It's Friday! A Week Review in Pictures

I forgot last week's picture review on Friday.  Let me just say it's been a crazy 2 weeks.  We are finally getting settled into the house.  We still don't have any pictures on the walls but I promise a post soon with some pictures of the inside of the house.

Today I'm going to introduce you to my sister-in-laws blog over at The Williams Post!

Her blog is one of my favorites to read...not just because she's family either. :)

Deci copied the picture on the left (above) and drew the picture on the right.  I was pretty impressed.

I found this potato soup recipe HERE and it was AMAZING.  I just substituted low-fat or fat-free ingredients when I could.

 Pictured above is what we had to eat Monday night.  Every Monday we have friends over to eat.  Q picks a topic each week (this past week it was breakfast foods) and everyone brings something creative to share.  Q gave a "reward" to the most creative.  The food was AMAZING!  This coming Monday it's Asian week.  I'm making weight watchers lettuce wraps! YUM!

 Journey's book finally came in that Kerrie and Wade got her.  I love it!

 We had visitors over the weekend! Q's dad and his wife came up to visit.  Notice how the girls are cooperating! ha!

 I'm trying to do more creative and educational stuff with the girls during the day and that's what this picture above is about.  I made Memory cards with Alphabets.  Deci knows most of her letters but she still needs help with some so I thought this would be a fun way to learn.  Next I'm going to make the upper case letter on one card and she has to find the lower case because she still gets confused with the difference.

 Deci had a REALLY long spring break...like 3 weeks LONG! BUT she started back this week and of course she's back to picking out her own clothes to wear. :)

These girls got a cold last week also and laid around the house a few days...but they seem to be getting better now.

This week, since Rick and Hilde came to visit, I'll leave you with a post from the past about them. 

Rick and Hilde's Wedding!

Happy Friday everyone!! Have a GREAT weekend!!

Finding Balance

   As a mom I really struggle with finding balance.  How much time during the day should I play with each kid, how much time should be spent cleaning, teaching the kids, crafts with kids,  playing online, doing bible study, laundry, phone calls, reading, watching T.V. and finally "me time".  I know it doesn't sound like a lot...but if you're a mom you probably understand.  This doesn't even have the days I go grocery shopping so take Deci to school...some days have more going on than others.  I'm sure I'm not the only mom out there that struggles with this.  I sometimes wonder if I feel this way because of my first child's need to have me near.  She wants me to play with her 24/7.  Seriously, I could probably play with her every waking minute and she would still want me to play with her more.

   I feel like there are not enough hours in the day sometimes.  The house is almost always a mess.  I almost always have a kid at my side asking me to play with them and I honestly almost always crave "Me time".  I understand that as I signed up for this mom job that I gave up a lot of my me time or I have to be creative and have that time when the kids are in bed.  I've had several moms with older kids that tell me to "let the house go and spend time with those babies or you'll regret it when they are older."  I understand this but a part of me just wants to clean...to do something that feels like I'm normal.  Not just a mom that's changing diapers, cleaning up spills, playing barbies, calming crying kids, teaching them how to share... sometimes I just want to clean.  I want my house to look clean even though it hardly ever is.

  I know also how important it is to teach your kids to play by themselves.  To teach themselves how to entertain themselves.  I somehow messed up on this with Deci but with Journey she just wants to follow Deci around.  Journey has always been more content playing my herself and I know that has a lot to do with being a second child.  I actually called a friend back in Alabama a few months ago to ask her what her day was like as a stay-at-home-mom when her kids where my girls age.  I know that with every age it's different but I just needed to see an example.  I'm such a "by the book" kind of mom.  I can sometimes be a perfectionist even though I'm SOOO far from being perfect.  I just have a hard time balancing all that needs (or all I want) to be done during the day.

  I talked with a friend this morning that said she will set her kitchen timer for 10 or 15 minutes and clean until the timer goes off.  Or she will set it and play with her kids until the timer goes off.  She said she does that because she use to start cleaning the kitchen then walk away to do something else and never get the kitchen clean.  So, today I'm going to try this because I do the same thing.  Even sometimes I'll sit to play with the girls and then remember that I didn't put the clothes in the wash so I'll get up and go do that and then remember something else that needs to be done.  I know there doesn't have to be this schedule everyday...even though in Audrey's Perfect World there would be a schedule! haha!  I just don't want to neglect my kids.  I want them to know I love them.  I want to do my Job and clean the house and cook, I want to do my bible study everyday, and I need me time...to blog or read.  I'm just being honest with you guys today.  I know there aren't a ton of moms that read my blog but if you are a mom and have suggestions for me I'd love to hear from you.

Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 2)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

The Difference Between Alabama and Oregon: (Part 2) 

(Click HERE to read last weeks Part 1)

- In Oregon you don't pay Sales Tax! If it says 4.99, you pay 4.99. In Alabama I think Sales Tax is 8%.

-Thrift Stores are EVERYWHERE here in Oregon.  I counted as many as I knew of around where we live and I counted 14... and I'm sure I'm missing some.  Some of these thrift stores are HUGE.  I find almost all of our clothes at thrift stores now. 

- Did you know that it's only a Southern thing to pull over for a funeral procession??  I don't believe I've seen a funeral procession since I've been here in OR but from what I've heard, people don't pull over for them.

-You hear people say that in the South women have BIG hair and wear lots of make up.  Well, the big hair is true for some but not always as bad as they can make it out to be in the movies.  Women in Alabama wear more makeup than in Oregon for sure.  Oregon is all natural.

- Some Oregonians are against Wal-Mart.  They would rather support local business which is great.  Where our friends Neal and April live in Albany they are just now building a Wal-mart there.  If they want to go to Wal-mart they have to drive 25/30 minutes.  Albany is a decent size town....it has an old Navy...but no Wal-mart.  I think every city in Alabama has one.

- You will ALWAYS see people riding bikes or running here.  I'm sure this one might be more of a big city/small town thing.  I lived in a smaller town in Alabama and now live in some what of a bigger city here in Oregon.  Oregon makes it really easy to ride bikes and walk.  There are bike trails everywhere and sidewalks everywhere.  There are also bike lanes on the road.  One place in town has a double bike lane.  One side of the road is for one-way traffic.  The other side of the road is a 2-lane bike lane.

- We've met several families that only have one car.  It's not the poor people either.  It's nice middle class families that have chosen 1 car.  I'm sure if someone would give them a car they would take it but they don't "need" it.  They can ride their bikes to work or take public transportation which is everywhere here. (another big city thing I believe)

- Weather. (Yes, I'm bringing it up again! ha!)  I take Deci to a public school for a speech class twice a week. I take her mid mourning when the normal school hours are going on and there are almost always kids outside playing for P.E. (Recess).  One day it was 38 degrees, sleeting and the kids where out playing, just as happy as could be.  Yesterday it was raining (sprinkling) and maybe in the 40's and kid were out playing.  I think 38 just feels warmer here...honestly.  But in AL you probably wouldn't see the P.E. class outside when it's 38 degrees....or even in the 40s. The weather just doesn't stop people here.  AND you will rarely see people here carrying an umbrella. 

- People are more direct here.  They tell you what they think when they think it...they aren't being rude (well, most of them) they just tell you straight.  I'm still having to get use to this.  The first month here I almost cried at the post office because a lady was so direct... I loved her after this...I just had to realize she wasn't being mean.  She just said what she needed to.  It seems in the South, people sugar coat things...by using words like sweetie or hunny... Haha, that just sounded like everyone in the South uses words like "sweetie and hunny"...I just mean that people in the South find the nicest way possible to say things without hurting someones feelings. I wish I could give you all an example of this difference.

- People in the South say "Y'all" and I hardly ever hear it here.

*That's it for now...I'm sure I can find more.  Please don't think I'm making fun on either state.  I love you both.  (there, that's the Southern coming out in me! ha! Gotta keep people happy!) ;)

Our Snow Day in March

 I've been WAY behind on blogging lately and I can not find time to catch up! So, today I neglected the dirty house and sat down to edit pictures and post at least this blog.  March 21st we had 4 to 6 inches of snow here! Welcome Spring!

 Of course the girls loved it...

 

 and Q loved it...

 and I loved taking pictures!

Marriage Letters: On Serving Together

Join Me and Q, along with Amber over at The Run a Muck, as we write marriage letters to encourage each other in our marriages... to preserve marriage... Will you join us?

Q,

   I'm so blessed and honored that God gave me a partner like you.  If I ever dreamed up my marriage as teenager this is exactly how I would have imagined the serving together part.  We'll maybe not EXACTLY... I'm not sure I knew that when we had kids I would struggle with what serving with you still looked like.  I'm still trying to figure that out.  I did imagine that when I got married I would have a mate that loved the Lord as much as I did and make our lives about finding ways to serve together. 

    You have taught me so much about serving.  It seems to come more naturally for you to love others and I am constantly having to train my mind to think of others first.  I tend to be negative and you are always there to show me the positive side of life.  I need that and I think that's part of the reason we work so well together.  By your life and the way you love, I am encouraged to serve more...to love more...  I think we are that iron sharpening iron.

