Grether =

Today.

2012-02-11T15:46:00.000-05:00

I love you, Saturday.

You are wonderful on so many levels but both myself and Eli would agree that Greg being home is the best part. We get to have fun all day doing things like making Eli fly:

Or making Eli laugh:

Or mesmerizing Eli with crazy antics:

And just enjoying life together with this adorable kid:

LOVE. But now that they are both worn out and taking naps...I should probably get something cleaned.

-Heather

Stella.

2012-02-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

I really can't hear the name "Stella" without hearing Brando from the messed up movie/play "A Streetcar Named Desire". It's just stuck in my head.

Even though Greg gives Eli most of his baths, I do occasionally and every time I say "Stellllla" out loud. Why you ask? Because of Eli's soap.

It's called Mustela and it's European and I have no idea how it's pronounced. But it reminds me of the name Stella, thus why I break out the Brando.

And it's the BEST baby wash. It's expensive. But worth it! We've used it on Eli since his first bath.

A few reasons why I love it:

Apparently it's good for cradle crap. Eli never had any.
It doesn't have a very strong smell (I don't do fragrance). The smell is light, pleasant and you just want to take a deep breath of Eli. So good.
Eli's got some crazy sensitive skin (thanks to us) but he has never had any reaction to this stuff. He also hasn't had too dry/too oily skin or any break outs or peeling... that could be his skin but I think this soap may have something to do with it.
Our first bottle has lasted since May (even with a broken pump). We just bought another that we'll break out in a week or two. And we have given Eli a bath almost every day (every other just recently). Even though it costs $16.49 at our Buy Buy Baby... when it lasts that long and is this good, it's so worth it.
It's not even soap. I just looked it up here. It's soap-free. It says it's especially for newborns but we may just use it on him until he leaves for college. Ha.

I just thought you should know. A bottle of this stuff would be a great baby gift. And if you want your kid to smell like Eli (which I highly suggest), use it! Mustela Dermo-Cleansing (Cleansing gel for Hair and Body) on Amazon here.

In case you are wondering, I don't get anything for product endorsement. But I should, eh?

-Heather

22.

2012-02-06T17:19:00.001-05:00

The hat she wore 22 months ago.

-Heather

All 75th.

2012-02-04T17:02:00.001-05:00

At Eli's 9 month check-up last week, he proved he was a very well-rounded child. He's in the 75th percentiles for all three: weight, length and head circumference. You want to know details? Well then, he is almost 22 pounds, he is 29 inches long and is head is 18 inches around. He's a well sized boy.

When we are out and about people like to comment about Eli. Many times it's about his eyes "oh they are so blue" or his hair "just like his mamas" (of which I get to say "and his daddy's too!" which always throws them for a loop). And being the South, we often have fun conversations that start off something like "Hey there Mr. Handsome, how you doin'?". I thoroughly enjoy all this banter because it's something I yearned for and wanted to be a part of for a long time. I'm so grateful to be a part of the "cool kids club" of parenting. I don't take this for granted.

The only thing Eli wasn't hitting the mark on is his movement. He needs to scoot, wiggle, work on crawling... since he is still fairly content wherever you plop him. If a toy rolls away he doesn't really try go after it, he just finds another or plays with his hands or his clothing (easily entertained). Of course we hope this is just his personality and not because he is lazy. Regardless, we will be sticking toys out of his reach this week in hopes of encouraging him to "move it, move it." Thankfully his muscle strength is all good so there is really nothing to worry about.

Look at my teeth!

Mohawk!

Look at the butt dimple - how come they are so cute on him?

Chloe, Eli, Mercy

We visited Eli's girls this week! Chloe and Mercy are doing well and growing big. I held them both at the same time and I am in awe of multiple baby parents. They have their hands full, literally. Eli kept looking at one, then flipping his head to look at the other. So cute. Even if he sort of looks like an IT guy or some office dude here in his plaid shirt and khaki's.

-Heather

Her Album.

2012-02-01T17:17:00.001-05:00

I am finally embarking on something I've been putting off for a long time.

Working on Maelee's album. Almost two years later. Why my hesitancy?

Because I feel like once I’m done with her book, that’s it. I don’t get to make any more. Eli will have countless books… enough books that his future wife will have to figure out storage options for them. But Maelee, she just gets one. I have all the folders saved on my computer, all the files ready to go, the photos of my pregnancy, the ultrasounds scanned, every flower given, all the photos of her name and the few of her… all ready to be made into a book.

And I keep putting it off. I don’t want to be done with it. There's finality in it that makes me ache.

On the flip side, I really, really want to have her book! I could show it to others and brag about her. I have a Groupon to use up from a photo site that expires March 3rd so I have a bit of a deadline on me (which is exactly what I need). I also want to have it done and in my hands by her second birthday.

On top of the reality I never get to do another book for her, I also have the desire to make her book the BEST ever. I want it to be perfect. Of course, it never will. I'll never be completely satisfied with it. Especially because I am sort of feeling "meh" about the photo site I chose and their design tools. Simple, must keep it simple.

If you are inclined, pray for me to finish her album in time and for my heart as I pour over photos about her, of her, honoring her this next month. I've only been working on it the past few days and I can sense it's not going to be finished lightly, without some wrestling in my heart. I welcome those feelings, really, but I don't want to be a complete basketcase the next month either.

I started with photos from our "Baby Grether" folder. Some I really haven't looked at since they were taken; reminiscing about her shower, remembering our excitement, my weight gain, you know, typical stuff. I gained quite a bit more weight with our girl, here I am at 37 weeks. Whoa baby bump!

The last ultrasound we had of Maelee she was sucking her thumb... this is the last time we "saw" her alive, just a few days before she died. Oh what I wouldn't give to have her here.

So you understand a little why this may be a tough month of designing a book? It's just not any 'ol album. It's Maelee's Album. Her one and only "baby book" that encompasses most all of the photos and mementos of her too-short life.

And once it’s done, please ask to see it. And then years later, please ask again. So that even though I only get to design one book for her, we’ll make it count.

-Heather

Goof.

2012-01-30T14:46:00.003-05:00

We are into making funny faces these days. You can't help but smile.

-Heather

Princess.

2012-01-27T15:51:00.003-05:00

Edmund Dulac's 1911 illustration of "The Princess and the Pea"

Let me divulge something to you: I am a horrible sleeper. You don't want to sleep with me, for many reasons. The main annoyance is I move all the time... "where at night you lay turning like a door on its hinges, first on your left side, then on your right side, then your left side again."

One night Greg and I started counting the "conditions" that need to be right in order for me to fall asleep and sleep well. There are a lot. Like if I had to pick one indulgent characteristic that describes me as a quintessential American, my sleeping habits would be it (followed closely by my shower habits). You don't believe me?

Here's a few of my issues: I need a (very) dark and (very) quiet atmosphere. It must be cool. I can't sleep when I'm hot, especially my feet. This means no socks. I need soft, comfy pajamas. A decent bed and numerous pillows are a must... good pillow support is essential. I also need a pillow for in between my legs (somehow I did this while pregnant and can't stop). That puts my pillow count to around 5.

Bonus points if there are clean sheets made with the right material (ie, soft cotton). I must have brushed teeth and chap stick applied. I also must be relatively "clean" because if I feel gross or smelly, I can't fall asleep. I must start sleeping on my side or I will never fall asleep.

And the most important factor: I must be able to move. If you told me I had to lie perfectly still, I would never be able to fall asleep. Must.move.legs. This means no stupid sheets tucked in under the mattress! When I get to a foreign bed (be it a hotel or a guest room), one of the first things I do is go pull the sheets out. My legs need room to roam, folks. Freedom!

Why am I telling you all this? Why am I inviting you into my bedroom? Admittedly, it's a little TMI. But there is a point. My parents gave us money to buy a new bed. A KING size bed so that maybe, just maybe, we have a little more room for me to flop around without Greg waking up. I want to get a good bed because we spend much of our lifetime sleeping. I have heard enough bad back horror stories to know it's a good investment.

And when I was at the chiropractor for the very first time a few weeks ago (how crazy is that?!) she told me I had two bed choices: TempurPedic or Select Comfort/Sleep Number. Coil beds = bad (according to her, not a salesperson for either might I add). I have heard TempurPedic runs "hot" which is not ideal for me really anytime but especially not summertime in this state. But I recall TempurPedic having that commercial with the bowling ball bouncing on one side and the glass of wine not spilling... and well, that sums us up well.

Both brands are ridiculously expensive but most of the money is coming from good 'ol Mom and Pops for it so we should be able to buy one sometime soon-ish. It will barely fit in our bedroom most likely but if it means we sleep better, it'll be worth it!

So here I am asking for your opinions again... if you have either, please share your thoughts! And for the rest of you, you can just be grateful you don't have to sleep next to this princess.

-Heather

PS- Eli is NINE months old today! And since we are talking about sleep, he's been sleeping like an all-star this week. Yippee! Let's hope he gets his dad's sleeping habits... somehow a man that needs five pillows doesn't seem right...

Have I mentioned?

2012-01-24T16:56:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned I love my new camera?
I can take closer shots. Still not like macro lens close, but closer than I could do before.

Have I mentioned I love living in South Carolina?
I'm all about walks in January with the sun shining and a t-shirt.

Have I mentioned I love, love, love spending time with our boy?
Especially when he is all smiles and forgetting about those pesky teeth coming in.

Have I mentioned I enjoy procrastinating getting something done by blogging?
Seriously, I took like 10 photos today while on our walk, each a gem. The lighting was perfect. I just had to share this cuteness even if I have a long to-do list... and even though he's got lunch specs on his face.

Have I mentioned before I'm glad you read about our lives and care about us?
I really do appreciate your cyber friendship and your thoughts.

And speaking of... what car seat should we buy next for Eli? What brand/style do you suggest? Let me know your opinions...because we need to protect these baby blues from the crazy drivers out there.

-Heather

Fuzzy Wuzzy.

2012-01-22T22:22:00.001-05:00

Eli is almost 9 months old and I find myself shocked at how much he has changed in not many days time. He used to be really small. Okay, we all used to be really small. Us humans make some pretty big strides the first years of our lives. I was thinking of his birth, of how great that day was, how reliving to have him be on the outside alive. I don't think I'll ever stop being in awe of that fact.

I saw these jaundice photos when he was three days old and they made me smile. I think it's crazy that I can tell it's Eli, even with his eyes not in the picture, his mouth/nose still have those same features. And the fuzzy hair? Pure cuteness, that's what that is.

Now I am trying something out for uploading videos... so this is a little tester using a video from last week or so. Not the greatest video, but the grandparents will adore it (thanks G & G K for the fun walker, H1 for the outfit!). Eli does a little tumble and Daddy comes to the rescue. He also looks really hefty here. Very sturdy trunk on this kid.

-Heather

Crock Pot Chicken.

2012-01-20T15:02:00.001-05:00

I don't like e-mail forwards. Most of the time they make me groan. Sometimes the premise is good... like when you get one saying type out one of your go-to recipes and send it to the people on this list. But I still don't like that feeling, that pressure. I don't want to feel annoyed at my inbox.

But I do think knowing people's "go to" recipes would be helpful. Getting a meal on the table is important. And life is busy. And who has time to actually attempt all those recipes you've pinned on Pinterest? Okay, I actually do have some time and I have tried new recipes there, thankyouverymuch.

This recipe is similar to ones all over Pinterest, maybe even on there, who knows. I got it from my trusty Kasowski Family cookbook that my MIL put together a few years ago. Have I mentioned before that I LOVE family recipes and cookbooks? Just love them. Well-loved, well-tested recipes that are bound by family ties. I think this one comes from cousin Sarah.

It's easy. It uses Campbell's Soup... because 99% of my recipes do it seems... such a good midwesterner I am.

Crock Pot Chicken
Ingredients

4-6 Chicken Breasts (or around one pkg)
1 packet Italian Dressing Mix
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 8oz block of Cream Cheese
1 cup Chicken Broth (or white wine)

Stick your chicken in the crock pot, it can even be frozen. Sprinkle the packet of Italian Dressing Mix on top of it. In a separate bowl, mix together the two cans of soup and the cream cheese... it's sort of gumpy mushy mixture. Pour (or really, drop) mixture on top of the chicken. Then pour the cup of chicken broth over that. Cook on low for 4-6 hours (or more, it's pretty forgiving). Then shred the chicken with two forks (this takes awhile). Stir it all up so it absorbs all the yummy sauce.

Make some angel hair pasta and serve the chicken mixture on top with a little Parmesan cheese. Serve with a salad. And some garlic bread. And if you are feeling crazy, you could add some veggies into the chicken mixture (like broccoli or something like that).

Here's a couple photos to show you how easy it is... and to show you the Italian Dressing Mix comes in a box with four packets and can be found by the ranch packets in the salad dressing isle. This is a pretty key ingredient so don't mess that up.

NOT cream of celery like I have shown here, it's cream of chicken, folks!!

Gumpy. That's a word, right?

Granted, it does not look very yummy pre-crocked.


But over some pasta, it's sure tasty! Shown here is the whole wheat ubber healthy pasta... but you can go old school to make it really yum.

Now you can go enjoy an easy crock-pot meal.

You're welcome.

-Heather

No Clip For You.

2012-01-18T21:37:00.000-05:00

I was going to post a video for you all to watch of our growing boy talking his sweet "ba, ba, ba" and blowing bubbles. Just imagine how you would have loved that! Sadly, I can't get the video uploader to work.

So all you get is two photos I took of Eli today. One with his daddy when he came home from work (our favorite time of day!) and the other before naptime that shows his two bottom teeth quite well.

My two favorite people on earth!

Don't worry, you are my third.

Eli Joe!

Eli still prefers to lay down on his back and watch the world go by (you can tell by the nice bald spot he sports on the back of his head) but he does like to sit up and play around with his toys now too. Sitting up makes him seem so old! Eli will also lift himself up on his hands while on his tummy to look around... but still no crawling. I am convinced this is because of his contented personality and not because he loathes tummy time. Regardless, it makes mothering him easier as he's not getting into anything yet!

He really is the sweetest kid. I'm so grateful to have him in our lives.

-Heather

Chicken Soup.

2012-01-16T20:07:00.000-05:00

I have a thing for old men. Before you scowl, I don't mean in a weird, gross way. I just appreciate a really old man. I think they are cute. Like a puppy. Cute in a "aaw" sort of way. I'm sure if I had to take care of one I wouldn't feel that way... but from afar, they make me smile.

When we were first married, I would sometimes point out cute old dudes and say "oh look how cute he is" to Greg. One time that backfired on me and the "cute" old dude walked into the Plain Brown Wrapper. That's a porn store in Grand Forks. NOT cute. Ever since then, I have to make sure said cute old man is legit. Nothing is worse than a nasty old man. There's a fine line.

Last month I saw a normal, stellar cute old dude at Greg's graduation ceremony. He was super adorable. Especially when he spoke. His name is S. Truett Cathy and he is the founder of Chick-fil-A. CIU gave him an honorary doctorate. His daughter, Trudy Cathy, was the actual commencement speaker but after he got his hood, he also spoke. He is 90 years old and it was a bit hard to understand him at times, but he was ridicuously sweet and motivating. Best.Commencement.Ever.

Those of you from the north are probably wondering about "Chick-fil-A". It's a much better version of KFC. It has the bestest faster food chicken sandwiches you can get. Super quality, very yummy. S. Truett started the company in Atlanta in the 40's and has grown it to be a $3.5 billion dollar privately held, family owned business with restaurants all over the place (except the Dakota's, mind you).

People down here LOVE their Chick-fil-A. Most everyone is a fan. They are closed on Sunday so their employees can spend time with family and rest... which Truett decided to do after working long hours and being so tired back in the day. Besides the fact he is so cute, he is a darn good businessman. And an overall good guy. I can't even begin to type all the awards and contributions and philanthropy he's been involved with...but he's just really great.

Why am I going off about this cute old guy?

I'm just really glad for his restaurant. Because they sell chicken noodle soup. It's not as good as mine, or my mom's or probably any homemade soup, but it's still very tasty. And when we've been sick these last two weeks, I've been ever-so-grateful for the convenience of the Chick-fil-A drive-thru down the road. We typically don't eat out too often, but when you are sick, making a meal is the last thing you want to do. Plus, after hearing Truett and Trudy speak last month, I was all about supporting Chick-fil-A.

So thanks to Jonathan and the Bush River Chick-fil-A employees for making our bellies happy with chicken noodle soup for a few nights. It hit the spot. On the flip side, yesterday I felt good enough to make my own batch of chicken noodle... meaning we are each on the mend. We are sending this nasty virus on it's merry way and we are going to be back to full health very soon, I can feel it! And then we can move on to delicious chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and lemonade. Nom, Nom.

-Heather

PS. If you don't have a Chick-fil-A near you, you should come visit us. We'll treat you.

PPS. Yes, Greg will be the most adorable old man ever.

Grabby.

2012-01-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to post an update of our family saying something like "we are doing great... feeling so much better!" and give you happy photos of three healthy people in a nice clean house void of Christmas decor.

