"I wuv my seesters" - Is he prophetic or just silly?

I was tucking in Caleb tonight and our conversation goes,

Caleb "I wuv my mommy.  I wuv my daddy. I wuv ColeConnor.  I wuv my seesters." 

Me "What?  Silly, you don't have any sisters?"

Caleb "My seesters." 

Me "Oh, what are your sisters' names?"

Caleb "Seesterhead. Seesterhead." 

Me "You're such a silly boy." 

Caleb "My want seester."

My cute boy and I have lots of silly conversations.  We often say "our little surprise" should've been named Isaac since it means "laughter."  He cracks us up on a daily basis. 

This conversation, though, I can't get out of my head. "My want seester" too, Caleb.  As many of our friends and family know, God placed adoption on my heart when I was young and then confirmed it in both of our hearts when we went through our years of infertility trying to get pregnant with Cole.  After being blessed with our three sons, I've wondered over the last few years, where does that put us adopting?  Well, it's been heavy on my heart and I've even been doing some research on countries lately.  It will still be at least another year, probably more like two, before we are able to get started in the process, but I'm excited about the future.  In the mean time, it's certainly good to know Caleb's on board with a sister. ;)

Obsessed with Food Blogs & Websites

I truly enjoy cooking, but I LOVE recipes and finding new ones to try.  Is that weird? I used to have a rather large cookbook collection though I've weeded some out over the years. I still love to sit down and read a good cookbook from beginning to end.  Yes, I read through the entire thing including all the recipes.  It's combines my love of reading, eating, and cooking (maybe it's a sickness????). But with the internet brimming with incredible food blogs and sites, cookbooks are just not necessary anymore.

My "go-to" sites when I'm looking for a specific recipe or what to do with a specific food item are allrecipes.com or foodnetwork.com.  I love that the recipes are reviewed by regular home cooks and you can sort by rating on both sites.  I will say that the Food Network site is slow and often cumbersome, but still some of my all-time favorites recipes are from there.

But food blogs are so fun to read.  I love reading about real cooks, their families, and the recipes they love.  I'm seriously obsessed and get a little rush going to Bloglines to see who has posted new recipes (I highly recommend using Bloglines or some other kind of reader to keep up with the blogs you like).  It's like getting a little peek into kitchens around this country and sometimes the world.

Here my current faves,

• The Pioneer Woman Cooks - I love her site in general, but her recipes are divine. 


• Annie's Eats


• Homesick Texan


• Weekly Dish


• Simply Recipes


• Food Blogga

Hope you enjoy! If you have a favorite food blog or site you love, please share.

Some Digi Scrapping to Share

We've had a lot of sickness going around the house.  First Caleb, then Jason, then Cole, then me, now Cole and Jason again.  Yuck!  But with all this down time at the house, I've been able to get some scrapbooking done, which I've been missing lately.

Designer Digitals has a new kit, Help Haiti Collaborative Kit, where 100% of the proceeds are being given to MercyCorps to help with the horrible devastation in Haiti.  If you are scrapper, consider purchasing this great kit. Below is the page I made with this kit.  I've been working on going back and scrapping 2009 pictures that haven't been done.

Products used: Get It Scrapped Sketch 30, Designer Digital's Help Haiti Collaborative Kit, Katie Pertiet's Cardstock Tabs No. 1, and fonts: love ya like a sister, ckalishand, & century gothic. 

Here is a page I did for the current Web Inspiration challenge at O'Scraps.  I've never participated in any of there challenges before, but this was a fun template to use.

 

Products used: O'Scraps Jan 2010 Web Inspiration Challenge Template Freebie, Audrey Neal & Paislee Press' Photogenic Kit, Emily Powers Love Birds Kit, Danielle Young New Lunchbox Kit, and Pea Mique font

Here are 3 other pages I've done recently.  I started these awhile back but put the finishing touches on them this week.

Products Used: Lynn Grieveson Scrap Express Template 25, Audrey Neal & Paislee Press Photogenic Kit, NinaScraps Grids & Dots, Anna Aspnes Yes Kit, and fonts: CK Puppy Love, CK Tipsy, & Century Gothic

Products Used: Tiffany Tillman 25 Days of Templates, DeCrow & Sahlin Studio Play Kit, Audrey Neal Resolve Kit, Katie Pertiet Photo Wraps, Hanging Tags No. 1, Anna Aspnes Yes Kit, Lynn Grieveson Worn Pages, and Fonts: tweed & ckalishand

Products Used: Emily Merritt Expressive Moments Set 3 Template, Emily Powers Art Nation + Blossom Kit, Katie Pertiet Buttoned Up Love, Pattie Know Pin-Its, Jesse Edwards Little Tags Brush, Anna Aspnes Art Inspired Chat Freebie Brush, Karla Dudley Capture + Record Kit, and Fonts: CK Jr. High Girl  &  Ckalishand

3 Favorites - Pics from Christmas

I started to post Christmas pictures a few weeks ago, but had a hard time narrowing down to a few I wanted to share.  Of course, since then, I got a little side-tracked and just now was thinking about that again. 

