Our Heaven on Earth

Gluten-free January: Take 2!!

2011-12-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned: We are starting our second try of gluten-free on January 1st and I am going to try to tweak it a little into Gluten/Sugar Free January through December. I am so excited to share with you all of the recipes I have discovered this past year that make eating Gluten-Free so easy.

More potty training....

2011-01-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

Day 2 went about the same as day 1. We started off the day with poop in the underwear and a puddle of pee in the office but from there on out it was smooth sailing. He went potty 7 times on the potty chair (he makes you turn on the water to enable him to go) and only had 1 more accident while eating lunch (easy clean up since he was kneeling up at the counter). I am so surprised but he even tells me when he has to go and sometimes starts to go in his underwear and then stops and tells me that he is going and runs to the bathroom. Here's to hoping that Day 3 continues to be as easy :)

Potty Training Day #1

2011-01-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

Earlier this fall, I became an avid watcher of a new CBS show called The Talk. It is geared toward SAHM and I always get something great tidbit of information from it. Last week, they had Nicole Richie and a pediatrician on the show talking about toxins and our children. They started talking about diapers and the fact that the white ones contain bleach, chlorine, and other chemicals and it got me thinking about switching to Seventh Generation brand of chlorine-free diapers. That got me re-visiting the idea of cloth-diapering for Zoe and Jace so I don't continue to spend my life savings on diapering two children or even potty-training Jace since he is over 2. (Izzy was potty-trained fully during the day by now.)

Since yesterday was a snow day, I decided today would be the day we started the lengthy process that is "Potty Training". After a really nasty diaper, we put on the Yo Gabba underwear that he got for Christmas and began the fun!! All and all he did really well and only had 2 accidents! He woke up dry from nap and after sledding and he even pooped in the potty chair in his "office".

Caution: The following pic may be too vulgar for some of your eyes but here he is showing how proud of himself he was.....

Highlight of the day: Graham cracker breaded pork chops and shrimp scampi!!

2011-01-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

Since I woke up this morning STARVING, I decided that I would try to eat larger portions at each meal. We once again started the morning with fabulous gluten-free pancakes and eggs and pineapple orange juice and I had 1 extra pancake and made it all the way to lunch at 11:40!

Last night we found some gluten-free graham crumbs at Hy-Vee, so my dad got up and rolled the pork chops in them and put them in the slow cooker. This is one of my dad and mine's famous meals and we were really worried that we wouldn't be able to eat it while on this diet. Then after finding the crumbs we were worried that it wouldn't measure up. Let me tell you it was GOOD!!! I paired 2 1/2 pork chops with a salad with avocado, cashews, sliced mushrooms, and light vinegarette and I was good until dinner minus my skinny carmel latte while driving home.

For supper, I through some frozen cooked shrimp in a pan on the stove with lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt, and 2 garlic cloves and threw some on a bed of lettuce with 1/2 an avocado, grape tomatoes, and the vinegarette. The kids loved the shrimp and had some with peas and blue/blackberries.

I found that I didn't crave the food I normally eat today because I made sure that I was full after every meal but I noticed that Izzy was craving her normal crackers so I promised her that I would take her to Trader Joe's so that she could pick out some gluten-free foods that she would like to snack on throughout the day and she seemed to be okay with that. Otherwise, I think she thinks I am trying to deprive her :)

Tomorrow I need to start with phase II----P90X :S

Day 1

2011-01-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

We started off day 1 with some awesome gluten-free pancakes from Hy-Vee smothered in a little bit of 100% maple syrup accompanied by a small plate of eggs and Strawberry Shortcake coffee. I don't remember if I snacked much this morning but the kids had tons of fruit: bananas, apples, blackberries.

Then for lunch my dad and I had a salad with spinanch and romaine lettuce, avocado, tomato, cashews, raw sunflower seeds, chicken left over from my meal last night, fresh mushrooms, and light balsimic vinegarette dressing. It was great. I snacked all afternoon on cashews and celery with peanut butter. The kids loved them!!!

Supper completed the day with rotisserie chicken, baked sweet potato, and another salad. We also made some broccoli for the kids since they don't eat much salad and a Dannon strawberry Greek yogurt a 1/2 hour later.

I found myself feeling good about what I had consummed during the day but still starving and looking around the kitchen to see what would fill the void. My dad seems to think it is due to the lack of the "addictive" glutin but I seem to think that it may be related to the 500+ calories I should be consumming due to breast feeding....I think I need to eat more and drink more water tomorrow!

STAY TUNED: Gluten-Free/ No Refined Sugar January Starts TOMORROW

2010-12-31T07:04:00.000-08:00

As you know, tomorrow is January 1st, and the changing of the year is also bringing a change in eating habits into the Wood household. Brian and I have been dissatisfied for awhile now with the rut we find ourselves in pertaining to our exercise and eating habits since the birth of our 3rd child and move into our new house.

