Life and Wife of a Med Student

Fresh air!

2012-01-30T17:00:00.001-06:00

We are loving this beautiful Iowa winter! It is 47 degrees & sunny today. The snow is melting & we just had to enjoy the fresh air. With the double stroller, water bottles, teddy grahams & momma's camera, we were ready for our walk. Carter snoozed for most of the walk & Noah pointed out everything he saw and played with a stick. I maneuvered around a few melted ice puddles & got a bit of an extra arm workout whenever we encountered snow-covered sidewalk. So thankful for a fabulous January day!

Carter giggles! [Video]

2012-01-29T08:40:00.001-06:00

Carter has been giving us little giggles for a while now but last night he thought daddy was hilarious! (Noah is in the background laughing & trying to get our attention too). :)

Youtube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NaRb8D_zbw&feature=youtu.be

Good morning!

2012-01-26T08:30:00.000-06:00

Good morning & happy Thursday! It's fun & busy & wonderful & a little crazy at times around here! I wanted to share a few photos from Tuesday morning. Hope you have a blessed day!

Wordless Wednesday: Our Lil Stompers

2012-01-11T17:00:00.000-06:00

A little photo comparison of our sweet boys when they were each about 7 weeks old wearing the lil' stomper dinosaur outfit.

New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T23:00:00.001-06:00

We enjoyed a family day for New Year's Eve 2011. Carter celebrated the last day of his birth year by wearing his 'born in 2011' outfit. Noah was very excited to play outside since the weather was mild with temps in the 40s and no snow on the ground. We grilled steak for dinner and enjoyed puppy chow for a special treat. 2011 was filled with much to be thankful for & we're excited for 2012 (especially Devin's med school graduation!)

Happy New Year!

sleeping

2011-12-30T16:00:00.000-06:00

sweet nose, tiny eyelashes, soft breathing

eight weeks old

precious

Wordless Wednesday: Monster Cookie

2011-12-28T11:13:00.000-06:00

Hy-Vee (one of our local grocery stores) will give kids a free cookie from the bakery counter...the other day I was in the bakery section picking out french bread & the gal behind the counter asked if Noah would like a cookie so I said "sure" and she handed him an M&M monster cookie. His eyes lit up & he couldn't believe she was giving him such a big cookie (neither could I! ha!) Noah enjoyed his cookie through the rest of our shopping trip & in his carseat all the way home.

Christmas Morning [Video]

2011-12-25T15:38:00.000-06:00

Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW7WQA-XiLY

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T17:30:00.000-06:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Noah is having a lot of fun noticing Christmas trees wherever we go, he loves "Away in a Manger", he's opened a couple gifts already & seems to think that is quite fun and he's thrilled to be spending time with his grandparents & aunts and uncles!

Carter is sleeping & eating through his 1st Christmas. :) He's a precious addition to our celebration this year!

We pray you have a beautiful Christmas!

"So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us.

He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.

And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father."

John 1:14

sunny afternoon

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

It is such a gift to spend my days with these sweet boys!

These photos capture a little of the fun we had yesterday afternoon.

One of Noah's classic "Are you watching me momma?" laughs.

Carter likes tummy time!

Wordless Wednesday: Baby toys are fun-even for big brother!

2011-12-21T17:44:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T09:36:00.000-06:00

Carter

2011-12-09T05:30:00.000-06:00

Our sweet Carter is one month old! He is such a delightful baby & we are loving the newborn snuggles and amazed at how much he has grown already!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T22:45:00.037-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for YOU - each of our in-real-life & blog friends! Hope you've enjoyed a beautiful day!

Birthday

2011-11-21T22:00:00.000-06:00

I am another year older today! I thank the Lord for another year, another birthday, for all He has done in the past year, for the hope & promise of the future. I'm thankful for time with family, sweet messages & wishes from loved ones all day, raspberry sherbet, toddler kisses & newborn snuggles.

And I especially thank Him for my precious sons & the gift of celebrating this birthday as a momma of TWO!

2 Weeks Old!

2011-11-18T15:40:00.003-06:00

Our sweet Carter is 2 weeks old today!

And his Uncle Jonny is getting married to Auntie Jules today!

Noah & Carter are SO excited to have another wonderful auntie!

Carter's first professional photoshoot

2011-11-17T14:20:00.001-06:00

My dear friend Laura is an incredibly talented photographer & on Tuesday morning she captured some beautiful photos of my sweet sons. Below are three of my favorites and you can see more photos from Carter's first photoshoot on her website.

Photo credit: Laura DeMars Photography

Truck Jammies

2011-11-17T07:00:00.007-06:00

two sons + truck jammies = a fun night!

"enough pictures mom!" :)

My guys

2011-11-15T10:00:00.001-06:00

LOVE moments like this!

