If you want to know the state of our household right now, this should give you at least a little idea of what it's like:
-I have not left the house since Monday...and will only do so today to take Ethan to the doctor.
-The television is on constantly.
-Jason is doing all of the housework. All of it.
-We have not eaten any meals together lately, most of us simply push the food away when it's placed in front of us.
-We don't get dressed, we just periodically change into clean pajamas.
-None of us will be visiting Kristi, Mike, and Colin in the hospital because we are either sick or have the potential to be carrying nasty germs.
-Any time Micah is near the toilet, he says "spit" and puts his hands on the toilet seat and pretends to puke into the toilet.
Invitations to my pity party would be in the mail...but I'm too sick to get off the couch to address them!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Colin Isaac
Here's our new nephew!
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I think he's adorable! Unfortunately, I have not been able to hold this little dude as we are passing germs around my household. Hopefully this weekend we'll be well enough to stop by so I can meet him and hold him!
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I think he's adorable! Unfortunately, I have not been able to hold this little dude as we are passing germs around my household. Hopefully this weekend we'll be well enough to stop by so I can meet him and hold him!
New arrival
I'm excited to announce that Jason's sister, Kristi, and brother-in-law, Mike, gave birth to a baby boy this morning. Colin Isaac was born at 9:45 am and is 8lbs 4oz. I don't have a picture yet, but I'll post one as soon as I can! Congratulations Mike and Kristi! We can't wait to meet little Colin!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Silly Supper Night
We may have a new "tradition" around our house. Let me give you the background first. Lately, it feels to Jason and I that all we do is scold Ethan, correct him, and just be "on his case" in general. Our episode on Wednesday is just one example. Anyway, we were ready for a happier day with the boys instead of one filled with crankiness.
I asked Ethan what he would like for supper last night and his response was "popcorn". Being a mother, I told him we couldn't have popcorn for supper (only I can do that on days where I don't feel like anything else!). Then, I remembered a time when my family was on vacation and we stopped for "supper" at grocery store. My siblings an I were shocked when my dad came out of the store with a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. My mom cut it into six pieces, and we had ice cream for supper. It's such a fun memory!
Well, I told Jason about Ethan's supper request, and Jason and I decided that we needed to have a fun night and concocted a plan for a less than typical supper.
We had the boys set the table in the living room. They put their place mats out on the coffee table and happily set out plates and napkins. Then Jason and I gave them all kinds of bowls filled with fun foods that we would never let them have for supper. Here's our lovely table.
You are not seeing things. Not only did we had popcorn, but we added iced animal crackers, cheese chunks, Triscuits, a donut, chips, a snack mix, and crescent rolls (some with hot dogs in them). We made the kids drink milk while mom and dad washed all the junk down with pop.
The result? A happy, silly, giggly, terrible-for-you supper. We had so much fun!
We may make "silly supper night" a monthly tradition. Why not break all nutritional rules every once in a while!
I asked Ethan what he would like for supper last night and his response was "popcorn". Being a mother, I told him we couldn't have popcorn for supper (only I can do that on days where I don't feel like anything else!). Then, I remembered a time when my family was on vacation and we stopped for "supper" at grocery store. My siblings an I were shocked when my dad came out of the store with a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. My mom cut it into six pieces, and we had ice cream for supper. It's such a fun memory!
Well, I told Jason about Ethan's supper request, and Jason and I decided that we needed to have a fun night and concocted a plan for a less than typical supper.
We had the boys set the table in the living room. They put their place mats out on the coffee table and happily set out plates and napkins. Then Jason and I gave them all kinds of bowls filled with fun foods that we would never let them have for supper. Here's our lovely table.
You are not seeing things. Not only did we had popcorn, but we added iced animal crackers, cheese chunks, Triscuits, a donut, chips, a snack mix, and crescent rolls (some with hot dogs in them). We made the kids drink milk while mom and dad washed all the junk down with pop.
The result? A happy, silly, giggly, terrible-for-you supper. We had so much fun!
We may make "silly supper night" a monthly tradition. Why not break all nutritional rules every once in a while!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Battle of wills (edit)
I'm currently in a battle of wills with Ethan. I don't know why I picked today to have a battle, but I did, and now I'm committed. Here's the fun story...
