wordless wednesday::bath time buddies

more wordless wednesday here and here.

top ten tuesday

valentine's day is just around the corner, and what's more fitting than a top ten list about love?

our top 10 favorite ways to say, "i love you:"

1. tell him/her "i love you." [ha.  i know.  pretty obvious, eh?]
2. give each other back and body rubs.
3. send each other little love notes. [this can also be in the form of texts or e-mails.  i usually send aaron little texts or an e-mail, since he can't always talk during work.]
4. bring home an unexpected favorite treat. [in aaron's case, it would be some good beer or ale.  in my case, it would be chocolates.  although, when i was pregnant, smoothies and slurpees trumped chocolates any day.]
5. a box of chocolates. [classic, right?  usually can't go wrong with chocolates.  especially truffles.  mmmm...i love truffles.  especially good truffles.  like the ones at lilly handmade chocolates.  aaron, are you reading this?]
6. hugs and kisses.
7. snuggling.
8. doing an unexpected act of service for the other person. [this doesn't have to be anything too complicated.  cleaning the kitchen, packing a lunch, really any type of help in doing something the other person usually does.]
9. couple, one-on-one time/date night. [you don't even have to go out for this special time.  even if it's some time together on the couch after the kids go to bed, just to re-connect.]
10. holding hands.

 of course these are things that you can do any day of the year.  because everyday should be a day of love!  what are some of your favorite ways to show someone you care?

embroidery: tea towels for corrie

we gave these tea towels for corrie's christmas present. 

one of my favorite parts about this project was picking out the complementary fabric for the back side of the towel.  not only does it cover up the stitching, but i think it adds a little pizzazz to the embroidery work (emma actually picked out the fabric for the veggie tea towel).

wordless wednesday::new family portrait

...of our family of 5 (can you spot the 5 heads?).

 

 more wordless wednesday here and here.

top ten tuesday

following my post yesterday on date nights, i thought i'd carry it over to this week's top ten.

top ten favorite dates with my husband (a-feel free to add any of your favorites):

1. our very first date, where you managed to convince me to get out of my jammies and go out and do a little karoeke. [i know this was pre-marriage, but it has to be one of my favorites.  i still remember changing at least 3 or 4 times before i settled on an outfit i thought was "just thrown together" but not too sloppy but not look like i was trying too hard.]
2. sitting out on our patio, on a warm summer evening, enjoying some wine and cheese and talking late into the night.
3. going out to see the vandals.
4. dinner at the metropolitan grill and then off to watch the pacific northwest ballet's the nutcracker. [i love ballets.  and i love that my husband loves me so much that he's willing to sit through it with me and make an attempt to appreciate it :)]
5. seeing the queers show.
6. filling up on appetizers and enjoying the spanish coffee at zig zags. [this was one of our favorite date night spots to hang.  the low lighting and intimate ambience provided the perfect backdrop for two couples in love.  it was one of those places where we could just hang and talk for hours.]
7. opening night shows at the great lakes theatre, followed by the after-party (thanks, corrie!).
8. dinner and drinks at the broadway grill and then a nice stroll through capitol hill. [chicken cheese quesadilla's, half price margaritas on the rocks and hours of conversation. oh yeah!]
9. thai tom dinners. [nothing creates lasting memories more than being crammed into a hole in the wall restaurant, filling up on fried tofu and pad thai.]
10. our little dinner date at the hotel restaurant in bali...sitting outside by the beach...i could have many more dinner dates there!

what are some of your favorite (or memorable) dates with your spouse?

love is a burning thing and it makes a fiery ring

this past saturday aaron and i went on our first date night of 2010.  we had a blast.  just like the "good old days" of dating, we went out to see a band and enjoyed some excellent music and some super fantastic company.

i always look forward to date nights, and we don't have them as often as we should.  date nights usually end up pretty low on our priority list with a tight budget and little kiddies.  but i know that it shouldn't.  for the health of our marriage, i know (we both know) that date nights should be more of a priority (and there are certainly lots of creative date night options no matter what budget you're on).

