Renton For Life

10 on 10 :: January :: 2012

2012-01-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

10 on 10- participate and link up HERE.

Christmas Mosaic

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

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

This year Jeff was in charge of our "Christmas" photo shoot...hence the guns and chicken (alive). Jeff has decided he'd like to be the official Christmas card maker and that means I have to give up a bit of creative control...which doesn't come naturally to me. But I'm thankful he wants to take ownership of this so I'm willing to get over it and enjoy the results! Next year we will hopefully order enough to send it out to all those we hold dear.

We have felt so blessed to receive Christmas cards this year, it feels good to be thought of and cared for and I want you to know that we are thinking of you too!

Merry Christmas to you and yours, we hope you have an incredible weekend!

**Just days after taking this photo one of our 3 chickens (Josephine) was killed by a raccoon...we were shocked and horrified. I'm only writing this for memory sake...sorry!**

November Fif-tink

2011-12-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

Wesley's 3rd birthday has come and gone (he calls it November fif-tink cause we are still working on the "th" sound, but it's almost too adorable to correct.)

I instagrammed my way through Wes' actual birthday sharing the fun bits of his special day, but I thought I'd share them here too. We instituted the 4 birthday gift rhyming rules for his birthday presents this year. "Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read." And we added a twist spreading out the deliveries throughout the day to make the fun last longer. It was the perfect way to celebrate our sweet and spunky 3 year old. The day started off with us waking our sleeping babe to have him discover the balance bike we had placed in his room in the night...

Then we put on a smart little outfit to spend the morning at MOPS with friends before heading off to lunch with Daddy at Tutta Bella (one of Wes' favorite eateries) where we presented him with small Peter Pan action figures...his favorite gift of all (what we categorized as "something you want.")

We ate dinner at home and revealed the "something to wear" gift...and since Wes has an affinity for the villians in most stories we thought Darth Vader jammies were just perfect! And per Wes' specific request we topped the night off with Menchi's frozen yogurt along with cousins Evan and Miles (and their parents too).

It was such a perfect little day, spent with family and friends...spoiling our big boy who has grown up so much in this past year...no more crib, no more diapers...it's hard to fathom all the changes that can take place in 3 short years...he is a real boy!

And then it was time for the real party...DQ style! The following Saturday we invited a few friends to join us for ice cream cake and a pool party.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that my best friend, Jane, surprised me with a visit...it was so unexpected but long overdue. We sure do love and miss her!

After lunch and ice cream cake at Dairy Queen we headed over to the Lynnwood Recreation Center which has a huge indoor pool area complete with a spray park and 2 twisty slides. If you've never been then you need to go...immediately. Seriously, they have open swims multiple times a day, seven days a week. It's our new favorite thing to do indoors and it's really reasonably priced (I don't get paid to advertise like this :))

It was so much fun, just looking at these photos (many taken by my sweet mother-in-law) makes me want to do it all over again...I'm sure Wes' wouldn't mind!

10 on 10 :: December :: 2011

2011-12-12T15:21:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Photos...

2011-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

...can be found HERE.

capturing my blessings :: 6

2011-11-30T14:49:00.000-08:00

I ♡ the Seattle Public Library! Seriously, utilizing the library's online browsing and hold features have been one of my simplest joys this year. I cannot say enough good things about it...from books to movies I have had every possible request fulfilled and am so thankful to not spend extra money or fill my shelves with books I'll only enjoy once.

If you live in Seattle and haven't taken advantage of it you are missing out! I am especially proud of my brilliant forethought to get Christmas DVDs in my queue before the holidays and can't wait to pick up a copy of Elf this afternoon.

Go get a library card! You'll wonder why you haven't before.

And I also wanted to thank my sister-in-laws who have been capturing their blessings all month on a bit of sunshine. Thank you for the inspiration!

capturing my blessings :: 5

2011-11-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of hosting a Pinterest party (you can find more details here) and I was blown away by how many crafty and creative friends are in my midst. I was hoping to get a jump start on the holiday festivities and get our creative juices going...and I think it worked! At least for me it was a chance to rediscover that no matter what trials I may be facing there is always room for creating beauty and nurturing friendships. Each lady there was a gift to my soul and all the treasures they brought just frankly made me giddy...and that's a good feeling too!

capturing my blessings :: 4

2011-11-14T20:13:00.000-08:00

I have been loving this Fall...after such a lame summer this rather tame and colorful Fall has been delightful. I'm also enjoying pointing out all the different colors to Wes and seeing him take it in. It seems he is the perfect age to really understand the seasons, holidays, and the science behind why leaves change colors (I joke). I hope you are enjoying it too!

{And I can't believe it, but this little boy turns 3 tomorrow...we are looking forward to a joy filled day. Wes has told me he wants "presents" for his birthday AND a trip to Menchies, so that is what he'll get!}

10 on 10 :: November :: 2011

2011-11-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

Gluten Free :: Banana Bread

2011-11-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

By popular demand (ok, just two requests on Instagram...but hey, that's about as popular as I get around here) I am sharing this banana bread recipe that I made yesterday. It's a gluten free adaptation from an America's Test Kitchen recipe (they really know how to do things right and I love their explanations). The key, I think, is this Gluten Free Mama Almond Blend Flour...I can't wait to substitute the flour from my favorite chocolate cookie recipe too! (And to warn you...this recipe is NOT vegan or paleo...you can't have it all!)

GF Banana Bread w/ Chocolate Chips

2 Cups Almond Blend Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Very Ripe Bananas, mashed well
1/4 Cup Honey Greek Yogurt (if you use plain just add 1/2 cup more sugar)
2 Large Eggs, beaten lightly
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips (I think the Guittard are the best!)

- Oven rack in lower-middle position and preheat to 350. Grease a loaf pan with butter and dust with flour
-Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another
- Add dry and wet together and fold until combined
- Bake until loaf is golden brown, approximately 55 min.

This dish (and any GF recipe in my opinion) is a dish best served warm, straight from the oven. Enjoy!

capturing my blessings :: 3

2011-11-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

I ♥ Ballard! November marks the 4th anniversary of living in Ballard. I have loved living here...walking to downtown, eating at the many yummy restaurants (the list seems to be ever growing), connecting with other Ballard moms, playing at the various parks, enjoying the diversity of nature from mountain views to sandy beaches. I could really see us living here for awhile (though we might enjoy a water view and a bigger house!)

capturing my blessings :: 2

2011-11-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

Wes' sweet cousin Amelia (and her mom) were over last night (actually most of the day yesterday, except for naps) watching Mary Poppins as the Dads were at the final Sounders game of the season (sad).

I have been so thankful lately for their budding friendship...they've always loved each other of course, but now they delight in each other and it is a joy to see. We have been fortunate to see a lot of this little lady since Rachel and I are doing our own form of crossfit at our local gym twice a week while the kiddos enjoy each others company in the playroom. It's been great...for them, for us...a win win all around.

We love you Amelia and your little giggle too!

Happy Belated Halloween!

2011-11-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

Since our little man is always on the move it was very difficult to capture him in all of his costumed glory....but here's what I managed to snag!

This year Wes wanted to be Captain Hook (obsessed!) but I also scored an awesome army shirt and helmet at the consignment shop so he wore both. We had a very full Halloween weekend packed to the brim with 4 parties and a funeral service, such is life.

I think it's safe to say Wes is a Halloween fan (even if his costume only lasted about 5 minutes before he stripped down to a tank top and mustache...that's how he usually likes to roll!)

Hope you all had fun too!

{Private Wesley}

{family portrait}

{ferocious}

{poor lighting, but the wig was my favorite part and I was so bummed that Wes wouldn't wear it for more than 30 seconds}

capturing my blessings :: 1

2011-11-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

*A project found at a bit of sunshine...photos from two of my dear sisters.

I took this photo while I was lounging on our couch yesterday and it made me realize how thankful I am that my nearly 3 year old (in 12 days!) is still napping. I so look forward to this little break each day, to regroup after entertaining, cooking, playing, driving, and generally keeping busy with my little sidekick. As adorable and hilarious as he is...I definitely don't have the same amount of energy and need this time to refresh and am just so thankful that I get it. Now, I wish I was a bit more productive during this time...but I'm checking my guilt at the couch and realizing that he won't always be napping, or Lord willing we will have another little one to tend to that may not have the same sleep habits. This is ALL part of soaking in this season, right?

The Faces of Wesley

2011-10-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

Wes and Daddy had a photoshoot one night while I was away. It kind of reminded me of the one taken here when he was just a few months old. He sure is an expressive little boy!

These were taken a couple days before his second-ever haircut. I'm glad we captured his golden locks before we got a "tidy surfer" haircut that ended up looking like a bowl-cut. Whoops!

I realize in general my blog is very Wesley-centric, but since my posts have been few and far between, I'm long overdue for an update. So here goes:

★ He loves replacing nouns in stories with made-up, alternate nouns. For example, instead of saying "and a cat named Bob" he'll say "and a cat named DADDY" and then crack up laughing. Daddy is one of his favorite substitute nouns. He's really developing a sense of humor!

★ He's starting to say "I like the taste of it" or "that's tasty!" It's fun to hear him express his opinions; and he's always been an adventurous eater.

★ We don't let him eat fast food very often, but he's quick to recognize an "Old" McDonald's or an "Uncle" Dick's any time we drive past. The cute thing about him calling it Uncle Dick's is that Uncle Dick is a close family friend that passed away before Wesley got to meet him.

★ He now prefers made-up bed time stories to reading books. Jeff is the best with these with Wesley a close second. Bed time will usually start with Wesley saying "tell me a story about a lion eating a" something. The other day he told Jeff a story about a lion that went to New York City, got a snack at Starbucks, and then spoke French to the Statue of Liberty before heading to Sesame Street.

★ He became really attached to listening to an old Sesame Street audio CD that I checked out from the library.

★ He can write the letters A, D, E, O, and W. But he can recognize the majority of letters in the alphabet. We've been working on this recently using these worksheets.

★ Wes and I have been having snuggle-fests. He'll say "I love you Mom, I really love you." And when Daddy is around to witness this, he'll often say "no Dada, she's MY girl!" Gee, that feels good ;)

★ The other day he was looking out the window at the chicken coop and said "I don't respect those chicks." Not sure where that came from! But maybe he knows something we don't?

★ At nap time he's been taking all his blankets and pillows off the bed and making a nest on the floor to sleep in. Tonight, Jeff went up to check on Wes because we heard rumbling around (we assumed he was making another nest), but when Jeff opened the door Wesley was contently sitting on the edge of his bed reading a big book with the light on! "I'm just reading a book Dada."

There's lots more, but that's enough for now!

10 on 10 :: October :: 2011

2011-10-11T15:13:00.000-07:00

Tis the Season

2011-10-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Old applesauce post, here. I'm making this today!!

Welcome Baby Max!

2011-10-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

Last month I became an Auntie all over again when my big brother had his first little boy, Maxton Chaos Penaranda. (You'll have to ask him about the middle name.) I instantly fell in love with this teeny tiny precious baby...with the sweetest newborn features and shock of dark hair.

