Posts at Becca Blue Eyes
If you haven't been over there in a bit, I posted a few pictures on Becca's blog.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Ergo
With three months of allowance and a little bit of birthday money from Nate, I bought this:
I wore Becca in it tonight on our walk and it was very comfortable. I was a little tired afterwards, but not sore. Probably tired because I've been lacking in the physical activity department. Most of her weight is carried on my hips and some on the strap across my upper chest. Almost none on my shoulders.
I'm ready to go hiking...who's going with me? :)
With three months of allowance and a little bit of birthday money from Nate, I bought this:
I wore Becca in it tonight on our walk and it was very comfortable. I was a little tired afterwards, but not sore. Probably tired because I've been lacking in the physical activity department. Most of her weight is carried on my hips and some on the strap across my upper chest. Almost none on my shoulders.
I'm ready to go hiking...who's going with me? :)
Mark and Lisa's Reception
Last weekend we were in Grand Haven for Mark and Lisa's wedding reception (they were married on July 28). It was nice to see them and see the wedding video and pictures. We had some yummy food provided by her family and got to see my buds. Here are some pics:
I figure since the pics are on my camera, I get to choose what to post. :) Here is Mark scrubbing his butt with their new dish scrubber. Too funny!
The cute, happy couple
Here we are still, after ten years of being friends (much longer for Lisa and Kortnie, since I moved there after they were already friends).
Last weekend we were in Grand Haven for Mark and Lisa's wedding reception (they were married on July 28). It was nice to see them and see the wedding video and pictures. We had some yummy food provided by her family and got to see my buds. Here are some pics:
I figure since the pics are on my camera, I get to choose what to post. :) Here is Mark scrubbing his butt with their new dish scrubber. Too funny!
The cute, happy couple
Here we are still, after ten years of being friends (much longer for Lisa and Kortnie, since I moved there after they were already friends).
Friday, September 22, 2006
New blog
Another friend and sister in Christ from Texas is blogging. I have linked her on my side bar. Her daughter and my daughter are almost a year apart in age and share the same first name.
Another friend and sister in Christ from Texas is blogging. I have linked her on my side bar. Her daughter and my daughter are almost a year apart in age and share the same first name.
Monday, September 18, 2006
More of TCOYF
I'm still liking the book. Nate even got to hear some of it on the way too Michigan on Friday. The reproductive anatomy (both female AND male included) was quite comprehensive. I new much of it, but their were still new information. The whole time I was reading it, I just kept thinking how amazing God is to think up this all. It's incredible how our bodies work, in particular, our reproductive organs (are they called organs?). Nate even learned a few things about himself that he didn't know before. He's such a good sport, listening to me read about this. I'm hoping that I can even convince him to read the whole book (he did read part of the Art of NFP) to really involve him in the whole process. That's one thing I really like about FAM or NFP is that it encourages both husband and wife to be involved.
I don't know if I mentioned it already, but I really like Toni's charts in the back of the book (you can copy as many as you want--no ordering them when you need more--very refreshing). They are quite comprehensive (that's my phrase for the evening if you didn't notice), including places to write down what you did for exercise, extra space for writing different changes you personally experience during your cycle like breast tenderness, cramps, headaches, etc. And it all fits on an normal size sheet of paper.
I need to get to bed if I am actually going to start charting tomorrow morning and exercising too. I'm had the hardest time over the last ?? months (I've lost count on how many months it has been since I had some regular exercise every day) getting up on time (5amish--not too bad if I actually get to bed by 10pm).
I'm still liking the book. Nate even got to hear some of it on the way too Michigan on Friday. The reproductive anatomy (both female AND male included) was quite comprehensive. I new much of it, but their were still new information. The whole time I was reading it, I just kept thinking how amazing God is to think up this all. It's incredible how our bodies work, in particular, our reproductive organs (are they called organs?). Nate even learned a few things about himself that he didn't know before. He's such a good sport, listening to me read about this. I'm hoping that I can even convince him to read the whole book (he did read part of the Art of NFP) to really involve him in the whole process. That's one thing I really like about FAM or NFP is that it encourages both husband and wife to be involved.