During the holidays, we noticed a book that my dad has been reading called "The Paleo Diet". He has already started a version of this diet. I haven't read much of the book yet but the premise is to cut out anything that contains gluten (wheat flour) and eat primarily what the paleolithic man ate: lean meats, fresh fish, fruits, vegetables, and unsalted nuts. We thought it made great sense for us as a lifestyle change as well as to get the kids to eat more of what they love so we can cut out all the junk we ingest. We also decided to cut out items with refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and the like.

We are going to start by eithering purging any open item we own or donate it unopened to the Lincoln Food Bank and shopping for the items listed above with a few gluten-free items thrown in so that we don't break the bank shopping for all the "gluten-free" items stores offer.

I plan to use this blog to document the types of things we find to eat that are kid-friendly since all 5 of us will be eating this way. Also, to document how we feel, how much energy we have, and how the kids act especially the baby who is still entirely on breast milk. We will also let you know how Brian and I feel/the kids act after a "cheat meal". The book gives you three levels or options of cheats: Level 1--3 cheat meals a week, Level 2-- 2 cheat meals, and Level 3--1 cheat meal.

Happy New Year to all!!! Wish us luck or lots of willpower (we will need it.....me especially!!)

Jennie

Answered Prayers

2009-12-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

Izzy's lab results just came back: her WBC count is at 14.6 which is down from 19.1 this am at 5. It only has to be 13.4 to be in the normal range. Her Neutraphils are also better. Wow, how prayer can move the hand of God!!! He is good!! Hopefully we can get out of here before the clock strikes midnight on the year......

Day 3: More Lab Work

2009-12-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

Izzy must be feeling better; she was up last night until 10:30 watching movies. She then had a great night sleep; she even slept through all of her vitals throughout the night. The doctors/nurses are all encouraged by the fact that she is bouncing off the walls and eating better. She also has much better mobility in her neck when asked to lower her chin to her right shoulder!!! They are a little concerned with the fact that her white cell count is not decreasing at all. There was no decrease between her labs yesterday at 5am and this morning at 5am although her CRP has improved. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-reactive_protein. She is getting a finger poke blood draw right now to re-test the White Cell Count. We pray that the Lord would lay his hand on her body and it would be dramatically lower. If the count is not lower, they will do another CT scan to see if there is more infection elsewhere in her body.

Izzy was also happy to get visits from Aunt Stacey and her best friend Kaci who brought her mom and brother and sister with her. It was nice to see her up behaving like her usual self. Her and Kaci fell right into line fighting over the dry-erase marker in the room =) She is now camped out in front of a Strawberry Shortcake movie.

Post-Surgery

2009-12-29T13:09:00.000-08:00

The doctor and ENT visited bright and early this morning around 7. The ENT felt they abcess and thought it felt harder and closer to the surface which meant it was coming to a head. Combining this with the fact that she had the fever the night before and that her labs only improved about 10%, he thought our best choice would be to go ahead and operate. The OR had a really full schedule since it is the end of the year, but they were able to squeezer her in at 8am. I couldn't get ahold of Brian who was at home with Jace so that was a little distressing.

They wheeled us down to the pre-op room and gave her some medicine through her IV. We met the Anesthesiologist and the Nurse Anesth. who was a co-worker of a good friend. We were sad to hear that Paul was at West but comforted by the fact that he said she was in good hands. I left before they put her under and she really handled that fine.

The surgery went quickly and the ENT came and chatted with me before Brian could even get to the hospital. He didn't find a pocket of pus like he expected but the abcess had compartmentalized so he broke all those apart and put in a drain to let any pus/infection that would form escape. He said they would leave the drain in until at least tomorrow afternoon and add a second antibiotic to get rid of the infection. Izzy was a little out-of-sorts after she came out of the anesthesia. I left to go get lunch and when I returned 2 hours later she was up, eating lunch, and back to her ornery self.

The nurse just came in to do her vitals and said that the strep test from Sunday evening came back positive. We finally have our source of where the infection started. It is so surprising because Izzy didn't complain a bit until the abcess had already started forming.....I guess we have a tough little cookie!

We will be here until Thursday afternoon at the earliest and hope that Izzy's lab work and fever continue to go down =)

Day 2: Bright and Early

2009-12-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

Izzy is staying in pretty good spirits, all things considered. All she wants to do is lay on the bed and watch movies, so I guess it is a good thing the hospital has a long list we can borrow from. Nothing else seems to hold her attention. She also found some enjoyment talking to her friend, Kaci, on the phone. It is so sweet to see her adult-like conversation on the phone. We have also been reading her Jesus Storybook Bible which holds much comfort as it continues to let us know that God is our Maker, Protector,Healer and Rock and he is all-knowing. He knows what we need even before we ask. We are so thankful for all His truths.

