No toilet and I pee 15 times a day!

Yes, you read it correctly we have no toilet. No toilet, no sink, no floor, no wall, no use of our entire bathroom. Allow me to explain. Since we have moved here, almost five months ago, no matter how much I scrubbed our bathroom it always kind of smelled. And on the floor, I would clean along the floor boards because I noticed black looking stuff between the floor boards and flooring. I had a suspiscion that it was mold but was hoping for the best. Now since we have moved in here the boys, Justin and myself have been sick about every other week it seems. Adding to our suspiscion that we have a mold problem. So the other day I asked Justin to pull off the floor board where I kept seeing black creeping out. And wow, we weren't expecting what we found. The whole bottom of the wall along the whole bathroom was black with mold. Also Justin noticed that our toilet was leaking. He assumed a hairline crack on the left side because every day we noticed water and pee on the floor. Now our friends, Glen and Tanya the owners who now live upstairs, used to live down here before they owned the house. They noticed the pee too but thought their eldest son just kept peeing to the left. He needed to work on his acuracy they thought. Kinda funny in a way. But anyways...Justin told Glen about the mold and toilet and immediately Glen was on it. He gave us the ok to go and get a new toilet and because the sink was old too, we picked out a new vanity sink and tap. We've had mold guys and a large noisy hepa filter in and out since last tuesday trying to get the mold under control and dealt with in the best, most efficient way possible. Once the toilet was ripped out and the lino ripped up, the guys saw or should I say smelled where some of the problem was coming from. Poor guys were gagging and almost throwing up because it was so nasty and raunchy. So Wednesday we asked mom and dad Harnett if we could lay our heads and use their toilet at their house until this all clears up. So that's where we've been and will be until our bathroom is functioning. Justin and Glen are at Rona getting the rest of the drywall, insulation and other needed supplies to complete what needs to be done. We are hoping by Monday night everything will be DONE! All of this going on and I feel like this little baby girl of ours is coming any day. I am not sure if she has rotated or not. I know because of the ultrasound where the head WAS and where the bum WAS but now I don't know if it's the bum or head I feel in my ribs. Ribs that are so bruised I feel like I fell off a horse and landed on my chest. I use that meaphor because I know exactly how it feels to fall off a horse. Don't grab onto branches when you barebacking through the forest! Anywho away from pony land....life is a bit crazy these days. I am totally not ready for having this baby. I don't even have my suitcase packed. The clothes are washed and the cradle's here. Oh and we dug out the infant car seat. I guess we have what's esential. So different between the first child and the third. But I am not stressing. It's been crazy but an adventure. I thank the Lord for these times of reminder of reliance. We are NOT in control nor does us stressing and trying to control make the situation any better or easier. Well I will go...laundry and my tummy growling calls. (Pictures are Sam holding our newest cousin Simon Cecconi and Mattias exploring)

Ultrasound

(My sister in law Jerine and me at a wedding shower for her a week ago)
Well we went to the ultrasound today. They always say I don't drink enough water in time for the ultrasound so today I made sure I drank 1L of water one hour prior to our apointment. By the time we got there I could hardly walk my blatter was so full. First thing the technician says when she puts the ultrasound thingy on my tummy is, "WOW, your blatter is soooooo FULL!" Yes, indeed...she didn't need to tell me that. So after taking a quick couple of pictures, she let me go pee and come back for the rest of the ultrasound. She confirmed that yes, we are indeed having a girl with girl body parts shown to prove it! And the reason we went again in the first place to see if the baby is breech was also examined. The baby is NOT breech but instead sideways. I'll try to explain it...her head is in my right rib cage and her bum is in my left rib cage with the spine down at my pelvis. Her feet and hands are what I keep feeling up high in my chest. I am sure she is grabbing onto things that aren't meant to be held onto if you know what I mean. I feel so bruised inside it hurts to cough or bend over. So now we wait...pray and wait! Wait to see what my doctor will determine what needs to be done next and pray that this baby will turn with the Lord's hands directing her. For obvious reasons, I DO NOT want to have a C-section but that option is not in my control. So a girl indeed, sort of hard to even imagine. I felt like going out and buying something girly. But I refrained from doing so. Instead we drove to every known thrift store in town today looking for a smaller, sort of skinny, WOOD, dresser for the baby that I could sand and repaint or stain. NOTHING ANYWHERE! I couldn't believe it. We went to about 8 stores that were open and nothing. Refinishing wood furniture, destressing it or painting it cream, putting glass knobs on it and selling it for enormous amounts of money is a trend here in Kelowna so maybe that's where all of the dressers have gone. No call yet from my doctor concerning my sugar re-blood test results, so that's a good sign! Meaning that it appears that I passed. Well that's it for now. I will keep you all posted on this little babe of ours and her position and my doctors decision. Until then...blessings friends!