I don't know if I mentioned it already, but I really like Toni's charts in the back of the book (you can copy as many as you want--no ordering them when you need more--very refreshing). They are quite comprehensive (that's my phrase for the evening if you didn't notice), including places to write down what you did for exercise, extra space for writing different changes you personally experience during your cycle like breast tenderness, cramps, headaches, etc. And it all fits on an normal size sheet of paper.
I need to get to bed if I am actually going to start charting tomorrow morning and exercising too. I'm had the hardest time over the last ?? months (I've lost count on how many months it has been since I had some regular exercise every day) getting up on time (5amish--not too bad if I actually get to bed by 10pm).
Thursday, September 14, 2006
TCOYF
I just received the book Taking Control of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler from Amazon.com. My good friend Kate recommended it to me since I was looking for a book that explained the Fertility Awareness Method (which is NOT the Rhythm method, but is very similar to NFP with a few exceptions) without the push for not using a barrier method during fertile times of your cycle.
I am just in the first chapter, but with the exception of the title**, I really like it. She starts out by talking about what you should know and why you probably don't concerning fertility, ovulation, and methods of birth control. I'll try to keep mentioning if I like it or not. One other thing I like better than the Art of Natural Family Planning is that she provides multiple charts that she says to copy (if you own the book) and they fit on an 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper instead of a legal size one like the NFP one had that you had to keep ordering more of when you ran out.
Even if you are not married, it's good to know how God has made our bodies to work. Being educated about the cycles our bodies go through, as women, is a good thing, something that very few women are encouraged to do by their mothers or doctors. This doesn't only have to be a book for married women who are trying to prevent pregnancy or become pregnant.
**You may wonder why I don't like the title. It struck me the first time that I heard it that God is ultimately in charge of my fertility, but he does give me the ability to learn how he has made my body to work. I don't think the author is a sister in Christ and I, therefore, can understand why she named the book as she did. God in his common grace has given her and others like her insight into the female cycle of fertility. Even if we completely understand our cycles, God is still in charge of it, and we must with our husbands be constantly bringing the subject of our fertility and having children to him in prayer, asking him to reveal to us if we have good, God-honoring reasons to be doing what we are doing with regards to our fertility and conception (birth) control.
I just received the book Taking Control of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler from Amazon.com. My good friend Kate recommended it to me since I was looking for a book that explained the Fertility Awareness Method (which is NOT the Rhythm method, but is very similar to NFP with a few exceptions) without the push for not using a barrier method during fertile times of your cycle.
I am just in the first chapter, but with the exception of the title**, I really like it. She starts out by talking about what you should know and why you probably don't concerning fertility, ovulation, and methods of birth control. I'll try to keep mentioning if I like it or not. One other thing I like better than the Art of Natural Family Planning is that she provides multiple charts that she says to copy (if you own the book) and they fit on an 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper instead of a legal size one like the NFP one had that you had to keep ordering more of when you ran out.
Even if you are not married, it's good to know how God has made our bodies to work. Being educated about the cycles our bodies go through, as women, is a good thing, something that very few women are encouraged to do by their mothers or doctors. This doesn't only have to be a book for married women who are trying to prevent pregnancy or become pregnant.
**You may wonder why I don't like the title. It struck me the first time that I heard it that God is ultimately in charge of my fertility, but he does give me the ability to learn how he has made my body to work. I don't think the author is a sister in Christ and I, therefore, can understand why she named the book as she did. God in his common grace has given her and others like her insight into the female cycle of fertility. Even if we completely understand our cycles, God is still in charge of it, and we must with our husbands be constantly bringing the subject of our fertility and having children to him in prayer, asking him to reveal to us if we have good, God-honoring reasons to be doing what we are doing with regards to our fertility and conception (birth) control.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Raising Your Children For Christ
I don't know if I've posted these quotes before, but as I was flipping through my journal pages to find a blank page on which to journal, they caught my eye. They are worth reading again and again, I'm realizing, especially as Becca gets older.