The ENT made rounds again yesterday afternoon and kind of gave us our prognosis on length of stay. He said the fact that we saw an improvement in her white cell count in less than 12 hours was great and that usually the best results are between day 1 and day 2. He said that if everything continues to go well we could be out of here in 3 days, normal length of stay 4-5 days, with 2 days added on if she requires surgery. She will be getting lab work again at 5am and he is be in around 7:30 to consult again. We pray that her counts continue to drop and that she has better neck mobility.

We also had a some visitors which provided a break from the same ole, same ole and some much needed non-hospital food. Thanks Paul, Rachel, Jeff, and Aiden for stopping by!! It made Izzy's night. Then later in the evening she was blessed with a visit from her 2 oldest cousins, her Aunt Niki, Grandpa Nick, and Jacer. They have been such a help with Jace during this long, ordeal (and it's not even 1/2 over yet =( ( She was a bit tired thought and fell asleep as soon as they left at 8:10. She awoke at 9pm, uncomfortable nd we realized that her fever had spiked again. With a little help from some Motrin, we got her comfortable and back to sleep.

It is now 3am and I awoke to a wet bed. It was actually a good thing because it got the vitals out of the way while she was already up and got me a bed with no crumbs!!! I have to find pleasure in the small things, right? Izzy was awesome even with such a rude awakening =) She is now back asleep and I find myself not very tired due to the fact that I just slept for 6 hours which I would consider a full-night sleep!!

Good night, hopefully.......

Day 1: December 28,2009

2009-12-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

I deceided that instead of starting a Care Page for Izzy I would take this opportunity to update our blog and maybe make it a New Years resolution to keep at it once a week. It is almost 24 hours since we took Izzy to the ER due to what we thought was a stiff neck from a collision with a doorway. The CT scan and lab work instead showed a large white cell count and an abcess in her lymph node caused by a bacterial infection. Not related to the collision at all just a huge coincidence.....

We have been on the Pediatric floor of Bryan since 8pm last night and everyone is very nice and friendly. Poor Izzy has been a trooper although she cringes whenever anyone besides family enters the room for fear that they will poke her. She has had an IV started, many blood draws, a CT scan, a ride in the ambulence, and a very traumatic strep test that even I had to hold her down for.

The doctor came this morning and said that she would be in here until at least 7pm tomorrow. The ENT said that she would probably not require surgery to drain the abcess; he thinks the antibiotics should take care of it. We are watching movie after movie and getting some nice down time in. We had some visitors as Aunt Niki, Grandma, and the boys were able to stop by....oh and the best of all was, Jacer!!! They were so excited to see one another.

We are now awaiting her next round of blood work later this afternoon. We pray that her white count continues to drop!! Thank you to all our family and friends who have prayed for her and us last night and today and offered your help. We couldn't be strong without all your love and support around us!!

And finally a picture of the snowstorm that so wonderfully postponed half of Christmas

Love,

Jennie and Brian

Happy 1st Birthday, Jacer!!!

2009-09-03T07:22:00.001-07:00

One year ago today, I was sending all my friends and family pictures of our 2nd little blessing. Now he is a happy, loud, rambuctious 1-year-old who takes after his big sister. Right now I am listening to they joyous sounds of him causing his sister much anxiety by messing with her toys.

Jace loves to be anywhere Izzy is and his eyes light up when he sees her. He is taking after her in the climbing department and is up on everything. This morning I caught him standing on the ottoman and yesterday it was the rails of his crib, which he could not get off of. He is also taking after her in the "slow to get teeth" department. He has one that is barely through the gums and one that looks ready to pop at any second (maybe that is why he was up every 30 minutes last night)!!

He also loves cars, trucks, and trains and pushes them all over the floor trying to make the sounds they make.

Jace is just starting to become vocal and only says Mama and Dada. He just really started babbling which is fun to hear.

Jace has really completed our little family and we are so excited to see all the things he will learn in his 2nd year. We love you, Jacer!!! Thank you for bringing more fun times than we could imagine.

Things about Jace

2009-06-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

I sometimes feel like Jace gets the shaft. I don't have as much time to blog about him or upload as many pictures of him like I did Izzy. I hope it is because I am too busy loving them in real time!! But I did want to let everyone know how he is growing :)

Jace is 9 months old and all over the place. He started crawling at 6.5 months just like his sister. He now pulls himself up on everything and even stands for seconds at a time. He is a big boy and loves to eat. I think he is pushing 25 pounds and will find out the verdict soon at his doctors appointments.