Don't you just want to snuggle this sweet babe?

Chris and Lenzi we are so happy for you and feel beyond blessed to be Max's family. Wes is pretty smitten too and can often be heard saying, "I miss baby Max!" I can't wait for the two of them to play together but for now I will just savor this baby stage which goes too quickly (even though it can sometimes feel like forever). Love you three!

So Long Summer!

2011-09-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall!

I'm stuck in that in between space...every cold and blustery day has me excited for Fall...sweaters, hot cider, pumpkins, candles...but every sunny day makes me realize I never got a long stretch of summer and gosh darn it, I'm not ready for it to be over! So, I'm thankful for this sunny first day of Fall!

Above are some of our summer tidbits, though the weather didn't cooperate much we still managed to have a full one. Summer means...friends, popsicles, parties, pools, babies and gardening! And I still have a few lingering posts from our adventures this summer so hopefully all this cooler weather will encourage me to blog a bit more...there are so many things about our life right now that I don't want to forget.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Playdate @ Meme's

2011-09-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

My parents house has become quite the place to throw a party...with their new(ish) deck, hot tub, sauna, fire pit for smores, and awesome trampoline (which was a gift for both Wes & Jeff) you can't go wrong...especially when the guest list is 7 kids 5 and under. So, one weekday late in July, we did exactly that..the Gough girls and kiddos took Renton by storm and had us a very fine playdate. More photos can be found here.

Hood Canal :: Summer 2011

2011-09-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

Seattle received a sliver of summer the last couple of weekends in August and the beginning of September and we took advantage of it with a quick trip to Hood Canal. My parents cabin is quickly becoming a favorite spot for our family...especially when we can enjoy it with friends (the Prathers, for example) and family. There's quite a community growing in Tahuya and we enjoyed a crab dinner with Jerry & Pam and a movie night at Keith & Cathy's with grandkids, including Wes' little friend Ruby!

We also took our first tour of Alderbrook and ate brunch in their restaurant one morning. It's at the top of my wish list to stay there one weekend while Wes stays with my parents at the cabin and pops over for a quick dip in their indoor pool (with views of the canal). Gee, someone's birthday is coming up...

Wes holds a LIVE crab!

Wes and Great Uncle Jerry have a special bond.

Wes asked to hold sweet baby Eloise- so cute.

They've come a long way from HERE.

Wes has become a swimming fool!

And we did some laying out...

My cute sunny boys.

Wes was my crab cracker...he chomped right in with his teeth and enjoyed a lot of crab himself.

Yes, his hair is getting ridiculous. But he sure is cute.

Hello Miss Ruby!

Thanks for teaching Wes a new trick...

We'll be back...but until then here's a look back at last year.

10 on 10 :: September :: 2011

2011-09-12T19:11:00.000-07:00

The Harvest

2011-09-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

I've been learning some great lessons this growing season (my first with raised beds) and enjoying the fruits of my labor...fennel (though I likely won't be trying this again unless I buy the florentine fennel seeds next time, mine didn't really "bulb-up"), beets (both red + golden), and carrots (note to self- it really does pay to thin them out no matter how much it pains you to pull the little starts out before they've had a chance to truly live. you do not want to end up with a tangled stunted mess...which is what I have).

I also harvested the last of our broccoli and have mixed feelings...I would LOVE to grow big crowns of broccoli but came up with only a a few handfuls of small trees and a ton of aphids and frankly not enough real estate in the box to have this crop be worth the effort. I have yet to harvest the cauliflower but this looks more promising, one crown is getting quite large and as long as I keep an eye on the bugs I think we're going to be ok. I use soapy water to keep the pests away, in case you're wondering. I learned the hard way after tossing ALL of our kale that was completely infested with aphids...yuck.

Rainbow chard is a must...so plentiful (I've had it all season long and it keeps coming back) and versatile...raw as a salad, steamed as a green side, thrown in smoothies and juice. And the only pests that seemed to enjoy them are the occasional caterpillar and my dang ol' chickens.

We delighted in 4 artichokes from our 3 artichoke plants, but frankly the $6 I paid for the starts just doesn't make it seem worth it and the size of the plants as well as the ouchy spikes also work against my decision to have it return to the garden next year. ~~Yep, it's out.~~ (Thanks for the tip Kari, looks like these babies are perennials and will be staying! Besides, Jeff kind of loves them.)

The cucumbers have just begun to reach maturity and they are an easy staple, I just need to remember to give them WAY more room.

Both the corn and the potatoes are days away from harvest and I'm looking forward to making a delicious salad of corn, beets, and basil served by itself or over greens. And potato gratin for a neighborhood bbq next week.

Urban farming has been very rewarding this year, I only wish I had gotten the pumpkin seeds in the ground sooner so that we could have been carving our very own jack-o-lanterns this autumn...but there's always next year, Lord willing.

This weekend we are preparing for some fun at the water park {Wes filled his sticker chart (all 54 spots) and is getting his BIG PRIZE} and a Paella contest on Hood Canal- should be full.

Hope you have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!

Gough Vacation :: Long Beach :: 2011

2011-08-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

This year our Gough Family vacation was spent in the surprisingly sunny Long Beach, WA. There were 17 of us this year- WOW! I had been looking forward to the break from our everyday schedule, to spending time with Jeff all week, enjoying the company of my big Gough family, and receiving the blessing of generosity from Jeff's parents who not only provided the amazing accommodations but also blessed all of us with babysitting so that we could truly have a "vacation" with our spouses. It was fabulous!

Our little family started the trip off with a stop off in Olympia for brunch at Sage's Brunch House. We then headed straight to the resort and straight into the pool, where we spent a good portion of time each day. Wes learned how to swim all by himself with his life vest and became very comfortable with dunking his head underwater...some really big achievements on this trip! And that's not all, he also became officially potty trained- hooray!

Vacation included a couple of trips to Waikiki Beach, a visit from Mario & Ely (congratulations on your wedding, hope you're having an amazing time in Hawaii), a day trip to Astoria and Cannon Beach, a bit of thrift shopping, delicious meals, a few naps, an art project, kite flying...fun, fun, fun.

Here are a HEAP of photos from our vacation.

Enjoying our breakfast smoothies: oats, banana, yogurt, honey, cinnamon, and coconut milk

The view from Waikiki Beach- gorgeous.

Uncle Kyle sculpted a crocodile, much to Wes' Peter Pan loving delight!

Silly string, a prize from our treasure hunt. Great shot Levi!

Mario & Ely meet Wes for the first time on this trip.

We stumbled upon a mound of oyster shells and couldn't resist.

Here I am helping out the cranberry farmers...Steve actually thought this was legit.

And yes, we stopped at the Great Wolf Lodge on our way home...birthday location scouting!

10 on 10 :: August 2011

2011-08-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

When it Rains it Pours

2011-08-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Shower No. 2 (in two weeks) was for my dear friend, Julie Jane...and since her and her husband aren't finding out if they're having a son or daughter we decided to embrace a rainbow theme with some of her and Noah's favorite colors.

I'm kind of into ceiling installations for my parties...I think our high ceilings and box beams lend well to hanging things up, and thank goodness for my tall and willing husband who's always such a sport about my ideas! (thanks Jeff)

The gorgeous pregnant lady...absolutely glowing!

The party theme quickly turned "ombré" once I spotted THIS cake and THIS fruit kabob idea (I think I might like our version of the kabobs slightly more than the rainbow ones.) Pinterest was quite an inspiration board for this party...so, so fun!

Yep, we went for the cake (!) And I think it was a success...you may be seeing this again. Certainly I'll let you in on our yummy little secret, cause did I mention it was gluten free? We used Pamela's vanilla cake mix and did the coconut version. I'm honestly not a cake person, but the coconut milk made it so...I'm going to say it...moist and delicious. I HIGHLY recommend it.

TA DA!

Julie was thoroughly showered by some amazing friends who are all lucky to have her...we just can't wait to snuggle her little one!

We love you Julie Jane! Jen and I had such a great time throwing your shower. Blessings to you!

Forecast :: Chance of Showers

2011-08-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

These past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of showers and celebration for little ones that will enter our world soon! Two weekends ago my Mom and I hosted a shower for my brother's first little smurf...I mean, son. If you remember, my brother was reunited with his long lost smurf collection last Christmas and so I decided to take the theme and run with it when I discovered they would be having a little boy.

We think his name will be Maxton (but you can totally change your mind Chris & Lenzi...I know we embraced it for the shower, but there's no pressure...except that Wes is already calling him baby Max ;))

Oddly enough Smurfs are making a comeback and that made little stuffed animals available for the decorations. And of course I had to make a quilt using a thrifted smurf sheet I got on etsy.

I also got to meet this little sweetie, just 2 days old. Welcome Dewey! We think your parents Brooke & Daryn are pretty lucky to have you.

And here is Lenzi with a couple of her friends...one of which is expecting in December, a little girl, perhaps Max's future girlfriend? ;)

Each person had their very own smurf character drink label...I was hefty smurf, because I'm so strong, not fat.

It was a lovely affair and now we are just anxiously awaiting Max's arrival and praying for a safe and pain-free delivery (I mean if you're going to pray you might as well go big!)

k + t = ♥

2011-07-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

In June I co-hosted a shower with my friend Katie (we've done this before) and I hate to pat myself on the back but I think there are definitely 2 things we party planners do well...collaborative quilts AND delicious food.

We went bold with the Kaffe Fasset prints...they are Keri's favorite!

The weather (surprisingly) cooperated for this outdoor affair and I think the guests of honor felt loved by their friends who popped by to wish them congratulations on their union (wed April 17, 2011). I love Keri, her loyalty, her sincerity, how easy it is to be her friend. This gal is up for anything...diving in (with Katie) to put together my bridesmaids bouquets for our wedding, living in a forest cottage, showering OUTSIDE (yep, that's what she signed up for when she tied the knot). I could not be more thrilled for her...she deserves all the happiness in the world and I pray for a life of blessing for her and Tracy.

When Katie and I plan a party the first priority is the menu...we seriously don't mess around and tend to have leftovers for days (weeks in my case but I have a feeling Katie throws it out since she's not too keen on things past their expiration date.) ;) We feasted on gluten-free fair, flank steak, sausage, grilled veggies, a green salad with beets and goat cheese, a greek salad, a sun-dried tomato pasta salad, 2 different kinds of crisps with two different kinds of ice cream...it was delicious (but I seriously warn against doing a gluten-free pasta salad...that stuff is way better while it's warm.)

Thanks for an amazing time in Cannon Beach last weekend too, I love being able to picture exactly where you live and how you spend your days.

Love you Sund Family!

Wesley :: Wednesday

2011-07-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

(I thought about this post last night, if that counts)

What have we been up to? Well, we spent the weekend in Cannon Beach celebrating the union of my good friend Keri and her husband. The weather was perfect, the sand was warm and soft, and the town of Cannon Beach was even more quaint than I remembered- we had fun as a family (minus my car needing a new transmission.) The first morning we woke up we had a little sweet alarm clock, at 6:15am (which for us is still the middle of the night since Wes typically sleeps until 8:45). He was sharing our room and I felt a little tap on the edge of the bed. When I looked up there was his precious little smiling face saying, "yes. it's good morning time!"