Time is flying

Update on the latest...I failed my sugar test and had to be on this diet for three days and then go and redo the blood test. The diet was simple with little sugar but lots of milk and whole grains. Not really hard! Then I had a dr's apointment on Monday and the dr noticed that the baby is not "engaged" in the correct position. Meaning the baby is supposed to be head down and it is head up! Not good at this stage of the pregnancy, 35 weeks out of a possible 40 weeks. So my dr immediately called to schedule another ultrasound for this friday to find the exact position of the baby. So tomorrow at 1pm we have our ultrasound. Justin also has an exray on his foot to see if his big toe is in fact broken. Long story but also a long time problem for him and we want to get to the root of the problem. Anyways, I am hoping they will be able to determine for sure whether or not the baby is in fact a girl. You never know though. Those technicians can be kind of picky when it comes to those kind of things when it is outside of what the dr has specifically asked to look for. We have started getting ready for when the baby comes. Justin got out our small suitcase and I am preparing things for it to pack. I have washed all of the neutral newborn clothes and blankets. And we will be borrowing a cradle from Justin's brother and sister in law. Now we are on the lookout for a good used dresser that I can clean-up and paint to store all of the baby's goodies in. For the first while, the plan is to have the baby in our room and keep Mattias in his room. But we will have to see how that works out. When Sam was born we put him in his room pretty quickly because of the weird noises that he made as a newborn while sleeping kept Justin and I sleeping with one eye open. Mattias has been in his crib in his room since the day we brought him home from the hospital. So depending on the baby and its' sleep patterns/habits, we might keep it with us; put it in Mattias room and put Mattias in Sam's room; or if its' a good sleeper like Mattias, we will put it in Mattias' room with Mattias. Sam still is a horrible sleeper. Rarely does he actually sleep through the night. I am starting to not let him have any sugar past lunch (including fruit and juice) and he only naps once a week which cuts down on the bedtime battles and helps him have a longer sleep when he doesn't nap. Chocolate is STILL out of the question at all times. We keep trying every once and a while and he just goes crazy. He is and always has been very sensitive to caffiene and sugar. Him and Mattias are total opposites when it comes to sleeping. Sam likes his night light on, music playing, and the door open. Mattias likes it dark, quiet, and the door closed. Both won't sleep if those things aren't rightfully in place. So for the two of them to share a room will pose quite a challenge.
Mattias is crawling at worp (sp?) speed and pulling himself up and walking along the coffee table. I have been able to watch right before my eyes how he's coming out of babyhood into toddlerhood. He claps, waves, and grunts to get us to look at him. But he still naps at least four hours a day and sleeps at least 12 hours at night. I prayed for a sleeper and boy did the Lord answer! First thing on Sam's 3rd birthday, November 8/06, we said it was a no diaper day and have never looked back. Officially I think the toilet training took three months but he pretty much had it on his own after about a month. He does it on his own on the big toilet and even washes his hands. It took a couple weeks of me instigating him going to use his toilet after a meal or before bed. And after that he caught on and was soon telling us when he had to use it. It was easy and quite a relief to know it can be done and without a big fuss/headache. So days are spent playing and just trying to take it easy. Not so easy for me but with little option. My hips are as bad as they have ever been but I know there is light at the end of the tunnel very soon. And Justin has been really great at taking care of the boys whenever he's home and has been really great at chores and so on. I am so thankful for a husband who is my bestfriend but also my PARTNER in all of this.

