MAKE MINE BLUE

I did it!

2011-07-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

*If you are looking for my DIY 4th of July project round up, go here !*

I have had this shirt saved in my bookmarks for months, maybe even a year. I was delaying in trying it because quite frankly, I was afraid I would fail and it would look horrible. I'd never sewn a shirt that involved a neckline or sleeves before. But, I finally sucked it up and made it. I sat down at my coffee table, put on The Cosby's (which if you haven't seen it in a while, or ever, you must. And start at the beginning.) And guess what? I really love it!! It's super cute.

I'm in lalalove. That belt just adds a little 'mwah' to the outfit. Yes? Since I had to stay home this morning with a sick little baby, I had a few hours to sew in quiet, with just the voice of David Pawson teaching me about Jesus in the background. It's been a long time since I did that, and it was really relaxing.
Go make this shirt; you won't regret it! I'll probably knock out 2 or 3 more of these this week, maybe add some pockets, and then move on to my next project.
Yay!

I MOVED!

2010-09-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

Not ME really, but my blog. I moved it over to a different address. Same content though. If you are a follower, go here and click "follow" please! I'd love for you to join me there!

NEW BLOG

See you there! -Jenn

Make It Monday

2010-09-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

This may or may not be a new feature on my blog...we'll see how often I remember to do it! I'm going to try to post a tutorial every monday that I think is either super cute, very useful, or both. Here's the first one! This is one of my favorite websites. The author is incredibly witty, and I am inspired by her creativity every time I read her posts! I hope you enjoy.

Little Boy's Shirt out of Men's shirt from Made by Rae

When things get tough...

2010-09-07T07:12:00.001-07:00

Whenever I get discouraged or start going through a time in my life that I know I need enrougagement, these are the things/friends/sayings/pictures/whatever that help me remember and stay the course...

My favorite book of all time, God's living Word. No other thing is as life-giving as His promises.

My other favorite book. If you are a mom or a family member of a kiddo on the autism spectrum, this is an absolute must. I have read this book 3 times. I'm pretty much always reading it. It is full of encouragement and truths when I am in the midst of the world reminding me there's no hope.

The first time i read this book, I was on a self-inflicted retreat of solitude. I locked myself in my friend's guest bedroom for 3 days and read, prayed, slept, repeat. This book changed my life that weekend. Such a great picture of our journey with the Lord through all of the valleys, on the mountain tops, and in between. I think I'll re-read this one soon.

Not sure where I found this photo, but every time I look at it, I think about how God created this world with the eyes of an artist. Isn't it just so pretty?

Cheesy though it may be, it's true. :)

My Lora.

My Sooz.

My man.

My sis in law.

My Danni

And of course, my whole family! (need a good pic of all of us!)

There are so many other people, pictures, etc that I could post here. I am blessed, God really loves me alot.

Jenn

Thrift Store Finds!

2010-09-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the quality of photos, it's an overcast dreary day here. But I just had to show you what I got today at our local thrift shop for just $5!!! Seriously. Thats all! I always just happen to show up there when there's an amazing sale going on. Today it was 50% off of almost everything. Pretty sweet.

1. Fabric, some vintage containers (I'm a sucker for these kinds of things.), a sugar dish, and some really sweet vintage patterns!
2. a closer look at the awesome containers.
3. a really close look at my new sweet sugar dish. I have been using a smuckers peanut butter jar for ages, so I'm stoked to have this! Even if it doesn't totally (or at all) match my kitchen.

Yay!

Life has been crazy....

2010-09-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

...and my sweet husband knew it's been tough lately to keep up with the demands of being a mommy, wife and friend.

This is what I woke up to this morning.

He bought these at midnight last night on his way home from a very busy day.

Aren't they just beautiful? I love you, Joel. Thanks for making me feel like a million carnations.

life update!

2010-08-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys. I know I don't do much with this blog, but I like having it, so I try to keep it updated a few times a month. I'd love to do more with it, but there just isn't time! So, for now, I will try to satisfy with lots of photos of the latest happenings and maybe someday, I'll get to do more sweet stuff on here! Thanks for sticking with me :)

First, for an update. Haven has been home now for a month and honestly, the transition has not been difficult! Not only have people been helping like crazy, with food and babysitting, but Haven sleeps most of the day, so he honestly is not high maintenence! He doesn't sleep well at night yet, but that is to be expected for a newborn, and we're workin on it. Nothing too crazy yet, but I try to keep him awake a bit more during the day. Moms, you know that its hard to keep a newborn awake if they want to be sleeping! So, thats going as well as it could be. :) I'm too busy to notice how tired I am, and Joel helps as much as he can.
Sewing has been therapeutic for me, in a way. It makes me feel productive amidst a day of doing all the same things I do every day. Being a stay at home mom is not a glamorous job,and while there are plenty of joys involved, much of it can get tedious and often feels unproductive. Sometimes we dont see the fruit of our labors for weeks, months, or even years. So, sewing gives me some instant gratification and helps me feel like I'm contributing to the world in a more tangible and immediate way. Wierd? Maybe, but I'm in survival mode, so dont hate! And as a bonus, I listen to worship music during naptime while I sew, and can connect with God in a way that may not happen while I sew when the kids are up. I love God. Dont you?

The shop has been getting about 1 new item posted every day, so go over there and check it out. Lots of cute new bags.

As always, the proceeds go towards helping to pay for Ro's therapy and treatments.
We have lots of house projects that are in the queue but aren't happening due to recent developments with our van...we need one. A nice one. Our current Ford Windstar is about to bite the dust. So, all saved up finances will go towards that. Blah.
We still love our little cottage. 1200 sq. ft full of love doesn't feel that small.
I still miss my friends in SC and KC. You guys are forever in my heart and i think of you every day.
Rowan is doing awesome. He has a new therapist who is really great and loves him already (but of course we miss you too Emily!). He is entering a new season and we're excited to see what the Lord does. We still cling to the promise of healing for him. Some days it's hard to remember it. Well actually, most days it is. But God is good all the time. A quote from one of my recent favorite songs: "All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing...to worship."
Asher is 3 and fully potty trained, praise GOD! Pooping on the potty took a while, but he gets ice cream now when he does it, so the motivation is there. Him and Bella share a room, so its' pretty much a party until about 9 pm. It's ok though. Good to hear them laugh together. Ash starts preschool in a few weeks. He's fiercely social, so I'm really looking forward to seeing him thrive there!
Bella is almost 2 and testing the limits in every situation. She is teachable though, and loves structure. She acts like she doesn't, but she does. (dont we all? i mean, really. we do!). She is so cute. Her laugh brings everyone around her joy.

(Ro would have been in that photo but he was up in therapy)

Joel still loves his job. He is the lead developper for that website i linked to in the word "job". He's awesome. His boss is awesome. We are highly favored of the Lord.
And me.

(there's a baby in that sling. My friend Danielle gave me that sling and it's been a life saver! Mmmm....life savers...)
Well, I'm making it! Not cooking many meals for my hungry husband, but he's being patient with me as we get through this season. We eat, so we can't complain too much.
Thanks for reading. Love you all.

5 Things I love Friday - YoYo Edition

2010-08-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

30 Mixed Blue Yellow and Pink YoYo Embellishments

Yo-Yo purse

Vintage Yo-Yo Quilt

Yo-yo pillow cover

Chocolate Brown Beanie with Bright YoYo Fabric Flower

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

My first quilt!

2010-08-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

Looky what I did! I know. You're thinking that I make alot of blankets. But really, this is the first QUILT. I got the idea and pattern from here.

It was so fun! Very time consuming, but it turned out pretty well! I just love all the vintage fabrics. I used a bunch of my scraps up, which made me feel very good. Like I was recycling or something. I kind of was though, cuz lots of my scraps were old vintage bed sheets, thrifted clothing or just scraps of whatever fabric I had leftover. I put some low-loft batting inside and backed it with a plain white fabric. Then i did kind of a wonky pattern of straight lines across for the quilting.

I've been cutting and sewing stuff like crazy lately, and really loving it. I meet the Lord when I sew and create things. This blanket is up in the shop, along with lots of other new things, including handbags, a vintage mushroom thingy, and some hobo bags. All very cute, if i do say so myself. :) Here's a glimpse: What do you think??

5 Things I Love Friday - Patchwork Edition

2010-08-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Beachcomber Tiered Patchwork Skirt

Pink Patches, a child's patchwork duster

I Spy with my little eye Funny baby girl rag quilt

Plaid patchwork wallet

warm earthy collage wrist cuff

Look what I did!

2010-08-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

So, my sister-in-law and I were across the street from her house, looking at some leftovers from a yard sale that had been left by the side of the road, and I managed to pick up some clothes that I could repurpose. I've been looking at all these crafting blogs of people who make women's shirts into little girls' pants, mens dress shirts into little girls dresses, etc, and I got so inspired! I found this red shirt, and I made a skirt for Bella. I'm SO excited! It makes me happy to think I could get all of my kids clothes used, save the difference, and repurpose it! Take a look at the result, it is SO cute!

just a reminder...

2010-08-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

kitchen is almost done!

2010-08-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

sneak peak at the "after" photos

1. wall color and accessories
2. i made those curtains! Ikea fabric with some cute red rik-rak
3. a project about to begin...

