've been a best seller. ;) I'm also working on a pattern for a Bible cover, so I might have some of those for sale sometime in the future.

Thanks so much to all of you who have stopped by to see what I've been up to. Your encouraging words and purchases have meant so much to me! And, if you somehow missed the news, my store can be found at www.ohwrite.etsy.com.

April (snow) showers bring May flowers...hopefully!

2010-04-23T17:39:00.003-06:00

Yes, it is true, we woke up to a full-on snow storm this morning. Maren and I had a very busy day shopping at the outlets yesterday with Gigi, and we were hoping for a nice inside-sort-of-day today. I was wishing for a dreary rainy day, but instead we were blessed with a December-esque snow day! Oh, Colorado weather, you are so sneaky! It snowed at our house all day, and the schools were even closed. Maren and I got our inside day, just not in the capacity I had hoped for.

The sun came out around dinner time, so Brett took Maren out for a little play time in the snow. Next year remind me not to put her winter coat and boots away until June!

Little goats

2010-04-19T16:36:00.004-06:00

Brett's mom has a friend in her Bible study who raises goats. They had 4 baby goats born last week, and we were able to go see them on Saturday. Maren loves animals, and was enamored with these cute little guys. (and girls...there were 2 of each!)

*Do you see Maren's hair clip and cute boots? The hair clip was mine when I was a little girl, and the boots are borrowed from Maren's second-cousin, Ellie. If Maren had her way (and she does most days), she'd wear both of these things everyday!

A whole new world (in the bedroom)

2010-04-19T15:54:00.004-06:00

While Maren and I were enjoying a leisurely week in Michigan back in March, Brett was busy painting and installing crown molding in the master bedroom. He had found some abandoned scraps left over at a house owned by the bank, and was so excited to put them up in our bedroom. I have to admit I wasn't sure at first, but after seeing the finished product I'm glad I let Brett have his way. (just this once!)

I'm always drawn to bold colors and funky decor when I flip through magazines, but I tend to stay a little on the safer side of things when I choose colors for our house. Clearly, when choosing the colors for our master bedroom, I threw caution to the wind. I've seen some painted ceilings around the decorating-world recently, and I love how they look. I'm pretty sure Brett was so excited about installing the crown molding that he hastily agreed to paint the ceiling first. Oh, I'm glad he did. The ceiling is Aegean Teal and the walls are Pale Avocado, both Benjamin Moore colors. Okay, enough rambling for now...here is the room before:

After:
We made the art over the bed. Brett cut particle board into squares and spray-painted the wood black. After they were dry, I used Mod-Podge to apply 12x12 scrapbook paper to the boards. We had all the supplies on hand, so this is 100% free art! I hope to make curtains sometime soon, and I've got fabric to cover a couple more pillows for the bed and a chair in the corner of the room. So far we're loving our new room. What do you think?

Under Construction

2010-04-19T15:51:00.004-06:00

In case you didn't notice, my blog is getting a bit of a makeover, which starts with a make-under. :) Hopefully things will be looking pretty again in the not-too-distant future!

Fridate*

2010-04-14T14:36:00.003-06:00

*a weekly lunch date with our favorite guy!

I'm pretty sure we started a new tradition last week. Fridays have the potential to be both the best days and the worst days. We look forward to the weekend, we typically don't have anything 'planned', all the housework and cleaning is usually finished, AND it is the last day of a sometimes-long week, we typically don't have anything planned, we get tired and bored, etc. Brett makes it home for lunch a couple of times each week, but sometimes a lady just has to get out, if you know what I mean. Enter: Fridate. There's a great little park with a pond, play area, walking trail and picnic tables just a stone's throw from the bank. After a delightful picnic at the park last Friday, we decided to make this a weekly occurrence. Brett was blessed by the presence of two lovelies, I was able to go somewhere for a while without having to spend money or be solely responsible for the well-being of a certain small girl, and Maren burned enough energy to warrant a 3! hour nap. Fridate instated...case closed.

The Sandbox

2010-04-12T21:36:00.003-06:00

During several recent trips to the park and to neighbors' yards, we've become aware of the fact that Maren loves sand. So, our first official outdoor project of the year was to build Maren her very own sandbox in our backyard.

Here's Brett and Bo laying out the boundaries for Maren's box.

I'm so glad I married a handy guy!

Once Brett finished with the power tools, I pitched in with the water-proofing portion of the project.

Proof that Maren 'needed' a sandbox. I'm sure sand has to be easier to clean-up than black dirt, which is the alternative in our backyard!

A very satisfied customer!

A little more Michigan...and a lot more pictures

2010-04-12T20:29:00.005-06:00

I can't believe it's almost been two weeks since our little visit to Michigan. Time always seems to pass quickly, but for some reason the spring seems to pass in a blink. Here's a little recap of the rest of our time in Michigan.

Maren was spoiled with lots of cuddle time with Mommy and Grams during our lazy mornings together. This girl shares her parents' love for the written word, and there was no limit to reading time with Grams!

My mom has this great little Maren-sized table in the kitchen, and it was a perfect place to munch on some Dorothy and Toto's Gourmet Popcorn...Michigan people, have you had this stuff? Oh my goodness...I would've packed an entire suitcase-full to bring back with me if it didn't seem like such an obsessive gesture. It's definitely going on the 'must-do' list for trips back home from now on...d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.

Grams and Maren on Palm Sunday. I wasn't sure how M would do in a different nursery, but she was a champ! All of the ladies were so impressed with her vocabulary and loads of personality, which made for a very proud Grams and Grandpa! (And a thankful mom!)

Grams, Maren and Grandpa

Just another silly face. And look at that curly hair! The Michigan humidity did wonders for Maren's curls. I'm not sure if they'll be sticking around much longer, but they are quite charming for now.

Picking up a few groceries at the Children's Museum. Maren was much busier than the last time we visited at Christmas. There were so many miniature things to do, and we had a great time following Maren around while she explored.

Singing a song in the music room at the museum.

Maren's valiant effort to create a giant bubble.