The quotes are from Raising Your Children For Christ by Andrew Murray:
I didn't write the page numbers in my journal. Makes me want to keep reading it. I stopped about 2/3 of the way through as I often do with non-story books. A bad, bad habit that I need to ask God to help me change.
I don't know if I've posted these quotes before, but as I was flipping through my journal pages to find a blank page on which to journal, they caught my eye. They are worth reading again and again, I'm realizing, especially as Becca gets older.
The quotes are from Raising Your Children For Christ by Andrew Murray:
Our aim should be to restore our family life to what God created it to be--a mirror and foretaste of the love of heaven.
Parents can often see their own shortcomings and failures in the sinful behavior of their children--this should make them very patient and wise in disciplining their children.
Let all your dealings with your children be done in love. Angry words, sharp reproof, and impatient answers are infectious.
I didn't write the page numbers in my journal. Makes me want to keep reading it. I stopped about 2/3 of the way through as I often do with non-story books. A bad, bad habit that I need to ask God to help me change.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Becca's blog
You can access our blog for Becca posts here: http://beccablueeyes.blogspot.com. There's not much there yet, but keep checking back. I'm fighting with Blogger Beta a bit, so it's not quite how I want it to look yet.
You can access our blog for Becca posts here: http://beccablueeyes.blogspot.com. There's not much there yet, but keep checking back. I'm fighting with Blogger Beta a bit, so it's not quite how I want it to look yet.
15 months old
I have so many things to write down that I hardly know where to start. This may be a rambling post, so try to stay with me.
Becca is actually 15 and a half months old, now, since I've been so lazy on getting this up. She is turning into quite the little girl, as opposed to the infant girl she used to be. When I look at old pictures I can hardly believe how fast it's gone. She is walking very steadily now, but still falls down at random times--I think she's a bit clumsy like her momma. :) Becca has also moved from the zombie arms up in the air walking to pumping her left arm back and forth by her side while she is walking. It's adorable. She has become more able to climb up things, like small plastic tubs, stairs, and child chairs.
Being in the kitchen with mommy is one of her favorite things. She loves to help load and unload the dishwasher, mostly the silverware, but sometimes the small plates too. She hands us or puts in one at a time, and shuts it for us when we are done. She also enjoys throwing things away, but I have to watch that she doesn't walk over there with things I want to keep to throw them in the trash. Sometimes while I'm washing dishes Becca will stand on a chair and rinse off some of the dishes for me...usually that entails filling up a cup with water and pouring it out--hopefully in the sink and not on the floor. :) I think if I let her, she'd play in the sink all day long.
Eating is another favorite activities. I have found that Becca does a better job eating when I use an ice cube tray as a dish. She likes having a few slices of apple, or pieces of cheese, or small squares of a sandwich, or a few blueberries in each little cube compartment. For lunch I will usually put apples slices and cheese and bread out in the tray on a chair and she will graze while playing. For breakfast and dinner she usually sits in her seat with a tray--breakfast includes scrambled eggs and bananas and dinner is yogurt, a veggie (I'm getting better at this since their aren't too many veggies she eats), and whatever we're eating (lasagna has been a recent favorite). Becca just started drinking a little bit of whole milk at one meal a day, but otherwise drinks water all the time. We're down to nursing about three times a day--after getting up, before the afternoon nap, and before bed.
Becca continues to try new words and sounds. She sees ducks a lot on our walks after supper, so she says "cah-cah" for quack. She also knows the sounds for dogs and sheep. She's been trying to say cracker (she really likes graham crackers) when she wants one to eat, and because of the book "Blue Hat, Green Hat" and eating blueberries (another treat she likes a lot) she's been trying to say blue--"boo". Sometimes I think that she's a little behind in her talking, but then I stop worrying when I remember that all children develop at different speeds. We still enjoy all the ways she communicates with us using signs and other means and know the talking will come when she is ready--we just keep trying to do our part by talking with her and reading to her.
We haven't been to the doctor yet for her 15 month check-up. We left right before it would have happened. I'm going to try and make an appointment with someone here soon.