Haven comes home. :)

2010-07-29T06:21:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Bella

2010-07-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Random shots from the last few weeks

2010-07-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

Update on H!

2010-06-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

Well, as any mom of a preemie knows, every day in the NICU is different. Some days they take steps back, some days they take steps forward. In the past few days, H has been doing great! Lots of steps forward! In a few days, he will be moving to a crib and drinking from a bottle! The bottle part makes me happy because that means he'll get held every 3 hours. That makes me so happy, because I can only be there to hold him for a very short time every few days.
I didnt realize how hard this would be, but I just long for him. My heart longs to have him home and watch him grow. But at the same time, I would never want to bring him home before he's ready. To be anxious all the time, wondering if he was going to stop breathing for a moment, or if his little head was leaning too far forward...that would be too much. I am so incredibly thankful for the amazing nurses at the NICU. They take such care and love what they do. For real.
The NICU has several different rooms, labeled A-H, A being the most intensive care and H being the least. Haven is in room F!
I love my life. I love my kids. I love my friends. I can't wait for this weekend, to spend time with friends who are visiting from very far away (TOO far if you ask me!) and family and eat yummy foods together.
Enjoy your life!
Jenn

The whole story....that I can remember

2010-06-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I am in the hospital right now after delivering my 4th baby via emergency c-section. I'm just online right now to post a quick update on what happened! I dont remember as much as Joel does, but here's what I can recall:

Haven Joel was born on June 6th at 11:00 Pm at Crouse hospital in Syracause! He was born at 3 lbs 5 oz. and is healthy and happy. On Saturday night at 2:30 AM, I woke with a splitting headache that no pain pill would touch. After trying to cope for the morning, my mother in law whisked me off to the ER, which thankfully is only about 1 mile from our home. When I got there, the headache was so severe that I couldn't see straight and was almost totally blind. Being 7 months pregnant, i just assumed it was a bad migraine and they'd give me some really good pain meds and I'd be on my way. Not so! Turns out, it was severe pre-eclempsia, which I'm still not exactly clear on what it is, but I know that my brain had swelling and fluid in it, hence the pressure on my eyes and the blindness. They decided of course to do an emergency c-section, and had to transfer me to this hospital. I don't remember anything past this point except for a few blurry moments for the next few days. I never even felt them put the spinal block in. I did go into a shock a bit after the surgery, shaking for about 4-5 hours I think.

All in the midst of this, my husband was a tower of strength. I can't even imagine watching while your wife and child could possibly be dying. He drew upon the Lord's strength the whole time and kept me from completely freaking out. I love him.

After the surgery, they put me on magnesium citrate, which is a pretty crazy medicine that prevents seizures and keeps blood pressure down. It also made me sleep for 2 days, which I'm sure I needed but was no fun! Visitors came, and since i was still mostly blind and mostly asleep, I just laid there and listened to them chat. It was wonderful to hear all the love. I had every single person on earth that knew me praying for me, i think, which i didnt know until i was able to get on facebook a few days later after regaining my sight. I cant' even tell you how overwhelming it was to see how many people care. I love you all so much.

After they took me off the mag cit, my blood pressure started to normalize, but then started to creep up again over the next 24 hours. So as of now, I'm still on the high risk floor but they've normalized the bp and are hoping to move me downstairs. Haven Joel is going extremely well up in the NICU. I get to go hold him for the first time this afternoon!! Can't even wait.

Alright, if anyone wants any more details, feel free to ask! Joel remembers alot more than i do. Love to you all!

jenn

Looky here.

2010-05-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Look. I painted my nails. This hasn't happened in years. And it probably wont happen again for many more, so enjoy. :)

5 Things I Love Friday - happy floral time!

2010-05-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

**EDIT*** I was featured on a blog today!! www.iamthatlady.com Go check it out for amazingly helpful couponing and money saving ideas and tips!! ***

My friend Lora does her 5 Things Friday's by listing things from Etsy that she's found in a certain theme, and I love that idea! I love supporting handmade artists, so in honor of that sentiment, I am going to totally copy Lora. :)

I chose a summertime theme today, with lots of florals and fun summer-ish things, since it's just about to really kick into summer here in NY and me and my kids are LOVING it. Check these out, and go to their shops by just clicking on the item description above the photo!

Summer Sunflower Apron Knot Dress- by Kissing Kumquats

DIY Childrens Dress Kit... south beach ruffled parisian

Light Pink Peony Flower Clippie with Light Pink Crocheted Headband and Hot Pink Peony Flower Clippie with Hot Pink Crocheted Headband

Floral of Black and Chrome Yellow - Full Apron - with Fully Adjustable Ties

Vintage Bath Towel - Retro Spring Flowers

Go check out all these shops and enjoy the gorgeous items they have to offer!! Have a great Friday, friends!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

And we have a winner....!

2010-05-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to affectioknit for winning my giveaway! I picked a number using a random number generator and voila! The lucky winner!

Thanks to all who played, and thank you for all of your sweet comments! They've helped me in deciding how to continue with my shop, what products are most in demand, etc. And they all made me smile, every single one! Thank you again. Bless you all! Hope you had fun with the Sew Mama Sew giveaway day!

Jenn

GIVEAWAY DAY!!

2010-05-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

Yay!! One of my favorite crafting websites, sewmamasew, is hosting a Giveaway Day!! This morning at 9 AM, they posted a gigantic list of hundreds of blogs that will be having giveaways of handmade items and crafting supplies! Very exciting... And all you have to do is leave a comment on those blogs to enter to win!

You can also leave a comment on mine to win your choice of these two bags plus this bonus scrap pack from my shop! And here's how:
(and if you win, you will also receive 60% off of the item you commented about! see instructions below)

Here's how to play!

1. Go to my etsy shop and take a peek. Then come back here and comment on this post about the item you like the best! I'd love to get your opinions, my blog friends!

2. If you want a second entry, post about this giveaway on your own blog and link to my blog. Leave another comment to let me know!

It's easy!!!

(oh, and make sure you leave your email address on your comment so i can reach you if you win!)

I am going to pick a winner at random on May 20th and announce the winner here on my blog, as well as sending an email to the lucky person! Have fun and thanks for participating!

Pssst....there's gonna be a giveaway!

2010-05-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

Sunday night, or monday morning, (depending on when I have 4 seconds to post another blog!), I'll be posting a link to an AMAZING Giveaway day that my favorite sewing site, SewMamaSew, is hosting.

Not only will I be giving away one of my handmade items, but if you go to the SewMamaSew link i'll be providing, you can click on HUNDREDS of other blogs and enter to win tons more handmade items for all over the world! And all it will take is you looking at people's cute handmade stuff and telling them why you like it. Seriously, SO Much fun!

You won't want to miss it. Check back tomorrow night or Monday morning for more details....:)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

And here it is!...

2010-04-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

The new section in the shop!! Here's a few pictures of the new product that I'm making, and I'm LOVING making these. Just dreaming up what color schemes to go with, what the design of their future rooms are...I love dreaming about fabric. Have I mentioned that? Check it out...

And those are only a few!
Also you guys, I've designed my own bag. It's pretty similar to the ones I usually make, but I feel a sense of ownership with this one and it makes me even more excited to sew them! Right now, they're made mostly with the cutest vintage fabrics I can find, as vintage is also one of my latest obsessions. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!

So? Whats the verdict? As you guys know, the money i make from the stuff I sell in my shop goes directly to helping to pay for my son's therapy, so I gotta know: Do you guys think this stuff will sell??

In other news, guess what? I'm 26 weeks along! I can't even believe it. Pretty soon, I'll be meeting this new little guy face to face. and I can't wait. It's amazing the way I can feel him moving and dancing inside me, but I can't see him. Every pregnancy, it amazes me.

We are stumped on a boy's name. I'm going to do something I don't normally do and ask you, the public: Any suggestions?

Jenn

Sorry...

2010-04-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

I know I have a habit of waiting way too long to update my blog. I guess I wait for something extremely exciting to write about and then, lo and behold, in the life of a SAHM, the 'exciting' things are few and far between. But I guess it depends on what your definition of exciting is! Cuz right here, in my next paragraph, I'm pretty excited about what I'ma say:

I'm launching a new section in my shop and streamlining a little! Out with some of the old, in with the super-duper awesome new goodness!

I won't say what it is yet, but the new product is extremely practical, and I'm using a bunch of expensive designer fabric so they'll be EXTRA sweet. So excited! I'll update the blog once the section has been added so you can all go check it out and tell me what you think.

In other news! I'm 24 weeks along. See?

Thats little Asher down there sipping his juice.
He popped in just as the little camera flashed. He's so cute!

And down below, my sweet Ro. Gosh, I love my kids.

As promised....after pics!

2010-04-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some 'before' and 'after' pictures of our dining room and living room in our new house. We are loving this house more every day. I'm having a blast doing whatever the heck i want with decorating! These two rooms are still not totally finished, as we dont have the curtains yet, but you'll get the idea. I'll post a couple more pictures once the rooms are totally done. Enjoy!

(The top two are of the living room, the second two are the dining room)

Update

2010-03-31T17:41:00.001-07:00

**Asher is back to his normal self! All of the cultures and tests came back negative, so apparently it was just a wierd virus! We are praying that the other kiddos don't get it too, but at least are prepared now should it happen. Thank you all for praying! My little guy is a real champ!**

...and we're in!