i love the time that we get together as a couple during date nights.  i love getting ready, planning out what to wear, and feeling giddy all over again about being able to spend a few hours with the man i love.  they are precious moments where i can reconnect with my husband and really enjoy him without any other distractions.  it's our time.  just us...doing something together.

the date itself doesn't even have to be extravagant or complicated.  one of my most favorite dates i remember was actually staying at home, sitting on our patio on a summer night, drinking some good wine, eating some good cheese, and just talking.  it was awesome!

in all honesty, before i was married, i always thought that the whole dating (pursuit, courting, that longing to be with him every hour of every day, etc.) concept ended at marriage.  but to my surprise, it continued (as it should).  my husband still pursues me with as much fervor as before we were married.  and that burning desire to be with him every minute of every day still exists in my heart.  i think having those date nights just completes the experience.

i think date nights are a necessity for every married couple in order to maintain a happy, healthy and thriving marriage.  and after our outing saturday night, we are making every attempt to at least have one twice a month. 

we really like this sermon (along with the q&a) from song of songs by our old pastor in seattle.  it provides some excellent, helpful and practical reasons for date nights as a married couple (the sermon series on the whole book can be found here).

and now, i eagerly await our next time together...

simple mom: simple living for your kids

i just read this post from simple mom and thought i would share it.

i love the whole idea of simplifying your lifestyle, because it really does help and you and your children see the things that you have with more value.  additionally, you're not being wasteful with excess stuff.  you're not fostering (or nurturing) the whole consumerist mindset to your children.  and you're teaching them to be good stewards of the world they live in.

i like the 9 tips shared on the post.  in regards to the kids and "stuff," we try to minimize the amount of toys, gadgets, knick-knacks, etc. as best we can.  i found that the less stuff they have around, the more they actually use them.  and i've also noticed (mostly with emma) that the few items they have are used in many different ways.  the simpler the toy, the more versatile it is.  for example, a yard stick (we got free at a fair) is used as a sword, a broom, and a vacuum cleaner. 

since we have taken this "minimal" approach to emma's stuff for a while, i am thankful that she is very accepting (and not attached to any of it...except for her blankie) when we decide to purge some of her toys.  she seems truly satisfied with what she has, and doesn't seem to be attracted to all the "fancy" toys at the store when we go out (the only thing she really wants is the chocolate milk or the slushy at target).

we are hoping we can continue to model a simpler way of life so that our kids will learn to appreciate the things that they have and take care of the earth (with all of its resources) that God has provided them with.

wordless wednesday::hoot!

little owl onesie just listed on my shop.  original design by yours truly.  i'm not an artist by nature (though i like to doodle) so i was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out.

thanks to my husband who gave me some very helpful constructive criticism...i appreciate your honesty (at least, in this case...ha!).

more wordless wednesday here and here.

top ten tuesday

i was pretty excited when we had a lovely "warm" front visit us last week (and my pocketbook was happy too since we could turn down the heat a bit).  it was actually bearable to go outside without having to put on my usual 8 layers.

but it was too good to be true.  i awoke to snow on the ground and a chill in the air.  on the plus side, there hasn't been any single digit temperatures...yet.  i'm hopeful that we can make it through this winter without having to deal with some bitter cold weather.

if your a big baby like me about the cold, then you might enjoy this weeks top ten.

top ten fun *indoor* things to do because it's too darn cold outside (kids optional):

