Enjoying Daddy Day

Today was a nice relaxing day at home, enjoying the time we get with Dad. He has 64 hours of hot time left in the apprenticeship and he will be done!! 4 years in the making. Not sure where the next step will take us, we will have to wait and see where The Lord leads. 

There's a fine balance between letting the kids enjoy dad as much as possible and trying to get "us" time in. Today we decided to rent a couple movies for the kids so they were occupied and then we were able to sit and chat and actually we took a nap! It was so nice!

The weather was extremely warm today for it being the end of sept, 83 degrees. It was perfect to sit on the deck and drink a cup of coffee together this morning. After Selahs morning nap, we drove out to the land and walked around, dreamt about where our future house will go, where the animals will be fenced in, etc. the kids had fun playing in the trees and on the rock pile. 

Then we went and got milk (the kids just *had to get out of the van which lead to Tiernan picking up a stick and swinging it around and not paying attention to where Jaeg was standing...which lead to him smacking Jaeg right in the face with the stick...poor kid). After milk we picked up some Arby's and Culvers for a late lunch treat and back home we went.

Once it started to cool off outside, we played some quick kickball in the backyard and went for a walk. I wanted to walk a good ways, a few miles around a loop near us. B & C decided they didn't want to come with so we let them stay home. (When we got back, C exclaimed "we didn't even sneak any food! Only water!" Lol) But after we started out, we got about 1/4 of the way and A started fussing and whining and just stopped on her bike and refused to go any further. We kept walking awhile but then figured we should turn around and try to go on a walk in the morning when the kids are still sleeping!! Is there such thing as the 'terrible 5s'??

Now Nathan is downstairs reading "the little house in the big woods"...the first in the series, while I clean up, write this post and watch this sweet girl....

I swear they all have their own beds...and I tell them each night to *stay in their own beds....they love sleeping on the floor next to each other and in front of the fan. 

Airplane tour

It was 7:30am and I got a text from Ana's husband Caleb saying that he wa at the airport right next door and that he's be there for another hour or so if I wanted to take the kids over to get a tour! Couldn't pass that up! So I whipped all the kids in the car, drove the couple mins over to the airport and walked right out to see the plane! The kids loved it, esp Tiernan!

Ana's parents and sisters also made it out. 

The kids liked walking around the outside of the plane too but we decided that them walking underneath it prob wasn't the best idea. Caleb says "yeah if this antenna were to break off, it's about $50,000 to replace...conservatively." Ok then!...kids get away!!

Every Day: Intentional

Hahaha...Day 2...and that was almost a month and a half ago...ahhhh...I make myself laugh...  Ok, no more expectations of when I'm going to write.  And as always, this will be random bc I have limited time...of course.

So Nathan's almost done with his apprenticeship...let me say that again...HE IS ALMOST DONE WITH HIS APPRENTICESHIP!!!!  You know...that thing that we moved back from VA to start??...over FOUR (4) YEARS ago!!!

78 hours of hot time to go....and counting!!!!  He hates being away and we will ALL be happy when he is home forever!!

Selah is crusing along furniture at almost 11 months and will stand by herself only when she doesn't know she's standing by herself.  She's got 4 teeth and loves to grind them.  She loves to eat and is mostly on Melissa's frozen breastmilk that she has so generously given us!!  Selah still nurses but mostly at night, when she's up once or twice...or 3 or 4 times if she really doesn't want me to get any sleep. 

The kids started back at school...they are going to Petra again this year.  The are seemingly loving it and having a great time.  Caedmon still has he "hates" school but as soon as we get there, he shuffles out and happily goes and the teacher sees no attitude during the day so we just say 'whatever caedmon'.

Jaegers vocabulary is growing...talking better than Brayan did but not as good as Ariella.  He's getting there though.  He's really such a good boy.  Will nap without trouble and usually listens very well.  LOVES gma and gpa...but I mean, who doesn't??  Speaking of which...they still go to my parents one day a week for school and Jaeg is the first to want to do the school song.

I have the salon for sale. I know, it's only been a handful of months...the slow months at that...but I need to focus on other things in my life.  I have been prompted by more than one person (including the Lord) to focus elsewhere and start a blog/speaking about finances and simple living and I finally launched my blog yesterday.

www.EveryDayIntentional.weebly.com

I'm excited to see where that goes.  I'm also excited to start teaching more FPU classes this fall, along with some basic budgeting class for the public.

Day 2

Nathan and I got to go in an all day date!!! We left around 9:30am and the kids stayed home with a couple ladies (Ana's sisters Amy & Alyssa) until my mom came at 2:00 until we got back, around 8:30pm.  The main reason we went to the cities wasn't for a date, it was more for a visitation, which put a little damper on the day. A young man only 26, one of Nathan's coworkers and classmates from his apprenticeship was killed on the job, electrocuted. It was a hard thing for us, esp Nathan, to go to and experience but Nathan needed to show his support for his friend. Before we got to the visitation tho, we made several stops at thrift stores along the way, finding a couple treasures (pics for the salon and clothes for the kids). Although the pic Nathan was holding at the checkout broke and landed on my ankle giving me a nice bruise. I still took the pic (missing the frame and glass) but it hit perfect in one I already had at the salon so it was a good deal!! Then, the strangest thing happened!!...we went to this smaller goodwill in some town in the cities and it was kind of in a "ghetto" area we weren't even sure if we wanted to go in bc it looked sorts run down, but we went in anyway...and saw a classmate of the kids' from their school last year! Then to make it even more crazy, about 5 hours later when we were coming home, after the wake and everythjng, we stopped at a goodwill closer to home that we missed on the way there and guess what?? That kid and his dad was there again!! I mean what are the chances?!?! It was insane. :)

My blue sunglasses I found at goodwill :)

The garden has started producing and boy is it producing again!!! Second round of beans...