2010-03-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy to say that we are in our new house! I have some before pictures, but i wont be taking 'after' pictures until all the boxes are put away and the house looks like a home. We're actually over halfway done unpacking all the boxes. I know. I can't believe that either, but we just can't stand boxes being everywhere. So come back, because the next blog post will probably be pictures!

In other news, we've had a pretty interesting past few days. I'm not sure why it all had to happen at once, but on top of moving into our new house, Asher came down with a mysterious rash. Up until yesturday, we thought it was just a bunch of flea bites. Ya know, new house, stuff was in storage, blah blah. So we sprayed, cleaned, EVERYTHING. Next morning, he's covered in a rash. Literally, head to toe, covered. Looked like Elmo.

So I took him to the doctor and they hospitalized him immediately. The doctor feared meningitis, since some of the rash was purple (which in my opinon, is just from itching too much, but we'll see.) We got to the hospital and he got even more hives and rash just sitting and waiting for lab work to be taken. He had his blood drawn, a urine sample taken, AND a spinal tap. Yes you read that right. Can you believe that?! My poor little boy. I hope none of you ever have to do that.

He's been a real trooper. All the cultures seem to be coming back negative but we're still waiting on a few. I'm thinking its just a virus, but Lord, it's been hard to see him hurt! He's still at the hospital with Joel, probably coming home this afternoon with antibiotics, steroids, and lots of Benadryl. Praying he doesnt get the post-spinal-tap headache I've heard so much about. Eew.

I'm looking forward to getting settled in our new home with healthy kids who can enjoy it. Ro and Bella took the transition really great.

I'll keep you posted on the pics, and Ash's results from the tests.

For your amusement, here's a picture of what I look like after a full day and night at the hospital with no brush, toothebrush, change of clothes, or make-up.

Dont laugh too hard.

Can somebody say HOUSE?!

2010-03-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

We are moving into our new house this weekend! I'm telling you:

I Can. Not. Wait.

We close on Thursday, paint and move stuff in Friday, unload the storage unit Saturday and voila, we're in our new home! So excited. I will post before/after pictures for sure, so check back for those.

Aren't you excited?
There's alot to do before we can move in. Lots of little bits of packing (make sense?), cleaning the rooms we've been using at the in-laws, phone calls to make about utilities, bank accounts, address change, etc. But guess what? I'm not even stressed because my excitement takes over and all i can think about is, 'YAY!".

Ok, you'll hear from me in a few days, maybe next week. :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - 18 weeks

2010-03-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

5 things I love Friday!

2010-03-05T10:45:00.000-08:00

1. ramen noodles. yes you heard me; i'm out of college and i STILL love them. (I'm eating them right now as I type this.)

2. Hearing Rowan learn his colors, shapes, numbers, ABC's, animals and animal sounds. He knows them ALL!!

3. getting our car fixed. It sounds like an amazingly new car now. New muffler and tailpipes ROCK.

4. Dwight Schrute. Need i say more.

5. my husband. Just because.

Wordless Wednesday (almost)

2010-03-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

(sneak peak at my new house. 'Before' picture of our dining room!)

renewed motivation

2010-03-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

It seems as though when the sun comes out, my motivation to be productive returns. And boy am I thankful, I was in quite the creative rut! My shop went over a month without being updated, poor thing. Well friends, the day has come. There are 2 new cute bags in my shop, and a cute little baby blanket on it's way! And to top that off, my husband gave me a bit of our tax return and blessed me to go buy DESIGNER fabric online! I'm waiting by the mailbox. I dont know if I'll actually be able to sew anything because I think I'll just want to look at it all the time. There's just something about designer fabric. The good news is, once I get up the courage to cut into it, you all will have a feast for your eyes. :-)

Here's my two new bags: forgive the pictures for the pink one. I only had the camera on my phone to work with.

They're cute, right? It's hard to sell the cute things I make, but I always hope they go on to really bless someone else.

Moving date is coming soon. Do you know what that means?! That means that in less than a month, I will have my own craft area, in my own house! In case you dont know, Joel and I have never owned a home. Nor have we ever lived alone. We're pretty psyched. Pray that stuff keeps going smoothely.

have a good tuesday!

2010-02-25T06:45:00.000-08:00

I saw this on my new favorite blog (www.joyshope.com) and decided to steal the idea! In case you've ever wondered any random trivia about me, this is your dream come true. :)

4 Jobs I have had:

1. McDonalds (dont judge. i was in high school).

2. Ticket counter at a gated community. (Got to work with friends, sit on my rear and read or crochet most of the time. miss it.)

3. Work Study at my college admissions office. (believe it or not, least favorite job. dont miss it)

4. Catering. (dont miss that either.)

4 Movies I have watched more than once:

(Not counting the ones my kids have watched over and over.)

1.Sleepless in Seattle - my all time favorite

2. Emma (The Gwyneth Paltrow one)

3. Lady and the Tramp. (it was my 'fall asleep to' movie in college.)

4. K-Pax. (not necessarily my fave but the hubby loves it! and we own it. cheap and easy)

4 T.V. Shows I cannot miss

1. The Office (i watch on hulu)

2. Lost (Totally love it, totally hate it. Totally addicted to attempting to figure anything out.)

3. Psych (makes me laugh!)

4.Monk, when it was on. My all time favorite show.

4 People who email me regularly:

1. Susanna, my dear friend who lives a bazillion miles away.

2. Lora, my other dear friend who lives on the same street as Susanna, a billion miles away.

3. My sisters. My other dear friends.

4. danni, my other dear friend who lives in the same city as 1 and 2, a bazillion miles away.

4 Places I have been:

1. Wales. Choir trip. I LOVED IT. if you ahve the chance, go there. So beautiful.

2. Scotland. Choir trip. Go there too. The other most beautiful place I've ever been. Greenest green you'll ever see.

3. Brazil. missions trip at an orphanage. The water off the coast is SOOOO blue. If i could paint my house that color, i'd be happy all the time.

4. Canada. Another really beautiful place once you get past Toronto. :-)

4 Favorite Foods

(keep in mind I'm pregnant.)

1. Pringles

2. Fast food

3. any kind of pesto

4. Lo-mein

4 Places I would like to visit

1. I want to go back to Wales!

2. Italy

3. New Zealand (but no thanks on the long plane ride.)

4. Hawaii. I need a beach.

4 Things I am looking forward to this year

1. moving into my new house!

2. Getting a tiny bit more organized.

3. Crafting in my new craft space

4. welcoming pumpkin #4 into our family!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

5 things I love Friday!

2010-02-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

Today I picked 5 of my favorite websites that always make me happy to visit! Enjoy!

1. www.eagerhands.etsy.com Lora's shop of vintage goodies. Go see it!

2. www.kellylangston.com Her son has autism and she believes the Lord for good good things! She also wrote an amazing book that changed my life and she gave it to me for free!

3. www.laurengreutman.blogspot.com My sis-in-laws blog. I love her updates even though she lives 5 minutes down the road.

4. www.peopleonahill.org Our dear friend Ryan's blog

5. www.bhg.com Better Homes and Gardens, I'm obsessed with decorating just a little.

the Lord has heard my prayers...

2010-02-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

and we are buying a house!! :-) A cute little 1300 sqaure foot cottage on the West side of Oswego. I can't wait!!! I'll be posting some before/after pictures as soon as we move in. All of the paperwork is with the bank, we are just waiting on the letter of commitment from them, and then we should know approximately when we are closing. Should be mid-late March. Needless to say, for those of you who know me, I am constantly dreaming about paint colors, decorating ideas, clever ways to store things, and furniture arrangements. I wake up in the night and can't go back to sleep because all I can think is "should i paint the living room light blue, light gray, or light turqoise?" AH! Cant wait to make it a reality.
Here are a few of the ways in which the Lord worked all this out:
1. The seller was asking $66,000 and they accepted our offer of $57,500!
2. The inspection found some plumbing issues, and the seller agreed to pay for the entire thing
3. The garage is huge, heated and insulated, with room for a tool space AND office/guest room!
4. There are 3 bedrooms and a 4th tiny little room that will be a nursery.

Also, we learned that our tax refund will be enough to cover closing costs and the down payment. It all fell into place, I just had to be patient. :-) Go figure?!

I know, i know. You are all just sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for photos. Well, hold your britches! The pictures will come when we close on the house. In the meantime, pray that everything continues to move along smoothely.

My camera charger is somewhere in storage, so for now, an oldie but goodie of my cute kid and hubby:

5 things I Love Friday

2010-02-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

1. spending gift cards on things you KNOW you are going to use!! Got to go to Joanns today and get a yard of every single fabric i wanted!

2. the fact that i'll be moving in to my OWN HOUSE next month!! Thats right, we are buying a house!!

3. Cheddar Cheese pringles. I could eat a whole can by myself. Seriously.

4. talking to my closest friends who still live 14 hours away. Lora, Danni and Sooz you guys are so precious to me

5. the Lord. He is the lifter of my head!!