11-11-11

2011-11-15T00:11:00.003-06:00

A few photos from 11-11-11 when my youngest son was one week old. :)

My brother is singing in a commercial!

2011-11-14T18:50:00.000-06:00

Just saw this commercial for the first time! My brother Eric is singing one of his songs in this Lowes commercial. So proud of him!

Trucks

2011-11-14T09:30:00.001-06:00

I found this photo from Nov 3, 2010 and realized that Noah's love of trucks began about a year ago...he was only 8 months old but we sat on the deck and watched the trucks working out back for more than 30 minutes (which was a very long time for my 8 month to sit still & fascinated by one activity). I'm thankful we took the time to notice the trucks, to sit together & watch & learn...I'm thankful for this memory with Noah!

Brothers

2011-11-13T11:00:00.002-06:00

Sharing? :)

Noah really likes Carter's nose

Watching his big brother

72 Hours

2011-11-13T08:58:00.000-06:00

A few more photos of Carter on day 3 of his life.

First Walk

2011-11-13T08:35:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week we went for our first walk as a family of four and of course, snapped a few photos too.

Noah meets Carter

2011-11-11T23:45:00.001-06:00

One week old

2011-11-11T23:11:00.000-06:00

Carter is one week old today! He is a wonderful baby - settling into great sleeping & eating patterns, adorable & curious when he is awake and he is "entertained" by all the noise big brother Noah makes. :)

He is delightful & such a little peanut! We are so thankful for him!

I loved putting two sizes of diapers in the diaper bag this week. I melt when Noah comes running to see why Carter is crying. Yesterday was the first time when I was shocked at how big Noah seemed, as I snuggled him in the rocking chair, I felt like he had grown a lot overnight. I'm so thankful for the wonderful help we've had from our families this first week & I'm excited for all the adventures Carter's second week of life will hold.

It is such a gift to be momma to our two boys!

Carter & Pingvin

2011-11-10T07:00:00.017-06:00

A few months before Noah was born, we found Elefant and we knew he'd be perfect for growth photos to capture our growing baby each month. So, several months after we found out we were expecting baby #2, the hunt for a special large stuffed animal for this child began. It took a while to decide what animal & then to find the right one. We'd like to introduce Carter's penguin, Pingvin. I've added a new page on the blog where I'll add Carter's monthly photos.

Here is Carter's first photo with Pingvin at 3 days old:

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T07:29:00.000-06:00

newborn

2011-11-07T22:50:00.000-06:00

smiles, snuggles, 2 am feedings, baby wrinkles, curled up arms & legs, swaddling, tiny sighs...we are loving & cherishing everything newborn about Carter

Carter's First Days

2011-11-06T16:50:00.015-06:00

Just wanted to share a few photos from our first days with our sweet Carter. We're happy to be settled in our little home & loving our time as a family of four!

Happy Birthday Devin!

2011-11-06T05:30:00.002-06:00

My wonderful hubby received a special early birthday present this year. Carter arrived one day before his daddy's birthday. And Devin got to deliver his son, which made his early present even more special (more details to come when I have a chance to write out Carter's birth story). Earlier this week as we were waiting for Carter to be born, Devin said "he wouldn't mind sharing his birthday" :) They won't share a birthday but it will be fun to celebrate their birthdays back-to-back every year.

Devin and his TWO sons on his birthday!

Carter Davey

2011-11-04T23:07:00.000-05:00

We welcomed our second son today! Carter Davey arrived at 10:09am. He weighs 7lbs 5oz and is 20.25" long. He is perfect and we are so in love! Big brother Noah is quite smitten with Carter, giving him lots of kisses and gently touching his fingers and nose.

We're so thankful for this blessed addition to our family!

Maternity Photos

2011-10-29T11:00:00.003-05:00

My wonderful husband took these sweet photos for me this week as we anticipate baby's arrival.

Noah & Elefant - 20 months old

2011-10-28T20:00:00.000-05:00

Noah is 20 months old (yesterday) & we had an opportunity to get an updated photo with Elefant!
You can click on the Noah & Elefant page at the top to see photos from when Noah was just 3 days old & see how his friendship with Elefant has changed as he's grown. :)

At 20 months old, Noah is still delightful & quite busy! He loves cars & trucks & planes & trains. He loves playing outside, especially with rocks, sand & dirt. He loves baths, playing with duplos & reading. He always sleeps with his giraffe blanket, his blue puppy, his "baby" & his singing elephant. He is fascinated with belly buttons. He's good at communicating with us even though he doesn't say a lot of words yet, and the words he does say he pronounces very clearly. Noah is a good eater but he's also a toddler so some days he does more running than eating. He likes putting together his puzzles & is starting to recognize & remember shapes and numbers and point them out to us often. He is quick to remind us to pray before meals & he raises his hands to "Praise the Lord" when we listen to worship music or are rejoicing in the goodness of our God! He loves playing peek-a-boo, when Daddy chases him & tickles him and he is my big helper (he loves to throw wrappers in the garbage, help with laundry and "clean" with a paper towel).