I think that's enough for now. I think I need to start a Becca blog so I can make shorter more frequent posts. There is so much stuff happening with her that I'm sure I'd always have something to write about.
I have so many things to write down that I hardly know where to start. This may be a rambling post, so try to stay with me.
Becca is actually 15 and a half months old, now, since I've been so lazy on getting this up. She is turning into quite the little girl, as opposed to the infant girl she used to be. When I look at old pictures I can hardly believe how fast it's gone. She is walking very steadily now, but still falls down at random times--I think she's a bit clumsy like her momma. :) Becca has also moved from the zombie arms up in the air walking to pumping her left arm back and forth by her side while she is walking. It's adorable. She has become more able to climb up things, like small plastic tubs, stairs, and child chairs.
Being in the kitchen with mommy is one of her favorite things. She loves to help load and unload the dishwasher, mostly the silverware, but sometimes the small plates too. She hands us or puts in one at a time, and shuts it for us when we are done. She also enjoys throwing things away, but I have to watch that she doesn't walk over there with things I want to keep to throw them in the trash. Sometimes while I'm washing dishes Becca will stand on a chair and rinse off some of the dishes for me...usually that entails filling up a cup with water and pouring it out--hopefully in the sink and not on the floor. :) I think if I let her, she'd play in the sink all day long.
Eating is another favorite activities. I have found that Becca does a better job eating when I use an ice cube tray as a dish. She likes having a few slices of apple, or pieces of cheese, or small squares of a sandwich, or a few blueberries in each little cube compartment. For lunch I will usually put apples slices and cheese and bread out in the tray on a chair and she will graze while playing. For breakfast and dinner she usually sits in her seat with a tray--breakfast includes scrambled eggs and bananas and dinner is yogurt, a veggie (I'm getting better at this since their aren't too many veggies she eats), and whatever we're eating (lasagna has been a recent favorite). Becca just started drinking a little bit of whole milk at one meal a day, but otherwise drinks water all the time. We're down to nursing about three times a day--after getting up, before the afternoon nap, and before bed.
Becca continues to try new words and sounds. She sees ducks a lot on our walks after supper, so she says "cah-cah" for quack. She also knows the sounds for dogs and sheep. She's been trying to say cracker (she really likes graham crackers) when she wants one to eat, and because of the book "Blue Hat, Green Hat" and eating blueberries (another treat she likes a lot) she's been trying to say blue--"boo". Sometimes I think that she's a little behind in her talking, but then I stop worrying when I remember that all children develop at different speeds. We still enjoy all the ways she communicates with us using signs and other means and know the talking will come when she is ready--we just keep trying to do our part by talking with her and reading to her.
We haven't been to the doctor yet for her 15 month check-up. We left right before it would have happened. I'm going to try and make an appointment with someone here soon.
I think that's enough for now. I think I need to start a Becca blog so I can make shorter more frequent posts. There is so much stuff happening with her that I'm sure I'd always have something to write about.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Digital photo services
I need recommendations (and non-recommendations if you don't like a certain store) on where to get my digital photos printed. I used Wolf Camera in Texas and was very pleased with the quality of the photos, but we don't have Wolf Camera here. I tried a place called Cord Camera, but over half of my pictures are grainy (like the resolution is too low) and I know it's not the resolution of the pics (I'm taking them back in tomorrow because they said they would reprint them for me--note to self, look at ALL the pictures before leaving the store). I tried Kodak Easy Share Gallery and was somewhat pleased, but did find that some of the pictures weren't great...however, that time it might have been just our camera being on its way out.
Anyway, what do y'all use?
I need recommendations (and non-recommendations if you don't like a certain store) on where to get my digital photos printed. I used Wolf Camera in Texas and was very pleased with the quality of the photos, but we don't have Wolf Camera here. I tried a place called Cord Camera, but over half of my pictures are grainy (like the resolution is too low) and I know it's not the resolution of the pics (I'm taking them back in tomorrow because they said they would reprint them for me--note to self, look at ALL the pictures before leaving the store). I tried Kodak Easy Share Gallery and was somewhat pleased, but did find that some of the pictures weren't great...however, that time it might have been just our camera being on its way out.