MB-12

2010-01-28T05:27:00.000-08:00

I realized I haven't posted a Rowan update in a long time, so here it is:

We've started his in-home ABA therapy. I think we actually started this over a month ago but I am not sure I've written about it yet. Things have been absolutely crazy since moving back to Oswego. I don't feel settled AT ALL yet, but am determined to do what's best for Rowan amidst the unsettled-ness. So, he has 2 therapists right now that come 8 hours/week. Totally not enough hours. We are supposed to be giving him a minimum of 25 hours/week but people, it is so expensive! If only we could make money grow on that big maple in the back yard. And the state refuses to pay for a single bit of it. Maddening. Dont get me started!
So his therapy is going well. He loves his therapists, Mary and Emily. And they love him too. He doesn't give them the easiest time, but they're patient and determined. I am so thankful for them. Right now he is working on gross motor imitation, things like "clap your hands" or "tap the table", etc. Also, he's working on asking for things, pointing, simple t hings like that. It pains me to know that he's working on things that most 2 year olds can already do without needing any help. But alas, this is life right now. Can't focus on the pain right?!
We've started doing MB-12 shots, hence the title of this post. MB-12 is a vitamin that many kids with autism are deficient in. Here's a little synopsis for those interested:
"B12 (cobalamin) is a vitamin “family” with five unique family members that each do different things: a) cyanocobalamin; b) hydroxycobalamin; c) adenosylcobalamin; d) glutathionylcobalamin; e) methylcobalamin. Out of the B12 family, only Methyl-B12 has the ability to activate the methionine/homocysteine biochemical pathway directly. It is this pathway that is responsible for the body’s entire sulfur-based detoxification system. It is this pathway that is responsible for the formation of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the universal methyl donor. It is this pathway that is responsible for the formation of homocysteine, the “crossroads” molecule that is responsible either to reform methionine and SAMe or create cysteine, taurine, and glutathione. Glutathione is the body’s primary intracellular antioxidant and is responsible for many detoxification reactions, most notably those that involve the binding and removal of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, tin, antimony, and many other lesser-known heavy metals that also bind to glutathione’s sulfur group."
Anyway, we are seeing one major negative side-effect: disrupted sleep. he's waking up as early as 4:30 and not going back to bed. There is no way i'm getting up at 4:30, so he just plays in his room until i get him up. I am really hoping this side effect goes away in the next month, 2 at the most because he's a grouch!! Most people say it does diminish. I'll keep you posted.
On other news, Asher and Bella are doing amazingly. They love life, you can tell. Asher is happy as a clam and pretty hilarious. One of these days I'll post a video. And Bella Rose is such a joy, but oh my, a climber. I can't keep her off of the dining room table! I'm praying she doesn't get hurt. Yikes!
As for my pregnancy, I'm doing ok. I'm a freaking emotional mess though. Can't seem to control it. I'd like to say I have mood swings, but its not even that. I'm perpetually grouchy and I hate it. Pray for me! Other than that, the pregnancy seems to be going fine. :-)

5 Things I love Friday! (on Saturday hee hee!)

2010-01-23T18:04:00.000-08:00

1. the Food Network. I love it TOO much. Way too much.

2. Reading in bed. I love going to bed early and just reading until my eyes get tired.

3. Feeling the Lord move on my heart. Every week at my church I feel the Spirit and I just never get sick of it!

4. Friends who care and check up on me when they know I've been having a tough time. I love my dear friends.

5. When Joel takes out the garbage. And when he takes over cooking dinner because he knows it's making me nauseous. He loves me.

Bonus thought: When I get my own house, I would love to make my bedroom look something like this. Ecclectic and really fun!! I love love love the colors on the bed.

5 things I Love Friday

2010-01-15T05:11:00.000-08:00

1. talking with friends, far and near. Rachael, Lauren, Sooz, Lora and Danni, to be precise!

2. Gilmore Girls. Their wit cracks me up and makes me laugh out loud! I need that nowadays amidst my moody-ness!

3. A happy husband. We put an offer in on a house yesturday (still waiting to hear!) and he's like a giddy school boy with excitement.

4. Little Debbie blueberry muffins, oatmeal cream cookies and Cheddar Cheese pringles. Cravings? Yes. And I love every bite!

5. living so close to our families. The knowledge that we can hop in the van and drive a few hours to go see my family makes me so very happy!

Yikes!

2010-01-05T05:16:00.000-08:00

It has been a pretty long time, sorry!! Things have been NUTSO here. Christmas, New Years, and then getting sick have made life pretty hectic, but things are starting to normalize again. We spent Christmas Eve here in Oswego with the Greutman family and much fun was had by all. We opened lots of presents, ate yummy home-made cinammon rolls and frosted cookies. I got a beautiful new winter jacket from my hubby and some other very nice gifts from the rest of the family! My kids got REALLY Blessed with toys and books and everything they could want. Bella has a new baby doll and she loves her to pieces!
Christmas Day we drove 3.5 hours down to my parents house and saw almost the whole family! Sadly my big sis Laurel couldn't make it up this year, we missed her. But seeing the rest of my family was wonderful. Their company was like a breath of fresh air to me, as it had been a LONG time since I'd spent any quality time with them! Especially my siblings. We have alot of fun when we get together. And of course, we all got blessed with some awesome gifts too. :-)
New Years Eve was spent here with more family and we loved it! We ate amazing steaks and potatoes and had great conversation and game time. Catan still isn't old to me yet, even after playing it for 7 years nearly every week!
Rowans therapy started a few weeks ago and right now, he's just getting to know the therapists. So far, so good! More updates on Rowan to come soon...Bless you all!

Jenn

pictures of our late happenings

2009-12-17T05:44:00.000-08:00

The first photo is with me, Aunt Amy, and Bella, who is wearing the cutest hat on earth, made by my mom. Find hats as cute as this at www.atouchofheaven.etsy.com. The second photo is me and Asher, the third is of us going Christmas tree shopping!! And the last one is Bella's first birthday party. I was in denial for about 2 weeks!! I can't even believe she's a year already!
And yes, you all guessed what my insanely clever picture from a few posts ago was!!! I am about 6 weeks along with baby #4!! Pray for a good, healthy, non-morning-sickness pregnancy for me and grace for my kiddos as they deal with a moody mommy. :-)

Bless you guys!

5 things I love Friday!

2009-12-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

1. Watching the IHOP webstream. Many days I forget that it's there and when I remember, it is like a kiss from God!

2. Watching episodes of Monk, the Office and Gilmore Girls on hulu. The only 3 shows I could watch over and over again and laugh every time at all the same jokes. (ok, the office can be off color, but when it's not, it is flippin hilarious!)

3. Selling things in my shop (hint hint.)

4. A good book. I just finished the most informative book about autism that I've read to date!

5. the Bible, since we're talking about books. :-) I just started reading through it again. Just. I'm on chapter 2 in Genesis. Love it!

Bonus photos!: 2 of my newest creations in my shop

dont you just love the elephant on that blanket?!

i absolutely love the retro flowers on this diapers/wipes travel case. Tempted to keep this one for myself!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

Giveaway winner!!!

2009-12-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Bethany (http://creating4my4.blogspot.com) for winning the giveaway today! It was fun you guys! I'll definetly be doing it again. Bless you all, and be looking for a message from me on the blogs of those who entered!! :-)

Jenn

New Stuffs I makes.

2009-12-06T12:42:00.000-08:00

Attention friends! You have another 3 hours to enter the giveaway here and then at 6, I will draw a winner!!
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I started making a new kind of item: I go thrift shopping and fine nice, cute kids clothes. Then, I bring them home, wash them, and the sew on cute little animals or shapes that make it even CUTER! Then, I post them in my shop. :-) Here are a few examples of my latest obsesison! I tell ya, it feels dang good to make old things new again. And did I mention that they're CUTE!

These are just a few of the other things I've made lately. When motivation hits, I run a marathon with it till I burn out. Probably not the best way to do it, but it gets'er done!

Oh yeah, one more thing....Do you know what this is?!

5 things I Love Friday

2009-12-04T04:15:00.000-08:00

Hi all!! If you are looking for the post about the giveaway that I'm doing, it's here! If you haven't looked at it yet, its worth your while! I'm so excited to already have over 80 comments!!

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5 Things I love Friday:

1. Fresh motivation to sew! I just got a burst of it yesturday and got a TON done! Christmas presents, orders, etsy shop listings. I LOVE being productive!
2. My sister-in-law, Lauren. She is such an amazing mother, wife and friend. I love being together and going through life struggles with each other. She is a priceless treasure!!
3. Remembering good times. Every time I talk about fun things from the past, I get a renewed love for those people that they happened with.
4. Frosted Mini-Wheats. Who DOESNT love them?!
5. House-hunting. It may annoy some people, but i LOVE the process of learning what I can live with, without, change, etc. I get inspired thinking about home projects! I've read alot of DIY magazines. :-)

Random photo of the day: My doodle.

Yes! It's a Giveaway!!

2009-11-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday, December 2nd, one of my favorite crafting websites, sewmamasew, is hosting a Giveaway Day!! They will be posting a gigantic list on that day of hundreds of blogs that will be having giveaways of handmade items and crafting supplies! Very exciting... And all you have to do is leave a comment on those blogs to enter to win!

You can also leave a comment on mine, and here's how:
Win this cute handbag from my shop! (and if you win, you will also receive 60% off of the item you commented about! see instructions below)

Here's how to play!

1. Go to my etsy shop and take a peek. Then come back here and comment on this post about the item you like the best! I'd love to get your opinions, my blog friends!

