Constant Chatter

Thankful Thursday...Life is Pretty Amazing!

2012-02-16T21:28:00.000-08:00

Source: southerndarlin.tumblr.com via Haley on Pinterest

This week I'm thankful for:

1. My mom, for taking the girls all weekend. I think it will be a great break for everyone...except maybe my mom :)

2. That Myka went to my mom's without freaking out. I don't remember the last time I had a night away from her, and although I love her incredible amounts, it will be nice to not be woken up at 6:36am with "I huuuungryyyy!" Good luck mom :)

3. That my cupboards are full this week. I really hate grocery shopping, but can I really complain when I am blessed enough to have grocery stores chock full of food, and the money to buy enough to feed our family?

4. That my Grandma came to visit me this week. There are very few things in life I enjoy more than visiting over coffee with my Grandma Joan!

5. The one dozen roses I got for Valentine's Day

6. and the incredible man who brought them to me in the middle of the day :)

7. My friend Lindsay. She inspires me so much, and is an awesome friend! Seriously. Love that girl!

8. That Myka and Danica are getting along so awesome lately!

9. For the "breakfast burrito" idea I got from Pinterest. Using eggs, crumbled sausage, cheese, and salsa, I made a bunch of breakfast burritos and froze them. That way, when Daniel has to get up really early for work, he can pop one in the microwave and have a hot breakfast! Genius, pinterest, simply genius.

10. For Tegan's sense of humour :)

11. That our colds seem to be over. It was the first sickness in our house this year, and hopefully the last!

12. That I got to talk to Jael on Skype today! It's been much too long since I've spoken with my sister. And Dakota was on there too, so that made it extra special!

13. The impromptu date I got with my husband tonight!

14. That I name my new product for Little Lily Bamboo. I hope it sells well :)

15. Greek Yogurt. Where have you been all my life?

16. That I got to take a nice long hot bath this week :)

17. That I sold the car!

18. For our amazing bookkeeper. She's making taxes a breeze this year!

19. For my new serger :) It's nothing special, but it will work until I get an industrial one!

20. That Jesus is teaching me patience...even though the lessons are hard sometimes.

What are YOU thankful for this week?

have a great week everyone!

Calling All Creative Minds! And a Giveaway...

2012-02-13T21:20:00.000-08:00

The other day I received an email from my 4 month old nephew, Emett. He asked me if I would design something for him.

Many emails, phone calls, and pictures later, and THIS was created!

Now, that's what it is, and this is what it does. I have designed Little Lily Bamboo towels to keep your baby warm after bath time, and now...these little "coverings" will keep him or her warm during their bath!

Simply wet the covering with warm bathwater and drape over your little one once they are in the tub! Occasionally pour more water over it during the bath so baby stays cozy...and hopefully happy!

Features: -shoulder pieces to help keep it on a squirmy baby (they don't hook to anything, but the extra length and weight help).
-Cute appliqué that can match your LLB towel!
-Made from the same great fabric as my towels, so they are soft on your baby's delicate skin.
-Large enough to fit your baby until they are ready to sit on their own in the tub!

Why I need YOUR help!

I can't think of a name for them!! I'm looking for the perfect name before I add them to my line permanently, and so far, my brain has produced no ideas!

And, as a thank you, if I choose the name YOU suggested, you'll get to keep one!

Thank you in advance for all your help! I'll be choosing a name sometime later this week :)

Good luck!

One Sure Way To Know You're Getting Better.

2012-02-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

Recent conversation overheard in our living room.....

Addison: Mom, I feel like I have gas (whiney voice)
Me: Well, you are sick, and lots of symptoms like that may pop up before you start to feel better.
Addison: Oh. I thought it meant I was getting better.

Tegan: I must really be getting better lately, cause I have tons of stinky farts! (she's not even sick lol)

I love these girls!

Are You a Snuggly Sleeper?

2012-02-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

In honour of Valentines day being just around the corner, I thought I would share a little about my lack of snuggliness; mostly to see if there are in fact other women like me.

Are you a snuggly sleeper?

The idea for this came to mind one day when I was chatting with a friend. I mentioned to her that we were getting a new bed because ours was really saggy in the middle and Daniel and I end up squished together all night. She said, "that wouldn't be a problem for us because we snuggle all night anyway!"

Call me crazy, but I just can't imagine being cuddled up to him like that ALL night while I slept. In fact, I can't fall asleep at all while we cuddle. Which is a problem, since I'm married to an "intense snuggled."
I like hugging him, or snuggling while we watch a movie...things like that, but when it's time to sleep, I like. my. space. I sprawl as much as I can (a king size bed is on my top 10 wish list!), and enjoy my sleep as much as I can. After all, who knows how much of it I'll get in any given night?

Source: Uploaded by user via 35intheshade on Pinterest

Here's an example of our night:

11:00 (or thereabouts): crawl into bed, snuggle and chat for a bit.

11:20: I say, "ok, bedtime!" or something like that, and we turn so our backs are together and go to sleep.

1:15: Myka comes into our room, asking for a drink. I get up, get her a drink, put her in bed, and sit by her bed for a few minutes because "I want you, mommy".

1:25: I sneak out of her room, go into my room, and go to crawl into bed. Usually I end up sitting on Daniel's arm because he has gotten into what I like to call the "Venus Flytrap" position. How this works is that as soon as I get out of bed in the night, he subconsciously rolls so that his hands and feet are touching my edge of the bed. This way, the second he feels me get back in, he can "trap" me and use me as a human body pillow. I can't fall asleep during this unconscious snuggling...partly from feeling constricted, partly from his snoring in my ear, and partly from his breath on my face. Ew.
I usually lay there politely for a minute or two before elbowing him in the ribs so he will roll over and I can fall back to sleep.

3:30: Danica wakes up to nurse, and the above process is repeated.

6:36: Yes, it has been 6:36 exactly...every day for two weeks now that Myka wakes up and wants food. If I was a morning person (or had gotten a solid sleep), I would just call this morning and wake up for the day. I am not, however, a morning person, so I get up, get her a small snack, like a banana or granola bar, and then tell her to go lay in her bed so I can get half an hour more of sleep before I need to get up with the girls for school.

The other night it was proven that while Daniel is an unconscious snuggler, I am an unconscious anti-snuggler. He told me this story the next morning:

He had gotten up to use the washroom in the night, and when he got out of bed, threw his side of the covers onto me. When he crawled back into bed and reached over to grab his covers off of me, my arm did a lightning fast karate chop down the side of my body to hold the blankets down around me and prevent him from coming near.

What can I say? I really like my space at night! LOL

So....of all the women out there who read my blog (all 10 of you :p), who is like me, and who actually likes snuggling at night?
Does anyone have a snuggly hubby like me?

Oh, and while I was searching pics that I could use on this post, I came across this...which totally cracked me up. Happy Valentines Day! LOL

Source: Uploaded by user via Tiffany on Pinterest

Precious Girl

2012-02-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

Every day, she learns something new. Today, she discovered Myka's half eaten apple, and learned that they are much more fun to eat when mom doesn't cut them up all "baby proof"!

I just can't get enough of this sweet little face! She is such a joy in our house...bringing a smile to everyone's face when she plays with them.

Myka loves being a "big sister" to her lately. With the older girls at school, she has moved into the role well. She even wants to feed Danica at most meals! It can get really messy, but is also super cute :)

Thankful Thursday...In the Eyes of a Two Year Old.

2012-02-09T13:47:00.000-08:00

Source: belindasgreatideas.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I asked Myka (2.5) what she is thankful for this week. Here's what she said :)

1. My froggy
2. Minnie Mouse
3. Daddy
4. Danica
5. Mommy
6. Myka (She repeated this multiple times! LOL)
7. Addison
8. Tegan
9. Rolley (the teddy bear)
10. Milk
11. Baby Signing Time videos
12. My blankie!
13. Flowers

And then she got goofy and just started laughing and making random sounds....so the rest will be what mommy is thankful for this week!

14. The weather. It's been pretty amazing all winter, but I've just really enjoyed the sunshine this week!
15. The fact that the sun is getting up earlier every day. It makes it so much easier to get out of bed :)
16. Do I dare say that potty training is going really well? Well, it is, and I am extremely thankful...even though I still do occasionally walk through a puddle of pee that I didn't realize was there!
17. Clean floors. I can enjoy them for almost a full day usually before more stuff gets thrown from the table!
18. My minnie mouse mug that the girls got me in Disneyland last year. It's huge, it's pink, and it's wonderful!
19. That I have gotten almost all the clothes in the house organized this week...small ones put in bins, etc. It's a big job :)
20. That Little Lily Bamboo is back in business! I am so happy to be making my towels again :)

Have a great week! Be thankful :)

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T14:23:00.001-08:00

A Good Day.

2012-02-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Zero degrees, bright sunlight, a big pot of hot chocolate, friends, skates and toboggans. That was our Sunday, and it was perfect :)

I think the pictures say the rest. Enjoy!

Crispy Southwest Beef Wraps

2012-02-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

I got the idea for these mouthwatering wraps off Pinterest (duh). Here's the link to the original inspiration, and here's my version...first changed because I had thawed ground beef for supper instead of chicken :)

Beef Mixture:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion
1 green pepper
however many green onions you like
Taco seasoning (1 packet, or 3-4 Tbsp of the Costco sized container)
1 can black beans

Cook it all up in a frying pan!

Rice Mixture:

2 cups rice (it was more than enough, but I'll freeze it for later)
Juice of one lime, or the equivalent in bottled lime juice
1 tsp cumin

Mix the last two ingredients into the cooked, warm rice

Other Ingredients:

6 Flour tortillas
Shredded Cheddar
Sour Cream

To Make them:

Sprinkle cheese over the tortilla shells, leaving a one inch border. Then layer beef and rice mixtures down the centre. Top with sour cream if you like (it makes them so yummy and creamy!). Roll up tightly and spray both sides with cooking spray. Grill 2 at a time in a hot pan until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps.

I really dislike food photos like this, but it gives you an idea of what they look like. Don't be deceived...they taste a thousand times better than this picture looks!

They were a hit in our house..all of the girls loved them. Even Danica! You will NOT regret making these :)

Thankful Thursday...Special People!

2012-02-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

Source: facebook.com via Jade on Pinterest

I'm very thankful for so many people in my life. I really have a great family, and some really good friends, so today's (late) Thankful Thursday will focus on two of those awesome people :

10 things I'm thankful for about my mom

1. That she taught me about God as I was growing up, both in action and with words.

2. That she always had our best interests at heart and stuck by her beliefs...for example, she took us out of public school and put in many hours and lots of energy to homeschool when she didn't agree with things that were being done at the school!

3. That she was very particular about who took care of us when we were young...which was great, because it usually ended up being Grandma Joan, which we LOVED!

4. That she made sure we did fun things growing up, even if we had to get creative. One summer, to take us to Disneyland, we drove in our van...every seat was filled, and it was packed to the brim with luggage, but we had so much fun!

5. That she's always been supportive of decisions I make, even if she doesn't agree with it right away (or at all). I am so thankful that she trusts me and supports me through it all.

6. That she is such an awesome supporter of any endeavour I embark upon...such as Little Lily Bamboo, or having kids :)

7. That she's tall. Seriously, I never worried about getting separated from her in a crowd growing up...I could see her no matter what!

8. That she enjoys spending time with her grandkids, and when she can't be with them, she's thinking of them and usually spoiling them with presents!

9. That she talks to me on the phone almost every day!

10. That she taught me how to be persistent. I love that trait in her, and I love that I got it too. She succeeds at almost everything she takes on because of this!
Lots of luggage? Don't worry, you can make it fit. Broken flooring, and hubby's working? Go buy the stuff and do it yourself! Need money to fund a project? Find a way to make it!

I love you mom!

10 Things I'm thankful for about Addison:

1. Her determination. She is very competitive, but mostly with herself. It "could" be a bad thing, butI think that if she has the right places to exercise it, it will be very helpful in her life :)

2. Her helpfulness. Even when I can tell that she doesn't want to help with something I ask of her, she usually does it with very little complaining.

3. For how much she loves her sisters! Sure there are times when they frustrate her, but she seems so delighted when she's playing with Danica, Myka, or Tegan!

4. For her health. Whenever I hear about a child getting sick, I'm so thankful for each day that mine are healthy.

5. Her friendliness. She has never had a problem making friends, and never seems to get tired of being around people :)

6. Her patience. Even on 8 hour road trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house, she is incredibly patient!

7. Her obedience. Even from a young age, I have been able to tell her not to do something, and don't have to worry about her not doing it. It helps me be confident that she is safe because I know she's not running out on to the road, or playing with something she shouldn't be. Now, I realize that as she gets older, it could change on a whole different level, LOL, but I have been very thankful for it for sure!

8. Her blue eyes. At least one of the girls got my eye colour! LOL

9. That she's not afraid to try new things.

10. For each of the 2409 days that she has been our daughter. I am so thankful that God blessed us with Addison!

I love you Addison!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

A "Peace" of Chocolate

2012-01-30T15:50:00.000-08:00

Hiding in the bathroom so you can enjoy 5 minutes of kid free time, and maybe some chocolate. Or in my case, a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich.

Raise your hand if you've been there!

I know I'm not the only one, because my friend Alison helped inspire this post with our conversation the other day. I was telling her my experience that day, and she said, "oh yeah! I forgot that I have chocolate in there!"

My experience: As hard as it is to believe, a small house with four daughters is not always prim, proper, and peaceful (snort snort). In fact, sometimes it takes drastic measures to find any peace at all.
Thursday was just such a day.

I had not had a 5 minute break where someone wasn't asking (by asking I mean whining "mooooOOOooom"!) for food or drink.

Myka and Danica were being particularly stubborn at their new game of "fight over the doll", where Danica steals the doll, toddles away as fast as she can...just to have Myka catch up to her in two steps, steal the doll while yelling "NO DANICA!", and having Danica fall to the floor screaming. It's precious.

Oh, and Addison's always bored. Always. So she's always asking what she can do next, even if it's been 3.5 minutes since she asked last. I've started giving her chores to do...we'll see what the next couple weeks brings :)

And with all these interruptions, I had fallen very behind on keeping the house tidy. I by no means have a superbly clean home, but there is a baseline of clean that I like to stick close too, and if it gets too far away from that, I feel like I've lost all control and it tends to send me into a downward spiral of stress.

By 4 pm I was done. So, being the cool headed mom that I am, I promptly grabbed a skinny cow ice cream sandwich from the freezer, hid it under my shirt, and called to Addison "I have to use the bathroom, can you keep an eye on Danica?"

