Speak Love

I used to think this phrase and suggestion was good.  'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.'  I don't think I believe this anymore.  It is certainly better than saying something mean and hurtful, but sometimes people need to hear kind words.  Now I think, I must find a way to speak kindness and love even when it isn't the first thing that pops into my head.

Thanks to Speak Love by Annie F. Downs, I've been thinking a lot about my words lately!

let's all be brave.

I finished reading let's all be brave. by Annie F. Downs today.  It was good read.  The biggest take away for me was that we don't have to think braveness in terms of the big picture end goal.  We just have to be brave and take the next step on the road to where God is leading us.  One brave step at a time will lead us where God wants us, and that end goal won't seem so unattainable once you taken the other steps. 

The other point that is sticking with me is what bravery looks like.  Sometimes it looks like say yes, sometimes it looks like saying no, and I think sometimes it looks like waiting and doing the best you can at where you now. 

One more point she made in the book that is so true, and I've seen happen is the domino effect.  If one steps out in bravery, more are likely to follow.  That can change things; that can change the world. 

At one point in the book this song popped into my head ans has been sticking with me.  Courageous, by Casting Crowns.

Sick Baby Girl

Over the weekend Ruthie came down with a runny nose.  We made it so far through winter without anything really in term is illness, but we didn't make it through February without.  For the first two days it was really just a runny nose, than Monday the cough started.  The runny nose didn't bother me so much, but the cough on my smallest little girl who's so young still had be a little bothered.  Sunday night she slept mostly okay, just didn't want to fall asleep at night.  Monday night though was much worse, she sounded so sickly and I was so concerned for her, so even when she did sleep, I didn't much because I was checking on her often.  So Tuesday we headed to the pediatrician's office. 

The boys had a two hour delay due to the weather, so I took the first appointment after 11, when we could get in there.  The doc explained that she had some inflammation in her lower airways, so she wanted to try a breathing treatment to see if helped her.  It did help her move more air, so home we came with directions for the next few days and a follow up appointment in two weeks. 

She slept much better last night, but we were up in the middle of the night for a few hours.  This time just because she was awake and mostly happy!  She's feeling better today and smiling at me again.  :)

Ballerina Twirl

Elinore loves to twirl, and she does it nearly everywhere we go.  She's a ballerina she say, just like Katerina from Daniel Tiger.  She even has an outfit she got for Christmas that she calls her tutu.  It has a little lace around the bottom of the shirt, and it's her favorite. 

Memory

Caden sometimes pretends he has a terrible memory, usually when I ask him to do something or he thinks someone else will give him the answers to his homework.  Sometimes I can even see he knows how to find the answer, but he will work so much harder to get someone else to do it for him.  If I'm not making his homework easy enough for him, he'll find his dad and ask him. 

However, one place his memory excels and he'll let you know it is in remembering lines from movies and tv shows.  If you're watching a movie and you could pick one line you wouldn't want to be repeated, that would be the one he'd pick as his favorite too.  He knows it too, because once he's told to stop saying something or stop being mean, he'll blame it on the show/movie.  (That doesn't work for him either though, that just removes tv from the equation for awhile.)

Still thought, I'm impressed at his ability to remember it sometimes.  Although when he reveals the plot before we get there in the movie, that part is less than exciting!

Pollyanna

Over the long weekend, we sat down as a family and watched my favorite childhood movie, Pollyanna.

I remember renting this VHS from the local video store numerous times during my childhood, until my mom finally broke down and bought the VHS for me. 

I haven't seen the movie in years, but a few weeks ago we watched Swiss Family Robinson and I recognized the youngest son as the boy from Pollyanna, and the itch to show this movie to my kids and husband started. 

I remember a lot of things about the movie that happened, but I looked at it differently now as a Christian adult.  This movie has a seriously powerful message in it. 

This town is fully of unhappy people and the town is run by a single lady, who's incredibly opinionated and close  minded.  Then her niece, Pollyanna, comes to live with her after her parents die.  Pollyanna brings the glad game with her; the games is coming up with something to be glad about regardless of the situation.  She runs all over town sharing her happiness and visiting with people, and eventually the whole town changes into a happy place.  She charms the town.

It's a reminder that you never know how far your smile will go when you are out and how powerful your kind words are. 

"It's your hears, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words."  Matthew 12:34 (The Message)

Minecraft

Caleb and Caden are currently playing Minecraft. The way Caleb is sitting, which is common for him, reminds me of a grandpa.

Cuddles

Whether Ruth and I are sitting on the couch, laying on the floor or anywhere else, Elinore must fund a way to squeeze in between us in the tiniest places. She must be with us and by both of us.

It's so sweet of her, but sometimes challenging for me to make sure she doesn't squash Ruth!

29

I turned 29 on 2-9 this year.  It was a mostly calm day at home with my girls while the boys were in school and Keith worked. I made dinner and we ate a little early at the kids request.  After dinner the all ran downstairs before calling me down to the rec room in our basement.  There I was surprised with a little party!  There were streamers and hats and noisemakers.  Keith gave me a new bike and the boys each have me a box of trinkets from around the house. The party wrapped up with some ice cream cake.