But, sadly, that is not the case. Eli is doing better. He doesn't cough as much and his nose is returning to normal but he is getting in a top front tooth (I felt a little poke up there yesterday) so we are dealing with a few other "symptoms" with that!

Greg and I are sick of being sick. I assumed earlier this week we were on the tail end of this cold but shockingly it's still here and going strong. I don't remember colds lasting so hard, so long and being so tiring. Blasted viruses! I told Greg on the phone just now "I feel like someone is banging my head with a bat under water" which is basically a headache on top of this sinus stuff.

Needless to say, we are anxious to be healthy again. And one perk about being sick? When you do finally feel better, you are certain to be thankful for your health! And productive! I can't wait to be productive again. And get outside and interact with people again.

Enough complaining.

Eli is in his "grabby" stage. He reaches and grabs and lunges towards anything and everything he wants to get his hands on. And if you aren't watching... he just may grab something you weren't expecting. Like my napkins piled on the table a little too close to Eli's chair earlier this week:

"I can help set the table. I'll start with this napkin here for me..."

"Gosh, Mom, these napkins are FUN!"

-Heather

A Quilted Life.

2012-01-10T13:42:00.001-05:00

I am thinking often and fondly of my grandmother right now. I miss her. Memories of moments with her abound and the little things that remind me of her keep finding their way to my thoughts. Her delicious homemade buns, her amazing flatbread… if I close my eyes I can almost taste them. The way she served my Grandpa so lovingly all those years. Their home, the sewing room, the squishy seat, the musty basement. The smell of Red Door perfume, her classy attire. Herberger’s store, her thimble collection, the color mauve. The unique way she moved her mouth and how I see that in my own mom and aunts, a family trait.

I yearn for days with her before Alzheimer's. I wish I could have a few days with her now, as I'm grown and could appreciate her so much more than when I was a selfish teenager. I didn't realize then how blessed I was for having a great person like her as a grandmother, how much I could have learned from her. I ache for those missed moments and I'm sure many who knew her feel the same.

The reality is she is gone and is experiencing something we cannot grasp in our finite minds. Heaven is extraordinary, of that I am sure. And because Grandma Doris trusted the Lord for her life, understood that she couldn't earn her way there by being good or following some moral code, she is now at home with her Savior. That, I fully believe, is the best part about heaven. Her getting to see, know, remember her husband, my Grandpa Ray, meeting Maelee, her namesake, and other loved ones, that is just icing on the cake. We are all in need of a Savior and nothing brings me greater joy than knowing my Grandma understood that.

I found this poem by Elizabth Ryan DeCoursey. And it reminds me much of Grandma.

Life is like a patchwork quilt

And each little patch is a day,

Some patches are rosy, happy and bright,

And some are dark and gray.

But each little patch as it's fitted in

And sewn to keep it together

Makes a finished block in this life of ours

Filled with sun, and with rainy weather.

So let me work on Life's patchwork quilt

Through the rainy days and the sun--

Trusting that when I have finished my block

The master may say: "Well done."

The last line alludes to a parable from Matthew 25:23 when the Master says: "Well done, good and faithful servant!" which is what we all want to hear our Heavenly Father say to us when we die. I believe my grandmother's life was a beautiful quilt, that the Lord was pleased with her and she heard those weighty words upon arriving at the gates of pearl.

I also appreciate this poem because it reminds me of the song Blessed Be Your Name, sung at Maelee's funeral. "Blessed be Your Name, When the sun's shining down on me, When the world's all as it should be" ... some days really are happy and bright! But we all know that this road of life is marked with suffering and there is pain in life... dark, rainy days. But no matter what type of day is out there, we can be confident that the Lord is still good, He is still in control and we choose to say Blessed Be Your Name.

We know that Grandma is better off in heaven. We are grateful, so grateful, that the Lord brought her home. But that doesn't lessen our sadness, our grief, that she is no longer quilting each day with us on earth.

Love to you Grandma Doris. Until we meet again...

-Heather

PS. Yes, this is incredibly hard being the only one not there for the family service and funeral tomorrow. Because I was the only one that missed out on Grandpa's funeral ten months ago, it makes this distance even harder. Oh that I could be there to join my cousins! On top of being really sick, it's about all I can handle to keep it together! But I choose to be grateful for her life, for knowing I can celebrate her from afar, and for the blessing of my son who is a part of this Zander heritage...

With my favorite blanket, a quilt made just for me by Grandma Doris when I was around 14. She made it for me because I loved the red one she had made many years earlier for my mom and I was wearing it out! She made both using the scraps of material from all the dresses and clothes she made for her daughters over the years. Needless to say, it's a treasure. Even moreso now.

Vent.

2012-01-08T17:30:00.003-05:00

This has not been a week that I would like to repeat. It just hasn't been very awesome.

Can I just vent?

I spilled a big 'ol thing of yogurt all over the living room carpet and rug. All over. The house is pretty disastrous too.

Greg broke my beloved pickle ornament my mom gave me. It shattered to a bagazillion pieces. He felt bad and did not mean to do it, in his defense.

I thoughtfully picked a bunch of photos to print and send to family and then they didn't upload correctly, just disappeared. So I have to take the time to pick them all out and upload. Again.

I visited a chiropractor for the first time on Friday. After a week of wincing every time I picked Eli up or turned my head, I'd had enough. Verdict is still out whether it was worth the money (plus the three visits next week).

21 months without Maelee. Putting away her ornaments. Wishing for cute tu-tu outfits for her... when life is hard, grief somehow arrives to join the pity party.

My friends shower was today which went very well. But I had planned on making these cute little felt owls and paper latern owls and I didn't get to. I know that's not a big deal but this is the type of thing I LOVE to do! Party planning committee? I'm all about that.

And lastly, we are sick. Our sickness is nothing life-threatening. Just a nasty, icky virus that has left all three of us tired, hurting, frustrated, annoyed and crabby. No one is sleeping much at all. Eli hates the bulb syringe with a passion. But the poor guy can't breathe. Doesn't want to nurse because he can't breathe. And to top it off, he has these lovely welts showing up all over, a byproduct of this cold virus. Oh and I can't take many meds because it'll pass to Eli and I'm not a very good sick-with-no-Nyquil type person.

So when I hear my Grandma (who not very long ago at her check-up was given a fairly clean bill of health and could have lived for many years) goes into the hospital on Thursday night and passes away two days later... it's just A LOT to process! She was my last living grandparent.

And last March when my Grandpa Ray passed away I was about 8 months pregnant and thus, couldn't fly to get to his funeral, I swore that whenever my Grandma died I would be there.

It's not looking like I'll be able to. And that.is.hard.

First off, I'm still nursing Eli so where I go, he goes. I would consider stopping now but the kid still nurses almost every three (day)hours and he does not take a bottle. We try but he just isn't a sucker. He chews on pacifiers and bottles. No sucking.

Greg can't come. He took too much time off over Christmas and he needs to work. So even if I left Eli here, we wouldn't have anywhere for him to go while Greg worked!

Traveling while you are sick and with a sick baby? I'm pretty sure I would put that on a no-no list.

And lastly, the hardest part, is we live too far away and we are trying to get to small town ND.

No flights were found!

It's near impossible to fly from our hometown, Columbia, to Dickinson. I think I could manage it in three flights, maybe?! We could drive an hour + to Charlotte, fly to MM and then fly MN to Bismarck and drive another two hours... but that is still two flights, one layover and two drives. With a sick baby.

There are times when I think of our family in China and all they sacrifice living there, most notably being away from family. For us It's not that far, of course, but today I feel like SC is another country as I'm trying to get us to ND! It shouldn't be this hard!

So it's not looking like Eli and I will get to be there to honor my Grandma and I'm so very much bummed. I just never thought I'd miss my grandparents' funerals.

Okay, I feel a little better after my blog-venting. Thanks, folks, for being my therapy today.

-Heather

Wait, I must say a few things I am grateful for, admist this not-so-lovely complaining.

Eli. He's here and alive and healthy and I'm never ungrateful for that. Plus Greg, he's amazing even among our pathetic week.

My grandma died quickly. She could have had a long sickness and have been in pain for months and months. Instead she was fairly healthy until Thursday when she was ambulanced to the ER for difficulty breathing and was basically unresponsive until she died last night. That's God's grace to us in this for sure.

Doris Mae Meets Maelee.

2012-01-08T14:41:00.000-05:00

God gives us glimpses of what heaven is like in the Bible, but I feel it is too great, too grand, too supernatural for us to really understand it while we are living on earth. I do know it's a place where there is no more pain, no more sorrow, no more death (Revelation 21:4). There is no more sin getting in the way of our rightness with God. Oh it is a glorious place.

And now my Grandma is there. She passed away last night. Her mind is no longer lost. She is found, she is known by Jesus, she is whole. She met my daughter, I assume. Maybe she's even holding Maelee now.

We got the Mae in Maelee's name from my Grandma Doris Mae. My Aunt had them sign their names on this for Maelee's Name Book, and I recall her saying the Alzheimer's had affected her so badly she could barely remember how to make a "M." But I'm so glad for this piece, this treasure. And it's hard to believe that this was done in 2010 for their great granddaughter and now less than two years later, they have both joined her in heaven.

I will miss my grandmother. I am so thankful for her life, that I am a part of her heritage. I am grateful that I still have things that remind me of her and memories to cherish... here's just a few off the top of my head:

Buns. I would love one of her homemade buns right now. Or some flatbread in perfect little buttery rectangles. Oh so delicious. Really she was a stellar woman in the kitchen. Stellar.
My grandmother could quilt like nobody's business. Growing up I just connected quilts = Grandma. And even to this day, every time I see a thimble I think of her!
If I see a Herberger's store or their logo, I automatically think of her. She worked at this midwestern department store for many years . Sometimes I felt like I was shopping with the store's owner when we went in there with her...she knew everyone and everything and had a fancy gold card she used to buy stuff. Elite.
Because of said employment, my Grandma had a crazy amount of perfume. Like crazy. If I smell Elizabeth Arden Red Door, I'd think she was near. She also gave me tons of bottles of Sunflower perfume. She really was a good smelling lady! And classy. So classy.
Snowbabies. Towards her later years, we bought those things for her for every occasion. And now I look at them and they seem a little odd... little baby/kid type figurines frolicking in the snow. Just sayin'... maybe we should have gotten her something better!
Mauve. I've said this before but mauve and peach hues remind me of her. I fondly remember those colors permeating her living room.
Because I was the "baby" girl granddaughter, I'm pretty sure she thought I was special. I know she always made me feel loved.
When I was around 10, my mom and my grandparents drove from ND to Washington state to visit family. That's a long drive. And I'll always remember my grandma doing this smacking thing with her mouth and saying she felt like peaches. My mom and I joked about that for many years and it still makes me smile.

I'll miss you, Grandma. Whatever heaven is like, I know it's filled with Glory and it's perfect. I can't wait to see you again.

-Heather

You can read my grandmother's obituary here.

Last Days.

2012-01-06T14:47:00.002-05:00

My Grandma is dying.

She was taken to the hospital yesterday and they are certain it is just a matter of time. She has lived with Alzheimer's for many years now and I think there will be a collective sigh when she leaves this earth. Death is always hard, even when it may just be the best thing. We find great peace in knowing she will be made whole soon, her mind will no longer be in the grips of disease. Soon perhaps she will be dancing in heaven... I'm not sure what amazingness awaits us in heaven, but maybe even a polka with Grandpa? You see, my Grandpa died just last March. So my mom and her three sisters will be losing both their parents within a year.

I sort of felt like Grandma would be around for awhile, even if she wasn't fully there and didn't remember anyone anymore, and there was an odd sense of peace in that. But I feel like there will be even more peace after she dies and goes home. Death, it always brings perspective on life, doesn't it? It helps us to know we are not invincible. We are not in control. Stuff doesn't really matter. Family will always be family. And knowing Jesus is the best thing this side of heaven. He's not just some flippant ticket to get there, or some genie that you call on when someone's dying, but he will comfort and guide and transform you even on those regular 'ol no-one-is-dying days, if you give him the chance.

I digress. So on top of our sickness that has kept Eli and I basically on the couch all week (and the Christmas tree still up and decorated, the porch still adorned with garland, laundry piled up, etc), I now add the fact that I'm in South Carolina and ridiculously too far away from my mama and my Grandma. I'm so sorry that I can't be there right now.

Cute couple, eh?

I just LOVE how she's smiling at Grandpa here! This is at our wedding in 2005.

Grandma meeting my son, July 2011.

-Heather

Colds and Photos.

2012-01-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here with tired, sore eyes. A reflection of my body right now. I have a silly cold and on top of that some weird sort of pulled muscle in my neck and left shoulder that has progressively gotten worse since Saturday.

I'm wondering what it looks like to be graceful when you are sick. To be loving. To not be a little mamby pamby and whine and whimper and complain. Oh that I would be refined to be a graceful person even when I am feeling most crappy.

Even worse for me is that my boy is sick, too. And it's so hard to hear him cough and then immediately cry out "ouch that hurt" (my interpretation). He looks at me with those sad watery eyes "Mom, why don't I feel well? Make it better!" and I feel horrible that I can't do anything. There are many lessons here.

And now our great daddy and husband got the cold bug, too. He's already sleeping on the couch and it's only 7:30pm. These are the times I wish he had actual sick leave... 'cause I know 8am is going to come too fast for him.

All that to say, we are ALIVE! We are living. We are together. We have so many things to be thankful for, so many things we've been given, so much we don't deserve. And by God's grace this cold will go away and we will be back to healthy again. Soon. Please.

Oh, and one more thing to be thankful for: we caught colds while in MN and not the nasty flu that my family had two days before we arrived. I'll take our annoying coughing over puking any day! Right? I know you agree with me.

I did want to share some photos of our time in Minnesohta.

Family photo! Ali needs to get taller or Jaysen needs to bring the camera lower, she's just barely peeking over the edge. And my dad? Who knows what he's up to here.

WALLEYE. I love it almost as much as my niece.

Jaysen. Our good friend.

It's really hard to get photos of Ava smiling. She's not a smiler or a stay-in-one-placer. But when I plopped Eli down for the photo on her lap, she looked somewhat happy to be in control for that moment. Then I think she pushed him off.

Three cheers for three smiles from three cousins on three chairs!

Can't resist the matching pajamas! And Ava is somewhat smiling because I took like 30 photos of this. New camera = crazy lady.

Godparents!

The Lippert Family.

Ava was playing then promptly decided to sit on Eli. It was pretty funny though as you can see, Eli was not happy and was trying unsuccessfully to push her off.

He picked the right letter to chew!

I just couldn't resist adding this photo. Aren't these just so amazingly cute?!

My sis and our kids on earth. Love.

And in case you are wondering we did bring a ton of clothes for Eli to wear and he wore most all of them. But somehow most all the photos I posted above include his argyle sweater. Go figure. In that case, I'll give you one more, it reminds me of a Seinfeld episode...

Whew. I think it's time for bed.

-Heather

Argyle.

2012-01-03T09:54:00.000-05:00

I think we have something with argyle in our family. I'm pretty sure Greg owns at least five argyle sweaters. That's a lot for a guy who didn't even own a sweater until he was 26. And I fully expect Eli will be argyle-clad for many years.

We heart you, classic argyle!

Notice the Yoda chair (just ignore the Clone Wars part). Eli really liked it and looked so cute sitting in it and talking like Yoda (which is the rule of the chair). Too bad we left the chair in MN. Especially because my sister hasn't even seen Star Wars and thus, does not respect it.

Rock Santa Hat, I will.

Such a cute kid we have. The poor guy got his first cold yesterday. I got one, too, except my coughing is nowhere near as adorable as Eli's. I swear even his coughing is cute! I feel so bad for him (and get a little too worked up), it's really just a small cold. I guess I'm like my dad, such a softie.

I'll post more photos and more Eli-isms soon. For now, I hear a little whimper...

-Heather

Brown Christmas.

2012-01-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

We are back home in South Carolina.

It feels nice to unpack and be home.

I'd like to talk about weather.

I was really hoping for snow. Actually I wasn't even hoping, I was just assuming. I assumed there would be snow at Christmastime in Minnesota. That's completely normal. Last year it looked like this:

That picture is a tree chopping truck that got stuck and blocked the road to my sister's in-laws house. Yeah, there was a lot of snow. And it was fun.

This year...well, this year there was NO snow. Not even leftover snow from a previous snowfall. I have no photo because who takes photos of brown grass? I saw one little patch of snow by some trees. That's it.

Until last night, or really this morning, in the wee beginning hours of 2012, some snow and ice finally came. We really only got to experience it from the walk from the house to the truck at 6:30 a.m. as we headed out to the airport. So 2011 will be the year of no-snow Christmas. Darn.

Normally no big deal. But it was Eli's first Christmas. And Christmas = snow (don't worry, I know Christmas really equals Jesus). That warm "cozy up by the fire while you look outside on a winter wonderland on Christmas Eve" experience! Besides I had his cute snowsuit ready to be worn! And the photos? Oh they would have been so cute! I guess Eli will have to wait longer for his first snow experience!