Noah is so much fun! He is a precious & wonderful gift from the Lord!

Two...

2011-10-28T17:25:00.000-05:00

Two more days until baby brother’s due date...

Soon I will have two boys...two under the age of two! :)

As we wait excitedly for baby brother’s arrival, I’ve been thinking and praying a lot about having two little boys. I’m cherishing - remembering - soaking in these last days with just Noah...it is a sweet gift to add another child to our family, yet I also know our family will never be just like it is right now so I’m thankful for extra moments to snuggle together, for a sweet toddler head resting on my shoulder, for precious moments just the 3 of us (because soon we’ll be a family of 4!!)

I truly love being pregnant...feeling this little one move & kick & grow...I love the baby belly...I’m not sick of my maternity clothes yet...so although I’m not anxious to be done with this pregnancy, I am very excited to hold this newborn child & see if he looks like his brother & kiss his sweet cheeks. I’m also looking forward to having room on my lap again to really pull Noah close when we snuggle in the rocking chair to read stories.

LOVE my Ergo baby carrier! Excited to wear baby brother too!

It has been such fun to pull out all the little baby things & remember when Noah was teeny and anticipate having a new baby in our home again. I’m excited to use the Ergo baby carrier again in the grocery store (this was Noah’s favorite way to shop when he was little). Devin installed the second car seat in the minivan and we enjoyed a beautiful fall walk this afternoon.

39 weeks & 5 days pregnant

Just a few thoughts & photos to share on a Friday afternoon, hopefully we’ll have a new baby post to share soon. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Yoga

2011-10-26T12:12:00.001-05:00

eskimo kisses

2011-10-25T10:20:00.000-05:00

39 Weeks

2011-10-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

1 week left until baby brother's due date!

Noah is quick to point to "baby" whenever we ask,

he's going to be a sweet big brother!

He also usually points to himself after he points to mommy's tummy,

so we're not sure that he fully understands :)

We love breakfast!

2011-10-20T16:25:00.003-05:00

Breakfast is a favorite at our house...we like traditional breakfast in the morning, first meal of the day, any of the "typical" breakfast foods - oatmeal, eggs, toast, juice, cereal...we eat a lot of cereal (check out the posts "we like cereal" & "we like cereal: take 2" for proof).
And we also eat breakfast foods for lunch or dinner fairly often. Breakfast pizza is definitely another family favorite.
Most mornings, Noah eats oatmeal (often with raisins) and I always look forward to breakfast because he tends to be extra funny during this meal. A couple days ago, he was in his typical happy-to-be-awake-it-is-a-great-new-day-and-I-am-going-to-make-momma-laugh-this-morning mood and I thought he looked extra adorable in his "puppy fix-it" jammies.
Here's a glimpse of breakfast with Noah:

Noah is getting really good at using his spoon by himself!

But sometimes, it's just easier & faster to pick up the oatmeal with his fingers! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Peek-a-boo

2011-10-19T07:15:00.002-05:00

Cars & Trucks

2011-10-18T19:40:00.003-05:00

Noah's love of cars, trucks, trains, planes & all things with wheels and loud noises seems to grow every day. At a consignment sale recently, I picked up a copy of Richard Scarry's "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go" book. It is a BIG hit at our house! Noah practically tries to climb into the book to get closer to the trucks. :)

10 Years

2011-10-17T16:15:00.000-05:00

10 years ago my life changed forever.

On October 17, 2001, Devin asked me to be his girlfriend & I happily said yes.

I thank the Lord for the years I’ve known & loved Devin...I’m grateful for the adventures, trials, joy, life we’ve shared in the past 10 years...and I pray we have many more decades together!

To see some photos from our first year of dating, click here.

Sunday Dinner: Fried Rice, Ham & Veggies

2011-10-16T20:25:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I wanted to find a recipe for homemade fried rice, ham & veggies. I started with the recipe on this blog: http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=3626 and made a few changes for our family. I really like her detailed explanations & the step-by-step photos were helpful!

We've made this twice now in the past 2 weeks (Devin & I really like it, Noah tries it but it's not one of his favorites yet). Below is my recipe for Fried Rice, Ham & Veggies.

