the hoskinson household

sleeping baby

2012-02-09T10:00:00.001-08:00

How can you not love this sweet little boy?

steamboat rock

2012-02-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

The kids got to spend some time with Nonnie and Papa in Steamboat Rock yesterday. Thanks to them for a day of getting things done around our house and some quality time for Mark and I. Sometimes you don't realize how much you need it- it is hard for me to give up days home with my kids but it is good- good for us, good for the kids, good for the grandparents! Last night, as Addelyn and I laid in her bed, talking about her day- she hugged her stuffed puppy close to her (she had taken the puppy with her) and said, "Ahhhhh smells like Steamboat....."

Dancing with Dora

2012-02-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks Justin Bolger for the gift that keeps on giving!!!

outfits

2012-02-04T16:34:00.000-08:00

These days, this four year old girl picks out her own clothes. She also changes outfits at least once a day- usually to put on a skirt or dress. And random shirts. And usually about 5-10 hair clips. I pick my battles and clothes will never be one of them! In fact, I kinda like the mismatching clothes! (Oh and she doesn't like pictures being taken!)

winter days

2012-02-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

Of course, when you have a mild winter- playing outside in the snow is one of the best things to do! We tried to make a snowman the other day but our snow wasn't quite "packable." So we settled for going up and down the slide and swinging and jumping into the snow. Oh and I got to be the Big Bad Wolf and Addelyn was the little pig, trying to get away from me. An after snow treat- yummy homemade muffins and hot chocolate of course!

twinkle twinkle

2012-02-04T12:54:00.001-08:00

and so it begins....

2012-02-03T20:56:00.001-08:00

My little scooter is starting to get into things. Ahh my house is not baby proofed. I need to do that. Put it on the list! I left the room for a minute and this little man was into my book pile. So long to the days of my "sitting up" baby! Fun is ahead!

*Btw, notice I am on a blog updating kick this weekend! Lots of new posts!

the many faces....

2012-02-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

How can you not love these faces?

an apple a day

2012-02-03T20:41:00.001-08:00

He LOVES chewing on big pieces of food, like apples! We just have to watch the chunks- he will take bites and then gag himself. Ahh this little gagger boy.

dinner time laughs

2012-02-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

7 months

2012-02-03T19:49:00.000-08:00

Since Jace is almost eight months old, I figured I'd better get this seven month post up! Ahh the fun of a seven month old. We love this little buddy. At seven months, Jace started clapping. He often claps if you say "clap" and show him.

He is continuously harassed by his older sister but every once in awhile, he gets her! Here he goes, trying to grab her.

The lean forward- he does this often, trying to get to the crawl position. He is scooting now- only knows how to go backward though. He gets pretty frustrated at this point- he knows where he wants to go but can't always get there.

This face is my favorite. I think it comes from his new top teeth coming in- he is trying to feel them but he makes this face often and it looks so funny!

See those two top teeth coming in? Yep, those teeth have cost us sleep this seventh month of life!

He loves to stand (with help of course!) One of his favorite positions to be in.
Other things at the 7th month: He isn't eating his solids as well. I'm nervous he is going to be like his dad and not like the textures of lots of foods. He often gags himself when he eats- it has made dinner time interesting. He loves any fruit and never gags eating fruit but always gags eating peas, green beans, or anything with more texture. I try to push through and get him to keep eating which sometimes works out and sometimes does not, if you know what I'm saying. Otherwise, it is basically giving up after the first bite. Ahhh. Not sure what to do about this one. I feel like he chooses to gag because if we distract him, he'll stop. Addelyn LOVED eating all foods when she was little. But our Jacers may be a little more picky!
He is still nursing well so that is good- even though he is wiggly and easily distracted thanks to his sis, who finds distracting him a game. We hit a rough patch- I started to lose my milk supply but now I'm back to normal, I think. We had some rough weeks at night in there- new teeth and low milk supply equal a baby who is up A LOT at night. I think in Jacer's seventh month of life, we got to see lots of him during those early morning hours. Some day, we will only remember the sweet moments of rocking him- right? It is hard to be frustrated with this boy though- in the day hours- he naps perfectly, is very laid back and sweet, and gives us lots more smiles and laughs these days. We love you Jacers!

romance

2012-02-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight Addelyn was on a roll, talking about her "husband Matt." She lives in her imaginary world and tells us stories about him all the time. Tonight during dinner, it was non-stop..."Matt stayed home today, Matt told me a funny story, etc."

While cleaning up dinner, we heard her "talking to Matt."
"Matt, you make my world come true," she said.

Mark and I had to laugh. Where does she get this stuff? Must be the romantic talk going on these days between Mark and I....haha!

new toys

2012-02-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

It is always fun to see new toys and creativity being put to work after Christmas. This year, Addelyn got some gifts that really sparked her creative side. We have had lots of fun ways to spend our winter days so far!

*Note the best part of the Christmas gifts- Dad gets to put batteries in everything, as you can see in the last picture!

Kramer Christmas

2012-02-03T13:05:00.000-08:00

This year we decided to do a weekend of fun at a hotel for our Christmas celebration with my Dad and Lora, Ben, and Jill and Levi. Go figure I didn't get my camera out all weekend- except for this one shot! Which is a great one though- the kiddos with the grandparents! We had lots of fun- eating out, swimming in the hotel water park, playing games, eating munchies, and Mark and I even got to go back to bed in the morning for a bit while Nonnie and Papa played with the kids. It was a great time together!

Christmas in Perry

2012-02-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

We headed to Perry on New Year's weekend for our Christmas celebration with the Hoskinson family. It was a great weekend all together. The kids have such a blast playing together so that is always fun. They are sad when the weekend has to end! Here is Jace with Papa Tom.

Jace was loving his new cars!

Addelyn digging in her stocking filled with goodies!

All the kids finding their treasures!

Group hug!

Papa and Nonnie opening their present from all the grandkids.

Isn't this picture the sweetest? Too bad Jacers is missing, it would be a perfect "cousins" pic!
What a great weekend in Perry.

Christmas at home

2012-01-28T19:49:00.001-08:00

I love the traditions that are starting to form for our family around Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we serve at church during one service (this year we did nursery) and also go to one of the services together. Then we come home and the kids get to open one present- their new Christmas pjs. They put them on, read the Christmas story, and then start our movie night (complete with popcorn and smoothies and a bed on the floor). Of course, Jace missed out on most of this fun but he caught the beginning of our movie time.

The next morning we wake up (bright and early of course) to open presents and eat breakfast.

Jace was excited!

Stocking time!

Jace got Addelyn a new stuffed puppy. By the way, this puppy is the new favorite. She carries it around, sleeps with it, and calls it Lucy. Good pick little brother!

A book to share!

A school desk, exciting!

Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus! What a great day and celebration of the birth of our Savior.

Christmas 2011 catchup

2012-01-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

My blogging (which is my scrapbook) has been behind. I'm trying to get Christmas caught up on before February arrives! So here are some of our special Christmas memories. We spent some time in Ackley with my Mom and Tanner. The guys actually took Tanner to a movie in the afternoon which was fun for them while the gals hung out at the house.

What a wonderful Grandma!

Aunt Jiller, we love you!

The girls with our Christmas socks. This is a tradition. My sis buys us sweet, weird Christmas socks every year. We wear them while we open gifts. The best part of this picture is you see the beginning of a tantrum. Addelyn didn't get special socks and she was upset. So she was trying to remove mine for the pic. I ended up losing a reindeer head in this tantrum! Ahh the reality of kids over the holidays. There are good, beautiful moments- and then real and ugly ones too.

Don't I look hot with long blonde hair?

Christmas treats, yum! We have a little baker! This girl LOVES making treats, especially ones to deliver to other people.

She actually made these treats with Daddy. Impressive huh?

All dressed up for the DTI Christmas party, Mark's work crew. Don't we look awesome in our amazing Christmas outfits?! It is an "Ugly Christmas party" where you are supposed to show up in an ugly sweater or outfit.

More Christmas updates to come! What a wonderful Christmas season we had.

when mom turns around....

2012-01-28T19:22:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe things like this can happen when you are standing in the same room, with your back turned. Addelyn gave Jace a black colored pencil, which he enjoyed eating. Sigh....

comments of the week

2012-01-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight Addelyn said, "Mom, God made the world. He made everything, he made rain. He made trees. But sometimes we paint our houses."