The weather being so nice did have some perks. All our travels were uneventful. On our drive to Wisconsin, we actually saw a tumbleweed. TUMBLEWEED. Do you know those exist? They do. I wish I would have taken a photo of one. Flying over the road because it is SO WINDY. Seriously. Wind. Go to the Midwest if you want to really experience it. I almost forgot what wind was like. Eli's face was almost smashed in the car door a few times.

Good thing I got this cute hat for him to wear:

You can't really tell but it has ear flaps.

We arrived to a warm, sunny southern day in Charlotte this afternoon. After a quick trip to IKEA (nom nom meatballs), we headed home and arrived safely. It's been a eventful past few weeks and we are thankful for all the fun times with family and friends!

Many photos to follow!

Here's one with another Zander-side family member we saw briefly. Eli and his cousin cousin Alex! Great guy!

-Heather

Z Branch.

2011-12-31T16:11:00.001-05:00

We got to spend a little time with my mom's sister's family when we were in Wisconsin Dells. Here's some pics from our time with the Zander side of the family tree.

We went bowling, in honor of Grandpa Ray.

My Dad looks like quite the bowling shark here. I broke 100 so I felt pretty darn awesome.

Carson is quite the character. He kept saying "Come here baby!" and giving big hugs.

Buffalo Phil's... Greg feels like Phil is the reason he got sick. Will not recommend.

Just a few presents ended up looking like this!

Ava is satisfied with box.

The cousin cousins. Again, Carson is all about the hugging.

And Eli had enough.

The "girl" cousins!

Good times with the fam-damily!

-Heather

You Guys.

2011-12-28T21:18:00.002-05:00

We are in "you guys" territory. How are you guys doing? You guys have a nice stay? What do you guys want to do?

It doesn't flow as nicely as ya'll, does it?

But it's homey to me nonetheless. Today I heard the best Norwegian accents coming from the two older ladies in the booth next to us. "Well, we better go." (and you know that "o" lasted a good bit). I just miss overhearing this familiarity when out and about.

And yes, all you mid-westerners just read out and about exactly like I meant it there.

Ya, u betcha.

Anywho, we had a great flight to MN. I heart direct flights. We had a great Christmas. I love our family. We had a fun time at the water park capital of the world. Well, Greg didn't so much love the end of the trip. He's sickish now. Darn this Lippert flu.

-Heather

Okay, you wanted photos, eh? Here you go.

The three cousins:

Merry First Christmas.

2011-12-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from Greg, Heather and Eli.

Here area few of the shots that made our Christmas card this year...

And if you want to see a few more, go to our friend Michelle's site here. These were taken when Eli was exactly seven months old. You'll notice the "M" ornament, that's for Maelee since she isn't here to take photos with us.

-Heather

Enjoy These Photos.

2011-12-23T11:07:00.001-05:00

I wanted to post a few great photos from our time with Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Amy and Uncle Andrew. We did have great fun in our few days together!

Loved.

Carbles (you've never heard of it, it's a MN thing). Ladies vs Men. Played 6 times, we lost every game. Ugh.

Adored.

Godparents!

Three Generations!

Finally got to wear the sweater made by Gwen.

Bears photo!

A Christmas Tree footprint craft! So fun!

We are on our way to Charlotte to fly up to MN! I'm so excited about our direct flight! Hopefully we won't have any issues.

I wore sandals and a t-shirt out to CVS this morning. I know there's not much snow in MN but I'm hoping for a little cool weather at least!

Happy Travels!

-Heather

Chloe and Mercy!

2011-12-22T12:26:00.000-05:00

Eli's friends are here!

Jonathan and Rachel, our dear friends, have been on this adoption road for awhile now. After three failed adoptions this past year, it's been a heart wrenching process. We've grieved and hoped and prayed with them.

And we are so excited to share that the Lord has graciously given them two adorable daughters. Chloe Justice and Mercy Dawn were born on Monday, December 19th and J & R brought them home yesterday! Chloe was 6 pounds, 13.7 ounces and 19 inches. Mercy was 6 pounds, 8 ounces and 18.5 inches. Two really healthy girls! What a great Christmas gift!

When asked what we should tell folks about them, they said "the cutest twins ever born and they have sweet curly hair!" We went to meet them last night...

Chloe

Mercy

Eli wore his Twins shirt to meet his new friends!

Unca Jonathan is one of Eli's favs.

And my heart is so joyful when I look at these two photos... they are precious!

We didn't get to hold them (yet) because these girls really need to bond with their mommy and daddy for these first few hours. But soon we will be loving on these two!

I'm coordinating meals for them so let me know if you'd like to help. And if you happen to have a lot of diapers or formula or twin things laying around you want to give to them, Chloe and Mercy could put it to good use! We'll have a shower for them on Sunday, January 8th as well.

Congratulations friends!

-Heather

Micah 6:8 "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness [mercy], and to walk humbly with your God..."

Beware.

2011-12-21T10:17:00.001-05:00

I got a new camera for Christmas. From Greg. Excessive. Awesome.

You thought there was a lot of photos of Eli before. But just you wait.

Uff-da.

This morning I sent our family off in two rental vehicles, one to Florida and one to North Carolina. Sigh. It's always such a bummer to say good-bye, don't you think? But I am thankful that is the case. Being bummed they are leaving means we actually like our family. You can't beat good family time.

How about some photos of our Kasowski Pre-Christmas? These are before aforementioned new camera.

I love that they are WAY more excited than Eli!

R2-D2!

He looks excited about the gift, but he just wanted to eat the paper.

Greg got a sweet jersey just like Amy has. It's their dad's number from his days with the Bears.

You will see many photos of Eli in this sweet Bears-colors, Back-to-the-Future like vest. It's so awesome. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa K for all the awesome gifts!

And of course I was thrilled to give Eli his new elephant toy. He, however, was not. He just wanted to go to bed.

So grateful for this time with these four family members and for getting to celebrate Christmas with them, too. What fun was had! More photos to follow...

And now to the mountains of laundry...

-Heather

Happy.

2011-12-20T13:57:00.001-05:00

We have had much fun! Today is the last day with Grandma and Grandpa K and Auntie Amy and Uncle Andrew. Eli has been spoiled. Many great photos to follow...

-Heather

One Suprise-Filled Graduation Day.

2011-12-16T16:36:00.000-05:00

The secret is out!

Greg's sister, Amy, and her husband Andrew decided to come surprise Greg for graduation! Isn't that awesome? And what's crazy is I didn't spill the beans even though I knew for a few weeks! Whew!

Greg's parents got here yesterday (finally) after an unplanned stay in Chicago. Amy and Andrew got here RIGHT before graduation today, after an unplanned stay in Charlotte last night. They were supposed to fly into Columbia but couldn't get here before graduation so we had them fly into Charlotte and our great friend Jonathan went and picked them up this morning. As Greg lined up to the stage, he looked over and saw his sister peeking out of the crowd! He had no idea!

It was a special day and in a few minutes our friends will show up to celebrate Greg by eating some cookies. Nom. Nom.

Amy and Andrew didn't have their suitcases in case you were wondering about the jeans. It makes it THAT much more awesome that they made it right when graduation started!

Sidenote: the smarter you get (degree-wise) the funnier you look. Greg has a hood now.

Oh and we gave Eli and honorary degree of "cutest baby ever", hence he got a hat.

-Heather

Smart Cookie.

2011-12-15T09:25:00.000-05:00

This is Greg's graduation party invitation. We are having a cookie party with many different kinds of cookies and milk. It's going to be yummy. And fun. Greg doesn't like a bunch of hoopla about him but this degree has been more work and time than his high school or undergraduate degrees so I feel like this needs to be celebrated. He IS a smart cookie. Very, very schmart. And who doesn't like cookies?

If you are around Columbia and want to stop by, please do!

And if you are thinking this degree from CIU has been a cake walk for Greg. It hasn't. It's a big deal. Greg has been working on these 90 credits for five years (graduate programs are often 60 credits or less). From an accredited university. The same accreditation agency that accredits the University of South Carolina. Plus another one that accredits only biblical higher education institutions so you know they aren't wacked theologically. As a higher education field wannabe (oh how I miss working with students!), I want you to know the importance of accreditation. It's a big deal, k? Off my soapbox.

Greg has taken a ton of great courses on a wide range of subject matter. Some of the most beneficial, from what I can tell, have been Greek and Hebrew. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. So he is working on being able to read the Bible in the original text. Or at least knowing the basics.

Sidenote: There's a professor at CIU that is so stinkin' smart that when he reads the NT to his class, he reads it from the original text, translates it in his head and speaks it in English out loud. You wouldn't even know he was doing it unless you happened to look at his Bible and be able to say "it's all Greek to me." I actually had a class from this prof and would sometimes catch my jaw dropped at his intelligence. And the sweetest thing about him? He's so humble you'd never know he is one of the best greek scholars in the world. There are some really amazing faculty at CIU.

Anywho, I'm proud of Greg.

I need to bake some cookies. Today was supposed to be "peaceful cookie making while Greg's parents watched Eli". Greg's parents were supposed to fly in last night. But thanks to blasted Chicago, their first flight was delayed two hours, missed their connection so they stayed at a hotel last night there and were re-routed to DC this morning and into Columbia this afternoon.

This has happened too many times. Eli and I were stuck this summer, Greg was delayed a day once, Amy missed Maelee's funeral... grrrrrr. It's a neccesary evil: the only common denominator/airport for Columbia and ND is Chicago. If we want only two flights we have to go through Chicago with United. I suppose this is what we get for having two small airports as our destinations. Sigh. At least they will (hopefully) get here today and not miss the graduation.

Eli woke up three times last night. He peed through a diaper and I think he was just upset that the promised Gma and Gpa K were not here. I'm sure that's what it was... and not at all the two mountains trying to escape from his gums. I'm hoping for a nice morning nap so I can work on these cookies. It's not a cookie party without Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies (oh how I wish the China crew could be here to eat them with us!).

Fun family photos to come!

-Heather

Stop. Be Thankful.

2011-12-12T14:37:00.001-05:00

I have a bagazillion things to be doing right now but I am struck with the importance of being thankful for the big and the small in my life. Aaaand Eli is napping and all the things on my list are loud. So let's just be thankful for a few minutes.

My schmart and amazing hubby. Gosh I love him. Mushy, mushy goodness.
Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli, Eli... yep, I think we have established we are grateful for our redemption baby.
Long, hot showers. Oh how grateful I am for this indulgence living in America. Clean water out of every spout... it's truly one of the best gifts.
Welch's sparkling red grape juice. I have always loved this stuff. It's so sparkly good. If real wine were as good to my juvenile taste buds, we'd be in trouble.
Friends, family, people to share life with. Yes, it's just so much better with others.
Getting the Christmas cards and letters (mostly) done and out. Big feeling of accomplishment. Pat on back.
Christmastime food. Certain foods just say "Christmas" to me. Aunt Bonnie's Christmas punch, chex mix, cookies. When I eat these, I can officially break out the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas album and really start the season.
Our niece, Ava, had a little ear surgery this morning and everything went well. We hope this will help her perpetual ear infections to be a thing of the past. I heard her say "no" and "uh oh" over the phone today. So cute. So grateful for her.
Receiving Christmas cards in the mail. It just makes getting the mail each day that much better. Agreed?
Getting to wrap presents in wrapping paper that matches my tree (I am my mother's daughter) AND having people coming here to open them!
The fact my almost-graduated husband is such a studious person and not a last-minute procrastinator when it comes to studies (like, um, his wife). He did everything on time or ahead of time. Meaning this week is way less stressful than it could be if he wasn't so awesome.
Having four muslin blankets for Eli. He loves, loves to chew on one during nap time. I love that I have four and don't have to do laundry every day.
Hulu. We can watch TV online without having to buy cable. Such a great down-time activity for us. Loving the British show "Spy"... the British just seem so edgy and cool.
I got a Fiskar paper cutter thingy from J & R. I can now cut paper like nobody's business.
All the FedEx, UPS and US postal workers. They are so, so busy right now. I have (mostly) stopped ordering stuff online so their trips to our house should lessen. I'm so grateful for their hard work.

Speaking of... you should do this. Buy candy or snacks or any type of treat and put it in a bag... or just tie a ribbon and thank you message on a candy bar... leave them by your door. When someone comes to deliver a package, give it to them and say "I know it's a busy season. Thanks!". I always give JT a Christmas present of snacks but this year I decided our UPS guy should get a bag of snacks, since we know him pretty well now, too. Then I decided I should just have extras out since we have had FedEx and other UPS dudes coming. I even got some 100 Grands so they know they are worth at least that much;) Simple. Easy. Nice.

Perfect timing. I hear a boy crying from his crib.

-Heather

Pearly Whites.

2011-12-11T21:25:00.001-05:00

I think it's time for some Eli information out there on the good 'ol world wide web.

At our shot appointment last week, Eli weighed about 20.5 pounds and was over 28 inches long. That puts him in the 70ish percentile for weight and 90ish for height, I think. I have the chart thing but it's small so I may be off ten percent or more. But you get the idea. Eli is a bit large for his age.

Developmentally, he may be behind. He doesn't roll over completely even though he did awhile back a few times. He goes to one side but not the full-on. He moves around a good bit, but no actual crawling is involved. He sits fairly well on his own but he definitely has had some good face plants into the carpet. He likes to stand. He enjoys his exersaucer which we call "the beast." We ought to get him one of those apparatuses that he can lean on and play with. I think he would rock those.

Eli still plays on his trusty play mat but now he actually grabs at the toys. He really is quite content for a good while laying on his back and playing. Pretty much everything goes into his mouth. This has made it a little harder to organize the mail or read the newspaper... he really loves paper. I think we may get him to crawl by putting paper just out of arm's reach.

He loves to voice his opinions and emotions with loud yelps. He loves to giggle and laugh and gratefully, does so often. He will deep belly laugh when either one of us dances around like a crazy person. He is very interactive and sometimes we swear he says "Hi" back. We, of course, think he's a genius.

But the biggest Eli news of late is TEETH! Last Tuesday I felt a little sharpness protruding out of his lower front gums. His front right tooth has been coming in and now it's peaking out. His front left tooth decided the right couldn't have all the fun so it's decided to come in, too. It's caused a few shrieking cries while feeding and perhaps a few other crabby moments as of late... but well, everyone gets teeth, it's just a part of the game.

Our dear friends Jonathan and Rachel are so good to Eli and they came over to give him his Christmas present tonight (an elephant toy to chew and play on = perfect). Eli loves these guys (we do too). They have been in the adoption process for over a year now and we keep waiting and praying and hoping with them for when they finally get their arms full. You can pray that, too.

It's going to be a BUSY and eventful week! Greg's parents arrive on Wednesday, graduation is Friday. I have much house to clean, presents to wrap, cookies to bake, and family to celebrate! Weeks like this make other boring weeks seem so... so lame. I love the busy and I am so thankful for all the reasons why life is crazy right now.

-Heather

Still Here.

2011-12-11T21:07:00.000-05:00

This was taken by one of the nursery helpers at church this morning. It shows you all something important: the mohawk is still here.

-Heather

Martha I Am Not.

2011-12-09T15:03:00.000-05:00

If you know me at all, you know I love photos. And paper. And Christmas. And the post office. And writing.

So it makes sense that I really love the whole Christmas card and letter thing. I really do. We didn't do one last year. This year I wanted to do one that was so awesome when you opened it, you would see fireworks and hear angels sing.

At least that's how it sort of manifested itself in my head. I wanted to do right by Eli and make everything just so. Our friend started a photography biz and we hired her to take our pic the week after Thanksgiving. And I got a groupon last month to design and print our card (from a company I've never used).

Thankfully, everything went fairly smoothly. Eli was on the verge of a nap before our photo shoot but we got some good smiles (thanks Michelle). She got us the photos quickly and designing the card was fairly painless.

On to the letter. I had a great idea a few months back to "sew" stitches on our letter, for a cool, crafty addition to white paper. I could use regular 'ol paper, which I often get for free because of a sale at office supply stores (which I really like, they remind me of my old jobs and office-y life).

I wrote most of the letter a few days ago and finished it last night. I had Greg get the sewing machine down from the attic, which is no easy task. That thing weighs a ton. And it's up in the attic for a reason: I don't know how to sew. I have sewn in the past, but always with my mother right there (and most often taking over for me because I whined too much).

I don't even know how to thread the darn thing. I had written instructions on a yellow piece of paper that my mom dictated to me a few years ago. Obviously I stared at that for a good fifteen minutes in wonder. I found some dated YouTube videos and learned enough to wind my bobbin. I accomplished that and felt like a rock star. I called my mom to brag.

I then tried threading the machine. I think I got it. It seemed to work, do what it was supposed to do. I was all full of anticipation and much pride at this point. I wanted to do a cool zig-zag sort of stitch. There are lots, way too many, levers on this old Singer machine. Some of them look like zig-zags so I was pulling levers and turning dials all over the place. My mom (on the phone) said I need to make sure my needle wouldn't break off if my whatchamacalit wasn't the right size. So I texted her a photo to get the okay on that (thanks, technology).

And I was off!