We currently have pretty limited kitchen equipment so I’ve typed this up based on the limited pans/skillets we have. We use a medium sauce pan to cook the rice, a large skillet (that isn’t really very large) for most of the meal prep and a large pot because we like to include a lot of veggies in the meal and there just isn’t room to put them in the skillet. If you have a large griddle or other cookware options, this meal prep would be even easier! Obviously, you could switch up the type & amount of veggies included (a lot of typical fried rice & ham recipes include a bag of frozen sweet peas but my hubby isn’t a fan of those, however he tolerates sugar snap peas for me!) You could also add onion powder to the rice and/or ham while it’s cooking if you want more onion flavor than just the scallions/green onions will provide.

Fried Rice, Ham & Veggies

Serves: 4-5 people

2 cups uncooked Minute White or Brown Rice

2 cups water

1 bag frozen broccoli florets

1 bag frozen california mix vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot)

1 bag frozen baby sugar snap peas

2 cups cubed ham (about 8 slices from a quarter ham)

7 scallions/green onions, chopped

Approx. 1 bell pepper (could be any combination of colors), chopped into bite size pieces

1 to 2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3-4 Tablespoons butter

3-4 Tablespoons margarine

6 large eggs

Salt & Pepper

Parsley flakes

Soy sauce

Brown sugar

Bring water to a boil, stir in rice; cover. Remove pan from heat.

Let stand 5 minutes (covered), or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

While the rice is cooking, begin preparing the other ingredients.

Place all frozen veggies into strainer & run under hot water for a couple minutes

Let stand in the strainer until ready to steam the veggies

Place a large skillet over medium heat, and melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon margarine. Toss your ham pieces into the hot butter. Season with a couple tablespoons of brown sugar, stir often while the ham browns & the brown sugar creates a syrup/glaze. Add scallions & peppers to pan.

In a large pot, over medium heat, melt a little more butter & margarine, then add all the veggies & several sloshes of soy sauce and begin to steam/soften the veggies.

After the ham is brown & the peppers & scallions are soft, add to the large pot with the veggies, mix well and continue to allow the veggies to steam over medium heat. Continue to stir this mixture every 5 minutes or so while you prepare the eggs & rice.

In the empty large skillet (that you used to cook the ham), on medium heat, add a little more butter & margarine. Crack 6 eggs into the pan and . You will want the eggs to have the consistency of scrambled eggs but you do not want to stir them too much or you won’t be able to see them in the finished dish. Use the turner to break the eggs up a little & flip/stir, just until cooked & scrambled.

The rice should be done, toss it with a fork, and make sure all the water has been absorbed. In the large skillet, push the scrambled eggs onto one side and add the rice to the skillet. To the rice, add several sloshes (more if you want additional flavoring) of soy sauce, a couple teaspoons of parsley flakes, a couple teaspoons of brown sugar and salt & pepper. Mix the rice together with the seasoning you just added and then fold in the scrambled eggs. Heat the rice & eggs until the rice is browned & thoroughly heated.

Finally, combine the ham & veggies in with the rice & eggs and dinner is served!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T07:00:00.011-05:00

A little flashback to December 2010

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-10T21:00:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, we visited a local pumpkin patch & had a blast as a family! Noah was so excited to see all the pumpkins & he ran through the field, figuring out quickly to lift his feet up so he didn't get tangled in the pumpkin vines. It's amazing to me how much Noah has changed since last year's visit to the pumpkin patch. It was so sweet to see how Noah watched everything Devin was doing & he was quick to follow after Dad and wanted to help find the perfect pumpkin.

Isn't he adorable?

Playing with rocks is just as much fun as playing with pumpkins for little boys! :)

Such fun fall memories & photos...and it's fun to think about taking two little boys to the pumpkin patch next year!

37 weeks!

2011-10-10T16:30:00.001-05:00

I am 37 weeks pregnant! It's a blessing to reach full-term & still be feeling great!

The little pregnancy ticker on the side of my blog says "about 20 days to go".

It is so exciting to know that in about 3 weeks, we'll be snuggling newborn baby brother! :)

For now, I'm soaking in this time with just Noah & I. And we've had some really sweet days as a family of 3 too (yesterday we went to the pumpkin patch together).

At the pumpkin patch, several people joked that it looked like I was trying to steal a pumpkin. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Noah still loves spaghetti & he's a little bigger than the last spaghetti wordless wednesday post :)

Wordless Wednesday: Colorado

2011-09-28T13:00:00.000-05:00

Animal Sounds

2011-09-27T21:55:00.001-05:00

Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BykdVrQzdY4

19 months

2011-09-27T15:15:00.004-05:00

Noah is 19 months old today! We're having a great day - oatmeal for breakfast, reading books, playing at the park, lunch, bath time & nap.