Maren was such a trooper on the flight home. We were on a full flight from Detroit to Chicago, so she had to sit on my lap. Thankfully, there was a young boy sitting behind us who entertained Maren for most of the trip. On the Chicago to Denver flight, M got her own seat. We had a very nice lady sitting next to us, and Maren kept wanting to give her hugs. She graciously accepted the offers. To my chagrin, we had a dirty-diaper-incident about halfway into the flight. Ugh. I am now an experienced diaper-changer-in-the-tiniest-of-all-bathrooms. I mean, seriously...have you visited an airplane bathroom recently? Can you imagine changing a diaper in one? I bet you didn't know that there is actually a handy little platform that folds down for just such an occasion. Man, am I glad that I have a compliant, cheerful little lady. Apart from the fact that she had emptied the entire contents of the barf-bag dispenser during our brief stay in the restroom, it was a relatively smooth 'event'. Unfortunately, Maren did not fall asleep on the plane. It was a late flight, and she was obviously exhausted by the time we reached the baggage claim. Brett was so excited to reunite with us, and Maren was completely out by the time we saw him! I love how peaceful she looks...have I mentioned how much I love this girl?

Pure bliss!

2010-04-08T19:12:00.002-06:00

Bath time is blissful, for Maren and for Mommy and Daddy! Just look at this face...who wouldn't think this girl is a pure delight?

We've been working on facial expressions lately, and this is the face she makes when asked to 'smile'. Regardless of the fact that it's a little fake-looking, it never ceases to make me laugh!
I've got some more great pictures from our Michigan trip to share, and we're working on a little bedroom-redo, so come back soon!

The Seven Year Itch*

2010-04-06T18:27:00.003-06:00

*Alternate title: The Great Conspiracy of appliance and household goods manufacturers

*Alternate title #2: Kate's best attempt at a blog post of the humorously sarcastic sort

It has been said that those individuals bound together by holy matrimony experience a certain level of restlessness on or around the 7th anniversary of the aforementioned union. In my personal experience, the celebration of my first 7 years with Brett brought with it nothing of the sort. We enjoyed a leisurely evening together at a nice restaurant, where we spent time reminiscing about days past and sharing dreams of what our next 70 years together might hold.

That was over three months ago, and a series of unforeseen events have recently led me to believe very much in the science of The Seven Year Itch. Allow me to explain.

Last fall, while making a batch of frosting, my hand-held mixer broke. It was a gift from my parents while I was in college, and I figured it had lived a long and useful life. Brett shared a gift card he had been hoarding, and I was able to replace my mixer with the newer, improved model.

Then my parents came to visit, and my dad, while attempting to make fried eggs for breakfast, made the observation that our frying pans were in very sad shape. Essentially we had been exclusively enjoying scrambled eggs in recent weeks, because the pans became instantly cemented to any and all food placed therein. Believe me, we tried every sort of grease, oil, and spray available with nary a favorable outcome. My parents went home and Brett and I went on with our scrambled-egg-eating lives. But alas, on Christmas morning, there under the tree (or rather, beside the tree...it was a big, awkward package) there awaited 2 shiny new pans with my name on them. Problem solved. (Or almost solved. Turned out we had to pay $90 for our frying-pan-laden suitcase to travel on the plane with us, after discovering it was WAY past the 50 lb. weight limit. But I tell you, these new pans have revolutionized our cooking of eggs in a way that made that $90 fare well worthwhile.)

Enter January, and a conversation between Brett and I on an unspecified morning.

Brett: Hey Kate, would you mind handing me my towel?

Me: Sure Babe. Here you go!

Brett: Thanks!

Me: Have you noticed that our towels seem to have a funny smell recently?

Brett: Yeah, but I just thought that was normal.

Me: No, I think it's gross. I wash them in the hottest water possible, and they still smell a little funky. I think we need new towels.

Brett: I guess you're probably right.

And now you know how Bo inherited a previously luxurious set of red Ralph Lauren bath towels for his exclusive, personal use, and how Brett and I came to own a lesser-known brand of new towels sans funny smells.

Let's move on to February, when my car starts to shake in a strange way when the break is applied. I just get irritated by the vibration made by the steering wheel, and Brett informs me that the roaters need to be machined. (Hmm...spell check does not like the word 'roater' and I can think of no better way to spell it.) We can hardly wait to get our tax refund so we can run out and make this thrilling purchase. Yippee.

Also in February, the door on the soap dispenser in the dishwasher breaks. Brett has currently made 2 attempts at fixing this himself, and I have washed the dishes by hand on one night. From what we have found online, the little door can be replaced for a mere $51 dollars. Ah...another fabulous expenditure to deduct from our long awaited tax return.

Which brings me to this fateful evening, when we were looking forward to a delicious dinner of waffles, eggs (in the new pan, of course!), and bacon. We like to have breakfast for dinner from time to time, in case you were wondering. It's easy and cheap. Case closed. Back to the waffles. The first 2 came out perfect and golden and delicious. And then the waffle maker gave up. It raised the white flag. It kicked the can. Done. No more waffles. Goodbye waffle maker. We will miss you. We'd love to run out and buy one of your new, shiny cousins, but we're already spending all our money on new breaks and the dishwasher soap cover. I'm sorry, but I'd rather be able to stop my car and have my dishes cleaned by a machine than to enjoy a waffle breakfast. Maybe we'll reunite with you again after next Christmas. As long as my mom is reading this, that is. (I love you Mom!)

In conclusion, I believe that the Seven Year Itch has been perpetuated by the 7 year death of most household items. I actually could use another bridal shower right about now. Thankfully Brett and I have opted to forgo marital separation in favor of using our combined resources to beat the system.

Appliances, you don't scare us. We will continue to replace you with newer and better models. And Mr. Toaster, we see what you're up to. Don't think we haven't noticed your lagging ability to toast an entire piece of bread. We will be persistent in our efforts to outsmart you. And if you do decide to go the way of the waffle maker, Mother's Day is just around the corner.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T18:50:00.005-06:00

Last year, on Maren's first Easter, she wore her big winter coat over her new Easter dress. This year we enjoyed a beautiful Colorado spring day. Maren loves to go to church and she loves to wear dresses, so our day began on a good note!

