Piper

 

In December we made the very difficult decision to re-home Piper. She needs way more exercise and stimulation than we were able to provide her. We found her a wonderful home in Ohio, on 5 acres of land, with a wonderful family. We are really sad, but we know it was for the best for us and for Piper. The family she went to is great and they send us updates on how she is doing.

 

She was such a great dog, she just needs way more than I can give her. I will miss my little teddy bear though!

We love you Piper!

Merry Christmas Week

I have so many photos to send out, I just have not found the time yet. For now, i leave you with this face..

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Blogging for Books- God Gave Us Love

 

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

God Gave Us Love: As Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others… even the seemingly unlovable.
In answering her questions, Grampa Bear gives tender explanations that teach Little Cub about the different kinds of love that is shared between families, friends, and mamas and papas. Grampa explains that all these kinds of love come from God and that it is important to love others because…
“Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.”
This sweet tale will warm the hearts of young children as they learn about all the different sorts of love, while the gentle explanations of each provide a valuable opportunity to encourage children to share with others a “God-sized love.”

My review: Another great God Gave Us book! I love the grandma/grandpa element of the story being told. I can see my sons grandparents sitting down and sharing similar things with him. This is a great book for preschool aged children to help them understand love and relationships. I recommend it for all of my mommy friends.

To purchase: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074471

Blogging for Books- God Gave Us Christmas

 

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Summary: As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder… “Who invented Christmas?” Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that… Jesus is the best present of all.
This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them.

My review: I just love this series of books. They are written with easy to understand concepts that will open up great conversations between parents and their children. As a Christian parent I think this book could be useful in helping to explain how God is the reason for Christmas.  The illustrations are vivid and appeal even to my 9 month old. I can not wait to read this to him for years to come.

To purchase this book please visit: www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400071753

9 months old!

            

Thanksgiving was also Owen’s  9 month-day.

At 9 months he:

- Weighs 18.3lbs. He is currently in the 10th percentile for weight. The doctor says this is ok because he is so active now.

- Is 28.5 inches long- 50th percentile

- Head circumference is in the 50th percentile

- eats all of the fruits, all of the veggies, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, beef, etc. He is such a good little eater- there is nothing we have found that he does not like.

- crawls, pulls up to standing, is starting to cruise around furniture

- really enjoys feeding himself

- is starting to lose interest in nursing- he now gets 1 bottle of formula a day

- gives the absolute best hugs and kisses

- loves when people pay him attention. He will make all kinds of noises until strangers will look at him and smile. He is very social.

Owen is at such a fun and playful age. He is so snuggly still yet very independent.

Yesterday I took Owen to a follow up appointment with the neurologist. I spoke with her about the use of his right hand (he is still not using that thumb as well as he should- and we are starting occupational therapy for it). She sort of rocked my world by saying that Owen most likely had a stroke when he was in-utero. They are scheduling an MRI for him in a few weeks to see if this is the case and how much damage was done. He will have to be sedated for this. I am so thankful we are going to get to the bottom of this- but it breaks my heart as well. Just keep us in your prayers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

We had a great Thanksgiving with neighbors and friends!

 

Owen tried turkey, mashed potatoes, bread, and cranberry sauce. He was a big fan!!!

 

We had some fun playing with our new camera after dinner. I am so in love with this shot!

Turkey makes Owen sleepy!

We also went to Virginia after Thanksgiving to celebrate with my family. I did not take nearly enough photos, but here are just a few.

 

With Grandaddy

 

With Grandma Jean!

We completely forgot to take any photos of my Moms side of the family! I have no idea what we were thinking.

We hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! This year we are thankful for our little boy and the job that he has brought to our lives.

Inside Out Day

Today Owen is 38 weeks and 3 days old. That is exactly how long he was inside the womb as well. HAPPY INSIDE OUT DAY! I must say the outside part has gone much faster than the inside part.

Yesterday Owen started letting go of what he was using to stand up. He could only go hands free for a couple of seconds- but it is a start. He is becoming such a big boy. He is so much fun.

We love you Owen. It has been a great 38.3 weeks!

Blogging for Books- White Picket Fences

 

White Picket Fences

Author: Susan Meissner

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Summary:

Amanda Janvier’s idyllic home seems the perfect place for her niece Tally to stay while her vagabond brother is in Europe, but the white picket fence life Amanda wants to provide is a mere illusion. Amanda’s husband Neil refuses to admit their teenage son Chase, is haunted by the horrific fire he survived when he was four, and their marriage is crumbling while each looks the other way.

Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.

Readers of emotional dramas that are willing to explore the lies that families tell each other for protection and comfort will love White Picket Fences. The novel is ideal for those who appreciate exploring questions like: what type of honesty do children need from their parents, or how can one move beyond a past that isn’t acknowledged or understood? Is there hope and forgiveness for the tragedies of our past and a way to abundant grace?