A story from today....Noah loves playing with the sand at the park and a little 3 year old boy came over to play with us today. The first thing this little boy says to me is "why is your belly so big?" :) When I tell him it's because I'm going to have a baby, he asks, "why are you having another baby, you already have one" and points at Noah. HA! A few minutes later he looks at Noah and then tells me, "your baby is missing some teeth". I explained that Noah is still little & he will get more teeth but I don't think this little boy was convinced at all. We had a good conversation & Noah enjoyed playing with him!

So very thankful for this sweet little 19 month old boy!

Wordless Wednesday: Splish Splash

2011-09-14T17:00:00.001-05:00

As I've been thinking about having a newborn in our home again, I'm amazed at how BIG Noah seems. :) I looked at these bath towel photos and these splashing photos today & my sweet boy has changed so much! Noah loves baths, especially playing with the big bath bucket & getting water everywhere! Happy Wednesday!

Happy 1/2 Birthday Noah!

2011-08-27T23:00:00.003-05:00

Our sweet Noah is 18 months old today! He is a precious gift & such a delightful little boy!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T09:58:00.003-05:00

We're having so much fun in St. Louis! So much fun that I guess Noah was just fall-asleep-on-the-floor tired. :)

In about 10 weeks we will get to meet baby brother!

2011-08-21T07:15:00.000-05:00

Today, I am 30 weeks pregnant! Little baby brother weighs almost 3 pounds & is about 15 inches long now.

I feel great and just love all the little kicks throughout the day. Noah has noticed my growing belly for a while but only about a week ago did he start to point to my belly when we ask him where the baby is. It's adorable! :)

We are cherishing this time as a family of 3 and looking forward to welcoming our sweet new bundle of joy into our family in just a couple months.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T09:30:00.000-05:00

We're in St. Louis!

2011-07-31T22:43:00.005-05:00

We moved to St. Louis yesterday and we'll be here for the next month!

We're excited to be settled into our new apartment & Noah is doing great with all the changes & having a lot of fun.

I'll try to update more soon but for now, here's a photo of Noah's first glimpse of the Gateway Arch!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday: bedtime snack & monster jammies

2011-07-20T07:00:00.002-05:00

I Wouldn’t Change a Thing

2011-07-17T07:17:00.000-05:00

A Special Post by Devin:

Seven years ago today, I woke up in my own bed, in my own room, utterly alone. I got ready for my day without company, picked my clothes without the input of others and ate a rather small breakfast in solitude. I sank into my two-tone brown, 1985 Pontiac 6000 all by my lonesome, and drove to an ever familiar destination, like I had so many times before, in a thick cloud of silence. But, perhaps to your surprise, I was grinning ear to ear like a love-struck fool the whole way, for this was the last day of my life I was going to do this. My destination was the same church I had gone to for years, but today was different. Today, I would walk through those church doors, and make vows to love a woman for the rest of my life.

I couldn’t have imagined everything that was going to happen in the next seven years, but somehow the pastor knew, in a nut shell, so he covered them all in a few short vows. We were to have and hold each other through the healthy and joyous times -these times have honestly been the most numerous of times, thanks be to God; and the sick and sorrowful times -which we have seen, and walked through upright and unscathed by the strength of our Lord and Savior, and also of those closest to us; the rich times -monetarily, this was mostly when we were both working and saving and had no children, but spiritually, we have never been richer than we are today with our beautiful son and another to join him very soon; and the poor times -aka the “current times” of strict budgeting to live on student loans; until death do us part. We took these all very seriously, but that last one is the most important one. You see, we can at times fail in the other areas by fighting about money instead of showing love or through complaining about things being tough instead of praying together, but in the final vow, there is no failure.

As we celebrate our seven year anniversary today, I’d like to share our wedding verse with you:

Dear friends, continue to build yourselves up in your most holy faith. Let the Holy Spirit guide and help you when you pray. The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring you eternal life. As you wait for his mercy, remain in God's love. Jude 20-21

Today was a good day seven years ago, but tomorrow was even better, as I woke up lying next to the love of my life for the very first time.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-13T22:36:00.003-05:00

Noah & The Water Park

2011-07-05T16:45:00.002-05:00

Uncle Jonny created this fabulous video of Noah's first trip to the water park!

Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWZBKKBbz84

Wordless Wednesday: Kitchen hinges are exciting!

2011-06-22T17:30:00.001-05:00

Auntie Kaitlin was here last week & snapped these wonderful photos of Noah showing her the hinges on the kitchen cabinet doors.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T22:30:00.000-05:00

Happy 2nd Father's Day Devin!

Our boys are so blessed you are their daddy!

We love you!

Little Ring Bearer!

2011-06-18T11:15:00.000-05:00

Noah's Uncle Drake is marrying Auntie Dana today! Yesterday, Noah got to practice his special ring bearer duties (Nana & I made a shirt just for this special wedding).

