life lately & new design

Hello again!

My blog break was nice, but I’m glad to be back writing an update on our lives :) I took some time to redo my blog design—what do you think?

The first half of the week was nice and low-key. On Thursday, I started coming down with something, and on Friday, I was stuck on the couch with a fever and a headache. I’m still not really sure what bug we’ve all had now, but I was so grateful to bounce back on Saturday so that we could attend a beautiful, lodge-in-the-woods wedding for two of Steve’s PhD classmates. The weather was a perfect 75, and there was a yummy vegan dinner and some yard games. We made the hour and a half trip back home, detouring past Steve’s new workplace (which I hadn’t seen yet). I fed the baby while Steve and Nolan dribbled a basketball with a couple of college students who were outside on the court. Nolan couldn’t keep from laughing because he was so overjoyed to be on a basketball court for the first time :)

Last night, we had pizza at my in-laws’ house and hung out with them for a while. I snapped these pictures on the back porch, and couldn’t get a photo of both boys looking at the same time!


Stealing a moment with Hammie before Nolan noticed…

  
I picked my five pumpkins yesterday, and this one is my very favorite. When I let my Halloween pumpkins compost last year, I thought I would be lucky to have some tiny little pumpkins grow. I was not expecting one this huge and heavy to come out of our first garden! Unfortunately, the others are smaller and have some holes and probably little worms in them. At least they can stay outside and decorate the porch for the fall :)

Our 3-year-old wake up call has been a little early lately. On Saturday, he woke up at 6:30 shouting “I want a cookie! I want a cookie!” We’re hoping for some more sleep in the next few days :)

How was your weekend?

life lately

Although Steve starts the new school year today (teaching four classes), I’m not ready to admit that summer is over. My birthday is on Sunday (the 31st), and it will always be summer to me until September 1st rolls around :) This past Friday was my mom’s birthday. We celebrated with her—eating a feast at Pizza Hut, enjoying the boys, and singing happy birthday to her at our house accompanied by eight candle-lit devil’s food cupcakes. Nothing but the best for my sweet mama! :)

Saturday morning, Steve had a date with a friend to pour some concrete so I took Nolan to Lowe’s for the Build and Grow workshop. My mom and Don met us there, and we helped Nolan build a “Robot Puppet,” which was a big hit with the little guy :) We made a brief visit to JoAnn Fabrics, and returned home for a lazy afternoon with Daddy. We made some chocolate chip pancakes and did some baking for the church picnic.

Sunday morning was our church’s big “Rally Day” to mark the start of the new Sunday School year. Nolan is going to start Sunday School with the 3, 4, and 5 year-olds, and he is going to absolutely LOVE it! Steve and a friend pulled out their guitars for some classic worship music time. Nolan ran around enjoying the great outdoors. After the service everyone sat down to the annual chicken barbecue, with lots of salads and desserts. Yum! And Ephraim stole the smiles of all the ladies :)

How was your weekend? Hope you’re having a fantastic Monday! xoxo.

life lately

A smattering of photos from the last few weeks! It’s been wild and busy, but we have been trying to enjoy every last drop of summer.


In just a few weeks, our garden has exploded! These are just the green beans :) (Below is what they look like now.)



We’ll leave it short and simple today :) I’m working on a big post for tomorrow—Ephraim’s bedroom from start to finish. Come back and see it in the morning!

life lately

This sweet little guy is quickly approaching his 1-month-birthday. Ephraim is such a joy to me, to us. I get to cuddle his little self almost all day long (and often in the middle of the night), and I’m not getting tired of it. He is starting to make eye contact with me—with those gorgeous little blue-gray eyes—and I just can’t wait to go through all of the baby stages with him this year.


These are from his first bath. He was not a fan. Do any newborns like baths?


A few weeks ago, I bought Nolan a “Cars” stool at Walmart so that we could wash his hands more easily in the bathroom. Little did I know that the stool would become his favorite toy. He drags it all around the house with him—especially to climb up to the kitchen counter, the pantry, and my highest shelves (much to my dismay). But my favorite use for it is when he stands on it to watch TV (for like thirty minutes straight!).


My friend Melissa brought me these gorgeous tulips! She didn’t even know that hot pink tulips are my favorite flowers :)


Wearing his shirt from Uncle Phil. Nolan’s starting to pick out the clothes he wants to wear. Oftentimes it’s pajamas or entire outfits of stripes.

 
We’ve been so thankful for more delicious meals from my MOPS friends. Kendall brought us dinner, and also a sweet breakfast.
 
We live so far away from the majority of my family and friends, and it’s rare that anyone comes our way to visit. Yesterday afternoon, my friend Bryan texted me that he was driving through our state on his way home to Chicago. We haven’t seen him in a year and a half, so it was so nice that he could see Nolan and meet the baby! We miss hanging out with him and his wife Stacey, but we just don’t get to Chicago enough.
 
Last night, Nolan pulled his Cars stool up to the changing table, set Mini Ivy down on her back, and “changed her diaper”. Sweet boy :) He is surprising us daily with all that he is learning and absorbing. For example, my friend Briana and her family gave him a floor-size alphabet train puzzle, and he can put it together himself up to letter K! Also. there’s a Youtube video we’ve watched several times that sings, “A is for apple”, “B is for ball” and so forth. Even when we’re not watching it, I can sing the song, giving him the letters, and he can tell me the words they stand for! I am so amazed.

Thanking God for my beautiful blessings!

life lately

I can’t believe this little guy is almost three weeks old! We have been doing really well, although the cabin fever is definitely setting in. We have had so much snow! Ephraim gives us some pretty decent sleep at night—he doesn’t fall asleep until 12:30 or 1, but then he typically makes solid three-hour stretches after that. When he’s awake during the day, all he wants to do is eat. He’s not really sure what to do with himself when he’s not eating or sleeping.

 
My friend Amanda came over last week, and Nolan was so excited to play with her son Emmett. Amanda brought this beautiful diaper cake for Ephraim!


I didn’t get any other Valentine’s decorations up, but I’ve enjoyed looking at the bunting I made back in January.

 
My friend Erin and her little boy came over on Tuesday to visit and bring us a meal. We have been so appreciative of my sweet MOPS friends and the meals they’ve been giving us! While Erin was over, I mentioned something about the bat we had in our house in December. Later that night, as we were finishing the delicious stromboli she brought us, we had our second bat incident. That bat was not lucky enough to make it out of our house alive. But I am now living in fear that more will find their way inside. We wonder if they’re coming down from the attic for warmth? They should be hibernating, but we have heard a couple in the walls too. Anyone have any bat advice?


Carol adores our boys. It was so nice of her to come visit us and meet the baby.


And my heart melts…

 
My mom and Ephraim.

He enjoys his swing (for a little while anyway). He cries when I set him down in most places, so I end up holding him all day.


Nolan’s still been handling the new-baby-transition really well! He does a good job at playing by himself lately, and Steve and I are so thankful for that.


I love him in this wintery outfit!

Me and my boys. (It’s really fun to say that :)