1. put on some music, crank up the volume and dance like you've never danced before. [this is a surprisingly good, energy burning work-out.]
2. bake some tasty treats and then eat them all after wards.  [ha...i've never actually done the second part but there are days i am tempted to do so.]
3. bust out some paints and butcher paper or large canvas and do a little abstract art. [this is a fun one to do with the kiddies too.  the best is if you strip them down, skip the paint brushes and have them use their hands to paint.]
4. make a fort out of chairs and blankets. [hang out in your new fort with your kiddies, or your dog, or your cat, or all of the above.  enjoy a tasty snack while you're in there.]
5. cuddle up on the couch and have a reading marathon. throw in a hot cocoa or a cup of coffee and a nice, warm blanket to complete the experience. [this is one of emma's favorite things to do.  she will bring down a stack of books and plant herself on the couch to "read" them all.]
6. indoor bowling. [we picked up a kiddie bowling set from a thrift store and it's great fun to use...as long as no one is trying to nap.  if you don't have an indoor bowling set, use some old beer bottles or soda cans and a tennis ball.]
7. get crafty. [pull out that sewing machine collecting dust in the corner.  or tackle a new knitting project.  or upcycle items you have around the house to create something new.]
8. rearrange furniture or do a quick room makeover. [okay.  this may not be viewed as fun for some of you, but it's fun to rearrange stuff around the house.  gives the area a fresh look.]
9. treasure hunt. [this one will require at least a partner.  if you have a dog that likes to sniff things out, like our crazy dog, then you can even do this activity with your pet.  of course, in that case, the hunted item should be food.  this is fun with the kids too.  draw a "map" of the house and see if they can follow the clues.]
10. puzzles! [puzzles suck me in.  kind of like when you're playing a video game and you're so close to getting to the next level so you keep trying and trying until you get there.  but then you're so close to getting to the next level after that and so you keep trying and trying to get there...that's how i can get with puzzles.]

what are some of your favorite indoor activities?  please share!  we would love to try them out :).

remembering pregnancy: the miracle that is life

to tell you the truth, before i got pregnant i don't think i fully understood and appreciated the awesomeness of what it meant to create a living being.  i mean, i learned about how babies were made when i was in 5th grade (and 7th grade and high school health class).  and then again in a psychology class in college.  so i had a general idea.  and i remembered my mommy's belly growing when she was pregnant with my baby sister.  i had an idea of what it was all about...the basics, so to speak.

i would gather that most people are probably like me in regards to understanding the full knowledge of growing a baby.  and i suppose, unless you're an ob/gyn nurse, doctor, midwife or such there isn't really a need for the general public to know, in depth, the whole (the ins and outs, front to back, complete) pregnancy process.

then i got pregnant.

i'm one of those people that like to do research into whatever i'm currently into or planning on acquiring or participating in (i mean, i even do research on shoes i plan on purchasing if it's going to be a major expense).  i like facts and figures.  i don't care for people who make particular claims without backing it up with some numbers, data, facts, etc.  i guess that's just how i am.  perhaps that's a bit of high school/college education rubbing off on me. 

with my first pregnancy, i researched e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  i devoured all information i could get my hands on about childbirth, fetal development, labor and anything related to pregnancy and childbirth.  and there was A LOT of information out there.  some are more opinions than facts.  while others are plain, old, get to the point facts.  what i remember the most about my first pregnancy is learning all about the scientific process of a baby's growth in the womb, labor and childbirth and how amazed i was by the whole process.  my eyes were opened!  big time.

the growth of a baby inside the womb is truly a miracle.  3 weeks after conception (or 5th week of pregnancy) the heart is already working.  really?  wow.  at 5 weeks, i didn't know i was even pregnant.  and then there were little arms, feet, eyelids, the teeny nose and a detectable heartbeat 6 weeks after conception (or 8 weeks).  every week, i remembered being truly amazed.

and the fascination didn't stop with the first pergnancy.  i remember being just as fascinated with the whole process during our second and third pregnancies.  i loved getting the weekly fetal development e-mails, reminding me of the amazing growth taking place minute by minute, day by day.  needless to say, the loss of our baby 8 weeks into our second pregnancy really hit us hard, especially knowing all the little things that were happening inside of me at that time.  even though we never met each other, saying good-bye to our precious little one was hard.


each life is precious, with such an amazing journey even before he/she ever enters the world.  and now i have people around me that are expecting...preparing to add another member to their growing family.