We are trying to enjoy what little glimpses of sun we see around here, harvesting veggies and gathering eggs (we are down to just 3 chickens and there are all laying eggs) to savor ourselves or share with friends. See the garden tour HERE.

Wes is doing so many things daily I'm almost certain I will forget his little anecdotes and want to write as many down as I can...

He is finally getting his 2 year molars at 2 years and 8 months- not bad! And I'm beginning to wonder if that's what has spawned his recent reversion to "baby talk." Anyone have any good tips on how to make this stop?

He is also obsessed with the crocodile song from Peter Pan and can be found humming the tune over and over throughout the day...everyday. If you see him he'll probably ask you to be Captain Hook so he can be the crocodile and if you indulge him, watch out! He WILL eat your hand. You can see the crocodile video HERE, it's been banned from our house because Wes can't handle it when it's time to turn it off.

We've started one on one swim lessons once a week and after 2 I can already see some improvement...at the very least he is asking less questions (the first class got taken up by Wes asking, "why are you wearing a shirt? can I touch that? what's that girl eating? Is it a fruit bar?") Last night we tried out his skills at the Mounger Pool and he even braved the big slide all by himself with Mommy worried about catching him at the bottom...he shot down like a torpedo on his back and then let us know that he only wanted to go with Daddy from then on!

He talks ALL the time and we have definitely entered the "why?" stage but have also turned it around on him. After making a huge mess at a restaurant a couple of weeks back we asked him why he did it. He replied, "because...um, I was...boring." Is this kid for real? I think it was an honest answer, he was bored. Jeff and I are both pretty blown away by his grasp of vocabulary...this is an especially exciting time for us in his development...getting to hear the thoughts that are in his head.

He's also been learning a bit about the human body and the other day when a friend's potty trained daughter was using the bathroom Wes asked me, "is that her little one? is that her butt crack little one?" All I could say was, "yep. that's it!"

I also want to record that he calls the sidewalk the "walking side" - I just love that!

Now I'm off to work on a little quilt for a baby due in September while Wes naps. Hope you have a great day (despite the weather if you're in Seattle). Oh and a happy birthday to my friend Alisha and happy Bastille Day to all you frenchies!

{oh, and for those who are wondering about Wesley's long locks...Jeff is in charge of his 2nd haircut (that's right, he's only had 1) and has said that it would be a shame to cut it this summer when it will likely get really blond...so our only hope is September, but we'll see!}

10 on 10 :: July :: 2011

2011-07-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

A Garden Tour

2011-07-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

Happy July everyone! I can't believe June has come and gone and that summer is just now starting (but feels like it's already over). I'm trying to savor each day...back on gluten (but second guessing that choice since I'm exhibiting head and stomach aches), enjoying 2 eggs layed everyday (Josephine started gracing us with her chocolate brown beauties), and harvesting from our garden which is well underway (Thanks Uncle Jerry & Aunt Pam, this has been so rewarding this year!)

I wanted to share some photos before we've eaten it all up. Actually, the only thing we've plowed through are the radishes and boy were there plenty (I don't think I'll plant as many next year).

Upper left are 3 artichoke plants with a field of kale underneath. Then we have a big gap where the radishes were and you can't see them yet but I've planted some potatoes in their place and have enough room to grow something new...I was thinking about arugula but I know it doesn't like the sun. Any suggestions?

Moving from the big gap you'll find golden beets, fennel, cucumber and broccoli...I think we're going to have a space issue once those cucumbers really start coming in but maybe by then the beets will be gone and they'll have more room. Gee, gardening is an adventure!

Our second raised bed is home to a row of corn along the top and then starting from the left we have rainbow chard (I added some to a smoothie this morning), onions, and red beets.

Next you'll find carrots which probably need to be thinned out if I want them to get bigger (I completely over seeded but I wasn't sure how many would grow, I guess I found my answer...all of them), lastly we have a little mix of more cucumbers, cauliflower, a bell pepper plant and 3 ever-bearing strawberry plants. Fun, fun, fun!

Here's a close up of the bell peppers...I had heard these were hard to grow but if they turn out I'll be super excited because we sure do eat a ton of them.

We've got quite the urban farm going and I couldn't be happier!

I'll be back here with a couple of posts this week...I've been delinquent on sharing some special events that have happened around our home. Hope everyone had a safe and delightful Independence Day, the weather could not have been any more perfect in Seattle.

Milestones :: 3 :: BIG Prize

2011-06-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

After weeks of trying to coax Wes to poop on the potty he finally did! I think it took him by surprise, we've been employing the pant-less method (but not consistently so unfortunately he's not really close to being potty trained) and all of a sudden I heard him yell, "I need to go..." and start booking it toward the bathroom. Hooray!

We had promised him a trip to the movie theater to watch Kung Fu Panda 2 with popcorn and candy to boot. He was in Heaven! I think he was so excited about it that the next day he went #2 on the potty twice...but without a big incentive it has kind of fizzled since then. We have instituted a sticker chart and are thinking of going to the Renton Water Park when he has it all filled up (54 stickers, yikes!)

We keep revisting those successful first couple of days. I'll say, "Wes, do you remember when you went poo poo on the potty?" And he'll say, "And you were so proud of me?" Yep buddy, we were! (We still are, but Wes if you're reading this...I'd really love it if you could do it again.)

I had a fever the past couple of days but am feeling better (thanks Mom!) and hoping this on again off again weather will turn into full blown sunshine this weekend. Summer where are you?

Happy Father's Day {2011}

2011-06-18T22:43:00.000-07:00

Our little chicken has been laying some double yolk eggs (!) Unfortunately they cracked on the way out...not sure if they're longer than she expects or just a bit thinner shelled since there is more inside than usual (anyone have any poultry knowledge?). At any rate, she laid one on Thursday and I had to use it right away so I whipped up this gluten-free yellow cake...and then I looked up a chocolate buttercream recipe, which was the best part, by far. And then I literally asked Jeff, "Do we know anyone who has a birthday tomorrow that is also gluten-free?" I realize it was a ridiculous question, but it was sincere. My search on Facebook came up short.

The following morning Wes and I lit the candles and sang a round of "Happy Father's Day Weekend to Daddy" (to the tune of the birthday song) and ate cake for breakfast!

Tomorrow looks promising already, with the dedication of our sweet niece, Josie, a surprise gift for Jeff, followed by a bbq at my in-laws...should be fun!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there but especially to the 3 main fathers in my life. I am inspired by your patience and joy.

We love you!

Milestones :: 2 :: Big Boy Bed

2011-06-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

As of May 29, 2011 Wes is sleeping in a big boy bed...yikes, I think I just mentioned in THIS post that I wasn't ready...and I wasn't. But I guess Daddy was because I got an email from him while I was in Texas that he was "trying something new" and it worked (Wes has only fallen out 3 times!) Thanks to Scott, Bri, Will and now baby Eloise (!) for sharing this IKEA find and thanks Rebekah and family for the big boy sheets gifted last Christmas.

I will have to share a photo of his new bedroom arrangement when I get some photos..not too many changes, but I can't help but miss that night night crib.

Wes has been a champ at this bed thing, btw. I thought for sure it would mess with his sleep schedule or that we would have to deal with him getting in and out of bed...but he seriously doesn't even get out of it in the morning...we just hear him yell, "mommy, daddy...come get me." How sweet is that, and by sweet I mean awesome.

We are so proud and even more proud of milestone #3, stay tuned!

Milestones :: 1 :: Eggs!

2011-06-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

While Mommy's away the chicken will lay!

We were beginning to think that Biscuit was another rooster because of her feisty attitude but it turns out that she was just getting ready to become a full blown laying hen.

When I returned home from Texas Jeff randomly decided to open the egg door and was surprised to see that not one, but two eggs had been laid. Soon we realized it was the work of one bird...Biscuit! And she's been laying nearly one egg a day ever since.

We are now proud egg farmers...now if only the other 3 would get to work!

(BTW, this photo of me is after sleeping overnight and on a plane ride on my rag tie curls...see? not bad.)

10 on 10 :: June 2011

2011-06-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

10 on 10 is a project my sister-in-law, Rebekah, created...a photo an hour for 10 hours on the 10th of the month. Want to capture your days too? Link up HERE.

Dallas :: Part 5 :: Callie's Quilt

2011-06-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

Before I left for Dallas I worked my little fingers to the bone trying to create a special quilt just for Miss Callie Leora Christian...something bright and fun with lots of paisley (Callie's favorite).

It fit right in with her modern decor...giving it a little bit of country!

It was my joy to give Callie this gift, to think of her as I made each stitch...about her amazing journey, her inspiring courage, her beautiful faith, and this new chapter in her life...all in her new downtown apartment!

I can just picture her napping underneath it...and I kind of want one for myself (the nap AND the quilt)!

Goodbye Dallas- you were good to me!

Dallas :: Part 4 :: Rag Tie Curls

2011-06-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

This post doesn't require much explanation...when in Dallas...go big or go home!

We were struck with the genius idea to tie rag curls in our hair and after a quick trip to Walmart at 11pm we left with our remnant fabric in hand (and since I value full disclosure I'll admit that I left with a few other bargains, I mean who can pass up a $5 swimsuit?)and the hope of curly locks in our hearts.

We were pumped about the idea until we realized it was getting late...so we only managed to tie up Callie's hair. The poor girl endured going to the gym AND the pool with ties still in (you're a good sport Callie!) Her long golden locks were worth it!

The next night we mustered up the energy to tie both mine and Jane's hair...but I must admit that sleeping and working out in them was not as easy as Callie made it seem.

A full day later, Callie's hair looks even more luxurious!

Then came the big morning reveal for Jane and I and unfortunately our hair isn't quite as long and thick as Callie's and we quickly realized that our Shirley Temple dos were not exactly what we had hoped for or imagined.

I guess the only thing left to do was to comb them out...

Hello afro!

Jane's hair kind of morphed throughout the day...see her full Texan look below.

I will post a photo in a few days with some sweet little milestones that happened while I was away...and in that photo, I have to say, I think I kind of love my curls (a full day and a half and a night's rest and an airplane ride later).

One more Dallas post to go- stay tuned!

Dallas :: Part 3 :: La Casa de Christian

2011-06-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

Callie is fortunate, just like me, to be surrounded by immediate family and we got to catch a glimpse into what their family life is like on both Memorial Day and the following day which is their normal "family night." Callie's parents slaved away in the kitchen making two delicious meals.

Memorial Day- Brisket, roasted corn with yummy spreads, coleslaw and blackened okra...she also served chocolate cake, apricot cobbler and homemade ice cream...but I was bummed to only be able to try the ice cream since I'm still doing this gluten-free diet thing (4.5 weeks strong!)

