White Elephant Gift!

Last week our MOPS Leadership Team had our annual Christmas/White Elephant Gift Party. We always have it in January after all the busyness slows down. This year I didn't really have a funny gift on hand since I did that all decluttering last summer. So I decided to get creative and make something I had seen at a White Elephant Gift Party a few years ago. Say hello to....

A Candle Lite Dinner In A Box!

Dollar Tree Craft Project!

For a long time I've wanted one of those hanging wire fruit basket, but I didn't want to spend the money on one. What I had in mind was something similar to this...

The other day I was at The Dollar Tree and I happened to notice these baskets.

I bought 3 of them and started figuring out how I was going to turn them into what I envisioned. At first I used black zip ties, but that looked homemade to me and I didn't like it so I started over.

This time I removed two of the handles and then threaded them through the bottom of two of the baskets. Once they were threaded through I rehooked them to the basket portion. I didn't want them to look to perfect so I alternated the handles so they weren't all going the same direction.

I think it turned out good, but to get the full effect I need to get some fruit in it.

Ta Da!! I was going to hang it over by my kitchen sink, but I actually really like it hanging off the end of the pot rack. It's accessible for the kids and I can reach up into the highest basket easily. So for $3 I think it turned out really awesome!

We're Not Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf AKA Owen's 5th Birthday Party!

This years theme for Owen's party was The 3 Little Pigs & The Big Bad Wolf. I was having a hard time figuring out what theme to go with a couple months back and then I read my old book to him for the first time and he fell in love with it...so I ran with the idea.

My old co-workers from Safeco should find this funny. I didn't get rid of ALL my pigs so I used 3 of them for the centerpiece at the food table.

After eating our pigs in a blanket (little smokies in crescent rolls) and wolves in a blanket (roast beef in crescent rolls) it was time to read the storybook. I was worried the kids would be having so much fun playing with toys they don't normally play with that they wouldn't be into this, but they all sat and listened very carefully. It helped that the book is a bit exciting!

After the book it was time for the first game based on the saying, "Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin" in the book. Except the pigs don't have hair on their chin so I thought it would be fun for the kids to try to stick hair on the pigs chin.

Jack giving it a shot. I love how even though Andrew and Kendra are fighting over Evil Dr Porkchop they both took time to stop and watch Jack! Kids are hilarious!!!

The end results were...no chin hair, but Kendra got the closest with getting it in his ear. Her prize was a piggy back she can paint.

Sorry the picture quality stinks. My camera is down for the count so I was borrowing my mom's and I didn't have the setting right. All the other pictures are courtesy of my Dad.

 The next game was what I named "The Huff & Puff"! The kids got to be the big bad wolf and try to blow the pigs house down. Michael cut a hole in a Solo cup and put Hamm from Toy Story in it. Then the kids had to get on their tummies and blow his "house" down. We would put tape on the floor to mark off who blew their house the furthest. Camryn won this game and she got a periscope just like the one that the wolf used in the book to spy on the pigs.

Partygoers!!!

Ga-Ga with Ella Bean!

Kim with Josiah!

Rachael with Lilyann!

Aunt Stephie, Pa & Aunt Becky!

Uncle Ry, Daddy & Mr. Micah!

The birthday boy himself! Sadly he wasn't feeling very good most of the day...hence the lack of pictures of him. He did brighten up for the book, games and cake...although he didn't really eat anything. His cake is the strong brick house that the third little pig built that couldn't be blown down by the big bad wolf. I made it with ice cream sandwiches, crushed Oreos and Cool Whip. It was the easiest and most tasty cake I've ever made!!!

Happy 5th Birthday Buddy!!!

Singing to the birthday boy!

Making his wish!

Present time...Owen was opening his present from Jack here. I took Jack to The Dollar Tree and let him pick out a present for Owen all on his own. He picked out a shark that grows in water and a flashlight that Owen can clip on his clothes.

Owen seeing his BIG present from Ga-Ga & Pa.