My review: 

This is a great book about a family who seems to be perfect on the outside, but has secrets on the inside. It took me a little while to get into, but once getting through the first few chapters it became such a wonderful story.

There were two specific themes- 1. Family Secrets and; and 2. the holocaust. While I am not normally a fan of history- I enjoyed the stories told in this book. They were both interesting and captivating.

I found this book both easy and comfortable to read.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good book!

To purchase this book :

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074570&ref=externallink_wbp_whitepicketfences_sec_0916_01

If you are interested in Blogging for Books please visit : http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/bloggingforbooks/

Behind Bars

 

Owen LOVES to stand up using his baby gate!

        

Behind bars with Daddy

  

Hanging out with Daddy

      

Procrastinating going to bed…

 

Quite possibly the funniest photo I have ever taken!

   

Quite possibly the freakiest photo i have taken.

We hope everyone had a great weekend!

C-130 Day

 

Oh Friday, despite being sick, we were able to participate in a C-130 (the plane John flies) Family day! It was so much fun.

 

John getting Owen ready to stand by the mini model herk.

 

We decided we would try to convince Johns mom (sorry Jackie) that THIS is in fact the plane john flies. We even did an impression of her saying “Well I thought it was bigger……..”

 

Inside the REAL airplane

 

Pardon my reflective belt! It is not a new fashion statement, it is what the wives had to wear.

      

Sitting in the pilot seat!

 

After the kids got to tour the plane the wives actually went up for a 45 minute flight. It was quite cool. Photos from the flight to come later! 

The face of a very sick baby

This is what a cold, terrible cough, and an ear infection look like.

Oh, and a slight bump on the head!

Blogging for Books- Limelight

Limelight

Author:  Melody Carlson

Summary: Claudette Fioré used to turn heads and break hearts. She relished the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle because she had what it takes: money, youth, fame, and above all, beauty. But age has withered that beauty, and a crooked accountant has taken her wealth, leaving the proud widow penniless and alone.
Armed with stubbornness and sarcasm, Claudette returns to her shabby little hometown and her estranged sister. Slowly, she makes friends. She begins to see her old life in a new light. For the first time, Claudette Fioré questions her own values and finds herself wondering if it’s too late to change

My review:

This easy to read book is about an old woman who is forced to move “home again” after her finances become a mess. Because she is a bit of a spoiled brat, she has to reevaluate her priorities which is not something she truly wants to do.

This book was so much fun! I really enjoyed reading about Claudette’s previous life and how it made her into the person she is today. The author makes you have a love/hate relationship with the main character.

The book read like a normal chick-lit novel, yet it was about a woman in her 80’s! It reminded me a bit of the shopaholic series in the way that she seems helpless at times and needs someone there to rescue her.

There were some Christian elements in this book that I did not necessarily agree with, but I appreciated the ties to faith that were included.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys chick-lit, easy reads, and straightforward humor.

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

For information on purchasing this book please go to: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781400070824

Interested in blogging for books? Please visit :

http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/bloggingforbooks/.

Blogging for Books- What Matters Most

 

What Matters Most

Author:  Melody Carlson

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Maya Stark has a lot to sort through. She could graduate from high school early if she wants to. She’s considering it, especially when popular cheerleader Vanessa Hartman decides to make her life miserable–and Maya’s ex-boyfriend Dominic gets the wrong idea about everything.
To complicate matters even more, Maya’s mother will be released from prison soon, and she’ll want Maya to live with her again. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. And when Maya plays her dad’s old acoustic guitar in front of an audience, she discovers talents and opportunities she never expected. Faced with new options, Maya must choose between a “normal” life and a glamorous one. Ultimately, she has to figure out what matters most.

My Review:

I realize that I am in no way the intended audience for this book and I will try to keep that in mind while doing this review. The book is definitely targeted at 5th-8th grade girls. While it covers issues that may be faced by some high schoolers, it does so in a way that would really only appeal to those who have yet to experience it.

Despite this being my first Diary of a Teenage Girl book, I really do not feel like I missed out by not reading the earlier books. It was not necessary to have read the others to understand what was happening with the characters. While it may have helped with character development, the dynamics are simple enough that it does not feel like you are picking up in the middle of a story. 

This was an easy read and not very thought provoking for people outside of the intended demographic. The green tips of the day were kind of annoying, but may be a part of the series norm.

I would recommend this as a cute read for those within the intended demographic, but others should not bother. It could definitely provide an avenue to open dialogue between kids soon to enter high school and their parents.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

To purchase this book, please visit : http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421197

Interested in blogging for books? Please visit :

http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/bloggingforbooks/.