Tuesday- Guacamole and queso with tortilla chips to start, chicken w/ apricots, polenta, asparagus, and a green salad.

Can you tell I like food? I'm sure you've guessed that by now....but to balance out the food intake us ladies also partook in 3 crossfit sessions, hosted by yours truly.

Callie's family was so welcoming, we felt right at home and those nieces and nephews had me missing Wes something fierce...so sweet.

Thanks you Christians for having us in your home and for sharing your daughter with us- we loved every minute of it!

Dallas :: Part 2 :: Top Chef Style

2011-06-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Dining in Dallas was definitely a treat...a delicious latin meal at La Duni our first night and then, because Callie and I are such big fans of Top Chef, we decided to hit up the restaurant of one of Dallas' contestants- Tre Wilcox. Marquee Grill is situated in one of Dallas' most wealthy neighborhoods and the drive there was almost better than the food. The food was good, not great...but we enjoyed the company of one another and NW friend, Katie, who recently moved to Texas. The highlight of the evening was meeting Tre...though most of us were a bit mortified by the whole process of asking for a photo...he was charming and delightful...so worth the humiliation!

Unfortunately Katie isn't in the photo as she asked if she could take it so we quickly got a photo of the 4 of us outside...in the amazing 90 degree weather. Seriously, it was so foreign to me to not have to worry or think about a coat, let alone a cardigan...I never used one once...and I'm a NW girl for sure...I brought 3!

After dinner we decided to explore the neighborhood and soak up all the incredible homes...I am still dreaming of biking through Highland Park...so flat, so warm, so much to see. Callie told us Ross Perot and George Bush live in this part of town, to name a few.

Dallas :: Part 1 :: Thanksgiving Square

2011-06-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my dear friend, Jane, and I went to the big D (and I do mean Dallas) to visit Miss Callie Christian, our best friend from Pepperdine University. Callie and I spent all 4 years together while Jane transferred after 1, but I am forever thankful that in that first year she shared a suite with Callie and introduced us both to a life long friend. Callie is an amazing woman...faithful, courageous and loyal and I am so grateful for her continued friendship...which is perfect for this first post about my trip to Dallas.

Callie recently moved into a high rise downtown and this visit was my first opportunity to check it out and let me tell you, it is deluxe! Near her building is Thanksgiving Square...and I love that in the midst of a big bustling city they thought to create this spiritual oasis.

Callie

Jane

This is the world's largest stain glass window installation and it's inside the spiral building in the first photo.

Visiting this park and sharing the things we are grateful for was a perfect way to start off the trip...a trip that was filled with friends, family, food, hair fun and a run-in with a famous chef (not necessarily in that order). Be on the look out for more posts...probably spread out throughout the day as my mom is coming over and I'll have a bit of time to sneak away to my computer.

Look out!

2011-05-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Wes isn't the only cowboy in this house...

Anybody looking for some new wall art?

Thanks Bryan for making me smile today, your talent never ceases to amaze me!

Happy Monday!

2011-05-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

I was getting sick of seeing that slaughtering post...bet you were too- hope you have a great week!

Parting is such sweet sorrow...

2011-05-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, our Juliette turned out to be more of a Romeo, so about 3 weeks ago we pulled a Queen of Hearts (get it? "off with her head!") Sorry for my lame literary references but how do you make light of slaughtering your most beautiful bird?

I will say that it was a much more peaceful experience than I had anticipated as the rooster didn't make a peep...he simply closed his eyes and accepted his fate, as if he knew that this was what he was meant to do. We used THIS video as our guide and Jeff's brother, Chris, came over to assist. I have some video footage that I think should remain off the world wide web...but if you're interested I can show you the next time you're over.

Above we are dipping the rooster into hot water which allows the feathers to be removed easily...it was amazing how well it worked, but what they don't really tell you is that the skin still has the beginnings of feathers stuck just below the surface and you have to squeeze them out...which is pretty gross. The one saving grace is that after the feathers have been removed you no longer feel like you've just slaughtered your pet...it just looks like a normal chicken you buy at the store...however, I may have lost my appetite for chicken.

Jeff had me remove the innards and that was probably my favorite part...I'm a want-to-be surgeon, what can I say?

We cooked him up using my Dad's chicken and noodle recipe and though I overcooked the skin, it really wasn't bad. In fact, Wes seemed to enjoy it even more than he typically cares for chicken. He actually said, and I quote, "Hi Juliette, I'm going to eat you" and he chomped it down like a champ.

I won't say I could get used to this but I am proud of the fact that we truly embraced the whole circle of life...we hatched our dinner from an egg!

10 on 10 :: May 2011

2011-05-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

It was another iphone day...and I was so determined to use my "real" camera but we headed out to breakfast without it- rats!

If you haven't hear of 10 on 10 before and would like to participate, learn all about it here and link up here.

Mother's Day Smooch

2011-05-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday and I'm hoping that if you're a mother you did too!

I woke up to the sweetest hand drawn card and a little surprise gift (honestly even though it was on my wish list you never know if the men in the house are going to remember that it's Mother's Day ;)) We are now the proud owners of the Zoku popsicle making kit...and I really hope it works and that the sun cooperates this summer because I'm really looking forward to getting creative with our cool treats.

We then headed to Capitol Hill for the farmer's market and topped it off with lunch at Oddfellows where we sat outside, in the SUN. Perfect!

Wes napped while Jeff and I made beouf bourgignon and after dinner we headed over to Renton to deliver a few Mother's Day gifts (4 years in the making- our wedding photo, framed) to some of the best moms we know!

Such a sweet and special day, I feel so blessed to be celebrated and appreciated as a Mother.

So, here are a couple of smooches...one on our wedding day and one that our sweet boy gave me yesterday on the streets of Seattle.

Back from the beach

2011-05-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

We got back from the beach on Tuesday afternoon. My parents treated us to a mini-vacation in Ocean Shores, WA. Aren't we lucky?

We filled our days with romps on the beach (including a face plant for Wes and a fall on the rocks for my mom), trips to the ice cream parlor, dips in the pool at the local community center, a couple of spa treatments, a ferris wheel ride, much needed naps, yummy food including yelps #1 rated restaurant...La Chica Taqueria, a tiny hole in the wall with a very eccentric owner who was literally a one woman show...she puts out great food and even better entertainment (if you can get past her "rough" edges).

Thanks Mom and Dad- we had a great time!

A Nursery Tour

2011-04-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, I think the fact that we're still not pregnant has really got me freaking out a bit. Not to mention that in a few short weeks Wes will be 2 and a half- certainly he's getting too old to have his bedroom referred to as a nursery so my delinquency in documenting what became his "nursery" has allowed me a moment to savor his "baby-ness" and I hope you're ok with indulging me as I walk you through some of the details.

The view from the doorway...we went bold with the rug, a vibrant orange which I love! Wes was also lucky enough to receive many handmade treasures (and I was delighted to have a little one to finally spoil with my own creations). The quilt hanging on the chair was made by me, I've made one for each of my nephews and nieces and it's a tradition I look forward too with each new pregnancy (which has happened every year in our family since 2006- sometimes twice!) The bunting hanging above the windows was created for my friend Katie's baby shower...our boys are just 4 days apart and as the color scheme didn't quite fit her nursery she kindly returned it to me and I think it suits Wes' colorful room...and it makes me think of her sweet Isaiah which is an added bonus. The very same Katie created a simple quilt for Wes and it's the yellow one hanging next to the window. The yellow curtains and teething rail (created out of necessity) were made from incredible fabric I scored off of etsy, it has a Japanese import vibe.

The view from the chair...I spent so much time here nursing and rocking my sweet babe...now we read books and sing songs before bedtime. Sitting on the dresser is a fabulous vintage Sesame Street lamp that I begged my brother (he had it growing up) to let us use until he has a little one of his own...he finally caved in December and then announced that he's expecting in January. We will have to give it up soon...but we couldn't be more excited about the reason...it's a boy and due in September (guess I'll have another quilt to make this year)! Above the dresser are three framed prints from THIS artist and I fell so in love with these little hilarious critters that it turned into the inspiration for Wes' 1st birthday invitation, seen below.

Wes' view from the crib (sort of). The Gough family is a big fan of the magazine rack- in fact, we have two (one downstairs too). Both were generous gifts that are so useful and fun...the perfect addition to any nursery or playroom.

And last a little close up of the bunting and curtains I made as well as one of the original Jonas comics from Wes' Uncle Bryan.

A special room for a special guy...I know soon we'll be changing him to a big boy bed and making things a bit more grown up but for now I still love our nursery and I'm not quite ready to have Wes grow up just yet...

Meet the Cluckers

2011-04-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

I am one proud chicken farmer! I'm happy to report that our girls have grown into full size chickens (though their feathering hasn't matured completely). We have also said goodbye to our rooster (but I'm saving that for another blog post). They've graduated to living in an outdoor chicken coop that Jeff built with his own hands with some help from his Dad (also gearing up for that blog post too). Backyard life has gotten interesting and I'm long overdue for an update. So, sit back and meet the cluckers, mugshot style.

{Sheila}
australorp

She's our most tame and easiest to catch.

{Delorean}
silver laced wyandotte

Our mischievous one. She can be found trying to sneak into neighbors yards.

{Josephine}
black copper maran

She's the one we saved in her shell. She misses her brother.

{Biscuit}
australorp

She is Sheila's sister and can be distinguished by her red face.

{Juliette}
black copper maran

We named him before we realized she was a HE. He was the most beautiful of all the birds and we were sad to see him go. He was a very tame rooster!

Wesley :: Wednesday

2011-04-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

{Wesley draws a smiley face- on his own!}

I know it's thursday, but that just doesn't go as well with Wesley...and I meant to post this yesterday but honestly I was so sore from my first Crossfit training class that I just didn't have it in me. And if I'm being honest I'm still pretty immobile but I can't just lay on the couch (and eat Jack-in-the-box) everyday. Yes, I did just confess that after working out I did a fast food run...but my body was craving it and sometimes you just gotta do what you're body tells you to do...as long as it's safe!

I was talking about Wesley though, right? Can you see the smiley face he drew all on his own? I was very proud of him, especially since it's not really something we work on...but my little man is picking up new skills all the time, he's even started getting his colors right.

The other day while we were in the car I heard him playing with his water bottle. He does this thing where he talks with either a very high voice or a very low voice when he is talking for his "toy" and so, in his very low voice, I heard him say, "I'm not pretty...I'm special." I was baffled, I have no idea where he picked those adjectives, let alone used in that context. But the other amazing part about it is that several hours later I told Wes that HE was special and he said, "No, I'm pretty...the water bottle is special." His memory and creativity have really been shining through. I just love him.

We've also been hearing a lot of "I need...mine...let me do it myself..." typical two year old stuff that isn't quite as sweet- but we'll take him!

Hope you're all having a great Thursday ;) I could really use some sun AND a body double that would like to go to Crossfit tonight in my place!

10 on 10 :: April 2011

2011-04-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

{another camera phone day}

Read about this project and join next month....HERE!

