Our Little Monkey and His Big Sister

Henry is 11 months and 8 days old!  He's quite the little monkey.  He loves to crawl superfast everywhere.  He also likes to climb on anything and everything.  This weekend he used the toys to get himself up onto Romber's coffee table ottoman.  He also had fun climbing in the big-girl doll pink jeep and through the end table legs.  At home he climbs the mountain of cushions and scales the easel that's been tipped over onto the walker toy for quite a while now.  Whenever Henry is missing (don't worry, only for a few seconds) I hurry to the stairs.  He's usually already half way up and looooveeees when I come to get him and chew him out in a fun little 'just joking' voice.  Here are some other Henry updates...

• He understands 'no' - we tell him this mostly in context of touching electrical outlets.
• LOVES the stairs and railings at Omi and Opa's and Grandma and Grandpa's!  Both sets have recently watched the kids for a couple hours in the evening and Henry thoroughly wore Opa and Grandpa out.  Somehow they both got the job of following him?! ;)  He and Opa climbed the stairs a dozen times.  Henry is really good at knowing that he needs to climb down 'backwards.'  When Matt and I got back to Mark and Brenda's after our dinner out, Mark's words were "you take over now!" in an exhausted and relieved tone.
• Steps!  Henry has been taking some steps when he slows down enough to try.  His record is eight!  It won't be long until he's walking if he decides it.  Right now he's so much faster crawling that he really prefers that.
• Language!  He still says Dada and once in a while, Claire, and we have added Riley and Grandpa into the mix.  Grandpa is a tough two syllable word, but he makes the sounds consistently when he's excited to see Grandpa out the window.  I'm sure he's learned it so well since Grandpa is always out here and we talk a lot about what he's doing outside. 
• Books!  We are doing a better job of listening to them and looking at the pictures instead of just chewing on them.  Though it's still difficult to get Henry to sit still long enough to listen to even a short board book.
• Henry is going to be a tough little boy!  When Claire trys to 'help' with him or take over, she often grabs him in the most awkward ways to move him.  He's really tolerant of her most of the time!
• Food - he loves trying new foods and has only made a face a couple times when trying something.  He is totally feeding himself, so sometimes we have quite a bit of food that he drops, but he has fun trying and gets some in!  He likes to nurse still throughout the day and usually once at night.
• Naps are not very routine because we are out and about three days a week.  We always make it home for an afternoon nap for both the kids and he naps in the morning for a couple hours if we are home, but if we're running errands or going to preschool or Kindermusik then he catches a catnap in the car to or from.

ClaireClaire is such a spunky little three year old girl.  It's amazing how one minute she can be a perfect little angel, making all the right choices and being so polite and sweet, and the next minute we can have a sharing or obeying problem.  She can be a little stinker and knows how to passively 'push buttons.'  With consistent reinforcement, I'm sure she will learn to share and obey.  And it's such a great responsibility (and exhausting!) that we've been entrusted to teach her.  Good thing God will grant us wisdom in raising his children!

I love our little monkey and his big sister and their papa so much.  I cannot imagine our life together any other way.  Lately I've been feeling incredibly blessed, for reasons that I've taken for granted.  I love when God uses someone else's story to inspire us or in this case to remind me to have an attitude of gratitude and leave my critical tendencies behind.  I can hear "don't sweat the small stuff" a hundred times, but until my heart is ready to hear it, it doesn't click.  Praise be to God for making it 'click' for me this week and for using other people's stories to bless my life.

Busy, Busy Farm!

Our farm has been a busy place these past couple weeks!  We started seeing the changes last week, when Grandpa got out the combine and started tuning it up.  He knows everything about the farm equipment and does all the work himself (as opposed to some farmers who hire it out).  Matt has a lot to learn from 'the Boss' as we affectionately call him.  This week, Daddy has been home to work in the fields.  Today (or technically yesterday) was a 14 hour day.  It's hard work, but Matt really enjoys it.

Inside, we've seen some changes too.  I have been adjusting to the single parent lifestyle.  I have spent more time praying, as God is the only one who can give me enough energy for these two when I'm running on little sleep.  Thank you, Lord, for the energy to enjoy the day!