She loves to pretend she is "Jiva." This is the place she has gotten her haircut. The other day she was Beth and was doing my hair. She brushed it for awhile and then she said, "I just can't work with this hair. It is too crazy for me."

Oh Addelyn, you make us smile!

playing together

2012-01-26T20:06:00.000-08:00

I LOVE watching Addelyn playing sweetly with Jace. It doesn't always happen. When I leave the room, often she is trying to do things like change his diaper, change his clothes, pick him up, or hang him upside down off the side of the bed (that was last night!)
This time, I caught her "building" with him and it warmed my heart!

Nearing Home by Billy Graham

2012-01-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

In the book, "Nearing Home," Billy Graham shares valuable life lessons he has learned along the way in his ninety three years of life. He shares some of the challenges he has faced as he grows older, along with important learnings he has gleaned from scripture. The book is really focused on those that are entering their later years, but has important lessons for those at any age.

I picked up this book because I was curious to read and hear what Billy Graham has to say. I went to one of his crusades when I was first following Jesus and although I would say some of our strategies of doing ministry may look different, I deeply respect Billy Graham and would love to learn from him. This book, for me, was filled with important truths- some that I feel like I already know and want to remember as life goes on and some that seem new to me. One of the things that stuck out to me was how Graham shared about that none of us can really understand/prepare for the reality of what growing older is like- the pains, the loss of family/vision/hearing/etc. He talked about how that has affected him and the true need of knowing and following Jesus now (earlier in life) so that when we don't have the use of our hearing/vision/memory as well, we will have a solid foundation.
I think this is a book I'd like to try to read every five-ten years - to continue to think about the truths he shared as I continue to grow older. I would definitely suggest this book to people who are considering how they want to live well- both in a younger age or when they are older.

Raised Right by Alisa Harris

2012-01-20T19:22:00.001-08:00

I'm loving being a "book reviewer." Free books and a deadline to read them by. Not a bad idea for someone who loves to read but often doesn't make time these days. When I have a deadline, I ALWAYS make time.

I just finished reading, "Raised Right: How I Untangled My Faith from Politics" by Alisa Harris. This book tells the story of a young woman who grew up in a family that was very active in politics. She spent a lot of time as a young girl, picketing abortion clinics and learning about being a conservative Republican. Harris spends time in the book, sharing about her story from a young girl to a young adult, when she started questioning how her politics intersected with her faith. A lot of this book is Harris' story but at the same time, it looks at the questions of her generation about politics and faith.

I am still trying to decide what I think about this book. I liked it but at the same time, it moved slow for me. I really appreciated and could relate to some parts of Harris' story and many of her questions were challenging to me. The main thing I walked away from the book is that no matter where you stand in your political beliefs- it is very important that people of faith are speaking out about important issues. It was also a great challenge to me to continue to ask questions about how I'm "supposed" to take a stance as a Christian (or so it seems) and to continue to try to follow what God says. I loved Harris' honesty in this book- it was refreshing. Overall, this was a pretty good book that I enjoyed reading.

four years old

2012-01-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind on my blog posts but here we go on the catch up. On December 11th, our little girl turned four! I don't know where the four years went but I would say this last four years has been the biggest life changing four years ever. Being a parent to this wonderful little girl is incredible and challenging all wrapped up into one. Every day she keeps us on our toes.

Addelyn's birthday weekend always seems to be busy- right before Christmas. Last year we moved into our new house the same weekend so at least this year was a little less crazy! Friday night, we had a little "party." We decided a big party didn't need to happen- Addelyn is young enough that we let her invite two friends over instead of throwing a big party. It was a bummer at first, one friend couldn't end up coming so she ended up having a birthday "play date" with her buddy Austin. They ended up having a blast, just the two of them. We went to the bouncy house at the mall, made homemade pizzas, and had some "Dora games." Swiper even hid the cupcakes and the kids had to find them.

Saturday, we went to serve at the Craft Fair, which is a part of the ministry "Christmas in Walnut" that our church has partnered in the past few years. I have served at the Craft Fair every year and now it is fun for Addelyn to be able to come along too. We had some good quality time together, making crafts and helping other kids make crafts too. That afternoon was the family party. Addelyn had lots of fun having the family over for her favorite dinner that she chose, spaghetti. She got lots of fun presents- I'd say this year was the Rapunzel theme (she loves Tangled!) I even made a little cake. I'm not going to lie, I didn't have the energy to go crazy and make a cool cake. There was just too much going. So I was happy with the easiest cake decorating idea ever, see below!

For Addelyn's birthday, she got a "big girl bed" from us. She has loved this bed. I wasn't sure if it would be a hard transition but it has been great. We decided we needed to have a bigger bed in one of the kid's rooms so we would have a place when guests come to stay. Crazy to think, we bought her a mattress that she will probably have til she goes to college. Weird to even say that.

At four years, Addelyn is a smart, creative, spunky little girl. She has shy moments and very bold moments. She likes to be social but also thrives on time at home- not on the go. She loves playing with her little friends, loves her stuffed puppies (Lucy 1 and Lucy 2), dislikes having her hair brushed (I would say I almost need a stronger word here than dislike!), likes dessert, has a good sense of humor, loves her brother, tests us often, some days has a hard time listening, asks amazing and hilarious questions ("Where do raccoons go potty?"- yesterday's question), likes to play babies, doctor, and school, is a little bossy- I'd like to call it leadership, and is just a sweet hearted little girl. She is asking us daily when she can get a puppy.
We love you Addelyn, and are so thankful for the past four years of your life. It is going to be so fun to watch you grow up into the woman that God has made you to be.

the masterpiece!

Family party time!

Look where Swiper hid the cupcakes! In Mom's closet!

a kid forever?

2012-01-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had the BEST ever conversation with Addelyn before bed.

"Mom, I really really really love the picture above my bed. I love my toes. Can it hang there forever?" (this picture has her as a baby- pics of her little hands, feet, etc.)
"For sure," I said.
"But will we live here forever? When we will have a different house?"
I told her we plan to stay here for a long, long time.
"Well, mom, I think I want to stay a kid forever. Can I stay a kid forever?"

Oh, my sweet girl, I would love for you to be my kiddo forever!

6 months

2012-01-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

I am not a good blogger these days. Just have had too much going on to sit at the computer to blog. I realize how behind I am when my six month post for Jacers isn't going up til he is seven months. Along with Addelyn's fourth birthday, which is still yet to come. So here is our little buddy at his half birthday! Crazy, a half of year with this sweet little man already. We love him so much! Jacers, you have definitely brought much joy to our lives!

Love that toothy grin- those bottom teeth arrived at four months- and now he is working on his top two teeth!
I will eat you six months! Ahhh the months of him trying to eat/rip/play with the month sign have began!
Addelyn has felt left out of the picture shoots with the monthly stickers lately so instead of her being onry the whole time I tried to take pics, I tried a different approach this time. She got to wear a onesie like Jace- you must note- a 12 month sized one- and she took the same pictures. She loved this idea and had a blast. We laughed a lot this photo shoot!

At six months, Jace is:
*eating different foods pretty well at dinner time, depends on the day though, he has figured out he can spit too so sometimes Mark or I will wear more of it.
*Goes to bed around 7:30 pm- gets up once or twice a night to eat, usually up between 5:30-6:30 am (an early riser, oh no!!!!)
*Giggles lots, but will give you his serious face too. Gotta love that serious look- he is trying to figure out the world!
*Sits up well without support- his favorite position to be in these days
*Likes to play with, grab toys (and anything else in his way- which means we really have to watch the little toys these days that Addelyn got for her fourth birthday!)
*Rolls over well, can push up on his arms well, scoots a little to grab for a toy but not much. Is starting to act like he wants to go places though, yikes!!!
*Is an easy going little guy!

Can you see the love? And the 4 year old tie she has on? Gotta love it!

Tradition

2011-12-27T21:18:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite traditions that Mark and I have done in some shape or form since we were dating is decorate our Christmas tree (the first year he got to help decorate my tree!) Now, we get to do it with our kids too. I love the moments of putting ornaments on the tree (every year it is fun to go through them- I have ones from being a kid and now we have homemade ones from our kids too). Our tree gets prettier year by year! Addelyn was much more into helping this year which made it more fun. Of course, Jace watched intently. Next year will be a whole different story!

