A Craft for Spring

Lately one of our favorite crafts is these homemade suncatchers. This craft is great for different ages and can be easily adapted for different seasons/themes. We've made jack'o'lanterns, snowmen, butterflies, and crosses this way. First I tape down a piece of contact paper sticky side up, I put the hollow shape on it and then let the kids go to town sticking on pieces of cut-up tissue paper. (For an added step I let the kids choose out and cut, or rip up their own tissue paper). 

There are different techniques: Jonathan likes to grab great big handfuls of tissue paper and mash it onto his; Leesi likes to carefully place her papers one by one. 

After they are done we lay another piece of contact paper on top and then cut around the edges.

The finished product. 

So much fun to "flutter" them around...

 and they look so pretty in the windows with the sun shining through.

Here's a picture of our jack'o'lanterns. I let the kids tell me what kind of shape they wanted for each of the facial features and cut them out for them, then let them place the facial features on the contact paper before doing the tissue paper. Jonathan's are on the left, Leesi's are on the right. 

Jonathan on names...

"We saw a guy with blue hair in the grocery store. Daddy said his name was Buzz Are."


"The funny guy in Thomas said To-MAH-toes. ToMAHto is the nickname for Tomato."

Elisa is Five!

Well, it's been over a month since Leesi's birthday. But I still just had to write about my big five-year-old, and her birthday. 

Grandma and Grandpa took Leesi out on her actual birthday (Dec. 13th) to Build a Bear. And wow, what a hit that was! "Rainbow girl", who plays a peppy rendition of Happy Birthday when you squeeze her arm, was Elisa's favorite birthday gift for sure. We heard that song over and over and over again for a good week. Now, Elisa still plays with Rainbow Bear, but thankfully the song doesn't get played as often. 

A few days later we had a "Pinkalicious Party" for Leesi. We had 6 friends over (it was the first friends only party we've done). And it was so much fun. We made beaded bracelets, played a game or two, and then sent the kids upstairs to play while we made lunch. Over lunch I read the kids the story of Pinkalicious. It was a simple lunch: pizza and green smoothies. Green because in the story, she has to eat green things to get back to normal after she turns pink from eating too many pink cupcakes. So of course, for dessert: pink cupcakes. The kids were all so great at the party and had so much fun. I heard several kids planning their next birthday party with a "color-licious" theme.

Elisa, my big five-year-old, I love you so much. 

You are a great big sister: very responsible and motherly. 

You always have a plan, an idea, or a new project in mind. "Mommy, will you get out the art box?" "Mommy, can we make something out of our cookbook?" "Mommy, I'm making valentines for everyone." "Mommy, will you read me my magazine?"

You are silly and fun. You love running around and giggling with your brother and friends. And no one can make Nora laugh the way that you can. 

You love doing artwork. You are constantly coloring and drawing with your markers, and you are always up for a craft project. 

I'm so glad to be your mommy, and am looking forward to this next year!

Nora at four months

Stats:

Weight: 12 lbs. 8 oz. (24%)

Length: 24 3/4 inches (68%)

So, I realized that the last time I posted something about Nora, it was mainly about what a fussy baby she was. Well, time has mellowed her out. Now, at four months she is an absolute pleasure. Smiley, happy, inquisitive, talkative, and fun. She loves being around people, especially Mom, Dad, and big sister. She likes Jonathan too, but he rarely stops long enough to interact with her. She reaches for toys and is getting better and better at holding them. She laughs every once in awhile, and smiles constantly. She is falling into a nap routine of a morning, afternoon, and late afternoon nap. We had been holding/rocking/bouncing her until she fell asleep before we laid her down. Now we are getting her to fall asleep on her own in her crib and she's doing really great with that. She sleeps okay at night: always at least one 5 hour block, sometimes 8 hours, and once even 10! Hopefully soon 8 hours will be the norm.

A Prayer for the New Year

God, in this year…

Help me to create margin in my life, so that I have silence in which to hear You, and space for You to move in. 