He loves his sister and loves to play where ever she is playing and follows her from room to room. He is a total boy though and bangs anything loudly against whatever will make noise. He is also really into balls and thinks that make music. He was a real momma's boy until lately and is starting to gain some independance especially after he has been feed and napped! He even had a great time away from me for 48 hours when I went to Chicago.

Unlike his sister, Jace isn't very vocal and seems to just sit back and observe unless it is in the car when the music is on, then he sings along :) He recently started to say a couple syllables and can say Mama! Oh how that warms my heart......

Happy 3rd Birthday!

2009-06-15T13:35:00.001-07:00

Miss Izzy turned 3 this weekend and what a party she had. We originally planned to rent a local pool; but with the unseasonably cold and rainy week we had been having, we decided to relocate to Antelope Park instead. We ate pizza and cupcakes, tore open gifts, played til our hearts desired, and even got to climb on an engine from Brian's station. She had so much fun playing with all her friends that by the end of the night she was so tired she could barely form sentences.

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY, ISABELLA

We love you and have had so much fun watching you grow!

Love Mommy and Daddy and Jacer

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to send out a little post to all of the mom's who read my blog....

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Call the Plumber!

2009-01-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this picture has nothing to do with the topic of the day, I just wanted you to see why I couldn't punish Izzy for what I am about to tell you. She is just to darn cute!!

So potty-training Izzy is pretty much complete, except when she is sleeping. Lately, she will even go #2 by herself but she has to strip down to her birthday suit. She also tells me, "Leave please, I need my pivacy (her pronuciation), and shut the door." She really does a pretty good job and we have not have any messes, yet......

Today could have changed that. During her bathroom time, Izzy decided to FLUSH her panties down the toilet. When grandma came into wipe her and put her clothes back on, she couldn't find Izzy's panties anywhere. She asked Izzy where they were and Izzy said, "In there" and pointed into the toilet which was running from the recent flush. When grandma told her that we don't put our panties down the toilet because it might clog it, Izzy replied "I swim down and save them." Guess our girl has been watching too much Diego :)

I got a good laugh on my way home from work and was glad to get home and see her cute face. What will she come up with next! I think Jace got a good laugh too!!!

About time....

2008-11-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

Izzy, Kaci, Kade, and Krew at the Zoo
Smiley Jace

Izzy at Poppy's Pumpkin Patch

Izzy as a Ladybug for Halloween

Sweet baby James

Jace as a Pumpkin

(He slept whenever in the costume)

Since it has almost been 2 months since our last post, I thought I should take a couple of minutes (that's all I can spare) to update everyone on what Izzy and Jace are up to and to post a few pics.

Izzy is loving being a big sister. She climbs in his crib with him to keep him company, she kisses him any chance she gets, and she alerts me to his needs ("He's crying for you" is her main comment ;) ) She is finally sleeping in her bunk beds everynight (at least that is where she starts) and is out of pull-ups except at night. She is in a princess stage and wears her Barbie dress all day, every day. She also enjoys coloring, puzzles, jumping on the beds, playing with her friend Kaci, and watching Diego and Dora.

Jace is almost 3 months old now (my how time flies...) . He is what you would call a mommy's boy. He is alot more high maintanence and serious than his sister was. He smiles but you really have to try to get on out of him and he just started playing under his play gym. He is a great sleeper and only wakes at night to eat, sometimes going 5 hours!!! Our life is very busy and complete for the time being. I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving. I hopefully post more pictures between now and Christmas.

Jace's 1st Video

2008-09-23T22:50:00.000-07:00

Introducing James Calvin Wood

2008-09-04T03:45:00.000-07:00

Izzy and Jace

The summer can officially come to an end. Our baby is here! James Calvin Wood, aka Jace, made his way into the world on September 3rd at 2:31am. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 21 1/4 inches long. He is nursing well and is so far really content in between feedings. I did it completely "pain-med" free but could not have made it without the help of Brian. He was amazing and pushed me when I wanted to throw in the towel and get the epidural. Thanks, Brian, for all your love and support. I truely could not have done it without you!

Isabella is enjoying being a "Big Sister" but does not want to share her little brother with anyone. She says loves to hold him and has a fit when we tell her that it is someone else's turn.

We can't wait to get out of the hospital and start our life as a family of four.

Summer Fun!

2008-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

We have been having a fun and really busy summer. We have been going swimming, to the Zoo, and to the park alot. Once you go to the park, Izzy will not get out of the swing until you make her leave. She also loves to swim which makes mom happy on the hot days of summer. We hang out alot in the backyard in our suits soaking up some rays so that I can actually take her outside while 32 weeks pregnant. The pregnancy is going great; although I am starting to slow down a little bit which an active 2-year-old doesn't really understand. We are so anxious to meet this little guy and see what he looks like. We are also looking forward to finding out what his dad has named him since he is not sharing this info with anyone (not even me)!! Here are a few pics from the summer so far because this might be my last post until we are a family of 4 (or 5 if you count Rocky!)