We enjoyed a celebratory morning at our new home church. We sang many of my favorite Easter hymns, which always bring tears to my eyes. God's offering of his Son as the atonement lamb is such an indescribably awesome gift. We've been reading Maren a book about the story of Easter, and we taught her to say "He is risen!" While I know she has no ability to comprehend these words, it is sweet to hear her speak them, and to know how excited she is about going to church. We pray for these moments to continue as she grows to understand more about what it means to be a child of God.

On a side note, Maren loves her baby, Suzie. The funny thing is that she has a few other fabulous dolls, yet she chooses this little $3 baby from Target! Just goes to show how indiscriminate kids are about their toys!

After church we drove up to Brett's parents' house for Easter brunch and a special egg hunt. It took Maren no time at all to figure out how to find the eggs and put them in her basket. Here's Papa showing her the first egg, and the goodies inside!

A turtle...who knew?

2010-04-03T19:22:00.003-06:00

Maren and I spent last week visiting my mom and dad in Michigan. We had a fabulous trip and I took lots of pictures, so I'll post a few separate posts over the next couple of days. My mom has kept all the best toys from when my brothers and I were kids, and Maren loved finding some new favorites. She played with all my kitchen accessories, My Little Ponies, dress-up clothes, the original Little People (in my opinion, the old Little People were so much cooler than the new 'improved' sets!), and Mr. Potato Head. I probably had just as much fun reliving memories from my own childhood while Maren was busy playing.

In addition to these fabulous collections, my mom also has a basket of miscellaneous toys that are more 'baby' toys. In that basket there was a turtle. The cutest turtle Maren had ever seen, and her absolute favorite thing to play with during our stay in Michigan. Maren literally dragged that turtle all over the house, and whenever my dad was home, she insisted that he follow her around while pulling the little train behind him. Maren and Grandpa would do a few laps back and forth down the hallway, and my dad would come sit down with my mom and I. Maren promptly urged him to "keep going", and off they'd go on another few laps. It was so cute because neither of them would say a word, they just followed each other back and forth down the hallway over and over again. I'm glad Maren made a new friend in a turtle, and found a walking buddy in her Grandpa!

Hello snow!

2010-03-22T19:04:00.003-06:00

We were blessed with a lovely March snowstorm on Friday. I wish I had a picture of Maren playing outside on Thursday, when we were wearing t-shirts and bare feet. Crazy Colorado weather. I have lived here for over 5 years and I am still shocked by some of the 48-hour-variances. Today it was back to 'normal' springtime. Maren loves to be outside these days, regardless of the weather. She's very interested in rocks and dirt. We're going to have a wonderful spring and summer!

Best Buds

2010-03-18T16:57:00.003-06:00

Today was a fabulous day. We were out later than usual last night at small group, and Maren slept until 9:00 this morning. We enjoyed a quiet morning, read a few books, watched a little Sesame Street, cleaned up Maren's room, folded some laundry, and then Brett came home for lunch. I made cookies and worked on a little knitting project while Maren napped. After she woke up we took a quick trip to the grocery store, and spent the rest of the afternoon in the backyard kicking a ball around, exploring the dirt and rocks, and creating sidewalk-chalk masterpieces all over the back patio. Oh, how we enjoyed the sunny, beautiful day! I did not vacuum, clean bathrooms, or dust like I had planned. We're anticipating a snowstorm tomorrow, so I figured we should enjoy being outside while the opportunity presented itself, right?

I took a quick break from making dinner to snap these pictures of Maren with her best bud, Bo. She loves him so much, and from the way he tolerates her antics, I think I can assume that he loves her right back!

Where are the fashion police?

2010-03-15T12:17:00.003-06:00

Maren's recently been showing some preference in her clothing selections. She loves to wear the little red tutu around. With only a diaper. And, she prefers to have shoes on...all the time. Sometimes she'll want me to change her shoes three or four times in a matter of moments. She loves her yellow shoes. They're almost too small, and I'm not sure what we'll do when they don't fit anymore! I'm thinking a pair of Converse would make a good replacement for the summer.

Animals

2010-03-14T14:11:00.003-06:00

I know I've been MIA for a while. We've not had the most thrilling of days recently. In fact, they've been considerably less than thrilling. I would tell you all about it, but it's not pretty. Let's just say that Maren and I have confined ourselves to the house due to a *3-week* long bout of intestinal issues and resulting diaper rash. My poor, sweet girl. Diaper changing time became a traumatic event around our house for all parties involved. No fun. BUT, this is a happy post, with charming pictures of Maren, Brett and a few animal friends. We woke up to a warm, sunny day yesterday and decided to take advantage of the spring-like weather with a trip to the zoo. Last spring we purchased a membership, and it has more-than-paid-for-itself. We have a fabulous zoo, and it's been great fun to take advantage of the scenery and time with the animals. We love the fact that there's no pressure to see every single thing each time we go, because we can always see more at our next visit. Maren recognized many of the animals on Saturday, which made for a particularly fun visit.

Maren wasn't sure about the giraffes at first, but once she figured out they were just after the crackers, she loved feeding them.

Hello, Mr. Meerkat!

Blowing the monkey a kiss

Giving daddy a 'five' after the carousel ride. As soon as it started slowing down, she started to say, "Again, again!"

Look what we found for $5!

2010-02-21T13:54:00.004-07:00

I've been keeping an eye out on Craigslist for some outdoor toys for Maren, and look what we picked up for a whopping FIVE dollars this afternoon! I couldn't believe it when I came across this ad, and I was even more surprised to find it still available. Yeah! We took a little detour on our way home from church, and Maren didn't spare a minute in making herself right at home on her new slide.

Getting the wiggles out

2010-02-09T12:14:00.003-07:00

We took the cousins to Focus on the Family so they could burn some after-nap energy. We had the place pretty much to ourselves since it was near closing time. I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids or the dads!

Saturday at the park

2010-02-08T18:48:00.002-07:00

We had a wonderful visit from Ben, Allison, Paige and Will this weekend. As usual, we took lots of pictures of the cousins. I always love time with family, but this was a particularly special visit as the kids seemed to genuinely enjoy each others' company. Brett and I both have cherished memories of time spent with cousins, and we look forward to watching Maren develop those relationships as she grows up.