Cars big boy bike! He's been riding it around the house all day. He's really good too...I don't think those training wheels will be on for long.

Group shot! I love love love how Ella and Kendra (front row in pink) have identical cheeser faces!

Owen playing with his new Leapster 2 from Uncle Ry & Aunt Stephie....the one we got him last year for his birthday bit the dust a few months back. He is loving being able to play it again!

Thank you to all our family and friends that were able to celebrate Owen's 5th Birthday with us!

Happy Birthday To My First Born!!!

5 years ago today Owen Michael came into this world and forever changed mine! He is my strongly opinionated, fiercely driven, overly independent, lover of snuggles, super silly 5 year old!

Best memories of the day so far have to be snuggling in bed with him and singing Happy Birthday first thing this morning. Also when we got out of bed I went over to the window and then said, "Owen what did God give you on your birthday?" Then I opened the blinds really wide and this HUGE smile came across his face when he the snow. He has been praying and praying for at least a month for snow. In the mornings he would look outside and say, "God didn't answer my prayer...I just have to wait" I told him that some times we have to wait a long time to have our prayers answered just like when we prayed for him we had to wait 6 years! To have God answer my sweet little 5 year old's prayer ON HIS BIRTHDAY....now that is super cool!!!

Grateful For Trials!

Over the last 2+ years we have gone through SO much in our lives and of course we are still currently going through trials, but I can honestly say that I am truly grateful for the trials that were brought our way. Over two years ago I remember Michael coming home and tell me that he was unemployed. At that moment I couldn't even deal with our new reality! I actually told Michael I couldn't talk about it right then and then I took the kids to IKEA and met a friend. I just needed to get away and digest everything. Just for my records I want to list things out as they happened and how God worked things out for good.

November 2009 - Michael becomes unemployed. We go from a one income family to bringing in no money. Michael feels strongly that this is God's way of opening a new chapter in our lives. I'm 6 months pregnant with Ella and we discover she has an irregular heartbeat. Praise God it wasn't anything that would require surgery and it just fixed itself in the womb!

December 2009 - Michael starts receiving unemployment and I start the process of applying for state assistance. God uses this to humble me and help me understand people in the same situation and have more compassion for them. Michael applies for numerous jobs daily and obtains a job with a Life Insurance Company. It's a self employment/commission based job so Michael continues to receive unemployment while he's learning the ropes and not actually earning income.

January 2010 - Michael is gone on numerous business trips learning the ropes. I hold down the fort at home. When Michael is home he only sees the boys for about a half an hour a day because of his odd working hours.

Feburary  2010 - After praying and talking about what is best for our family, Michael makes the decision to leave the Life Insurance job.  Since the job was a self employment job and he really never made any money, Michael never lost his unemployment income. A week and a half later Ella is born via C-Section. Due to our financial situation we receive a 100% grant from Swedish to cover Ella's birth.

Thankfully during the previous summer of 2009 Michael had quite a few painting jobs for his own business so our nest egg had been built up. Looking back I know that was God preparing us for this time of financial strain. From the beginning we knew that even though Michael being unemployed wasn't ideal we also knew that it was also a gift. How many fathers get to stay home and really be with their kids during these early years? Boys need their Daddy and we knew that this time in their lives was crucial for their development. We in no way took for granted this family time!

March & April 2010 - Michael continued to look for work and put his resume out there. During this time we were just adjusting to our new normal as a family of 5.

May 2010 - I go through a mini breakdown and end up taking Ella with me down to my parents house to have a break.

Summer 2010 - With little advertizing God provides painting jobs for Michael during the summer. During the weeks he works he doesn't apply for unemployment. This ends up making his possible pay for unemployment stretch out longer than it normally would. When Michael wasn't painting he was working on finishing our backyard remodel. We weren't sure if God would call us to sell our house, but we knew that we would need to finish the backyard before we would be able to list it if it came to that. Thankfully God provided for our needs for that as well in the form of a friend being able to provide us with free dirt to fill in the backyard.