I made Macaroni and Cheese for lunch (per Ethan's request). I'll admit, it didn't turn out as well as it's supposed to. I think I must have let it boil a little to long and there was more moisture in the noodles. So, the result was still mac and cheese, it just wasn't the usual mac and cheese. I ate it, it wasn't the best, but it was still edible and cheese flavored. Micah ate it, too. Ethan declared that it was yucky and that he wasn't going to eat it. I told him that he asked for mac and cheese, I made it, and so he needed to eat it. This was met with demands for all sorts of things...that I make a new batch, that I make him peanut butter and jelly, that he wanted candy instead (yeah, right, like I'm insane), that he wasn't feeling well so he needed to lay down on the couch, that he wasn't hungry anymore. Being the mother that I am (which means not always thinking very far down the road when I'm ticked) I told him that he had to sit in his chair until he ate the food. Well, it's been at least a half hour, he's still mad, still not eating, and still looking like he's not going to eat. Great. I really won't be surprised if he's still there when Jason comes home from work. So, I've committed myself to this, so I guess I need to stick with it. Any bets on how long we'll be in this battle of wills?
Oh, and I think I should call my mother and apologize (again) for how I acted when I was a child.
Edit to add...
Well, at 2:00 I couldn't stand it anymore. There had been much weeping, hollering, and all of the Legos have been confiscated. The food...still on the plate. In an effort to salvage the rest of the day, Ethan and I had a little talk about Grace. I had read a while back on another blog that this mom had extended Grace to her daughter after her daughter had done something she shouldn't have. It provided a good opportunity for them to talk about God's Grace for us and how we can apply it in our lives. When I remembered that, I decided that may be the only way Ethan and I make it through the day. So, Ethan and I had a nice little talk about Grace and how God shows us Grace. I told him that I was going to show him Grace, but that he still needed to learn from what he did wrong...so no snacks or food until supper. Sigh. Some days, it's hard to know what battles to pick!
I made Macaroni and Cheese for lunch (per Ethan's request). I'll admit, it didn't turn out as well as it's supposed to. I think I must have let it boil a little to long and there was more moisture in the noodles. So, the result was still mac and cheese, it just wasn't the usual mac and cheese. I ate it, it wasn't the best, but it was still edible and cheese flavored. Micah ate it, too. Ethan declared that it was yucky and that he wasn't going to eat it. I told him that he asked for mac and cheese, I made it, and so he needed to eat it. This was met with demands for all sorts of things...that I make a new batch, that I make him peanut butter and jelly, that he wanted candy instead (yeah, right, like I'm insane), that he wasn't feeling well so he needed to lay down on the couch, that he wasn't hungry anymore. Being the mother that I am (which means not always thinking very far down the road when I'm ticked) I told him that he had to sit in his chair until he ate the food. Well, it's been at least a half hour, he's still mad, still not eating, and still looking like he's not going to eat. Great. I really won't be surprised if he's still there when Jason comes home from work. So, I've committed myself to this, so I guess I need to stick with it. Any bets on how long we'll be in this battle of wills?
Oh, and I think I should call my mother and apologize (again) for how I acted when I was a child.
Edit to add...
Well, at 2:00 I couldn't stand it anymore. There had been much weeping, hollering, and all of the Legos have been confiscated. The food...still on the plate. In an effort to salvage the rest of the day, Ethan and I had a little talk about Grace. I had read a while back on another blog that this mom had extended Grace to her daughter after her daughter had done something she shouldn't have. It provided a good opportunity for them to talk about God's Grace for us and how we can apply it in our lives. When I remembered that, I decided that may be the only way Ethan and I make it through the day. So, Ethan and I had a nice little talk about Grace and how God shows us Grace. I told him that I was going to show him Grace, but that he still needed to learn from what he did wrong...so no snacks or food until supper. Sigh. Some days, it's hard to know what battles to pick!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust...
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Snow Day
On New Year's Day we all enjoyed a day off and used part of the day to bundle up and play outside in the snow. It wasn't too deep, so Micah could actually walk in it. I had a difficult time getting a picture of Ethan...most of the time I just caught his back. We have a nice little hill in our backyard, so we had a great time sledding. And, of course, I was the primary target for the snowballs!