Now, our bathroom door is broken, and doesn't latch closed properly, so to keep the kids out, I sat on the bathroom floor with my back against the door. I wasn't planning on being long, but 9 times out of 10 I can't even take a 30 second pee break without a kid barging in.

25 seconds into my ice cream, Tegan pushes on the door. "Mom! what are you doing? Why won't the door open?"
"I'm holding it closed Tegan, please give me a couple minutes."
"But mom, how are you peeing and holding the door closed at the same time?"

I giggled as I polished off the last bite and licked the leftover cookie off my fingers. Even though I was interrupted, at least I didn't have to share my ice cream! Muahaha

What's your experience with trying to find a few minutes of peace from the craziness of the day? Do you have a favourite hiding spot? Do you have a secret stash of junk food? You can tell me...I can keep a secret from your kids :D

I'll leave you with this gem. To all my mom followers...you're doing great :)

Source: babyrabies.com via Jade on Pinterest

The Archers Come To Visit

2012-01-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Daniel's sister, her husband, and their baby boy came to visit us! Of course, I was awful with the camera and barely took any pictures, lol.

I did, however, get a great little video of Myka "holding" Emett. At the end she says, "Emett loves me!" So cute :)

My sister in law is a skilled seamstress and offered to help me sew some towels to get ready for Little Lily's reopening this week! We sewed all Saturday morning, and then took pictures of the towels so I can add them to the site! Emett, Danica and Myka were the cutest models, and we had a blast taking pics of them....over 300 in fact :)

Here's one of my favourites from the shoot :)

After pics, we enjoyed a turkey dinner made with an extra turkey that was given to me over the holidays. It almost felt like Christmas all over again!

Everyone was disappointed that the Archers had to leave so soon, but hopefully we can visit with them again soon!

Thanks for making the long trip to see us guys!

Thankful Thursday!

2012-01-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

Source: slumberdesigns.blogspot.com via Jade on Pinterest

It's Thursday again! What are you thankful for this week?

This week I'm thankful for:

1. The Bible. God knows what he's talking about! This promise in particular fills my heart with peace and hope :)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

2. That even though Myka dumped one of my MAC eyeshadows out all over the bathroom this morning, I still have 5 left, thanks to my sister in law and her awesome birthday present!

3. That my sister and brother in law are coming up this weekend!!

4. The fact that my mom's new job brings her to Dawson much more often, so the chances of us running into each other for lunch are way better!

5. The Baby Signing Time DVD's we got Danica for her birthday. The younger girls love them and want to watch them all the time...which is ok, because they aren't annoying to me at all! LOL

6. That Myka is actually showing an interest in potty training this week...maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel?!?

7. That after spending 2 hours stuck in the snow in my friend's driveway, my cell phone still works. Phew!

8. That our house is a few steps closer to being finished so we can move in!

9. Roast beef dinners

10. Having coffee with a friend that I hadn't seen in over a month...so nice!

11. That with lots of encouragement and help, the girls' room has stayed semi clean all week!

12. That I have successfully stuck to P90X for 17 days....and am starting to see results! Last night Daniel even noticed and complimented me :D

13. That fresh pineapples were on sale for $2 yesterday at the store...I ate some today and pretended it was summer :)

14. When Myka randomly leans over and gives me kisses.

15. That I don't have to go anywhere today :) I love home days!

16. That Addison loves reading the younger girls bedtime stories. It's really cute to watch and seems to make it a bit easier to get Myka to bed!

17. My sewing machine...it may not be very fast, but it's been reliable!

18. That the older girls will behove from school in half an hour and can play with Myka...who's been so bored waiting for them!

19. My new steam cleaner! The van is cleaner than it's ever been, and that makes me happy!

20. That it's warm enough outside for the girls to play in the snow almost every day :)

Have a great week everyone!

Lovely Sunday

2012-01-22T18:57:00.000-08:00

Today was a lovely day :) Daniel went to work, so the girls and I stayed home from church. I had gotten mostly caught up on housework yesterday, so we decided to invite friends over for lunch.

Myka helped make tuna casserole for lunch...

Danica practiced her newfound talent!

And Addison and Tegan played games while looking adorable :)

Cindy and her girls came over for lunch, and we spent the afternoon relaxing and drinking coffee. The girls played in the snow, enjoying the -3 weather!

And now for Monday....

Baby Steps

2012-01-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

At 7 months, Danica started cruising around the furniture.

At 10 months, she started taking a few steps here and there, when encouraged.

2 days after her first birthday, she was letting go of the couch and taking a few steps without being encouraged.

This morning, she was still doing that, and crawling most of the time

Since noon, I haven't seen her crawl once!

What a crazy, wonderful little girl we have :) LOVE her!

Adventures of Crazy Arctic Mom!

2012-01-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

This is a story about the adventures of one woman going to Grande Prairie alone with four small girls. For the record, Daniel thought my grandma was coming along...I guess I forgot to tell him that she had decided otherwise. When he heard that she wasn't there, he said, "if i had known, I would have come with you!" So I was this close to having help! LOL

Anyway, enjoy.

It started at Costco. I went to get Danica's passport photo, and they informed me that they don't do baby ones and I had to go to sears.

It was -38 C outside and I had four girls. Extra stops are like torture in that situation!

So...off we went to Sears.

I parked close to the door, bundled everyone up, and ran inside as fast as we could. I was just going to the photo centre, so I didn't bother grabbing a cart...I couldn't see any anyways.

At the photo centre, the lady informed me that she could do the photo, but not until two, because she had an appointment right away. It was one.

So then, as I walked away holding Danica, with three girls trailing behind me, I weighed my options; walk around Sears for an hour to avoid the cold or....Nope, that was the only option. But I had to find a cart or my arms would die.

Then, THUMP. I grimaced in the millisecond that followed, knowing what was coming as I turned around.

Myka. Huge scream, blood spraying from nose, her hands all over her face trying to wipe it, but instead smearing it everywhere!

*Sigh*

Then came the fun part. I didn't have a cart yet, so I set Danica down, away from the blood spatters on the floor, and picked up Myka with one hand while pinching her nose with the other. I searched for the bathrooms. They were on the other side of the lingerie section..not too far away thankfully! I instructed Addison to help Danica walk with us, and we began the longest 70 foot walk of my life. I must have looked like such a dork...trying to calm Myka down while gently coaching Addison and Danica along...blood pretty much everywhere at this point.

The best part? Sears was DEAD, so absolutely no one saw us. Although because of that, no one offered to help either!

Finally, we reached the bathroom. I set Myka on the counter and used paper towels to inch her nose. Addison put Danica down on the floor (Ick!), and went in to use a stall. All of the sudden Tegan, who had been so quiet up until this point, asked a question.

"Mom, are those baby toilets?"

I spun around.

For. The. Love.

"Uh, no. They are urinals. Addison! Come get Danica, we have to go to the women's bathroom!"

We rushed in there, again, without anyone noticing, and I set Myka on the counter once again.

**Side note** I didn't notice this until I got to the women's bathroom, but the counter in there was full of water puddles. The men's had been completely dry. Which means either...men are way cleaner then women, or men don't wash their hands nearly as often as women. I'll let you choose whichever one you think it is!

20 minutes later, the bloody nose was stopped, cleaned up, diapers were changed, and kids had had their potty breaks. And I only had half an hour more to kill! Success!

Not one staff member in Sears had noticed. Also? As I passed back by the spot on the floor that it had happened, the blood was still there.

Grande Prairie Sears is a happenin' place!

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully, in case you were wondering :)

Thankful Thursday....

2012-01-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

Source: google.com via Jade on Pinterest

1. The smell of the soup simmering on my stove right now

2. For something secret. I can't type it here because some people can't know about it yet, but I'm excited!! FYI: Not pregnant. Because I know that's the first thing that popped into your head :)

3. That even though a family member got some bad news this week, God is in control, and we have hope :)

4. Ok, enough "secret" thanks LOL. I'm thankful that I caught up on laundry today

5. That one big bear hug from Daniel can melt the days frustrations in a few seconds. Plus, he smells amazing, which never hurts!

6. That the girls played well together for "most" of today!

7. Danica's walking! I'm so thankful that we can enjoy all of these little milestones as a family.

8. That my mom is home and I got to see her this week! I missed her when she was in the Dominican :(

9. "little cutie" oranges from Costco. They make it super easy to get fruit into my girls :)

10. My new steam cleaner...now my van won't smell like Yuck anymore :D

11. That my friend is coming for dinner tonight. I love when I can share my home with friends!

12. A care package from my sister in law Jodi this week. It was full of stuff just for ME, including a Friend's trivia book, bath salts, and nail polish!

13. That it's warming up outside

14. That we live in the North. There is plenty to complain about with all the snow and cold, but yesterday when I was driving, I couldn't help but be in awe of the scenery. Mountains, beautiful snow that makes the world pure white, and clear blue skies, along with the crisp air.

15. That Danica turned one this week. It's been an amazing year with her, and I'm thankful for every day that she's been part of our family!

16. That I've been sticking to my workouts so well. It's always tough to get the motivation to do it, but I feel so amazing afterwards!

17. Danica and Myka napped at the same time today. It was heaven :)

18. The lessons I've learned this week about responsibility and finance, even if they are tough lessons to learn.

19. Long chats on the phone with my sister in law...and my other sister in law. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing family!

20. That the sun rises later in the winter...I never miss a sunrise this time of year!

It's been a good week.

Have a great week everyone!!

365 Days

2012-01-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

It's been 365 days since I took this photo.

I remember it so well! I had been through 28 hours of labor (read that story here!), and an exciting and quick delivery. The nurse, who is also a good friend, had settled Danica and I into our private room. Daniel had left to go help my mom, who had locked her keys in her truck accidentally during her night at our house watching the other three girls.

It was about 9:30 in the morning, and the night before had brought buckets of snow, so when I looked out my hospital window, all I saw was peaceful white. There weren't even any vehicles driving, because until the plows made it to a street, you pretty much needed a 4x4 to be able to drive.

The light coming through the window was bright and crisp, and Danica looked so adorable as she slept away the intense labor and birth she had just endured.

I remember just staring at her. I had no visitors right away, it was just me and my brand new baby. I loved everything about her! Her tiny bow shaped lips, her chin dimple, and her double chin :)

Danica brought so much joy with her into this world!

My wish for Danica's first year is that I would enjoy as many moments as possible with her. I knew it could be difficult to spend every moment with her because we have three other girls that need my attention as well.

I think we did pretty good though :)

Daniel was away from home about 80% of the time when Danica was a newborn, so it was just the girls and I. I included the girls in caring for the baby as much as I could. They loved helping change diapers, or snuggling her on the couch for me.

Whenever I sat down to nurse Danica, Myka would cuddle up beside us, poke my breast and say "baby juice?" over and over again.

I started "wearing" her in a baby wrap often, so I could enjoy snuggling her even while I was doing mundane chores, like folding laundry. She loved when I vacuumed while she was in it :)

Danica made up for not seeing her daddy much by quickly becoming a daddy's girls when he did come home. She could be whining and fussy all day for me, but as soon as she sees her daddy, her eyes light up, and she just wants to cuddle and play with him!

She is a sweetheart. Smiling, practicing walking, giggling at the girls, then stopping for a quick snuggle as soon as she sees a blanket on the floor or couch.

Next to snuggling, her favourite place is the highchair...where the food is :) On any given day, she'll eat a bigger bowlful of food than her 2 year old sister, with lots of snacks in between.

My heart has been so overflowing with joy this year. We are beyond blessed with our four amazing daughters, and their very different personalities :)

Happy First Birthday Danica!

Thankful Thursday...A New Year Begins

2012-01-12T13:11:00.000-08:00

Source: google.com via Brenda on Pinterest

This week I'm thankful for:

1. It's DATE NIGHT. I am so thankful for nights out with my husband!

2. My fuzzy slippers :)

3. Our bus driver...today, I forgot to go pick up the girls at the corner!!! The sweet guy was very inconvenienced, but drove down our road to drop them off at our driveway.

4. The fact that Danica is always so happy when the older girls get home from school! Sometimes, them playing with her is the first silent moments I get all day :D

5. My new mop. The swifter just wasn't cutting it anymore!

6. That after three years of living with a post nasal drip, the doctor today FINALLY ordered some tests to see what's behind it, rather than just tossing me yet another nasal spray to try. That might seem so trivial, but the drip is by far, the most irritating part of my life LOL

7. To be able to drink a glass of cold, fresh water any time I like.

8. That the warm weather has held on for at least one more day :)

9. That I got cereal keeper tupperware containers from Costco this week. I've wanted them for a long time, but since I don't go to Costco lots, they are never there when I am...until last week :D

10. Ok...2 minutes of silence so far, and I'm thankful for every one of them! I'll get up and do laundry soon..I promise

11. This is a really silly thing to be thankful for, but an "actual" movie star wrote me on twitter yesterday. That's right folks, I talked to Adam Baldwin...it was the best tweet of my life LOL

12. did I mention it's date night? Let me just reiterate why I am so thankful for it. 1. I don't have to cook. 2. I don't have to try and feed four children while enjoying my dinner. 3. I don't have to keep 4 children quiet in a restaurant. 4. I can dress up, and 5. I get to go out with a really hot guy!

13. That we have been blessed for the last 362 days with Danica's presence. She is a joy to have in our family, and I can't believe she's going to be a year old on Sunday! I feel a sappy post coming on!

14. Exercise. It's hard to get motivated, and tiring to do at first, but I'm always SO glad I took the time to do it. And it gives me way more energy in the long run...and BOY could I use that!

15. My tassimo, and the coffee it provides.

16. That my brother found my Bible! I lost it and had no idea where ti could have gone..but it's very very important to me...it was a gift from my grandparents when I was in high school!

17. That my girls have been able to play outside so much this winter! Although the snowmen have been lacking LOL

18. That my mom is coming home this week! It's been too long!

19. That Jenny is back in Tumbler Ridge! I am so excited to see her again too :)

20. That my sister in law Angela is willing to chat with me on the phone multiple times a day...it keeps us sane through motherhood :D

Have a happy week everyone!

Resolution Alternative...In a Word

2012-01-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

Lose weight

Buy a gym membership and use it all year

Manage my time better

Manage my finances better

Write in my diary every day

Don't drink pop for a whole year

Stop smoking

Do one thing different every day

Learn something new

Do any of these sound familiar? Some people do great with them, but for many people, these are, as my sister in law Jodi would say...resolutions that go in one year and out the other.

I've been a victim of the resolution that lasted until January 10th...or 2nd :)

Yesterday I read a blog post from a friend, and it made me look at resolutions differently; in a way that seems actually doable!

