Finally warm enough to go to the park!!

Here are a few pics of Asher too! 

And also Judah in his new Shark towel looking at himself in the mirror

Sacrifice

My day has not been the best of days. But sometimes on those hard days you learn something, and they can also cause you to grow. 

I woke up this morning with an aching back and sore legs(must be from carrying baby's up and down stairs). I didn't feel like getting out of bed. But didn't really have a choice since Judah was yelling at me to get him from his crib. Daniel knew I wasn't feeling so great so he helped me with the getting the boys up and changed and breakfast. But Judah was pushing buttons all day and it seems there is always a new huge mess somewhere and cranky babies and dogs to go outside(in particular the puppy). By the time dinner was made and we had eaten and Judah was testing boundaries again I was cranky and about to take it out on someone, so Daniel told me to go take a bath or something and not worry about the boys for a bit(I think he was afraid he was about to get the brunt of my crankiness).

So I took a bit of time for myself and decided I needed to talk to God and work on my attitude. In my time in prayer I was reminded that I really need to carve out sometime for God in the day. God is where I need to by drawing my strength from and if I'm not taking time to do that I'm turning into a crazy person. (Ok maybe not to crazy but I feel like it sometimes. lol) Such a simple concept but so hard to get into the habit of doing. I don't feel like getting up in the morning before the boys, I'm tired and don't want to focus at night, and time always seems to just get eaten up in the day. I realized I really needed to sit down and figure out where I can sacrifice time to do it. And that got me thinking about all the things that seem such like simple concepts in our Christian faith that are really hard to do or to just get in the habit of doing. It seems to change the way you look at them when you reach each phase in life, and I have a whole new set of excuses. In particular I have been pondering what it really means to sacrifice and surrender to God on a daily basis. It is so hard to sacrifice that extra sleep I would like to get, so hard to surrender money even though its a blessing form the Lord, so hard to surrender my attitude so that I can bless those around me, so hard to surrender my boys to the Lord and what His plan is for them. (They are with me all the time now but someday they will grow up and I know that what the Lords plans for them might not be easy for me. I see that in Daniel and my life now, and how the Lord has led us here away from family. But I'm thankful that we aren't to far away for now.)

I'm sure the list could go on. But these are some of things that you don't just get to surrender once and your good, its constant, and not always easy. Even after you have established it as habit you still have to make it a conscious decision to keep on. Oh boy do I have so much to grow in. So maybe I will just have to start drinking coffee when I get up. And tomorrow I'm sure won't be perfect either but I'm going to try and start on the right foot, and give it to God at the beginning of the day and not the end. :)
 

I am so thankful to have a loving God that I can turn to when I'm having a bad day... or a great one.

Going Green

I realized something yesterday, as I was bagging my grocery's in reusable bags. I realized that I am slowly going green. I never thought that I would actually start doing this, or that I was actually starting to go green. But it got me thinking though, I'm taking reusable bags to the store as I mentioned above, I'm using cloth diapers and chemical free detergent, trying to stay more with green products for cleaning, I started making all my own bread, I'm trying to buy less prepackaged foods and using fruit and veggies more for snacks, and I'm contemplating making my own granola.

Now I must say I didn't start doing any of this with the planet in mind. I started this things for more selfish reasons. 

My reasons being, 

I like to shop at the Superstore because the grocery's are much cheaper there. They charge 5 cents a plastic bag, so I thought why not take reusable bags. 5 cents is going to add up after a while.

I started using cloth diapers because, I was going to be spending a fortune in diapers with 2 babies in diapers, and they both have sensitive skin so the cloth helps that as well especially here in dry Calgary. 

I started using chemical free detergent because I am using cloth diapers, and the boys have sensitive skin.

I started wanting to use more green products so I don't have to be as careful when I'm cleaning around the babies

I started making my own bread, 1. to save money and 2. we like the way it tastes. :)

Buying more fresh fruits and veggies in attempt to make my family healthier.... so far me and Judah are enjoying it.