Sitting still long enough for me to get a picture!
Making a snow angel.
The completed snow angel.
Hitching a ride in the sled.
I caught this expression just as Jason hit him in the chest with a snowball. He loved it and laughed every time Jason threw one at him!
Sitting still long enough for me to get a picture!
Making a snow angel.
The completed snow angel.
Hitching a ride in the sled.
I caught this expression just as Jason hit him in the chest with a snowball. He loved it and laughed every time Jason threw one at him!
Friday, January 4, 2008
A Year in Review
I don't know about you, but every year I enjoy watching the "year in review" clips on the news and reading about it in the paper. I don't really know why that is, but I think I simply like to look back and be reminded of things that have happened throughout the year. Sometimes I find myself saying "I forgot that happened this year!". So, I thought I would go through my pictures from the year and pick out some favorites to post as my own little "Brown and Green Year in Review". It wasn't easy to pick out my favorites. This blog could have been really long. But, I managed to select "just a few". Enjoy!
In 2007, we enjoyed many opportunities to play at our house!
We celebrated Ethan's fourth birthday on February 19.
My dad had hip replacement surgery in January...this is Micah helping in his recovery in February.
In the month of March, Micah was really moving around and getting into everything he could.
This is my bouquet of fresh flowers that Ethan picked just for me in March. Lovely.
This picture from March is just one example of Ethan's growing love of candy. I think he's definitely my kid.
We celebrated Micah's first birthday on April 8.
In the middle of April, Micah had outpatient surgery. He is doing great and the doctor is very happy with his recovery. Praise God!
My cool dudes...a shot from a park in the spring.
This is where Ethan and Micah spent most of the spring...and summer...and fall. I had to convince them that we don't need to play in the sandbox when it's winter. I think they would be out there in their snow pants with their trucks if I let them.
The big event for our family in June was my sister's wedding. What a fun day that was. I love getting dressed up and having a big celebration!
With the temperatures being what they are right now, this is a nice reminder of what one of the flowers from my garden looked like in June.
I guess someone saw his mother doing a lot of this over the summer so he thought he would see what all the fun was.
Jason and Micah enjoying the 4th of July parade. The race car and monster truck were the favorites of my crew.
We spent a lot of time at the lake this year, especially in the month of July. This is one of my favorite shots. Ethan's expression is great...this is right after he "pushed" grandpa into the lake...with all of his clothes on.
We had our annual gathering of college friends at the beach this year. The kids all had a great time playing while the adults enjoyed a chance to catch up. Our 2008 picture will have many more children in it!
One of our local parks has a "splash" pad, so on one warm August evening, we took the boys there to play. They had a riot running in the water and getting sprayed.
For quite a while this past summer, this was one of Micah's favorite hiding spots. We couldn't believe he fit his little body into this cupboard, but he managed to do it many times over! Sometimes, the only way we knew were to look for him was to look for the tiny hand holding onto the cupboard door.
Here's Jason and Ethan at the park during one of the family picnics we had this summer. Who do you think was the most proud that they got up there?
This is Ethan and Micah on Ethan's first day of school. I can't believe we've already reached that milestone with one of our kids. But, he loves it and was ready to go!
This is Ethan on school picture day in October. He loves school so much. We love listening to him talk about what he learns and does in school each day.
This one is from October. Micah was just being his usual silly self. He loves to read books and wear a hat, so this is the cute picture that came out of it!
I have to include the Halloween costumes. One Superman + one construction worker = a lot of candy around our house!
This one is from November. Ethan loves to help me when I bake and he has recently started asking to crack the eggs. My mom suggested having him do it in another bowl to minimize the egg shells in the baked goods. I have to say that it's not a fool-proof method, but it decreases the number of shells at least! James and Merridith, those bars you ate that one time may have been crunchy from egg shells, not crunchy peanut butter!
I love this one of the boys. It's from December. Micah likes to give out hugs and Ethan was more than happy to receive. I hope they continue to love each other this much as they grow up!
This one is from December. It's all of the counselors that do GEMS with me at church. We had a western themed mother/daughter night, so we were all dressed accordingly (Thanks, Angie, for the use of your hat...I think it looks better on Henry!). They are an awesome group of women that I love getting to know better every year!