A taste of summer

2011-04-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

I know it's not summer yet, but I'm ready for it anyway.

These yummy cookies have me dreaming of a wicked combo of grilled peaches (on the bbq) and vanilla bean ice cream....white chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies piping hot out of the oven- now that's something I can get behind!

I recently went through our bookshelves and came across Southern Living's Best Loved Cookies among my cookbooks. And seeing that both my husband and my father-in-law are self-proclaimed cookie monsters I have decided to work my way through all (that might be a bit ambitious) 50 recipes!

I've been popping the dough in the freezer and making them in small batches (so as not to ruin my new stomach flu figure- finally back to my pre-pregnancy weight, 3 years later!) I've always said that I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight ;)

Next time you're over for a visit you might ask me what recipe I'm on...Mississippi Mud Cookies are up next (think chocolate, pecans, and marshmallows.) I'd be happy to share!

Please summer, come quickly...or at least give us a really warm Spring, I think we deserve it!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend, both my boys are napping so I've been enjoying a bit of *me* time.

jenny

p.s. a few weeks ago I tried the Chunky Chocolate Gobs and fell in love...they're rich (so you could possibly skip the oreo cookies) but worth it...the coconut chunks really push it over the edge.

p.p.s. if you're planning on freezing the dough I recommend making them into balls first and then adding a couple of minutes to the cooking time. I actually think freezing them first helps to make the final product a lot more moist.

In this month last year...

2011-03-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

...we were enjoying the good life...no sickness, no kidney stones, no financial worries. March 2011 has been a trying month for our family, physically and emotionally draining. But Spring is here and I'm hoping that the cherry blossoms will bring a new season of growth and joy!

Here are some photos from March 2010, wasn't Wes just the sweetest?

Stone Soup

2011-03-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

If you're a friend on facebook or have talked with me in the last week you will know that Jeff has kidney stones...one very large one (1.3cm) in his kidney and a smaller one that is stuck in his ureter. Sad.

Fortunately, he has not been in pain...at least not in "kidney stone" pain, which we've heard is terribly unbearable.

So, in less than 10 minutes we will be heading to the hospital to have ureteroscopy and lithotripsy performed on poor Jeffy and a ureteric stent inserted into his ureter (the tube between his kidney and bladder) which will stay inside for 3-4 weeks. Jeff is not looking forward to the procedure (who would?) but we are thankful that this was discovered before he was in any serious pain.

Please be praying at 1:30! That the doctors would have wisdom and skill, that Jeff would be calm and have a sense of peace, that the procedure will be swift as will recovery.

Amelia Soleil & A Weekend Away!

2011-03-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

The weekend before last we celebrated the first birthday of our first niece...a precious little one year old who brings joy to all!

We've been kind of down for the count these past two weeks (major stomach flu and severe cold symptoms) but are on the mend so I thought I'd share these photos from our first weekend in March.

We had such a lovely time with family in the beautiful setting of Whidbey Island...Wes especially loved being outdoors and playing by the sea. Can't wait to go again. You can see more photos from the weekend HERE and HERE.

10 on 10 :: March :: 2011

2011-03-12T14:27:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Marriage Memories :: 4th Anniversary

2011-03-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning (after a much needed full nights rest) to find Jeff had gotten me an anniversary present. I had thought that the chicken coop and raised vegetable garden would be our gifts to one another but it seems that Jeff had other plans. And those plans included 2 Le Creuset petite casseroles and a cooking class for Jeff and I to take together- such thoughtful and fun gifts! Thank you babe.

As we said our "Happy Anniversary's" and hugged in the kitchen Jeff suggested that today we focus on the good things that have happened in our marriage, not the hard things we've been experiencing in this season...because certainly, there have been hard things these past 4 years. Losing Grandpa Evans, having a preemie, Paula's cancer, atrial fibrillation, the ups and downs of owning a business, infertility...I'm sure I could find more to add to the list...but that is so NOT the point.

I found myself today...stuck in a hail storm. The one time I venture out of the house in 2 days and this is what I get? And as quickly and ferociously as it came, it stopped. The sky turned blue and I was struck by how brief a "storm" can be in the grand scheme of things and it made me hopeful for bluer skies and thankful for where I am in this very moment.

Tonight we dined at Delancey while my Mom watched Wes and as we ate pizza with bacon & onion we brainstormed our "Top 10 Marriage Memories." It was hard to pick 10 but it was a treat to relive these special moments and realize just how very blessed these past 4 years have been, so rich and full.

1. Our actual wedding day! This was honestly such a wonderful day, how could I not include it as the first of many amazing memories to come? And who can forget the dancing?

2. Our Honeymoon. Jeff had never been on a tropical vacation and I hope this was the first of many. It's such a thrill to leave all the wedding planning worries behind and embark on a trip to Hawaii as husband and wife, without a care, an agenda, or a little one's schedule to work around. It seems like a dream four years later.

3. Moving to Ballard. We lived in Renton, as a married couple, for less than a year and although we were sad to leave the proximity to both of our parents and the friends that lived nearby, we gained proximity to Jeff's brother's and their families and the intimacy of living in a walkable community...we have LOVED living so close to parks, restaurants, stores, the library. Ballard is our perfect microcosm.

4. European Vacation. After leaving a career at Costco, Jeff and I decided I shouldn't go back to work but should spend my time making our house a home and begin to work on starting a family. To mark this milestone we embarked on a 17 day transatlantic cruise leaving from New York and ending in Rome. {see April & May of 2008} We then spent 3 weeks traveling Italy, Monaco, France, and England (serious memories created along the way.) It was, quite possibly the vacation of a lifetime and not only did we create memories that we will treasure but we also brought back a little bun in the oven, our sweet Wesley.

5. The birth of our son (his whole life really). How can I even begin to explain this one? Wes is simply a gift from God, a true miracle. We are thankful for his life every day and pray for him constantly. When he arrived 5.5 weeks early we were shocked and then a little put out that we had to stay at the hospital. However, those first 2 weeks are some of our fondest memories, we would not have had his birth or life any other way.

6. Jane lived with us. Our best friend. Do most couples have 1 person that they call best friend? I mean she's mostly mine (right Jane?) but we both love her terribly. How lucky we were to have her here for nearly 4 months! She was such a blessing during those sleepless nights. She not only took care of Wes, but she cared for us too. Thanks Jane, we will never forget your time with us and hope that we can be lucky enough to host you in the future.

7. Our Stay-cation. When Jane lived with us we decided we should take advantage of the fact that she knew how to take care of little Wes. We did our 1st overnight away from him when he was 6 months old. It was unusually hot for May and we stayed at the Four Seasons downtown that has an outdoor pool overlooking the Sound. It was so much fun we extended our stay for one more day and invited the family out. (The part I'd like to forget is that on the second evening I got a fever and began my 2+ week battle with EBV.)

8. New backyard. I know this seems like a weird one but last summer we had our backyard leveled, Jeff's brother covered our lower patio, and Jeff and his Dad put up gates to enclose the backyard. I have to say it made a HUGE difference in the amount of time we spent back there. This small change led to a summer of sprinklers, bbqs, sunbathing, and plenty of horseplay. We have loved expanding our home by utilizing that space and are looking forward to warmer days to begin enjoying it again. Not to mention we will have chickens and a vegetable garden back there this spring!

9. Family Vacations. It's not just 1 memory, so sue me. We've had some pretty epic family vacations these past 4 years but the last 2 summers really come to mind, perhaps it's because Wes was with us and made them extra special? The summer of 2009 we did an Oregon coast tour with the Gough family and then met up with my parents, French relatives, and JANE in Sunriver- exhausting but wonderful! And last year we did a Canadian tour of Whistler and Victoria with the Gough family again.

10. Hatching baby chicks. We thoroughly enjoyed the process of raising our eggs in an incubator and watching them hatch. Jeff is in the process of building them a home and though I love the little ladies I'm looking forward to them getting out of our house. If you've been to our house lately you'll agree that the amount of dust they kick up is out of control! Getting chickens has definitely marked a new chapter in our life and we are beginning to embrace the "self-sufficient" lifestyle- a journey!

I'm sure there are some memories that we missed, but there's only so much you can discuss in one dinner!

We also have quite a few individual highlights; Jenny- 30th birthday party, Wave reunions... Jeff- the Republic tour...but we think that together is better.

Have I ever shared our family mantra?

Person 1: Team together
Person 2: Team forever
Person 1: Team apart
Person 2: Broken heart
(place your hands on top of each other one at a time as if in a team huddle)

Feel free to adopt it if it suits your family...we think they're words to live by!

I love you Mr. Gough. Thank you for choosing me to live out the rest of your days with.

Now I need to hit the hay. Goodnight.

Wesley :: Wednesday

2011-03-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

This was a Wednesday with Wesley if ever there was one...we spent so much time on the couch my bottom hurts!

My poor baby was up all night throwing up...and as I had finally caved and downed some Nyquil to try and kick this horrible cold I've been nursing I was only lucid enough to help clean up his sheets twice while my poor Jeffy was up every 40 minutes or so comforting our very sad boy until 5 in the morning.

We watched more shows then I would ever normally allow and in between Toy Story, Cars, Pingu, and Kipper I caught Wesley's vomit in an all too familiar stainless steel bowl (does everyone use these as barf bowls? I know I did as a child.) I think the only sweet thing about your baby being sick is that they become a baby again...clinging to you, wanting to be held and rocked, falling asleep in your arms.

I'm happy to report that he seems better today, after a full night's rest, and has been able to keep food and beverage down- hooray!

We are praying that he stays well and that Jeff and I do NOT get it- it's our 4th anniversary today (I will post more later).

We love you Wes! And just so I don't forget I love how you say..."night night crib," "puppy dog," and "kitty cat"- just like that and always together! (but not all 3 phrases together, in case you got confused)

Vintage Floral Scholastic :: A 30th Birthday

2011-02-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

Saturday I spent the day celebrating Miss Joanna...a lovely woman who blesses others with her loving friendship, inspiring creativity, and general goodness. I felt very honored to share my home with her and her guests as we dined and laughed on her monumental 30th birthday! Joey, you are a treasure.

Alisha and I enjoyed ourselves immensley in the collaborative process...from the "Vintage Floral Scholastic" theme to the Oxford Comma (Alisha's brainchild, our signature cocktail), and many other fun details...including a love tent/photo booth that was inspired by this one.

Matt, Joey's husband, provided the spread...a surf & turf dinner of crab and flank steak (prepared by Jeff) and the most delicious sides...green salad with goat cheese, oranges, and pomegranate seeds, veggie kabobs, and Manuchet bread (I think that's how it's spelled) from Pasta & Co.- my new favorite!

We ended the food fest with cupcakes from Trophy, of course!

And then took to the photo booth!

Silliness ensued.

Thank you Joey for turning 30 and letting us spoil you so!

losing it

2011-02-25T15:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a teary week.

I've been feeling so sensitive since I wrote my last blog post, in tears reading all the overwhelmingly compassionate comments, in tears talking with loved ones on the phone, in tears (sobbing actually- a first) reading that yet another person is pregnant...on facebook of all places.