Snowy days

Yesterday and today it has been snowing heavy on and off and accumilated pretty quickly. Today Sam, Justin and our friend Micah went sledding up at the Kettle Valley playground. They had alot of fun but Sam came home with a HUGE purple goosegg on his birthmark on his forehead. Something about going too fast down the slide and smacking his head on the inside of the tube slide. The baby inside of me has been very active these days at the weirdest times. Like 3am "she" decides to do a summersalt (sp?) half way and then turns back the other way. Not really a fun way to be awoken at such an early time. Not alot to report other then our days go quickly and are busy yet I can't exactly think of what we have been doing. Mattias is crawling either on his tummy or while sitting on his bum "scooching" along. And man is that boy flexible. He will sit pretty much doing the splits. He's learning to pull himself up and loves to stand holding onto things. And of course he just keeps getting cuter and cuter. Sam has been alot of fun these past couple of weeks. He has been so obedient and helpful around the house doing chores and playing nicely with Mattias. They will play in Sam's room with trains and hot wheels and blocks while listening to some music and are just quietly content. I enjoy those moments of watching our oldest son sharing and caring with his younger baby brother. Never too many kisses and hugs for all of us from our dear Rhythm. He's stuburn beyond tolerance alot of times, but I pray God will use that for HIS glory. He is never short on opinions or asking "why" at least a hundred times a day. I know these days will soon pass and be a thing of the past so I try to just live in the moment and enjoy them with a thankful heart. I should go...I came on the mac to get a recipe for dinner and got totally sidetracked. Until next time....Blessings to you all!

Orange hair?

I thought I would post a couple of pictures's of Justin's cousins Amos and Hannah to show you that Sam isn't an "alien" in our family with his copper top!

Back in the groove

Well life here has seem to have settled into somewhat of a routine. Justin's working partime on Saturday's and Sunday's 8-2 at Petro Canada. PRAISE THE LORD, Justin was accepted for EI. Which is good because now he can take a little time to figure school and work options out instead of having to jump right into something that he may not want to do or that wouldn't be the best for all of us. So far this pregnancy is going "good". It has been the most different pregnancy yet. I am a ball of hormones and I am constantly tired. But my doctor reminded me that that could be because I have two youngin's to tend to and it wasn't that long ago I was pregnant. My body hasn't had much of a "rest" this past year and in turn my SI joint has been EXTREMELY painful and just a pain in my rear! I do what I can to not make it worse and Justin has been so great taking care of most of the vacuuming and big cleaning. Even cooking dinner or washing the dishes does me in for the rest of the day. Not fun but I know soon, once I have this baby, I will be able to do some core strengthening and I won't be feeling like this forever. I will be going to Physio again in the new year until the baby comes and after. I have to wait until I am back on BC medical until I go back to Physio. Because we are still on Alberta medical, each Physio visit cost's $50. That can definately add up when you are going every five days. But other then that I am doing well. The boys are growing like weeds. Sam shot up a size in pants in a month and every wash day I am packing away Mattias' clothes that he has outgrown. Mattias is a happy chatter box from the moment he awakes til he lays down for his nap. He seems to be getting easier as he gets older which I didn't think he could get any easier. Sam is three and testing his limits daily. New behaviours the past couple of weeks like kicking, hitting, screaming and being cheeky are just a few of his actions that have almost sent Justin and I over the edge. But daily he is learning that those things aren't acceptable and that we will not tolerate it in any form at any time no matter where we are or where he is learning it from. The time-out stool is working well and so is Justin and I being calm and firm yet loving. I can see light at the end of this tunnel soon. Sam and I have been doing crafts and baking which he loves. Much time spent outside in the snow playing soccer with Papa or the boys who live upstairs which Sam loves. We are LOVING our new place. It's cozy and none too big but we love it. It feels like home and we are so glad to be BCer's again. And our landlords upstairs, our friends, are better then we could have imagined. Having a babysitter so close for us and them is very helpful. And the hand me downs from their two boys, 6 and 8 are grately appriciated. Check our website for up to date pictures. Well lunch needs to be prepared and Sam is itching to get Tias out of his crib to play. Have a blessed Christmas and know what CHRISTmas is really all about. That it's origin would stand ahead of importance of what we so easily get caught up in what this season is all about. Blessings....