Climbing the Rock Wall at the Park

Sliding with Grandma NelsonRiding on a gator with Papa NelsonFeeding the goats at the zooPetting the horses at the races
"Diego Panties"
Playing at the lake
Digging in the sand
Happy 2nd Birthday on the 13th of June"Ooh, Diego presents"Meeting Baby Aiden--she loves my friend Rachel's little boy. She always wants to hold and love on him. I thank Rach for being so patient and letting us use Aiden as our guinea pig :)Mommy at 30 weeks. Izzy has a little shelf to sit on now.Izzy and Daddy in their matching shirts. Whenever Brian has this shirt on, Izzy has to put on hers also.

Izzy and Bree riding the donkey at the Lincoln Children's Zoo

Daddy and Izzy lighting smoke balls.

Having fun with sparklers. Izzy hopes you had a great 4th of July! She loved all the fireworks!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-27T05:27:00.001-07:00

Since Brian had to work on his birthday, the whole family took dessert to him and the other guys to celebrate. Brian is actually moving shifts in early June; so it was great to celebrate his time at the station before he leaves.

"The Fam" with Daddy and his birthday cookie
Izzy driving the fire truck. She loves to get in and pretend drive.

On Monday, we went to Blair to visit Brian's grandpa's grave and to visit with family. Izzy thought all of the flowers were very pretty.
After lunch, the kids set up the slip-n-slide. Even though it was a little chilly, they didn't seem to mind. Izzy wasn't too sure about sliding on her belly down the thing.....
but she eventually went! Looks like fun to me :)
She had more fun cheering on the other kids from the bottom of the slide though!

Happy Birthday B!

2008-05-24T17:24:00.001-07:00

We are sending out warm birthday wishes to the best father, husband, and friend you could ever wish for. You make our life special :-) Enjoy your day tomorrow!

Love--Izzy, Jennie, Rocky, and our baby boy

Feeling better!

2008-05-22T05:46:00.001-07:00

After 3 days of being sick and passing it to Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa Wood, Izzy is finally back to her active, happy little self. Since Mom and Dad are still getting over the flu, Izzy spent alot of time watching Dora and Diego. When Diego comes on, she sings along and runs back and forth in our living room and around the table in circles. She even said she wants a Diego cake for her birthday.
She also enjoyed going out into the backyard with Rocky to enjoy some fresh air. She is so set on "Izzy swingset, party" that she goes to the fence behind our house and forlornly stares at the kids playing on their swingset. I guess that is what she is asking for this year :)
The last pic is a picture of how we caught Rocky and Izzy one night during bedtime. After her bedtime routine, she asks that Rocky be in there for her to fall asleep. This particular night she was having a bit of trouble and invited Rocky to "sleep" with her in her bunk beds! Busted!!

After a long weekend.....

2008-05-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is a pic of how Izzy feels this Monday. We had a long, fun-filled weekend going to G and G Nelson's ,Tiffy's graduation party, and then to G and G Wood's and now little Izzy is a bit under the weather. With the weather getting so nice, we have been spending quite a bit of time outside which tends to lead to more injuries. We now have a black eye from falling on the trampoline and slivers in our hand from falling on the deck. She is going to be one tough little girl by summers end. She also caught a little stomach bug and is spending her time between Dora on the couch and trying to keep some food down. She says, "Izzy hungry"; but then when she sits down is really not interested in eating anything.

Hopefully, the bug won't last long and she will be back to her playful, happy self!

The verdict is in!

2008-04-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

It's a boy!! Last Wednesday, we had our 20 week ultrasound and saw that little blob that was not found on Isabella's ultrasound. He looks as perfect as can be out through the image of the grainy ultrasound. He put his hand behind his head and we were able to make out all 5 fingers and saw his cute little toes.

We feel very fortunate to have been blessed with not one, but now two, little bundles of joy! Izzy is as excited as a 22-month-old can be. She points to the baby in my tummy and gives it kisses and hugs. She just got new bunk beds in preparation of giving up her crib in a few months. She loves to jump on them but would still rather sleep in "Mommy/Daddy bed", as she calls it.

With only 20 weeks or less to go, we are on the down-hill ride and can not wait until we can meet our new little guy face-to-face ;)

Women of Faith 2008

2008-03-29T19:29:00.001-07:00

This year I attended my first Women of Faith conference with my mom, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law. It was so hard being away from Izzy over night but worth it for 12 hours of worship and praise to our Savior. The ladies on the tour have so much humor, wit, scripture and insight to share with all who choose to attend. It was a great weekend and I know we all plan on going again next year.