There isn't a year that hasn't included listening to Amy Grant Christmas music. Seriously, that is a major part of the tradition! Alli Rogers - Silent Stars has also made the playlist now too!

A glass of wine

Dad doing the hard work, of course. I take the pictures and drink the glass of wine and keep things in order! (Just kidding, kind of.) Ahh I love the tradition of decorating the tree. Now if only I didn't have to do the part that includes taking it down, grrr!

just hanging with tinkerbell

2011-12-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

*I'm catching up on my blogging tonight, can you tell?! I just love to watch my kids together. Addelyn BEGS to feed Jace a bottle. One day I finally just pumped one so she could! She was overjoyed! And then, see them hanging together on the blanket. Jace watching her draw. Addelyn wearing her "tink" outfit, as always. Love it.

just so tired....

2011-12-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

EVERYONE is tired these days around our house, even Mary and Joseph. Don't worry, the shepherd watched his flock by night (see the far left, one guy was left standing!)

dads and daughters

2011-12-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

http://www.fromdatestodiapers.com/50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters

I LOVE this. Such a cool post.

animal lovers

2011-12-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

Jace loves Ma (my mom's cat)

Abbie, one of my kids' favorite dogs (Mark's parent's neighbor's dog)

Our friends just got dog #2. I will admit, this dog is stinking cute. But he is still a dog and I really will not be swayed. I like animals- somewhat- when they are outside on the farm. I grew up with big ole dogs, rottweilers and a mastiff- but they were outside and I could run around and play with them and then go inside. Does that sound heartless? Probably.

So for some reason, I have two kids who love animals. Addelyn has loved animals since day one and come to find out, Jace does too. My mom has a cat and Jace gets so excited to have the cat near him. He met Abbie in the pictures above (Mark's parent's neighbors' dog- Addelyn has loved Abbie forever) and Jace also loves her. And then there is Kacey and now Percy, our friend's dogs. He loves them too, along with his sister. He will grab at them and smile and laugh.

Tonight's bedtime conversation goes a bit like this....
(remember, this girl is also trying to stall going to sleep.)

"Daddy, I need to tell ya something.
I have been wanting to tell you.
Really really wanting to tell you.
I really, really, really love.....
animals.
Can we get a dog like Dave and Jess?
Pleeeease?"

carrots anybody?

2011-12-27T18:23:00.001-08:00

This big boy has been trying all sorts of new foods in the last two months or so. Carrots, squash, green beans, peas, mangos, apples, pears, peaches, bananas, prunes (yeah those were for necessary reasons), and sweet potatoes. YUM! So far, he likes it all. Although we had some gagging over the peas and green beans. Mark, veggie lover himself, claims it is because they are nasty veggies but I am pretty sure it was the textures. I'm pretty pumped, I got a big food processor for Christmas so now I can make bigger batches of baby food at once.

Alvin?

2011-12-27T18:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight Addelyn and I were reading from her new Jesus Storybook Bible, which is awesome by the way. Such a cool way to read the Bible story to kids.
We were reading about how God first made Adam and Eve. Addelyn interrupted me and said, "No, Mom, I think you mean Alvin and Eve."

Yes, we just saw the Chipmunks movie yesterday! Guess she has Alvin and the Chipmunks on the brain.

disney on ice

2011-12-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

If you ever consider taking your kids to a "show"- Disney on Ice is great! Thanks to Nonnie Kathy for taking us (Matt, Trae, Addelyn, and I). We loved it, especially Addelyn! Above is Rapunzel- who came out at the end. Addelyn waited the entire show to see her.

Thanks to Nonnie for also buying the blue Tinkerbell snow cones! These caused blue teeth, blue tongues, and blue poop! Gotta love it!

Tinkerbell was her other favorite!

She got up and moved and danced - was intently watching the whole show!

My sweet girl that dislikes pictures!!!
What a fun night!

full house

2011-12-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

Hahahaha I keep laughing as I think of this moment.

We have been watching some reruns of my old favorite, Full House, lately. Addelyn LOVES this show. I like it much better than the Disney "people" shows and she is really wanting to watch "people shows" these days. We watch the ones where the kids are younger- before D.J. starts dating!

The other night we were playing a game on the living room floor and Mark got home and walked in the room. She looked up at him and said, "Hey, Danny Tanner!"

I died laughing, not kidding you.

the latest

2011-12-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

I need to write things down immediately when Addelyn says them or I find myself later, racking my brain to remember!

Driving the other night, a house had two lighted up deer outside. "Oh look, Rudolph and his girlfriend..." in the most matter of fact voice.

Mark was giving Jace a bath and Addelyn walked in to see him. "Jacers, why are you wearing your balls like that?"

More to come when I REMEMBER, dang!!!

baking

2011-12-19T04:59:00.001-08:00

This little girl LOVES to be in the kitchen with me, helping. She does a great job. The main issue we are working on is NOT sticking our fingers in the batter and licking and then going back for more! Ahhh the germaphobe in me tries so hard not to freak out. So with promises of a lick at the end- I usually can keep her fingers out of the goods *unless I turn my back too long!
Hopefully this week we can bake some yummy Christmas goodies. Addelyn asked last night when we were going to bake cookies for our neighbors. Fun times, enjoy your Christmas week!

why i do this

2011-12-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

Reminder, why do I blog? So I have a scrapbook for my kids and our family to later look back on and enjoy!
So, for the post that no one cares about, my kid's stats these days. They had well-visit checkups this past week- 6 months and 4 years.

Jacers at 6 months:
Weight- 18 lbs, 9 oz
Height- 25 1/2 inches
Head- 17 1/2 inches
He is in the 10th percentile for height and 79th for weight. Short and chubby still!

Addelyn at 4 years:
Height- 3 feet, 3 inches
Weight- 32 lbs
She is in the 25th percentile for weight and the 40th for height.

I know percentiles really don't "matter" but I think it is kinda fun to find them out.
Pics of A's birthday, J's six month shots, and more to come!

face to face

2011-12-14T19:49:00.000-08:00

At our church, I was involved in starting a ministry this past year called Face to Face. The mission of the ministry is to have a team of people available for those people who are interested in having conversations about getting connected, taking steps in their faith, and more. Addelyn has heard me talking about this a lot in the past months.
The other day on the way home from church, she was talking about her imaginary husband, her imaginary family (the four kids), her friends, and more. She said, "Oh Mom, did you hear? I am doing Back to Back this Sunday!"
I laughed a little and said, "Oh do you mean Face to Face?"
She laughed back too and said, (without missing a beat) "Mom, we actually started a new one, we call it Side to Side!"

turkey bowl

2011-12-13T19:45:00.000-08:00

This year was Mark's third year (not in a row) of playing in the annual Turkey Bowl, which is a football game organized by a group of guys in Cedar Falls. I have actually never gone to watch but this year, despite the cold, I bundled the kiddos up and we headed out to cheer on their daddy. It was a fun time- lots of great people that we love to be around- both players and fans! I told Mark, the only problem is...every year, younger guys join the team but he keeps getting older! He still kept up this year though. Maybe thirties is your prime for the Turkey Bowl, right?!

sweet girls

2011-12-12T20:52:00.001-08:00

Aren't these two girls just the sweetest little friends? Addelyn loves to play with Avery. During this play time together, they danced, laughed, and got married. They were so funny to watch and listen to. Many of our friends have boys in Addelyn's age range, so it is fun for these two girls to get together. Gotta love our girls.

Happy birthday Addelyn!

2011-12-11T19:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my sweetest girl, Addelyn Nicole!
At age four:
She is funny, strong willed, kind (most days), loves to draw, dress up, dance, play with friends, loves babies, loves her brother and "helps" with him, makes us laugh daily, is creative, pushes the limits, is intense and knows what she wants/doesn't want, loves Dora/Rapunzel/Tinkerbell, is quick witted, and loving!
We never knew how much we'd love this sweet little girl. Four years ago, back when the winter storm hit and we were in the hospital and I pushed that baby girl for hours.... we had no idea what we were in for! And somehow the love grows every day!

a trick?