Bri from mod memento is my blogger friend who inspired me! The idea of it is that instead of picking a resolution like the ones listed above, choose a word...one simple word, to be your theme for the year! Keeping your word as your intention can really change the way you do things. If this word is on your mind, you may find yourself making small decisions to keep on course with it. As Bri says in her post (paraphrased), it is a theme that allows other goals to fall in line with it!

You can find a list of words here if you are having trouble thinking of one.

The word I've chosen to be my theme for the year is:

I have always thought of myself as a gentle person, but over the past few years, that trait has really been put to the test. Along with patience, but I'll just roll that one right into the gentleness.

Due to circumstances in my life, along with the regular wear and tear of raising a young family, I have found out that I have some qualities that are less than desirable..including cynicism, sarcasm, impatience, harsh words, and a temper. Unfortunately, it's usually my girls or the dogs that are on the receiving end of it all.

I know it's "normal" to get frustrated with your kids and snap at them occasionally, but in my life, it's happening way more than I'm comfortable with, and I don't like that about myself.

A couple of months ago I was watching "19 Kids and Counting". It was a QandA episode with Mr. and Mrs. Duggar, and one of the questions was "do you ever lose your temper with your kids?" Their answer hit my core. I'm totally paraphrasing, but it went something like this:

Sure we get frustrated, but we feel that there is no reason to handle that emotion with anger as a response. We feel that you can bring your kids to church every time the doors are open to help them build good relationships and character, but every time you react to them in anger, you do more damage than you realize to your relationship.

So this year, I will strive to make decisions that focus around gentleness. I will be looking to God for lots of help, since he is the epitome of gentle! Also, because it is a direct instruction from Him :D

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. -Ephesians 4:2

What is YOUR word for 2012?

Peaceful, Happy, Joyful

2012-01-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

And those are the top three words I would use to describe Christmas this year.

Since we've been married, Christmas has always been fun, and always really nice. We've enjoyed spending the holidays at either my parents' or Daniel's parents' houses...learning new traditions, sharing the joy with our families...

This year, things changed a little bit. It was our year to go to my mom's house, but she and my sister decided to spend Christmas in the Dominican (which made me totally jealous! lol). So, Daniel and I decided to take the opportunity to spend our first Christmas alone as a family.

We also invited my other sister, Dakota to spend Christmas with us :)

I wasn't sure how it would go at first...if it would be more or less stressful than previous years.

It turned out to be less. Maybe I was being lazy...I like to think I was allowing myself to enjoy the spirit of the season! And it turned out great!

Christmas Eve, we borrowed one of Daniel's family's traditions, and enjoyed pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries for supper. SO good, and so easy!

After supper, we borrowed one of my family traditions, and each opened one gift. It's always pyjamas :)

I'm slightly embarrassed at my picture taking! I don't even have one of Addison on Christmas morning...or Dakota! My bad.

Christmas morning was filled with stockings fully of girly things :) More presents, smiles, and cinnamon rolls! I cheated on those and bought the refrigerated ones from Costco :D

I bought Daniel this super soft, King sized blanket from Costco, and well, I think it's safe to say that Danica enjoyed it more than her own gifts! Almost a month later, and it's still her favourite place to be.

The older girls favourite gift? A tent making kit, which they promptly built, and slept in on Christmas night!

And I got the wool coat I've wanted for so long, with boots to match! I'm one lucky lady!

It was such a wonderful Christmas, I enjoyed every minute of it! And right after, we made the 9 hour trek to Carstairs to celebrate New Years with the Steckly's...which was awesome as well :)

Happy 2012 everyone!

Thankful Thursday...and I'm grouchy.

2012-01-05T19:04:00.001-08:00

Source: thoughts-of-a-jesus-freak.tumblr.com via Amy on Pinterest

Ok, that wasn't the best title, but let's just say, this might be a bit of a challenge today. It's been one of "those" days, to say the least!

But, even on the worst days, there are still so many things to be thankful for!

1. I'm thankful that we're all healthy

2. I'm thankful that more of Danica's teeth are popping through, and making for a less cranky baby :)

3. I'm thankful that I got 90% of my laundry done today...washed, dried, folded AND put away! woohoo!

4. I'm thankful that I got my microwave clean today...it was hurting'

5. I'm thankful that I got my new video camera cord so I can finally charge my camera again. I got the cutest video of the younger two today!

6. I'm thankful that we got our addition all decluttered and reorganized! Wow..lots of cleaning today, hey? Maybe that's why I'm so cranky!

7. I'm thankful for a really helpful husband who played a huge part in the cleaning process today!

8. Speaking of a helpful husband, I'm so thankful that he watched the girls almost all day yesterday so I could shop myself, and go to Zumba!

9. I'm thankful for the warm weather...it's SO nice!

10. I'm thankful that I got the girls to school on time today, even though I slept through my alarm and they missed their ride...oops!

11. I'm thankful for sweet moments playing with my girls!

12. I'm thankful to be back at Zumba after the Christmas break...and slightly shocked at how out of shape I got in two weeks!

13. I'm thankful for bedtime :)

14. I'm thankful that a friend is coming for coffee in the morning! I've been wanting to get to know her better for awhile now :)

15. I'm thankful for a fresh new year! It's going to be awesome

16. I'm thankful for a great week at my in laws' house. We had such a good time visiting with all of Daniel's family

17. I'm thankful for hot baths

18. I'm thankful for the People Yearbook issue. It's the one "gossip mag" that I buy all year, and it catches me up on all the highlights in one book...and it's entertaining to read while I'm enjoying #17 :)

19. I'm thankful that our girls play so well together. Addison has LOVED playing with Danica lately, and they just all seem to be getting along well in general.

20. I'm thankful for pj pants...especially tonight. I'm so tired and ready for bed

Night all!

Pottery Barn Inspired Growth Chart Tutorial

2012-01-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

Before I say anything, I'll admit to being the world's worst procrastinator, so judge me if you must as I write this next part.

I've been wanting to get a growth chart and start tracking the girls' height since Addison was born 6 years ago!

I did buy one a few years ago, but it was a vinyl wall decal and the height markers on it were removable...so any heights I tracked got taken down by curious little fingers!

The vinyl was one problem...the other was finding a wall that I wanted to track the heights on. We have lived in 3 places since we started having kids...2 trailers and a rental. So there has never been a "permanent" wall where I wanted to start marking.

A few months ago, I was just perusing Pinterest one night (as usual), and I came across this growth chart. It was so perfect I could barely stand it! It's big, it's moveable, it's simple, and it's beautiful...to fit into any decor we may have over the years! I followed the link to this great blog to find out how to make it....then I procrastinated about 4 months before I actually got around to doing it myself :)

If you want to make it, here's how I did it. It's seriously easy...otherwise I NEVER would have made it!

Step 1. Head to your local home building centre and pick up a 1x8x8 board. I paid $3 for mine.

Step 2. Find a saw (or ask your hubby to help if he won't let you touch his tools :)) and chop 2 feet off, so the board measures 6 feet long.

Step 3. Stain your wood. I love the "true brown" of a walnut stain, but you can use any that you like!

Step 4. Once it's completely dry (usually a full day), it's time to make it pretty! I suggest putting on a great movie or show after the kids go to bed to do this part! A glass of wine makes a great companion too :D

Step 5. For this step, you can use a black sharpie, or a paint pen. I used a sharpie because I couldn't seem to find a paint pen anywhere in town. Using a ruler, mark off the height lines. The are spaced 1 inch apart. I made them 1 inch long, and every 6 inches, made that mark 1.5 inches long.

*sidenote for the absentminded, like me* I found I made way less mistakes when I started at the 1 or 1.5 inch mark rather than at the edge of the board. If I did that, sometimes I went over my mark. Make sense?

Step 6. Time for the numbers! First, I found a great font called DIDOT in our microsoft word for mac program (although there are tons of great ones online too!). I printed off the numbers 1-6 in size 200, then I cut them out....but cut them so there is a square of white around each!

Step 7. On the backside of each letter, trace around it in a fairly thick pencil line.

Step 8. Place the number, with the front side facing up, in the place you want it on the growth chart. I put the 1 at the first 6 inch mark, so the chart ends up being 6.5 feet.

Step 9. With the pencil, trace around the number carefully, with a fairly heavy hand. When you are done and lift the paper off, you should see a slight indent of the number, with a light pencil line to help you trace around it. Use the sharpie to carefully trace around the number, then fill it in :)

Step 10. Repeat steps 7-9 for all 6 letters.

Step 11. Mount a sawtooth picture hanger on the back of the chart, and hang it wherever you would like it in your home. If you change your mind, you can always move it!

I can't help but think of what the chart will look like in 20 years...with all of my children's' heights on it, and possibly starting into grandchildren's heights!

If you make one, post the link to some pics...I'd love to see them!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

I saw this video last year, and it has quickly become a favourite with our family! The children's' accents are so incredibly cute :)

This year we are spending Christmas at home as a family, then heading to Daniel's parents' house for New Years.

Tonight, we are borrowing a tradition from Daniel's family and eating pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries...and glazed ham! I may have added the ham to the tradition LOL.

Right before bed, we all open one present. That tradition comes from my side of the family...and it's always PJ's! Daniel and I had so much fun picking out PJ's for everyone :)

From our family to yours, have a very merry Christmas!

Thankful Thursday...Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

2011-12-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

Source: auntielolocrafts.blogspot.com via Karen on

Merry Christmas everyone! I love this time of year and am really enjoying myself this

year.

Every year, we go to either Daniel's or my parents' house for Christmas. While we really

enjoy it, this year, we decided to change things, and just stay home for a change. So far,

I'm enjoying it so much! It's so peaceful and relaxed, and wonderful to be together just

as our family. And we have New Years with Daniel's family to look forward to! Yay!

This week I'm thankful for:

1. A quiet Christmas season at home with my husband, girls, and sister :)

2. The fact that the Christmas presents under the tree have remained relatively

unharmed by the 11 month old.

3. The fact that we got my sister's keys back to her today. It's a long story, but it turned

out well :)

4. Sugar Cookies

5. The fresh snow we received this week!

6. Christmas cards from friends and family :)

7. The full day of shopping and Starbucks drinking that I got with my sister on Monday

8. That Danica has become a "daddy's girl"...she's incredibly cute when she crawls down

the hall calling "dada dada!" looking for him.

9. Christmas flower bouquets!

10. The peace I feel lately...there is something about spending a quiet Christmas at

home with the people closest to me that is so incredibly peaceful...and simple!

11. Lemi Shine. What is that, you ask? Well, it's a powder recommended to me by a

friend for removing the white film from my dishes washed in the dishwasher. I have

silver pots and clear glasses again!

12. A husband that has been so incredibly helpful this week.

13. Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. All I need is the motivation to turn on the DVD, and

she does the rest! If I keep it up, I have no excuses not to lose the rest of the baby

weight!

14. Our new bed :)

15. The time we get to spend with all four girls over Christmas break...although Addison

does get bored incredibly quickly without school to keep her busy!

16. That I finished shopping for Daniel this year...with confidence! I even found more

than one thing I think he'll like. I'm usually so nervous and lost shopping for that man.

17. Christmas is 3 days away!

18. Setting up the Nativity scene in our window with the girls :)

19. Visiting with neighbours over a Christmas coffee!

20. My best friend, Jesus, for coming as a baby at Christmas time. It never ceases to

amaze me when I stop and think about it.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T20:37:00.001-08:00

Mommy Necklace Giveaway. CLOSED. Congrats to....

2011-12-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

Jessica Vdl!! Congratulations!!!!

Thank you everyone who entered. I hope it's not too long before I can host another giveaway of a great product :D

It's that time again! Time for another giveaway of one of my favourite mom-made products! In fact, I love them so much that I purchased this one myself just so I could give it to one of you. Sort of a combination of Merry Christmas/thanks for reading my blog/I'm in a good mood/I've reached 200 fans....kind of thing.

Here's a little blurb on why these necklaces are so awesome.

All Mommy Necklaces are guaranteed from breakage, made from high-quality USA-manufactured acrylic beads, and lab-tested for safety. They are super light weight, that you hardly feel like your wearing it. The snap on clasp is perfect too, so if your child pulls on the necklace too hard, it will simply unsnap without breaking.

They are not meant for babies to teeth on, despite what you see in the picture below :p But because of the fact that they are toxin free, you don't have to worry if they munch on them a bit :)

Now, I have to say...when I first started following the Facebook page for MN, I was slightly taken aback at how many necklaces some of the fans owned. I used to think, "why would you need more than one or two?"

Then I ordered one.

And yes, now I want them all.

Why?

Well, first off, I need one to match with every outfit. Of course.

Second, Danica loves fiddling with it while she nurses...which is both super cute AND helpful!

Third, if I need to distract Danica or Myka while we are in public, I can take it off and let them play with it without fear of them breaking it and choking on a bead.

Fourth, I get complimented EVERY TIME I wear one in public. Mommy Necklaces are great for your self esteem!

So now you can win this one! It's called a Raven. I've chosen to give this one away because it's fairly neutral, with it's black, smoke, and silver beads. It's sure to add style to any "mom outfit" :)

The giveaway will end December 27th

Click each item as you complete the entry, and feel free to email me if you have any problems! jade@littlelilybamboo.com

Good luck mamas!

*NOTE* The entry tasks are based on honesty, since I don't have a way to make sure you do each one before saying "DONE". I appreciate your honesty when it comes to entering the contest :) Thanks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rudolph the Red Nosed...Christmas Cookie

2011-12-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

This year, we decided to do something a little different with our Christmas cookies! I found the most amazing recipe for soft, puffy sugar cookies HERE, and the idea for the Reindeer on Pinterest.

I mean...I came up with the idea all on my own because I'm so original. *cough*

Introducing...the Steckly Reindeer!

Some turned out really great. Addison and Tegan were really on the ball :)

And of course, Myka decorated some. All by herself. Yay Myka!

This poor reindeer looks like he's got a bit of a Christmas cold :)

Little Piece of Heaven Way Out West

2011-12-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

Days like today are why I absolutely love where we live! The sun shone through a cloudless sky, the trees glistening with bright white crystals...the weather chilly but refreshing! Danica was sleeping, but the other three girls and I bundled up and ran outside to enjoy the day!

Umm, the bottom left picture in this top collage? I wasn't meaning to cover Myka's face...Tegan just chose an unfortunate second to click the button! LOL

And yeah, Myka didn't enjoy the photo shoot quite as much as the rest of us. She promptly got carried inside and right to her bed for a much needed nap after this!

What a marvellous winter day!