Getting there

Well we arrived in Kelowna Saturday October 28th and our household belongings and van arrived on Tuesday the 31st. We spent our first night in our new home November 1st and have been trying to settle into it ever since. On the 30th our new home got brand new flooring which we are so thankful and excited about. While staying with Mom and Dad Harnett, Sam acquired a cold from his sick Grandma. Sam's upper lip is totally raw from constantly using his sleeve to wipe his nose. Yesterday we celebrated Sam's third bithday at Mom and Dad Harnett's. There was a house full of family and wound-up kiddies. After a long day for our boys, we came home to settle into bed and get a good nights rest. Well...Sam and I rested well but Justin and Mattias were a different story. Mattias had a stuffed nose, bit of a cough and a fever and insisted that Justin snuggle with him while holding him all night long. I too have been feeling a bit under the weather and thanks to my wonderful husband I was able to sleep the night away. As much as a mother can while her baby is crying in pain in the next room. Today we are all fighting the effects of this bothering cold and have put the unpacking to the back burner. So pray that the boys especially would be on the mend and that the worst of their colds would be past and that Justin and I would have the energy and strength to care for and love our precious little guys. We are LOVING it back here in Kelowna...back home! However we do miss our friends from Edmonton and look forward to when we will meet again. We really like our new home. The landlords, our friends who live upstairs, are so kind and gracious and just such a huge blessing to us. Justin is on the lookout for a new job. But until one that pays adequate wages, Justin will be on EI and working partime at his old stomping grounds where he worked last December, Petro Canada. The job I was hoping to be getting has been taken up and I have decided for right now until something laid back comes around, I will be staying at home. On Wednesday I visited with my favourite doctor in the world, Dr.Ketch and got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time. As of right now I am due April 17th, 2007. Meaning I am almost 17 weeks along. On the 15th I am scheduled for an ultrasound to determine the exact size and due date of the baby. Other then the effects of the cold, move, stress and constant change, I am feeling pretty good these days. My hip once again is getting worse which is extremely frustrating and debilitating. But thanks to my caring doctor, I will be going to physio what looks like to be once a week. Dr.Ketch told me that my hip and SI joint won't be getting better with physio but they shouldn't be getting worse. Which for me at this point is good news.
Anywhoooooo....Mattias is in bed trying to breath with his soother in his mouth, Sam is once again asking for more snuggles and Justin is dozing quickly on our bed. Until next time.....

Farewell Edmonton...

Well our time in Edmonton, Alberta is quickly coming to an end. Justin's last day of work is this Thursday afternoon and our van is being picked up that day. It will be taking a train ride and delivered to our door in Kelowna sometime next week. Then on Friday some movers are coming to dismantle our furniture and load up the moving truck. Friday night we are staying with our friends, Dale and Kathleen and then getting up early Saturday morning for them to drive us to the airport. We fly out at 9:50 and arrive in Kelowna at 9:50 BC time. Sam is excited and nervous about the flight. He's really excited about what's awaiting us when we arrive in Kelowna....family! Both boys are a bit out of routine with all of the packing and rearranging. They both are acting a bit different then normal. Which when Justin and I are trying to pack, organize and clean the entire house, makes it quite difficult. But thanks to Dale and Kathleen taking the boys for the day last Sunday, Justin and I were able to get a ton of packing done. They took the boys for a day of fun at West Edmonton Mall. Sam still talks about it. Packing seems to be taking forever. It's amazing how much stuff we have accumulated since we have moved out here in December of last year. We pulled a small U-Haul trailer behind our van and now we are getting a 16-foot moving truck that I am sure will be packed full. Our time out here has been a time of reliance: Reliance on our Father and reliance on eachother. Last night Justin and figured out how many dates we've had since we've been out here...TWO! And how many times we've been without the boys...FOUR! So no wonder sometimes Justin and I feel as though we are going to lose it. Having very few breaks from a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week job gets completely exhausting. Now just because we are going to be living near family and old friends doesn't mean they will be raising our children while Justin and I are living up the good life. It's just nice to know that we will have people there we care about and trust our children with to give us break every now and then. A chance for Justin and I to catch up with eachother. We have children because of our love for one another and we don't want to lose that because of our uninvolvement with eachother while we are caring for the very thing that is the product of our love. Alot of days it's alot easier said then done.