Problem was: it looked terrible. I tried many different types of stitches but none really looked that great. I think if I used card stock it would have been okay. But it looked dumb. And by the end, I think Mr. Singer wasn't too happy. The back of my paper was a red threaded mess! And even the few I thought could work, well, it would take waaay too long to stitch 120 pieces of paper. I don't have that time. Eli's naps are not that long.

I wanted to print the letter so I can try get them in the mail today or tomorrow. I didn't have any cool Christmas paper on hand, my stamp pads were dry, and we don't have a color printer. I had to improvise and quickly create a graphic matching our card. It looks grayishly alright but nothing, oh nothing, like the beautiful dream I had for my letter, all stitched and crafty and genius.

I say all that to say: often Christmas cards and letters just show the pretty outside of our lives. They most likely don't show what's really going on in our daily lives, in our hearts. That's the messy, the sinful, the stuff we are so desperately in need of God's grace for. A lesson for me, for us. Don't spend all your time trying to make your outsides flawless and perfect. You won't succeed. We are imperfect people, completely dependent on some amazing grace.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and plate, that the outside also may be clean." Matthew 23:25-26

-Heather

Oh, and if you want a card and I don't have your address, get that to me please! I promise no fireworks.

Extra Special Salt Dough Ornaments.

2011-12-06T21:43:00.001-05:00

Twenty months without Maelee today. Twenty. In honor of her...

On Sunday I invited fellow "baby loss" moms to come to our house and make ornaments honoring our babies in heaven. Christmas is a rough time for us mommas that don't have our child(ren) here for holidays and milestones. Last year was hard. And sad. And empty.

Ornaments have a special place in my heart because growing up, we got an ornament every year. It was tradition. And last year I broke down so upset that I couldn't buy Maelee's "Baby's First Christmas" ornament. And yes, Eli has had his for over a month already, I was so ready to get to buy one this year. It's hung right next to two other very precious ornaments.

I had a plethora of options and ideas for the baby loss ornament making this year (thanks Pinterest). But I decided to try my hand at making salt dough ornaments because I wanted to have the babies' names be stamped/engraved into the ornament. Here's my tutorial. You can make these whatever shape and write whatever you want on them... but they did work well for what I had intended: to honor our sweet children in heaven.

Apologies for the lame photos and the sweatshirt from 1994. Just ignore that.

Recipe:

1/2 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/2 cup water

Mix the salt and flour together really well and slowly add the water...

The dough should start to ball together:

Make your dough into a nice ball. Also, do not lick your hands. Do not rub your eyes. Bad things will happen.

Roll it out (like pie crust). I used a wax paper sheet to prevent it from sticking to my rolling pin. But the next batch I didn't do this and was fine... depends on how you roll (literally). You want to make sure you get an even amount of dough or some (or part) of your ornaments will be too thick/too thin. Uneven dough will bake uneven and not work out well. Shoot for 1/4 inch thick.

Then cut out your shapes using a cookie cutter (I used a dove):

I used a straw to poke a hole for hanging. It worked really well and gave a good size for the string to go through. Just don't forget to poke that hole or you'll have a trinket and not an ornament.

I then used regular stamps (not pictured) and stamped our babies' names on the doves. This can be a bit tricky... do a test on some leftover dough to get the hang of it! I also tried using the end of a small paintbrush and "dotted" the names... it worked okay so if you don't have alphabet stamps, you could try that route.

Then bake them in the oven at 250 degrees for around two hours (if you have thicker ornaments, this will take much longer). Or you can leave them out overnight. They should be cookie hard.

But not too cookie-hard! You don't want to "burn" them like cookies. So check often. This can also happen if you have uneven dough, like one of my batches. You don't want any discoloration like this. This is bad:

After they cool, paint the ornaments however you'd like. I used white pearl and silver regular craft acrylic paints. The key, I learned, is to NOT paint inside the letters you stamped. Don't do it. It's better. Promise. Then spray the thing with this "finishing spray". Verdict is still out on whether or not this is needed. It made my ornament softer. Not sure if it's vital... but I didn't want the ornament to "rot" so I thought it was pretty important to do it based on what other people have done. This stuff smells. Do this outside.

Best part: If you don't paint the letters front or back, the light from your Christmas lights will shine through. And then your heart will be a little less heavy because you smile when you see it on your tree:

Love it.

I'll post the other ornament ideas I did later!

-Heather

Uncle Chris.

2011-12-05T14:09:00.000-05:00

Eli's got this crazy Uncle Chris. Chris told us over the web cam awhile back that some people follow my blog just to keep in the know about him. But I don't think I really talk about him. So um, this post is going to be about crazy Uncle Chris.

He really is a great guy. A single dad to our beloved Lilliana. He works ridiculously hard in the middle-of-nowhere Utah. He's loyal to a fault and you can hear him from a mile away. There will always be a story when Chris is invovled. A long, amusing story. In fact, when Greg and I were getting married and we asked people to tell stories about Greg from his childhood, they (almost) couldn't think of any just about Greg. The stories always had Chris in them... being crazy and Greg being the calm.

He is notoriously last minute when it comes to gift giving and he always goes over the top. He's ridiculous in his giving. But everyone wants a crazy uncle like that, I think.

Details? Communication? Not really his strengths. Case in point: I sent Lilli a small package for Halloween (raisins and fruit snacks, healthier than candy). And when we were on the web cam with him while they were in ND for Thanksgiving, he comes on and says "I found this in my truck" - the unopened Halloween package. Yep, that's Chris.

Greg and Chris are twenty-one months apart and they had a lot of fun and got into much shenanigans growing up... which makes me sort of want that for Eli. Don't worry, after being pregnant for almost two years, I'm in no hurry to drink that water (though any pregnancy is a stinkin' miracle and a blessing... but that doesn't mean I'm chewing at the bit to have twenty kids thankyouverymuch).

Okay, that's all. I hope that satisfies your thirst for knowledge of the infamous Uncle Chris.

Lilliana and Eli this summer... two really cute red-headed cousins.

-Heather

Grrr.

2011-12-03T11:53:00.001-05:00

I post a good bit of photos of our boy smiling and looking just like the happiest baby ever. And he is quite happy. But not all the time, of course. He is, in fact, a baby. Lately he likes to scream at the top of his lungs for no reason than to just "share" his voice with us. Screeching, yelping, whatever it is. It sometimes actually hurts our ears. In fact, he just did this to prove my point. Ouch.

Anywho, I finally got all the photos off my camera from the last four or so months. I took this one a few weeks ago when Eli and I went out for a walk... which is apparently real serious business.

"Don't mess with me."

-Heather

Some Mush, Some Not.

2011-11-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

In my drafts, I probably have ten would-be posts about Greg. I start them but then remember how much he hates me braggin' on him. I respect his wishes and stop writing them... maybe someday I'll compile them all together and do a doosy of love post. But here's a funny story too good not to share... and it ends with how much I love Greg's sense of humor. Warning - it has something to do with lactation.

Last night we were talking about stillbirth and baby loss and future babies before we went to sleep. I guess that's not normal "pillow talk" but Greg was processing and preparing for class today. Greg gave a presentation to his Crisis Counseling class this morning about stillbirth, teaching them how to respond and counsel others going through these tragedies.

Sidenote: I LOVE that he got to talk about Maelee to 50+ people today. We just don't get to talk about her enough because she's not with us. So a full-on opportunity to talk about her and then professionally present ways to help people counsel others? That's good stuff.

Anywho, as we were talking about these things late into the night, I started to lactate. I guess all that baby talk made my brain tell me to make milk. I told Greg this and after a pause, he gave me a solution: "just think about old people." I guess because the opposite of a baby is an old dude? He then proceeded to name everything about old people he could think of... "big nose, big ears, big nose hairs, big ear hairs, wrinkles, walkers, walkers with tennis balls, etc, etc." It went on and on. I was laughing very hard by this point. But then he added "diapers" to the list and then had to promptly say "wait, no, don't think about diapers." The joke came full circle.

It was one of many, many deep laughing moments we have had together. Maybe you just had to be there. But that would have been really awkward. You there in bed with Greg and I.

He's just so darn funny. We laugh so often in our home. I'm so grateful for him, for this sense of humor we share, that God has seen fit to give this to us.

And do you know what? Greg's graduating in three weeks! I'm so proud of him. Might just have to break out another mushy post about that.

Sidenote 2: Have you noticed that many people, bloggers especially, have special names for their husbands or kids? Like cool, abstract names for them? Maybe it started with The Pioneer Woman's husband she calls "Cowboy" but I swear I've seen dozens of nicknames lately. They are all the blog-writers rage. I started to feel like I should call Greg and Eli something other than their actual names (to "protect their identity" but really just sound cool). Usually they do their hubby's occupation but "The Web Content Specialist" doesn't sound as inspiring as "The Farmer." I could go with something more romantic like "Mr. Delight" but I'm certain he would not be up with that. We are just too darn practical for this bit of silly in our online life. Greg it is.

Just some ramblings from me today, folks.

-Heather

Created: Football Onesie.

2011-11-28T13:22:00.001-05:00

I saw this adorable onesie pinned from etsy and I couldn't help but make one for Eli. It's brown. It's football. It's wearable for months of Sundays.

Supplies: brown onesie, white felt, fabric glue (because I'm not a sewer), scissors, pen, pattern...

I found an image of a football and copied the laces, made them black and printed it. I put that behind my white felt and overly traced (that means I traced bigger than what I really wanted) the pattern. I then cut it out carefully. It's not perfect but I think it's good to have small variations (at least that's what I tell my perfectionism).

Then I just glued the "laces" onto the onesie using that sweet fabric glue. I really stuck that sucker on there.

Done! And here's the finished product (Eli wore this on Thanksgiving after he spit up on his other outfit):

Greg and his 'lil football (dreaming of the days when Eli will be big enough to actually play football on Thanksgiving):

Hilarious. Love it.

-Heather

Full of Thanks Indeed.

2011-11-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of Thanksgiving. It's good to be thankful. We have been given so much. And the fact we get to eat good food on top of that? Seriously awesome.

Of course this year we are overflowing with gratefulness that we have Eli here to celebrate with, to be a part of our family. Thank you, Lord, for this miracle gift, this sweet boy.

We were adopted by our friend's families and joined them for the feast today. Eli wore his "My First Thanksgiving" outfit (yes, that's a Bears logo... thanks Auntie Amy for the cool shirt).

I made Eli do a Thanksgiving craft yesterday. He had a few "I don't want to do this anymore" yelps but mostly he did great (thanks to Dad playing some fun guitar songs to distract). I had great plans to also make turkeys for the grandparents and get them in the mail... but that didn't happen. So this will have to do:

Join with us in having a thankful heart today, and everyday. .

-Heather

Better Gift Ideas.

2011-11-22T22:25:00.000-05:00

Need some ideas for Christmas gifts? Here are a few sites to try that are better-than-mainstream, fair trade, good-for-the-marketplace sites:

Uncommon Goods
I posted this one on the kid's gifts list, too. Some crazy items. They have a post for Top Christmas Gifts 2011 with something for all ages... they even have a "gifts for ____ " search... I just did a search for man gifts: ridged glass guitar picks, beer making kits, scratch-off-where-you've-been map... really they have something for everyone.

Feed Project
Go to Feed Shop to buy a bag, t-shirt, accessory and at the same time, fight hunger and eliminate malnutrition. There are a plethora of bag options. "Help feed the children of the world" is one of their catch phrases. Who can't love that?

SERRV
Handmade with a story. I am drooling over this fair trade, handmade, non-profit site with such a host of lovely, unique and useful items.

Ten Thousand Villages
In that same craftish spirit, more delightful gifts with a conscious. They are online but they have stores, too. I went to one on our first anniversary in a little town in Canada. I know you could find something you would treasure: like this Tree of Life platter from the West Bank. Or this gorgeous gray scarf. So awesome.

Threads of Yunnan
I was on the SERRV site and stumbled across these beautiful ornaments from Threads of Yunnan... which made my heart do a little flip. I spent a summer in the Yunnan province of China in 2004 and I saw this facility, met some of the workers and bought a few of their items. Love, love, love.

Trade As One
I happened upon this site and just love this birdie tealight holder and this sweet crocheted nativity set. Another fair trade site, they say "your spending can connect you to a story of hope and dignity for the poor."

Other Ideas?

Charities
If you want to give to a charity but you are worried about where your money will actually go and would like some accountability, try the Better Business Bureau charity site, you can search for specific charities and even find ones that meet their high Charity Seal (stamp of approval) like Compassion.

Norwex
Shameless plug here, really. I, the picture-perfect unsalesman, sell this sweet environmentally friendly cleaning and personal care supplies. An Enviro Cloth, super great antibacterial microfiber, will transform cleaning. Get one for your mom. Your mom-in-law. You. Whatev. It's surprisingly worth it. Order from me online here or check out my old blog here... but you'll need me to explain how to use it to make it really worthwhile so contact me if so.

Amazon Prime
Give someone that is online savvy a year subscription to Amazon Prime where you get free 2 day shipping with no minimum order. We have a student trial for a year and it's so nice! And addicting. And dangerous.

Magazine Subscriptions
This is always a go-to gift for the person that has everything. What woman wouldn't want Real Simple in their mailbox each month?

Gift Certificates
I know, I know. Boring. But get a little creative on the store for the certificate and you may just have a winner. Think Williams-Sonoma or a local restaurant.

Consumables
In my desire for less is more, I think consumables are a stellar gift. Anything you can use up sort of falls under this category, namely food. You can make them food (I do up a big 'ol batch of chex mix for our neighbors). And I'm all about the nifty gifty food basket. Or chippers. Oh, yes, folks, now we are talking! Chocolate-covered potato chips deserve to be on everyone's wish list.

I could keep going but I'm getting tired typing so I know you are getting tired reading! Go, gift something awesome this year! (Sidenote: my goal is to give at least one person something they didn't even know they needed/wanted until they open it).

Giving is so stinkin' fun.

-Heather

Shoes Not Required.

2011-11-19T20:06:00.001-05:00

I don't put shoes on Eli because he doesn't need them yet... and that's one less item I have to put on/take off during the day. But today I was cleaning up his room when I saw the shoes we have on display on the corner of his crib (because baby shoes are cute and these match his room perfect... What? You don't have display shoes?!). I realized they looked about Eli's current foot size. We decided to try them on and found they are actually too small for his solidly big feet! But I squeezed them in there for a photo just to share with ya'll.

Thanks to my sweet friend Cindy for these awesome decoration shoes! They will go back on the corner of his crib where they fit perfectly.

My boy, his shoes, and his mama this evening.

Today I learned that Eli doesn't take naps in a crib not his own. When did that happen? He does so much better when he's got a good nap in him. Me too! He really has changed much in the last weeks. Grabbing for things, "talking" back, so much more interactive. I hear that this stage is a fun one and I'm wholeheartedly agreeing. But let's be honest, I love all the stages just for the fact I get to be a part. Love.

-Heather

Gift Ideas for Little Ones.

2011-11-15T14:36:00.001-05:00

Do you have a little one to spoil? Here are a few suggestions I have for things to buy (sidenote: there are many wonderful ideas of crafty crap I could list here too, but I'll refrain.):

Green Toys
These toys are made in the US from recycled milk jugs! I love the texture and color of all the toys. Best part: there is no questionable chemical crap in them so kids can stick them in their mouths or eat right off them! This is especially awesome because Eli puts everything in his mouth these days. He has the stackers and dishware but I'm certain he'll be acquiring the dump truck or tool set or other boyish items soon (I'd buy every toy they made if I could).

Ali and Marian (nieces) have the tea set. I adore this set because you can actually use it for tea and crumpets! You can buy Green Toys on Amazon and a host of other places.

Best Kids Bible EVER
I love most everything about this Storybook Bible. If you have a kid and want them to read the Bible, this is a must have. The illustrations are amazing. Jesus isn't some cheesy white dude. It is ridiculously well written; I learn a lot when I'm reading it to Eli. It's read in Matt Chandler's house and our resident theologian (Greg) also approves. Here's a quote from the first chapter:

"No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure....There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them."

It's delightful. Buy it from their site or from Amazon or even Wal-mart. Eli's copy is actually his sister's, a gift from the China crew and one that is treasured and well-loved in our household.

Scripture Lullaby CD
Aunt Jill loves this music and they gave it to Eli. It really is spectacular music... so not cheesy and completely calming. Perfect for nap time. This would make an excellent baby gift... but I would listen to it when I need something mellow so it's not really only kid's music. And the graphics on their web site are awesome.

Band Set
Musical instruments are fun! We bought this music-in-a-box set for Ali for her first Christmas and she consistently played with it for years... which is why it's making this list. If a kid can get years out of a toy, that's a good purchase. Our friends bought the same Pum Pum Drum for Eli and I love the colors! So cool.

Here's to hoping Eli gets his dad's musical talent!

TOMS shoes
If you haven't heard of TOMS, they are a great company. For every pair of shoes purchased, they give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Awesome. I don't have a pair (soon, perhaps) but we have many friends that do and swear by their comfort. They are pretty spendy but you can walk happy, knowing you (or your kids) just gave a pair of shoes to someone else! The kids shoes, Tiny Toms, are so stinkin adorable I can hardly stand it. Maybe Eli (and someone that needs it) will get a pair for his birthday.