All you moms should enjoy the attached link by one of the speakers, Anita Renfroe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5g3aWmJPE8

Getting into the Holiday Spirit.....

2007-12-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Our life with a busy toddler keeps up busier than we ever imagined. Since this will probably be our last post of 2007 we wanted to update you on how Isabella is enjoying the Christmas season and all it entails. Frosty, baking, Christmas trees, and SNOW!!!

Isabella loves Frosty the Snowman. You have to sing it to her and she makes you repeat it over and over and over!

She also loves jumping off of the couch, ottoman, or anything else off of the ground

Isabella is happy there is no more Callahan and hopes for a better season with Pelini :)

Our family from Vegas came for Thanksgiving. Isabella and Lauren had so much fun playing together except when Izzy was pulling her hair.

Surprisingly, Izzy loved Santa....especially the candy cane he gave her!

Izzy and Lauren had fun goofing off at dinner their last night here!

Izzy enjoyed putting up the tree. She really likes pulling off the balls!

Isabella enjoyed helping me bake Chocolate Chip cookies. I can't wait until she is big enough to start our tradition of making and decorating sugar cookies.

She also really like licking the beater....

Isabella wasn't too sure of the snow when we first went out. She said it was yucky and then wanted to be picked up!

Rocky on the other hand loves running and playing in the snow

She finally ventured out once I created a path up to Kaci's house for her. It was great, I didn't have to worry about her running into the street because she would only walk on the path that had no snow!

By the end of the afternoon, she had finally warmed up to the idea of the cold stuff. She was falling down in the snow, running around, and throwing snow at other kids :) It was really a cute sight!

From our family to yours: Have a great holiday season!

Izzy Bee...

2007-11-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween. Isabella enjoyed going to "Boo at the Zoo" and trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. She especially enjoyed trick-or-treating out of our candy bowl. Every morning when she wakes up "nandy" is the first thing she asks for!

Izzy and her button

2007-10-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Lately, Isabella has been obsessed with belly buttons. Hers, Brians, mine, and any one else's that she can get her hands on. She will lift up their shirt, poke their button, and wait until they laugh histerically! It is great to watch.

Recent Pics

2007-10-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

MUMS

2007-10-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is finally here and we are really enjoying the nice weather and a break from the heat. Brian is putting in alot of hours with his new job and trying to tie up the loose ends at his old; so we really cherish those moments when we get to hang out as a family.

Izzy and I have been spending alot of time at church lately it seems. We volunteer in the nursery/walkers on Wednesday nights, in the Cry Room a couple of time a month, and I take a Mothers Uplifting Mothers class on Tuesday mornings with my friend Kristen. It has been so refreshing to get together with moms each week who are in the same life stage that I am and it has really made me start to realize the important job God has entrusted me with!

My friend, Kristen, said something this morning that really spoke to my heart. How awesome would it be to go back for just a day to a time when you lived and loved life as a little child. Or even to just feel that way now. To greet each day with the enthusiasm. To look outside and see all of the wonderful things that He created just for me. To love my Father as completely and unconditionally as Izzy loves me. To trust Him the way Izzy trusts me. To want to spend all my time with Him like Izzy does with me. Knowing how much I love my little girl gives me a glimpse into the depths of His love for me.....and I am encouraged to know that it doesn't even come close to measuring up!

Life as we know it.....

2007-09-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry that we have been off of the blog radar for over a month now. It's not that Izzy hasn't been growing or doing anything cute lately its just that life as we know it has been busier than normal. I recently started my own business as a Pampered Chef Consultant to add to our income. This came at a really good time because Brian just took a new job with Lincoln Fire and Rescue and we will have to take somewhat of a paycut for a few years. Nonetheless, I am really excited and happy for him and I know that the Lord will provide for us if we are patient and put our trust in Him!

All in all, life is good and we are more than blessed! Lately, Brian has been staying home with Izzy on his days off so I can go to the office. Days with Daddy are "Diaper Days" as these latest pictures show....

For an update on "Miss Izzy", she is a very busy 15 month old. She loves pushing her dolls around and giving them kisses, playing with Rocky and teasing him with toys, and just recently she and her friend, Kaci, have taken to jumping on the trampoline. They don't exactly jump on it, they just run around and chase each other all while trying to keep their balance. Isabella is starting to use sign language also. She knows the sign for "more" but she uses it for "more" and "eat".

The other day as we were driving in the car, I heard a loud "MOM" from the back seat. I turned around and she was using her sign for "more". She must have been trying to tell me she was ready for another cookie for too long and decided to try something else to get my attention!