We took advantage of the mild weather Saturday morning and took a walk to the park. The kids were able to burn some energy, and we all enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful views.

Will loved the swing!

Our feeble attempt at a picture of Maren and Will in front of the mountains

Paige and Maren on the playground

Kissing cousins

An introduction to Play-doh

2010-02-02T16:26:00.003-07:00

Maren and I spent some time playing with Play-doh yesterday afternoon. I learned a few new things:

1. Play-doh comes in much cooler colors now, at least from what I can remember. We got out the bright pink today.

2. It is not ideal to use Play-doh while sitting on a fabric-covered chair. Wearing a wedding ring is also not advised.

3. For an 18-month-old, the container in which the Play-doh comes is just as interesting as the Play-doh itself.

This Smile

2010-02-01T09:25:00.002-07:00

Maren is turning into more of a little girl each day. I realize how cliche it is to say, but I truly do not know where the time is going these days. My sweet little baby is running all over the house, talking a blue streak, and is developing her own funny sense of humor. Her laughter and zeal for life are contagious. Just look at this smile...

Brett and I were looking for lamps at TJ Maxx last week, and Maren was riding in the cart. We turned into one of the aisles, and Maren exclaimed, "Oh, cute!" Brett and I just looked at each other and cracked up. She surprises us each day with things she says. I'm pretty sure she learned this phrase from me...just another reminder of how malliable she is right now. She also has a few purses in her collection (what lady doesn't need a few good bags?!) and she will grab a purse, her baby, and her sunglasses, and as she heads for the door she says, "Bye! I miss you!" I chuckle as I write this. I realize these moments are fleeting, and for now, they are bringing us such joy.

Preferred Sunday Uniform

2010-01-24T17:13:00.004-07:00

I love Sundays. We've found a wonderful church to call our home, and we are delighting in this season of discovering new friendships and being part of a church family once again.

Maren has reached an age where she understands more of life in general, which is both the neat part and the hard part about our Sunday morning routines. She loves getting dressed up, and loves going bye-bye. We talk about Jesus and the friends she will play with at church. Once we arrive she is less-than-thrilled to say goodbye to us, but when we peak through the one-way window later in the morning she always seems to be getting along just fine. This morning she was sitting in the linoleum part of the classroom with all of the other kids for snack time. Brett and I just stand and giggle at how cute she is, and at how much she's looking more like a little girl and less like a baby. We also couldn't believe how well she seemed to be doing with the structure. She was sitting completely still with her little cup of goldfish crackers in her lap and her drink at her side. I'm not sure I've ever seen her sit down at home for anything! We feel so blessed to be raising Maren and realizing the joy that comes from being her parents.

This afternoon we enjoyed a lazy Sunday around the house. This is inevitably what Maren ends up wearing by the end of the day. For some reason she's gotten particular about wearing her shoes all the time. They come off for nap time. (because I can't imagine how a nap with shoes on would be comfortable!) The pink stool helps her reach her kitchen, and she frequently carries it into the family room for a variety of uses. Ah, the joys of raising a curious toddler. I only wish I could see inside that little brain of hers for a moment. I wonder what I would learn!

In the Box

2010-01-22T07:30:00.005-07:00

For some reason, I have had a difficult time getting motivated to post. I think I have taken about 3 pictures since Christmas, and we've been living quite a simple life these past few weeks. I suppose January is a good time to be quiet and to keep things simple. I have yet to finish getting all of the pictures from Christmas organized, so you haven't seen many of those either.

One of the things I especially enjoyed about this past trip to Michigan was watching Maren interact with her cousins. Maren seemed to enjoy having some other little people around, and she was a willing participant of whatever Paige was doing at the time. This box provided plenty of entertainment for the girls one morning. It seems that's always the way it goes...so many shiny new Christmas presents, and the simple wrappings and boxes provide the most fun.

DEEEElicious!

2010-01-08T10:59:00.004-07:00

If ever there was a question that Maren is my daughter, it was laid to rest after one coffee-cake morning in Michigan. She needed no instruction in the art of licking the plate. Mmmmm...good!

A forward glimpse

2010-01-06T08:06:00.007-07:00

I've got some catching up to do on the blog! We've had quite the eventful past couple of weeks, and I have plenty of pictures to prove it. BUT, the pictures will have to wait for a bit, because this post is about looking forward.

2009 was a year filled with change for our family. The year unraveled in a most unexpected way. And now, at the beginning of 2010, we find ourselves enjoying our first January in a new house, searching for a new church home, celebrating the blessing of Maren and praying for a sibling for her, and tweaking our budget in the midst of an uncertain economy. I've also been a bit more nostalgic as the coming of 2010 brings with it the anticipation of my 30th birthday.

I've not typically been a maker of resolutions. This year is different. In celebration of my first 30 years, I've decided to set a few goals for myself, three to be exact. I am planning to read 30 books, write 30 letters, and memorize 30 verses this year. I will keep you posted from time to time as to the progress of my little journey. I am most intimidated by the verse memorization. I struggle with memorization, but I know it is an important discipline, especially as it pertains to my relationship with the Lord. I have about 15 verses on my list so far, and I'd love to know if you have a favorite for me to add.

If you read my blog for the familial updates and pictures of Maren, feel free to skip over my little reflection entries. I have found blogging to be a good outlet for me, and I look forward to chronicling more of my thoughts throughout the coming year. If you do follow along a little closer, I welcome your thoughts and comments! I am excited to see what the year will hold, and I pray you find yourself welcoming 2010 with a similar sense of anticipation.

Colorado winter hair

2009-12-20T16:33:00.002-07:00

It's always dry here, but around this time of year the dryness reaches a new level. These days I'm not only left with my own dry skin and hair to deal with, but I have to extend my beauty regiments to the other woman of the house. :) Here's a little glimpse of what we are dealing with. Funny, right?

Christmas is coming!