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. -Psalm 113:3

Do Your Kids Believe in Santa?

2011-12-15T21:25:00.000-08:00

I've been asked this question quite a few times this Christmas season. Last year, I was asked once, and my answer was..." I have no idea! Addison, do you believe in Santa?"

She said no.

Here's our stance on it....we have no problem with Santa Claus. The character of Santa is modelled after a real man who was a very good guy. But...our girls do know right from the beginning that he is a fun character associated with Christmas, but not the "reason" for it.

So...they get their picture taken with Santa, they tell him what they want for Christmas...they colour pictures of him, and even leave out cookies on Christmas Eve. They have fun with every kid's fantasy of maybe catching a glimpse of Santa that night :)

But they know that mom and dad buy their gifts and sneak around in the night like elves, getting them wrapped and under the tree.

They know that Jesus was born at Christmastime, to live here and show us by example "what Jesus would do", and to forgive us for our sins.

Two days ago, we set up the nativity scene in our window. The girls loved talking about each piece as they set it in place. Addison read the "easy to read" Christmas story, and Danica tried to take the angel out inconspicuously!

Oh, Addison's pose? All her. I thought it was cute :)

Thankful Thursday!

2011-12-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

Source: Uploaded by user via Kelly on Pinterest

This week I'm thankful for:

1. Clear driving roads today, and a safe trip for Daniel and I to Grande Prairie

2. That we got almost all of our Christmas shopping done today!

3. My friend Amy, who watched three of our girls so we could shop faster and more effectively :)

4. My sister Dakota, who shopped with us, holding the rather plump 11 month old the entire time :)

5. That I'm getting closer to "perfecting" the new design on my towels...maybe I can open up shop again soon!

6. The beautiful snow. Sure, it can be cold up here in the North some days, but when the snow lays perfectly white on the trees and ground, and the pristine light blue/white glow covers the Peace Country, I couldn't be more thankful for where I live.

7. That we get two whole weeks with our girls off of school!

8. The work that God has provided my husband with lately

9. That my mom made it to the Dominican safely...although I may be a little jealous as well :p

10. That Alexa and Mrs. Barrios made it back to Australia safely!

11. That my sister Jael has a complete family! A wonderful husband, a beautiful son, and her daughter has been reunited with her. She deserves every amazing thing that happens to her :)

12. That Danica is 11 months old today, and a healthy, thriving little girl! Her first year seems to have gone so fast, but it's been absolutely wonderful!

13. Peppermint Mochas. Mmmmm

14. Panago...especially on busy days like today :)

15. My friend Angela, who took a crummy situation yesterday and made it awesome by inviting me over for coffee...I needed it more than I knew!

16. For a husband that truly enjoys snuggling his little girls. It's incredibly sweet to watch!

17. For daughters that truly love being with their dad. I love how Danica lights up when he comes into the room!

18. That we got our Christmas lights up...in the words of Tegan, "they are SO pretty!"

19. That I seem to have finally broken through my stubborn weight plateau! Pre-baby weight, here I come (albeit slowly)!

20. That Myka sleeps through the night 5 out of 7 nights now. At two and a half, it's about time! LOL

Awkward Family Photos...The Steckly Edition

2011-12-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

Well, not really awkward, but REALLY funny!

This is what you get when you tell Myka to smile...her true personality shines right on through!

Whippin Pens

2011-12-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have one of those days where you are rushing around so fast that you don't even notice you did something?

If that made no sense...allow me to give an example. It happened to me today at the post office.

I was trying to get mail sent and groceries bought before I had to pick up the girls from school, so I was in "GO GO GO" mode, to say the least.

I rushed into the Post Office and headed over to the little table to address my package. There was already a lady there, so I used a tiny corner of the table and the little pen attached to the string to write on the envelope.

Impressed with my speed writing, I set my pen down and rushed into line. Or at least I "thought" I set my pen down.

Before I knew it, the lady I had been sharing the table with tapped me on the shoulder...I turned around to see her looking very defensive, eyebrows raised and all.

"Uh, are you mad at me?" She asked.

"No, not at all! Why?" I answered.

"You just threw that pen at me!"

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" At this point, I realized that although the pen had a string attached, the string had come apart from the pen holder. And in my rush, I must have whipped it a little harder than I had thought. Oops!

I quickly explained this to her, and apologized again. Finally her eyebrows lowered...I think she believed me.

I just happened to be next in line....as I got up to the till, my favorite postal lady looked ver amused.

"that was awkward." I said sheepishly.

"That was funny!" she said.

I'm Jade, and I randomly whip pens at people. Watch out.

Thankful Thursday!

2011-12-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

My heart is full this week :) While there are some sad things happing in my family, some great and wonderful things are also happening!

I have been reminded many times this week that God is good. All the time, God is good.

I often feel like I'm falling so short. Sometimes in little things, like housework...other times in bigger things, like this week when I threw an adult sized temper tantrum because the girls' room was a disaster 1 day after I had spent an hour helping them clean. I felt like I had let my gils down for letting them see that side of me...and I felt like I had let God down. I hadn't even tried to control my anger :(

But despite my failures, deep inside my heart, I KNOW that God loves me and is taking care of me and my family.

Just like we would do anything to protect our children, and say things like, "it's a good thing they're so cute!" when they are misbehaving....it blows my mind to think that God loves us SO much more than that. He created the entire model of parents and children and family so that we could get a small sense of His amazing love for us.

I saw a quote this week that really touched me and reminded me of this.

"He died, not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less." -C.S. Lewis

Source: theloganfamily.wordpress.com via AJ on Pinterest

This week I'm thankful for:

1. Our Christmas tree :) It's perfect, and was so fun to decorate with the girls!

2. Being able to go to celebrate my niece's birthday before she left to move to Australia. It was such a fun birthday party!

3. Being able to spend so much time with my sister...watching tv after the kids went to bed!

4. Getting our salt dough ornaments painted....it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!

5. That two more teeth of Danica's popped through. Although today she's cranky again, so I think more are on their way...

6. That I had the motivation to reorganize the playroom today.

7. Fajitas!

8. That my Christmas cards are almost ready to be sent out! Just a few more to address, and put the Christmas letter in, and they'll be good to go :)

9. Oil of Oregano...it's really helped my girls not get sick much this year!

10. Vitamin D...for the same reason as the oil of oregano. The couple times we have been sick, it's only lasted a day or two!

11. My new envelope system that I bought off of etsy. It's 6 cloth pouches inside a big one, for budgeting out my cash and stop using cards! And it's so pretty!

12. That my grandma and grandpa made it safely to Claresholm to drop off Alexa :)

13. Christmas music

14. Soup...I love making soups, because there is so much room for "creativeness" aka: I can use whatever is left in my cupboards :)

15. That we have a cozy house, cause "baby, it's cold outside!"

16. That I successfully folded and put away the 6 or so loads of laundry that had been piled in my bedroom for much too long. An embarassingly long amount of time :( I mean, what did we even WEAR during that time? LOL

17. The headway we are making in paying off our debt. It's the most liberating feeling EVER!

18. That the Purdy's chocolate orders came in this week at the school...yes, I'm very thankful for that!

19. Random comic relief during the day...like when Myka thinks Danica wants to give her a "horsey ride" while she's crawling :)

20. That we recieved a letter from our sponsor child this week. The girls absolutely love hearing from her! They get so sad when we can't send her things like toys and food :(

I'm Fond of Fondant

2011-12-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

Yay! I'm actually not even embarrassed to publish this post...unlike some "others" I have posted.

I made these cupcakes for my niece's birthday party tomorrow. She's turning 5 on the 19th of December :) We are having her birthday party early though, because later this week she is moving to Australia!

It's a really bittersweet week. My sister..Alexa's mom, moved to Australia in March, and due to many reasons, Alexa had to stay back and live with my grandma. Well, now the passport is here, the visa has gone through, and Alexa can finally be reunited with Jael, Nathan, and her new baby brother! I'm super excited for her, and also a little sad that this is the last week we will see her for a long time. :(

So, I took the opportunity to make her some cupcakes. It was my second time working with fondant, and to avoid looking like a baking fail, I went super simple....roll it out, cut it with a cookie cutter, and stick it on!

I am really pleased with how they turned out, and hope they survive the trip to FSJ tomorrow!

Oh! A nice little sidenote: I only had a couple tablespoons of oil left, and I needed 3/4 of a cup. A little hesitantly, I looked up some applesauce/oil substitutions online and learned some interesting tidbits in the process!

Armed with the knowledge that you substitute it 1:1, that if you have a couple Tbsp of oil, that works well, and why it works so well, I took the plunge. It turned out much better than I thought! They are moist, they rose well, and taste reaaallly yummy. Plus I saved a bunch of calories and fat, so that's a bonus!

Oh, and the super cute cupcake wrappers? No Frills, thank you very much :)

Thankful Thursday-Missed A Few

2011-12-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

Late again!! Sheesh, I'm getting pretty embarassed about this. A few friends have begun Thankful Thursday since I have, and they keep up with it great! I, on the other hand, have dropped the ball lately.

So, a day late, here is what I'm thankful for this week:

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Katy on Pinterest

1. That my husband's new business is going well :)

2. That my sister could come visit, yet again! With Daniel gone for work, it was really nice to have the adult company

3. That I helped the girls get their room clean today, and stayed patient while doing it!

4. That we are able to have a birthday party for my neice before she moves to Australia next week.

5. That Alexa finally will be with her mom and dad in Australia. It's been too long!

6. The "warm" weather this week :)

7. That I finally figured out a way to do the edges on my towels so they don't fray :)

8. Macy's birthday party on Sunday -Addison

9. Sugar Cookie candles...mmmm :)

10. Christmas decorations!

11. Christmasy apple cider...since I don't like eggnog.

12. Cupcake dates with my sister and the delicious cupcake shop in town!

13. Fresh sheet day!!! Snuggle snuggle!

14. Matthew 6:25: Therefore do not worry about your life; what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

15. Clothes for my family to wear...when I'm doing piles of laundry, it can be difficult to be thankful for it, but i have to remember that we are incredibly blessed to even HAVE piles of clothes to wear!

16. That my mom made it home from Vancouver safely :)

17. Window plastic...to keep it warmer in our house on chilly days.

18. For my awesome friend Teresa, who sent me a Starbucks gift card (and cute scarf!) for my birthday!

19. Spaghetti squash...it's so much better than I ever imagined it would be, and really useful for sticking to my WW points!

20 That my parent teacher interviews went well this week, and both the girls are doing well in school. I'm actually quite surprised how much Tegan has learned in just a few short months of kindergarten!

What are YOU thankful for this week?

Thankful..Monday

2011-11-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Source: erinmccall.blogspot.com via Alisa on Pinterest

So, here's me making up the weeks that I missed. I have so much to be thankful for this week!

I am thankful for:

1. Mommy Necklaces! I love love love mine, and the best part is that they are on www.babysteals.com for the next two hours for half off!

2. Quiet Mornings with my two youngest girls :) I haven't seen the older ones yet this morning...sleepy heads.

3. That Daniel could spend the whole day at home yesterday!

4. For the family movie night we had last night...despite the pizza that cooked very unevenly in my wonderful oven LOL

5. That it's warmer this week so we have a second chance to get our Christmas lights up!

6. That the younger two girlies slept really well last night...I think I MAY be actually catching up on my sleep!

7. Hot Chocolate

8. Vanilaa coffee for the Tassimo

9. My new zumba game for the xbox....and I already know alot of the songs from my zumba class! Bonus :)

10. That I only have one load of laundry to do today and then I'm caught up on laundry! For now.

11. That a friend is coming over for coffee today

12. That all the people in my family who have been travelling this week have had safe travels.

13. That we "fixed" my dryer and now it dries in one load! By fix, I mean, we figured out that the hose at the back was clogged. Phew!

14. For my brand new Bench jacket. I feel SO spoiled...I've been wanting it forever, and my awesome sister bought it for my birthday!

15. That God provides work for my husband to provide for our family. Especially at this time of year, I can't help but think of the families that don't have that neccessity cared for as easily.

16. That Myka is talking so well! Not only does it cut down on the whining, but it is incredibly cute as well!

17. That my girls have stayed relatively healthy so far this fall and winter

18. New fabrics :)

19. For the opportunity to be a guest blogger this week on a great blog! Talk about writers pressure! Eeek :)

20. Coupons for "good" things that I actually use!

Thankful Thursday-Missed A Few

2011-11-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Source: Uploaded by user via Jenny on Pinterest

Oops! I feel awful..I have forgotten Thankful Thursday for TWO weeks! I was travelling, but that should be no excuse. I'll make up for them by making this week a Thankful Week! LOL

I have so much to be thankful for lately...

This week, I am thankful:

1. That even though the weather is cold, the snow is absolutely gorgeous

2. That I got to see my good friend Gail last week! We spent 4 hours in Costco...it was awesome :D

3. That my wonderful husband bought me some Lulu Lemon for my birthday. I've always wanted something from there, and I got totally spoiled!

4. For in law's that know how to make a birthday special, whether you are 5...or 28!

5. That I got to cuddle my brand new nephew, Robbie, for almost 2 days straight last week!

6. And I also got to cuddle my other brand new nephew, Emett, pretty much all week!

7. That my brother fixed the DVD player in the van. It hasn't worked since we bought the van last year, but it was awesome to have something for the kids to watch on the 10 hour drive home :)

8. While I'm on "handy" family members, I'm also thankful for my brother in law for fixing the pump for my windshield wipers. It's so much easier to drive when you can wash the windshield and, you know....SEE!

9. Chuck. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talkin' about :)

10. For Teresa, because she told me about Chuck in the first place.

11. For clear roads on the way home.

12. That while we are visiting my in law's, the girls can spend so much time with their grandparents. They are awesome grandparents, and the girls love them alot!

13. For kids that travel well on long trips

14. Thinsations

15. Quizno's coupons

16. My new cell phone plan...I have a simple little plain phone with unlimited pretty much everything....yay!

17. Chocolate. Specifically dark chocolate :)

18. That the two youngest girls have been sleeping better each night since we got home....maybe a full night's sleep is in my near future?

19. That my mom won her election! YAY! And now she is the rep for the area i live in :) Go mom!

20. A van that runs well and has heat :)

Summer 2011 Lives On...

2011-11-16T14:20:00.000-08:00

I'm at my mother in law's house right now, and you know what that means...Perusing her iphoto for pics of my family that I haven's seen yet!

She takes awesome pictures and I found these awesome ones today. I can't believe how much everyone has changed in a few short months!