We had a wonderful Christmas full of traveling, gifts, laughter, family, and memories.  We put lots of miles on our little minivan, but it was worth it.  We started off spending a few days in Canyon Lake with DeeDee, then we headed to Columbus to stay at Nana & Papa's new place, and spend a couple of days in Houston with Grandma & Grandpa as well.  Usually, at the end of a trip, I'm ready to be back to my own house, but the time flew by on this trip and we wished it could've lasted longer. 

Well, I decided to pick my favorite of each of the boys to share, which was difficult since I have a couple hundred pictures, but here they are.

Cole sporting his new Home Depot goggles and power tools from Uncle Dustin

Connor loves hats and wore this Santa hat all night on Christmas Eve

Caleb's favorite toy was Sydney's doll - He was so cute taking care of it

I hope everyone had wonderful holidays.  We were so busy we did even get Christmas cards out this year. We have loved the ones we received and will have get started a little earlier this year.

Christmas Time

I love Christmas and every year I say I'm going to scrap a Christmas Album and I never get it.  This year I signed up for the a class at Renee Pearson taught by Tiffany Tillman.  It's called 25 Days of Templates and using templates makes digital scrapbooking so fast and fun.  Here are 2 pages I've completed so far for my album,

 

I haven't had much time to scrapbook lately, so it's been great to get back into.  I'm also working on a book to go along with Lisa Whelchel's This is my Story. It's an awesome Bible study and book that helps you complete a scrapbook about yourself, your family, your story, and your faith.

Tri-State Fair

Last night we went to the Tri-State Fair in Amarillo and had a blast. We walked around checking things out.  Then, we went to the petting zoo where the boys got to feed deer, sheep, goats, and llamas. Caleb was a little scared at first, but ended up petting some animals.  Here's Connor feeding some.

I forgot how expensive things get at the fair. The boys kept wanting to play the carnival games, but that is  simply throwing money away.  Still, we let them pick a couple to play.  Cole won a stuffed banana and Connor won an amazingly, annoying toy trumpet that all three of them love.  

After the games, we told them they could pick a ride.  There were all kinds, but they picked this goofy little canoe ride.  I admit it was cute though.  They all three fit in one canoe.  I think they just liked getting a little wet.

After the ride, we had to get some fair food.  We shared a huge corn dog, a turkey leg, and fried potatoes.  It was all very good, but messy and greasy.  We then headed to the livestock area and the boys got to see chickens, pigs, goats, and cows.  Connor thought the chickens were hilarious.  He was cracking up.  As we were leaving, we promised cotton candy or as Cole calls it "cotton ball candy."  Caleb was very unsure of this and just held it in his hand for awhile, but loved it once he finally realized it was sweet.  I wish I'd gotten a picture of this, but I forgot.  This last picture is my favorite of the night.

Busyness and updates

Well, I keep thinking I'll have a day to get caught up but that day hasn't come as the days only seem to get busier and busier.  This summer was the busiest we've ever had with my trip to China, VBS, Houston Project (Youth Camp), visiting friends and family, summer visitors, and then Cole starting kindergarten.  Now September is here and Jason is back in school taking some online classes for his Seminary degree and it's a whole different level of crazy for our family.  Soccer has started back as have all church activities.  I am loving that fall is quickly approaching though.  There were pumpkins at the grocery store today and the there are a few days where the high temps are only supposed to be in the 60s. 

Cole is loving school though getting up every morning has been a challenge. He is attending the kindergarten program at our church which is 8-12 Monday through Friday.  I've really missed him every though he is only gone for a few hours each day.  Many people have asked what are plans are next year as we've talked about homeschooling or him going to all day kindergarten at public school.  Right now, I truly believe God is calling us to homeschooling.  The more I read about it, the more I am impressed and encouraged to do so.  I prayed that God would put other homeschooling families in my path and I've met several these past few months which has been a huge encouragement.  For those who haven't seen these yet, here are some pictures of Cole on his first day of school.

Connor started preschool last week.  He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-12.  He is in the Star Class (also at our church) and he thinks he's big stuff.  Here he is on his first day of school,

Caleb is the biggest and littlest stinker still. He is my clingy one and is extra clingy these days he is either right next to me or hanging on me most of the time.  This has become exhausting, but he's so darn cute which helps immensely when I want to scream "please stop touching me for just a few minutes child." I know he will grow out of this so I'm trying to remind myself to enjoy the extra holding and cuddling. :)  Here is a picture of him on Connor's first day of school. He didn't want to be left out.

Well, that's a little update on us.  I've got some other pictures to share in another post.