2009-12-20T16:18:00.005-07:00

I have some fun things to post this week. We've been busy celebrating and enjoying the season. It truly is an incredible gift to share Christmas with our little lady. Maren is so interested in the activity around her, and we love introducing her to the scents, stories, colors, tastes and sounds of Christmas. On Saturday we took a little trip to the local mall where Maren enjoyed riding the carousel and Christmas train with Gigi and Papa. She is not a huge fan of getting strapped in to rides, but once things start moving, she is one happy camper!

Maren's Christmas Kitchen

2009-12-12T10:36:00.003-07:00

I love to cook, and look forward to sharing time in the kitchen with Maren. Brett and I wanted her to have her very own little kitchen where she can cook up masterpieces right alongside me. So, this is what Maren is getting for Christmas from us. We found this nightstand on Craigslist, and transformed it into a charming place for Maren to (hopefully!) spend lots of time playing throughout the years to come. Brett did all of the carpentry work, and I did the sewing and designing. We removed the bottom drawer and added a shelf for storage. The top drawer also came off and became refashioned into the oven. The sink is made from a cake pan and a faucet found at a local salvage yard. We used various wood dowels and nobs for the stovetop. There's also a little hook on one side for Maren to hang up her dish towels, apron and hot-pads. We are thrilled with the way everything came together. I've been busy making many of our Christmas gifts this year. I will share more of what I've made once the gifts have all been given...don't want to ruin any surprises! Merry Christmas!

Parade of Lights

2009-12-10T15:47:00.003-07:00

We have a fun little Christmas parade here in town every year. Since we've lived in Colorado, we've made it a tradition to go with Darin and Amanda on an almost-yearly basis. We started out going as adults and having dinner downtown somewhere after the parade. A couple of times we've gone back to Darin and Amanda's house for dinner and games. This year, we had three little ladies along. Maren enjoyed the time with Abby (3) and Hannah (just a few days older than Maren). We managed to stay warm, and I think M was genuinely interested in all the activity. She loved the horses and the dogs the most. After putting the girls to bed at our house, the adults had coffee and played cards. I look forward to seeing how this little tradition continues to evolve throughout the years. I love having the privilege of sharing these times with Brett and Maren. We are so blessed!

Our little family

Abby, Maren, and Hannah watching the activity

Maren and I all bundled up...doesn't she look like a little snowman?

Brett, Maren, Darin and Hannah

Santa

2009-12-06T14:35:00.004-07:00

After a few freezing days, we finally had a lovely winter day on Saturday. The bank hosted a morning with Santa, and Maren had her annual visit with the big guy. She wasn't entirely sure about her time on his lap this year. She was still for about a moment while he was giving her a cookie almost her size. Apart from that, she wasn't about to pose for a picture of the smiling sort. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a morning visiting with friends.

Our family of 3 all ready to go

Maren testing the waters with Santa

Happy with her cookie

As close as we got to a picture with Maren and Santa both smiling

Thankful

2009-11-27T18:02:00.004-07:00

I am so thankful for this little person:

The only thing we went shopping for today was medicine. Maren spent the latter part of our Thanksgiving clearly not feeling well, so we called the doctor this morning. After a quick little visit, we learned that our girl has her first double ear infection. Subsequently, she received her first dose of antibiotic. Now she should be on the fast-track to recovery.

Prior to Maren's little melt-down, we had a lovely Thanksgiving. We celebrated at Brett's parent's house with his family. Lots of laughs, a couple games of cards, delicious food, and Maren's requisite grab into Papa's money jar made for a delightful day.

Just another Saturday morning

2009-11-21T07:45:00.003-07:00

We're pretty casual around here on Saturday mornings. Today was no exception. Maren and Brett performed a little duet for me. Maren wore something special for the occasion. I love my life!

Mom Projects: Part 2

2009-11-13T18:00:00.003-07:00

Here's another fun project I worked on with my Mom during her recent visit. She wanted to make a couple of throw pillows while she was here, and I decided to make some of my own. We made the striped pillow and the one with the script in the front. I made simple removable covers in order to have the option of switching them out for different looks. Didn't they turn out nice? This may just be the start of new obsession! I didn't realize how simple and inexpensive this little project would be!

A Delightful Family Outing

2009-11-13T17:37:00.004-07:00

One of the perks of Brett's job is bank holidays. Along with all the standard holidays, he gets a few additional days off each year. This year, Veteran's Day* fell on a Wednesday, and we took full advantage of our mid-week day with Daddy!

We packed a picnic lunch and headed to Denver for a trip to the Children's Museum. Maren was one busy girl! She bravely explored and adventured away the day. As you can tell by the pictures, she didn't stay still long enough for much of any interaction with us or with the camera!

Enjoying a ride on the wobbly boat

The closest we got to Maren looking at the camera all day!

I love this picture! Several older boys were busy pretending to be firemen, and Maren just weaseled her way right into the action!

Doing some grocery shopping

Very carefully climbing the tree slide

*We are so thankful for the freedoms offered as a result of the men and women who have served our country throughout the years. We recognize the sacrifice made by others in order for us to enjoy this special day together!

What a difference a year makes!

2009-11-09T18:33:00.004-07:00

I was looking through some pictures and came across this one, taken exactly one year ago. Wow! Maren was so little. She has grown and changed in so many ways. One year ago we spent our evenings on the floor cheering her on as she learned to push up and look around her little mat. Now our evenings consist of wrestling, piggy-back rides, tickles, reading books, and so much laughter. She is an absolute delight, and we do our best to cherish each little accomplishment, and to enjoy each step of this journey. I do wonder where life will take us in the coming year, but certainly not at the expense of cherishing this very moment!

Maren and I enjoying some time together on November 9, 2008

Maren climbing on the furniture tonight!

Maren wrestling with Bo.

So many 'Greats'

2009-11-05T10:19:00.005-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Maren and I got to spend some time with her Great Aunts, Great Uncles, and Great Grandma in Minnesota. Maren was definitely spoiled with attention from so many 'Greats' who don't get to see her very often. We went out to eat, did a little bit of shopping, and even went on some rides at the Mall of America. Let me tell you, I have one brave little lady on my hands!

Reading a book with Aunt Rita

At the Mall of America with Great Grandma and Aunt Mel (It was Halloween Night, and there were a MILLION kids there!)