On the move

Well as of today I am 13 weeks pregnant and into the second trimester and Mattias turns six months old today...already! He isn't crawling or sitting yet but on the verge of both very soon. Sam is a sponge soaking up all that is said and done around him and then repeating the words and actions with precision. And if life wasn't busy enough, we have decided to move back to Kelowna. We received an offer from some friends in Kelowna who own a home close to Mom and Dad Harnett and have a three bedroom suite for rent. We have been toiling with the idea of moving back to be with family for a few months now. Everytime we plan a trip back for a visit something gets in the way. It has been ten long months since we have seen most family. Far too long when you have children you want to share with people who love and care for them. Everyday Sam asks if we are going to go visit "Gama and Gampa" or Nanny. It's hard to explain to him that we aren't and that we don't know when we will see them. The decision came down to what is more important-staying out here without family but having a good paying job? Or move back to Kelowna and be with family and friends and have a so-so job and not as much money? With two children and a third on the way the latter option makes the most sense and fitting to more of the lifestyle we want our children to be raised in. Meaning that as much as you think it's true, money DOESN'T buy happiness!
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1JOHN 2:17
Reading this verse and this book in the bible is helping me to be reminded what is important to me and my marriage and what we want for our children. So we are heading back at the end of this month. We, with the help of Mom and Dad Harnett, are hiring movers to move our stuff to Kelowna. We had planned on driving our van back to Kelowna but with some recent serious mechanic problems, it looks like we are flying back to Kelowna. Our friend here in Edmonton said he would try to sell it for us. We first had problems that were going to cost $1200 to repair. Now it seems the whole electrical system has lost its' brain and isn't working properly. The main concern is actually getting it safely to Kelowna with us and the boys. So it looks like for the first couple of months back in Kelowna we are going to be without a vehicle until we are able to get enough money together to buy something else. Something I am not looking forward to but it is the only option right now. So pray for us when you think of us. Pray we are stressfree and that all of the moving stuff gets dealt with with no problems and that we stay safe and healthy. And that the car situation would work out for the best.

Autumn

This saturday we finally had a nice, warm, sunny first day of Autumn. We had planned on going to this harvest thing with pumpkins, crafts and all the rest but it was full to capacity. So we decided we were still going to go out and enjoy this beautiful place we call home. So we drove north of here and ended up in a small "town" called Vellenuvue. We played some soccer, Sam's favourite, took some pictures, and took time to smell, blow, and pick some flowers. From there we drove east of the city to find "Big Lake". We found it easily enough but found no access directly to get in. So we drove downtown to this really great little park overlooking the river and some of the city. Some more soccer and more pictures and then we were off home for some much needed dinner. It was a nice day spent with each other just relaxing and just going with the flow. Both boys were just great enjoying their van ride through the prairies.


For more photos check our website harnett.ca

Apples everywhere

Our friends gave us a bag of apples from their backyard. So yesterday Sam and I set out to make some much needed apple sauce for Mattias. The apples were small but there were alot of them. Sam peeled just over half of the bag all by himself. He is such a great little helper. He brought his chair from his room to the kitchen to help me...."mama, me help make apple sauce for Tias?" I tried the apple sauce and thought it was quite sour. But I wasn't going to let all of our hardwork go to waste. I strained it for Mattias to try and low and behold he LOVED it! Sam and I weren't so sure but at least someone likes it. After our hardwork, we got ready and drove to Sherwood Park for the boys to have their shots. Sam had missed some between the moves between cities and such. Mattias went first and was a trooper with his three shots in his thighs, being weighed and measured. He now weighs 17 lbs 2 oz. Sam went next weighing in at 31 lbs. I thought it would be a good idea for Sam to bring his doctors kit so he would be able to give the nurse a shot first. While the nurse was getting all FIVE needles ready Sam gave us all our shots. Sam did superb! A little fuss but no tears. Few, that's over with for a while! Mattias has to wait until the end of Novemeber for his next shots and Sam isn't until the spring of going into kindergarten. Today both boys are little "under the weather" but nothing a little Tylenol can't fix. And last night Mattias slept 13 1/2 hours. So he's been a little more tired then usual and Sam is more snuggly. I can more then happily accomidate both!