Addison sharing a cold one with daddy :)

If you had to think of a caption for this photo...what would it be? LOL

The expression on Tegan's face made me LOL when I saw this one! And Myka is just in awe of the wonder that is a sparkler :)

Our pretty Little Lily :)

Beautiful Addison :)

Danica and her daddy

Grandpa and his friend "Grandpa Dan" took the girls out fishing at Moonshine. Does this photo remind anyone else of the movie "Grumpy Old Men?"

Precious little camper :)

Now we hunker down for a long, cold winter and wait for summer 2012!

Beauty...Sweetpea Style

2011-11-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

Have you ever watched "Sweetpea Beauty" from Veggietales? It is a wonderful movie...directed at young girls to show them that they are beautiful.

There is so much pressure on our daughters...and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse. Pressure to grow up too fast, to wear makeup early....to make sure they are always "in style", and as much as I hate to think about it, as a mother of four girls...the pressure to become sexually active earlier and earlier.

In my humble opinion, t.v. and music is making it worse. Songs about sex are not a new thing, but they are getting more and more graphic, venturing even into the fetish worlds of bondage and aliens, and played so casually.

What are our daughters (and sons) learning from this? By the time my 6 year old is a teenager, what will be considered normal...and what types of things will she feel pressured to do by her fellow 13 year olds?

9 years ago, I was in Bible School, and helping with a ministry for young girls. They ranged in age from about 7-12, and we were doing a fun day with them. One thing about that day really stuck in my head. Some of the girls had bought cameras to capture memories of the day. Each time a camera was pointed at them, almost every girl immediately gave a sultry pout to the camera in place of a smile. Even then, before I had my own daughters, I was saddened by that. They weren't even teenagers yet! They were still young girls :(

Now, maybe it didn't mean alot, and I read too much into it, but it still pops into my head to this day...usually when I'm already scared to have my girls grow past the toddler stage!

So now back to the movie. It is about a young girl named Snoodlerella, who has crazy hair, braces, and is clumsier than her stepsisters. She gets teased alot and is cut down by her stepsnoodle daily about her appearances.

When it comes time for the ball, her stepsnoodle hires a lady to give Snoodlerella a makeover so she won't embarrass the family.

At the ball, her looks fade at midnight. She's sad that she looks plain once again, but then, the King comes onto the floor and asks her to dance.

As they dance, this is what he says:

I think you're beautiful, your hair and your braces. Your glasses, and clothes, your cumbersome graces.

And many more treasures, which I could speak of; there's nothing about you I don't truly love.

You're kind, and you're honest. You're funny and smart.

You're really quite charming, you have a good heart!

Your majesty, she asked, as a tear came into view. "I'd like to believe you, is this really true?"

Of course it is true, every word that I say!

Daughter, I am the king and I made you that way.

I delight in your beauty, you are wonderfully made!

I knew you before Earth's foundation was laid.

You are precious to me, every hair on your head.

Daughter, here, believe.

It makes me cry almost every time I watch it. As Daniel and I raise four daughters in a world filled with sex, supermodels, and diets, my deepest desire is that we can impart that knowledge into them. The knowledge that they are incredibly beautiful and precious...both to us and to God.

Now, I realize this is going to be a challenge, since that is usually the last thing on a teenage girl's mind..."well, at least my mom thinks I'm pretty!" is not usually comforting when your friends are teasing you.

I hope though, that by the time they are teenagers, the confidence they need is there.

My challenge, to myself and Daniel...and anyone else who wants, is to say AND do at least one thing every day for each child to show them how beautiful they are and build confidence.

Hug them, tell them, laugh at a joke, take one of their ideas, cuddle them, smile at them.

It seems small when I write it like that, but I have a feeling it has more of an effect than we might think :)

Thankful Thursday!

2011-11-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday everyone! Here's what I'm thankful for this week:

1. Strong Start...the girls love playing with all the toys that we don't have, and I love visiting with the other moms!

2. Friends....have I said that before? LOL It makes the evenings when Daniel is gone alot more bearable :)

3. My girls night last Friday! Chelsea and I drank wine, ate yummy appetizers, and had a great visit. What an awesome way to get to know someone better :)

4. Our babysitter, Amber. In fact, she's so awesome, that my local friends are starting to steal her! LOL

5. That a few of my friends are now participating in Thankful Thursday as well. I love reading them all! It really really helps brighten my days that aren't going super well!

6. That Daniel is coming home tonight! Yipee!

7. That even though I don't have chickens anymore, my friend Amy does, and I still get farm fresh eggs!

8. That even though my girls "seem" like they are getting sick, they haven't actually gotten sick yet since school started.

9. That Myka is actually starting to use sentences! She still whines an awful lot, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel :D

10. Pop chips.

11. The new boots I got for Danica on etsy! They are similar to Robeez, but are made of a soft suede, and are handmade in Montreal. LOVE them.

12. That halloween is over. That holiday gives me the eebie jeebies.

13. That Subway has a drivethru now in Dawson

14. Snow...wait. Am I really thankful for it yet? LOL

15. That I got my floors vaccuumed and washed today...I am so much more relaxed now!

16. That my Christmas cards are on their way to me....maybe I'll get them out on time this year!

17. That Addison's classroom switch went smoothly this week. Her and Tegan seem to both be adjusting well to being in different classrooms :)

18. For cheap long distance plans to Australia :)

19. That my computer is still hanging on even though it clearly wants to dies.

20. Homemade mochas. Yum!

Source: Uploaded by user via Whitney on Pinterest

What I'm Doing Right Now.

2011-10-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

It was too long for a fb status, so I'm writing it here LOL. The girls are playing with some balloons that they got in a goody bag recently.

And because Myka is still learning to use her words, her "asking" has a whiney tone.

First, she whined for a balloon. I got her to ask politely, then got her one.

Then, she asked for me to blow it up. I handed her a perfectly blown up balloon, and she whined more.

"what is wrong?"

"Mom, she wants to be able to shoot the balloon like we are doing...you can't tie it" says Addison.

My bad.

I blow up another one, hand it to her untied, and it deflates.

Then the real tears start.

Are you getting irritated yet just reading it? LOL

Addison showed her how to "shoot" it like them, and she can do it, but cries every time it deflates.

I think it's time for a new game. This one clearly has no chance of entertaining Myka LOL

Thankful Thursday!

2011-10-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

What I'm thankful for this week:

1. That my water cooler bottle has been refilled :)

2. That I got the girls' room organized today. I know it may not last long, but it sure feels good right now!

3. That Danica will drink out of a sippy cup now...even though I haven't actually used my newfound "freedom", it feels good knowing that I could:)

4. For the clarity that came today regarding my business. I have a friend to thank for the push in the right direction, and even though I thought I'd be sad, I'm actually a little relieved to be taking a break. Hopefully I can come back from it better than before :)

5. That it hasn't snowed yet. Even though it's chilly, I can still bundle up the kids and get a few more walks out of my new jogging stroller!

6. For income coming in just when we need it most

7. For my friend Gail, who makes me feel so much better whenever we talk!

8. That I got 4 loads of laundry washed, dried AND put away today. I feel so accomplished!

9. That my friend Chelsea is coming over tomorrow night for a Friends marathon! I am so excited for a girls night...and the fact that I don't have to leave my house makes it even better :)

10. That my girls can unload and load the dishwasher now! I've started a routine where we all clean the kitchen after dinner. I love it on so many levels!

11. For hot chocolate on a cool fall afternoon

12. For stovetop stuffing and how easy it can make dinner some days!

13. That Myka whined significantly less today, and actually tried to use sentences instead!

14. For stirfry...so yummy and makes sticking to my weight watchers points so easy!

15. For the lady at Zumba that told me yesterday that I'm "really getting it". A small compliment, but it meant alot!

16. For Danica's cute new habit...waving her head "no". At least I know at this point that she doesn't actually mean "no", it's just for fun. And SO cute!

17. I miss my husband like crazy right now, but if he has to be gone, I'm thankful for the quiet evenings to get some projects done :)

18. That the mouse poison under the house seems to be working..I haven't seen one in a couple weeks! Sorry if that was a bit morbid.

19. That my friend Amy and I had a great talk about parenting today...she really encouraged me, and it helped me feel less "bogged down" as I went about my day with our girls. The talk also was a great reminder that it never hurts to randomly hug the older two girls, just for being them!

20. That Daniel sent me this cartoon that he found last night. I'm still giggling over it :)

30 Day Blog Challenge, Days 8 and 9

2011-10-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Something you're currently worrying about

My business :( I recently made a poor business decision (although I "thought" I was super careful and had covered my bases). Now, because of that decision, I have a large amount of fabric that won't work for my towels, and I had to take my towels off the market until I can resolve the situation.

So yeah, I'm a little worried that I won't be able to sell this fabric and that I won't be able to offer my towels for a long time. It makes me sad because I love making them, and I have some awesome ideas for new ones!

Source: google.com via Leigh Ann on Pinterest

Your last kiss

About two hours ago. I kissed my husband goodbye as he left to go to work for two long weeks. It was a good kiss :)

30 Day Blog Challenge, Day Seven

2011-10-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

Your opinion on cheating on people

Hmmm.

Basically I think that cheating..adultery, whatever you call it is bad. In the Bible, it's the only sin that God actually condones divorce for. In marriage, nothing is more devastating.

I also think that none of us are immune. I have known of people who have had affairs, and it shocked me. Many times it's the people that you would least expect that fall into that trap.

There is nothing Satan would like more than to break up our marriage. I think that affairs are something that can happen easier than most people realize. Most people don't go out "looking" for an affair, and that's why I believe it's very important to be prepared and guard ourselves when it comes to relationships with the opposite sex if we are married.

I'm tired, but I think that made sense? LOL

The "Evil Eye"

2011-10-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

I think I've perfected it.

If you are a regular reader, you know that Myka, is quite prone to temper tantrums.

Tonight after I put the girls to bed, she got up (for the fifth time), and asked for a drink. As I handed her the glass of water, she started to lose it. "I want JUICE!!!" She cried.

"No juice Myka. It's bedtime, and you can only have water."

As she started to lose it, I stood firm and calmly, with a stern look on my face.

The scream started to escalate.

I intensified the evil eye.

She quieted down, mumbled, "I have water." and walked to her bedroom.

SucSESSSSSSSS!!

I know...looking at this picture makes you want to comment "but Jade, she looks so sweet! I could never imagine her throwing a temper tantrum!"

To which I would say, "HaHa."

Thankful Thursday...and the 6th Day.

2011-10-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Today's thankful Thursday is dedicated to two people who blessed my week :) I am so lucky to have such amazing friends, and these two managed to melt my heart a little bit this week.

The first is my little sister Dakota. She's 8 years younger than me, so we didn't have a ton in common while we were growing up. Now that we're both adults, however, things have changed. I love the fun that she adds to my life, and she loves hanging out at my house on her days off and chillin' with my kidneys* :p

*Autocorrected text from Dakota's phone on Tuesday:

Friend: whatcha up to?

Dakota: just hanging with my sister and her kidneys!

(kidneys=kidlets FYI)

Here is 10 things I'm thankful for about Dakota:

1. That she enjoys spending time with me on her days off.

2. That she walked around the GP mall with all four of my girls a couple of weeks ago just so I could buy jeans kid-free

3. That she enjoys Subway as much as I do.

4. That we enjoy the same shows :)

5. That she's such an awesome aunt to my girls!

6. That she's always willing to give me, her frumpy mom sister, awesome fashion advice. I totally need it.

7. That she loves doing my makeup. Again, totally necessary :)

8. That she works at the Keg. I'm SO thankful for this. Never stop working at the Keg Dakota! LOL

9. That she's my sister :)

10. That she's so awesome with words. When I'm stricken with writer's block and not sure how to say something, she saves the day!

The second is my friend Angela. We met almost 2 years ago and have become really good friends since. She's one of the most honestly sweet people I have ever known...just today she dropped by unexpectedly with a coffee from Timmy's. I am so lucky to have a friend like her!

Here's the top 10 things I'm thankful for about Angela:

1. That she lives close to me....it makes it so much easier to get together for coffee!

2. That she goes to Zumba with me!

3. That she always sounds happy that I called her.

4. That she loves chatting all morning as much as I do :)

5. That she unexpectedly drops by with coffee. She is my first friend to ever do that!

6. That she does the most amazingly sweet things. For example, last year on my birthday, she invited me over for a beautiful homemade lunch, complete with a cake and a bouquet of flowers...just for me!

7. That she's always there to listen when I need a shoulder to cry on

8. That she has such a great sense of humor, and can always cheer me up!

9. That she always points out the good in people, even when it would be easy not to.

10. That she's my friend :)

I love you Angela and Dakota!

And now, for Day 6 of the blog challenge:

The Person You Like And Why You Like Them

I believe this post will answer your question...

Happy thursday everyone!

30 Day Blog Challenge, Day Five

2011-10-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

5 Things that irritate you about the opposite sex/same sex

Men:

1. Body odor is not the eau de jour

2. I never thought I'd say "dirty socks left on the living room floor", but once you've had to clean up a few, you think it

3. When I hear guys trying to pick up a girl with extremely crude comments

4. I know a lot of men that have cheated on good women...many of them recently. That's pretty irritating.

5. Small Man Syndrome. Am I the only one who knows what that is? LOL

Women:

1. When they get mad at their husbands for not being able to guess what they are "really" saying. Just say it.

2. When they speak badly about their husbands in public

3. When they talk about men being "stupid". If we heard a man say his wife was stupid, he would never live it down!

4. Honestly, women who are too "feminist". I don't see why it's SO necessary that we as a group feel the need to be "able to do everything" a man does. Obviously I don't feel this way about everything, but I believe in limits.

5. Gossip. I struggle with it too, and am making an effort to stop...I have seen a few times too many how harmful it can be!

Source: None via Vanessa on Pinterest

30 Day Blog Challenge, Day Four

2011-10-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

What do you wear to bed?

Tank top and underwear. No pants, ever.

Source: sayingimages.com via Ginger on Pinterest

30 Day Blog Challenge, Day Three

2011-10-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

What Kind of Person Attracts You?

For my purposes, I'm assuming this question is not just "guy" related, but friends too.

Most of the time I'm attracted to people that I would like to be more like in some way (this includes Daniel!)....or that likes to talk as much as I do, so we can't help but "click" :)

Some of the traits someone has that would make me want to get to know them better are:

-Outgoing

-Humble

-Honest

-Spontaneous

-Mature

-Organized/clean home (totally superficial, but I want to be that way, so I want to learn from people that are :))

-Loyal

-Kind hearted

-Positive attitude

-Of course, a good, sarcastic sense of humor never fails to suck me in as well! LOL

Friendship!