Playing in the leaves with Aunt Shelly

Maren and her Great Grandma

Introducing: 'Mickelson' Maren*

2009-11-02T08:59:00.004-07:00

*Alliteration courtesy of Aunt Allison! :)

We had a simple Halloween celebration this year. Gigi, Papa, Aunt Tami, and Uncle Randy joined us for homemade pizza. Maren provided plenty of entertainment for the rest of the evening! After dinner we went Trick-or-Treating to several of the neighbors' houses. I was amazed at how quickly our little golfer picked up on the action. She would walk her little self right up to the door, pick a candy out of the bowl, place it in her bucket and say, "Thank you". Thankfully, the weather was pleasant, and we were able to enjoy the walk around the neighborhood.

Maren enjoying a little pre-trick-or-treating cookie

All dressed and ready to go

'Mickelson' Maren

The spoils of the night

Sugar-overload!

A good night

2009-10-21T16:18:00.003-06:00

Bedtime is Brett's specialty around here. He and Maren have their little routine, varying only slightly depending on if a bath is included. These days with our messy little lady, a bath is necessary more often than not! Maren loves her bath, loves to brush her teeth, and loves her goodnight stories and prayers with Daddy. Last night I joined the fun and snapped a couple of pictures. Enjoy!

All sudsy!

Shooting hoops...yes, with a baseball. She's not yet learned to discriminate between her circular objects!

Thanks to her playful Daddy, Maren gets a ride into her room after every bath.

Keeping those teeth pearly-white!
Reading Goodnight Moon, one of Maren's favorites.

Picking our Pumpkin

2009-10-13T08:22:00.004-06:00

I do believe we have officially added a tradition to our family calendar: a trip to the Happy Apple Farm each autumn to pick a pumpkin and bring home some apples for homemade applesauce. We've made the trip 2 years in a row! Last year we went with Ben, Allison and Paige on a warm, sunny day. This year our friends Nick, Heather and Colie joined us, and it was c-o-l-d!

Despite the chilly temps, we managed to have a fabulous time. We met Nick and Heather in our childbirth class, and we've been friends ever since. Colie is just 2 weeks older than Maren, and they are good buddies! We rode the tractor out to the pumpkin patch, where we found our perfect pumpkins: one for decorating and one for pie. Back at the little store I picked up a big box of apples, so Maren and I will have an afternoon of applesauce-making sometime this week. After we finished up at the farm, we found a fabulous small-town diner called Michelle's, where we ate lunch. It was a perfect way to spend our Columbus Day.

All ready to go find a pumpkin!

The Dads and their girls on the tractor-ride.

Which pumpkin should we get?

Our little family

Maren and Colie back at the store.

What Brett's been doing in his free time

2009-10-11T18:37:00.004-06:00

When we moved to the new house I had been using one of our bookshelves in the family room to keep Maren's toys and books organized. Unfortunately, this left a couple boxes of books with no home. I started looking on Craig's List, and eventually found this piece, in need of a little TLC. Brett spent a few evenings working his magic, Maren's toys found a new home, and all of my books are back on the shelves. What do you think?

Before:

After:

Mom Projects: Part I

2009-10-09T08:41:00.007-06:00

My parents live several states away, which is sad to me. Over the years I've learned to appreciate the good things about this. Namely, we get to spend several days of quality time together a few times a year. I think we've become experts at capitalizing on the times we are together.

Apart from Brett, Mom is the one person in this world who really 'gets' me. She and I have similar perspectives on life, complimentary decorating styles, and we really love to be together. So, every few months I get to shop for good deals, brainstorm about fun ideas, and work on projects with my Mom. We inevitably end up rearranging places in whichever house we're in on a particular visit. Thankfully, Brett and my Dad have learned to sit back while we do our thing. If need be, they're both willing to step in and lend a hand, no questions asked. Aren't we blessed?

Mom and I worked on some fun things during their last visit to Colorado. Since we're in a new house, we had no shortage of projects. Maren's afternoon naps provided us with plenty of time to 'play'. And so I introduce you to a little series called: Mom Projects. Please humor me as I document a few of our accomplishments. Hope you enjoy!

The first area we worked on was the entryway hall, which is also part of the dining room. I knew it needed something bigger, but I improvised with things I had on hand. It was okay, but not great.

This is where Mom comes in. She suggested framing the 'W' with a larger black frame. I found the vase at Homegoods, and Mom helped me pick out some silk flowers. We were thrilled to find frames and silk flowers 50% off at Hobby Lobby. Doesn't it look better?

Vice President in training

2009-10-09T08:32:00.003-06:00

We visit Brett at the bank several times per month, and I finally remembered to bring the camera! Maybe it was Maren's pigtails that cajoled me into snapping a few shots. I am loving the fact that her hair is long enough to 'do'!
My people
Maren and baby getting some work done

Let's go for a drive

2009-10-08T14:31:00.004-06:00

The Friday before my parents left we took a drive into the mountains. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at a little place in Woodland Park called The Hungry Bear. Then we drove to Cripple Creek, where we spent some time at an old jail museum and a Pikes Peak historical center. The town of Cripple Creek left plenty to be desired, but we enjoyed the drive and company!
Maren with Grams and Grandpa at a beautiful lookout place
Maren exploring a cave at the Pikes Peak historical center

Maren and Grandpa exploring an old jail
Maren's first meeting with the old 'ball-and-chain'

*Do you like Maren's hair? This was the debut of her ponytail!

In other words

2009-10-07T08:18:00.002-06:00

This post is really more for me than anything else. Sorry, no pictures this time! I was diligent in the early months about writing down all of Maren's important milestones. Since she started walking, I've slacked off. So, I have a bit of extra time this morning and decided to document Maren's growing vocabulary for future reference. She has such a sweet little voice. Brett and I constantly comment on how excited we are to hear it more often! Just in the past week or two, she's started to mimic much more frequently. We are doing our best to take advantage of her interest in the spoken word, and sound. We have a book filled with pictures of different animals. Right now she is fluent in the animal sounds of: monkey, cow, horse, snake, dog, cat, lion (and tiger and bear-they all sound the same!), elephant (she puts her hand up near her nose as a trunk), fish (her translation is to give me a kiss) and rabbit. She doesn't make a sound for the rabbit, but she blinks her eyes with gusto. (She has translated our nose-wrinkling into a deliberate 'blink'. It's charming!)