2. If you want a second entry, post about this giveaway on your own blog and link to my blog. Leave another comment to let me know!

It's easy!!!

(oh, and make sure you leave your email address on your comment so i can reach you if you win!)

I am going to pick a winner at random on December 6th. Have fun and thanks for participating! And a shout out to my wonderful friend, Lora at Eagerhands for the idea!

5 things I am thankful for!

2009-11-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

1. my kids. every one of them is special and unique! (is that redundant? i dont care, its true!)

2. how asher says "Sa-mi-yo!" when I go to take a picture of him

3. Bella's suprise face. Check out my pictures in the past few posts...

4. Blue's Clues. Some days, Steve is my best friend.

5. God's mercy on me when I lose my patience. He'll never give me more than I can handle! (RIGHT?!) :)

Bonus: yummy thanksgiving days with family. nothing beats being together.

The Ro

2009-11-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

He likes Photo Booth. :-)

i'm in a pickle...

2009-11-23T05:28:00.000-08:00

Here's the current dilemma:
As i've mentioned in the past, we are pursuing in-home ABA therapy for RoMo. So far, we actually have several therapists and a supervisor lined up to do the program, but we only have the funds to provide about 8 hours a week for him. So, for now, we are considering half-day preschool. Now, here lies the pickle:

The pre-school is at least 20 minutes away, which means at least 1.4 hours of driving for me every day, since i pretty much know Rowan will not do well on the bus. (us moms know our kids!). It sounds like an ok program, except that he wont be getting much 1:1 attention, its not ABA, and the amount of driving for me pretty much negates the whole joy of having alone time with my other two kiddos.

My other option that the school district offers is 1.5 hours/day of in-home services. That is sounding really good to me right now! We already have one therapist lined up to do 3 hours/day of ABA, so that would make 4.5 hours/day of therapy at home for Ro! That seems to fit Rowan's needs better than the preschool that only kinda fits.

Honestly, the main draw for me was this: Ro would be out of the house for 3 hours. You moms know what i mean! When you have a high-maintenace child, the thought of them being under someone else's roof for a few hours a day is highly appealing! And I thought it might be good for him, but now i'm wondering if it'd actually be better NOT to do that. And the more I think about it, the more i realize that I'd really miss him.

So, in an effort to do whats best for Rowan, not ME, :-) I think that Joel and I have decided instead to keep Ro home and better prepare him to go to preschool by doing as much 1:1 ABA as possible.

The kicker here for me was that I don't feel a peace from God for sending him to preschool, and i really wish i did!! My good friend Liz always says "Let peace be your referree". So, Holy Spirit, you got me on this one.

I'll keep you posted on if anything changes.

PS This photo is in case you've forgotten what a good-looking husband I have.

Not-So-Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-18T06:14:00.000-08:00

(more to come soon...)

Me and Bella at my sister's house in Texas! We visited for a few days last month. It was an awesome time! Good sisterly bonding, lots of relaxing (can you say Gilmore Girls and The Duggars!). Bella had fun with Aunt Laurel's dogs. She loves barking at all dogs now! It's very cute. She's awesome.

Bella having fun playing out on the deck. Look how cute my daughter is! They don't come any cuter.

A huge tree was cut down and Asher loves the mulch. What kid wouldnt?!

Love photobooth! Asher likes to say "Sa-mile!"

My new product in my shop: scrap packs and fabric bundles! Just one of the many new things coming.... check it out! www.makemineblue.etsy.com!

quick update!

2009-10-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

We made it ot NY! My friend Danielle drove up with me and the kiddos last night and we arrived at 1 AM. Let me tell you, that last 3 hours was torture! But we made it and everyone is alive and in one piece.
We are living with Joels' parents until a house comes on the market that suits our needs. The kiddos are having a blast hanging out with their cousin Andrew. I know that they're going to miss their friends in SC, just like we do.
It has been very hard leaving our house on Durand, and our friends there. I already miss them all terribly. It was so difficult saying goodbye to the house that our children ALL took their first steps in, first words, first teeth, birthdays, holidays, etc. Lots of sweet memories. Thank God for photos and videos!!
Off for now, pretty tired and did i ever tell you i HATE halloween? well, i do. More updates soon!

Jenn

Crazy October!

2009-10-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Joel and I celebrated our 6th anniversary on the 4th. How sweet is that! 6 whole years. I really do have the best man on earth. On our anniversary, it was a pleasant surprise to have Ben, Joels brother in town, so we all went out to Red Bowl (our favorite Chinese restaurant in town here). It was great. We love Ben! Then about a week after that, we learned of our moving date. Ready? Drum roll please....

October 30th!! That is next week, people!

Can you believe it? I can't. It's coming very quickly! I've been packing like crazy, hence the post title. We've accumulated more stuff than I thought in the last 4 years of being here in Fort Mill. Which doesn't bother me, except that its alot to pack. And get this: tomorrow, I go to Texas with Bella Rose to visit my sister Laurel! We've been planning the trip since July, and we've both been looking forward to it very much. So it looks like i get to squeeze in a little vacation before we move! My first, and probably only for severeal years, vacation with just me and Bella!

So, please pray for us in the next few weeks. We have alot of mixed emotions about moving, as we are leaving many people we've come to love so dearly in the last 4 years of being here, and our closest friends that we've lived either with or near for the past 5.5 years. There is no way to put into words the sadness in our hearts thinking of leaving all of these precious people, but we know the Lord is leading us in this next season, and everything He does is good, for EVERYONE! But pray for our hearts, that we feel him in the midst of all the crazy-ness.

On the other hand, and a more positive note, we are SO looking forward to being with family and friends in NY. We'll be living with Joel's parents until we find a house. We know it is going to be really good and can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for us there! We really feel like Rowan is going to thrive there and the kids are going to really love being with their grandparents, and Aunt Lauren, Uncle Mark, and their cousins Andrew and Hannah. Yay!

(a photo from last years' one day of snow here in Charlotte. a snapshot of what our future holds!)

I will update sometime soon about TX and then our move...stay tuned!

Bless you!

post-trip recovery

2009-10-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic time in NY with our friends and family. We got revved up for moving there too. The weather this time of year up there is chilly but pleasant, and you can just smell the fall scent. I love it. It smells like leaves. If you haven't had the pleasure of enjoying this season in the north, i strongly recommend it!
The first few days, we spent in my hometown, Westfield, for Betsy and Andy's wedding. It was absolutely beautiful and perfect. My sisters and Cait (my brother's sweet girlfriend) sang a few songs in the ceremony, and let me tell you, that was such an honor. Here are some photos from the day from Cait's camera:

the beautiful bride herself, getting ready to see her man

i stole cait's camera and got a couple of sister shots

father of the bride holding Bella, the flower girl

The bride and groom sharing a moment. They're awesome!

While in Westfield, we stayed at this really great inn-type place. Like an old fancy bed and breakfast, only no breakfast. It was so cool. The boys had their own room, and we shared one with Bella. When we weren't there, we were playing in the church nursery or running around the park. While Joel graciously agreed to stay with sleeping kids, I helped my family with set up and clean up. It was too short of a time, but still it was a good time!
The second half of the trip was spent in Oswego, the town we will soon be moving to. We did alot of sitting around, visited with good friends, checked out some houses, and got pre-approved for a mortgage(!). All in all, a wonderful trip. But get this! On our way back to SC, the van broke down while driving 70 mps down route 81 in PA. Yeah. The power just stopped. No dash, radio, lights, windows, etc. Turns out it was the alternator, which of course Joel knew but was confirmed by his dad. The Lord got us all the way off of an exit and to a McDonalds (so the kids could eat and not totally freak out the whole time. Thanks for that, God!). Here's how the next few minutes went:
We complained alot while pulling off the road.
Parked. I went in to get food.
Joel went up to this guy and asked where an auto parts store was. Next is the abridged conversation:
"Sir, can you tell me where an auto parts store is?"
"Sure. How about I take you there, you buy your alternator, and I'll bring you back. Then, after that, you can use all the tools in the back of my truck to put it in. Then how about after that, I give your car a jump and then wait with you to make sure its all working right?"
"Uhm, OK!"
Definetely God ordained. I just love when He does that stuff! I could have done without Asher throwing up 3 times, but whatever. It's life.
Now we're back, and me and Bella are getting over a cold. Ro is back in school and loving it. I have a Ro update too, but I'll have to do that another time.
Here's some photos from our time in Oswego

Vacation here we come!

2009-09-22T03:44:00.000-07:00

In a couple of days, we're traveling up to NY for my beautiful sister, Betsy's, wedding! We'll be up there for a week or more visiting family and possibly even house hunting. I am SO ready for this vacation. There is nothing like being with the grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
Our house went on the market yesturday. It was bittersweet for me. I love my friends here. I love my neighborhood. I dont necessarily love living in suburbia, but thats trumped by the amazing people who I share this suburbia with.
Joel and I made a decision the other day. I know I mentioned before that Rowan is going to start in-home ABA therapy as soon as possible. Well, right now, in our current living situation (meaning, our rent payment is freakin huge), we can't even come close to affording the cost of this therapy. We realized that when we move to NY, if we buy an inexpensive home, all of the extra money can go towards this therapy. Then it dawned on us: we have to go SOON. The sooner we go, the sooner we can start his therapy. It is incredibly frustrating knowing that there is something in existence that can help our son tremendously, but money is preventing it. If you all dont know, ABA therapy is the gold standard of therapy in the autism community, and ALWAYS helps. Always. It may not always recover a child with the diagnosis of autism, but it always always helps. The Lord spoke really clearly to my heart yesturday while I was praying and said that I am laying down my life for my son.