Claire and Henry have been helping me plan meals, grocery shop, and prepare the feasts.  They are nothing special, but it's hot and filling food and it's forced me to meal plan...something I should be doing anyway.  Grandpa Dodge, Grandpa, and Daddy had lasagna and salad tonight.  I put some extra special ingredients in the lasagna, to which no one noticed.  Matt knew I 'spiced up' the recipe, but asked not to know the specifics.  It was tasty and he wanted to eat it without thinking about what was in it...lol.  Gotta sneak in some more veggies here and there!  Luckily, Grandpa Dodge eats whatever you put in front of him.  Grandpa makes special requests like "don't give me as much salad as him," to which I ignore and tell him he would have been better off not saying anything because now he's getting more salad.  Daddy has learned that he is going to get tomatoes on his plate whether he likes it or not.  It's my kitchen...I'll run it how I want!  (Yes, I'm feisty.  If you come over though, you are a guest, so I'll be nicer.)

Helping Mami in the kitchen!

"This one looks good.  Look at how strong I am, Mama!"
This was an impromptu pumpkin picking party at Ivan's.  Daddy rents his land from Ivan and Ivan always has a little produce stand.  We were on the way to the field to deliver water.  We definitely needed this excursion...it had been a long day.  Nothing like a little outing to turn it right around though.

"Yessss!!  Mami is finally letting me work on the computer." 

Typical Saturday During Harvest!
Matt has a free moment unloading the wagons so we went out to visit him.  The corn flows out of the wagons, up the auger, into the bin, up the auger, into the dryer, into the next bin.  Thought I'd add that little farming tutorial for all those who don't know what goes on around here...lol!  :)

Mama's Little Man

"I'm working here...no pictures!"

Black Bean Enchiladas...yummy!

Look closely and you'll see Daddy's little helper!
And for all those who haven't heard this story...Claire comes in from the field (combining with Daddy and Grandpa the other evening), asked me if I missed her, told me she missed me, and told me she worked hard for three miles!  Then she asked me if she could have a cookie.  Matt had come in the house that morning and had a cookie.  She wanted one at the time, but I'd told her that he got one because he'd been working hard for three hours and we didn't need one.  Apparently Claire has a memory like no other since nothing else was said all day and she remembered!  Only got miles/hours mixed up!  She enjoyed her cookie...  :)

10 months and Perfect Love

What a fun time we're having watching our kids grow.  I read today something about appreciating each day with your children, as the next day they are just a bit older and you can never get the previous day back.  Of course we all know this, but it was a good reminder that I needed to hear.

Henry is exploring everything.  He gets mad when I take something away that he wants or when I stop him in his tracks on his way to something new.  He stands momentarily now without holding on to anything, so he's finding his balance.  He still cruises like it's none of your business, and is so fast crawling all around!  He enjoys trying all sorts of new foods and eats anything (almost!) that we are eating as a family.  He prefers to feed himself and will grab at the spoon if someone else is trying to feed him.  He puts his hands together like a clap for 'more' and shakes his hands back and forth up in the air for 'all done.'  He says Dada, Daddy, and Claire.  It is SO difficult to change his diaper.  Sometimes he will lay still if I give him something new and interesting to look at, but sometimes that doesn't even work.  Don't worry, we still change him! ;)  He is skipping his afternoon nap lately, which makes for a tired boy before 7:30 bedtime.  I have to put him down at the first hint of tiredness in the morning for him to get up in time and be tired again at afternoon nap time.  That is difficult to do any day that we leave the house, so we just try our best.  Henry is still a laid back baby and as happy as ever.

I love it when he nurses, it's our special time (though sometimes I'm so tired I fall asleep with him!).  He still curls his little legs up while he sleeping-nurses.  Every time he does it I think about how he's still my baby and he will be a little boy soon.  I love it when he giggles or gives me his big smile.  I love it when he sits still long enough to read a book (not often!).  I love it when he grabs onto me or my clothes when I'm carrying him around (as if to hold on for dear life!).  I love it when he smiles and laughs while playing with Claire.  I love it when he gives me big, sloppy, wet, baby kisses.  I love it when he looks out the window and watches for Daddy and says "Dada" or "Daddy."  I love it when we play airplane together and fly to Spain or China or Germany or the occasional Florida.  I love it when he reaches for me and almost dives into my arms (even after I've been holding him all day and I'd really like a break!).  I love my baby boy so much.  I can't even imagine the Father's love for him and for us all...my love for my children is so great, but imperfect - I'm a selfish being.  If I love them so unconditionally, how much greater does God love them and me, for His love is perfect and He is always unselfish.