Source: imgfave.com via Jade on Pinterest

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili, by popular demand :)

2011-10-16T21:56:00.000-07:00

So many people have asked me for this recipe that I decided to just post it on my blog!

I'm posting the recipe here, but the link to the full post where I found it is at the bottom...click it to see her amazing pics!

I make this chili often...it's one my family's new favorites!
Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
Servings:

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce (used a 16 oz can)
10 oz package frozen corn kernels (used 2 small cans of corn kernels)
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder (used a bit more as I didn't have any chilies in my tomatoes)
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points).

Photo a Day: WW - Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili: First off, thanks so much for your encouraging words! You are the best!! I wasn't sure about posting my photos - but I am glad I did! You g...

30 Day Blog Challenge, Day Two

2011-10-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

How have you changed in the past 2 years?

In the last two years I have been at the heaviest weight I have EVER been at...when I was 9 months pregnant when our fourth.

I have become a lot more opinionated about many things. I think it's a good thing sometimes, but I'm sure it annoys people as well.

I've gotten much better at saying NO. In fact, just tonight when someone I know called to see if I wanted to hear a presentation on a business opportunity, I actually gave a firm "no" while still being friendly. The difference is that two years ago I probably would have agreed so that I didn't offend anyone.

Yesterday in the checkout line at the grocery store, an older woman said to me "you must be a very organized mom!" Little did she know that this is my biggest struggle in life. I want more than anything to be extremely organized, but I'm not. I can fake it to some people, but those closest to me, like my mom and my husband, notice.

However, in the last two years, it HAS improved because I've actually made an effort. Maybe in two more years I'll be writing posts about organizing! LOL

I did learn an awesome piece of advice about organizing this week in case anyone else has the same struggle..."Don't put it down, put it away". It's totally my new mantra when I'm cleaning house!

I've also learned lots about business! I have so much more to learn, but I really love my little business and feel so lucky to have it :) Oh, and I've become way more "crafty" than I ever thought I would be!

And now, something fun for you to do :)

Choose the colour you like best BEFORE reading the description and see if it fits you!

Source: 7thhouseontheleft.com via Jade on Pinterest

30 Day Blog Challenge, Day One

2011-10-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Usually I find blog challenges pretty boring. But I found this one today and thought it looked pretty cool, AND I'm still missing my camera (sad face), so I figured I'd give it a go.

Any bets on whether or not I'll have a new camera by the end of the 30 days?

Here is the link to the challenge. If you participate, PLEASE come comment with the link to your blog so I can read it too...I'm a blog reading geek :D

Ok, first question:

Weird things you do when you're alone

You know, I'm glad they put this one first. That way, if I creep you out, you can quit reading after day one and you haven't wasted any more time! LOL

Hmmm...ok, here's a few weird things I do when I'm alone:

-Practice my zumba moves...I WILL nail the travelling salsa one of these days!

-Try to sing like Adele

-Watch Friends. The show is awesome, and to be honest, has gotten me through some tough times in my life. I like having noise in my house that isn't whiny as well...that's a big reason :)

-If Daniel isn't home when I put the girls to bed, I do a happy dance down the hall because the evening is ALL MINE!

-Mutter (or sometimes yell) "forget cleaning!" and surf my favorite sites on the internet :)

-Laugh at ridiculous things I find on the internet, like this:

Source: piccsy.com via Jade on Pinterest

Thankful Thursday...He Promised.

2011-10-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, the last couple of weeks have been tuffies. So while I was trying to find 20 things to be

thankful for today, my mind kept going back to this "pin" that I have seen a few times on

Pinterest. He loves me....and so much more.

So today's thankful post: 20 of God's promises that

I am MORE than thankful for.

On weeks like this, they are what I have to hold onto...and what I

need to be reminded of more often!

Source: jewelzandglitter.tumblr.com via Flaming on Pinterest

"He has given us His very great and precious promises..." 2 Peter 1:4

1. That I can go to Him in my time of need. -Hebrews 4:16
2. That His grace is enough. -2 Corinthians 12:9
3. That He will provide strength when I need it. -Isaiah 41:10
4. That He loves me when I don't do anything to deserve it. -Romans 5:8
5. That He sees each tear I cry, and will wipe them all away. -Revelations 21:4
6. That He is always with me, no matter where I go. -Joshua 1:9
7. That I can rest in Him. -Matthew 11:28
8. That He will teach me when I need to be taught. -Psalm 32:8
9. That He loves me, and always will! -Jeremiah 31:3
10. That He is a compassionate God. -Isaiah 30:18
11. That He provides peace when I need it most. -John 14:27
12. That He listens to me when I talk to Him. -Jeremiah 21:12
13. That He gives me wisdom (and we all know I need that! LOL). -Proverbs 2:5
14. That He provided all of the answers I need in one convenient location. -2Timothy 3:15,16
15. That I have a mighty powerful God that loves me. -Ephesians 6:10
16. That if I seek Him I WILL find Him. -Psalm 34:10

17. That He loves me. Always have and always will. -Jeremiah 31:3
18. That "pay it forward" was His idea in the first place. -1Peter 3:9
19. That He protects me. He hides me in the shadow of His hand. -Isaiah 41:2
20. That HE LOVES ME. He considers me precious, and I am His. -Isaiah 43:1b;4

Source: littlethingsaboutgod.tumblr.com via Flaming on Pinterest

Thankful Thursday...Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-10-08T20:42:00.001-07:00

I know it's Friday night...again I'm late with the TT post. I like to think that "at least I'm getting it done at some point before the week ends" LOL

I had a pretty crummy week. One thing after another happened, and now, at the most thankful time of year, I'm feeling more like having a pity party instead.

Just in case you want to relive my week with me....

-The fabric order that I spent all year doing, and all of my business money and resources on is a flop. It is totally wrong for my towels, and now I have somewhere in the vicinity of 600 yards of fabric that I can't use for that purpose. With upset customers to boot.

-My 8 month old got hand, foot and mouth disease, which is completely harmless...but contagious, so it meant that we had to cancel our plans to go see family for Thanksgiving.

-The stresses of the week had been building all week, and while I was waiting for the girls to get off the bus on Thursday, a friend and her husband stopped their vehicle beside mine to say hi. I rolled down the window and proceeded to burst. into. tears. That's right folks, in front of her AND her husband. That was probably the highlight.

-I have not been able to get another camera yet, and have missed countless "Kodak Moments" with my girls.

-Potty training...NOT happening.

But, there is always something to be thankful for. Especially at this time of year :)

Source: craftily-ever-after.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

So....here's the top 20 things I'm thankful for this week!

1. Hand, Foot and Mouth disease is much less serious than it sounds, so my daughter hasn't had to suffer too badly with it.

2. Even though Daniel has to work, the girls and I get to spend Thanksgiving at my mom's house!

3. That I got to spend an entire afternoon with my sister yesterday.

4. My very first pair of Silver jeans..that were on sale! They are the only jeans I have now that actually fit me. I'm embarassed to say that between Danica's birth and now, I've been in mostly maternity pants...eeek!

5. My kitchen has stayed clean about 90% of the time, thanks to my dishwasher that I am still completely smitten with!

6. That it's still warm enough outside for me to wear my flip flops

7. That I have a friend that loves going to Zumba just as much as I do...even more motivation to go!

8. That my sister in law values my opinion enough to ask questions about life with a newborn...I love that she knows how passionate I am about babies, breastfeeding, and the like, and actually WANTS to ask my advice :) I'm so honoured!

9. That I got some cute autumn crafts done with my girlies...and the quality time that comes along with that.

10. My first pumpkin spice latte of the year...sweet relaxation in a cup!

11. Friends who drop by with Tim Horton's coffee when they know I'm having a rough day.

12. That we got the yard all cleaned up before the snow falls

13. DIY pedicures with my four princesses

14. That Daniel had a few days off this week that we got to spend together as a family

15. That we got family pictures done! I am so excited to see them!

16. That Netflix added Return To Me to their collection...it's definitely in my top 5 romantic movie list.

17. That we are able to buy our children warm clothes for the winter. When I buy them I can't help but think about the families all over the world that can't.

18. That Danica and Myka have both been sleeping better lately. I am so thankful!

19. Homemade cinnamon apple oatmeal on brisk fall mornings.

20. Peaceful evenings :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

My Very Own Address

2011-10-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

You can now type www.constant-chatter.com into your computer, and end up here! Yay!

Clearly I'm bored without my camera....

Thankful Thursday...Join in the Fun!

2011-09-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

I would love to read other Thankful Thursday posts if you want to write them :) I'll add the linky to the bottom of this post if you are interested.

Happy Thursday everyone!

This week I am thankful for.....

1. That my lova (as Alison would say), is coming homer RIGHT NOW! I haven't seen him since Sunday :)

2. For my awesome friend Rayna who let me hold her newborn baby today

3. That the girls went to bed early...all of them :)

4. For Netflix...slow, yes. But the variety is nice

5. That I got my house mostly cleaned tonight....I may or may not get the gumption up to wash the floors still.

6. That I got the girls' playroom organized this week...yay me!

7. That so many healthy babies have been born this month to my awesome friends.

8. That I've stuck to my points in Weight Watchers this week...here's to breaking through the plateau!

9. That there are enough leaves on the ground that they make a nice "crunch" when I walk.

10. That our yard has been all cleaned up for winter. I think it's the first time that it's actually been done before the snow flies! (Thanks love :))

11. For long distance plans...especially to Australia so I can talk to my sister

12. That I am caught up on almost all of my Little Lily bamboo orders

13. Zumba. I can't tell you how much I am LOVING it! Seriously. Love it.

14. That my girls love their aunts so much (they should...they are all awesome!). Tonight as we were eating dinner, Tegan even had the guts to say, "mom, I wish you were Dante."

15. For the hot bath that I am about to have

16. Spaghetti Squash. It's delish and makes it so much easier to not go over my points with dinner!

17. My girls' school. I can't say enough good things about it. The teachers and staff are awesome, the kids are awesome, and the parents that I have met so far are awesome!

18. God's grace. Thinking of how he is patient with me so often (like when I am getting all mad at the girls!) really reminds me to cool it and be more patient with them. How can I get so freaked out over the little things that they do bad when I have let God down more times than I could count?

19. Daniel's fishtank. It's so pretty and calming to watch :)

20. Sleep. I haven't been getting much, but any sleep is good sleep!

Dear Camera

2011-09-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

The other day I tried to turn you on and nothing happened*. I charged your battery, and still, nothing. I'm so sad.

I was sad that day, and I get sadder by the day.

So many things have happened that I wish you could have been a part of.

If you were still here, I would have used you to take a picture of Danica's face after Myka had "let her try" the brownie batter spatula she was licking off.

I would have used you to take pictures of my girls playing in the leaves in Tumbler Ridge.

And of our dirt road, covered in orange and yellow leaves...it's so pretty.

I want to sell a piece of furniture we have, but can't really post in online without a picture...so it sits in our addition taking up space.

To be honest, I feel a little betrayed by you. You died at my favorite time of year for taking pictures. I'm afraid I'm going to have to move on soon..I just wanted to let you know how I was feeling.

I thoroughly enjoyed our 4.5 year relationship.

Goodbye :(

Dr. Seuss for Nursing Moms

2011-09-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

I found this on another mom blog...I don't know who wrote it, but it's awesome!

Thank you whoever you are! I've posted it before, but was browsing through my blog today, and when I saw it, felt like it was the perfect day to repost it!

Especially since nursing has become such an "adventure" for Danica and I...*sigh*

She is what you might call, an intense nursling.

Look closely...you can see it in her eyes :)

Would you nurse her in the park?

Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?

I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I’d nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.

Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she’s full!

Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy’s milk is the best start!

Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.

As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy’s milk is tailor made
It’s the perfect food, you need no aid.

Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast’s the perfect food!

I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk’s the perfect food!

We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There’s no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.

Those sweet nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy’s milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can’t be beat.
I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.

I will not let my baby cry,
I’ll meet her needs, I’ll always try.
It’s not about what’s good for you,
It’s best for babies, through and through.

I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma’am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am.

Author unknown

Thankful Thursday..an invitation

2011-09-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

Where did the week go? I can't believe it's Thursday again already!

This week I'd like to try something a little different. If you have a blog, I would love for you to join me on Thankful Thursday! I've had a few people send me links to their blogs over the past few weeks because they had written their own Thankful Thursday posts. I loved reading them, and would love to read yours! So this week, if you write a post (it doesn't have to be today :)), link up to it using the tool at the bottom of this post. I'll start adding it every week so we can share the thankfulness!

Source: tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

1. Orange and yellow leaves on the trees

2. The crunch of the leaves under my feet

3. The warm fall days we've had this week

4. Apples, applesauce, apple pies....mmmmm:)

5. Being able to bake fresh bread without cooking out the house!

6. Pumpkins....they are in my top 10 lists of favorite fruits (vegetable? Gourds? whatev.), and I'm so thankful to live in an area where there are lots!

7. Zumba....steering away from the autumn theme for a minute, but I was thinking last night as I was dancing my heart out how thankful I am to be able to move like I do in zumba. Did that sound conceited? LOL It wasn't meant to be. I was thinking more along the lines of how all of our joints and muscles and limbs work together to be able to do awesome things like zumba :)

8. Danica's determination. Last week, she started crawling. This week, she wants to "walk" everywhere with me holding her hands. Despite many bumps to the head, that girl is determined to get up and run! I'm so thankful that she has that quality :)

9. The air. Specifically, the cool, crisp, autumn air...it's the best for taking deep breaths!

10. My crock pot. It's helped me make some awesome dinners this week!

11. My Tassimo machine. Coffeeeee.

12. My new pantry. I should do an entirely different post on that one. I love LOVE it, because it makes my kitchen look organized!

13. Vitamins C and D. They are very important in our house right now, as everyone is getting a cold. Away with you, colds!

14. That my sister in laws and mother in law introduced me to the wonderful world of quilting. I'm starting small, but I see a BIG addiction in my future!

15. Skype...being able to talk to my sister and my nephew face to face is priceless, and makes me feel like I've "met" him. I can't wait to go visit her in Australia (*side note* I'm humbly accepting airmiles donations :p)

16. That Myka has been sleeping much better lately.

17. That we took the time to clean and organize the girls' room this week. It's sooo much better now!

18. That we don't have snow yet

19. That the hunters came back this week. You don't know what I'm talking about, lol. There is a family of hunters that come from the coast every year and ask if they can hunt for deer on our land. In return, they give us freshly candied and smoked salmon that they caught. It is to die for...and our family's favorite time of year! :)

20. That Daniel has been able to work close to home. It's so nice to have him home every night :)

Tuesday Top Ten...I Learned it From My Girls

2011-09-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

The conversation at dinner tonight went something like this:

Addison: Mom, I've been trying not to lie at all for the last few days, and it feels really good!