She says 'wheeee' on the swing and the slide at the park. Whenever she drops something she says 'uh-oh'. While my parents were here she learned to say 'wow', with much exaggeration. :) She called my mom, 'Ga' and my dad 'Bupa' or some variation. Brett's dad is 'Papa' and we are working on 'Gigi' for his mom. Other words she uses regularly are: Mama, Dada, Bo (she calls every dog and many other 4-legged animals Bo!), baby, more, thank-you, yes, shoes, cheese, ni-night, hi (she says hi to everyone when we're out), ball, me, and bye-bye. That's all I can remember for now, which is why I wanted to get this in writing before I completely forget what were her early words! She also signs more, please, and all-done, which has been helpful around meal times.

Apart from the words she is speaking, I am amazed at how much more she understands. She'll pick up specific toys when asked, and has started to pretend with her baby, purse, and tea set. She also loves to play with her ball and her cars, in case you think she only does girly things! Maren is at such a fun age right now, and Brett and I are doing our best to soak up every moment. I am blessed to share my days with my little lady. She is a delight!

Garden of the Gods

2009-10-07T08:01:00.003-06:00

When my parents were visiting we spent a gorgeous autumn morning at Garden of the Gods. Maren was delighted to be outside exploring. While my parents and I were taking in the breathtaking rock formations towering above, Maren was enthralled with the smallest rocks and twigs she continued to discover under her feet. It is a gift to watch a child discover the world. Maren reminds me of this every day.

Maren, Grams and Grandpa, with Pikes Peak in the background

Maren and Grandpa

Maren's first face-to-face experience with a bunny. Do you see it in the foreground?

So big!

Loving time in the sunshine

Brett's Birthday

2009-10-06T08:35:00.004-06:00

My husband is 31. Where does the time go? I made a comment the other day about being in our twenties, and Brett reminded me that he is indeed out of the twenties, and that I don't have much longer there myself. Oh. In all honesty, I am looking forward to my thirties. I expect it to be my best decade yet. But, this post is about Brett and his birthday, not mine! We drove up to Tiffany's place last Saturday to spend time with Brett's family and to celebrate his birthday. Tiff was recovering from surgery so we decided to gather in her neck-of-the-woods. As usual, we primarily sat around and watched Maren as she entertained us. Brett wanted to share some of his soda with her, and she also enjoyed bites of cake and ice-cream from everyone at the table. I used to think the affects of sugar on kids was mere speculation. As of Saturday, this is no longer the case. Maren was in rare form, and we enjoyed every moment. She loved being spun on Tiff's desk chair. She also enjoyed a few 'daddy rides'. I suppose it's safe to say that Brett is plenty happy with his own experience as a thirty-something, don't you think?

We're back!

2009-10-04T18:18:00.002-06:00

We've had a fabulous week, and I have some fun things to share with you in the coming days. Our week with my parents passed way too quickly, but we had so much fun and made fabulous new memories. We also worked on some house projects, which I'll tell you about later in the week. For now I'm enjoying a quiet Sunday evening with Brett and Maren. I hope you've enjoyed this autumn weekend!

Some big shoes to fill

2009-09-25T15:27:00.003-06:00

Have I mentioned that we are having a blast being Maren's parents? Well, we are! She is such a delight, even on the hardest of days. One of the best times of the day is when Brett comes home. Bo usually barks when he hears the garage door open, and Maren looks at me and enthusiastically says, "Da-Da, dada, Da!" I love how excited she gets for her daddy to come home. I'm usually ready for him to walk through the door myself, especially if Maren is being needy while I try to prepare dinner. I'm not sure how she knows to be fussy right at the times when I really need two hands free. If anyone has this figured out, I'd love to be enlightened! Here's a peak at what evenings around here are looking like these days. Sometimes I have a hard time discerning which one of these two is having more fun!

Can you feel it?

2009-09-14T20:11:00.003-06:00

Fall is in the air! These are the signs I see around my house...Maren was able to wear tights to church for the first time on Sunday. She seemed pretty pleased with how she looked in them, too. Isn't she so cute?!

This afternoon we had a storm blow through, and with it came a generous amount of hail. When it collected on the ground, it almost could've fooled me into thinking it was snow!

Mmmm, I love this time of year. I love the smells, the sweaters, the cooler evenings, the sound of leaves underfoot, and the anticipation of my favorite holidays!

She's always got her head in a book...

2009-09-11T21:02:00.002-06:00

Lately Maren's been enthralled with 'dressing-up', most often using items having nothing to do with actual dress up. This is the cover to a children's Bible she has, but she prefers to wear it as a hat. She puts it on and runs all over the house, giggling all the while. Gosh, I love this little girl!

The Spoon

2009-09-10T14:27:00.003-06:00

Ah, the glorious days of independence. Maren's, that is. She has decidedly taken on the sole role of feeding herself. She's been self-feeding for quite some time now, but up until a few days ago, she allowed Brett and me to feed her anything requiring the use of a spoon. Then one day she all of a sudden decided enough-was-enough, and took on complete control of her mealtimes. And so, being the nurturing mother that I am, I acquiesced, and Maren is learning to use a spoon. Consequently, bath times have increased in frequency, and the kitchen floor gets a good mopping on a far more regular basis. Such is life with a toddler in our midst!

The Balloon Classic

2009-09-10T14:10:00.003-06:00

We were up before the sun on Labor Day morning. For five years, we've been talking about taking a trip down to the annual Balloon Classic, and this year we finally made it! Monday morning we woke shortly after five and headed down to be part of the action. We had a beautiful morning, and perfect weather for the balloons to fly. Maren loved watching the activity, although she displayed signs of being tired towards the end of the morning. She fell fast asleep just moments after getting settled back in the car. If you've never been to a ballooning event, I highly recommend it. The colors were spectacular, especially against the early morning sunrise. We were able to meander through the field as the ballooners (I suppose that's what they'd be called!) stretched out their balloons and prepared them to fly. Pictures really don't do the morning justice! I look forward to making return trips, especially as Maren gets older and is able to better appreciate the sights!