Bountiful Harvest

We had such a nice, relaxing Sunday!  It was great to be able to hang out at home together all day after church.  We took two walks, picked up the house, got lots of quality reading and play time in, and harvested vegetables from the garden.  I am pumped about the garden.  It doesn't look so hot, as it's all grown together, but it's giving us some nice produce!  (Good thing I watered it...I don't think it would have survived this year without daily watering.)  Tonight, we picked seven purple peppers, two red peppers, and one lone tomato.  There are still lots of tomatoes on the plants, but they are all green or just barely turning to ripen.  The tomato was delicious - I ate it like an apple while we were picking.  Henry had a bite or two as well.  Claire seemed to prefer the peppers.  Of the nine we picked, approximately five have a couple bites out of them here and there...hehe.  I plan on cutting them up and freezing them to put them in fajitas, etc. this winter.  I'd like to learn how to can vegetables too, but my older and wiser teacher friend (mom's age) Julie told me freezing is a lot easier...so I'll stick with that for now.  :)

Being goofy!  (And Henry is looking for Daddy, who is mowing the road so we can walk on it better!)

Showing off our one tomato and a red pepper.  Henry seems pretty interested!  He's becoming a really good eater and likes everything we've given him.  We also checked the corn with Daddy before our walk, which Claire is storing in the pocket.  :)

Here she is!  I told you she's a bit overgrown.  Next year I'm planting farther apart and it's going to be MUCH bigger - can't wait!

My babies!  I cannot believe how big they are and how much I love them.  They are the lights of my life!

Goin' to the Chapel!

We are SO excited for Onkel Alex and Tante Jaclyn's wedding this month!  Today really felt like the kick-off, as we hosted a shower for Jaclyn.  We played a couple fun games and had some delicious quiche and muffins for brunch.  Fun Fact 1: Alex's favorite movie is Ace Ventura.  Fun Fact 2: Jaclyn preferred that her oldest sister Jami wiped her butt when she was little (i.e. Jaclyn 2 year-ish and Jami 10 years old).  Fun Fact 3: Alex's first kiss was Margaret Van Heel.  Fun Fact 4: Jaclyn has been planning weddings for years.  She'd been married three times before the age of seven, to a neighbor boy named Sam.  No one knows where Sam is today.  Fun Fact 5: Alex and Jaclyn, in ten years, are going to be living on an acreage, have 2-3 kids, have one more dog than the number of kids they have (that would be 3-4 dogs), and be "in debt up to their eyeballs."

Random thought: I think we need to change cultures.  We need more than just one day for this wedding.  It's going to be one BIG party!!!!

We love visiting Onkel Alex while our van gets an oil change!  A good excuse for some quality onkel time, even if it may not be the 'most productive thing Alex could be doing right now.'  Right, bro?  ;)

Introducing...Riley!

Welcome to the farm, Riley-Hund!  Let it be known that there's a new dog on the block.  We are so excited to have found the perfect dog to add to our family.

His name was Henry, but obviously we're changing it.  He only got that name at the shelter two months ago anyway, so he didn't really know it as his own yet.  On the way home from the shelter, we tossed around a few names.  Riley is the perfect name for this big, lovable guy!  He's 81 pounds and gentle as can be.  Claire was a bit intimidated at the shelter, but once we got him home and he was 'her' dog, she started taking care of him and showing him the ropes right away.

Claire is trying to comfort Katja!
Katja and Tigger were quite scared and tried to hiss (kittens must not be able to hiss at three months?), but Nutella wasn't really too scared.  Riley was so calm and didn't bother the cats and kittens at all!

A Girl and Her Dog  :) :)
I'm so excited that Claire and Henry get to grow up with pets.  It's really the best!
Unconditional love and friendship!

Riley is having fun exploring the farm a bit.  He really didn't go far at all, always staying right by the house, even when we were inside.  This is the farthest he got, but Claire went after him and still wanted to take care of him and show him around.

Love this picture!!  Riley is such a good dog and of course Claire Claire is such a good little girl! :)

Crazy Dreams!

Well, here it goes...I'm going to document my crazy dreams (a few fulfilled).  As Matt has found out many a time before, I've got a lot of crazy ideas.  I also like to act spur-of-the-moment on them.  And I like to start projects with lots of oomph, then loose steam and not finish them.  It's an exciting and great way to be for me!  It holds my interest just long enough, but when I get bored I stop.  But, my better half, and I really do mean better, 'gets' to then finish my projects, of which he had little interest in the first place.  Opps.  Though this is ingrained in me and I liken it to personality traits, I MUST work on this.  Seriously.  (I totally admire my husband, Aunt Chris, and friends Amber and Theresa for being totally opposite of me on this subject...I aspire to finish projects in the future.)  Matt tells me why my ideas are crazy and will never work.  Maybe this is to discourage me from starting them so that he doesn't finish them.  Maybe they really are crazy!  Either way, I thought I'd share them with you, blogging world...