Here we go again

Well for those of you who don't know, we are eight weeks pregnant again. And from my calculations the baby is due April 19th. Yes, that's eight days after Mattias' first birthday. Crazy, I know! I phoned to make a doctor's appointment and the earliest they could "squeeze" me in was October 30th. I can't believe how ridiculous that is. I will already be in my second trimester at that point. So, needless to say I am on the lookout for a new doctor. With this pregnancy not planned and so close after the birth of Mattias, I have been worried of the chance of another miscarriage. I know worry doesn't do a thing but easier said then done. I think anyone who has had miscarriages, completely understands. I was hoping to get in to see the doctor sooner to request an early ultrasound to see how the baby was developing and the exact due date. But by the time I get to the doctor and request the ultrasound it will be around the time I normally would have had the ultrasound. So for those of you reading this, please pray that the baby is developing properly and healthy and that God would take this burden I have put on my shoulders. In turn it has sort of made me cut off any emotional attachment. I think I did it subconsciously so that if we did lose the baby, I wouldn't get hurt again! Well so I think anyways. Justin and I are excited about this crazy journey we are embarking and I won't have to buy many maternity clothes considering I am pregnant at the exact same time I was last year. And thinking of the future I have already been thinking of what to do with the crib situation and so on. Remember Mattias will only be a year, maybe not even. Sam was nine days overdue and Mattias was fifteen days early so who knows when this baby will come. As far as how I have been feeling let's just say the thought of any food other then fruits and veg's makes me nauseous. I haven't thown-up yet but if I let myself get hungry, I feel as though I will at any moment. I am extremely thankful for two of the best children anyone could ask for. Sam is more then happy to entertain himself by playing in his room or colouring if I need to settle my tummy by laying down and Mattias...well he still sleeps though the night and naps about seven hours a day. Awesome I know! I will keep you posted how the pregnancy progresses and so on.

Day to Day

Well as of late we have many options going through our mind as to what direction we want our family to be heading. Justin has been persuing the idea of returning back to school in the fall. With that in mind the position of his job at Lafarge is in question also. He recently asked for a raise but isn't sure if he would work part time there and do studies at the college or get a job with less of a commute to be able to spend more time on his studies and with us. Then the thought of no school and just working as much as he can at Lafarge to make as much money as possible. With that, we as a family, would travel to Mexico in the new year for a short term missions trip to see if that's what we would like to persue longtime and if it is do-able with little children. Then the thought of moving back to BC has been lingering in our minds. Having two children and no family to share them with has taken it's toll on us all. But living in Kelowna is out of the question strictly for the reason that it is TOO expensive. Living on the coast might be an option as long as Justin could get a good enough job for the time being. But the pace of life and allergies are what have driven us out of there in the past. So with the best option for us being to continue to live in Edmonton brings more questions of uncertainty: Our van is going on 15 years old and is starting to show it's age and 300, 000 km's. As of right now we need a new rad, breaks, tires, air conditioning needs replacing and the heating system in the back of the van also needs replacing. So do we put money into it and hope it will keep going but not drive it out of town because we wouldn't trust it? Or do we save for something newer that's reliable and really good on fuel? That we would be able to drive to Kelowna or the coast of BC for very little money. The latter option seems to make more sense but that means more money right now and a longer commitment on Justin's part working long hours at Lafarge or another well paying job.
For myself these days have been a time of unknowing and unsettleness but also a time of prayer and getting into the WORD. We don't want to rush in any direction without the doors being clearly opened.
Mattias is growing like a weed everyday. He is rolling over from his tummy to his back and is trying to crawl. Sam doesn't let a single thing go unnoticed. He is VERY perceptive with what's going on and being said around him. I will spell something out or just say one unobvious word to Justin and Sam will pick-up on what we are talking about. His words are getting more and more precise. The things that he comes up with just make me chuckle. The other day I had explained to him that Mama and Papa were married and that we sleep in the same bed and that Papa was my husband and I was Papa's wife. He looked at one of our wedding pictures and said, "Mama wife? Mama Papa wedding picture?" I said, "Yep, that is a picture of when we got married and became husband and wife." Sam looked at me with his shoulder's slouched and said in a sad tone, "Sam needs a wife!" It was hilarious! And then the other day Justin took Sam to see the Stanley Cup in Sherwood Park and while waiting in the line, Sam got to know a little girl. They held hands, hugged, and Sam kissed her on the cheek. When Justin told me this I wasn't sure what to think. I just laughed and thought, "well here we go, this is the beginning I guess" He is such a character with so much love to give and brings us such great JOY! Mattias too is such a character. He is real "go-getter". He is constantly trying to do things himself. When I give him his bottle he insists on holding it; he tries to stand and crawl and sit. It's like he's trying to catch-up to Sam. And he is always smiling. He'll have the soother in his mouth and he'll start smiling at me and I can see it in his eyes. His whole face lights up and he has the cutest little dimple on the right side of his mouth. He's a boy who definately knows what he wants. If he's hungry, cold, bored, tired or any other baby irritant, he immediately starts to cry. And every cry is very obvious with what the problem is. And once you've fed him or put him to bed he is quiet. A complete opposite of Sam. It is so fascinating to see how two children can come from the exact same parents and be sooooo completely different.