   I'm so excited about living the rest of my life serving with you!  

    

                   -A

       

Wednesday's List: Alabama/Oregon (Part 1)

It's Wednesday!  That means it's time for Wednesday's List. Join me and write a post in list form, then leave a comment and let me know you are joining me so I (along with others) can check your list out! I LOVE LIST!

I've been pondering this list for a while.  The difference between Alabama and Oregon.  Believe me the list is quite long so I'm going to break this into 2 parts. So...here goes :)

The Difference between Alabama and Oregon (Part 1)

- The Weather.  Oh, I could say so much about the difference in the weather...but then I'd get all depressed that I'm still having the Winter Blues...so I'll keep it short. It rains a lot here. A LOT...but not a lot all at once.  It drizzles all day long here, where in Alabama it pours for an hour or two then the sun comes back out (most of the time).  The Winter is LONG here and short Summers, BUT when it is Summer here it's WONDERFUL.  Absolutely perfect weather to play outside.  Alabama Summers can be Too hot for most people (I just so happen to love the heat...) and lots of humidity (which I'm loving living without).  Also no Tornado's here and I don't believe I've seen lightening (thunderstorms) since I've been here.

- If someone invites you to their house to eat here in OR usually you will not be offered Coke products...you will have water or wine. (or Coffee)

- Lots and Lots and Lots of Coffee here.  Everyone drinks it...even kids...  Coffee shops are EVERYWHERE.  There are these drive-thru coffee places that are about as small as a walk-in closet.  At our old house in Springfield, OR you could go a mile (or less) in any direction and hit one of these coffee shops. (I just counted 7 that were in a mile of my old house!)  We lived 1 mile away from 2 different star bucks.  Seriously! CRAZY and I LOVE it!

- Kids.  Kids don't wear hair bows here...or not a lot anyways.  Here kids wear layers.  Leggins, skirts, rain boots... RAIN BOOTS are everywhere.  Alabama kids wear dresses.  Frilly dresses and Bows!  I don't see a lot of frilly dresses here in Oregon.  Also it seems in the AL kids wear a lot of initialed clothes, bags...well anything you can initial.  I don't hardly see anything initialed here...especially not clothing.

 - Speaking of Dresses.  Someone once warned me about this one.  I got my hair cut by a girl about my age just after we moved here.  She was really interested in the South.  She said she really wanted to be a Southerner, wear a sundress, bake a casserole and show up at a picnic. haha! :)  I wondered why people in Oregon don't wear dresses.  Well, this Summer I figured it out.  It's only warm enough to wear dresses for about a  month or two here (for me anyways! ha!).  So, why buy a dress when you can only wear it for one month?  Or maybe for real Oregonians there is another reason...

-  ORGANIC.  Oregonians are all natural.  There are several grocery stores here selling all natural foods.  I know there are people in AL that eat all Natural foods, Organic and Gluten Free but here it's to the extreme! 

- In AL you have Rednecks.  In Oregon you have Hippies.

- I don't have to pump my own gas here in OR!!! It's actually illegal to pump your own gas and I LOVE it!

-  Dogs.  More people here have dogs than in AL it seems..  If you have a dog here it's really a kid.  You can take your dog to work, church, out to eat.  I see more dogs in the strangest places here than ever before.  It seems in AL people don't take their dogs everywhere with them...Dogs are USUALLY just pets...maybe in the backyard or some even in the house.  Some have hunting dogs.  

Well, there you go... just a few differences.  Come back next Wednesday for Part 2.

If you've been to both AL (or the South, really) and OR (or the North West), I would love to hear the differences you noticed. :)

Pinterest: Frozen Yogurt Drops!

I found this on Penterest HERE.

I'm not sure why I didn't think of this myself.  I'm not big on the texture of yogurt so why not freeze it?

Baby Knox had a clinic in Eugene a week or so ago so April and Neal Dropped off Raegan and Charger for a few hours to play with the girls.  I thought this would be something fun Rae and Deci could do together.

All you do is get any flavor of Yogurt. (I would recommend not getting the yogurt with real fruit pieces in it because the fruit has a hard time coming out of the hole in the bag)

Put the yogurt in a zip lock bag.

Cut a hole in one of the corners of the bag and squeeze out drops onto a baking sheet.

Put the pan in the freezer for one hour. Then they are ready to eat!

YUM!

This will be such a fun snack for Summer!

Check back in next Monday where we will start Marriage Letters back up! :)

Go on over to The Run a Muck and check out the topics for the month of April on Marriage letters.

Next week: On Serving Together