Dancing Queen!

2007-08-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

Check out Isabella's new moves.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTb-TdmOlA4

A Day at the Park

2007-08-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Isabella and I had the pleasure of hanging out with my friends little girl, Bree, for the day. The girls get along great and Isabella really enjoys having other little ones around. We played with toys all morning and then took a bike ride to the park. The girls had a blast sliding, swinging, and running around. Isabella even went down the "big-kid" slide all-by-herself and then tried to crawl back up! She is growing up so fast :(

Growing in Leaps and Bounds

2007-07-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

We finally took Isabella to her 1-year checkup last week and her doctor told us that she is in the 97th percentile for height which could explain why she is able to scale the stove, climb up on any chair, and uses anything and everything as a jungle gym. We definetily have a little monkey on our hands :) She also is finally getting some teeth!! She has four on the top and 2 on the bottom. That's alot considering that 6 weeks ago, I think she may have had 2!!

Isabella has been surprising us left and right by the new things she is learning. She can blow at the bubble wand and on her food that is hot. She is running up and down the sidewalk in front of our house. She also likes to play chase and "Run, Run, Run" where she runs away from you. She has recently started to dance to music also. It is really funny. She kind of sticks out her butt and bounces it up and down. Very amusing! We try to get her to do it at every opportunity. She is also starting to sign. She has mastered "more" and "please"; although she chooses to do them only at her own desire.

Her vocabulary is increasing as well. She can say Mama, Dada, gog(Dog), ock(Rock), mine, me, and her two favorite: No and Don't! We are working on new words and body parts and are having a blast watching her little mind grow!

Her is a picture of her and the "gog".......

Playing and Catching 'gators!

2007-07-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

The weekend of the 14 and 15th, Isabella and I made a trip back home to spend some time with the family for the Madison County Fair. We had a great time hanging out with friends and family, petting animals, eating fair food, and listening to great music!

We finally got to meet little Ava. She was so precious! Isabella didn't mind if I held her as long as we gave her a turn. Here she is trying to pull Ava's socks off. I guess Ava told her that she didn't want them anymore.

On Saturday night, I went out with some friends to the Dierks Bentley concert and put our babysitters, Ashley and Amanda to work. They watched 3 1-year-olds and a 7-year-old. They sure earned their money! Isabella had a great time and was the last to go to bed.

On Sunday, we went back to the fair and ate and ate and ate. Isabella really got into the Dippin' Dots and Bavarian Cream Funnel Cake :) Yummy!! She also played her first carnival game. She enjoyed picking up the ducks so much that she continued even after my money ran out. She also had a blast visiting the petting zoo. She loved the goats!

She also showed up that she has "no fear." I caught a little alligator and she touched it! She had such a great time at the fair that I can't see how she does next year!

Vegas Baby!!

2007-07-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Last week, we went on vacation with my parents and sister to Vegas to visit my Aunt Cis and her boys. We had a blast hanging out beside Jeff and Lori's pool most of the trip. We did see a few sights but mostly relaxed. Izzy and her cousin Lauren had a great time getting to know each other and being pool bums. It was all we could do to get them out of the water to eat, for naps, or at the end of the day. All in all, it was a great trip and we had fun visiting with everyone despite the 115 degree temps!!

The Murman Wedding

2007-06-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my best friend, Rachel, finally tied the knot (Love ya, Rach). It was a great day and even more fun party. All of our high-school group was able to make it( I think this is the first wedding ever!!) We had a great time hanging out and getting our groove on! Here are a few pics from the big day....

Izzy's Birthday Party/ Father's Day

2007-06-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Its been along time since I have had a chance to update our blog. The last few weeks have been full of birthday parties, wedding showers, weddings, Brian's homecoming, and the planning of our vacation.

On Father's Day we had Isabella's birthday party since Brian and her grandpa Nick got home the day before. She had a great time eating cupcakes, playing with cousins, swimming and opening up lots and lots of gifts. Thank you to everyone who came to share her special day!!

.....and lets not forget......HAPPY FATHERS DAY, DADDY!!

Happy Birthday, Izzy!

2007-06-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, where has the time gone. It seems like just yesterday that I was sitting in my hospital bed thanking God for blessing me with a tiny, quiet, precious, perfect baby girl. The precious and perfect part remain true, but she is no longer as tiny or as quiet. She is an energetic, happy, running 1-year-old!!

Isabella spent HER day(isn't everyday Isabella day?) just hanging out at home. She slept in until around 8:30. I served her oatmeal and apples for breakfast and then she spent the day practicing her walking and babbling skills.