Man.

I never looked at it that way, and I certainly wouldn't say that I'm doing that. But HE said that. He said that all of the sacrifices we are making leaving here, leaving our closest friends and a home and church that we love, is an act of laying it all down for Rowan. He's worth it.

So, we are praying that this house would sell quickly for WAY more than it should, so that we can take that extra money and use it for a down-payment on a home in NY. God can do it.

One more thing: We will soon be starting to send out a newsletter with all of our Rowan updates, prayer requests, etc. If you want to receive that, just comment on this with your email address and i'll get in touch with you about where to mail it.

Love you all, thanks for bearing with us in this journey. Keep praying, our family needs grace in this time!

5 Things I love!

2009-09-11T12:00:00.001-07:00

1. Bella whistles all the time, and the face she makes is one of the cutest i've ever seen. priceless!

2. Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Forgot how good it was!

3. vacuuming. It is so gratifying.

4. Our friend from New Zealand, Phill, is visiting! We love having our friend visit us every year! His presence in our home is so sweet!

5. Talking with Asher about all sorts of things. He has such a wonderful voice and is so cute when he tells us things!

my boy is all grown up!

2009-09-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

on our way!

This is before he realized I wasn't going in with him. (yes i let him take his blanky the first day!)

Well, sort of!! He started pre-school yesturday. I can't even believe it. My first reality shock was when I had to get him sneakers to wear to preschool, and find a backpack. A BACKPACK! seriously?!

Luckily, I only cried a little when I dropped him off yesturday morning. He, on the other hand, did not only cry a little. He cried loudly, and then much throughout the morning. But the teacher, (who rowan already loves) said that when he did cry, it didnt' last long, so that is some consolation to me!

He is there from 8-11 am, 4 days a week. I think he is going to start loving it soon, as they do have a lot of fun. I'm very excited to see him grow and learn to do and say new things. And my time with the other kiddos in the mornings have been wonderful. I'm not much of a picture-taker, or I'd post more pictures of my amazing little munchkins. I know some people (Lora!) who include a picture in every post. Thats probably a good idea but I just dont think to take them! maybe someday I will.

My etsy shop has lots of super cute new bags listed. You should go see! I love these little vintage handbags. I will probalby keep one of them if they don't sell soon.

In house news, we recently staged the house and took photos for the realtor. I guess it's going up on the market sometime within the next couple weeks. Wow! We could be in NY any day now. Cant wait! I'm really looking forward to being up there again. Although, the weather and company down here as of late is truly delightful. I always get second thoughts when I think about the friends here whom i love so dearly. And as for the weather, this week it has truly begun to act like fall. Nice and cool in the mornings and stays relatively temperate all day! I haven't turned the AC on yet and it's almost 3 oclock. thats new!

Alright, time to go sneak a nap. Bless you all!

got me some bangs.

2009-08-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Lora told me to post a picture. :-)

and now for some shop-y stuff!

I got these quilt squares from Lora's shop (www.eagerhands.etsy.com). They came all cut and ready to sew!

My latest favorite bag; a simple little tote made from up-cycled vintage ticking and some wild green and white polka dot fabric!

i love being crafty...:-)

jenn

lots to consider right now...

2009-08-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

Man! I feel like I've got 2 full time jobs! Mommy, and independent researcher. There is SO much to learn about autism, recovery, treatments, therapies, supplements, etc. It's insane! Listen, if you guys want to know what we're going through, to relate or simply just understand, go to www.generationrescue.org or www.tacanow.org, two of my favorite websites. TACA has TONS of resources that i use alot.
anyway, right now we're trying to figure out how to move forward with therapy. His preschool offers speech therapy and occupational therapy, which is going to be so good for him. However, we've been feeling like there needs to be more one-on-one, intensive stuff. So the past few days, i've been looking into ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). This is the 'gold standard' for autism therapies. In one study that the founder of this therapy, Dr. Lovaas, conducted, 47% of the children who were in intensive ABA therapy shortly thereafter became mainstreamed in school without an aide and lost their diagnosis. Thats a big number, folks!
So, we're really trying to figure out how to make all this happen. The Lord has to provide the money to pay the therapists, as it can cost up to $30,000/year to do this. It's not covered by the government, although I am going to try to apply for a waiver. The waiting list for that is over a year though, so I wont count on it. It is actually infuriating to know that, although this is an EPIDEMIC, the government and most insurance companies simply will not pay for most treatment options. 1 in every 150 children have autism. 10 years ago, the number was 1 in every 10,000. That is simply not a genetic disorder, that is an environmental illness and for heavens sake, what is the world thinking by not trying to find the root cause!!

Ok, off the soap-box Jenn.

So pray for us, that we can get all of this worked out. From researching, I already know that Rowan is going to respond amazingly to this therapy. I am so excited to start it but have no idea how it's going to happen. And i dont want to waste any time! ya know?

On a non-Rowan-related note, I have been sewing like crazy! For some reason, my motivation level is WAY up there right now. So if you have a friend's birthday coming up, or a baby shower, let me know! I'd love to make you a custom bag, purse, blanket, whatever. Seriously. Its fun for me!

Bless you guys, and thanks for trekkin' this road with us.

Jenn

Looky what I made!

2009-08-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

Here's some new things I just made. I LOVE sewing things for people (especially and, actually, only when i'm motivated). I'm not sure why, but right now I have the motivation to get through my back orders of bags and nursing covers. Check out this super cute nursing cover!

The picture doesn't do the green justice. It is the juiciest lime green I've ever seen on a fabric! Just love it.

Next project on my list: a pillowcase dress. I have seen them made in lots of etsy shops and I'm really excited to try!

The other day, my good friend Lora was visiting, with her kids, for a playdate. She was trying to change her very squirmy 2 yr old daughters diaper and she said "Be still, I have to change you!" All of a sudden, she realized that that's what the Lord would say to us. Be still, He wants to change you! Isn't it great how mommy's can encounter the Lord and recieve revelation by changing poops?

:-) I love God. He's funny and He speaks, and sometimes He speaks funny. Poopy diapers can be prophetic!

ch ch changes!!

2009-08-16T11:25:00.001-07:00

I don't really know where to start his post, so I will just get to the point.

The Greutmans are moving back to NY! Thats right! Sometime within the next few months, we will be relocating to Oswego, NY. There are several things that led to this choice, but the thing that really made the decision for us was everything with Rowan. Let me expand:

When we learned that Rowan was autistic, and after we got over the initial shock, grief, and all other feelings that come with that, I quickly became faced with several new daunting realiztions. Among them was the realization that I was soon going to be thrown into the world of paperwork, meetings, appointments, testing, etc. and that I was very ill-prepared for such a task. I think that if Rowan were our only child, this task wouldn't be so daunting, but since I have 2 other little ones to care for, I really didn't know how all of this was going to happen. I began longing for the people that I knew would be willing to help at any cost: the grandparents. But, we still have Joel's brothers on the same street, and our dearest friends right next door, so I didn't doubt at all that we would have help and support around us.

2 months after Ro's diagnosis: Ben AND Mark both announce that their families are soon moving away! Ben to Kansas City and Mark to Oswego, NY. Now, if I wasn't already longing for the grandparents, this just put me over the top. I have always felt strongly about living near family, having the grandparents around to watch their grandkids grow. When Mark and Lauren made their plans to move, I knew it was time to seriously consider this, because let's get real here. I know alot of parents with autistic children can do this without the help of family, but if we DO have the opportunity to be near them, then by golly, I'm taking it!

It's not just that i know they'll help us, though. They will love my kids like nobody else can. We really feel like that is important in our lives right now. And on top of all of that, I long for the days of spending holidays with family, being a short car trip away from my own family, having gatherings at my home with them, taking weekend trips to my parents' house, waking up on Christmas morning with SNOW! ;) so many other things I'm looking forward to. I haven't lived near my family in almost 6 years. Maybe that's ok for some people, and necessary for some. I'm very excited about that not being the case anymore. I miss my sisters and brother alot!

Oswego has a special needs preschool right in town, and is near Syrcause, which is good for Joel's work. Although he'll be keeping the jobs he has now and working from home, it is good to be near a city where there are more opportunities. On top of that, Joels' mom is the new principal at the fantastic Christian school there, so when my kids get of age, they'll be attending there. It is hard to imagine my kids going to school, but the day will come!

To all of our Charlotte friends: Thinking about moving truly is bittersweet. We have had such an amazing 3 1/2 years here. The people we've grown close to, the lifetime friends we've made, our time with ZHOP, our church the Well; there's no way I'd change any of that for anything! This has been an amazing ride in South Carolina. We arrived here without any children (and are leaving with 3!), lived in a huge home, housed 20+ missionaries, worked at a House of Prayer full time, lived 8 feet away from our best friends, only a few meters away from family, made friendships that we know will never end, and most importantly, we experienced the Lord in so many new ways. I could sit here for a week trying to tell you everything else the Lord did for us here and it still wouldn't be enough time.