Melissa and Doug products
They are wood and they are fun. I hear lots of good things about them and I like their sturdiness. I also bought a magnetic puzzle thing with Maelee's name on it so she can be remembered in toys, too.

IKEA
We just made a trip last Saturday. I love this store. If you have one near by, they have some fun gifts for kids... like a wooden easel, wooden tool bench, kids table/chairs, quirky bedding, felt food/tools/animals, stuffed animals (like the three smooshy cute elephants I was tempted to buy). Best part: their prices are great! And you can get Swedish meatballs when you go.

Uncommon Goods
I haven't ordered anything from this site but I love to browse. You can search by recipient so this is a great site for all ages but they have some out-of-this-world kids gifts like these funny face plates so kids can play with their food, this shovel you wear on your hand like some sort of sandcastle-making super hero, or this sleek and adorable birdie alarm clock. If you have an older kid, I'm sure you'd find something here.

Etsy
Of course I couldn't let this post go by without a shout out to the handmade and loads of creative gifties out there. Try searching for your favorite sports team to find something unique (oh how I have had to resist all the cute Chicago Bears onesies and hats and toys on there). Or try this cool store for a bunch of toys made out of wood (I so want the wooden camera... for Eli, not me. Okay, maybe me.). Or how about a sweet felt alphabet? I may try my hand at making one someday, but I love the look of felt letters. If I was buying for an older kiddo, I'd try etsy for something unique.

Books
Yes, books are awesome just because. When my parents moved this summer I found some of my most treasured books from my childhood, whose stories are so familiar they were like good friends.You can't go wrong with a good book.

Now, that should get you rolling and give you some ideas besides whatever main-stream toy companies are offering this year. (To be fair, Eli is totally getting the Playskool Elefun Busy Ball Popper because he IS Eli the Elephant and I have weakness for elephant themed gifts! And I have a coupon!).

-Heather

I'm working on my "giving with a conscious" post with some awesome sites you can buy gifts for the whole family AND help the world. I'll have that posted soon!

Nifty Gifty, Leafy Fun.

2011-11-13T18:45:00.001-05:00

I would like some gift recommendations from you. What is your favorite thing? What are those items that are actually worth accumulating? What do you own that you would want other people to have? I have a list of some of our favorite things that I think would make fantastic gifts. I also have a few great gift ideas that encourage giving something back or giving with purpose. But before I get that long post together I thought I'd ask you for your ideas.

This goes for anything (if anyone gives me a Greg-worthy gift idea, you'll get 10 gold stars) but especially kid stuff. There are a TON of toys and things for kids out there (mind-blowing really) and I would rather get Eli (and our family) a few really wonderful items that will last versus a plethora of nominal stuff.

Get your thinking caps on and let me know.

Now onto some photos of the cutest little boy I know. I love foliage. I really, really do. So it makes no sense that I haven't packed up Eli and stuck him on a pile of gorgeous assortments of reds, yellows and browns. I am shamefully admitting I haven't taken any photos of him with leaves until today. Where have I been? I can't even begin to think of all the missed leaf photo opportunities this past month. Doh. Thankfully a couple trees across the street are still sporting a lovely deep red hue.

Greg wanted to put Eli's feet "in the sand" (our version of dirt) and thought he would love the feeling of it in his toes. It was so under-whelming. No reaction whatsoever from our boy. I guess Eli has already admitted his skin is not meant for the beach.

-Heather

Sneak Peak.

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I bought this fancy pants Ralph Lauren outfit years ago on clearance. Maybe in 2005. At Marshall Fields. A store that doesn't even exist anymore. I just loved it and thought it would be the perfect Christmas outfit for a little boy. I assumed I'd give it away as a gift. I guess I was too selfish because I still have it. I don't want to give it all away but this cuteness just needs to be shared:

I really don't think it will fit Eli at Christmastime. It will be too tight by then. But it fits great right now and will be oh-stop-it adorable for our Christmas card photos. I had hoped to take them this weekend or next but now, now our Daddy has a lovely black eye and I'm thinking we should wait a little longer, until it's not so I-got-into-a-bar-fight looking.

I may go a bit over the top with our Christmas card this year but I can't help it. I'm just so darn happy I get to have a baby in our photo. And a really cute one at that.

-Heather

Ball Time.

2011-11-09T11:42:00.001-05:00

It's Auntie Amy's birthday on Friday and we want to make her smile. What better way than to have a few funny videos of Eli. Sunday night we broke out a ball and our boy was completely captivated by it. We are talking serious excitement. This was a great treat because usually night time is crabby time for Eli. My guess is he is a morning person like his dad... much to the chagrin of his night-loving mama.

We find different ways to amuse him to stretch out his happy... usually this involves what we call "naked time." We put down a shabby blanket and let him lay around buck naked. We can usually get twenty minutes of naked calm this way! This evening we were just about to get to naked time when I broke out the ball... thus the reason for diaper-only Eli.

I stuck the camera on the floor as I rolled the ball to him... it's a weird angle and the camera wigs out a few times (I am amazed the camera still works) but you can hear the screaming joy of Eli quite well. The other video is me holding Eli as we make him a human golf club. Oh my, it is quite amusing.

Hope that made your middle-of-the-week day a little happier.

-Heather

14-8.

2011-11-06T21:46:00.000-05:00

Saturday was the annual North/South flag football game at the university Greg attends. This game used to be called Grits vs Cream of Wheat. Awesome. I will take cream of wheat any day over grits. Cream of wheat was created in Grand Forks, ND and I think it's delicious. To be fair, I don't think I've really had good grits yet. If there were enough bacon and cheese involved, I'm sure I would like them.

Back to the game. You can't get much North than North Dakota... naturally Greg has been on the North team each year. He's been practicing for a month. And he was pretty excited about the game. Me too. I love to watch him play sports. He's so darn athletic.

Our friends picked Eli up at the field and brought them to their nearby house to babysit while I stayed to watch Greg play and cheer for the North. There were only a handful of people on the North "side" so I had to do my part. I knew one fan and she asked me if I knew football, if I knew the basics of the game. I said "yes."

Amber, I heard you laughing all the way from MN. Stop.It.

She had a couple from Germany with her that had never been to an American football game before. And no one else around knew a darn thing about football or how to explain the game. The dude comes to sit next to me so that I can explain the game to him. All he knew was it was played on grass.

I may have just ruined American football for him.

Well, it couldn't have been that bad. I actually think I did a pretty good job. Way better than I could have done five years ago! I know what a safety is.

Greg actually played safety (come on, same name for a play and a position, geesh) for most of the game. They played a soft cover two. (This sentence was given verbatim by Greg). They did not get beat deep. They were not throwing the ball anywhere near Greg's long arms (I think they knew to stay away, like teams do for Devin Hester these days). Then the quarterback got injured so Greg went in as back-up.

He did great! He ran it some. The only other North Dakotan on the team caught a thirty-plus yard pass Greg threw. It was fun. Then on one of the last plays of the game, the other team tried to get the ball... and it ended up with Greg coming off the field with blood gushing from his right eyebrow.

Ouch. He was wearing his glasses with a strap (he needed to see where he was throwing the ball!) and they got jammed. The sports medicine lady treated him and recommended he go get stitches. And the ER nurse (wife of initially injured quarterback) agreed. So Greg and I had our second "date" since Eli was born... going to the ER on a Saturday night!

Gratefully (oh so grateful), the ER was slow and we were in and out in a little over an hour. Greg got three stitches. The only painful part was the needle of numbing stuff. The doctor was glad Greg mentioned the LSU/Bama game... he promptly had me turn it on. I think he spent a little extra time sewing him up just so he could watch the end of the game. Greg also may have a scar because the doc was distracted. We'll see.

It wasn't an ideal end to the night. Especially because of the $225 co-pay. Yikes! But Greg wasn't/isn't in much pain and we are blessed to live in a country where he can get medical care at 11pm on a Saturday night.

And the North won. So worth it, according to Greg. Of course there was definitely a few times where we quoted Lethal Weapon "I'm too old for this...".

Tomorrow Greg will be sporting a lovely shiner and some stitches to work along with his khaki's. Nice eh?

-Heather (wife of this awesome guy, mommy to our rolly-polly boy, and mama-griever for 19 months today)

Buntings.

2011-11-05T11:08:00.001-04:00

Pinterest and blogs and whatnot.... they all have buntings all over the place. These little triangle banner things. They are all the crafty rage. I will not be sewing any, of course. (Someday I'll get into the fact that my home ec sewing superstar of a mother was unable to teach her two daughters to sew a stitch).

But I pinned this sweet poster, from this cute blog, that she kindly shares with anyone that would like to (from her post here):

Today, today among the cleaning and crying and feeding and fun, I am going to think on these things.

-Heather

Fresh.

2011-11-02T23:31:00.001-04:00

New fresh look here at grether blog.

Not sure why I chose to give us a facelift and add a little birdie. A few hours ago I was working on updating my Norwex blog to a new address and lookee here, now it's 11:15.

I should be sleeping.

But Greg is out playing football, practicing for the big game on Saturday. CIU (where is attending school) has a North/South game every fall. The students from the North play the students from the South. Isn't that great? Every year that Greg has played the North has won. He didn't play last year. They lost. I'm hoping Greg enjoys playing this year. I hope he doesn't get hurt. He's like the "old" guy playing with all these young-ens.... which is why their practices start at our normal bedtime. Seriously. When did we get old?

He just pulled up. Good thing. I really should be in bed. In my defense, it is really hard for me to fall asleep if Greg's not home. I would be a horrible military wife. Those woman are amazing.

Here's Eli today. I found this shirt at the Goodwill for fifty cents. It's a drum set. Perhaps he will be a 'lil drummer just like his daddy. And play football like his daddy. And be schmart like his daddy.

Off to bed. Here's hoping for another stellar sleep performance by our son tonight.

-Heather

I'll fix any mistakes I'm sure are lurking on the blog... tomorrow.

Quack.

2011-11-01T13:53:00.000-04:00

Kids are cute but when you add costumes, you make them even cuter! Having Eli here to dress up is like a little healing balm to my mama soul. Because like a good friend of mine said, Halloween is for kids and for people who have kids. Not great for those that are the in not-so-fun category of "wishes they had a kid". Last year I posted about how hard it was for us, how we holed up. This year we have Eli but that's not to say I still didn't struggle.

In fact, last week Eli and I went to Old Navy and they had a rack full of sweet, adorable strawberry costumes. 18-24 months size. With little green tights. I started to cry. I've usually been able to somewhat "manage" my grief when in public. But not that day. Eli and I had to go to the corner and call Greg and compose ourselves. Okay, Eli was fine. I was the one crying, missing Maelee, dreaming of what her chunky legs would have looked like in those tights, seeing her red hair with the strawberry top.

Last year I bought this duck costume on clearance in November. I was pregnant and so very scared of having this costume that wouldn't get used. But I bought it as a step of faith, of hope, that we would have a child duck this year.

We are grateful. And here are some photos of the most adorable duck. Ever.

Look at those legs!

Sweetest duckie ever!

Seriously, I wish you could have held him. So squishy and cute!

"Get me out of this costume! No more duck please!" - Eli

I asked Eli to make a "I just saw a scary costume!" face.

-Heather

Door Decor.

2011-10-31T13:05:00.001-04:00

I've been slightly obsessed with Pinterest these days. But I told myself I had to actually try/create/do things from there versus just drooling over other people's great ideas. I finally finished my first pinned DIY craft, a lovely monogram for our front door. It would have been loads easier if I would have kept my maiden name, the angles in the "K" were hard to keep straight. Eventually I said "oh bother" and let my perfectionism go and allowed it to be a bit off.

I have to go get a 3M hook for our door to hang it on... but I did put it up there to snap a quick photo for you to see:

To create this, I followed a blogger's tutorial here. I also varied from the original and added leaves versus a bow above my felt flowers. I heart felt. I heart felt so much that you just may get some sort of felted thing for a Christmas present. So fun, this felt.

And yes, I did burn my finger on that blasted glue gun tip.

Now go, be inspired to do something crafty!

-Heather

UPDATE: It looks better with a good hook. And a really adorable kid below it:

Half.

2011-10-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

Eli Joseph is six months old today. A half of a year! I'm so very grateful for each and every day we have with this growing, adorable boy.

He has changed much from that seven pounds, one ounce of delight we were graced with that overcast Wednesday afternoon in April. So much growth in six months time these babies do... if we adults grew and learned as much as they did in the same time frame, we'd all be geniuses. And giants.

He actually rolled over all by himself a few times yesterday. For his Daddy. He hates being on his belly so much he finally figured out how to remedy a solution. He has become much more verbal and active even in this last week. His little legs are moving and kicking during much of his alert times. This has been especially hilarious during bath time. You do not leave Eli's bath without getting a little shower.

I do need to post another video of his laughing. He lets out deep, gut chuckles quite often: he's ticklish, he likes when we are super animated and he loves to be tossed around. It really is hysterical. I hope this joyful humor is a part of his personality. Speaking of, I can't wait to see his personality develop. What fun that will be as a parent!

We had a little craft time today, in honor of hitting this six month mark alive and healthy... and because it's almost Halloween. I had to help him make the orange part of the pumpkin, of course, but his little handprints did the leaves!

That's going in the keepsake box! I already feel bad for his future wife that will inherit Eli's keepsake box(es).

-Heather

Chin(s) Issue.

2011-10-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

I post a lot of photos of Eli being adorable, handsome, snuggable-loveable... the adjectives could go on and on. Greg said Eli is inspiring others to have kids because Eli is so darn cute. I'm sure he will be happy to hear that when he's older. Right now, he's got some not-so-cute skin rash under his chin(s). It's very hard to keep this area dry with his spit up, drool and almost constant hands-in-mouth-ness. Thus, little patches of eczema or whatever are attacking his 'lil chin (plus redness in that crevice you can't even see in this photo):

It's not so cute, eh? Our pediatrician told us to put some cortisone cream on and that is making it better... hopefully soon it'll go away enough to where Eli won't scream bloody murder when we try dry that area after bath time. Poor guy. I guess this is one downfall to having a smooshy, chunky baby.

Of course, he's still cute, rashes and all. Here's some photos to prove that, in case you needed some proof.

The mohawk is still here, just thinner!

Big belly boy!

These stackers are made from recycled milk jugs. Love them.

This one just makes me smile.

-Eli's Mom

Cash Back Sites.

2011-10-23T22:43:00.001-04:00

This title really should be I Think You Should Know 5 or something like that. But I'm bucking that trend and going with the subject matter for title.

I like to shop. My days of lackadaisical shopping in the clearance isles of my favorite stores are long gone (I mean how do these mommas shop with their 2.5 kids?!). I have embraced online shopping even moreso now that Eli is here. We have free shipping with Amazon Prime right now and man is it dangerous...a few clicks and I can have something at my door in two days! YIKES! (Did you know that you can get a free year trial of Prime if you are a student? Think .edu email address. Now, be careful or you could end up with some fancy kitchen tool hand-delivered to you by some hard-working UPS guy).

I digress.

The real reason for this post is to encourage you, when you are not shopping at Amazon, to jump on the bandwagon of cash back sites. Seriously, folks, this is like free money. And since it's almost gift-giving official season, I am helping you here.

The basic concept?

Your mother-in-law needs a crock pot. A fancy one.
You comparison price-shop online and find one at cooking.com for $100.
You sign up for a free account at Ebates because they have 5% cash back at cooking.com.
You click on cooking.com link from your Ebates page, find said crock pot, and buy that baby.
Ebates in it's magical cyber wisdom knows that you bought a $100 crock pot from their link and therefore they owe you $5.
You become smart and keep shopping online through Ebates.
Ebates sends you a quarterly check.
You deposit check at your bank and do a happy dance. Also, you do not tell your MIL you made $5 off her crock pot.

Okay, get it?

I am going to tell you about the two cash-back sites I use.

Ebates is my favorite. You don't have to do anything to get your money. You just go to Ebates (be signed in), find whatever store you want to shop at (literally thousands of stores), click that store and Ebates will open up a "tracking ticket" that looks like this for a few seconds:

.
Then it will just take you to the site (Target in this case). You shop and check out as normal (without closing the window, doh!). Ebates will post your money a few days later into your ebates account. Then you get a check like this (this is mine from August along with my freaky, beady eyes staring at you):

If you've earned less than $5.01 cash back in a three month period, they'll carry over your money to the next check. I've been doing this for a few years (made $50) and I've never had a problem. Money just shows up. Awesome.

If you click my referral link here and sign up, I get $5 if you ever actually purchase anything over $25. Or you can click on this logo to sign up:

I've never referred anyone (besides my sister... um, Am, where were you on this like a year ago?) but I think more people need to be doing this!

The other site I started using this summer is ShopAtHome. Sometimes Ebates doesn't have the store I'm shopping at OR they have a higher percentage of cash back (because both sites have double cash back days and other such fun incentives). It works in the same way, but opens a new window and has different wording for tracking.