Anyway, what do y'all use?
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Becca Pictures Up
I just sent out an email today with a username and password to get into our picture gallery for Becca's pictures. Before we left for Indiana Nate put up Becca's 12th, 13th, and 14th month pictures, so they are up for perusal. For some reason, though, there are only about 6 pictures in her 13th month folder, which is way less than are supposed to be up there. Nate said he would fix that soon (I know he's pretty busy with starting work).
If you didn't get an email with the username and password, please email me or leave me a comment and I will get it to you...unless I don't know you or something. :)
A Becca update is still on the way. I just got the computer back during the day time this week, since Nate's laptop arrived yesterday, so I'll get up here one of these afternoons and post.
I just sent out an email today with a username and password to get into our picture gallery for Becca's pictures. Before we left for Indiana Nate put up Becca's 12th, 13th, and 14th month pictures, so they are up for perusal. For some reason, though, there are only about 6 pictures in her 13th month folder, which is way less than are supposed to be up there. Nate said he would fix that soon (I know he's pretty busy with starting work).
If you didn't get an email with the username and password, please email me or leave me a comment and I will get it to you...unless I don't know you or something. :)
A Becca update is still on the way. I just got the computer back during the day time this week, since Nate's laptop arrived yesterday, so I'll get up here one of these afternoons and post.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Cute Becca Pictures
Here is Becca at the state park we went to yesterday for a picnic with friends. She was having fun picking up little leaves in the grass.
As promised, here is a picture of Becca using a level. We did not prompt her to use it at all. She must have just been copying what we were doing. It cracks me up.
Becca was a little worried the first time we went to play on the grass next to our building, so she had to hold Daddy's hand while she stepped on the grass for the first time.
Here is Becca at the state park we went to yesterday for a picnic with friends. She was having fun picking up little leaves in the grass.
As promised, here is a picture of Becca using a level. We did not prompt her to use it at all. She must have just been copying what we were doing. It cracks me up.
Becca was a little worried the first time we went to play on the grass next to our building, so she had to hold Daddy's hand while she stepped on the grass for the first time.
Apartment Pictures
We've been living in our new place for two weeks exactly, and it feels much like home already, thanks in part to getting all the unpacking and most of the decorating done very quickly. Also, it helps that we really enjoy our new apartment. There are only a few things we would change, but those are minor in comparison to what we enjoy about it. Here are the pics:
Once you get in the front door of the apartment, you go straight up 15 steps to this view of the dining room. It's a nice size for us and has a window that gives lots of light.
Right next to the dining room is the kitchen. It's a long, narrow kitchen, but not too small. We solved the lack of pantry space by purchasing a small two shelf cabinet with a drawer above the cabinet that I use for napkins and baby washcloths. Becca loves the small cabinet and I have been sure to put only things in there that I don't mind Becca taking in and out of it.
From the dining room you would have this view of the living room. It's not too large, but cozy enough for us, since we don't need room in there for a TV or anything right now. To the right of the living room is Becca's room, the laundry closet, and then a hallway to the bathroom and our room. To the left are stairs going up the the loft area.
This would be a view of the living room from right outside Becca's room.
This is Nate' office "in the works" and is located in the loft area. It is larger than it looks. he also has his very own bathroom up there that he has promised to clean, so I don't have to...right, honey? :)
This is the view of the living room from the loft area stairs.
Last, but not least, is the grassy area to the left of our building. Two things we really enjoy about the complex are the common grassy areas and the large trees.
I decided to leave out the bedrooms because they are just too hard to take pictures of.
We've been living in our new place for two weeks exactly, and it feels much like home already, thanks in part to getting all the unpacking and most of the decorating done very quickly. Also, it helps that we really enjoy our new apartment. There are only a few things we would change, but those are minor in comparison to what we enjoy about it. Here are the pics:
Once you get in the front door of the apartment, you go straight up 15 steps to this view of the dining room. It's a nice size for us and has a window that gives lots of light.