As for timing, we don't know when we'll be moving, although we are feeling like it will be sometime before January. We should know more about that in the next few weeks, but for now, we're just waiting on the Lord. Many things have to take place before that can happen, but I will keep you posted. Our main prayer request is that the Lord would make a way for our house to sell.

I'd list all of the other things that happened to get us to our decision, but then I'd feel like I'm explaining myself, and I dont need to do that. All you need to know is that we prayed. :-)

Bless you! Thanks for listening (reading). It's good to get that out in the open!

Jenn

2 things I love today! (its not friday but I can still love stuff!)

2009-08-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

my happy and fun kitchen

my beautiful baby girl

my boy

2009-08-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

As shown from my last post, I've been having a particularly rough time these past few weeks with my eldest son. Today, I realized that no matter what, I need to love Rowan how he is right now, in this very moment. Regardless of when the Lord lifts the fog, he is my son now, just the way he is. I can continue to contend for his recovery, and I will never give up until we see it. But it dawned on me that if I dont enjoy him as he is right now, I will have missed a million opportunities to enjoy him. So I sat down and wrote him a letter, since he can't really understand my words right now very well. Here is a piece of it:

"For Rowan:
I love the way you love to be wrestled.
I love how you laugh when I tickle your face with my hair.
I love how you crack up when I come to check on you before you fall alseep at night.
I love when you sit on my lap, look straight into my eyes and then squeeze me as tight as you can.
I love how playful you are.
I love that you love your Daddy.
I love your smile.
I love when you hug your little brother and sister simply because you want to.
I love that you love to jump.
I love that you never lie.

I will never stop loving you."

My son is so beautiful and wonderful. Pray for Joel and I, that we don't forget to be patient and longsuffering, loving our kids unconditionally at all times!

phew. hard day!

2009-08-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

Rowan starts preschool in a few weeks, and I am VERY excited about this for a few reasons! One, it is going to be so good for him to be around other kids his age, get speech therapy (since most of his frustration comes from lack of communication), and learn new things! Two, Asher and Bella will get more of my personal attention and I'm excited about that. Asher and Rowan play very differently, so it will be really good for Asher to get to do the things he always wants to do without Rowan giving him a hard time. And lastly, I think it will help my heart to have him out of the house for a few hours a day. Now don't go thinking that I dont want my son around, because I love him more than my own life! But if you're a mom, and more specifically a mom of an ASD kid, you understand that sometimes the hard things you deal with become overwhelming enough to send you off the deep end.

So, that is kind of where I was today. Right on the edge of the deep end. I could see the end of my rope very clearly but was determined not to get there. And I swore twice. (I'm human, give me a break!) Not AT my kids, mind you. If I ever do that, then I've clearly lost control and you are welcome to come over and send me to my room.

Once naptime came around, and I had a few hours to breathe and compose myself, I felt much better. The sanity break makes it much easier to deal with hard things again. I have more patience and kindness in my heart when I have had time to process and move on. I love my kids so much! Having Rowan, and Asher (who is 2.5 so you can imagine that he is a handful right now!), and Bella means that I don't have the option to sit around and be depressed or sad all the time. Yes, there is a time for that, but you deal with it and you move on. Dwelling on that stuff for too long wastes too much time and energy, and the Lord never intended our hearts to dwell on the negative things. You have to acknowledge it, mourn, grieve, be angry, but only for a short season and then you get up and at 'em.

I have to tell this to myself every day. Now it's time to steward what the Lord has put on my table! I still and will always pray for Rowans complete healing, and am doing all that I know how to do while that is in progress. Yesturday I told the Lord, "Ok, I am sending him to preschool, getting him speech therapy, he's eating special foods and taking vitamins, having tests done and so on, but I'm asking You to make up for the rest! If I could do it all, then I'd be You, and clearly I'm not!" He supplements what I am unable to provide here on earth. Obviously, he provides everything I listed anyways, but has entrusted me to carry it out. The great part is that in the end, He's the one who will do the miracle. Amen? Halleluyer.

Love,
Jenn

our trip to Lynchburg

2009-07-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Well, we took a day trip to Lynchburg, VA with our Robug. We went to see Dr. Mumper at the Rimand Center, (www.rimlandcenter.com) where we were hoping to get lots of encouragement and hope for treating Rowan and helping him come out of his fog. We were not disappointed! Here's a summary of the day:

We got up at 6, ate breakfast, and got on the road. Thanks Deb and Ed for letting us borrow your car, it was such a blessing! A very smoothe drive. It took us 3.5 hours to get there, but there was a suprising amount of grace on the trip. Rowan barely whined at all and we only had to use the DVD player for less than half the trip. Joel and I had some excellent conversation and quality time. I love car trips but only for that reason. Most of the time, travelling with young children doesn't feel worth it unless there's some good conversation!
We got there around 10:30 and had to wait 40 minutes to get in, but that was fine, because they have a little pond and a playground out back that we enjoyed until it was our turn. When we met with Dr. Mumper, she got to spend some time with Ro and see what she thought we might need to do next. She then ordered some tests to be done to specifically tailor his treatment plan to his particular needs. That was so great to hear! She doesn't want to just do general treatments that 'most kids on the spectrum respond to' but rather find out exactly how his body is working, what vitamins he needs, etc, and then work on that so that we are sure to see results. So coming up, we'll be doing urine, stool, and blood tests, and hopefully sometime next month we'll find out the results. Our prayers right now are that the tests would clearly point out what we need to fix and that it will be obvious and quick and easy.
Very exciting! It was well worth the 8 hours in the car. My friend Danni watched Bella all day and Ashton, my sweet housemate, watched Asher until we got home, which was around 5. All in all, a great trip that renewed our hope again that Rowan can come out of this.
That evening, we had a family dinner at Ben and Bek's house, with the added bonus of Deb and Ed being there to enjoy italien sausage that they brought from Oswego. So good! After that, we all hung out here at our house for ice cream and good talks, until Joel and I crashed around 9:30 and had to go to bed. Man, i remember the days when i could stay up until 1:30 AM and still get up early and not be dead the next day. Those days are just memories now. :-)

On another note, last week Rowan had his screening with the school district to see if he qualified for special needs pre-school services. Good news! he does! Rowan will be starting pre-school next month for 3 hours a day, 4 days a week, about 1/2 mile from our home! What a blessing. I'm excited for him to be with other kids his age.

I love the Lord! I love that He is going to heal my son, and even though most days I dont want to admit it, I am glad that He is working on my heart, even if it feels like He's killing me.

:-)

Love to all,
Jenn

5 things I love today!

2009-07-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

1. Praise report! Medicaid ended up covering Ro's clinic appointment last week! I love surprises like that!

2. walnut-garlic pesto. if you haven't eaten it, you need to try joels' recipe!

3. when friends bring me random treats :-) Thanks for the frosty, Lora!!

4. The Office. My latest interest. I think Dwight Schrute is the funniest tv character EVER. I love that show.

5. watching my baby play quietly by herself in her bed after a nap. her sounds make my heart happy.

colds stink

2009-07-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

The past few days, me and Bella have had a cold. Bella's wasn't too bad but I got it somethin' nasty! Haven't been sleeping well, which makes it hard to get better. So needless to say (but I will anyway), my house is a mess. I thank God for my girls in my house and for my hubby, they all know how to make me happy by cleaning when I can't.

Rowans allergy test came back all negative for food and respiratory allergies, which is good AND not so good news. It's good because that means that he doesn't have any bad allergies. It's bad because I know that he has food sensitivities and now I dont know how to find out which ones. I was hoping they'd show up on this test. I know this because when we took away milk, his rosy cheeks went away and he started napping better, and his eye contact actually improved too. But milk didnt come up positive on the test, so I am skeptical. Might see an allergist to see if they can do anything more comprehensive. Food sensitivities can affect sleep, poop, behavior, attention, pretty much everything, and is magnified in an autistic child. So we're hoping to learn more about this when we see our doc in Lynchburg next month!

I am really blessed to live where I live. The people around me are the most supportive group I've ever known. These people are believing that Rowan can be healed and are really praying with us. Just the other day, my sweet friend Lora brought over someone she knows from her church who has been burdened to pray for my Ro. I love my friends and I am so glad I'm not alone in this.

A very bright thing in my life lately is my new little neice, hannah! Here is a picture of this little miracle baby:
She's amazing! Congratulations to Mark and Lauren! I love you guys and your family!

long day in Columbia, SC

2009-06-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

We took our little Robug to the Developmental Pediatric Clinic today for his evaluation and they told us what we already knew. Ro has classic autism. If I'm being totally honest here, I will tell you that it wasn't any easier to hear it, even though we already knew. It still took my breath away and made feelings rise up in me that I forget are there sometimes.

That being said, we are glad to finally have a diagnosis! I knew before we went that the only reason we were doing this was to get eligible for the services that he needs. The appointment itself took about 2 1/2 hours, spending all of the time with only one developmental pediatrician. I was under the impression, from what I've read, that an evaluation normally is attended by several types of therapists and doctors, but apparently at this clinic, it's a one-on-one thing. Not sure if I think that it was the best way to do it, but either way, he got his diagnosis and we can finally move forward with therapy. One encouraging thing she did say is that Ro's main issue is only in one area, communication, which makes me encouraged because that is an area easy to help in!