2011-12-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

I'd like to think my daughter is just the sweetest little almost four year old I know.
"Mom, I'd like to brush your hair today before my quiet time."
So after books, when I usually go out to leave her to her quiet time (or possibly nap, which pretty much never happens anymore) instead I laid on her bed and let her brush my hair.
Ahhhh, I love it. Getting my hair brushed is on my "top-ten-things-I-love-that-no-one-ever-does-for-me-and-it-would-be-weird-to-ask-list."
I passed out. She had the run of the house because she knew exactly what I was doing. Sleeping. On her bed. During her quiet time.
This little girl knows me pretty well and what makes this sleep-deprived mom fall asleep. Do you think it was a trick? Or just a sweet little girl, innocently brushing her mom's hair? Today, this momma just doesn't care. I got my hair brushed and a fifteen minute power nap. Thanks, Addelyn!

baby food time

2011-12-05T18:54:00.001-08:00

Yep, making a mess in the kitchen. Gotta make a mess to make baby food- at least I do. I used to have such a hard time with messing up my kitchen. Sounds weird I know. Ahh how I have changed. I still like a clean kitchen, not going to lie. But I have realized that to have some good food on the table and the reality of kids- my kitchen is not going to ever stay clean for long. Especially my floors. So I'm over it. (I still go to bed with my dishes done most days, that is just one thing I hate waking up to- dirty, crusty dishes!) But for those of you who know my "analness" is that a word?- you would have to smile if you saw my kitchen floor right now. The food on the floor could probably make a small meal. I'll clean that another day. Some days, just for that reason- I'd take a dog.

Notice my small food processor. Black Fridays deals plus some old gift cards I've had in my wallet allowed me to buy a larger one (orginally $235 and I spent $30- yes I am proud of this deal), which is under the tree from Addelyn, Mark, and Jace. Mark showed Addelyn and told her to keep it a secret because it was my Christmas present. She ran and told me right away, "Mom, we got you a blender for Christmas!" This will be great, it will make the baby food making so much quicker!

When I had Addelyn, it was my friend Jess that convinced me how easy and great it is to make your own baby food. Steam foods, puree, ice cube trays, and freeze. Do a lot at once and you are set for months. It is very easy! Some nights I just do whatever veggie I make for our family and make extra for him to eat and some to freeze. Jacers has just gotten started on his foods this past month. He has tried apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, and green beans. So far, he has liked it all! Tonight he was constipated though, poor baby so I need to make some higher fiber foods- peaches, pears, plums, etc! Next on the list.....

marshmellow trick

2011-12-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

Addelyn and her Dad are really working on her skills. Impressive huh???

a baby SISTER?!?!

2011-12-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am not going to lie. I had fun thinking about some of you who would freak out when you read that title. There isn't a baby sister on the way, sorry to mislead anyone!

Yesterday I think I may have seen the first sign of sibling rivalry, at least the first sign that Addelyn was able to vocalize. Ever since Jace has been born, she has loved, loved, LOVED him. She has given him lots of attention and hasn't seemed too jealous of him. She has her moments of behaviors that I would attribute to having a sibling who is receiving the attention she is used to having but really there hasn't been any issues.

When my friend Katie called yesterday, I answered the phone and at the exact same time, saw Addelyn smack Jace on the head. I responded in a loud voice and she immediately broke into tears. Yes, my friend got to hear me in my finest moment. I'd like to assume she didn't think I ever raised my voice so I really surprised her but probably not. ha

I then sat down with Addelyn (and her tears) and talked to her about why she hit her brother.
"I just wish he didn't have to come!"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I wish he would have never been born! I wanted a baby sister, can we get a sister instead?"

This one blew me away. Not necessarily her thoughts which I believe are normal for a child her age but to hear her actually verbalize. I told her we'd have to wait and see on that sister but that she should just appreciate what a sweet little brother she has. And what a great big sister she is!

from the mouth of Addelyn

2011-11-28T20:36:00.001-08:00

Quotes of the weekend:

After climbing into bed with us the other morning..."Dad, your breath smells like salad and poop."

When I laid in bed with Addelyn the other night before she fell asleep. She put her stuffed dog, Lucy, next to her. She told me, "I'm going to re-tect her and she is going to re-tect me tonight."

I love it. She makes me smile.

projects

2011-11-22T20:30:00.001-08:00

Addelyn loves our neighbor boy, "A." He loves to come over and play at our house. In fact, one afternoon he knocked on our door five times while Addelyn was napping! He has different interests than Addelyn so it has been fun to see what they end up doing together when they play. After one time of "being the baby" at our house, "A" has convinced Addelyn he doesn't want to do that ever again! He brought over his pheasant feathers the other day and they did a project together- cutting the feathers. I sat and listened to their conversations and just had to smile. Last weekend, he had her running around our house- "hunting" rabbits with his little nerf gun. Ahhh the fun of having neighbor kids!

5 months

2011-11-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

*Note- this was the lazy parent's month when it came to putting a white onesie under the sticker to take a picture. Before bath we threw the stickers on for some quick pics. Now we know- those stickers really take to the skin well!!!

Jace - at 5 months: (we are getting closer to 6 months already, just a little behind on this post!)
*Has 2 teeth
*Started eating some food- cereal, applesauce, carrots and sweet potatoes so far. Wasn't too interested at first and now he gets EXCITED about getting that food into his mouth!
*Smiles, smiles, smiles! love it!
*Is "loved on" by his big sis- daily incidents. She can really get him to smile or laugh though and he watches her closely.
*Goes to bed between 7:30-8:30 and eats 2-3 a night still (then falls right back asleep). We tried a bottle for one of those feedings so I could sleep more but he isn't having it. Only wants me to feed him at night. Yep, the five month tiredness has hit.
*Loves his exersaucer- AKA Chucky Cheese is what we call it at our house
*Recognizes us- gets really excited when he hears Mark or my voice
*Is a big boy- wearing 9 month clothing!
*Has hair finally starting to fill in
*Gives us some cute giggles
*Gives us some very serious looks at times
*Is laid back- such a good baby. He hardly cries or fusses unless he is hungry or tired!
*Still isn't tolerant of dairy, although I have been sneaking more bites here and there of "dairy items" and he hasn't seemed to notice
*Likes to grab onto and study his toys
*Sits up in the "tripod" pose but tips easily
*Takes 2-3 naps a day, usually pretty consistent but has random days
*Is such a sweet baby boy! Jacers, we love you!

our buddy cole

2011-11-19T21:37:00.001-08:00

One of my best friends that I grew up with - Arika- came up to visit with her little boy, Cole, the other day. Cole will be one year in December. He is at a fun stage- all over the place and into everything! I forget that part of the baby stage- AKA- my house is not ready. I have some baby proofing work to do. It was so fun to see them and have our kids together. Hopefully Cole and Jace will be great friends. Addelyn really loves Cole.
As you can see, she gave him LOTS of LOVE (that is what we'll call it)!

big, bad wolf

2011-11-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

No reason to be scared of this big, bad wolf!

mark junior

2011-11-19T21:23:00.000-08:00

Can you find the little girl napping in this photo? I actually looked around her room before I found her. She is going to be just like her dad- head under the pillow! (Now as long as I can keep her from needing a fan in her face.....)

spa treatment anyone?

2011-11-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

We are trying to do what we can to get rid of a really bad case of cradle cap. This poor babe has had it since he was weeks old. Recently, he has started to itch at it- which makes me feel terrible when he wakes up in the morning with a bloody scalp. So we have tried some special spa treatments at our house. First, olive oil. Next avacado. Last try, a special healing clay from Jess. Nothing has worked so far, at least not more than a few days! Any great suggestions for us?

the best thing...

2011-11-16T13:25:00.001-08:00

....is a toothy grin from the sweetest little baby boy ever!
(Two teeth already- got them at four months)

sibling love

2011-11-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love to watch my kids interact. Of course, Addelyn has loved on Jace since day #1. Finally, Jace is giving her some love back! Tonight, Mark and I went upstairs to change after work and put Jace in his highchair. Addelyn was playing in the living room and Mark headed downstairs and called for me to come too. We hid at the top of the stairs, peeking around the corner and watching the kids for a few minutes. Addelyn would run around, yell, smile, giggle- do everything she could to get Jace's attention and he would give her the best grins and giggles. It makes me excited to think of this as the beginning of their relationship. It makes me wonder what their friendship will look like as the years go by.