I am the type of girl who never cried on the playground...not until someone asked the one little question that would break me, "are you ok?" No. No, I'm not ok. I'm wounded and hurting...but I can handle this on my own, thank you very much...don't ask me if I'm ok...or I'm going to lose it.

So, I've been losing it a bit this week. Losing my grasp on whatever bit of control I thought I had. Losing my temper with a certain sweet little 2 year old. I actually apologized to him last night in the car. "Sorry Wes, Mommy was feeling moody today and she didn't mean to take it out on you." He replied, "It hurt my feelings." What? I didn't even realize he knew the phrase, let alone the meaning. Sorry.

I think that "putting it out there" that my heart is hurting has made me even more painfully aware of how badly it hurts. But I think I needed to share it, and to share it before it was wrapped in a tidy little bow with the gift of a baby in the end.

I just started Bittersweet yesterday and I think it's the perfect book for me to be reading right now (thanks Alisha!). I like what she says about change:

I am hoping that this experience will open me up and deliver me into the palm of God's hand, but if I'm being honest...this isn't how I was hoping to get there. But, maybe it's exactly what I needed.

This weekend will be full; a few birthday parties, a sleepover for Wes, and potentially a finished chicken coop (Jeff has been working on this for a few weekends- post to follow).

Life marches on...

A Faith Journey

2011-02-21T22:18:00.000-08:00

In an effort to be a bit more transparent and share a very personal part of our current story I thought I'd do ONE big post about our journey to get pregnant with a second child and how it's been more than just a biological journey...it's been a faith one. (Don't worry, I don't intend on turning this into an "infertility blog"- and just for the record I'm not in love with that term and I hope not to be in this state for too much longer.)

I knew "going public" on my blog about our desire to get pregnant and inability to would open up the door for people to see into our "private" life...but I was hoping to encourage others and perhaps get a little encouragement myself...

During this season I have been struck by how many people are in the same boat as me (and of course how MANY people really aren't), just as becoming a mother was a quick way to feel connected to other women, struggling with infertility has you connecting on a much more painful level. This season has also made me aware of how ashamed we can feel about not getting pregnant...how even sharing that you're "trying" feels like you're revealing such a huge secret. I often wonder why that is. Is it because we are left feeling vulnerable? Victim to a process we ultimately have no control of? Worried that we'll be pitied? Viewed as damaged, weak? I know I kind of cringe these days when I hear that one more person is pregnant before me...whose first child is several weeks, months, perhaps even a year younger than Wes. I HATE that I feel that way and am ashamed to admit it. (I am willing to admit that it's a struggle of mine, but I also want those out there who are pregnant to know that I truly am happy for you, but that yes, it is a reminder that I do not currently have my hearts desire, which is hard.)

Our biological journey:

Since having a c-section with Wes and not getting pregnant within 6 months of trying fear was slowly born...what if they put things back wrong? What if my fallopian tube got twisted? What if scar tissue has taken over my uterus? What if I have a unicornuate uterus? The questions kept piling up and in an effort to calm them my doctor suggested running a few tests. The first was an MRI that I did last May (ish). The shape of my uterus checked out fine- I had all the parts I needed.

And after that I thought I was being too paranoid and just needed to be patient and not waste our money...we'd try over the summer and surely, surely I'd get pregnant. But October rolled around and I had Wes' second birthday on the horizon (November) which had been my "I just want to get pregnant before Wes turns 2" deadline. (I'm supposed to be well into my 2nd trimester here people!) So, I made another call to my doctor and she suggested doing a dye test to check that my fallopian tubes weren't blocked...and they were great, but while I was at the appointment the doctor suggested they do an ultrasound on my ovaries to be sure that my body was preparing to release eggs. They said they like to see between 6-10 eggs being prepared in both ovaries. I had 9 on one side and 11 on the other. What's this about infertility? Not by the looks of it! Blood work? Maybe this is a hormone problem. Nope. No answers.

The doctor felt like over time Jeff and I would certainly get pregnant. BUT if we wanted a little assistance to make it happen faster we could try IUI (intra-uterine insemination). We weren't prepared to go that route. But believe me, there are months that I just chant "IUI, IUI" to Jeff, like it's my new mantra.

Our faith journey:

Shortly after the news that there was nothing "wrong" with Jeff or I we began talking about IUI. I was a little more interested in the idea, trying to convince Jeff that God was still ultimately in control of whether or not we got pregnant, whether the procedure worked.

It had been awhile since we had gone to church, but there we were sitting in the pew...listening to the story of Abraham. I feel like every direction I turn lately...church, talking with friends, etc. I have been confronted with the story of Abraham. How at 90 God promised he and his barren wife a son and how they just kept "doing the work" but it didn't happen in "their timing" and so he slept with the maid servant and had a child...he then asked the Lord to bless *that* child and God replied, that was not the child He promised him, Sarah would be pregnant in a year (I paraphrase), and Abraham laughed. He felt so discouraged (as I am often feeling these days) like having a child was never going to happen for Sarah...but God promised him again and Abraham had the faith that God could make a miracle happen. And he did. I remember looking at Jeff and saying, "is he talking directly to us?" Is this about IUI? Is this about pregnancy in general? I felt convicted and believe this is how the Holy Spirit works. (Note: I'm very grateful modern medicines ability to help people get pregnant, and though we feel called to wait on going this route for the time being, this may very well be something we explore in the future. I am making no judgment calls on IUI or other fertility procedures.)

Each month I have been praying that I will get pregnant, or that I will be fine with the Lord's timing...but I haven't been that faithful. I have found myself saying, well Abraham had God *actually* speaking to him and if I had God tell me "you will get pregnant" I would believe it and I would know that it was going to happen. Why can't I feel that way now? Didn't God put this desire in my heart? Hasn't God been speaking to me all along? Have I stopped to listen?

When Jeff and I were debriefing about this Abraham revelation he mentioned there was a Bible verse in the New Testament that had a similar theme. And would you believe that last week when I decided to read some daily scriptures on my iphone (which I seriously never do, but should) the following passage was on my list?

Mark 11 22:24
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Maybe God IS *actually* talking to me.

This past weekend, with this scripture on the forefront of my mind, I drove quite a distance to a childhood friend's baby shower (of course) and literally everywhere I looked there were mountains, the Olympics in my rear-view, the Cascades ahead of me, Mt. Rainier to my right. It was as if God was daring me to ask them to throw themselves into the sea.

I hope it doesn't seem like I'm over spiritualizing this experience, it's all very real to me. And like a good friend of mine said to me, after courageously calling off her wedding a year ago, I don't want to go through this experience for nothing...I want to come out changed, improved, praising God with a grateful heart.

I also wish that at the end of this I could say...ps. I'm pregnant...but I'm not even sure what's happening with my cycle this month (I gave up the ovulation kits since they weren't helping us get pregnant anyway).

Your prayers would be greatly appreciated. But I'm also hoping my prayers will be free of doubt in my heart and that I can give God the faith He deserves.

Thanks for sticking with this post through to the very end. Despite wanting to be pregnant we are still filled with much joy and appreciation for the blessings we have. Jeff and Wes are pretty incredible gifts and if that's all I end up "getting" I will remain one happy woman!

Next year...

2011-02-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

...I'm doing this.

pose.

shoot.

print.

cut.

stuff with yummy lollipop.

{is it weird that I have someone else's kid on my blog? thanks design mom.}

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

Although Jeff and I don't celebrate this holiday (not in any official way anyway) we have been spreading Valentine cheer throughout the weekend. Wes has been delivering his Toy Story Valentines and Jeff and I attempted a Valentine inspired dessert- a recipe from my favorite Top Chef All Stars contestant, Richard Blais. It's angel food cake made out of a whip creamer and microwaved (kind of gross, but also fun...I would recommend adding vanilla or almond extract if you try it.)

Wes also had French class today, have I mentioned here that he started taking those in January? Today was a particularly hard day, maybe the kids had too much sugar before class? So, I'm exhausted...and Wes is exhausted but the kid is still not sleeping (4:19 pm).

I am planning on making one of Jeff's favorite meals- pasta with chicken meatballs and possibly indulging in THIS recipe again!

Hope you all have a fabulous evening.

***As soon as I published this post I decided it might be a good idea to sneak upstairs and check on Wes. I thought I heard him yell "poop" and well, the bad news is his diaper was off...the good news? He thinks pee is poop...so yes, there was a little puddle in the middle of his mattress, but nothing else. AND he also seems to have fallen right to sleep!***

10 on 10 :: February 2011

2011-02-10T23:59:00.000-08:00

Wesley :: Wednesday

2011-02-09T21:17:00.000-08:00

Today we had to get out and enjoy the beautiful and rare winter sunshine...and it's not really like me to venture out without a playdate on the books but after a trip to the gym Wes was "ready to run" and I was happy to oblige him on the shores of the Puget Sound.

I'm hoping to use these "Wesley :: Wednesday" posts as a time to stop and capture precious moments that disappear too quickly. I can't remember or record everything...but I know I'll be happy that I tried.

Just this week Jeff was reading to Wes from the 100 Bible Stories book that Meme got him for his dedication at church. Jeff read about Jesus knocking at the door of our heart and so he lightly tapped Wesley's chest and said, "knock, knock" and he had Wes reply, "Come in Jesus," but Wes didn't stop there. Wes unprompted said, "Come in Jesus, I love you." They did this back and forth for a bit and when I returned from a birthday dinner Wes was very happy to show me his new "trick."

Today I thought I'd test his memory. Knock, knock. And he looked at me, with his sweet brown eyes, and said, "Jesus is with me." Like, yeah Mom...I let him in earlier this week, he's already inside my heart. I hope it was that easy.

make something monday :: sweater legwarmers

2011-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

*Thank you to Rebekah (friend and sister-in-law) at a bit of sunshine for letting me share this quick crafty creation on her blog. I just love her "make something monday" feature and am honored to be included among her gorgeous projects!*

The idea for thrifted sweater legwarmers came to me during my New Year Swap. I had spied an adorable purple sweater and knew right away that I wanted it, until I saw the huge slash through the back. Rats. But wait...and that's when I shoved my leg through the arm and had an "aha" moment. Legwarmers.

This is truly so simple I am almost embarrassed to do a "tutorial" on it, but I thought it was definitely doable and unique and the perfect quick project...during nap-time perhaps?

Step 1 ::
Find a sweater. I had the one from the swap but I also decided to hit up Goodwill and see if there were any good finds. I learned a few things too...pick a sweater that has some stretch to it, that's not already too big for your leg (or too small), but that also has the longest arms possible...this will affect the height of your legwarmer. I also think it looks slightly better to have a pattern on the entire sleeve, but if it's more plain you could also add an appliqué or embroider (if you want to get really creative).

Step 2 ::
Using scissors cut a straight line through the sleeve from the armpit, parallel with the wrist.