Right next to the dining room is the kitchen. It's a long, narrow kitchen, but not too small. We solved the lack of pantry space by purchasing a small two shelf cabinet with a drawer above the cabinet that I use for napkins and baby washcloths. Becca loves the small cabinet and I have been sure to put only things in there that I don't mind Becca taking in and out of it.
From the dining room you would have this view of the living room. It's not too large, but cozy enough for us, since we don't need room in there for a TV or anything right now. To the right of the living room is Becca's room, the laundry closet, and then a hallway to the bathroom and our room. To the left are stairs going up the the loft area.
This would be a view of the living room from right outside Becca's room.
This is Nate' office "in the works" and is located in the loft area. It is larger than it looks. he also has his very own bathroom up there that he has promised to clean, so I don't have to...right, honey? :)
This is the view of the living room from the loft area stairs.
Last, but not least, is the grassy area to the left of our building. Two things we really enjoy about the complex are the common grassy areas and the large trees.
I decided to leave out the bedrooms because they are just too hard to take pictures of.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Books I just read
Just on here for a quick moment. I wanted to mention two books I just read that I would highly recommend:
The Hiding Place by Cornelia Ten Boom
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
I picked them up at a Half Price Books back in Houston just before we left and read them this past week. Both take place around the time of the second World War. Neither are extremely long and both had me up reading late into the night when I should have been sleeping.
Apt. pics and Becca update still to come. I have the pictures on the camera, but now need to load them on the computer.
We are going out to enjoy the beautiful weather at a park with friends. Hope everyone's Labor Day is going well.
Just on here for a quick moment. I wanted to mention two books I just read that I would highly recommend:
The Hiding Place by Cornelia Ten Boom
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
I picked them up at a Half Price Books back in Houston just before we left and read them this past week. Both take place around the time of the second World War. Neither are extremely long and both had me up reading late into the night when I should have been sleeping.
Apt. pics and Becca update still to come. I have the pictures on the camera, but now need to load them on the computer.
We are going out to enjoy the beautiful weather at a park with friends. Hope everyone's Labor Day is going well.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Too funny
A fifteenth month Becca update is on its way, as are pictures of the new place (we're all unpacked and just have to hang a few more pictures up before I take pictures to post), but I just wanted to pop in with a few Becca things that have made us laugh:
--When we burp or Becca burps, Becca will say "buh" and smile.
--Becca hangs out in our dressing room area with me while I get ready in the morning and apparently has been watching what I do after I comb or brush my hair. I gave her a small travel brush to use and she promptly went over to the trash can in the bath room and started to pretend to pull hair out of it and throw it away!
--I bought Becca a Snack Trap cup that she loves to have filled with O's or other small treats. This morning she came to me with the cup in one hand and her arm wrapped around a rather large container holding Puffins. I just had to give her some for all her effort in carrying that thing over to me with one arm.
--Becca watched us use the level today to hang up our beautiful quilt wall hanging that Nate's mom made for us. Later I was in the kitchen and Becca walked in with the level and started putting it up against the cabinet doors like she was leveling them. :) I do have pictures of that one and will try to put them up soon.
A fifteenth month Becca update is on its way, as are pictures of the new place (we're all unpacked and just have to hang a few more pictures up before I take pictures to post), but I just wanted to pop in with a few Becca things that have made us laugh:
--When we burp or Becca burps, Becca will say "buh" and smile.
--Becca hangs out in our dressing room area with me while I get ready in the morning and apparently has been watching what I do after I comb or brush my hair. I gave her a small travel brush to use and she promptly went over to the trash can in the bath room and started to pretend to pull hair out of it and throw it away!
--I bought Becca a Snack Trap cup that she loves to have filled with O's or other small treats. This morning she came to me with the cup in one hand and her arm wrapped around a rather large container holding Puffins. I just had to give her some for all her effort in carrying that thing over to me with one arm.
--Becca watched us use the level today to hang up our beautiful quilt wall hanging that Nate's mom made for us. Later I was in the kitchen and Becca walked in with the level and started putting it up against the cabinet doors like she was leveling them. :) I do have pictures of that one and will try to put them up soon.
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