Just wondering...

2009-08-26T18:00:00.002-06:00

So, Maren and I were walking through the grocery store today when I spotted an end-cap display of Tootsie Roll Pops. This got me to thinking, "I haven't had a Tootsie Roll Pop in forever! I wonder when Maren will be old enough to enjoy a Tootsie Pop? I wonder if she'll like hard candy at all?"

I never cared much for hard candy, but I did enjoy a good Tootsie Pop every now and again. Maybe because there was a reward for being patient through the hard candy shell. Mmm...nothing like a good, fresh Tootsie Pop with a soft Tootsie Roll center. And then, my musings continued, "I remember being excited about finding a star on the wrapper. It meant you won a free Tootsie Pop. At least, that was the word on the street. I wonder how many wrappers I looked at through the years, and how many times I was thrilled to find the star. I wonder why I never redeemed those wrappers. Can you even redeem the wrappers? Where do these transactions take place? How many children are there out in this wide, wide world who are collecting Tootsie Roll wrappers with the little stars hidden on them, only to find themselves to be 29 years old and having never had a free sucker to show for their efforts? Hmmm. I wonder if Maren will seek out the stars on her Tootsie Roll wrappers. I wonder if she, too, will expect payment of a free Tootsie Roll Pop in return for finding the special wrapper. How do these things perpetuate themselves?"

Then, I almost ran into a small man with a cart full of Doritos. Maybe I'll have to do some Tootsie Roll research. Or, maybe I'll just wait a few years until my little lady is entrenched in the world of secret clubs and prizes. Surely she'll find out the truth, right?

Maren's first birthday party

2009-08-23T15:14:00.002-06:00

Maren's party was a huge success! I can honestly report that our little lady genuinely enjoyed herself. We had over 20 kids join in the fun (along with parents) and Maren spent the evening being quite the social butterfly. She thoroughly enjoyed her cake, and was delighted with her gifts. We were blessed with a lovely Colorado evening. I also felt gifted with the reminder of how many amazing people we get to share our lives with. Thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating this special night!

Cake, anyone?

2009-08-21T15:50:00.004-06:00

I spent the better part of today in the kitchen making cakes for Maren's party tomorrow. We're expecting quite a crowd, so I had be sure we'd have plenty of cake. My sister-in-law informed me that I could have just picked up a sheet cake at Costco. I suppose I wasn't thinking about how much time would go into making 5 cakes. 5 CAKES! What was I thinking? So, this is what our day looked like. And tomorrow, let them eat cake!

I love Maren's tiny little feet poking out below the cabinet. She knows exactly which cupboard she can open in the kitchen.

Maren's 'frustrated face'. She learned to make this face when someone makes it at her. As you can see, she was thoroughly enjoying her time spent in the cupboard.

What I have to show for my hard day's work. I was especially pleased with how the polka-dots turned out. It is, after all, a polka-dot party!

PHEW!

2009-08-19T16:41:00.003-06:00

That was a close one. Last week my computer completely shut off. Dead. Would not turn on. Tragic! Thankfully, after 4 days at the Mac spa for computers, things are all back to normal. And, to make up for lost time, the nice people even gave me a brand new, sparkling white keyboard! Of course it had to happen during an incredibly eventful and busy week around these parts. It's birthday week, people! Our little lady turned 1 on Monday. Can you believe it? Stay tuned for a special birthday post about our sweet Maren. I'm also working on a shiny new blog design, to be revealed soon!

Eleven Months

2009-08-08T16:13:00.002-06:00

Whew! I am getting this posted almost in time for Maren's first birthday! The last month has been quite the whirlwind. Maren and I spent three weeks in Michigan, and Brett joined us for a week at the lake. We returned to a new house in Colorado, and spent a good amount of time adjusting and unpacking. Now we are busy preparing for a birthday party! Stay tuned for more regular posting now that we've established some semblance of a routine! For now, enjoy some Maren eye-candy!

Here we are

2009-07-14T07:50:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I've updated the blog. I suppose I am warranted the days off in light of our recent packing/moving/traveling cross country with an infant/vacationing/driving/and so on. I have lots of pictures to post in coming days. So, stay tuned for many exciting posts to come!

For the most part, all of the moving and closing events went smoothly. There were a couple of bumps along the way, but we are officially relocated. Strangely, I have not been in the new house yet. Maren and I left on a three-week trip to Michigan the day we closed. We've had a wonderful time with my family. Maren has been a delight, and makes friends everywhere we go.

Currently, we are parked at the lake for a week, and Brett has joined us for this part of our vacation. We are loving the time with family. Maren has lots of other little people around at the lake, which has kept her plenty busy. She's started taking a few steps. We expect her to be walking before we know it.

Maren on her first boat ride

Cousins Will, Paige and Maren

Ten months!

2009-06-21T20:29:00.003-06:00

We've had a busy month! Maren is curious, and gets into everything. She crawls up the stairs all by herself. Her new favorite word is, "Bo". She thinks anything with fur is called Bo. She loves to sing songs, and loves it when Daddy throws her on the bed. We've had lots of fun spending time with friends at the pool and the zoo. Almost every night Maren does 'laps' around the living room with her push-toy. We expect her to be walking before long! Maren is a great eater, and likes to try just about anything. She's started saying, "Mmmmm" when she finds something she especially likes. Each day brings new adventures, and we're doing our best to cherish them all!

Get the picture?

2009-06-21T20:08:00.002-06:00

My sister-in-law, Allison, gave me the idea to take pictures of Maren each month against a black backdrop. It's been a fun way to watch her grow and change each month. In the earliest months, she was such a compliant little girl, but no longer is this the case! We had a particularly entertaining evening of taking her 10-month pictures. I included the final product in her 10-month slide show, which I will post later. For now, here's a sneak peak into the busy life of Maren!

Running Buddy

2009-06-17T20:27:00.002-06:00

Maren has been going on my runs with me in the morning, and she is such a trooper. She just lounges in her stroller and occasionally offers me a little clap or shout. Brett and I are so thankful for her wonderful temperament and for her willingness to go with the flow.