ShopAtHome payments are made each month when your account reaches $20. If your account balance is less than $20, it rolls over to the next month. I haven't received a check from them yet but a check for $47.71 will be mailed after 10/31 to me! Heck yes!

I have a referral link with ShopAtHome, too. If you sign up and make a $30 purchase in 60 days, I get $5 and you get $5 too! Click here or this logo to sign up for an account.

Random Thoughts on Cash Back Sites:

Don't accidentally close your window and then start a new window without going through the cash back site! I have done this! Bad.
I find it easiest to shop around, add stuff to my cart even, then close the site. Then I go through the cash back site and go straight to my cart. Most often my items are still there and I can do an easy check out without the worry I screwed something up.
I'll sometimes use the search tool on either site to help me find the best place to shop for a certain thing or to find the most cash back. Some decent sites are 10%!
Both sites also list coupon codes if they have any when you search for your store. These nifty codes have given me free shipping or percentages off more than a few times.
If you are buying your husband an expensive guitar, get cash back! Then you can take the cash back and spend it on yourself.
Amazon is not on any cash back sites but you will be surprised at how many other sites are (Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Children's Place... think almost every site ever).
You can check your tracking at both sites if you are curious.
Sometimes I buy stuff for really cheap (okay, all the time, I'm a deal shopper) and I think "this isn't worth it for cash back." That's dumb. I may get just 17 cents here, 9 cents there (yes, these are actual amounts I have made) but they will add to whenever I do buy something big.
With Christmas coming up this is a great time to online shop. And with the money you make, you could give better gifts or give it to someone who needs it! Giving is FUN!
It really is easy. I hope you are already doing this. And I needed an even ten to round out this list.

That's enough. Go. Sign Up. Shop. Make money.

-Heather

PS - Does anyone use a different site and like it? Let me know if so. I'll jump on another bandwagon for sure.

Punkin.

2011-10-21T10:03:00.002-04:00

I like pumpkin too, buddy, but not like this! First thing Eli does when something touches his hand: object goes direct for mouth.

I bought two pumpkins. One for Eli and one for Maelee. Since I made her a pumpkin last year, we thought we'd keep this tradition. I bought these two and Greg said Maelee should get the bigger one 'cause she would be older.

But then Eli dropped his little pumpkin and broke off the tip. Little brothers can be like that I guess.

Look at our big boy, holding on, reaching for the pumpkins!

Eli loves to stand (when assisted, of course). Rolling over? Scooting? Crawling? Sitting all by himself? Not so much. But if he can be on his feet, he is quite happy. I think he'll be behind with the whole crawling thing. That's okay. As long as he's healthy, it's okay if he doesn't hit milestones right when he's supposed to.

Seeing Eli in overalls makes me want him to be a farmer. Maybe he'll be our rural, earth-loving boy. He's got farming in his genes... perhaps!

-Heather

Ida Hotdish.

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

My Aunt Ida was a good woman. She was really my great aunt, sister to my grandmother, but we still called her just "Aunt Ida." She was unique, too. Of course I was quite young when she died so I don't remember a lot about her. But she has a legacy in my life nonetheless.

Now there is a story about a generous cook who would give out her personal recipes but would always leave out an ingredient or two. The recipe recipient, then, could never make the goodness quite as tasty as the recipe giver. I believe that story was told about Aunt Ida a time or two.

In order to do this justice, I feel like you need to see a photo of Aunt Ida. I picked the first two in my photo box. And yes, she's sporting the same purple polyester number in each photo, but with different accessories. Classy!

Aunt Ida, with myself, Grandma Olga, my sister and our cousin DeAnn (and my Aunt Sandy doing dishes). We are quite stylish, I might add.

I wish I could remember this, sweet Aunt Ida playing dolls with me, the fro my mom created my hair into. And yes, that is a My Little Pony and Pound Puppy cat. What can I say, I'm a child of the 80's.

She was a good Norwegian cook, my Aunt Idea, and this hotdish recipe is hers.

It's one of my favorites because you don't have to cook the meat beforehand. It has four, yes four, cans of Campbell's soup in it. And meat and potatoes. Remember, I am a true midwesterner. Don't judge.

If you ever make this deliciousness, you must promise me that you will always call it Ida Hotdish. Or Aunt Ida Hotdish. Or Heather's Aunt Ida Hotdish. Agreed?

Good. Then I will share it with you.

Here's what it looks like after you make it, eat some, then put the leftovers in Pyrex. It makes a lot. No step-by-step photos here because I didn't even think about blogging about this until after we ate, after Rebekah told me she wanted the recipe. This photo may not make your mouth salivate, but that's because you haven't tried Ida Hotdish yet.

Aunt Ida Hotdish

4 or 5 potatoes, peeled and cut in about 1 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups of carrots, sliced or the little ones cut in half
2 pounds ground beef (make sure it's very lean)
2 cans vegetarian vegetable alphabet soup (don't get the wrong kind!)
2 cans tomato soup
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a larger covered casserole/roaster (a big pot that can go in the oven). Layer the following items; potatoes, onion, carrots.Crumble the burger, uncooked on top. Spread the soups on top and then poke holes through it all (I use the handle of a wooden spoon). Add enough water until you can just see it on the edges. Cover. Bake for one hourand then stir it up and continue baking for another hour. Stir again and eat!

That's it! Unless of course, I left out an ingredient...

-Heather

PS - I won't get into "hotdish" versus "casserole" right now, but certain recipes are one or the other (with my personal preference/experience with "hotdish" winning over "casserole").

This Guy.

2011-10-18T15:26:00.003-04:00

Wanna know who rules the roost? This guy.

Also, check out the quilt! Made just for Eli (thanks Burnetta). This reminds me I should post photos of the little man's room, it's so fun!

Here are some photos from Sunday when I made Greg take photos... I am usually always behind the camera. I want Eli to have tangible proof that I was indeed a big part of his life these early months.Or maybe I just want him to remember me wearing actual clothes, showered and ready versus the all-too-often pajamas and/or sweat pants look.

Adorable pumpkin shots are coming too. Gosh this is FUN.

-Heather

October 15th.

2011-10-16T20:17:00.000-04:00

October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. In honor of babies that have died, people light a candle at 7pm in their respective time zones. Last night we lit Maelee's candle:

Because we don't have Maelee here to celebrate life and milestones with, we will do what we can to honor her and keep her memory alive. So this is the first of many photos Eli will have with her candle on October 15th:

This morning at church we sang Blessed Be Your Name. Now if you have read this blog, you know that song is special for a whole lot of reasons... sung at our wedding, after our ectopic, at Maelee's funeral, and at Eli's dedication. I love the lyrics. Of course when we had it sung at our wedding it was all plentiful land, sun's shining and the world was as it should be, with us doing happy dance... and then years later we walked through the wilderness and suffering and desert places full of pain. But the lyrics that get me each time...

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Amen.

-Heather

A Great Grandma Indeed!

2011-10-14T15:47:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to the Matriarch of the Kasowski Clan!

So sweet! And her cooking? Amazing.

She knows how to put a baby to sleep!

Eli loved his snuggles from Great Grandma!

We are so proud (and blessed) to be related to this lady! We love you and miss you Grandma K!

Love,

the SC Kasowski's

Schedule.

2011-10-12T19:57:00.001-04:00

If you have a super awesome schedule for a 5 1/2 month old, a typical order of the day/night that, say, you used with your kid who is now a well-balanced, loving child, please let me know.

I wish these sweet things came with a kid-specific user manual.

-Heather

Avocado.

2011-10-12T18:07:00.005-04:00

And yes, it looks about the same coming out the other end.

Eeew!

-Heather

So Long Sleeveless.

2011-10-09T17:33:00.002-04:00

Since cooler weather is approaching (it is, right?!?!), I decided to try wear out some of Eli's summer gear before it gets packed away to the attic. His bare arms are so stinkin' adorable. I had him in this sweet brown and blue monkey number on Friday so we went out on the front porch for a photo shoot. The problem is I have too many photos to choose from! This may get a little excessive... but don't judge me. It's hard to narrow down the cuteness of my blue-eyed boy.

Don't mess with my bib.

The event that brings us much, much enjoyment each weekday: Daddy's home!

So glad you are home, Dad!

Ironically, as I am going through the 50+ photos I took of him being one happy baby on Friday, I can actually hear him screaming loudly protesting his nap. We've had a rough go of it the past day... I got a nasty migraine last night and Eli was having sympathy pains and up much of the night as well. We have one overly-tired boy and a few exhausted parents today! Very grateful for a day of rest!

-Heather

18 Months of Longing.

2011-10-06T06:06:00.000-04:00

Sigh.

It's been 18 months since we held our baby girl in our arms and had to say good-bye before we got to say hello. This grief journey has been hard living, harder than I ever imagined life to be. You hear of suffering, but you don't anticipate how it will hit you or how you will experience it. I am grateful for Maelee, for the good that we can see from her life and death. But I am still hurting, still longing for her. That's just how it's going to be.

Today is a bit of a milestone. I have outfits stored in the attic, I can even visualize a few, that are size 18 months. Though she probably would have been chunky like her brother so perhaps she'd already moved on from this size... oh but I wish her little fat legs were in those tights right now. I wish I was figuring out the cutest coordinating costumes for our two kids to wear for Halloween.

I know many people assume that we should be fulfilled parents because we have Eli. That's partially true. There are many hopes and dreams that our adorable guy is fulfilling for us. Hearing his first cry, knowing he was alive, will forever be one of the most deeply satisfying, redeeming moments for me. Enjoying our baby, getting to be responsible for this being, watching him hit all his "firsts" is just pure grace for us. Yesterday I actually held Eli during his nap because I just couldn't stop smelling him and holding him close. God has used Eli Joseph to heal much of our broken hearts and fill us with much, much joy.

Even so, our family is still not complete. It's missing her. We still have hard days. There are still triggers, good and bad, even after all this time. Last week I was shopping and saw these little shorts with cherries on them. At church one Sunday we saw someone we hadn't seen for a few years and she asked "Don't you have another child?" Greg is taking a "Crisis Counseling" class and they've been continually talking about grief and loss. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. Eli will be wearing the "little pumpkin" pajamas that I had bought for Maelee...

The fact is, she's never far from my mind. Greg's either.

And we still love her.

This is the last ultrasound photo we have of Maelee alive. It was taken April 1, 2010, days before she died. She's sucking her thumb.

We miss you beautiful daughter, big sister. Someday. Some glorious day... we will get to hold you again.

-Heather

Mom's Wild Rice Soup.

2011-10-05T10:28:00.001-04:00

Fall weather is here and that means soup! This is my go-to soup recipe because it's unique, easy, and it's from my mom so you know it's good. It's also forgiving and easily manipulated. When I made it yesterday I used way more rice and veggies than the recipe called for and tweaked it to how I'm feeling (read: I had two cans of cheddar cheese soup that had passed their "best by" date).

Wild rice is very hard to come by down south so I have it "imported" from family members coming to visit! If you are somewhere that doesn't have it, try a natural/organic food store that has bulk beans. Beware - it's spendy.

Here's the official recipe:

1 cup wild rice
3 cups boiling water
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 stick butter or margarine
2 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 4oz can sliced mushrooms
1 teasp salt
1/4 teasp pepper
1/4 teasp rosemary (VII: very important ingredient)
1 cup whipping cream

1. Add rice to boiling water, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20-30 minutes (until the rice is close to done).
2. Saute onion, celery, carrots and green pepper in butter/margarine. Add to wild rice.
3. Add other ingredients except for the cream. Simmer 20 minutes.
4. Stir in cream, heat thoroughly and serve. Or put in the crock pot if you are serving at a party.

Random Thoughts / Variations
I usually end up doubling this recipe, adding more rice and veggies. Therefore I use the 32 oz carton of chicken broth and maybe three cans of soup instead of two (this time I used two cheddar cheese and one cream of celery). And I also used one pint whipping cream plus some half & half... I make this often enough that I know how creamy I want it to be. If you solely use half & half it won't taste as good. I use big pieces of mushrooms so I can pick them out easily. And I like pure wild rice but you could use a wild/brown mix if that's all you have. And if you need there to be meat, you could add chicken. If you are going to add a lot, make sure you use a big pot!

For all you visual folks, here's my somewhat step-by-step photo instructions. The lighting in our kitchen is bleh and I was watching Eli while cooking, so apologies for the lack of inspiration in my photos. They do the job.

Boil the wild rice:

Meanwhile, chop up your carrots, onion, celery and green pepper... into very, very small pieces. You will need a chopper so it looks like this:

Saute it all in butter or margarine:

When the rice is done, drain it mostly (leave a little water). Then add the sauteed mixture (like photo below) plus all the canned items and spices (forgot to take a photo of that pre-stirred):

Stir it all up and let it simmer for awhile, at least 20 minutes:

Then add the cream!

Stir it up and you are done!

It's creamy, wild goodness and best served with a delicious fresh baguette! Now who wants to come over and enjoy it as leftovers with me today?

-Heather

Wha-lah.

2011-10-04T21:11:00.001-04:00

I broke out some awesome today.

Why? A few reasons.

1. Eli had a great night last night. He woke up refreshed as did his parents. And with my extra energy, I made some food and took some photos.

2. Our good friend is sick. And in the southern tradition, I wanted to make her a meal. Note to self (okay, it's not self if I'm blogging about it): keep that tradition no matter where we live. It is such a blessing to have a meal made for you. In much of our suffering and some of our joy, folks have given us food. It makes you have warm fuzzies about people, humanity even. We all need some kindness, why not serve it up on a platter (or more realistically, tupperware)?

3. Pinterest. This blasted, sweet site has got me all distracted (thanks Linnea). If you don't know about it, basically you can "pin" images from any web site or "re-pin" from others on to your own little bulletin boards (that you create). I have boards like "someday I will buy this" and "someday I will eat this" and my newest "someday I will make my mom do this". Think recipes and do-it-yourself projects and design ideas and party things etc etc... an organized inspiration market if you will. I have only spent a few hours on this, but I've gotten all "I want to be more awesome" in those few hours.

4. Because of aforementioned site and links people post on facebook, I've come to realize there are a plethora of awesome blogs out there. Most of the ones I drool over involve recipe posting or crafts or photography or loving Jesus... but man, there are just some stinkin' awesome, creative, talented people out there. And I'd be lying if I said a little part of me felt disappointed, a little Brando-like "I could've been somebody", in dreaming that I'd could have been like the Pioneer Woman, etc. Yes, the pressure to be awesome after looking at just a few sites hit me. Frankly, there are way too many awesome blogs, I get overwhelmed looking at them all and just end up wasting time! For me, though, for now, I thought I could at least do little bits of awesome here and there, do what I can with what I have been given.

This all has resulted in a recipe post in the making and a few hours at Joann's Fabric/Craft store today... on top of me actually showering before noon, meeting up with Greg for lunch, a nice visit with a friend and some errands. Whew.

Tomorrow I'll do my go-to soup recipe post for you. But to tie you over, this morning I had a super cute onlooker during my meal prep:

He is not old enough to be my taste tester, but someday perhaps!

-Heather

PS- If you'd like, I'll send you an invite to join Pinterest and start your own time-depleting yet highly-inspirational site, just let me know.

Autumn Spices.

2011-10-01T19:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Autumn, friends. What an awesome season. My favorite colors are all the rage. Jeans and sweatshirts are a possibility. The leaves are beginning to turn. We actually want to be outside because the weather in Columbia has transformed into downright gorgeous. And you can add pumpkin to everything.

I found some pumpkin spice bread BOGO at Publix this week. It's yum. Of course I could be awesome and make my own, but I am not that awesome yet. I had a slice today while enjoying some fitting seasonal apple cider this afternoon in my Maelee mug (the cherry pattern reminds me of her, of an outfit I had for her). Again, I could make my own apple cider spice mix but since high school I have loved Aspen Mulling Spices. It is fall season in a cup.

Go get some. Try a nifty gifty shop in your area, often they have it. Add it to apple juice, warm it up. You will love it. You will want to curl up with it.

Now all I need is to break out the molasses and get baking some ginger snap cookies...

-Heather

Boomtown.

2011-09-28T21:05:00.000-04:00

North Dakota is not what it used to be. My hometown has changed quite a bit in the last few years. And most all of that change is due to oil. America is pushing to lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and western ND is home to one big oil reserve.

So now it's Boomtown USA. And it.is.crazy.

When we were there in July, I took a lot of random photos with my cell phone. Things just kept shocking me. I was too young to remember the boom of the 80s and apparently this boom is the 80s' bigger, meaner older brother. Yeah, that's right.

So join me for a (long) photo experience through a few of the changes I noticed of my beloved western North Dakota. Click the photos to see them bigger.

A beautiful North Dakota landscape. Oh how I miss those bright blue skies and fields you can see for miles and miles! But as you can see circled in red, there are evidences of oil popping up in even the best of scenes.

Now when you drive along the highways, you'll see pockets of trailers, semis, and shacks. "Man Camps" built just for the influx of workers. Yes the scenery has changed indeed.