I'm so excited to see Noah in his little suit today! :)

Happy Wedding Day Drake & Dana!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Noah licked the plate clean! Apple Pumpkin Muffin recipe

2011-06-13T07:15:00.000-05:00

On Saturday morning, Noah's Nana baked Apple Pumpkin Muffins & Noah likes them so much, he had to lick the plate clean & get all the crumbs.

Apple Pumpkin Muffins

Taste of Home’s Quick Cooking Annual Recipes, 2000 edition

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
(We wanted to use one full 15 oz can of pumpkin so we made a batch & a half, adding in the full can of pumpkin, not just 1 1/2 cups. This resulted in extra moist muffins which Noah loved - see photos above).

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups finely chopped apples

Streusel:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 teaspoons cold butter or margarine

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin & oil; stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon & oats. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans. Makes 1 1/2 dozen muffins.

20 Weeks!

2011-06-12T14:36:00.003-05:00

Today, I am 20 weeks pregnant! I honestly feel like this pregnancy is going so fast & it’s hard to believe we’re halfway already. I have been feeling baby’s kicks & movements a lot more consistently the past few days and this morning, Devin felt baby kick for the first time! I love feeling baby brother move & getting to know this little one better. :)

Apartment 311

2011-06-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

2 weeks ago we said goodbye to apartment 311. We moved in before Devin started medical school and enjoyed 3 wonderful years in this home.

Living in this apartment was such a blessing! The Lord definitely directed us to this building because I only found out about it when a property manager called me back about a different property and then suggested this might be a good fit for us...it was!

We lived about one block from the med school giving Devin an easy commute each day and allowing us to have lunch together often throughout the week.

We enjoyed lots of space for the two of us and our turtles. I had an office to work from home and Devin had room to study. We were especially thrilled about the deck & quickly purchased our first grill - we ate a lot of fabulous grilled meals in 3 years!

And we had our own washer & dryer! I was so excited about this when we first moved in (and had no idea then how much laundry a little person creates so this was an even bigger blessing when we became a family of 3!) :)

July 2008: Move-in day 3 years ago, this was our 2nd home since getting married & the start of an exciting new adventure:

Feb 28, 2010: Bringing our one-day-old first baby home!

May 26, 2011: Move-out day...

Devin is a 4th year medical student & almost 2 years post-heart surgery and healthy!

I'm a stay-at-home momma & 17 weeks 4 days pregnant with Baby Brother

Noah is delightful, energetic & 15 months old

We are so thankful for all the friends who visited & walked through this front door (from in town & far away)...for all the laughter, tears, joy, grace...for the visits with family...for the incredible meals & care we received following Devin's heart surgery & when we welcomed Noah home...for the memories & moments & conversations that taught, challenged, changed us...for the wonderful gifts from the Lord in 3 years in Des Moines.

I'm filled with gratitude as I look at these three photos and see all the Lord has done in our lives. And although it was incredibly difficult to leave, we're excited to begin this new adventure together as a family & see where the Lord will take us next.

What a gift to call "311" our home!

Wordless Wednesday: The park is so much fun!

2011-06-08T07:00:00.003-05:00

My guys

2011-06-07T07:15:00.001-05:00

Noah was all smiles playing at the park with his daddy on Sunday. :)

AND a couple weeks ago, before we moved, we got to see baby #2 and are so excited about the baby BROTHER who will be joining our family.

Here's one of baby brother's first photos:

I love all my guys!

Wordless Wednesday: Moving

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T17:25:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T12:30:00.001-05:00

My 2nd Mother's Day was wonderful!

Noah (with encouragement from Daddy) colored on my card. :)

And when Devin handed him the card & said "take it to momma", Noah happily walked over & gave me the card.

I also got a special card from baby which Noah refused to give to me. Then Noah happily gave me the card from Devin. We were laughing so hard that Noah didn't want anything to do with the card from the baby. :)

We joined some friends at the lilac arboretum & it was the perfect way to end the day. The lilacs were all in full bloom & smelled so fabulous!

Noah was his usual happy self - except when we tried to take a photo of him in the grass - he was not happy...

As soon as we scooped him up again, he was all smiles.

I am so thankful for the gift of being a momma! Noah & Baby are precious gifts from the Lord!

Noah & Elefant

2011-05-06T07:15:00.000-05:00

I've added Noah's 12 month photos to the Noah & Elefant page.

Amazing to see how much he has changed in one year, wow! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T21:11:00.003-05:00

Family of Four!

2011-04-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

You may have caught yesterday's Wordless Wednesday announcement - Noah is going to be big brother!

We're thrilled & thankful for the blessing of Baby #2.

Baby is due to arrive around October 30th.

This little guy is going to be a great big brother! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T11:10:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

Jesus is Risen! Hope you are having a wonderful Easter!