I went down to the garden with a small tote, ha! Hadda bring a bigger one the next time :)

Jaeg dumped the frozen corn all over the kitchen floor...good thing he likes to lick it up :)

And she's just cute :)

Day One

(If u read my blog often, you'll hafta scroll down and check out some posts that didn't originally get on here but are on now, one titled "breakfast in bed again" is new)

One month of posts everyday. Thats my goal!! (Which is funny bc I originally tried to post this in mid July, it's now aug 6 and I have yet to do day 2, :) but I'm back on the challenge! And since technically it didn't post, I can still make it!)

Here's day one.

Organized my laundry room. Changed the way laundry is done. The baskets on the shelves are for clean clothes! Sometimes I just don't have time to fold the clothes right away but at least I can seperate them in case we needa find something quick etc! Seperated between ours, kids, and other!! If I had more space I'd do by room but this works for now! Love it!

Before

After

On a walk, she doesn't like the stroller at Gmas, but she likes ours at home!

I was on Nathan's good list. Lemon meringue.

Can you tell us apart?? Lol!! People think Melissa and I are sisters (or twins) all.the.time. I can see it :) (we happen to do our hair similar on the same day too!)

Date night!!! And I promise he was more excited about it then the pic shows :) he just hates selfies! We went to Qdoba, then browsed some fun stores like Salvation Army and GoodWill :)

The 4th

So the previous post was suppose go on my blog back in the end of April I think but never posted so I just did it!  Now these were supposed to post in July and never did either! So sorry for last posts!)

Nathan almost missed the 4th of July again due to storm work. Thankfully he got home on the 3rd just in time for a nice weekend (& he wasn't answering his phone all weekend! :)

I got to have a few hours by myself Thursday evening. I walked around the mall, stopping at a few stores and actually having the time to try some things on! It was amazing not having anything (or anyone) in my hands! I was hoping for my friend Melissa to join me, but since he couldn't, I enjoyed the alone time (& found a few cute shirts!...on clearance of course!) 

On the 4th we headed to my parents house. We were thinking about the parade but. Sometimes it's easier these days just to skip some stuff. My aunt Carol and cousin Mark along w his family, were there. We grilled and hung out for the rest of the day. We again debated about the fireworks, but after getting home and th kids in bed, we decided that listening to them from the comfort of our bed was good enough! :)

Ariellas hair for the 4th....I won't put it next to the one I copied...let's just say this was the best I could do!

This little girl is 8 months already!

monday mumble

As always, I'm mad at myself for not posting often, as these crazy days will be but a distant memory, much of which I will forget....unless I write them down!  And I don't NOT post because I have nothing to say or that our days aren't as crazy as they once were (although I haven't gotten to the point where I miss living in a camper...)....it's just that I'm, well, busy!

Our sweet Selah is now 8 months old today...crazy crazy!  She started crawling a couple weeks ago.  Straight on her hands and knees, no army crawling, no scooting...this girl has places to go!

I'm liking the more laid back days now that school is over for the summer, although we have been debating over and over again in our minds where they are going to go to school next year.  We are almost set on a school...and even though I have a hard time saying it...it might just be a public school!!

In the beginning of May, we made a significant purchase, and bought a tanning salon!  Random, I know... It's a huge learning curve for sure, especially going right into the slower season, but we think that in the long run, it will be a good investment.  (Although we might end up selling it sooner than later since we never know where Nathan's job will take us!)

Speaking of Nathan's job....he has about 250 hot hours left in his apprenticeship and then he will "top out" and *finally (after over 4 years!) get his journeyman lineman certificate!  From there, who knows where he will go?!  Full time utility job?  On the road out to the west coast?  We shall wait and see!!

Yesterday, our 4 oldest were in a wedding!  Our friend (and young lady who used to stay with us) Ana and her pilot-fiance Caleb were united in marriage!  Ariella was the only flower girl and the boys were 3 of 5 ring bearers!  It went well, although Tiernan had to sit down mid-ceremony because he looked like he was going to pass out!  During a worship song, I looked over at Tiernan (who wasn't feeling the greatest...complained of being tired earlier while waiting for pics) and his face was super pale, I couldn't even see his lips, everything was just white.  His head was tilted to the side and I could tell he wasn't focused on the words to the song.  We were all standing, so it wasn't that obvious, but at one point, I even lunged forward (I was in the front row) because I thought he was going to tip over! I got his attention and said softly "do you feel okay?"  He just shrugged his shoulders.  I motioned for him to come over and sit by me, he did, and after a few minutes felt much better.  He said later that he felt like he was going to throw up!  Well, for everyone's sake, I'm glad that didn't happen!!