Step 3 ::
Turn the sleeve inside out and fold a hem on the cut edge. (I just fold as I go, no need to pin.) Place the edge under your sewing machine foot and set the stitch to zig zag.

Step 4 ::
Sew around the the sleeve. Turn rightside out and "get physical" with your new legwarmers.

I think they're cute with tights or leggings and a little jean skirt. Dare to wear them with jeggings and pumps! The world is your oyster.

And now what to do with the body of the sweater? Perhaps you have some good ideas? I was thinking of making a pillow, a coffee cozy, a doll. If you have ideas please feel free to share them here!

Won't YOU Be My Neighbor?

2011-02-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

We've been attempting to cultivate a genuine community in our neighborhood of 3 years...and by golly, I think we've done it.

Last summer we hosted a neighborhood BBQ at the tail end of the summer and chatted our way into the evening over steak, sun-dried tomato pasta salad, and accouterments provided by our our 4 sets of guests...which included 9 adults and 3 kids! People who had lived next to each other for over 10 years hardly knew each other and many commented, "This feels like a real neighborhood!" And that was exactly what I was hoping for.

Well, all this cold weather hasn't hindered our neighborly spirit, despite spending nearly all of our time indoors. We delivered cookies this Christmas and just last night invited our sweet neighbor, Lise, over for dinner. This was not the first time we've dined with her and I know it won't be the last...but I had to share how thankful I am to have her as our neighbor...to talk chickens, gardens, life...to have her adore Wes, just as we do! Do you know your neighbors? I know your life will be richer if you do!

And if you happen to have them over for dinner, might I suggest a menu?

Chicken Marbella with Israeli Couscous
Herb salad with bell peppers, pumpkin seeds, parmesan and simple olive oil & balsamic

For dessert? Why I'm glad you asked...this recipe couldn't be easier or more delicious and quite possibly you might have the ingredients already on hand. A perfect addition to any meal, but especially decadent with Valentine's right around the corner.

Individual Molten Chocolate Cake

I know these are popular, I just didn't realize how simple they are and I want to thank Alisha for lending me Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard...and thank you too, Elizabeth, for introducing me to this, soon to be staple, recipe!

1 stick unsalted butter (8 tbs)
5 oz 70% dark chocolate
Pinch of coarse sea salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbs flour

Preheat oven to 450. Melt butter and chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Beat together eggs, yolks and sugar with wisk or electric beater until light and slightly foamy. Add to butter and chocolate and combine. Add flour and stir just to combine. The batter will be thick, shockingly thick. Pour into 4 individual ramekins (I used my adorable Le Creuset ones with lids). At this point you can place it in the fridge and bake later, but be sure to bring it back to room temp before baking. Bake for 8.5 min, serve immediately. Center should be gooey and delicious! We ate ours with vanilla ice cream!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and maybe even work up the courage to invite your neighbor over for a home-cooked meal.

Our Little Foodie

2011-01-30T17:43:00.000-08:00

Here are two videos that capture Wesley's adventurous palette.

When Wes was saying his goodbyes to li'l Lorraine, out of the blue he said "I wanna cook her." So we started recording!

And today while he was playing with some flowers, he decided to try one out. (Jeff switched to picture mode right before Wesley took the bite, which explains the still shots in the middle of the video. He was able to capture video right afterward though). Wesley's comments and expressions are priceless!

Wesley :: Wednesday

2011-01-26T23:22:00.001-08:00

I love this kid.

(2 yr. 2 months)

His vocabulary and imagination have been running wild! Seriously, I've been so impressed with the way he can articulate his thoughts...I asked him earlier this week, "what are you doing?" and he replied, "I'm trying to poop!" Oh, ok.

He's been using stalling techniques when we put him to bed..."I need water," "sing the joker song (jingle bells, batman smells)," "rock you mama"- which means he wants to sit with me or Jeff in the rocking chair and sing songs or tell stories. I asked him the other night, "Wesley, do you want a little brother?" and he told me, "yes, and a little sister too!" We're trying buddy! But I kind of couldn't believe that he already understood the concept...and maybe he doesn't totally but he already has the words for it- amazing!

He likes to pretend. He pretends he's Buzz Lightyear with his little action figurine. He even has a special voice that he uses when he's "Buzz." And lately he will tell me, "I'm Thomas" and then he'll refer to himself as Thomas and only respond when I call him that too.

I'm trying to soak this stage up. To marvel in Wes, to play with him, to spend more time snuggling and listening...even if it means that he doesn't get to bed until almost 10 (he sleeps 12 hours anyway).

Wesley, you are my little angel baby!

A Bird in the Hand

2011-01-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

It began with 14 eggs that whittled down to 6 and in the meantime we picked up 2 day old chicks...but when hatch day approached for our sweet little eggs we waited with baited breath and unfortunately our first day came with little action but by the evening we saw that 3 eggs were showing progress (meaning small cracks from the inside out)! And it was like...whoah, our water broke! I know that's taking it a bit far, but honestly it was exhilarating.

We went to bed that first day after seeing some good progress thinking that by sometime tomorrow we'd have a couple of chicks and then bam...we wake up and there are two chickies (Silver Laced Wyandottes {SLW})! We.missed.it. But there was more action on several of the eggs and with the arrival of 2 furry little chicks came the knowledge that THIS actually works. We CAN hatch chickens! How rewarding and wonderful.

So we went about our morning with a family breakfast at the Ridgeback Cafe and dropped Daddy off at work. When Wes and I returned we put on Cars and waited for more...and did I mention that they were cheeping inside their shells? That was pretty incredible and so so encouraging. So there Wes and I were enjoying the adventures of Lightning McQueen when all of a sudden an egg took the cheeping up a notch and low and behold a little claw was pushing out against a huge crack in the shell of our only Golden Laced Wyandotte {GLW}. I thought, "this will probably take awhile" but I couldn't stand there by myself so I decided to call my Mom and in the middle of our conversation the little lady completely popped the top off and within seconds had made her way out of the shell, a shriveled wet mess with a belly the exact same shape as her egg!

That left the 2 Black Copper Marans {BCM} (one of which had been showing signs of hatching since the very beginning) and 1 SLW. The daytime action slowed way down and we entertained the Myrons for dinner but as soon as they left BCM #2 began to "go" and Jeff was finally able to witness the hatching first hand...we then stayed up until 2 am- very confident that BCM #1 was going to hatch any second...but she didn't.

The next morning we woke up to our little Wesley...he had thrown up all over his crib in the middle of the night (poor thing, but he was ok) and I was so distracted by the clean-up that when I went downstairs and looked in the incubator and saw 2 little dark chickens I assumed it was both BCMs...but I was wrong. Our last SLW, the one that seemed like she might not hatch, had done a tremendous amount of work during the night. But what did that mean for BCM #1? She seemed exhausted, I should note that we had assumed she was going to hatch because we had heard her cheeping and saw her pushing, plus she had pipped more than half-way around her shell...but I think after nearly 2 full days of work she was done. still breathing. but done. I looked at Jeff and said, "I know that in nature they might just let this chicken die...but if c-sections didn't exist then Wes could have died, and I could have died. We need to do something."

It felt wrong to pry that little egg open but I don't regret it. I think she was turned the wrong way, was maybe a little too big...at any rate she was stuck and wasn't coming out on her own and now she's alive and well and I know we did the right thing.

The chicks have adapted to their knew home well and appear more eager for Jeff and I to hold them than Biscuit and Sheila ever did. I think it's because they recognize our voice, we're their Mama and Dada!

Biscuit and Sheila joined the rest of the gang about a day later and I've been so impressed with how easily this flock has come together.

And now...the big name reveal (in birth order minus Biscuit & Sheila):

1. DeLorean (SLW- yes, all the SLWs names are based on a Back to the Future theme, this particular bird has distinct racing stripes down the back, of course)
2. Foxy (SLW- she is more black with yellow wings and has a little spunk)
3. Winnie (GLW- this is the one I saw hatch in the afternoon, she has a brown beak and is dark with golden hues)
4. Juliette (BCM- this is the one that Jeff got to see hatch, she has a black beak and is larger than the other BCM, she also likes to sleep on her side)
5. Lorraine (SLW- she's the smallest and sweetest we've got, she used to get stuck on her back and it looked like she was making snow angels in the pine shavings...but the other chicks liked to peck at her so we're pretty happy she's gotten stronger and can stand on her own two feet)
6. Josephine (BCM- she's the one I had to help but she can hold her own in there...she came out with a scratch on her claw and the other chicks tried to peck at it but she fought right back and they eventually backed off...she's our fighter!)

We're quite happy with our little flock of 8 (and you can see them periodically via live video feed in the post below) but if we're being honest...8 is enough, or rather...too much. And although we aren't sure which of our 6 will be male or female we think we'll risk it and say goodbye to 3 (2 SLWs and the 1 GLW). Does anyone know of a good home these chicks can go to? FREE.

Thanks for sticking with this super long post. I'm sure we'll have more updates down the road, but I'm looking forward to less chick-centric posts in the near future so be ready for that.

But before I go, please enjoy this video montage.

Chick cam! (and I mean chickens)

2011-01-22T21:55:00.000-08:00

Watch live streaming video from ballardchicks at livestream.com

All 6 hatched! I'll be back with more "birth" story details soon. But for now, enjoy watching them grow! And text me if you see any fowl play.

{Jeff wants me to mention that visiting livestream.com/ballardchicks on your iPhone is better than watching it on your computer because it works more often, isn't cluttered with ads, and appears crisper...plus you can do it on the go!}

Don't Count Your Chickens...

2011-01-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

...before they're hatched! Literally.

Today is hatch day and though I don't expect too much action until around 10:30 tonight I'm sad to report that we only have 6 viable eggs that made it thus far. It might be a blessing in disguise (because seriously, who wants 14 chickens in their backyard?) but it was sad to see those 8 eggs go. I was, however, very thankful that when we opened them up they ALL seemed to be unfertilized.

If you happen to think about us today and tomorrow please keep our little baby chicks in mind. If any of these 6 don't hatch I don't think I can bear what we will find left behind since I know for a fact that each egg currently has a thriving chick. We shall see! And hopefully we'll catch it on video!

In other chicken news...we decided last week to pick up 2 day old chicks of a particularly strong and egg productive breed (Australorp).

So, without further ado, please allow me to introduce you to Biscuit and Sheila! We've made them a comfortable home fully equipped with a barn, farmer, tractor and livestock. They've become acquainted with most of the family. And we've enjoyed getting to know their little personalities (Biscuit is the dominant one and Sheila the sweet one...but I think I like Biscuit's feisty spirit).

Now we're hoping that they won't be too much bigger than the new guys when they arrive. I have been amazed by how quickly chickens grow. Sheila and Biscuit already have most of their wing feathers in and they're just one week old today!

I hope to post soon with some exciting news about our hatch (fingers crossed). Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous sunny winter day!

