Daddy and his girls...

I love how much our girls love their daddy, the scream everytime he gets home from ANYTHING because they're so excited (of course after spending a day with a tired hormonal pregnant mum, who wouldn't be excited to see someone new?)For the last three weeks, John has been on unemployment, which financially is not ideal, but oh how I have loved having him here, his presence is so good for the girls and me. Yesterday he took them over to the park to get outside in the sun, Em had an accident within five minutes of playing, hence the picture of her tears because she no longer could sit on the swings...ha...she does this everytime we go...she holds it and holds it cause she wants to play, why do I always forget a change of clothes?!?!?! Dont you love the picture Em giving John "noses"?

Best auntie LaLa ever

Illy came and stayed with me last week so John could go to conference and we wouldn't have to worry about me being alone at 34weeks pregnant...it was so nice to have my sister...I so miss them, anyone who has sisters knows they're best friends you never ever lose, so its been so painful to miss them constantly...while she was here she pulled an awesome aunty trick and made green eggs and....blue pancakes haha, didn't have ham so made cool pancakes instead. Mailey was seriously over the moon, she couldn't believe her eyes, real green eggs and blue pancakes!!! Dr. Suess is one of her all time favorites, and I must admit, mine too because its so easy to read, its entertaining and often his stories have a sweet moral message hidden inside...yertle the turtle is one of my favories, so is "Did I ever tell you how lucky you are?"....if you haven't read them, you must! Thank you Illy (la la to Em) for coming...I miss you already.

Sewing for Kennedi

okay...sorry about the post overload but so much has happened!! So most of you know, but we are expecting little baby Kennedi february 24th! Another little girl to spoil love and adore, I am so blessed. It seems with each child the anticipation grows and each pregnancy gets sweeter and sweeter. The first one was so exciting but so new and scary that every change took me by suprise and the idea of being responsible for a human life overwhelmed me...then came Emry, my second pregnancy was sweet but having a 9 month old to deal with meant my mind was so distracted...and now here we are, eagerly awaiting number three...I know, 3 kids, 3 years, I must be crazy; honestly though, I have never felt so ready or excited, with Emry I wanted time to slow down, I was so afraid of what 2 children would be like, but this time february can't come fast enough...Im already so in love and really, this ain't my first rodeo ha, I feel pretty good about what to expect. SO! nesting has hit BIG TIME and in the last 2 years I've fallen in love with sewing and making my own things, it just feels so good to accomplish something ha. I made the diaper bag and changing pad from a pattern in Lotta Jansdotters book, "Simple Sewing For Baby" (its an incredible book by the way) and the little kimono tops are from the book "weekend sewing" by Heather Ross. Im so proud of myself! I've pretty much taught myself how to sew and end up guessing and winging most of it so I'm so happy these turned out. The changing pad is quilted on one side and super soft and cozy, the bag is mostly a big pocket with two outer pockets and the first kimono top seemed to big to be newborn so I scaled down the pattern by a half inch and was much happier with the tiny little-ness of that size...here's the results!!

Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats all I can say really...its sad to lose the Mammens, God has used them in our church so tremendously...but how sweet to gain back the Foleys. I remember the transition between the Hills and the Foleys, and then the Foleys and the Mammens, and its always so hard, so achy on your heart, to have them return to us is such a blessing, almost as if God is showing the McMinnville congregation his favor towards them you know?
Getting back old friends will make the change so smooth and sweet...and bittersweet instead of cautious and wondering...
And, ahem...they are a pretty rockin' family if I do say so myself.

Recipe of the week..

Did I mention I'm in love with breakfast food? okay...so I love cooking and love finding recipes that don't need tweaking. I made this today and its super yum, super easy. I like to mix it all the night before, cover, refridgerate then bake it in the morning, it really does make for a nice soft almost cake texture. ENJOY!

Baked oatmeal

3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
additional brown sugar, for serving
additional milk, for serving

Mix all ingredients (except the additional brown sugar & additional milk) together.
Pour into a greased square glass baking dish and bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick tests clean.
Scoop each portion into a small bowl, then pour a splash of milk over each- it should be just enough to be absorbed by the oatmeal (not soupy).
Sprinkle each with some brown sugar to taste and serve warm.

The gentle art of domesticity...

"If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." -- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Ever since I became a wife and mother I've become obsessed with domesticity..in this era, the feminist rule, and the housewife is a silly little girl who is wasting her brain and silently suffering in her status in societys totem pole. Not so...This job is the most cherished occupation I have ever been involved in. I have never worked so hard, been so tried or so rewarded. I can't wait to get this book, its the one pictured above, its called "The gentle art of domesticity"...saving up for a good sale, it looks darling! This woman has simply devoted herself to this gentle wonderful art of homemaking...and it is a skill to be sure. And this blog is the sweetest thing, a mother and wife who loves her job... I've had to literally fight back against the ridiculous stigma that I am simply, "a homemaker"...does anyone realize what that means? I literally make my little place in this world, a home...a refuge, a shelter, for my babies and my husband, and its no small task. This great occupation is not for the weak or the easily broken. Its a forged and fought for, success. So many women forget that before they are mothers, they are wives...my husband was my first obligtion...these little wild things demand more of my time and physically aren't capable of existing without me...but my darling hero who works so hard, puts up with so much, was the original owner of this heart and I owe it to him to never forget that. It means so much to him to have a house that is warm and loved... one that his wife has poured her heart into. It calms him so much when I take time to prepare a meal for him, when I care about being frugal,and when I quite simply, make myself his completely. I am his and he is mine. So anyway...I've looked through little exerpts of this book and it touched that part of me that exists in every woman, that gentle, domestic, i need a man to take care of me, part...and truly, I believe its the part of womanhood that truly should flourish iside of me...and if I don't succeed at another thing in this lifetime...if I am the mother and wife that God made me to be, I will have lived a grand, happy life indeed.

"I looked on child rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best I could bring to it." -- Rose Kennedy

Deck the halls with sunshine...

This year we made the trek to Yuma AZ...and my my...it was a christmas of warm fond memories I will never forget.The girls haven't had much time with their Foley grandparents, because until we moved to chico they were far far away. So we drove 12 hours and had a week with them. I've never had Christmas with anyone but my family, and I must admit,I was a bit anxious anticipating the emotion that would come with this christmas. We got there on a tuesday, left on a monday afternoon, and it was sunny and just right. Mailey made her little self right at home and walked right in while Em took a little bit to warm up...but oh my, when she did...watching her with her grampy broke my heart it was so sweet. This picture of Grampy reading to the girls is one of my favorites by far, Emry is usually so cautious and not into letting other people hold her, but she loved her grammy and grampy, and wednesday the Yuma church did a christmas play that seriously was extremely annointed, so touching and beautiful...these were the dresses the girls wore...little angels. Anyway...maybe more later, just trying to get something up ( here's to you patti :) )
Thank you Janet for a christmas I'll never forget...for making me feel so loved and at home, for being so hospitable and spoiling us beyond what is ever ever needed...you are incredible.