Jolly Mattias

Our dear Rhythm

How cute!

Mattias (4 months) and Sam playing in Sam's room on a cloudy, rainy day.
(if you have notice not as many picture's of Sam it's because he doesn't like getting his picture taken these days...who knows? Him just expressing his almost 3 years old self I guess)

Sunny days...once again!

Well we have settled into somewhat of a new routine once again. Mattias sleeps 12 hours from around 9 pm until 9 am. And throughout the day he's sleeping about 5-6 hours with his naptimes. Sam starts talking the moment he wakes up and stops talking when he goes to sleep at night. Every other day he seems to be testing us. Those days are long and tiring but the days in between are filled with much joy. Our summer sunshine has once again returned which is nice for Sam. We bought him an inflatable pool and a whale sprinkler. Here we are required to do backyard yard maintence and to water the lawn. So letting Sam run through the sprinkler gets two jobs done at once. Justin and I are growing restless with the routine's of our society. Work, work, work....money, money, money! It seems the more we work to make more money, the more we THINK we need more things. It's a giant cirlce that is hard to get off! But we have with only buying what is NEEDED and keeping track of absolutely everything that our money is spent on. With feeling this way about society, has only reminded us how much we would like to do mission work in third world countries. Where we can expose the boys to how the majority of the world lives. And that we need to use our earthly riches to bless others because we are able. We are able financially and physically. So when the time is right, we will be travelling to Mexico for short-term missions. We will try it out with two children and see if it's feesable and then look at the possibility of a long-term assignment. But in the meantime Justin has applied at Grant McEwan College here in Edmonton with the hopes of continuing and eventually finishing his BA. No matter where we end up, it will be beneficial to have some education under his "belt".Those are thoughts and possibilities we have been exploring as of late. We will keep you posted.

My boys snuggling before their nap

Sam insisted he didn't need a nap...

Papa put him down so he was just chillin' in the chair

The new locks

Well today I went and got my hair re-permed and cut differently. When I had gone last weekend, I told my stylist I wanted what I ended up getting today. I am super happy with the results!And now with it being shorter, the boys won't be pulling on it and it won't be tied up all of the time. And with the thickness of my hair and the length it was, we were going through the shampoo. Now it won't take as much shampoo to wash it and won't take as long to dry. I am super psyched!

My guys...aren't they cute?

Samuel Rhythm 32 & 1/2 months (2yrs & 8 Months)

Sam loves to help me in the kitchen. Here he was helping me make a teryaki marinade. He spilled some on the counter and felt it necessary to lick it up off of the counter.

Mattias Elijah at 15 & 1/2 weeks
Mattias always has smiles for his papa!