August 2010 - Michael has an interview and is hired to do the maintanance work at an elderly care facility in Federal Way. His first day on the job he discovers that the hiring manger lied to him about everything the job entailed. He came home from lunch feeling defeated and we decided it wasn't worth it for our family. Thankfully Michael was booked for the entire month of August with painting work. Michael mentions that it might be worth it for me to start putting my resume out there.

September 2010 - I go to an interview for a job in Bellevue. I ace it and know I've got the job the moment I walk out. I sit in my car and sob! I do not want to leave my babies...especially my nursing 7 month old. After officially receiving the job offer, Michael and I go back and forth over the decision of me going back to work. The only reason Michael wanted me to go back to work was to put him through school furthering his chance of getting a job. In the end Michael discovers that the college classes he was hoping to take online while I was working aren't available online and are only offered during daytime hours. I do not accept the job!

November 2010 - God really shows me first hand how much he has humbled me in regards to accepting state assistance. Michael has been laid off for a year.

Winter 2010-2011 - During this time Michael and I really start to feel like we are stuck in limbo. We aren't going anywhere and unemployment has almost run out. Thankfully God has provided for our financial needs during this time. Not only with our bills, but with anonymous cards filled with gift cards to numerous businesses and blessings from my MOPS family. I beginning to believe the lies that the enemy is telling me about failures from our past...praise God I have wonderful friends that lift me up during this time and speak words of truth to me instead of lies. I start feeling like God wants to add to our family, but feel hindered in regards to our situation. I feel like people will judge us for getting pregnant while Michael is unemployed, but I also don't want it to dictate our family size and the timing of it as well. Michael and I make the decision that he will enlist in The National Guard come April if he hasn't found a job.

January 2011 - In order to help out with our finances I start watching Logan 3 days a week. This really helps ease the strain. Ella has a crazy day that consists of visits to two hospital ER's and an ambulance ride. Michael has a job interview at a job we had long given up on being a possibility.

Feburary 2011 - Michael is offered and accepts the job at the King County Water District #20. Three days later we find out we are expecting our 4th child.

March 2011 - Owen has his own crazy day spent at two different hospital emergency rooms. I start seeing my old therapist to work on a few things as a mom, wife and person.

April 2011 - At 13 weeks pregnant we find out that our baby has died. Even during this time I feel God's presence in my life and know that he is working things out for good.

May 2011 - I have my second D&C. I have quite a few emotional ups and downs during this time. I decide that I might need more than just therapy so I make a doctor's appointment and get put on anti-depressants. The meds work and I actually start having fun with my kids.

Summer 2011 - Still going through the ups and down of losing a baby.

August 2011 - Ella's has a traumatic fall in the front yard that results in another visit to the ER.

September 2011 - Due to Ella's fall, we discover that she has Hydrocephlus and has to have brain surgery. We absolutely feel that the fall was God's way of having us discover her condition before any major damage was done. After talking about what would be best for our family we decided to start trying again to get pregnant. A week and half after I ovulate we know without even taking a test that I'm pregnant. It's confirmed a week later with a pregnancy test.

October 2011 - I'm dealing with the emotions of my due date with Kyan coming up and worrying about my latest pregnancy.

November 2011 - Michael gets his first raise at his job. Every week we continue to get good news in regards to the growth of our baby.

Winter 2011 - During our big ultrasound we find out that the baby is developing wonderfully. We continue to feel God's hands on our family in regards to the safety of our children.

As you can see even though we endured many trials during the last 2+ years there were also blessings as well. The main thing that didn't change was God's presence in our lives. He was ALWAYS there...meeting our needs and lifting us up. I love that God used this time and these situations to strengthen our faith and our testimony to His faithfullness!

Ahoy Matey!

One of the things that Owen had been asking for for Christmas was a pirate ship. I searched online for a couple nights reading reviews and found that the one from Playmobil was rated the best. Ga-Ga & Pa got this as Owen's big present. As you can see he was pretty stoked about it!