For supper, Grandma Cheryl and Aunt Stacey came over to celebrate. We had all of her favorites: chicken, green beans, and salad with mandarin oranges. For dessert, Grandma Cheryl brought a decorated sugar cookier for Izzy. She sure loved it....and I don't think she could get enough!!

I thank God everyday for blessing me with this gift: being a mother to this wonderful child! I love you, Izzy B!

Isabella's newest adventure...

2007-06-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

....Boating! As you can see, she wasn't too sure of it in the beginning. She didn't like the thought of being safe in the water and wearing a life jacket.

With Brian gone, Isabella and I needed a couple days of sun, rest, relaxation, and the company of some friends. So after a trip to Norfolk to see the grandparents, we packed up and went to our friends lake house in Fremont. The life jacket incident was a couple hours after we got to the lake. After we actually got on the boat, she was very subdued and just took everything in.

The next day we spent most of the day in the water, playing in the sand and swimming. I was even able to catch some rays and catch up on my celebrity gossip during one of Isabella's naps. That night we went on the boat again to wakeboard and Isabella's attitude was very different. Like usual, she had no fear. She was crawling all over the boat and while Nikki was wakeboarding she was leaning over the side and trying to feel the water!! I guess she is going to love water sports just as much as her parents!

Welcome Ava Renee!

2007-06-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ava Renee is the newest addition to our extended family. My cousin, Ashley, and her boyfriend, Rich, just welcomed her into the world on June 11th. Everyone has been eagerly awaiting her birth, especially me!

Mom and baby each had a rough start but are both doing great. Please keep Ashley, Rich, and Ava in your thoughts and prayers!

....a break from the rain.....

2007-06-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday, the baby is finally asleep, and I am relaxing. Isabella and I had a fun but busy weekend. It seems like we feel that the more plans we have the faster Daddy will get home!

Since it wasn't raining on Friday night, my friend, Nikki, and I grilled out. Then we spent the evening watching all the neighbor kids ride around the circle. Isabella tried to join in but she always gets kicked out of her car!

As you can see, she is starting to stick up for herself and pick herself up and get back in....on top of them!!

On Saturday night, Isabella and I went to a baby shower for our friends, Ryan and Andrea. Isabella had a blast crawling around their deck, climbing up and down chairs, and flirting with our wedding singers' little boy.

They were giving each other hugs and kisses (on the mouth, sorry Daddy), but of course never in time for a picture. Here is a picture of V giving Izzy her pacifier back after he just pulled it out of her mouth!

We stayed out so late Saturday night that Isabella didn't get to bed until 10pm. So......she slept until 6:22am. Maybe this learning how to sleep through the night thing won't be so tough.

Sunday we got up, went to church, and then went swimming at Nikki's in-laws pool. Isabella must have learned alot from her swimming lessons because she had "No fear". She was splashing, kicking, and climbing in and out of the pool all afternoon. She had a blast playing with Kirra, Tyson, and Kasey also.

Woo-hoo!

2007-05-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Isabella finally gave her dad something to leave with.....5-7 steps across the room to him! She is unlike some kids who continue crawling because it is easy....she continually gets right back on her feet after falling down. And her first tooth is about 1/3 of the way up!! I wonder how you get your 1-year molars when you don't have any of the other teeth yet????

Our next task, learning to sleep through the night.......Wish me luck!!

Almost There....

2007-05-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

What a busy Memorial Day weekend we had. We had a BBQ with friends from work, our Bible Study group, and with both sets of grandparents and Aunt Stacey. Isabella had so much fun playing with all the little kids, being outside, or practicing her walking skills. She is so close! She has taken 1-4 steps at times and is really steady on her feet. She can go from a sit-to-stand position with items in her hands and without holding on to anything.

She also tried to get in alot of Daddy time as he is leaving for couple of weeks for Ecuador. He is now convinced that he is going to miss her first walk across the room; so, they have been practicing every day. I sure hope it happens before he leaves!!

Well, with all the excitement this weekend and all her energy spent on taking steps; I'd say Miss Izzy is a little tuckered out. What do you think?

Thanks Karen!

2007-05-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

For some time now, I have wanted to get into blogging. I just never thought I had as much to write about as my favorite blogger, Single Mom in the City. You can check her out at http://disasterandgrace.blogspot.com. (Sorry, SMINC, you will have to teach me how to make your name a link instead of the address.)

But as I was checking out my friend Karen's myspace page, I noticed her reference her blog. I checked it out and was amazed. It is mostly about her daughter, Emma, who is around the same age as Busy Izzy. What a great way to share her with friends and family. There were numerous pictures along with updates on what new things she is learning, saying, or doing and some great videos. Thank you, Karen, for such a great idea!

Now, if only I have enough time to keep updating it after trying to keep up with the Baby all day.....