• Bilingual Kiddos - Yes, this started out as a crazy dream!  Matt was totally wondering how this would ever work, and me too, actually.  One of the few that has stuck and is working out - re: we actually have raised a daughter who can and does speak German just as well as she can speak English!  And I'm sure Henry is on his way too...
• Chickens - Wouldn't it be awesome to collect fresh eggs everyday?  Grandma and Grandpa Dodge think this is crazy and have tried to talk me out of it.  They insist that I'd have to have hundreds to make it work.  Not. True.  Amber's mom has a dozen or so and they're great!  (And I'd also like to slaughter some too to eat, but I'm not sure you can have both kinds together.  Research needed.)
• Garden - My enabling husband (love him to death!) prepared the plot for me at our old place.  He shoveled and sifted rock and turned the earth for hours, only to have me let the patch become overrun with weeds.  Fruits of our labor?  Not much.  HOWEVER, this year at the new place I started very small, prepared by hand with a spade and shovel, and planted myself (mostly...Dad helped with the asparagus.  Even though he doesn't like his own projects, he's awesome at helping others with theirs!), and have a cute little garden that is producing.  Tomatoes and peppers and basil and parsley and flat leaf parsley and sage and mint and rosemary and oregano, oh my!  Next year, it's going to be bigger...a LOT bigger!  I can't wait!
• Root cellar - I was baffled that my potatoes and onions kept spoiling (gross!) in my cupboard when 'in the olden days' people were able to keep them all winter.  Did a little research and who knew, root cellars are awesome!  But, they have to be humid, dark, and have ventilation.  This old farmhouse basement could be good for something after all?!?!  All I need to figure out is ventilation, but with two pipes in the wall, it sounds very doable.  I know it won't be THAT easy, but hopefully it won't be too hard either.  This will fit perfectly with my bigger garden next year.  Potatoes and carrots and rutabaga and kohlrabi and parsnips and turnips and onions, yum yum!!
• Pigs/Cows - Not now!  However, when the kids are older it would be such fun (and lots of work) to have a few of each.  A little hobby farm.  Fresh milk, who cares if it's pasteurized if we know right where it's coming from...a little cream glob at the top - yum!  And a butchered cow and pig in the freezer.  Again, not sure if you can have dairy cows and cattle for meat together.  Research needed.  And I think it might be possible once Matt doesn't have to work full time at P anymore.  Although, I'd have to give up travel altogether.  We'll see on this one.  If Mark is reading this right now he's thinking "I knew my daughter-in-law was crazy, but not this crazy!

Well it turns out a lot of these are farm related, but what the heck, let's embrace that fact that we are farmers!  I know I might be glamorizing farm life and as I've heard from Grandpa Dodge time and time again, it's a lot of hard work.  But there's got to be something so rewarding about working hard and the fruits of your labor.  All I know is that I'm not getting any help in the garden from him...according to him, he's been gardening all his life (farming) and has no interest in it now whatsoever!  (However, he does bring me compost every couple weeks and even went to the landfill and added some fresh composted dirt to my pile without me knowing it.  Speaking of compost, I've got to fix that somehow.  I have a wire fence around it, but have learned that it's a skunk magnet!)

P.S.  This is in no particular order.  I wrote them as I thought of them, and I don't even want to begin to explain my random trains of thought to you.  I'm at times scatter-brained.  (Turns out I may have gotten this from my Dad, who told me just last week that he's like this too.  Never knew that before.  I think he also maybe doesn't finish projects - at work he did like a champ, of course, but at home his natural tendency is to just let them go on forever...)

P.P.S.  A girl has got to have her dreams!  Mine have been changing a bit.  Had you asked me five years ago, none of these would have been on the list.  I guess I have to accept and embrace the fact that I'm no longer going to be a city girl, but now a full-fledged country girl!

Disclaimer: I will NOT ever say ain't and will continue to use correct grammar and conjugate my verbs according to subject correctly.  (Though I love all those people in my life who, when really relaxed, embrace this part of their upbringing like my husband, in-laws, and uncles!  Love you guys!)  :) :)

HESITATING TO PUSH 'PUBLISH.'  DO I REALLY LET EVERYONE IN ON ALL MY CHARACTER FLAWS AND CRAZINESS?  HERE GOES NOTHING...