Me:Really? That's great Addison! What have you told the truth about?

A: Well, like the eggs in my backpack*

M: Do you find that you get in trouble less?

A: Yes! You and Mrs. Knutsen haven't gotten me mad once!

*She gathered the eggs yesterday and put them in her backpack to bring to the house. She forgot them there, and today at school, all three broke in her backpack :)*

It's amazing what you can learn from your first grader...you see, one of my greatest struggles in life is lying. Most aren't big, but I find it so easy to pass out little white lies here and there. It's something that I know I need to stop...and I give myself little challenges that work for awhile, but the beast still rears it's ugly head eventually.

Whether to my husband, others, or even myself, and no matter how small, all lies are destructive. The silly thing is that I know I will feel so much better if I just tell the truth!

Source: beach-bliss.tumblr.com via Anna on Pinterest

Here are the top 10 things I find myself lying about, and would like to stop, even if they seem trivial:

1. Our finances, to Daniel

2. Our finances, to Myself

3. What I've eaten in the day (skirting the weight watchers!)

4. When I've made a mistake and want to make it look like I didn't.

5. Whether I did a specific task (sometimes I'll say I did it just to avoid causing disappointment, then quickly go do it afterwards).

6. My confidence

7. I exaggerate things sometimes, which is still a lie in my book

8. Having a headache...ahem.

9. "I have read and agree to the terms and conditions". I've never read them...not once :p

10. How long it takes me to do a task (if I procrastinated,, and Daniel wonders why it took so long).

So there you have it. It looks like my poor husband gets the brunt of my lies...and so do I. It's hard to tell the truth to someone else when you are lying to yourself about something!

And to think God used my first grader to show me this.

I'm linking up with Miss Mommy. I can't get the actual button to work, so just click her name to see her awesome blog and the rest of the linkys!

And So It Continues

2011-09-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

Seriously...potty training Myka is dragging on forEVER.

She has much more exciting things to do with her underpants than actually wear them properly...maybe that's our first problem?

We've made a lot of progress lately though. I've decided to keep her only in underpants while we are home during the day. It does seem to help...when I remind her to tell me she needs to go potty.

I still can't count how many accidents I've had to clean up this week though! Sheesh.

One thing I have learned: removable shower heads rock for cleaning the kid, and the diaper sprayer I have attached to the toilet is great for cleaning the underpants.

So there....while irritatingly long, the process is at least educational.

What's your best potty training tip? I think I've tried everything, but just in case....I need to know :)

My Personal Cake Wreck

2011-09-16T20:09:00.001-07:00

In theory, it sounded great. It looked great in the pictures...and I figured that it would be quite simple.

I apologize if anyone thought they would be "inspired" by my cake ball cake. I hang my head in shame at this total fail LOL.

However, it tasted like heaven...and that's got to count for something, right?

Thankful Thursday...the Belated Edition

2011-09-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's Friday...can you tell that I've been putting this off? I guess I'm just not in a super thankful place this week, but I committed to do this, so here goes :)

1. My new dishwasher!!

2. Our new pellet stove. I love wood heat, and pellet stoves are an easy, convenient way to have it!

3. That Tegan loves kindergarten

4. That the weather has been nice enough for the girls and I to walk every evening lately

5. That my new swaddling blanket fabric got here...I get way too excited over fabric!

6. That I have grown so close to my sister, Dakota lately...we have some great talks and some great times together!

7. That I have been close with my other sister, Jael lately too...even though we need to talk over Skype, I love raising our kids together over Skype :)

8. That Daniel has been such a big help to me this week...both around the house and with the kids

9. That Danica's two teeth came through (sigh of relief!)

10. That I made a meal plan at the beginning of the week. It's something that I "know" I should do each week, but rarely do. When I do, my life (and grocery shopping!) is so much easier though

Source: None via Debra on Pinterest

11. For my Little Lily customers who have been so patient and understanding while I wait for my backordered fabric.

12. That our one year old Chocolate labs have calmed down so much lately. It makes it much nicer to take the kids outside when they aren't jumping everywhere!

13. That Danica has started sleeping through the night again this week

14. That Myka is sleeping better too...not all the way through, but since we moved her into the same room as the older girls, it's gotten MUCH better!

15. That fall is here...I love fall! I just hope it lasts for awhile before the snow comes :)

16. For my neighbor, who picks my girls up every morning for school so that I don't have to drive them to the corner for the bus!

17. That Myka has been wanting to wear panties instead of a diaper during the day. Maybe she'll be fully potty trained soon?

18. Skinny Cow. You know what I'm talking about ;)

19. That I have done well keeping my kitchen clean this week. My whole world just seems better when my kitchen is clean :)

20. That all of my friends who had babies this week had healthy little babes!

Next week, I would like to invite you to join me for Thankful Thursday! Hopefully this week I can figure out how to add a linky tool to the post so you can link up to your own Thankful Thursday post!

Have a great week :)

Tuesday Top Ten...Top 10 Pieces of Parenting Advice

2011-09-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

When you get pregnant for the first time, along with all of the "congratulations", comes a mountain of advice. It doesn't stop. Advice from everyone...new moms, grandmas, doctors, strange men (it's happened to me, yes. It had to do with breastfeeding, and I almost punched him.)

Anyway, after awhile it seems to all congeal into one big annoying piece of unwarranted advice.

BUT, I've noticed that through 6 years of it all, a few gems have really stuck with me. Here's the top ten pieces of advice that I have remembered as a Mom:

1. "You are not managing an inconvenience; you are raising a human being."- Obvious? Maybe. Then there are those days. The days that start off with the two year old flinging her cereal across the kitchen...then peeing on the floor after taking off her own poopy diaper....then starting world war 3 at nap time...then elbowing you really hard in the boob when you pick her up....and you think, "I find it really hard to believe that she's not consciously trying to break me down and make me cry." Those are the days that I find it hard to remember this little tidbit, which goes hand in hand with number 2...

2. Children don't do what you say, they do what you do- Do you ever see moms in the parking lot of walmart trying to control their kids' temper tantrum by having one of their own? I have. And, I have to admit that I have done it once or twice myself :( I love that I heard this piece of advice somewhere along the way though, because it pops into my head frequently and reminds me that I am an adult, and I am teaching my children how an adult is to handle situations. They will not grow up handling things calmly if I fail to do so when they freak out.

3. Include your children in daily activities.- I can't remember where I heard this, but I do know that the place I have noticed that it helps the most is when I'm grocery shopping! Shopping with anywhere from two to four girls can be a challenge, so I have started to try and include them wherever I can! I get Myka to hold the list, and I ask Addison and Tegan's opinion on different items. It keeps them engaged and interested, and they feel like they get "treats" because I let them pick oranges instead of apples...or let them pick the kind of crackers. A few weeks ago, a lady even noticed and commented to me on how nice it was to hear the way the kids and I were talking! Since I started doing this, grocery shopping has become much more manageable...most times :)

4. If you want "1-2-3" to work, there has to be a consequence at "3".- Ok, this one wasn't given to me, but i'm putting it out there because it's what I tell people when they ask why counting down works so well for my girls. I spank when I get to three. I've had to spank each girl maybe 4 or 5 times in their life because of it, and now counting works every time. Spanking is a whole other issue in itself, but we do it. We don't take it lightly though...we only spank when absolutely necessary and not while we're hopping mad (as IF we ever get hopping mad LOL).

5. Hold your newborns as much as you can....they will never be that size again!- I started "babywearing" with my third daughter and wish I had done it with the other two. I'm a "casual" babywearer, but I cannot express how much I enjoy the extra snuggle time with my babies before they get too big to be carried all of the time.

6. Laugh with your kids. -When was the last time you had a good rolling on the floor, tickling and laughing session with your kids? Told them a funny story or joke while you were driving? Asked them to tell you a joke? It's so worth it to work it into your busy days!

7. Say YES more often -Daniel and I read a book when we were pregnant with Addison. I don't remember many details, but the gist was that we usually say "yes" or some other affirming statement to our kids once for every 50 times we say "no", and it can have a serious effect on their self esteem. Whatever the details were of that ( i really don't remember), it hit us hard and we made a point to always try to affirm them every day in some way. **By "yes", the author didn't mean saying yes if they want a new toy all the time...it was more a general affirming as in "yes, you're beautiful, or yes, you can do anything you set your mind to" :) We fail often, and still say "no" or other corrections a lot, but the advice has always stuck :)

8. Pick your battles. -Thanks to this, and Tegan's love of picking her own outfits, I often go to town with at least one child that looks like she's about to run off to the circus. But whatev.

9. Toddlers will never starve themselves. -When Tegan was 18-24 months, I had the hardest time getting her to eat. I was so worried that she was going to lose a ton of weight and be malnourished, so I asked my doctor. His answer totally put me at ease. He said that kids that age will not let themselves starve, and that as long as I was consistently offering healthy foods, not to worry...she would eat them when she was ready. He said it's perfectly normal for a toddler to go 5 days on milk and bread...and more often than not, they'll have the occasional "binge" day in there. After that visit, I threw the feeding "schedule" out the window and relaxed.

10. Take time for yourself - Even if it's grabbing a cup of coffee and locking yourself in the bathroom for 5 minutes so you can drink it in "peace". What? Did I just say that? I have never resorted to something like that! Ahem. Baths are good too :)

Bye Bye Baby Weight

2011-09-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

Six weeks ago, I decided that there would be no more excuses...it was time to lose the baby weight.

Before my first pregnancy 6 years ago, I was 145 pounds. A few months after Danica, the fourth, I was 190 pounds. I know it's not an alarming gain or anything...it's pretty normal for having 4 kids in 6 years. BUT, I still don't want or need that extra weight. My ultimate goal is 150 pounds.

I have heard so many amazing things about Weight Watchers, so I decided that's what I would use to lose the weight.

Six weeks in, and I would recommend it to anyone :)

I love it because it doesn't restrict any one food or food group (eg: no carbs, or no sugar). Instead, it teaches you how to eat all foods responsibly, and in a way that benefits your body.

So, if I want to use my 38 points (on the breast feeding plan) a day eating a couple pieces of frosted cake (12 points each), and hotdogs (9 points each), I totally can, but I'll spend a good part of the day hungry.

Or, I can choose a little differently and choose lower points foods such as veggies, eggs, oatmeal, chicken breast, brown rice, etc, and spend the day satisfied while staying in my points.

Now, this might seem like common sense...it's a pretty extreme example after all :) I mean, why would you pay someone to tell you to eat less?

But as my husband would say, "there's just something about assigning a points value to food..."

It makes me think about what I'm eating. If I'm snackish at bedtime, I'll eat a bit of air popped corn where I used to want cheese covered nachos....now I can't help but think about how many points it will put me over to eat the nachos.

The other great thing is that everyone gets 49 extra weekly points to use at their leisure...these can be for a meal out (You'd be surprised how many restaurant meals have almost 49 points in one meal!), or for drinks with the girls on Friday night...whatever you want. This keeps you from feeling deprived and gives you something to look forward too!

Also, I get points values for exercising that I can later trade in for more food points if I wish. I haven't traded them in yet because I want to keep my weight loss as high as possible, but trying to get 6 points a day for activity really is a great motivator to go for an evening walk or do a workout video. I've become alot more active since I started!

Anyway, that was my super long way of saying that I love weight watchers, have lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks, and will post a new picture every 10 pounds as motivation to keep on the program!

The first picture kind of embarasses me to post, but here it is so you can see the progress.

Productive Day at the Steckly House

2011-09-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today was what I like to call productive. And my husband is sooo getting a hero cookie for all he finished around the house :)

He installed our new pellet stove. I am super excited about it for a few reasons:

1. Our propane bill will be almost nothing

2. If Daniel is working long hours this winter, I know I can be in a warm house with the kids with no worries of the propane running out or freezing

3. It's so pretty, I love the smell of the wood and the feel of wood heat :)

He (almost) installed my dishwasher! My fb friends may remember me posting a status about a year ago about being excited for my new dishwasher. It spent the year in the addition :( Today, Daniel put it in! It's not totally hooked up quite yet, but once he gets home from town, it will be :D
And this is what I did! 1 gallon of carrots, and half a gallon of beans...all pickled and ready for after school snacking!

The only side effect is the vinegar headache.

How did we get all this done with the littlest two of our four kids around? Cheerios. They rock.

Tuesday Top 10...Things to do with S'mores

2011-09-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

This week I'm participating in Miss Mommy's Tuesday Top Ten!

It's no secret that I'm a Pinterest addict, and lately, it seems like every fifth pin is about S'mores! Not that I mind...

They remind me of lazy evenings by the campfire...I've eaten them every summer for as long as I can remember...and I love them, as I'm sure most of you do too!

In case you can't get enough, and want s'more ideas about how to enjoy the chocolatey graham goodness, here's the top ten ways I have found to enjoy s'mores!

1. In a cupcake. Combining the best of two worlds!

Source: google.com via Jackie on Pinterest

2. In a bar...for more sophisticated events?

Source: sugarcooking.blogspot.com via Sophie on Pinterest

3. With marshmallow peeps, duh! How cute are these? Although, I kind of do feel bad for the poor little peeps sitting under the broiler like that. Poor Peeps.

Source: seriouseats.com via Lori-Lyn on Pinterest

4. On a stick. I have to admit, I'm getting a little tired of everything being on. a. stick. But whatever, it's still super cute!

Source: elizabethannedesigns.com via Jackie on Pinterest

5. Speaking of sophisticated, why not have a s'more bar at your next party? Think of your 10 closest friends...now imagine them all on an insane sugar high. Go have a s'more party :)

Source: creativeinspiration.tumblr.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

6. As a gift. I really love this idea...and can't think of anyone who wouldn't like to receive it as a gift!

Source: pisforparty.blogspot.com via Virginia on Pinterest

7. Just make your whole family into a giant s'more. Why not?

Source: coolest-homemade-costumes.com via Holly on Pinterest

8. On popcorn....can I pretend it's weight watchers friendly? Cause it looks like heaven!

Source: thirtyhandmadedays.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

9. This photo has it all...ice cream, s'mores, and yes. The stick. Always a stick.

Source: a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Ashley on Pinterest

10. As a mini dessert. You can serve these for dessert at the s'more party I mentioned earlier and send your guests into a sugar coma...*snicker*

Source: blog.amyatlas.com via Sandie on Pinterest

There you have it! Ten awesome things to do with s'mores....from cheesy to sophisticated, one conveniently placed s'more joke, and I'm off to go make a stovetop s'more to satisfy this sudden craving I just got.