Let me remember that You have transferred me into Your Kingdom and that is where I now live, not someday, but now. Help me to value the things that You value, and to see things with Your eyes.

I pray that I will find purpose and significance in the things You have called me to do, especially when I’m feeling that these things are boring, mundane, or trivial.

I pray for contentment: that You will continue to transform me, changing my word from “want” to “thanks”.  

I pray for holiness: that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be acceptable in Your sight.

I pray that you will help me to parent with kindness and wisdom. Help me to speak grace and truth into the lives of my children. Help me to rely on You moment by moment in this task of parenting, and to remember that though I often mess up, You never do, and You will work even through my weaknesses. I trust You with my children. 

I pray for patience: that I will dare to accept this present moment as THE moment, and live there, instead of continually yearning to get to something better.

I thank You for the community of people that You have placed around me. I acknowledge that I need their encouragement, love, and insight in my life. Help me to humbly and graciously receive it. Help me to invest in this community, and give myself sacrificially, and vulnerably in love to them.

I pray for humility. That as Your Holy Spirit works in me and through me, I won’t puff up with pride as if I had done it. But that I will give You the glory that is due to You. Help me to be able to encourage others with what You’ve done, without stealing Your glory for myself.

Lastly, I pray that you will help me to enjoy... not just get through… but enjoy my days, my children, my husband, my friends, my food, the weather, etc… all Your good gifts.

I love you God. I thank You ahead of time for accomplishing Your good work in me this year.  Amen.

Nora's birth announcement

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

LIfe through Elisa's eyes

Elisa always wants to take pictures when I get out the camera. Lately I've started letting her actually wander around with the camera a little. It's kind of fun to see some of the pictures she ends up with.

Halloween

I know it's been awhile since Halloween, but just couldn't resist posting a few pictures. For Halloween this year we went trick or treating with some friends from church. It was super fun. Elisa was once again Tinkerbell. Here she is with her little fairy friends:

Jonathan was a doggie. This is the costume Elisa wore two years ago, and it is Jonathan's absolute favorite thing in our dress up clothes. He often wears the doggie, so it was very appropriate for Halloween. 

This was the first time that the kids went trick or treating with friends. Jonathan didn't quite get it at first. At the first house he wandered inside as the homeowners were passing out candy. He was quite a ways inside by the time I got up to the front door and started calling for him to come back out. As we walked to the next house I tried to explain to him that we don't go inside, we just get our candy and leave. But at the next house once again he wandered in. Well, after the second house he seemed to get it and things went smoothly. He only wandered into one other house before we were done... funny kid.

Nora's Nursery

So in our new house Nora shares a room with our office. Half of the room is hers, and half is an overflowing desk and bookshelf. Nora's half still needs some work. I have more ideas for making it pretty. But who knows if and when I'll get around to all those things. So, I thought I should post some pictures of what it looks like now.

Little diaper changing area on top of a small dresser.

Here's the quilt my mom made for Nora. She has made one for each child. 

I love Nora's... so bright and pretty.

My mom made a crib skirt to match Nora's quilt and I made pennants out of some of the leftover quilt fabric. 

Many an hour has been spent in this rocking chair in the middle of the night.

So that's what it looks like so far. I love it. It's such a pretty room with fun colors, and I'm excited to make it even cuter eventually.

Jonathan's Birthday

 Guess who's a big three-year old now?

newborn

1 year

2 years

3 years

We celebrated Jonathan's birthday with a simple party with family and a few close friends. It was a beautiful afternoon so we took the celebration outdoors. Jonathan is super into Thomas the train right now. He loved his Thomas cake; and I loved that I didn't have to make it. He got a little extra help from the wind in blowing out his candles... but I don't think he noticed.  

Jonathan, you are such a fun little boy. You are cute, funny, easy-going, and cheerful. You are a great playmate to your sister. I love to hear you guys giggling together. You are outgoing and like to make other people smile and laugh. You love your cars, trucks, and trains and spend hours each day playing with them. I'm so glad we have you in our family!