Their moment of unsupervised fun ended quickly as Addelyn pulled up a chair next to his highchair and started to try to lift him out. "You want to get out, right buddy?" she said.

family pics

2011-11-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie, pretty excited to get some of these pics hanging on our walls. Bryn is a friend of mine from high school, I'm so proud of her and her amazing photography skills. Just glad she is willing to come back to Iowa to share those skills with us!

http://www.brynmarae.com/2011/11/hoskinson-family-cedar-falls-ia-family-photography/

A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner

2011-11-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

Another Blogging for Books post! If you like free books, I suggest you check out their website.

This story has two settings. The past and the present. It focuses on a home, Holly Oak, that is filled with history. As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy that lived in Holly Oak. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, who currently lives in Holly Oak, doesn’t believe that Susannah’s ghost haunts the mansion, but she does believe that the house brings along with it issues from the past. Marielle comes into the story when she marries into the family and it isn’t long before she also sees the pain the home brings into the lives of women who live there. Throughout the story, Marielle searches for the truth about Susannah and the past of Holly Oak.

I was not sure if I'd like this book, however, ended up having a hard time putting it down. I liked the story line and liked that the setting was current, however, that it went back into history as Marielle searched for the truth of the women of the past of Holly Oak. I did think that there would have been a little more of an exciting ending but it wasn't what I expected. Overall, I would suggest this to those that are looking for a good fiction book to read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

River Valley Pumpkins

2011-11-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

The Friday before Halloween, Ilene's daycare crew plus a few moms plus Katie and Lisa (two of Ilene's daughters) headed to Steamboat Rock to the pumpkin farm. It is owned by a guy I went to high school with so I was excited to check it out. It was fun to go back to my hometown for an "outing."

It was a cold, sunny day. Jace was bundled up and just hung out, happily the whole time, despite the cold. I'm so thankful to have such a great, laid back kiddo- makes life so much easier on days like these!

There was a great corn box to play in. The kids loved it!

Katie took the day off from teaching and came along! We were so glad to get to hang out with her. She used to watch Addelyn all the time when she was little- it is fun when she gets to have some time with Jacers too! We love her!

Oh Ilene. Where to even start? She is much more than a babysitter or daycare person. She loves our kiddos and is such an amazing person. We are so thankful for her.

Raegan and Lisa and the kiddos on our tractor ride!

My beautiful little girl

The kids loved the tractor ride

At the beginning of the corn maze- with my sweet kiddos.

In the big ole barn- there were ropes to swing on, saddles to ride, and hay to play in.

The best picture on the bus ha ha.

The whole crew

Running through the hay maze

And last but not least, Lisa and Jacers. Lisa is another of Ilene's daughters. She moved to New York this summer so we miss getting to see her. We were so excited that on her long weekend home- we got to spend the day with her. She is so special to us. What a great morning!

halloween 2011

2011-11-10T19:26:00.001-08:00

The Friday before Halloween, we made our way to Steamboat Rock for some trick or treating action. Papa Marvin was busy doing fieldwork but he even took a break to see the kiddos.

Great Grandma Kramer always has her special touch with babies. It seems like both Addelyn (when she was a baby) and Jace just fit well in her arms!

Gotta love the chunky chicken! Nonnie Lora sure does!

Jacers got some cuddle time with Great Grandma Stewart.

My sweet little trick or treaters, the kitty and the chicken.

How can you not love this little kitty?

The four generations

Grandma Stewart loves her little kitty!
So glad we got a day of seeing some of the special grandparents and great grandparents!

leaves

2011-11-04T19:25:00.001-07:00

On one of those beautiful fall Saturdays, Addelyn helped her daddy rake leaves. Don't worry, she got plenty of jumping time in too!

carving the pumpkin

2011-11-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

We did end up buying a pumpkin right before Halloween so we could carve one too. What is Halloween without pumpkin carving?
Of course, Mark ends up doing all the work. This year, Addelyn did some help scraping out and also poking holes so we could cut out the shapes for the eyes/nose/mouth. She was a bit distracted though as Alec, our neighbor boy came over and carved with us. Addelyn LOVES this kiddo and really loves to play with him so often we invite him over to play or for dinner.

Mark hard at work, as usual. I take pictures and join in some of the fun. Jace was in his chair this year and didn't even make a picture. Whoops! He was there, just not real excited about the pumpkin fun. Just wait til next year!

The finished product!

painting the pumpkin

2011-11-02T18:58:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you find your pumpkin to be moldy as you start to carve? You PAINT the pumpkin! You also do it shirtless so you don't ruin your clothes!

Jacers helped of course!

The beautiful masterpiece!

consistency is the key

2011-11-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

when i picked up addelyn at jess' today...she DID NOT want to leave. after many times of telling her to get her shoes and coat on, i finally had to carry her out crying. before it ended this way, i told her that we couldn't go to church to dinner if she didn't listen to me (our church has a wednesday night family meal- we eat together with friends and then after dinner she plays with her little buddies). well, she still didn't listen and the whole way home, she sobbed about wanting to go to dinner. mark was home when we got here and she asked him a couple times if we could go. she has been having "quiet time" and twice she has yelled down to ask if i have changed my mind. she even told me that "daddy said we could probably still go."

two learnings for me.....

1. best consequence ever. she NEVER cares about anything else if i take away privileges when she misbehaves. oh wait, except dessert. i think church dinner is in her top things to do right now. :) so hopefully we have a teachable moment here about listening to your mom!

2. i punished myself. grrrr. i now have to make dinner. DANG IT. can i take it back????? worst consequence ever. this whole consistency thing is killing me!

thankful

2011-11-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

I got an email with these "November 30 Days of Thankfulness." I decided to print them off and hang them on the fridge, thinking it would bring some great dinner time conversations. As you can see, the first one is about family. I went first and shared my "thankful" thoughts about each person in our family. Then Mark shared his. It seemed like a serious, deep moment. And then on to the three year old. "Addelyn, how are you thankful for each person in our family?"

"Well, actually.....I love my friends. And I really really love dogs."

Ohhh Addelyn. You make me smile SOO MANY times each day. I'm thankful for you little girl!

Thanksgiving Season 2011

Day #1 - Tuesday, 11/1 – Thanks for Family. As you interact with your family today, take an opportunity to say a simple thank you to each family member for one thing you are grateful for. It might be something a family member has done for you, or it might be for a character quality you see in their lives.

Day #2 - Wednesday, 11/2 – Thanks for the Pain? We all experience hard times, but God is with us even in the worst circumstances. Thank God for His presence, comfort and strength that has helped you get through a rough season in your life, even if that season is now.

Day #3 – Thursday 11/3 – E-Thanks. Express your thanks to someone in your life sending them a brief e-mail or text message. Or, get fancy and send them a free e-card that are offered on many websites. If you aren’t into technology, just give or send a hand-written note.

Day #4 - Friday, 11/4 – Thank God for Silence. Due to the fast pace of our lives these days, most of us have forgotten the gifts of silence and reflection. Take a few minutes sometime today, find a quiet spot and thank God for the gift of silence and solitude. Spend some time thinking of other things you are grateful to God for.

Day #5 - Saturday, 11/5 – Thanksgiving Invitation. Find someone you are thankful for and invite them to your family’s Thanksgiving Day celebration. If you’re not going to be home for Thanksgiving Day, invite them over for coffee and pie sometime around the holiday.

Day #6 - Sunday, 11/6 – Thank God for Today. The past is history. Tomorrow is uncertain. But, we have today. Thank God for giving us this day. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Day #7 – Monday, 11/7 – Thanks for Sharing Faith! Today, think of someone in your life who has helped you to know God better. Mail them a note, send them an email or tell them in person that you are thankful for their help and example of faith along the way.

Day #8 - Tuesday, 11/8 – Thanks for Freedom! Thank God for allowing us to live in a democracy where we are allowed to vote. Sure, we don’t live in a “perfect” country, but we can certainly be thankful for the many freedoms we enjoy that many countries don’t.