Waiting

Ellie was mad at me the other day, so she was waiting for her daddy at the window.

Speak Love

I just finished this book this morning.  It was gifted to me this Christmas from my Amazon wishlist.  It was a super awesome book.  The book is intended for pre-teen and teenage girls, but I found most of it to be relevant to me as well.  Certainly I could remember some of the topics discussed from my times as a teenager, and I'm surprised to say how much relates to my current life too.  The first part of the book was especially moving for me. 

The book caused me to reflect, think and change the way I use my words.  It had me thinking about myself, my kids and my husband and everyone else I interact with.  It got me into my Bible reading and writing in my makeshift journal through each chapter of the book.  I even made a few posts to my Facebook, which I rarely do, because I saw how it could be valuable to share. 

Another thing I started doing because of this book was writing out Bible verses on index cards and posting them in various places in my house.  I have a few sitting on my kitchen windowsill, one on my bedroom mirror, etc. 

Next up I'm going to dig into Annie Downs' other book, Let's All Be Brave. 

Newborn Clothes

Over the weekend I put Ruth's newborn sized clothes away. She's growing so fast! Certainly faster than Elinore did.

Here for a Reason

Ashes Remain - Here for a Reason (Official Lyric Video): http://youtu.be/sb9Y_3O2tlQ

This song is awesome.

Speak Love.

Sisters

Ruth - 2 Months

Jealous

Since Elinore broke her collarbone, can has been complaining how unfair it is. He wants to break a bone too. She gets snacks and gets to sit around all day watching tv; he says that isn't fair.

Oh Caden, you have no idea.

School

Taken 1/22/15

Elinore pretending that age us ready for school.

Happy baby

21 Day Fix - Complete

About 3 weeks ago I wrote about starting the 21 Day Fix.  Sunday, I finished it.  I didn't miss a single workout.  The workouts definitely got better as I progressed through and I have my favorites and  ones I dislike for sure! 

I don't have a great estimation of what it did for my weight.  After part way through the first week, I checked in at 170, which is 2 lbs. higher than where I started.  Then my scale died.  And I don't mean needed new batteries died, I mean was dead.  So I bought a new one.  This one is mechanical, so no batteries needed!  It may not be as exact, but it's close, and weight isn't something I want to obsess over, so that is a good fit for me.  So finishing the program on that scale I'm coming in about 164-165, which means I probably did loose a few pounds during the program.  The scale doesn't really bother me too much, it's more my pants fitting again, and we're not there yet.

I do feel like the workouts are helping though, I didn't measure inches, and probably won't, but I think there would be some results there is some places.  I hope anyway! 

I've always felt better when I've  been working out, and this was no exception there.  I like the short 30 minute session and I love the clock countdown on the screen!  The Dirty 30 and Upper Fix are probably my two favorite workouts.  Although I do like the Pilates too.  Cardio stinks, and Mondays, or Total Body Cardio, is rough.  Mondays are tough though I think more from a mental standpoint for me.  I struggle mentally through this one every time. 

Well, to avoid having to buy new pants before I go back to work again, or an attempt anyway, yesterday I started the program again.  This will take me up until the week I go back to work.  At that point I'll decide what to do next. 

I'm still not following the eating plan, and I certainly have room for improvement there.  The first week and a half I did well at improving my eating at least, but it slumped again the last half.  I'll keep trying here.  I'm so hungry though with breastfeeding, so if I have baked goods in the house, I'm doomed.  Currently there is a cake Caden made, cookie brownie's he made, cookies my mom made, and a couple donuts left from the trip to the bakery after the ER for Elinore yesterday.  So there is certainly a will power challenge here.  So far today, I'm failing it.  I can turn that around any moment though! 

Over the last week, I've been working to get Elinore a big girl bed.  About a week and a half ago, she, Ruth and I went to buy a new mattress.  Caleb got the new mattress and Elinore got the mattress he'd been using, because we had the box springs that go with it stored in the basement.  I rearranged her room to accommodate it and the crib.  I took he shopping for new sheets.  She played on the bed and got excited about it. 

After the Super Bowl Party we went to last night, we came home and she went to sleep in her big girl bed.  It was late and she was tired, so she stayed in bed and slept well!  I checked on her when I got up about 6:30 this morning and she was curled up sleeping soundly.  Then just before 7:30 I heard the thud and her immediate crying. 

I ran in to get her and we snuggled on her bed as she bawled.  We came out to the couch and it was clear pretty quickly she was hurting.  She wasn't just crying from being scared.  I cuddled her, gave her some Tylenol and called Daddy.  We snuggled some more, and she continued to have ouchies and cry, so we called Daddy again; he came home to the ER we headed. 

Elinore has a broken collarbone.  :(

As long as she's not moving too much she's content.  She got a donut after her hospital visit.  Ruth still makes her smile.  She loves being a big sister!  She's camped on the couch watching Daniel Tiger today. 

Doctor says she'll be back to normal in 3 weeks and no further treatment should be needed.  We follow up with her pediatrician at the end of the week.