My stance remains the same through all of this: We continue to stand on God's promise, what he TOLD us and confirmed several times: He is going to heal Rowan. Every day I am more firm on this, and honestly, I don't care whether or not you agree with this. Because frankly, it doesn't matter what anyone else says! I have my promise from the living, eternal, all-knowing creator God and that's all I need, baby!

This is my blog, I can say what i want. :-) Love you all very much! Keep joining with us in prayer. It avails much.

-Rowan's mommy

wow fast answer!

2009-06-26T13:49:00.001-07:00

read the last post, particular the bit in the middle about Rowan.

done? now get this: the evaluation people just called and scheduled us for Monday! Yeah, thats right. THIS monday. There was a cancellation! Can you believe it!!

birfday and baby fun

2009-06-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I'll just post a quick summary of the past week or so!
The day after the seminar in Atlanta was my birthday! So, I slept in and took my time getting up and ready. I donned a per-dy dress and went to church with my familio. I almost had to do nursery that day, but my sweet friend Tori ended up staying up there because, well, she's sweet! And she's so good with kids. Then, after church, my amazing then-very-pregnant sister in law Lauren took me out to Brio for lunch, with my very good friend Lora. Brio is my absolute favorite restaurant and those are 2 of my favorite people! A good combination. They each gave me some very sweet gifts and really blessed me with their company.
After lunch, I came home to find our wonderful friends from Wisconsin next door. I had been expecting them the next day, so this was a very pleasant suprise! They hadn't intended it to be a birthday present, but it was. It was awesome to have them around for a whole week, we always miss them. So that night after the kiddos went to bed, we had some lemony, strawberry, whipped-cream-topped cake for my b-day, supplied by the amazing baker extraordinaire, Susanna Internicola. I swear, she could bake a paper bag and it would taste good. Thank you again, Sooz!
After we had our yummy desert, we sat around and just talked, and my friends all decided to bless me with words of affirmation. That is always my favorite part about getting together with the people I love. I come away feeling better. And it's nice to have a focused time where people tell you how great you are! You just don't hear it all the time, and well, gosh darnit, sometimes ya just gotta hear it. :-) So thanks, friends, you guys really made my birthday great. Looking back, I'm wondering how I managed to not take ANY pictures that day. What the heck?!
The next few days were pretty much same old. Joel's new schedule is great and he is loving working so much. I have never met anyone who likes to program websites and applications as much as my nerdy hubby. He's having a blast! He works at his employers house twice a week, and then 3 days he is working upstairs in his office. Someday soon he hopes to start renting some office space with other techy friends of his.
Rowan is doing well too. Not a whole lot has changed lately, so we are hoping to get some wisdom soon on what to do next. I've made several calls trying to set up his evaluation to get an official diagnosis and very quickly learned that it's going to take a lot of months before he can get in. Which means it will be that long to get any home therapies. So right now, aside from his healing, my biggest prayer request is that the process of getting diagnosed would be sped up! I dont want to wait 6 months or more, and it would be best for him not to!
Asher is now talking up a storm. New words every day! His voice is so sweet to me. And his playfulness brings me joy beyond words! Now that he's 2, he's learning how to rebel and all that fun stuff, so it is interesting the contrasts I feel some days. You parents know what i mean :-)
Bella Rose is such a joy to us! Everyone says she's the happiest, smiliest, most social baby they've seen. And its true. She'd smile at you no matter what, I think. And she is now sitting up, crawling, even pulling up on the furniture. Still doesn't know how to get back down, but that'll come soon. And she has officially cut her first tooth! We are waiting for number 2 in the next few days.
All in all, we are well. I'm still sewing but have stepped away from it for a few days because of this: I have a new niece!! My sister in law, Lauren, had her little baby girl on Tuesday morning. Hannah Elizabeth. She's so stinking cute and precious. I could hold her all day! We prayed hard for this little baby to exist so there is much rejoicing! While Laur was in labor and recovering, I got to hang out with my nephew, Andrew. It was fun to have him around and get to know him more. I love my family.
On a personal note, I am saddened by the recent deaths of some celebrities, particularly Michael Jackson. I dont know why I care so much. Maybe because i had a mild crush on him during my college years, or maybe because I prayed for him to get saved so much (maybe he did, who knows?), or maybe it's just because I know how huge a role he played in influencing the music and dance in our nation and how missed he'll be in that regard. I dont know but I just feel bad about it. I pray that God will heal the hearts of those who loved him, especially his family members and children.

5 things Friday

2009-06-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

1. feeding my kids healthy food! (when they will actually eat it!)

2. seeing friends from a far off land (we have friends visiting from Wisconsin and it is SO good to see them!)

3. selling things in my etsy shop (it makes me feel so productive and contributing)

4. hugs from Rowan, and spontaneous kisses

5. Asher's hair. (he has wings!)

TACA seminar in Atlanta

2009-06-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my big boy with his new hair cut! So handsome :-)

Joel, Susanna, Bella and I went to Atlanta for the day! Joel and I had signed up to attend a "Talk About Curing Autism" seminar and Sooz volunteered to take Bella for the day while we went to the seminar. It was awesome!! Sooz and Bella spent the day roaming around Atlanta with our dear friend Kim, who lives there. We woke up at 5 AM (which was not easy with only 4 hours sleep prior!), then drove 4 hours to Atlanta, only to get there and sit for another 7 in the seminar. On the way, there was an amazing rainbow in the sky. Sooz shouted, "Look! There's your promise!" The Lord promised us many months ago that he was going to give us our so n back. So I think he was just reminding us that day of that. Ok, moving on!

Suprisingly, we made it through the whole seminar. I thought for sure Joel was going to fall asleep but he did great, after a few times of getting up and walking the halls. My back was hurting from sitting for so long, but since I was so interested in what was going on, it didn't bother me that much. Thank God! Joel and I learned so much during those hours sitting there, especially Joel. I feel like I'd heard most of it before, but for him, it was the first time and it's really nice to be totally on the same page with him now! And he was thrilled to be learning all of this. We are now SO motivated to keep moving wiht this thing.

While we were there, we met a Christian couple and got to sit and pray with them over lunch. We laughed and cried together and it was awesome. Just to be able to relate to someone like that was priceless to us, as we'd never met anyone else going through what we are. Such a great divine encounter, thank you Lord! I'll never forget Larry and Laura Lea, and their little boy Lorenzo.

We came away from Atlanta with a bag full of resources, a notebook full of scribbled notes, and the gumption to keep going. I am a bit overwhelmed with all of this new information and with all this new motivation, so please pray that i can pace myself! TACA's motto at the seminar was "Autism recovery is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself." I can totally see myself completely burning out if I'm not careful, and I certainly dont want to neglect my other children!

Above all, continue praying that God would heal Rowan. I know that He can, and I hold to the promise that He said He would!

Here is a photo of my little Bella, hanging on to the window sill (under Daddy's supervision of course. She is only 7 months but she sure is strong!)

YART SALE!

2009-06-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ok all, there is a sale in my etsy shop. It is a site-wide sale on Etsy, so for some reason that must explain why they spell it "yart". Not sure why. But anyway, everything in my shop is now 20% until Sunday!!! Here is the latest bag I made:

So go check out my shop!! And buy stuff :-) Love you all!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T15:27:00.001-07:00

my angel

2009-06-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

glorious smiles

2009-06-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

The past few days I have just been revelling in Rowan's smiles. I love all of my children's smiles, and if you're a mom, you know that every smile melts your heart. For Rowan, who for the better part of 2 years barely made eye contact, his smiles melt me just a little more nowadays. He has been looking straight at us and grinning from ear to ear, hugging us, wanting to be with us. His eye contact is remarkable, which for me is a turning point because it makes me feel like I am connecting with him when there aren't words. Soon I will take a picture of his beautiful smile and post it on here for all to see.
In my last post, I talked a little bit about "the fog". A friend of mine wrote me recently and told me of another way that someone put it once: "There is this perfect child on the other side of a dirty window that you just can't seem to clean. Sometimes you can't see through at all, some times you squint and get a glimpse. But, so help me, I will tear that window out of the wall and pull that child out."
That is how I feel. I long to see this little boy's smiles accompanied with words like "I love you Mommy," or even "I have to go poop", or I'd even take "Mommy, I just ate dog poop and it was yucky." I'd even be happy and probably jump up and touch the ceiling if he called me fat or something! I'm telling you, there is going to be a day like this and I hope you come back and see the photos, because there are going to be a million.
Today we ran out of Ro-safe food so he had to have almonds and black beans for breakfast and lunch. I caved and gave him a bite of orange, which isn't good for him for a number of reasons that I dont have time to write; the main one being that it is too much sugar and if there is a yeast issue in his gut, sugar feeds yeast and thats bad. But he happily ate those black beans and almonds and drank his lemon water! I never thought I'd see the day when my 3 year old willingly and happily ate totally healthy foods, much better than even I eat. Praise God! Now if only I could get my two year old to eat vegetables...

Hello, blogspot!

2009-06-06T17:03:00.001-07:00

I am new to Blogspot Town so I'll be experimenting with templates and such, but we are here now! I'll be doing this one instead of the wordpress one from now on. I prefer blogspots gadgets and templates way more than wordpress so far!
Anyway, check back for an update soon!

Jenn

first entry

2007-08-09T16:17:00.001-07:00

first entry! yay!