You know those truck stops where truckers can park to sleep overnight? They are packed in there like sardines now. There must have been over 100 in this lot as we drove into town.

If you know anything about me, you know that bringing your cart back to the cart holder is VERY important to me. It says something about your character if you don't return your cart. So when, on our drive in, this is one of the first things I saw, I was saddened:

The oil industry pays very, very well. Most of it is dirty, hard work but again, it pays very well. No one wants to work menial jobs like cooking deliciousness at Gramma Sharons or stocking shelves at Wal-Mart.Why would you when you could earn five times as much? So the rest of the industries are suffering. Props to Gramma's for their creative employment strategy:

All this oil business means there's a lot more people around northwestern ND. More people means more traffic. This is the traffic light off the bypass to get to my house. It is busy like this ALL the time. So many, many semis and trucks... I'd say twenty trucks to every car.

As Greg and I drove into town, the change in traffic was obvious. I didn't quite get how traffic has changed life until my dad forgot his cell phone on the way up north one day. I realized it shortly after he left the house so I grabbed his phone, hopped in the car and went to chase him down. Normally this would be no biggie. Just look for my dad's truck at the stoplight and if not, he went to Simonson's to fill up so head there. I didn't realize how difficult this would be now. There were too many trucks similar to my dad's four-door. And there were too many semis blocking my view. I was actually laughing out loud in disbelief as I drove like a mad woman trying to find him. Fifteen years ago I could have found him in two minutes. This time it took me over thirty.

This is one of the stop lights I was stuck at in my pursuit. It's the same one I kept hearing about from my parents, over and over again: "There are semi's backed up for a mile! You can't take a left!" Having a huge semi next to you is an everyday occurrence. But the thing that frightens me is what this would be like in winter. With these guys who are from somewhere warm, say South Carolina, driving these dangerous monstrosities on icy, snowy roads. Not safe, so not safe. I've already heard of way too many accidents that shouldn't have happened because of these inexperienced drivers.

This photo was taken at the same intersection. Growing up, we used to play a license plate game on road trips, where you "x" off each state's license plate. How did we ever play that and enjoy it? Did we ever get more than five states and Canada?! Well, now you could play it and easily hit most states. Here's three. I even saw Hawaii when I was home.

I call this the Wal-Mart stop light. It never existed before the new Wal-Mart. Now you may be stuck at it for ten minutes.

Ah, Wal-Mart. It opened up when I was in junior high (I think) and then they built a new super one a few years ago. It's always busy. Always.

So you need some shampoo? Are you a young, attractive, single female? If so, then you could not only get help for your hair, you can get a husband or two at Wal-Mart. Seriously. There are men everywhere. Warning: they are usually dirty, very dirty. (Apologies to these three dudes who could very well be nice men... but they represent the new population of Williston quite well.)

One of the things Greg and I scoffed at was people telling us that the shelves at Wal-Mart were bare. Really? Bare? Come on. But it is partially true. We learned from someone that knows someone that's a manager at the Williston Wal-Mart: they should have over 150 workers and they have 60.

There are full palates in the middle of the isles, just waiting for someone to unpack them. The shelves aren't all bare, that was a bit exaggerated. But if you want a banana, you'll have to just take it out of the box:

To be fair, there are certain isles that are far from bare. Think of items that an oil field worker wouldn't need and that isle is quite well stocked. In fact they are overflowing in the drapery isle:

It was an experience to go to Wal-Mart. I began to understand why my mother had to give herself a pep-talk in order to get the gumption to go there. It's busy, noisy, dirty. I heard a couple speaking Italian. I saw from the logo-d polos they were wearing that they were workers at a new hotel that went up. Full-on Italian people? In Williston? Part of me thinks that's awesome, heaven knows I could have used some world culture growing up!

But at what cost is this change? What have you done with my hometown? PUT YOUR CART BACK! (Just to be clear, I'm not yelling at that dude in the Jeep. Unless that's his cart he didn't put back. Then I am yelling at him).

One of my beefs with SC is the littering. It's really frustrating how the culture at-large feels about littering. In comparison, I never thought North Dakota had a problem with litter. Sure, there was litter, but nothing noticeable. Now, well, that's just not the case:

Here in Columbia, we frequently have to endure the annoying security system salespersons that knock at our door. I don't think I even really knew what home security systems were until we moved here (minus what I saw in movies). In fact, we didn't lock our doors all that often growing up. But now houses in Williston have those dorky little "warning: ADT security system" signs, too. Including Greg's old house (I'm sure they loved some random car driving slowly by and taking a photo):

Here's our hometown from a distance. New construction is everywhere, even way out on the road to the golf course:

Not all the changes are bad, of course. There are new, exciting things coming. But it always comes at a price. Let's say you wanted to go to someone's wedding and needed to find a hotel. Too bad, they are booked for years out. Years. My parents house was on the market only one day before they had an offer (which fell through, but then quickly had another offer; they are scheduled to close in a few weeks). So if a nice, young family wanted to settle down in Williston, they would have no decent place to live that they could afford.

Unless their family happened to have a oil well! Then they could buy a nice big house. The oil is making some people ridicuously, filthy rich. This would be a crazy good cultural study, in fact. A bunch of Norweigan farmers homesteaded on this land they got from the government who stole it from the Native Americans and now their kids' kids are rolling in the dough ... or some random investor from Colorado (because, sadly, many of the farmers sold their mineral rights when the going got tough). I just hope all this excessive wealth doesn't ruin these people. Of course I'm biased, but I like to think of North Dakotans as hard-working, giving, humble people.

The end.

-Heather

Rainbow.

2011-09-25T21:39:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure if you know it, but babies born after a loss are called "rainbow babies." I can't recall why that is exactly. Something like they are the bright spot after the storm. At one point I thought it was in reference to the rainbow in the Bible, when God tells Noah "yeah, no worries, I'm not going to destroy the earth ever again in a crazy consuming flood" (my translation), a sign of a promise of hope and trust.

But to be completely honest, when I first heard the term sometime after Maelee died, I thought it sounded... meh. Lacking. Dumb even. Maybe that was the grief talking or the cynical me coming out. Though when we did get pregnant with Eli, I used the term quite gladly, even if I did think it sounded silly. And recently I read a great blog post from Molly Piper about her rainbow baby whom she calls her Redemption Baby. I like the sound of that!

But tonight, well, tonight I'm all about the rainbow baby terminology. Why? Because darn it, rainbows are awesome. They are beautiful, really stinkin' beyond this world beautiful. And that's how I feel about being blessed with Eli in our lives. There was death, a furious storm, destruction... then there was life, redemption, a promise of beauty.

Without further ado, here is our wonderful rainbow baby with the glorious rainbow displayed for us to enjoy after the downpour storm that took place here tonight:

I get teary if I look at this shot too long.

He was a bit confused why we were so excited.
It was actually a double rainbow, too.

Photoshop PW Action Vintage

The lighting on this one is most accurate to what it was like tonight... orangey grey.

We squeezed him into this "Mommy's Little Man" onesie one last time tonight, so glad for him wearing it for these spur-of-the-moment shots!

I can't describe how grateful I am for this redemption rainbow boy.

-Heather

Miss Ava.

2011-09-23T20:15:00.000-04:00

Somebody is ONE today! Happy Birthday sweet Ava Maelee Linn. You are loved, dear niece. You will always be special, always be connected to your cousin in heaven. And we are so glad we get to watch you grow!

We love you!

-Uncle Greg, Auntie Heather and cousin Eli

Cheesy Smile.

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

I think this is the face I'll get when I ask Eli to smile for the camera:

If you can't tell, Eli's family likes to send him clothes. Thanks Auntie Amy!

-Heather

Skin Care Plan.

2011-09-22T11:06:00.002-04:00

"I like brown rice cereal mush. It's tasty. It also makes a great body scrub and shampoo. Seriously, try it. All you have to do is have your mom forget to put a bib on you, put your hands in your mouth during eating and then go crazy!"

-Eli

Size 4.

2011-09-19T20:36:00.003-04:00

I think Eli is ready for size 4 diapers. Greg just weighed him with the luggage scale and he's about 19 pounds. So yep, not wasting away.

I'm in the middle of another full-blown migraine so this is going to be short. I thought I'd post this pic of Eli's mohawk so everyone can see that it's still here, albeit a bit thinner than before. He's also growing more hair all around his head, though hard to see in this photo.

I love that noggin!

-Heather

Pants.

2011-09-16T16:02:00.001-04:00

I am wearing pre-Maelee pants. That's what I call the pants that I wore before I was pregnant with Maelee. I never got to wear them last year. Even with the hell that was boot camp I never lost that pregnancy weight. Then I got pregnant again so I went right back into my preggo comfy pants.

Yet the last few weeks I have noticed nothing fit well. My post-Maelee pants kept feeling too loose. So I have started to grab a few pairs from the pre stack and some (not all) fit. This is good. It's sort of like having a new wardrobe.

Admittedly I'm not working out and I most definitely should be... so this bit of weight loss must be breastfeeding. And thus another reason I didn't get to loose my Maelee pregnancy weight as easily. Groan.

This is probably going to be the only post on this blog about two things:

1. Weight/Diet
2. Clothes/Fashion

Not really topics I'm remotely knowledgeable about nor that interested. And I won't pretend. So consider this post a gem!

I can talk about Eli's clothes, however. And today I must say he looks like a South Carolinian used car salesman: lime green polo with a palmetto embroidered on the left pocket and some sweet jean shorts. I just need some hair gel to slick his mohawk up right.

-Heather

In Your Face.

2011-09-14T16:29:00.001-04:00

It all started out when I was feeling the need to take some photos of Eli because it had been *gasp* days (ie way too long) since he'd seen the lens of my Nikon.

I took a few cute ones in his "baby brother" onesie, a shout out to his sister. (Thanks Auntie Amy!)

But, in recent typical Eli fashion, he started to spit up. Lovely little spit-up drool combo here:

eeewww!

Then a few hours and a wardrobe change later, I started to take more cute photos documenting Eli's ability to hold his head up like this:

He got a bit crabby (he's not a fan of tummy time) so we were playing. I held him up, flying high above my head. I heard it. Then saw it just a little too late...

Eli puked on me. Like IN MY EYE puke. And hair. And down my shirt and pants. This is disgusting, I thought. But since my Nikon happened to be right there, I figured I'd document this for you all to have a good laugh at my expense today.

I'll pause for you to chuckle here. Maybe even click the picture so you can really examine the nastiness that was my face. It's my kid, so I'm okay with this.

Eli has been a pretty consistent at spitting up and requiring multiple changes throughout the day. Sometimes I feel like it hurts him (when there is hiccups and burping and weird noises coming from his belly) though overall he can be happy as a clam and be puking. And we know he's gaining weight (did you see those rolls?) so it's really not an issue in that sense.

If any of you out there have had a puker, a spiter-upper and have any magical tricks, do let me know. And now I'm off to hunt for a mountain of cute, large, inexpensive, absorbent bibs for my child to wear for the next year.

-Heather

UPDATE: I just posted this, picked up Eli who was waiting patiently on the floor for some attention, and he proceeded to let out a burp that rivals mine (a pretty big feat, I'm a good burper) and spit up a ton. But this time I was ready. With my hand. Ah motherhood, this is not dull!

Imitation.

2011-09-13T09:30:00.000-04:00

Our friends had just left and I was stealing away some time checking e-mail last night. Daddy was in charge of the bath as usual in our nighttime routine. I was focused on e-mails and to-dos and ignored the sounds coming from the bedroom, assuming Greg was doing the normal singing or rapping or making up stories to entertain and calm our overly tired and hungry boy. I finally got out of my computer screen haze to listen enough to hear it.

Giggles.

Yes, all out giggles and yelps of joy. I had heard them a time or two before but nothing to this fill-the-house extent. I sat there smiling and taking it in, my boys having fun together.

I wanted this etched in my heart and my memory. I grabbed the point-n-shoot that takes video then rushed to the hallway, hoping I hadn't missed it. I got the tail-end of this time, of the dad imitating his boy's flailing arms and legs, of the boy responding in laughter as he chews on his fingers.

(Apologies for the lack of video quality and random bursts of wacky color. Our camera is on it's last leg.)

-Heather

Wishing It Wasn't So.

2011-09-10T10:09:00.000-04:00

My Grandma Doris Mae (where we got the Mae for Maelee's name) has Alzheimer's. And today in Dickinson, ND many of my family members are gathering together, wearing purple and walking in hopes to raise money to help find a cure to end Alzheimer's. Oh how I wish it could be done!

It's been a hard journey for my family, watching my Grandma these last 10+ years. She doesn't know anyone now, can barely hold a conversation, a shell of her former self. She's at a most wonderful care facility for Alzheimer's patients in Dickinson. My mom, Eli and I were able to stop by on our way back to Bismarck. Introducing Eli to his Great-Grandma Zander was sweet. Her comment "oh he is heavy."

I remember being pregnant with Maelee and getting so excited to have that Four Generations photo with her and my mom. I ache for that still. Needless to say, this photo is a treasure:

I love you Grandma Doris! Someday things will be right again.

-Heather

Our Newscaster.

2011-09-08T09:13:00.001-04:00

I took this longish video last night of Eli talking while sitting on his throne (his high chair from Uncle Chris). We think it's hilarious because we are his parents. Oh to know what goes on in that head!

-Heather

On Top of...

2011-09-06T19:26:00.000-04:00

A few more photos from our weekend mountain getaway:

Family!

Eli checking out the view on top of Roan Mountain.

With Ben and Sarah and baby O due in March!

We think this photo is hilarious because Ben is holding Eli (with his "dad thinks I'm rad" shirt) instead of Greg.

Orners on the porch... all the trees sort of blocked the view of the mountains.

Love this boy!

Greg had just taken shampooed his hair in the rain (and I in a real shower) so we are squeaky clean here!

Walking sticks are a must!

-Heather

Attention Needed.

2011-09-05T17:01:00.003-04:00

The past few days we have been up in the mountains doing a whole lot of nothing with our good friends Ben and Sarah. Eli has been especially spoiled with four sets of hands doting on him. He is currently laying on his play mat yelling "Hey, hey pick me up! Pay attention to me! I'm all by myself!"

It is hard not to spoil him when he's this cute:

-Heather

31.

2011-08-31T18:07:00.003-04:00

It's Greg's golden today. What joy to have Eli here for this birthday!

I love you, Greg.

-the wife

Now I Know.

2011-08-29T14:56:00.005-04:00

Confession time.

Thanks to spell check, I rarely have problems with spelling these days. Ah, but spell check is not fool proof. I have been mixing up a few words for years. I continually have trouble with 'now' and 'know' and 'brain' and 'Brian' (I always have to check when writing to Uncle Brian).

Am I the only one with certain words that get mixed up in my brian... err, I mean brain?

-Heather

4 Months.

2011-08-27T17:45:00.003-04:00

Our sweet joy of a boy is four months old. He weighed 16 lb 12 oz at his check up yesterday. I forgot to check what percentiles he's in... but I'm pretty sure his still up there in the 90 range. We are so grateful to have such a healthy little man!

Eli is much more consistent at finding his hands these days. When he does, they go to the mouth like this:

He also makes lots of noises: blabbering, sighing, whining. The best is when he lets out a big 'ol sigh/yawn when we are in the middle of talking... just letting us know he's bored of our discussion.

-Heather

Fake Tan.

2011-08-26T19:02:00.001-04:00

This is a photo I took of three photos I ordered. Same photo printed from the same company. The first printing was very fuzzy and cut incorrectly. The second... well I think you can guess that the color is a bit off and we didn't, in fact, sunburn our boy. These two were printed at the same time. The third is the "normal" or correct printing, printed on my reorder.

Uff-da.

-Heather

Mail: Flat Rate Boxes.

2011-08-25T12:20:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile since I've told you something I think you should know. But I'm making up for it by giving you a great tutorial on something I have come to know well:

US Post Office FLAT RATE boxes.

Mailing doesn't sound exciting, you say. Well fine... go spend more money than you should when you ship your Grandma's birthday gift. Smart people, yes, smart people will listen up.

Here's all I've learned about shipping using the flat rate boxes.

First, you pick up the boxes at your post office, no charge. There should be a red kiosk with all the different sizes at your local PO. I believe these days they only have Ready Post mailers that you have to pay for and these... but to be safe, make sure they say Flat Rate Box under the Priority Mail logo.

Again, no charge. You could walk in there and grab every single box they have and walk out. You would also look a little crazy doing that. And remember, using these boxes for non-postal use is fraud. Or something bad like that. It's a no-no.

Let's talk size. There are four sizes of boxes (large, two medium, small). They also have envelopes but those are boring so I'm skipping them in this post.

Large Flat Rate Box | 12" x 12" x 5-1/2"
First Medium Flat Rate Box | 13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8"
Second Medium Flat Rate Box 11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"
Small Flat Rate Box | 8-5/8" x 5-3/8" x 1-5/8"

There is a DVD in the Small Flat Rate Box and one sitting in front of the second Medium Box, just to help you visualize size. Oh, and Eli is in the large box. There is a BIG difference in size from the Mediums to the Small. The Small is just a tease, really. You can see the DVD inside there barely fits the width. Still not convinced?