Day #9 - Wednesday, 11/9 – Laughter Day. There’s just something about laughter that makes it easier for us to be grateful people. So, make today laughter day in your home. Tell funny stories, jokes, watch a good comedy together with your family and thank God that He gave us the gift of humor.

Day #10 - Thursday, 11/10 – What I Like About You… Today, take a few minutes and make a list of the things you like about your immediate family members. Share your list with your family sometime during the day – and thank them for those things!

Day #11 - Friday, 11/11 - Thank a Veteran Day. Regardless of your views on war, there is no doubt that in our country we are surrounded by brave men and women who have served their country with honor. Find a veteran today, and say thank you. If you know of a World War 2 veteran, call one up to say thanks. These WW2 veterans are dying at the rate of approximately 1,000 per day. So, take advantage of saying thank you to them while you still can!

Day #12 - Saturday, 11/12 – Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Day. We all get so busy that we can ignore the wonders of life all around us – like the smell of coffee when we get up, or a friend who drops by to say hello. Today, take time to notice your surroundings and thank God for the things we often take for granted.

Day #13 - Sunday, 11/13 – Give Thanks for God’s Word. Offer up thanks to God today, for giving us the Scriptures. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

Day #14 - Monday, 11/14 – Positive Thoughts Only! Okay, this one will take some work, but strive today to think only positive thoughts about other people and the situations you find yourself in. Be upbeat and thankful. You’ll be amazed at how this improves your day – and you’re likely to find how your positive attitude affects others as well!

Day #15 - Tuesday, 11/15 – Little Things Make a Difference. We often ignore the little things in life that make life easier and better for us. Today, make a list of ‘little things’ that you appreciate. For example, my list will include indoor plumbing, refrigerators and my iPhone.

Day #16 - Wednesday, 11/16 – Thank You Call. Today, make a phone call to someone in your life whom you wish to thank for something they’ve done. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation, but a verbal expression of thanks often means a lot to the person you are thanking.

Day #17 - Thursday, 11/17 – Your Top 10. Today, make a list of 10 people you are thankful for. Call, email, or text one or more of them and tell them they are on your top 10 list!

Day #18 - Friday, 11/18 – Prayer Path Day. Today, say a quick prayer of thanks for everyone who crosses your path – like the cashier at the Burger King, or the person delivering your morning paper. You get extra credit for saying thanks to these people, in person.

Day #19 - Saturday, 11/19 – Experience the Moment! Too often, we focus more on what we need to do tomorrow or next week than we do on what’s happening today. Today, live in the present and be thankful for it – from raking the leaves to planning your Thanksgiving dinner.

Day #20 - Sunday, 11/20 – Knowing Jesus. What can compare to knowing Jesus? I cannot explain to you how thankful I am that I have been blessed with the opportunity to know Jesus. The difference He’s made in my life – through knowing Him as Savior and Lord – cannot be measured. Today, give thanks for knowing the Savior!

Day #21 - Monday, 11/21 – Thanksgiving Phone Call. Call, email or text a relative or friend who will be away from you on Thanksgiving Day. Thank them for their presence and influence in your life.

Day #22 - Tuesday, 11/22 – Food, Food, Food! As you begin to think about that great Thanksgiving Day meal you’ll be eating in a couple days, take some time to thank God for food and His gracious provisions. Pray for those who will go without this Thanksgiving Day. Do something for someone less fortunate than you, if you are able.

Day #23 - Wednesday, 11/23 – The Blessing of Family and Friends. Tomorrow is T-Day! Make a brief list of why you are thankful for these people. Thank God by name for each person you will be spending tomorrow with. Tomorrow, tell each person why you are thankful for them.

Day #24 - Thursday, 11/24 – Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy your celebration! Take time to reflect on the meaning attached to this day. Perhaps you can read one of the ‘Thanksgiving Proclamations’ that were written by our past Presidents, such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. They are easy to locate on the Internet. In fact, they are posted on HomeWord.com.

Day #25 - Friday, 11/25 – Take a Trip Down Memory Lane. Take some time today with family to look at photos or videos from Thanksgiving celebrations from the past. As you remember Thanksgivings gone-by, thank God for the loved ones you’ve spent these holidays with.

Day #26 - Saturday, 11/26 – Exercise! After the past few days, you’re probably in need of burning off some calories. Enjoy a walk, take a hike, or do whatever you can do and like to do. Thank God for your physical abilities. We might not be in the best physical condition, but we can still give thanks for the capabilities we do have!

Day #27- Sunday, 11/27 – Heritage Sunday! Today, thank God for the long line of Christ-followers who have gone before us as well as those who share in and encourage our faith these days. Their faith and faithfulness to share it with us is a tremendous heritage!

Day #28 - Monday, 11/28 – Thank God for Learning! Something often overlooked in our lives is that God created us with the ability to learn. So, whether you are in school now, are learning a new hobby, or have learned a lesson from a poor decision, thank God today for the capacity to learn.

Day #29 - Tuesday, 11/29 – God’s Work in You. It’s not uncommon to overlook the difference God is making in your own life. Take a few moments to make a list of things you appreciate about yourself. Remember, God is at work in your life – so thank Him for it! “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

Day #30 - Wednesday, 11/30 – Thanks for the Service! Today, make a special effort to say thank you to anyone who provides you with a service. The barista at Starbucks, for example, might be pleasantly shocked when you tell him or her how great a job they’ve done preparing your pumpkin-spice latte.

my sweet boy

2011-11-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

Ahh Jacers what a sweet little man. We just love him. Mark and I talked tonight about what a sweet, mild mannered guy he proves to be each and every day. He loves to hang out and watch the world around him. I guess part of that comes with being the second kid!

He is liking his exersaucer! Mark calls it his "chucky cheese" as sometimes it seems a bit much- almost over stimulation!

Little hood rat!

Why do the smiles go away as SOON as the camera comes out?

First days of cereal. Didn't love it but he is doing better now. I wasn't going to feed him cereal for awhile but I decided to try it out to see if it would help fill his tummy and make him sleep more at night! So far, not so much but we'll see!

Jacers, we love you!

ever feel this way?

2011-10-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

You know you are tired WHEN...........

Early this morning at 3:45 am, after listening to our baby cry for 45 minutes (don't judge, i swear we checked him a lot, plus it got to the point where he KEPT waking up all night long and i didn't know what to do anymore- he is teething, eating SOO much, etc, etc), Mark rolled over and said to me, "All I can think about is how I can't wait to go to bed tonight."

Okay, make me feel better today about my tiredness. Answer this one....."You know you are tired WHEN...."

happy halloween...

2011-10-30T19:49:00.001-07:00

....from the cutest little chicken and kitty I have ever seen!

More Lost Than Found by Jared Herd

2011-10-26T12:55:00.001-07:00

It seems that we hear of many who walk away from the church after being hurt, frustrated, feeling judged, or many other reasons. In the book, More Lost Than Found, the author Jerod Herd speaks to the pain of leaving the church and also his decision to walk back in. He decided the problem wasn't Jesus, the problem was how he has been taught to see Jesus. This book walks through his story, but more than that, shares how to give faith another chance.

I was drawn to this book as I have heard Jared speak at a youth conference and also I was curious what he had to say about this topic. I appreciated his honesty and the way the book was written. It was easy reading. Many times throughout the book, he challenges Christians not to get stuck seeing Christianity in a sanitized way. One thing he talked about was the need for imagination when it comes to faith. It seems that many of us have lost that child-like imagination and have put our faith in a box. I also appreciated the reminder of how technology has caused many of us to live without wonder or true relationship.

At times, I felt that the book lacked in direction a bit, however, overall there were enough great "parts" that allowed me to connect. He challenges both those within the church and those who have chosen to stay outside the walls to reconsider the direction of their lives. As a church leader, it was a great read. I would also suggest it to mature teens or young adults, as well as older adults, especially those questioning the church or their faith.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

loves her daddy

2011-10-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

Mark started Youth Art Team tonight, which he is pretty excited about. This meant a night home with just me and the kiddos. When Addelyn found out her dad was going to be gone, "helping kids with art," she gave me a big hug and said, "Mom, why don't you go help the kids and Daddy can stay home?"

SUCH a Daddy's girl!!!!

pink eye

2011-10-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

I was telling Mark that Addelyn's buddy "J" has pink eye.