One cool thing we didn't know about it...or I didn't remember was that it actually floats. In fact you can go online and order a motor for it as well. We aren't going to get that crazy, but it's still pretty cool.

Owen had been asking for a long time to take it in the tub. I didn't really want to go there with it since I didn't want the stickers to come off from getting wet or deal with water getting in all the nooks and crannies and possibly getting moldy, but I finally gave in and told Owen that he could ask Daddy when he came home. Michael was fine with it and I told him it was his deal. The boys spent forever in the tub with it. They did learn early on that you can't turn the ships cargo hold into a swimming pool for the pirates or the boat will roll over, but after they figured that out they were good to go.

In His Hands!

Remember back in December when I rearranged the kids rooms around? Well here is what Ella's room looks like now. See that baseboard heater behind the rocking horse? Ella's bed used to face the other way so part of her bed was by the heater. We never really thought anything of it until the other day when I was changing her sheets.

That's when I noticed this discoloration on her bed and...

the burn marks on her mattress!

Seriously I felt like my stomach came up in my throat when I saw this. I immediately called Michael in to have a second opinion on what I was seeing. One of the first things he said was, "Praise God He was looking out for her!" I couldn't have said it better. God was absolutely looking out for our baby girl!!

Obi Wan Kenobi Would Be Proud!

Similarities!

Last night Michael and I were looking at the latest ultrasound of our newest babe. I have all the kids ultrasound pictures on my mirror in the closet. I noticed there were some definite similarities between Baby Z...

Baby Z 18 weeks 1 day

And Baby Jack.

Baby Jack 17 weeks

I see it the most in their cute noses and chins. When I had my ultrasound with Ella Michael and I noticed that she had similarities to Owen and they do actually look a lot alike. I wonder if Baby Z will end up looking like Jack.

18 Weeks 1 Day

We did it...we made it through the appointment without caving and asking what the gender was. After the appointment I asked myself if I felt deflated since we didn't know and I can honestly say I don't feel that way at all. I was just SO SO SO thankful to see a healthy baby moving all around in there. Baby Z is definitely a wiggler. One second the baby's head was on the right side of my body and then it's feet were. Crazy baby! I did find out that the placenta is on the front of my uterus so that's probably why haven't been feeling the baby move much. The placenta is taking all the blows!  

During the appointment the tech took all kinds of measurements. We got some great views of the heart and mouth. She said those can be tough to get sometimes. While she was measuring the legs she had us look away since Baby Z was so wiggly she didn't what us getting a view of something we didn't want to see.

The kids were with us at the appointment and they thought it was all pretty cool...for about the first 10 minutes! Poor Ella Bean was fine when we left the house, but then she threw up once in the waiting room and once in the exam room. She took a nice long nap when we got home, woke up, ate lunch and is now doing just fine. Let's hope it stays that way for her and us!

This is a shot of the baby sucking it's thumb. It was so cute to see the little hand move right up to the mouth. I wonder if this one will be a thumb sucker like Ella. Right after getting the wonderful news that everything looked great we all headed over to my OBGYN's office for my normal appointment with her. She went ahead and penciled in May 31st as the day of my C-Section. We can't officially schedule anything with the hospital until one month before. And so the countdown begins! :)

Today Is The Day....

We WON'T find out the gender of the baby! :)

I'm still sticking to my guns and don't want to find out. I really want to be surprised this time around. We have FINALLY settled on names though! Such a relief!

I'm gonna be a stinker and not tell the names. A few people know the names we've chosen so it's not a complete secret, but I think it would be fun to announce the name when the baby is born.

I will say that both names we've chosen start with the letter 'Z' so we are referring to the baby as Baby Z. We did that with Owen...he was Baby O since he was either going to be an Owen or an Olivia.

I also find that it's quite fitting to use the last letter of the alphabet since this is our last baby. We've reached the end people!

I Don't Know About You...

but I can absolutely see a resemblance between my Auntie Donna in the picture below...

And my sweet Ella Bean!