We're enjoying this wonderful weekend with our families & Noah has had a lot of fun!

Sorting

2011-04-21T08:30:00.001-05:00

Noah loves to sort, put toys into containers, move all of one kind of toy from one spot to another...and the other day we had the stroller ready by the front door & Noah decided all of Daddy's shoes should go in the basket & come with us (and he was proud of his hard work too!) :)

Warmer Weather Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

We had some warm weather & Noah is ready whenever it returns! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Walking!

2011-04-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFfQYYxi74Q

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T07:15:00.002-05:00

Happy Tuesday!

2011-03-29T11:53:00.002-05:00

Hello from Noah!

This little smile is changing because we have 4 top teeth coming in. :)

Hope you have a beautiful day!

Wordless Water Wednesday

2011-03-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday: Cupcake Cake

2011-03-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

12 Month Stats

2011-03-03T14:00:00.001-06:00

22 lb 7 oz

30 inches tall

Head circumference: 48.5 cm

2 teeth

dark brown eyes

very curious

many expressions

delightful & darling

BIG smiles

Busy Boy!

Birthday Cardboard Name Project

2011-03-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

For Noah's 1st Birthday, I wanted to create a special name project using the birthday theme (blue stars) and I'd be able to keep in his room.

I started with blank, sturdy cardboard letters from my favorite craft store (Hobby Lobby).

Using mod podge (I like the one in the orange bottle), I applied a thick layer of glue onto the cardboard and then pasted the paper over the top. I cut the paper into the sections needed to collage each letter. I knew I wanted to include the star paper as well as a solid teal paper so I planned out my pattern ahead of time.

Here is the #1 in progress with the first strip of paper applied.

After all the paper has been glued onto the letter, to give the project a "finished" look, apply an even coat of mod podge over the outside & all edges of the letter. This makes the final project look glossy and complete.

It's important to let your project dry for 24 hours so it's no longer sticky.

Please share your photos if you create your own mod podge cardboard name project!

Wordless Wednesday: Spaghetti

2011-03-02T07:00:00.003-06:00

National Pancake Day!

2011-03-01T19:45:00.000-06:00

Noah says, "Happy Pancake Day!"

He enjoyed peach yogurt on his pancake with scrambled eggs on the side.

Did you eat pancakes today? What's your topping of choice?

March 1st

2011-03-01T16:31:00.001-06:00

I love comparison photos...the pictures below are Noah & I on March 1st, 2010 and today (3-1-2011)...amazing how much he has changed in one year!

ONE

2011-02-27T14:00:00.000-06:00

My sweet son is one year old today!

Noah,

You are a precious gift from God! You are delightful & so much fun!

I love to teach you new things and I'm excited to teach you about Jesus! I learn so much as I watch you learn & explore & discover & grow. Each day of this past year has been wonderful. I'm so thankful I am your momma!

I love you,

Momma

Happy 1st Birthday Noah!

Noah Daniel’s Birth

2011-02-25T10:45:00.005-06:00

On Sunday, Noah will be one year old! In the midst of playing & laughing & planning his 1st birthday party, I’ve been reflecting on the past year & Noah’s birth day.

Here is Noah’s birth story:

Friday Feb 26^th, 2010

Our baby’s due date! We know that most babies are not born on their due date but this was still the date we had been talking about for months & it was here! I remember receiving lots of texts & emails from sweet family & friends wondering if we were still waiting. We had a late afternoon appointment with the midwife. I was not having any signs of labor at this point. Of course we were excited & hopeful baby would come soon, but I also remember feeling calm and perfectly ok with waiting for our little one to arrive on his/her own time. We took 40 week pictures when we returned from the midwife appointment. Based on the midwife’s suggestion, Devin picked up red raspberry leaf tea from the natural food store. I had 3 cups of it throughout the evening. After the 2^nd cup, I started having mild contractions. Around 11:00 pm, my contractions stopped and we watched a little more of the Olympics before going to bed at midnight.

Saturday Feb 27^th, 2010

At 1:30 am on Saturday morning, I woke up with strong contractions. They were probably about 7-15 minutes apart at that point. I munched some honey-nut cheerios, used the contraction timer app for Devin’s iPod touch and labored in the living room. I tried to go back to sleep at one point but was unable to get comfortable. I knew that early labor often lasted for hours so I intended to let Devin sleep so he would be rested in the morning in case this was really labor.

In the dark, quiet, early hours, I prayed & read my Bible verses for labor & enjoyed each kick from baby, knowing our wee one would be in my arms soon.

I woke Devin up about 3 am because I was ready for his help. He says I could’ve/should’ve woken him up right away. :) At this point my contractions were 6-7 minutes apart. We called our midwife around 4 am and told her we were comfortable laboring at home. She said that when my contractions were 3-5 minutes apart for an hour, we should plan to come to the hospital. So we continued to labor at home.