Addelyn, listening as always, responded, "What happened to his blue eyes, Mom?"

a day in the life

2011-10-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Just another day in the life of Addelyn's babies. (I found her in the closet the other morning, taking pictures with my camera.)

*Be sure to check below for new posts, for some reason they ended up below older posts!*

happy days

2011-10-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have decided my children usually are happy together. Or sad together. Or mad together. They cry together. At least we have unity, right? Gotta love the happy days.

stories

2011-10-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

Addelyn is telling the stories like crazy these days. She shares her imagined stories in the most matter of fact voice- usually using hand gestures. We have to try our hardest not to laugh.
For example, this is ONE of the MANY daily stories:

Addelyn: My husband will be home soon. His name is Matt. I call him honey.
Me: What is his last name?
A: Oh, Kramer. Well, sometimes Hoskinson. But it doesn't matter, I call him honey. Yeah, he'll be home from work soon. I had my baby today. He came out and cried a lot. Matt is going to cook dinner now. What should we have for dinner he says?

PAUSE.

A: I am actually in high school. I am packing up for my Caravan trip now. And baby is going with me. Matt has to stay home though but baby likes to go, see I packed her bag!

(Usually I don't have to say much, I just listen! She has conversations with herself.) I LOVE LOVE LOVE this imagination. Makes me smile every day.

friends

2011-10-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

We love our friends, the Bartletts and the Schultzs. We all got together a few weeks ago and it was great. The kids had tons of fun running around and playing. The guys golfed in the rain. So thankful for such great friends!

4 months down

2011-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

Time sure flies these days. Crazy to think my second baby is already 4 months old. He is a sweet baby boy. As you can see, Addelyn and Jace are getting to know each other better. He even loves morning snuggles, watching cartoons with her. She has chilled out a bit and although she still loves to be around him, she isn't quite as much in his business!
He is a big boy- the funniest thing is, people (random strangers) are always commenting. "That is ONE BIG BABY!" or today, a mom of a 10 month old mentioned how our babies are the same size!
His stats from his 4 month appointment:
16 lbs, 1 oz- 86th percentile
24 inches- 26th percentile
17 inches- head - 90th percentile (yeah the head makes him look bigger I think!)

Jacers naps well- but not necessarily on a schedule. I do know that he will pretty much be ready to sleep 1 1/2 - 2 hours after he wakes. He goes to bed around 8ish and gets up twice a night still. That is one thing I am ready to be done with- come on buddy, Mommy needs some sleep! But this boy loves to eat. He does a good job at going back to sleep as soon as he is done eating which is the good thing. I'm trying to remember that these late night moments of holding and nursing my baby boy will soon be over and I'll be craving holding him in my arms.

He is still not able to have dairy- if I eat something with it on accident- I'll find out at the next feeding- as I'll have a little boy in some pain. No fun. So I continue to be creative with my eating and also enjoy junior mints and Oreos, the two "chocolate" options I have. Seriously, I love my chocolate so this dairy thing has affected my sweet eating- not that this is a bad thing! I like to complain about it every few days and then I feel better.

He has a voice- he screams (happily), grunts, coos. I LOVE hearing him talk. So sweet. He does cry- mostly when he wakes up hungry, that is when you hear his "loud" voice.

He is rolling over. Mostly from tummy to back but he can do from back to tummy too.

The mullet- sweet! He lost a lot of his hair from birth and has a sweet, soft layer growing in on his whole head. He still has cradle cap. Can't quite get rid of it! He does still have a nice little area of hair in the back that he never lost.

Tummy time- this boy has a strong neck! Loves to be watching what is going on!

I think this picture (above) is one where he looks a LOT like Mark and the Hoskinson side. I call him little Dar.

He likes being outside a lot and that is where we are on many of these beautiful fall days. He watches Addelyn play, goes for walks in the stroller, and sometimes even naps outside if I don't make it in at the right time (I'm a little more laid back with him that I was with Addelyn haha!)

We love our sweet, cuddly baby boy. So thankful to have him in our lives.

too many cakeballs???

2011-10-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last night we were out for a family walk- Addelyn was riding her bike, Jace in the stroller, and Mark and I were walking. We came to an area that had TONS of walnuts on the sidewalk. Addelyn started riding her bike over them and they were cracking and making noise. She yelled, "Wow, Mom and Dad, there are cakeballs ALL OVER and I'm running over them!"

Maybe we have been to Scratch Cupcakery a few too many times?!

helping a mom out

2011-10-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had help with my non dairy diet. As I unwrapped one small little tootsie roll, Addelyn said, "Mom, are you sure you can have those?"

Caught. Just one little small tootsie roll sounded sooo good.

my girl

2011-09-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

I figured I needed an "Addelyn these days" post too. So here is what she has been up to. First of all, she has been taking care of Jace. Yes, we are still working on not smothering him! She is getting better about giving him space, most days. She is also helpful- like today- he was fussing while I was trying to get bags packed. Suddenly he was quiet and I walked into her holding in his binkie and comforting him.

She naps. Well, kind of. Most days she has "quiet time" and plays. This day she chose to nap in her toy bin! She was covered by her "Tink" - her favorite blanket and I had to capture a picture.

She colors, draws, writes....she can do this for long periods of time, which is great when I'm nursing Jace. She is a creative little girl.

Baby time- she nurses baby, puts baby to sleep, rocks baby, and more! Something to note- the baby in this picture was mine when I was a little girl!

She is growing up so quickly. Somedays I just stare at her in amazement - as I see this little girl grow up before my eyes! What a sweet little person, well, most days!

Jace these days

2011-09-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the days with our almost four month old baby! He is a sweet mannered boy that we love very much!

Baby? YES.

2011-09-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

We have all known about Addelyn's baby infatuation. Some thought it would slow down or end once Jace got a bit older- once he wasn't "new." Yeah right!

This girl is obsessed. The obsession has changed a bit now. It now is more of a pretend play that has to do with babies. The things we hear these days:

"I have a baby bump."

"I have a baby in my belly."

"I just had my baby."

"I'm having twins."

"My baby came out."

"I can't eat that/drink that because of my baby."

"I need to pump after dinner."

And many more....let me tell you. Somedays I think she really thinks she has a baby inside of her. It is what she talks about 80% of her day. Dinner time conversation is centered around her baby. Ohhh baby.

joy

2011-09-18T19:35:00.001-07:00

Doesn't this picture show the joy of grandparents? Gotta love it. Happy Birthday this week to Papa Marvin!

just hanging out

2011-09-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

These last few days of cooler weather have made me bring out: the kiddos fall/winter clothes from storage, sweatshirts, blankets, tea, sleepers for Jace (he has lived in onesies the last three months), and our space heater. Ahh I love fall but really don't like what fall brings....winter!

I do love snuggling up with my little ones (and Mark too!) We have had some great at home time the last few days. Just hanging out! Love it.

stats

2011-09-15T12:11:00.001-07:00

I got the kids "sized up" today.

Jace- 3 months, 1 week old
15 lbs 2.2 oz. - 23 5/8 inches= BIG, SHORT BOY

Addelyn- 3 years, 9 months old
31.8 lbs & 38 3/4 inches- puts her right below average in the percentile charts

alike?

2011-09-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

Addelyn, age 3 months

Jace, age 3 months

How quickly you can forget what your kids looked like at different stages! I was amazed as I noticed the differences (and similarities!) as I looked through baby pics of Addelyn. I didn't post any of the pics that show her body but she was SOO petite compared to him! What do you think, do they look alike?

susie bob

2011-09-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

Susie Bob is our new toad (well, we had him for a night but he has been released back into the wild.) It is funny because having a toad around reminds me of the days of growing up on the farm. My sister and I would catch toads all the time and keep them for days, give them names, etc. I love to watch Addelyn have some of these experiences even though we aren't on a farm. As for where the name Susie Bob came from, we don't know? Susie Bob is also the new name of one of her baby dolls too!
*Just did a few new posts all at once in case you care:)

sweet girl

2011-09-10T12:35:00.001-07:00

This is the best picture of this little girl. I need to look at it to be reminded of her sweetness when she has made a mural on our wall with deodorant, or markers, or makeup.......gotta love this three year old and her extracurricular activities this week!

buddies

2011-09-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

Carson & Jace

The three little buddies- Myka, Carson, and Jace

I love these pics. I had blogged a pic of all of the preggos in our small group a few months ago. We are down to ONE baby left to be had- and that is hopefully happening soon as that due date is tomorrow! Here are the three babes born this summer from our small group, minus Toby who was born in December and the baby that is coming soon. It is fun to imagine how these little ones will have great times together- probably getting into trouble, having lots of fun, and hopefully becoming great friends and looking out for one another!