Making my own granola, well I haven't been able to find our favorite kind in Canada so I thought why not try making it. Mind you I have not made any yet, I'm just contemplating it. There are only so many hours in  day.

I'm not by any means totally green or crunchy as some people call it. But I'm just slowly making changes and enjoying it so far. 

Although Daniel is not to sure that he likes what Canada is doing to me... :)

Simple tasks... not so simple anymore

There are a lot of things I'm learning with being a mom of 2 boys 1 and under and also recently getting a puppy. And just being a mom period!

First of all I knew that being a stay at home mom is work. I just didn't realize it would be so much more work than when I actually went to work. Before I had babies, most of the day got spent at work and then I felt like I had a big load of things to do when I got home. Cook dinner, clean up dinner, throw in laundry(or go to the laundromat, so glad I don't have to do that anymore), and whatever other things we had going on in the evening. Then you try to get to bed so you can do it all over again. Life then was much more predictable. When at work I would work hard and be busy. But usually had some time to sit and chat. I had a lunch break that was uninterrupted, and at least at my last job I did a lot of sitting with it being mostly a desk job. Now I feel like I'm running from when I get up till I go to bed. Also before babies, I knew that if I went to bed at this time I would have till this time to sleep. Now its very unpredictable how much sleep I will actually get at night. Most of the time its pretty good. But you just never know, when Judah will wake up with an ear infection, Asher will have gas. Or any other reason that might pop up. 

During the day we change quite a few pairs of clothes, between Judah's messy eating and Asher's blowouts and drool. Preparing meals and cleaning up meals. Finding random messes, now that Judah is everywhere and so is the dog. (Asher's not mobile yet, thank goodness! :) Give him a few months.) Laundry! Oh so much Laundry! I have never had such big piles to fold! Gone are the days when I would just do a couple loads a week. Also so many diapers to change and to wash! Not looking forward to when Asher starts eating solids. :) And meals interrupted, sometimes I do miss just being able to sit down and eat a meal. Without trying to nurse baby while eating or figure out what Judah is yelling about that is not right, or not on his plate.

Leaving the house oh boy. That is a big chore. You really can't just grab your purse and keys anymore. First I need to make sure the diaper bag is stocked for the right outing. Then its suiting up the boys. Shoes, coat, hat for Judah. Snow suit, blanket for Asher. And oh please don't have a poopy diaper we need to change during this ritual. Then I have to get myself ready. And everyone into car seats and belted in the car. This takes 20 min if everything goes smoothly. And we just pray we don't have major set backs. Like Judah deciding Asher needs to wake up from his nap in the car seat and then Asher decides that he is terribly hungry. Thankfully I have Daniel with me to a lot of the places that we go to. But if I'm by myself, lugging the heavy baby seat out of the car getting Judah and holding his hand while we walk to wherever we are going with baby seat on other arm is a big task. That's if Judah is behaving with where we are going. Sometimes I lug Judah on one arm, baby seat on the other. I hope I'm getting buff from this! 

I'm learning so much though, like the importance of my role as a mom in teaching them about Jesus, God, faith. Having patience like I have never known. Trying to be consistent. I know I hear this from every parent but now I'm really learning what it is to be consistent. 

It is so wonderful though, having children. I am so blessed that God has enabled us with the privlege for me to stay home with them. Its the hardest but most fulfilling job I have ever had. I love the smiles and the laughter and watching them learn, and grow. I love folding tiny baby clothes. I love when Judah looks and me with a huge smile having cookie smeared all over his face. I love reading to them and having Judah point at every animal he see's in his books. I love hearing Asher's laugh and when he looks up and smiles. I love watching Asher wiggle all around on the ground. He is so busy. I love watching Judah dance and hearing him trying to sing his one note song. I love bath time even though it can go forever!! There are so many other things that I love I really can't think of them all! And I know that someday I will look back and miss these days so much. I really am enjoying them, when I'm not feeling totally crazy. And even though I feel crazy right now with just two. I don't think we are quite done yet.