The Coffee Confessional

2011-09-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite bloggers gave me this idea, and I invite you to join me! Grab yourself a cup o joe, plop down on the couch, and just let it all out....your dirty little secrets for the week :)

Ok, I'll go first:

1. I fell off the wagon with Weight Watchers this week. Hard. Like, I went out with my sister on Tuesday and ate more than a sumo wrestler at the awesome new restaurant in town. It was all downhill after that! My vice is night noshing. But whatever. It's Sunday...a whole new week, and a whole new Jade getting back on the wagon!

2. My husband left for work for a whole week again on Wenesday. I miss him like crazy when he's gone, but I do have to admit...the first night that he leaves, I jump into bed like a giddy little girl and pile all the pillows up, and take up as much of the bed as I possibly can. All with the "Pudding Face" look on my face!

Source: memegenerator.net via Rachel on Pinterest

3. I love Pinterest, and am an addict...but that's not the confession. The confession is that there are lots of cartoons on there that I find funny, but there are very very few friends that I would tell about them. Mostly because they contain certain words that start with "f" or "b". The worst part is that I think they are funny because I would love to say them to certain people sometimes. Hehe.

4. Myka is "pottytraining". But, there are days when it's particularly difficult, and I have been known to just give up and put her in a diaper for the rest of the day. I know this is a "two steps back" approach, but in the grand scheme of things, I think it's better than me tearing my hair out by the roots. Can I get some validation on that, mamas? :)

5. And finally, this week I have learned that when Danica wakes up, I can tell Myka to go play with her and get about 10 more minutes of sleep. She crawls in the crib, and I can hear them laugh and giggle while I sloooowly come to consciousness and peel my eyes open. Inevitably, it has ended each time with Myka coming into my room announcing "I pooped!" So then I get to start my day by changing a poopy diaper. Ya take what you can get.

Stay sane and have a great week, mamas!

Link up your confessions by clicking the button at the top of the post!

Chunky Monkey

2011-09-04T00:02:00.001-07:00

I love her chubby cheeks, her chubby arms and her chubby legs...she's by far the chubbiest 7 month old we've had :) I love you Chunky Monkey! (I promise I'll stop calling you that before it goes from "cute" to "insult").

Rainbow Eyes

2011-09-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's my second post tonight, lol. I just happened to get my camera back from my sister yesterday, and found these pictures on it...they are from the last time we hung out together. We went to my friend Amy's stagette party, and Dakota asked if she could do something funky with my eyes and hair :)

I loved them!

What a great excuse to wear eye makeup like this! For the whole night, I did not feel like a frumpy mom of four young kids. I felt FUN!

And here's the hair, in case you were interested :)

Thanks for dressing me up, Dakota!

Thankful Thursday...I Heart Myka

2011-09-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

Source: etsy.com via Jade on Pinterest

Right now it's 9pm. Myka was put to bed an hour ago, and is up again, asking for things, and then crying and whining when I don't respond right away. Then throwing a tantrum if I flat out say no.

It's tiring. I know it's a phase, and if we are consistent with discipline and boundaries, it will eventually get better, but right at this moment, consistency is hard. Especially when what I want to do is rock back and forth in the corner screaming into a pillow! (ahhhh, what a mental picture :p)

For right now, I'll put her to bed yet again, put on a chick flick, and write out 20 things that I am thankful for about Myka.

1. That God gave her to Daniel and I. I'll never forget the day she was born, and I watch the video of it often!

2. Her huge, deep chocolate brown eyes!

3. Her health...she's only ever been sick once, and it was a small cold!

4. Her hair...thankful, and a little jealous of the beautiful color and perfect curls!

5. That she likes things clean, and is super good at picking up her toys.

6. Her fingers

7. Her toes.

8. Her beautiful giggle

9. That she's a daddy's girl. It makes it so nice when he gets home at the end of the day and she gets so excited to see him!

10. That she's interested in potty training. It's been a journey so far, but she's making progress!

11. Her generosity. She always gets mad when her sisters try to take something from her, but if they say please, she hands it over with a smile!

12. That she's a cuddler. When she cuddles up to me and sucks her thumb, it helps me feel like maybe she's not growing up "too" fast :)

13. That she thrives on a challenge...she tries to do everything her sisters do, and usually does a pretty good job!

14. Her energy. It's tiring sometimes, but if I could choose between a lazy child and an energetic one, I'd prefer the energy...keeps us all young!

15. That she asks me to pray with her before bed each night.

16. Her desire to help whenever she can...dishes, cooking, shopping, there's always something she wants to do!

17. That she loves veggies! It's so easy to get veggies into that girl :)

18. That's she has always been a great sleeper. And I have high hopes that it will happen again someday soon :p

19. That she's a good traveller. For the amount of travelling we do, it's a Godsend!

20. That our life has so much brighter since she came along!

I love you, Myka Esther Steckly :D

10 Ways to Survive a Roadtrip with a Toddler

2011-08-20T23:08:00.001-07:00

I've been packing up the minivan a lot this summer!

Today I returned home from a trip to my inlaws' house, about 9 hours away. Because of the way Daniel's work goes, we usually end up doing the drive separate, so I am almost always alone with the kids.

Today, I had only the two youngest since Addison and Tegan stayed at their Grandparents' house.

By the way, today I learned that I really like having the two older girls there to help...they are a huge help with entertaining their sisters and I really noticed it when they weren't there.

Anyway, over the course of many many trips down South, I have had to get creative as to how I entertain the toddler...whomever it may be at the time. Right now, it's Myka, so this list is just a few of the tricks I've learned to surviving a roadtrip with her!

A couple quick tips before I start:

*As awesome of a snack as fruit is, I try to keep most of it out of the van while we're travelling. Especially bananas...they are so messy and smelly! Cut up apples are good though. Other good "travelling snacks" are things that are easily picked up or vacuumed up, such as crackers, cheesestrings, granola bars, etc. And only water in the sippys!

*I have had to let go of the thought that I'm going to keep my ban neat throughout the entire trip. Instead, I plan an hour on each end of the trip for cleaning the van. Knowing I have that plan helps me not freak out when a cracker gets stepped on!

And now, how to keep a busy 2 year old entertained...to the best of my knowledge :)

1. Hand her a baby wipe and tell her to wash her shoes. She loves it, and it buys me at least 15 minutes usually

2. Have a "silly" conversation. Don't know what that is? Here's an example!

Myka: Danica's silly mom!

Me: I think Myka's silly!

Myka: No, Danica's silly!

*Repeat until she gets bored. Again and again and again :)

3. Sing The Potty Dance until it makes you have to stop and use the potty.

4. Cheesestrings are a great snack that keep her occupied for awhile as well! Win win!

5. Cheap Chapsticks...a little messy, but that just means she has something else to clean with the baby wipe later, and this one keeps her busy for a long time!

6. NAPS. Oh sweet silence.

7. Crank the music...they only try to "outnoise" it for so long :p

8. Take lots of breaks. On an 8 hour trip, I take about 3 small breaks to feed Danica and let Myka run around. I also make sure we get out to eat meals, instead of driving through. It really makes for less cranky kids near the end of the trip!

9. Books. The only downfall is that they fall off her lap so easily that they don't keep her entertained for very long

10. Ask her to make the baby laugh! Works every time, and it makes me smile :)

Thankful Thursday...Is it Summer Yet?

2011-08-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Aaah, summer. It barely came, and now it's almost gone. There is still much to be thankful for in a short summer though, so here's my list for today!

1. The slightly cooler weather this year. Don't punch me in the face for saying this until you have tried carting around a 20 pound 6 month old and a 2 year old at the same time. Sheesh. Bottom line: the cool breezes have been welcome :)

2. Picking raspberries

3. Eating raspberries

4. My tomato plants. After 3 failed years of trying to grow "regular sized" tomatoes, I bought two tumbler plants this summer and have eaten fresh tomatoes since the beginning of July!

5. Our new lawn mower

6. Sun tea

7. The farmer's market...those of us with great intentions, but no green thumb really appreciate it.

8. My laying hens. Yay for fresh eggs!

9. Watermelon :)

10. The smell of fresh cut grass

11. Wildflowers...especially when they are handed to me by three beautiful little girls!

12. The fact that the sun stays up so late in the summer

13. S'mores!

14. Daniel and I both have great parents that spend so much time with the girls in the summer...I am so thankful for such loving, caring grandparents for our girls!

15. To be able to visit friends...:)

16. Afternoon naps in the sun

17. Bbq food! Yum!

18. Watching friends get married

19. That my skin tans...it takes alot to actually burn, which I'm very thankful for because I tend not to pay attention to MY skin when I'm taking care of the girls outside

20. Watching the sunset on the trampoline with Daniel :)

Hey, Danica...

2011-08-16T15:55:00.001-07:00

So Danica...

I was wondering if you want to be my friend.

We could share secrets

And I like giving kisses

I think we'd be great friends :)

Thankful Thursday...The Sanity Saver Edition

2011-08-12T00:07:00.000-07:00

"When life gets sour, sweeten with gratitude" -Unknown

Oops, Thursday's post is kind of melting into a Friday post!

Today, I'm focusing my gratitude on those things that I can turn to when life starts going too fast. Things that, while they aren't permanent fixes, are just that little bit extra help to get me through a stressful day, hour, or minute. Without them:

Source: jamiemjenkins.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

So, for all of my sanity savers in life, I say THANK YOU!

1. The bathroom...some days that room is my only escape from the drama that comes along with having 4 girls!

2. My minivan. Yes I said it. An Audi would be cooler, but try hauling four kids, $250 worth of groceries, and a bag of dogfood in one! I'm very in love with my minivan, and thankful for all of the events that led up to us getting it.

3. My glider. Unbelievably, I went through 3 babies without owning one, thinking they were overrated. Then when I had Danica, Daniel bought me a glider, and I fell in love :)

4. Facebook.

5. My watercooler

6. Chocolate

7. Friends...the tv show :)

8. Friends...the people. I have some amazing girls in my life that chat with me and support me through even the most stressful of "kid days"

9. Date Nights with my amazingly hot hubby!

10. Worship Music in my van

11. SLEEP. It's currently almost 3am and I am up with my 2 year old who has been having sleeping issues...it's making me very aware of how thankful I am for some sweet sleep!

12. Lunch dates with friends

13. Coffee surprises...my friend Angela is great at these. She has been known to drop by my house with a Tim Horton's coffee just to brighten my day!

14. Bubble Baths. Even better when enjoyed with number 6!

15. My blog.

16. Rotary Lake...what a great place to bring your kids in the heat of summer. It has everything! A park, cool water, lots of friends, grass, and shade!

17. When Myka plays quietly by herself. I don't mean that to sound like I don't enjoy my daughter's voice. I do. But since she turned two a month ago, she seems to have entered a constant state of WHINE that I do not love. Thus, I am thankful for the quite when it comes.

18. My sewing machines. What better way to forget the stresses of the day than with the hum of the sewing machine?

19. Exercise. I don't take advantage of this natural sanity saver nearly often enough! But, I have started doing it more, and it's amazing how much it helps! I'm so thankful to have a body that has all working parts so I can exercise!

20. Deep breaths...or the ability to take one. Never underestimate the power of closing your eyes and taking a nice, long deep breath!

When the Rain Comes...

2011-08-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

Source: blessedlittlenest.com via Gale on Pinterest

I know you are going through a hard time. Quite possibly the hardest thing you have ever gone through or will ever go through again.

It hurts

It's confusing

It wasn't supposed to happen this way

I know, because I have been there...in the darkest time of my life. The time where I wasn't sure if I would be able to find the strength to get out of bed, let alone get through the storm.

I watched a video that was given to me by a friend. In it, Louis says something to the effect of "in that time when you think you might die from the pain...when you can't stand up under it, what do you do? You get on your knees, and ask God for strength. Just enough strength to get through the day. Then you sleep. Do it again the next day. It may seem like forever, but one day, you will wake up, look back and say 'wow, look what I've come through!"

I started to rely on God's strength little by little.

One thing that really helped was to worship Him. To just get in my car, drive, and worship God. Sometimes I sang, sometimes I silently listened to the words. After not too long, I could feel Him there. Feel his strength...and I leaned on it.

And you know what?

I came through it. It was by no super power of my own....even now there are days when I feel weak, but I am still here.

And honestly? Things are better than they were before the storm...though I never would have believed it would be possible.

That brings me to my next point:

Satan sucks. He roams the earth spreading misery,planting seeds of doubt and lies into our lives, and watching contentedly as they grow...and destroy our lives.

It may be tempting to blame God for what you are going through, but I would encourage you to rethink that....think about who is really responsible.

You are God's child. He loves you more than you know and wants to hold you through this storm. He wants to destroy the lies of satan in your mind and instead, fill you with his peace and love.

And rebuild your life.

God is ALWAYS good. Always. Always.

"Don't tell God how big your mountain is...tell the mountain how big your GOD is!"

And remember, I love you too, and am praying for you. Your situation weighs heavy on my heart...I think about you often and will be here for you.

Top 5 Things Pinterest Has Taught Me

2011-08-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been toPinterest lately, you should go.

It's crazy to see how much cool stuff there is out there!

I get so many great ideas from there...and I may or may not browse for a couple hours at a time :)

In all my browsing, I have noticed some very distinct trends, and learned some useful lessons!

And now I will share with you some of my newfound wisdom :)

1. Anything can be put on a stick. Whoopie pies, cake pops, oreo cookies, brownies, cheesecake, even pie!

Source: lovefromtheoven.com via Anna on Pinterest

2. Speaking of pops, S'mores are almost as versatile...on sticks, in bars, cookies, as gifts, oh my!

Source: google.com via Coeleen on Pinterest

3. Moustaches are everywhere. Seriously. Although there is a t-shirt that's pretty cool on there...it says "I moustache you a question" tehehe

Source: i-moustache-a-question.tumblr.com via Jana on Pinterest

4. A party can be as creative as you want...the possibilities are endless!

Source: modamama.blogspot.com via Jade on Pinterest

5. Look around your house. Take the first thing you see, and I bet you can make it into a wreath! Seriously. I've even seen them with crayons or clothespins. That's not to say they don't look awesome though!

Source: realsimple.com via Tanya on Pinterest

And a bonus lesson...anything can be upcycled into anything. Take this milk jug for example....in case you can't find your lunchbox one day!

Source: familyfun.go.com via Emily on Pinterest