Swap Party:: a recap

2011-01-18T00:44:00.000-08:00

I'm not certain if I "officially" announced my personal promise to NOT buy anything for myself (excluding food, services or extinguishable products such as deodorant) for the month of September in this space. But, that's exactly what I did and it felt so natural and good to enforce that limitation on my spending that I continued it on through December (I am in fact still maintaining it). I guess it didn't hurt that my birthday was in October (I did allow myself a certain bit of leeway, not wanting to be entirely legalistic, by giving myself permission to go above my Anthropologie gift card to purchase a birthday outfit or to use Christmas money towards the Tom's I was so hoping to get) or that Christmas was rapidly approaching. I knew I'd be getting some goods, and frankly, I was looking forward to it!

After watching The Story of Stuff, which Mandy had posted on her Seeking Out Simplicity blog I felt that "depriving" myself was a necessary challenge...and although I didn't identify with all of the viewpoints expressed in the video I had to agree with the fact that...I have too much stuff, I buy too much stuff. I'm a firm believer in "voting with your dollars" and felt like it was time for me to walk the talk. And so...I didn't "vote."

And then January rolled around and although I had received some very wonderful gifts in October and December...I was still itching for some "retail therapy." I had also been brainstorming some ideas about how to practically simplify but continue to provide for our needs and the needs of others. The idea seemed obvious- a swap!

So, a few days into January I sent an evite out inviting some ladies from my community to participate in a "New Year Swap." I had promised to gather everyone's goods and sort them by category and then provide an evening of relaxation, drinks and snacks and some good old fashioned stuff swaping! FREE stuff! (I only wish I had documented it better...I literally had something set up in every part of the house.)

And I hate to pat myself on the back (who am I kidding? I'm a fan of self-encouragement) but I think the night was a raging success! Twenty-four ladies participated and I don't think a single person left empty handed. I also think people really were able to purge in their own homes and evaluate what sorts of things they want to make a priority when it comes to collecting "stuff."

The night was a gift that keeps on giving as my good friend, Alisha, is so generously delivering all of our left over goods (and we're talking about 3 car loads full) to World Relief and I hope that these items will truly help those refugees living here in the Seattle area. I couldn't have asked for a better process...purge, reuse, donate to a worthy cause where the recipients get to have the items for free. I'm also super pleased to know that World Relief and Goodwill have a relationship where any unused items can be donated and Goodwill will provide vouchers for the value, so the refugees can truly get what they need. What a huge blessing to all and it was such an encouragement to me to see how many women were willing to participate.

Thank you to everyone who participated and especially to Alisha who was such an amazing assistant on the day of the event and an even bigger servant for loading up her trunk and getting all of this stuff out of my living room!

I was originally dreaming BIG with this project and envisioned doing a swap every quarter...but honestly the event was so massive that I think I could only pull it off at most twice a year...and if anyone is interested in hosting next time...just let me know!

If you're thinking about doing one in your hometown, I highly recommend it and would be happy to give you any pointers I learned along the way.

10 on 10 :: January :: Red

2011-01-11T00:10:00.000-08:00

Which came first?

2011-01-09T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well, in our house...it's the egg! Or at least we hope it is...and as of Wednesday we have reason to believe that the project that started here with just the hope of fertilized eggs in our little styrofoam incubator has turned into living, growing, baby chicks.

Day 7 of our little eggs' lives presented the first opportunity to "candle" our babies and though we couldn't see through the dark mahogany of our Black Copper Marans we were able to see veins and a little black dot in 5 out of our 14 eggs (hopefully we just couldn't see the others yet, but they're still growing.) It was kind of amazing because while we were taking this photo I had to hold very still and all of a sudden the black dot began to dance around on its own!

If you've been by our house in the past week chances are you've seen Jeff's keynote presentation (yes, we're Mac people) on our eggs...we have 2 Black Copper Marans (very rare), 3 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 2 Golden Polish, 3 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 1 Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, and 3 Wheaten Penedesenca...truthfully we only have 2 WPs after last night.

Yes, we've had our first casualty. It started as a slightly foul odor upon opening the incubator and after I sniffed every single egg (man, it's like I'm a real farmer) I discovered that one WP just didn't smell right and rather than risk it blowing up and contaminating the rest of our eggs we decided we should throw it out. But of course, me being the "scientific" type I just had to crack it open (kind of heart breaking since I had been turning this puppy 3+ times a day for 10 days). We found a very yucky smelling substance that no longer resemebled an egg...it seemed as though it was ALL yoke...but there was no blood or sign of any growth and I think that means it was either a) not fertilized or b) "scrambled" in delivery. Either way I'm happy we detected it early and that I didn't have to see the beginnings of a baby chick when we broke it open. The sad news is that I think there's another one "going bad" (another WP) and I'm a little worried about what the next couple of days will be like...but I'm encouraged by the growth we saw in at least 5 of them and I'm looking forward to another "chicken ultrasound" this coming Wednesday.

Thanks for following us on our chicken adventure. This coming weekend we have a class courtesy of Seattle Tilth that we're looking forward to and are in the process of figuring out what kind of coup we'll have/make when the chickens are ready!

I also wanted to mention where we got our eggs: mypetchicken.com. I have loved using them thus far and would highly recommend them for products and information if you're interested in raising backyard chickens! Although if you can find someone local through craigslist or the like you'll avoid the risk of something going wrong during shipping.

Christmas in the Northwest

2011-01-06T00:34:00.000-08:00

What.a.whirlwind.

It was delightful to experience the Christmas season with Wes as a two-year-old. He was all about Santa, Frosty, Rudolph (requesting we sing this every night before bed), Jingle Bells, and baby Jesus- of course!

We took the holiday season by storm, kicking things off early with the purchase of our Christmas tree (all nine feet of her) from the Top Banana lot the weekend after Thanksgiving. It was nice to stay local this year and forgo last years tree farm experience, and I've got to say... I didn't miss it! Sometimes it's easy for me to have grand ideas about how things should be or what it will "feel" like to do things a certain way...but that was one tradition I'm truly ok with letting go and it feels great to not have put that pressure on myself. Dare I say a fake tree is in our future?

That same weekend we stuck with our advent calendar tradition and did a shopping spree at Target for small gifts for each other...and then filled our tiny stockings with trinkets (highlights: lace leggings {debuting below} for me, batman underpants {not pictured} for Jeff and Toy Story figurines for Wes), scripture (highlights: Philippians 1:6 and Jeremiah 29:11), and family activities (highlights: giving daddy a massage {written by Jeff}, recording Wes reading a poem, and making sugar cookies for the neighbors). It was such a fun way to count down to Christmas.

Wesley helps adorn the tree...I have a similar picture of me around this age kissing an ornament, it's one of my earliest memories of Christmas.

The Monday after Thanksgiving the Gough grandkids visit Santa and Wes was nothing but smiles!

This was the only cookie Wes helped frost and by the end of it most of the frosting was missing. Alisha came to help which was superb!

Who can resist these classic reflection photos...this was at my in-laws house with their gorgeous tree.

Visiting my Great Uncle Leonard for a Christmas visit, we enjoyed his company and some delicious chowder at Duke's. {Seriously the chowder is where it's at. You might be tempted to order a full meal since most of them come with a cup of chowder, but trust me, just stick with the chowder..they're all great!)

Wes models a few gifts made by the talented Rebekah.

Boldrin Family Christmas complete with a "bring something from home" white elephant gift exchange, an economical and comical alternative.

Wes and Miles snuggle at the Evan's Family Christmas celebration, while below Grandpa and Grandma Gough snag a photo with their SEVEN grandchildren.

The Gough Girls {and said leggings.}

Our Christmas Eve breakfast. I was loving that I had some frozen cinnamon rolls left over from a big batch made back in August {where I used almond extract instead of maple.}

Wes enjoying a Kipper book Santa brought him. How could he have possibly known how much Wes loves this pup?

Andy and Ruby our neighbor kids popped by to wish us Merry Christmas! Ruby sported the hat I crocheted for her birthday gift, inspired by this one but with an R appliqued on the side.

Christmas Eve we stayed with my parents and feasted on pasta with shrimp. The pasta was prepared in a parmesan cheese wheel and although we intended to make our own pasta (I forgot a piece of the attachment) it was still delicious all the same!

My brother received a particularly sentimental gift...his old set of Smurf figurines which he had thought lost, thrown out or given away.

Jeff models a pair of my Dad's new reading glasses.

Christmas day we spent with the Gough family {including my parents} and all those precious little ones!

Don't ask.

Then all of us spent the night! I was gearing up for a long sleepless night with all of those kiddos under one roof but I'm happy to report that we 3 were snug in our bed all night and didn't notice a peep out of anyone else, that was a HUGE gift in itself. And the following morning was filled with almond bread, laughter, gifts, and a few tears sprinkled in for good measure.

Our final celebration was a brunch with my cousin Julian and his Mom...we haven't gotten to spend much time with them so this was a special treat.

What a joy and a privilege to spend this season with those we love. Thanks be to God for the gift of one another and for the gift of His Son.

**We didn't get around to a Christmas card this year and though that feels like a "pressure" to me too, I have to say I so enjoy receiving others cards...so next year- look out! I'm getting off my lazy bottom and spreading a little Christmas cheer! {Now by next year do I mean this Christmas or 2012? ;)}**

December

2011-01-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by the beauty collective project going on every day at the ten on ten blog and felt challenged to take a photo each and every day for the month of December. Mostly I just wanted to gather photos for my very own monthly mosaic (perhaps I'll do something similar each month, but I definitely can't keep up with the every day photo taking).

I love looking back at this past month...seeing the touches of christmas; my annual ornament, this year a mustache, sugar cookie making which we delivered to neighbors and visited for a bit (read: didn't get back to our house until after 10pm), visiting friends, wrapping presents, making almond bread, seeing the reindeer at Swanson's, family parties, looking at lights, and then after the holiday celebrating was over we spied a beautiful rainbow on our way home...a reminder of God's covenant with us and a sweet cherry on top of the gift of Jesus...whose birth we celebrate this month!

Some other special highlights this past month: all the wonderful care I received while being sick with tonsilitis (not fun), finishing Harry Potter and getting all caught up on the movies, seeing Anne of Greene Gables with my Gough & Evans ladies, AND the delivery of our eggs to hatch and raise...I will certainly be posting about this little adventure all along the way...but for now, they just look like normal eggs and we're busy turning them 5 times a day and making sure the temperature in the incubator is just right! This is going to be fun!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe New Year's celebration! 2010 was good to us and although 2011 has started with a nasty little cold for Wes I have a feeling (a hope really) that 2011 will be even better!

Oh and a very happy birthday to my favorite Dad and Wes' favorite Pepe...we LOVE you!

love, jenny

the beauty collective :: 31

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2010-12-28T23:02:00.000-08:00

Lunar Eclipse :: 12.20.2010

2010-12-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

It was gobbled up by a cloud before Jeff could capture it in all it's eclipsed glory. (I was warm in bed.)

God is so much bigger than we can even begin to comprehend and I'm comforted by that. I have been meditating on the following verses this Christmas season and have been filled with such longing, hope and anticipation...I pray that you will be too!

Philippians 1:6
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

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