"Please know that this box is small!"

Trust me, it won't fit much without some serious finagling on your part.

Now the most important part - cost. No matter where you send it in the domestic US:

Large Flat Rate Box $14.95
Medium Flat Rate Boxes $10.95
Small Flat Rate Box $5.20

This is the cost NO MATTER HOW HEAVY the box is! It can be up to 70 pounds! I'd like to see you try that!

Because it can be ubber heavy, the real challenge here is to FIT whatever you can in the smallest possible box. I'm a big fan of the first medium box. It's long and tall and comes with it's own sticky-strip adhesive on both sides so you don't even have to use your own tape (the others don't have that feature). Make sure your contents don't alter the shape but that doesn't mean you can't stuff and tape that baby FULL.

Get your box ready and then you have two ways to pay for it. First, the traditional: get in your vehicle, drive to the PO, wait in an invariably long line, then pay and hand it off. Or you can pay for it online and print your mailing label! You go to the Postage Price Calculator found here, put in your zip codes, select which box you are using from the Flat Rate Service options and follow the instructions. You even save like 45 cents if you buy it online!

After paying online (you do have to create a little USPS account), then printing and attaching your label to your box, you may drop off your box at the PO (save the waiting in line to pay) OR you have the "Schedule a Pickup" option when paying online. This means you can schedule a pick up at your home from your postal carrier for free!

If you do this, your carrier will pick up your ready-to-go box whatever day you have it scheduled and you can even tell them how/where (do you want them to knock, will you leave it on your front step, etc). I love when JT saves me a trip to the PO!

Non-Flat Rate Box Tangent
Now you can use the online price calculator and print your shipping labels for non-flat rate boxes, too, but you do have to know the exact weight of your package in order to do that. Unless you have an accurate scale, it's probably not worth doing that for your regular packages/envelopes. Sometimes when I have a good guess, I'll use the online price calculator to just get an idea of what it'll cost me to ship priority versus parcel post ... or if it would be cheaper to go with the flat rate.

For example, shipping a package in my own box (a non-flat rate one) with just a one-ounce weight from Columbia to Williston would cost me $5.38 parcel post, $5.60 for priority. Shipping a 1.1-ounce package from Columbia to Williston would cost me $7.96 parcel post, $9.15 for priority. WHAT A DIFFERENCE one ounce makes! I would never know this if it wasn't for the nifty Postage Price Calculator.

Basically, if it's a light padded envelope deal, I usually try go parcel post if I have the time or regular priority if its not small enough to fit in the flat rate box. If it's heavy (anything over a pound), I go flat rate.

International?
You may be wondering about international flat rates? They are much, much spendier and they have a weight limit of 4 pounds. You can use the same boxes as above, but the price is different for each box and depending on what country you are sending it to. The cheapest is by far the Flat Rate Envelope... for here to China it costs $13.95. But this "envelope" is no package. As you can see (again DVD on top), it's small and it's hard to fit anything not-flat in it:

However, once I fit a couple of cookie mixes, some socks, candy, stickers, etc in one of these. I used a lot of tape. But $13.95 is easier to do than $45 or $50 for the medium and flat rate sizes. Basically, use the Price Calculator if you are planning on shipping overseas. And don't forget you still have to use the custom forms and all that jazz.

Fun?
For added enjoyment, decorate the white space of your box. I'm a big fan of polka dots. The reason I have learned all about shipping is mostly because of our nieces and nephews. And I know they enjoy their gift even more when we decorate the outside of the box!

I hope you have learned something. And I hope you are understanding the greatness of the flat rate boxes, my friends. And now you know if it fits, it ships.

Oh, and Eli is rolling to his side these days. And still attempting to eat anything that comes remotely close to his mouth:

If you click twice, you can barely see his very faint birthmark on his right bicep/arm roll!

-Heather

Close Enough.

2011-08-24T21:41:00.001-04:00

These are a few of Eli's "close enough" cousins:

Eli doesn't know it yet, but he's a big fan of Benjamin, Faith and Jeremiah. So sweet!

Almost as big as her!

Too bad Eli was so very, very sleepy during our too-short visit.

I just love this girl!

I'm a big fan of all our extended close enough relatives. So grateful to see these kiddos and talk with their mama! A bright spot in Williston for sure!

-Heather

Now.

2011-08-22T22:43:00.001-04:00

I suppose the title of my last Wednesday post has got me thinking as I wait for my photos to upload.

We really have become an immediate gratification culture. I want something and I want it now. This applies very much to anything on a computer for me. If I click something, I expect it to happen that instant. No waiting. No wirrr-weee-wiirrr of dial up. No double-click. No hour glass. Click and waa-lah! That's what I want.

So, Blogger, you are really annoying me. Why are you taking so long to upload my photos? Why have you twice-deleted photos I've uploaded? Why that blasted loading exclamation point over and over?

Sigh. There's a lesson or two here. I'll think on it as I head to bed.

-Heather

If I'm like this in 2011, how much more will Eli's expectations for lightening-fast response be in 2031?

Yikes.

Friday Afternoon.

2011-08-19T14:13:00.004-04:00

I Want This Right Now:

2011-08-17T17:39:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I could sure go for this right about now. If you never have had a cheeseburger and fries (or tots) dipped, nay soaked, in ranch from Gramma Sharons, you have not fully lived. It's a reason to visit Williston, ND. My mouth is salivating.

I did ask the cashier how they make their ranch. Unfortunately Gramma does not share her recipes. I suppose it will just live on in my dreams.

-Heather

Can I Get A Hand Here?

2011-08-14T14:00:00.000-04:00

Here is one excellent and much loved uncle and daddy.

-Heather

Cousins.

2011-08-13T07:04:00.000-04:00

Ali - 5 years
Ava - 10 months
Eli - 3 months

-Heather

Threshing Bee.

2011-08-12T21:30:00.000-04:00

The Threshing Bee gives you the chance to watch really old tractors and cars in a parade. This is especially interesting to enthusiasts of old tractors and/or cars. Or people that actually used them or saw them being used back in the day and can distinguish one from the other. I am not that person. Besides a few unique ones, they all look and sound about the same.

I just spent a minute trying to figure out how to type out that sound. I can't figure out what letters would make it. It's chug-a-chug times 1,000, or Thomas the Train after he's smoked cigarettes for fifty years.

I grew up attending this yearly third-weekend-in-July event and I have some great memories. I do still love it all and maybe someday I'll get more into the actual knowledge of the machines. But if I was honest, I'd say my favorite part is when one of the tractors breaks down and creates a big hullabaloo and inevitably causes other tractors to stall.

Thanks to our family we got seats in the shade. Very hard to come by... I'd liken it to floor seats at a Lakers game.

Here's Ava watching the parade:

And Aunt Marlys holding a very heat-induced-zonked Eli.

Here's the view from Greg's sunglasses while he watched the parade:

Did I mention it was HOT?

This very rare tractor is worth a lot. Like enough to send Eli to college.

I could post more photos of tractors. But I'm guessing most of you probably aren't interested. And the few that are probably have your own albums to enjoy.

Ali and Benjamin (my cousin's son) loved riding the horses:

And last but not least: The Cook Car. Imagine these four ladies cooking up a plethora of midwestern delicacies, to serve to all the guys working on getting those finagled old tractors up and running for the parade. Think homemade stews and cookies served on one long picnic table with a bunch of greasy overall-ed, grateful men chowing down. It's awesome.

We didn't get to take part in more of the Bee festivities because of our way-too-packed-tight schedule. But so you know for your 2012 vacation planning, there is a talent show (let's be honest, Amber and I got nothing to offer here), tractor pull for kids, gun show (and not the muscle kind), antiques, and a host of other enjoyable festivities.

Mark your calendars, folks, Crosby, ND is calling you to visit!

-Heather

Ava-ater.

2011-08-12T14:41:00.002-04:00

Ava: "This is my cousin!"
Eli: "Yeah, sure."
Ava: "He looks tasty."
Eli. "Really?"
Ava: "Nom."
Eli: "I am not loving this."Ava: "Fun!"
Eli: "Guys, get me out of here. Fast."
Ava: "I'm just going to smack him a little bit."
Eli: "Told you! Told you! Help!"
I'm blaming it on Jeff that I make our babies talk.

-Heather

The Shack.

2011-08-12T08:02:00.001-04:00

Driving to the Shack this year was a bit more difficult. The road is closed. Water, water everywhere. It's sort of hard to cross the road when it looks like this:

And that water is deep! Sloughs are no longer little pockets of water in the ditch. Now they look more like full-on lakes. It's crazy! The Shack's next door (or next farmhouse) neighbors even have to build a new road to their place.

Let's talk more about weather.

The two days we were in Crosby, it was incredibly, uncommonly hot. It was why-did-the-heat-follow-us-to-ND hot. And the Shack does not have AC. I ended up getting a migraine and throwing up in the middle of the night. Details you probably don't need to know. It does prove that I am not made for heat and I love AC.

We gave the kids a few baths to keep them cool. And that involved buckets. Eli didn't quite know what to think:

Ava was a big fan of the sink bath. She's a water fan. And hopefully 15 years from now she doesn't find out I posted naked baby photos of her. Chunky baby alert!

Ilene and Dale braved the heat to come see us. Eli loved meeting them!

Seriously it was so hot, we all wished we could waddle around in just a diaper like these two. And being there is only an outhouse at the Shack...

Kidding!

It was great being there, even with the hot. Many, many great memories there and a place I hope Eli gets to love someday too.

-Heather

Windmills and Plaid.

2011-08-11T10:10:00.012-04:00

Back to part two of our trip up North.

We had a great drive up from Bismarck to Williston. Greg drove, Eli slept, and I giddily took photos from the passenger window. It does something to my soul, to look out over miles and miles of prairie. Especially when the sun is shining in a bright blue sky and the clouds are so close you can touch them.

As you can see here, they have lot of windmills in ND, using the crazy wind that exists there to work on some sustainable energy. They are really tall.

We had one quick night in Williston before heading up to Crosby to catch the Threshing Bee, see family, and stay at The Hunting Shack for a night. More on all this later.

Since my whole immediate family was only going to get to be together less than two days (before Greg had to head back), I was adamant we take a few good family photos of the whole bunch. We did get the Twins shot I posted earlier, thanks to my 2nd cousin Pam. And then I made us pose next to the outhouse for another shot using the auto function on my camera wedged onto my dad's pickup windowsill.

And out of the six shots we got (which everyone else would argue was five too many), this one taken while I set it up is my favorite:

I guarantee you my dad had just made some off-the-cuff remark. No idea what it was, but I know that it was funny because my mom's face shows it. And he's just hilarious like that. Never a dull moment with him around. Also noted is how totally zonked Eli is, how ready Ali is to smile, and how the Lipperts are thinking "oh geez Heather do we really need to do this?"

This is the best end result:

Now I wouldn't say anyone in the above photo would be known for their good style. But I think at least four of us figured out what was "cool" this summer. Plaid.

Too bad no one told us it doesn't look right when you all wear plaid shorts the same day:

Eli actually had plaid shorts. I put them on him when he was laying flat and when I sat him up, his belly protruded out the top and he grimaced. Too tight! I undid the top button and all his squishy fat rolls gushed out and he smiled. So yea, he never actually got to wear them. Poor guy.

Here is two happy grandparents with their adorable red-headed grandbabies. Oh how I wish Maelee could be in this photo:

-Heather

Fan of the Fan.

2011-08-09T21:07:00.002-04:00

Our boy feels very strongly about our living room fan. He really loves this thing.

Here's over a minute of him grinning ear to ear at the fan this afternoon:

And we really do have him wear non-Twins gear most of the time! I swear!

-Heather

1518 10th Ave W

2011-08-07T16:18:00.000-04:00

One of the reasons that we went back to Williston was to say goodbye to my beloved house. My parents are moving.

I grew up living in the same house until I moved away to college. My dad and his dad built most of this two-story house back in ’78. They finished the basement sometime in the '80s. One of my very first memories was making sure not to fall down the steps onto the concrete. And I vaguely recall getting to color on the sheetrock too.

I know the sounds of my house. I know the exact spot in the hallway where the floor squeaks. I can hear the wind slamming shut the door to the garage. I can hear my mom sewing in the laundry room listening to NPR. I can hear the sound of bath toys splashing against the tub. I can hear the sprinkler system running in the summer night. I can hear the dirty laundry going down the laundry chute.

I know every nook and cranny of my house. I have memories engrained into much of it. I recall family gatherings and friend sleepovers, holidays and celebrations, all taking place in our home. I can see the milestone moments, captured in photos, taken on our front steps. I can feel the warmth of the fireplace every fall combined with the smell of mom baking something with the apples we picked from our tree. I can recall my dad coming home from work, tossing his ivy cap on the banister and us ending up with a hat tossing contest. And I remember exploring (nay, snooping) around the house, finding treasures in the walk-in closet or behind the bar or in the china cupboard.

First Day of School - check out the stretch pants!

As a child, one of the best things about my house was the playhouse. My dad built it to look like a mini version of the house. We spent hours and hours playing in the playhouse, creating a world just our own. It was something that made our house, and us, special. This may be the biggest thing I’m grieving about the move – not getting to see my kids play inside my playhouse.

Helping Dad paint the playhouse

Saying goodbye to the playhouse, wishing Eli could know all the fun contained in its walls.

My mom has always lived in a way that her house is an extension of who she is. This house has always been clean, immaculate actually. And beautiful. Even though mom would complain about the lack of character in the structure (straight walls), she made it look different every season when she would rearrange furniture and décor. She made it homey and warm and often looking like something straight out of a magazine. And let's be honest, it probably helped that my dad is a painter and we would all get to redecorate our rooms every few years.

Eli laying on the living room floor, trying not to poop on the white carpet

On top of the cleanliness factor, whoever buys our house is also getting a very well maintained home. My dad is talented. The front steps face the other way now, after my dad built a new entrance. The kitchen doesn’t look much like it did when I lived there since he remodeled the whole thing a few years ago. And he added a huge sunroom, so that took away the deck I remember. He did a good job, the changes fit flawlessly in the house. And really, there is so much of him in this house.

And I must talk about The Lawn. Oh please, please don’t let whoever buys this house ruin the grass. It really is the nicest lawn on the block. The next door neighbors used to joke about Mr. Tysse out mowing his grass again. After being in South Carolina where they don’t make dirt and grass like they do there, I often dream of rolling around in my dad's grass. We spent a lot of time in the backyard throughout the years, with roses, gardens, and those racing games where I would always win the 5-year-old division race, and Amber the 10 (because we both must always win).

Running through the sprinkler was a big deal back for me back then (above) and now for my niece Ali (below):

My sister and I moved on from 1518 years ago (and that's a good thing ... it wouldn't be good if we still lived there!). But my dad, my dad is a home body. I didn’t realize that until a few years ago. But he loves northwest North Dakota. He likes familiar. He likes that feeling of being home.

It’s no surprise, then, that this transition is hard on him. And we all know he is a huge softy. A big emotional wreck when it comes to saying goodbye, accepting change, or dealing with the uncomfortable. My dad will never drive by the house once it’s sold. He just can’t. It’s the way he was wired. He needs to be able to say goodbye, grieve, and then move on. 1518 is best as a memory for him. I hope that he doesn’t know whoever buys the house because he will never be able to come visit.

Admittedly, I was pretty angry when it was first mentioned, the selling of 1518. Honestly I was completely selfish. I didn’t want my house to not be my house anymore. Then I realized how blessed we are to say goodbye out of choice versus a flood or fire destroying it. And more importantly, after awhile I really understood that it was time for my parents to move on. It was time to say goodbye to Williston and this house. It was a perfect time to transition: they had a new exciting chapter ahead in two new exciting places. And they still do, but not like we had initially thought... now it’s much more complicated and messy. Sigh.

Regardless, our time on earth is temporary. Everyone, every single person, on earth dies and doesn’t take one thing with them. So a house is just a container for us and our stuff. That’s a good perspective when getting too attached. Yet while we are here on earth, it sure is nice to have a house that you can reflect yourself into, if you are into that sort of thing, and call it home.

1518 | April 1979 (yes, April)

1518 | July 2011

Since it was the only house I knew, I have a lot of memories and a deep connection to this place. And I'd venture to say since 1518 only knew Lloyd, Sherry, Amber and Heather, I think it will miss us too.

-Heather

All Together Now.

2011-08-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

I told you there was going to be more Minnesota Twins gear.

It all started with this photo taken of the China crew while Dale and Mary were visiting. They brought Twins gear for the whole fam:

Then when we were in Bismarck, I thought we should try to keep the same theme going... so that Mary could have two photos with all her family, Christmas card ready:

Then I'm not quite sure how this happened again the next week with my side of the family. But it did, all hot and sweaty after the Threshing Bee (and yes, we wore this around the Bee and looked like matching idiots):

But I love these photos because I love these people! Our whole immediate family (those on earth anyway). Love Love Love!

-Heather, the wife, mother, daughter, sister, and auntie to these dear people