I gained a new niece this past year (and can't wait for two new nieces and/or nephews this year!). This is a picture of Kathleen from one of our Christmas parties. She has grown and changed so much over 5 months. She was giggling for me at the party...so cute!
This is the boys on Christmas Eve before they opened presents with Jason and I.
And finally, our family. What a blessing each member of my family is to me! Our year was full of love, lessons, and laughter. I hope and pray that this year will be more of the same!
In 2007, we enjoyed many opportunities to play at our house!
We celebrated Ethan's fourth birthday on February 19.
My dad had hip replacement surgery in January...this is Micah helping in his recovery in February.
In the month of March, Micah was really moving around and getting into everything he could.
This is my bouquet of fresh flowers that Ethan picked just for me in March. Lovely.
This picture from March is just one example of Ethan's growing love of candy. I think he's definitely my kid.
We celebrated Micah's first birthday on April 8.
In the middle of April, Micah had outpatient surgery. He is doing great and the doctor is very happy with his recovery. Praise God!
My cool dudes...a shot from a park in the spring.
This is where Ethan and Micah spent most of the spring...and summer...and fall. I had to convince them that we don't need to play in the sandbox when it's winter. I think they would be out there in their snow pants with their trucks if I let them.
The big event for our family in June was my sister's wedding. What a fun day that was. I love getting dressed up and having a big celebration!
With the temperatures being what they are right now, this is a nice reminder of what one of the flowers from my garden looked like in June.
I guess someone saw his mother doing a lot of this over the summer so he thought he would see what all the fun was.
Jason and Micah enjoying the 4th of July parade. The race car and monster truck were the favorites of my crew.
We spent a lot of time at the lake this year, especially in the month of July. This is one of my favorite shots. Ethan's expression is great...this is right after he "pushed" grandpa into the lake...with all of his clothes on.
We had our annual gathering of college friends at the beach this year. The kids all had a great time playing while the adults enjoyed a chance to catch up. Our 2008 picture will have many more children in it!
One of our local parks has a "splash" pad, so on one warm August evening, we took the boys there to play. They had a riot running in the water and getting sprayed.
For quite a while this past summer, this was one of Micah's favorite hiding spots. We couldn't believe he fit his little body into this cupboard, but he managed to do it many times over! Sometimes, the only way we knew were to look for him was to look for the tiny hand holding onto the cupboard door.
Here's Jason and Ethan at the park during one of the family picnics we had this summer. Who do you think was the most proud that they got up there?
This is Ethan and Micah on Ethan's first day of school. I can't believe we've already reached that milestone with one of our kids. But, he loves it and was ready to go!
This is Ethan on school picture day in October. He loves school so much. We love listening to him talk about what he learns and does in school each day.
This one is from October. Micah was just being his usual silly self. He loves to read books and wear a hat, so this is the cute picture that came out of it!
I have to include the Halloween costumes. One Superman + one construction worker = a lot of candy around our house!
This one is from November. Ethan loves to help me when I bake and he has recently started asking to crack the eggs. My mom suggested having him do it in another bowl to minimize the egg shells in the baked goods. I have to say that it's not a fool-proof method, but it decreases the number of shells at least! James and Merridith, those bars you ate that one time may have been crunchy from egg shells, not crunchy peanut butter!
I love this one of the boys. It's from December. Micah likes to give out hugs and Ethan was more than happy to receive. I hope they continue to love each other this much as they grow up!
This one is from December. It's all of the counselors that do GEMS with me at church. We had a western themed mother/daughter night, so we were all dressed accordingly (Thanks, Angie, for the use of your hat...I think it looks better on Henry!). They are an awesome group of women that I love getting to know better every year!
I gained a new niece this past year (and can't wait for two new nieces and/or nephews this year!). This is a picture of Kathleen from one of our Christmas parties. She has grown and changed so much over 5 months. She was giggling for me at the party...so cute!
This is the boys on Christmas Eve before they opened presents with Jason and I.
And finally, our family. What a blessing each member of my family is to me! Our year was full of love, lessons, and laughter. I hope and pray that this year will be more of the same!
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