3 months

2011-09-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

The hands/arms that never stop moving

The love of a sister

So much love....

Love those smiles. So hard to catch them on camera though. He smiles, I pull out the camera and he gives the blank stare.

Jace is such a sweet little guy. Big guy I should say. He is solid. At three months, he is starting to respond much more to us. Smiling, cooing, sometimes on the verge of a laugh! He rolls from his back to his side and from his stomach to his side. The other day at Jess' house he rolled completely over from his stomach to his back. Haven't seen that move again yet but I'm thinking it will be soon!

Jace still eats every 3 hrs during the day and at night he still gets up one to two times. There is no way he is ready to not eat during the night. He is a hungry boy when he wakes up and is growing larger by the day as you can see! He is starting to get longer stretches though so there is a glimmer of hope for good sleep again someday.

I'm still not able to eat dairy- and when I do have even just a little- I notice a big difference so it isn't even worth it. I'm getting used to the new diet. Kind of!

Addelyn still LOVES Jace. So much. So that means we can't really leave her alone long in a room with him- otherwise, she tries to cover him up, change him, pick him up and more. I continually am saying (when I'm in another room for a minute) "Addelyn, what are you doing?"
But I am thankful for the love she has for him! And he sure does give her lots of smiles, as long as she isn't up in his business!

We love our big boy, Jace Joseph! It is so much fun to watch him grow.

first blog for books

2011-09-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

I'm finally reviewing my first book. I've moved a little slower the last few months when it comes to reading but I'd like to say I'm back at it again! This is a great program- and you can help me if you'd like by ranking my review at the bottom. The more reviews I receive, the more options of books I have to choose from in the future.

Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley was an easy read. That is one of my favorite things about Andy Stanley is that he writes books that are pretty easy to pick up and read anytime. This one focused on the destructive power of four issues- guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. I felt like he had some good practical ideas of how to break through some of these issues. He also had good stories that I related to. At one point of the book, he focused a chapter that spoke to the fact that these four issues in adults are often passed onto our children. I appreciated this chapter more than the rest.

There is a small group guide in the back and I will definitely suggest this book to small groups in the future to check out. I'm giving this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

time with mom

2011-08-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

I've noticed how important it is for Addelyn to have special time with me (where I'm not focused on Jace and his needs). That crucial time can make a world of difference in her behavior. So I'm really trying to make a point to do special things together. Or maybe better put- to do ordinary things together and make them special!

Flour letter tracing turned into a flour bath! She told me she was shaving her arms! I decided to roll with it and let her make a mess....

Frog snack! This was a fun one we made (and ate!) together!

Youth Pavilion- Last week was $1 day at the Youth Pavilion. This is such a great kids place- and Addelyn loves it. My mom was still on summer break so we left Jace with her and Addelyn and I went for a few hours. We had a lot of fun together and even had a little lunch date out! We called it our special Mommy/Daughter date! Oh the fun. I got a few pictures- Addelyn is anti-photos these days so we do what we can. Note that she is not smiling! I promise we were enjoying ourselves!
I get excited for the future- lots of special Mommy/Daughter days. Addelyn is SUCH a Daddy's girl....so I have realized it is always going to be important for the two of us to work hard at being connected and for me to give her special time and focus.

Sorry, Daddy!

2011-08-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know if Mark was more annoyed at the nasty blowout on his shorts or the fact that I took pictures before helping him get cleaned up!

swim lessons

2011-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

Addelyn had her first year of swim lessons this summer. It turned into three weeks of lessons because of a few rain dates. The lessons ended up falling during those two really hot and humid weeks which was actually great- the water was wonderful at 10 am. I got to be in the water with her each day too which was actually great time for Addelyn and I to be together. One of the days, Mark took off work and came to lessons so I could watch and take pics!

She learned to dunk under water, do the alligator crawl, front float and back float (with help), and honestly- she really got much more comfortable and daring in the water. It has been fun to see her comfort level grow.

quinlan family

2011-08-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

This is just a glimpse into the fun we had last weekend at the "annual" Quinlan family get together. Tom and Lori hosted this year in Mason City. I even golfed. Not impressive golfing for me but still, golfing. Lori bought the kiddos all horses and they had a blast riding them around and playing together. What a great family full of special people that I got to marry into!

smiles

2011-08-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Finally getting some smiles on camera of our sweet little boy!!!!

big sis - little bro

2011-08-15T09:36:00.001-07:00

I still hadn't gotten a picture of these two wearing their shirts together and Jace won't be in his shirt much longer! Too bad I picked a day that they were not happy about a photo session....this was my best one!

another buddy

2011-08-09T20:15:00.001-07:00

Jace got to meet another little friend the other day that was born right around six weeks after him. Nolan is such a little cutie with TONS of dark brown hair. Jace was a bit jealous of his full head of hair but otherwise, I think they got along great. Congrats to our friends Ryan and Leah on your beautiful little boy! It will be fun to see the boys get older and play together!

these days

2011-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

Just a picture update of some of the things we have been up to these last days of summer. Where has the summer gone (and my maternity leave?) The pic above is from the Bremer County Fair. We went and saw some animals and also played some of the 4H games.

Lots of laying on the floor, staring (well, Jace does).....we are often talking to our sweet little boy and trying to capture smiles!

Ring around the Jacers

Babies taking naps

Our baby taking a nap (lots of naps!)

More naps, on the couch with Daddy

My beautiful kiddos on the playmat.
Just a few of the pics from our laid back days of summer.

2 months old

2011-08-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

The many faces of Jace.....

He does smile......just VERY hard to catch on camera!

Everyone who sees Jace comments on how big he looks. Well, we went to the doctor this morning and yep, he is a growing boy! He is 13 lbs, 2 oz and in the 85th percentile for weight. He is 22 1/4 inches and the 25th percentile for height. His head was 16 inches and that is the 60th percentile. So a big, short boy ha ha!
Some of my favorites about Jace right now...
*how he keeps one creepy little eye open until he truly falls asleep.
*how he snuggles right into me- we seem to fit together! I love cuddling my little boy!
*how he is giving us sweet little smiles and coos.
*the mohawk of hair on each of his ears that he still hasn't lost (Addelyn lost hers at six weeks).

Happy two months of life my sweet little guy!

6, almost 7 weeks apart

2011-08-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

*Don't miss my older posts, I am blog updating like crazy tonight!

Another preggo from our small group had her baby! My wonderful friend Jess, had Carson a few weeks ago. He is so precious and sweet. Crazy that these boys are only six weeks apart- it will be fun to see them when they actually look the same size. Right now, Jace looks like he could eat Carson (everyone keeps saying how HUGE Jace is for his age, will be interesting to see his stats tomorrow at the two month doctor apointment!) The fun thing is- Jess and I have enjoyed our last two pregnancies together. Austin, her middle son, was born eight days after Addelyn and they are good buddies. So fun to share day to day life and welcome new life together with such great friends! Welcome to the world, Carson!!!

aunt jil-wa

2011-08-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is one special aunt that loves her time with her niece and nephew. We love you Aunt Jil-wa! (this is how Addelyn has said her name from day one) Kinda sad, she is starting to say it right now- hopefully Jace will carry on the "Aunt Jil-wa" tradition.

sneaky

2011-08-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Check out these pics of the two kiddos, Carter and Addelyn. When we had a get together with Mark's high school/college friends and families a few weeks ago (who I must add are pretty wonderful people!)- Carter and Addelyn had a blast playing together. They are six months apart. They were busy at play on Sunday afternoon and little did I know, they had grabbed my camera and snuck to a far corner of the bedroom. I noticed these pics a few days later- and when I asked Addelyn- she admitted to taking pics with Carter in the corner! (They actually did pretty well with their picture taking skills). Can't you just imagine how sneaky they thought they were being and how funny it would have been to listen to their conversations as they plotted together and took pics?