A few weeks before, we finished our 8 week Bradley class on natural childbirth and both felt fully prepared for a medication-free, non-induced birth. I was thankful how easily I recalled my key phrases for labor... “each contraction is bringing me closer to holding my baby”, “don’t clench fists or teeth, stay relaxed & breathe through each contraction”, “move, change positions”, “pray together”.

I spent a lot of time in our walk-in master closet (next to our bathroom), it was nice because it’s a small space and no windows so I just felt really focused. One thing I’ll never forget from the morning was listening to my husband read Scripture from the verse cards we had prepared for labor. What comfort, peace & strength in hearing God’s Word in every situation!

Devin finished putting our last minute items into our bags and had everything ready so we could walk out the door when the time came.

It was amazing how I just knew what positions to get into during early labor. I remember thinking about how incredible it was that God designed my body to know what to do. About 6:30 am, we called the midwife again and said we were leaving for the hospital soon. At this point it had been a couple hours of contractions that were 3-5 minutes apart and now the contractions were mostly 2 minutes apart so we knew we needed to get to the hospital.

Devin took the bags & went to call the elevator to our floor as I locked the door to our apartment. I remember my eyes filling with tears as I took one last glimpse of our living room and the reality set in that the next time we walked through the door we’d be bringing our baby with us.

We arrived at the hospital around 7am. I walked through 3 or 4 contractions to get to the maternity floor. I must have really looked like I was in labor because at the front desk they said I didn’t need to go to triage, they just took me straight to room 15. At this point, the contractions were very intense and painful. The non-stress test to monitor baby’s vitals was tough because I had to lay on my back (which was the opposite of what I wanted while having back labor) but we got through the 20 minutes. Baby was doing fine and I was allowed to labor on the birth ball right away. The nurse checked my progress after a few contractions and I was already at 8 cm and 100% effaced! At that point, we both praised the Lord out loud because we had talked for months about not going to the hospital until I was at least at a 7 cm. Devin was such a great coach, he reminded me of the Scripture I had memorized and kept my water bottle close by.

In the midst of how intense and painful the process was, it was truly wonderful. Everything went pretty much exactly as we had planned and prepared for. I remember thinking in between a contraction at the hospital, how thankful I was not to have an IV line or anything else hooked up to me. I was able to sit on the birth ball and move freely.

After a couple more contractions, my water broke and moments later I knew it was time to push. After pushing through a few contractions in 3 different positions (this part was tough!), our little one was born at 9:08 am! Devin announced “It’s a boy!” as our son was placed on my chest.

Noah’s newborn cry filled our hospital room and it was amazing to be the momma - his momma - who could calm & comfort him. He snuggled close & happily nursed shortly after birth. I’ll always remember the emotion on Devin’s face as he held Noah for the first time. Once we had both held our son and had a quiet moment together, we looked at each other & back at our baby and agreed his name is Noah Daniel. My heart was filled with gratitude to the Lord for the miracle of birth, the gift of motherhood, and the abundance of love I felt for my husband and tiny son. Noah weighed in at 7 pounds 9 ounces & measured 21 inches long.

As soon as we had named our baby & knew his “stats”, we called our families with the joyous news!

In the afternoon we got to introduce Noah to all of his grandparents & most of his aunts and uncles (he’d meet all of them within a few days).

In the quiet of the hospital night, we prayed together as a family of three and sang “Happy Birthday” on Noah’s birth day.

1st Birthday Sneak Peek

2011-02-24T23:01:00.004-06:00

Here's a little sneak peek of Noah's birthday party plans for Saturday!

This is one of the projects I've been working on this week, so fun to plan his 1st birthday party!

There will be lots of photos after the party! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Flannel

2011-02-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T22:30:00.000-06:00

For Noah's 1st Valentine's Day, I got a couple of foam hearts for him to play with and snapped a photo of this little sweetheart!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,

Devin, Megan & Noah!

Wordless Wednesday: Cucumber is yummy!

2011-02-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

My youngest brother is engaged!

2011-02-08T22:44:00.004-06:00

My youngest brother Jonathan proposed to his delightful girlfriend Julianna & she said yes!

Hooray for another sister & another wonderful auntie for Noah!

Isn't her ring beautiful!?!

The adorable, newly engaged couple! :)

Congratulations J&J!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-02T15:01:00.002-06:00

Noah & Elefant

2011-01-31T22:35:00.002-06:00

Just updated the "Noah & Elefant" page (at the top of our blog) with Noah's 9-11 month old photos. Fun to look at how much he has grown (and a little shocked when comparing the 3 day old photo to the 11 month old photo). Enjoy :)