Going Camping!

Just a quick note to let you know that we are heading out for our annual trip to Lake Almanor! SO excited!! I really do need a vacation after attempting to pack all week with 2 small children underfoot! It has been a busy week, but we are finally all ready to go! (And, wow, do I have a new appreciation for my parents - who packed for all FIVE of their children every summer of my childhood!).

I leave you with this - Ezekiel getting ready to go, too. By pumping, of course. Oh, that boy is funny.

See you in two weeks!

Washington!

"The girls", Caden, and Bekah Jane hanging out at the park.

Finally, the post you've been waiting for! I just got these great pictures from Kristen from our trip to visit her in Washington (thank you, Kris, for your beautiful photography!). So, a couple weeks ago, Jen, her baby Caden, me, and Bekah Jane took a plane ride up to visit our dear friend Kristen. When Kris moved to WA a couple years ago, us three former roommates/friends vowed that we would do whatever we could to stay close. Kris has made many trips down to CA to be with us, and this time it was our turn to go visit her! (Both of my babies' first plane rides have been to visit their auntie Kristen - Ezekiel at 8 weeks old when Jen and I flew up to surprise Kris when she got engaged!).

Anyway, we had the BEST time! 4 days of hanging out at the park, eating mud pies (delicious ice cream treat from Starbucks!), talking, lauging, crying, sipping coffee... you get the idea. It was incredible. Such a sweet time of renewal, encouragement, and bonding. It is the stuff that deep and abiding friendships are made of, and I am so grateful for these girls. And, I am so proud of us for sticking to our vow to strengthen our friendships come what may! (Special thanks to our awesome husbands for supporting that too! They all made big sacrifices to allow us that precious time together. Aren't we lucky?).

Bekah Jane taking good care of Caden

"Washington Face". Bekah made this face for the first time the minute we stepped off the plane and saw Kristen. And she wouldn't stop the whole trip. It was hilarious. And you know what? She's stopped doing it since we've been home!

The babies having a blast with grandma/auntie Sue (Kristen's mom). She was sweet enough to watch them for a bit while us girls got a pedicure!

Girls Night Out. A definite highlight of the trip. Kristen's awesome brother, sis-in-law, and husband took the kids for the night and we got to go to a fancy dinner by the water. Such wonderful conversation and great food... we will always cherish that time!

And, as an added bonus, I loved all the one-on-one time I had with my daughter. Even thought I missed Ezekiel, it was nice to give all my attention to Rebekah for a few days. Some of the great pics Kristen got of my darling girl:

Saying goodbye...


And one last Washington face before we hit the road!

I love you girls! Can't wait to do it again!

How do you?!?

My kids are so weird. I left the baby alone for one minute, and this happens:




Someone please tell me how in the world my 6-month old managed this little trick?! Great, now I have Mr. Conehead and Miss Toy Foot living in my house. Just keeps getting better.

Poor Mr.Conehead

Dear Ezekiel: For your birthday, we were going to get you an awesome party with a pony and everything, but instead we decided to save your dog's life. Love, Mom and Dad.

It's true, poor little Elway had a very tough weekend. After discovering a terrifically nasty sore below his ear on Saturday night, we were pretty worried about him but knew the vet was closed until Monday. But, when we came home from church on Sunday and saw that it had spread and gotten nastier (I'll spare you the details) we knew we had take him the doggy emergency room. And good thing we did! It turns out he has a staph infection, which can apparently rapidly spread and become fatal. And because the sores were on his head, the vet said it could have gotten "in his system" and killed him pretty quickly if left untreated. Thankfully, the treatment was affordable and we could help him. I know it's kind of a controversial thing... how much do you spend on medical bills for a pet? Before we had kids, we probably would have said a whole lot more than what we said yesterday. We love Elway, but our kids and family come first. We figured if we could pay for it pretty easily, then we would do whatever we could to save him. So glad that was the case!

But... it is also true that we are shifting money from Ezekiel's upcoming birthday to cover "Operation Save Your Dog". Sorry, son. No more party with a rent-a-pony. We got you a dog instead. Yeah, it's the same dog you always had, just, uh... repackaged.

(Don't worry, Ezekiel never even knew about the pony party and, let's be honest, Kevan is waaaay more disappointed about it than Ezekiel ever would be!).

Seriously, Ezekiel loves that dog. He couldn't even stop asking about him while Elway was at the vet's. Now we just have to keep our son and Mr. Conehead from playing together for 5 days... no small task. Ezekiel thinks Elway's new "hat" is awesome.

Celebrate!

One year ago today.

Today marks a big day for our family... one year ago Kevan graduated from the academy, which means he is officially off probation. Hooray! Kevan has breezed through the first year and I am so proud of him. Tomorrow he starts a new shift - with weekends and Wednesdays off. Yay!!

When I came home from a bridal shower today this is how I found my two favorite guys:

Sweet little loves.

Night Two

Two nights down. About a million more to go. So far, so good. Yes, Bekah Jane and Ezekiel are finally sleeping in the same room together. Man, I did not want to do this. I put it off as long as possible. It's understandable, really - I hate to mess with a good thing. I really, really like how well my kids sleep. But my daughter simply cannot sleep in the hall the rest of her life!

So Friday night I mustered up my courage and put Bekah in her crib in their shared room. The outcome: Baby girl woke up at 6:30 a.m (not bad for her)... and so did Ezekiel (really not good for him!). Sure enough, Ezekiel was pretty grumpy most of the morning and took his nap at 11:00 a.m. instead of the afternoon. And night two: Bekah woke up at 5 this morning, I snuck in there to get her, fed her in my room, and Ezekiel just kept right on sleeping until 8. So, I think it's actually better for him if she either wakes up super early (so he's not even tempted to get up) or closer to his actual wake up time. Just say no to 6 o'clock.

We're off to church! Have a great Sunday!

Costco Fun

Our family has started to make a little tradition out of Thursday nights. We all head out to Costco, do our weekly shopping, fill up on gas (they just put a station in at our Costco... 20 cents a gallon cheaper!), grab a quick dinner, and head over to the farmer's market for pony rides and fun. Tonight, we put Bekah Jane in the cart next to her brother for the first time, and it was just too cute not to share:


"Hey, sister, you are going to like this!"

"I will take care of you"

Ezekiel sure loved having his girl by his side along for the ride!

Catching up... Random thoughts before I hit the hay

Here's the latest with our little family:

*Bekah Jane turned 6 months last Friday. I really can't believe it. On one hand, I still feel like I just had a baby, like she should still be a newborn. The novelty has not worn off and she is an absolute wonder to me. On the other hand, I feel so much more comfortable and confident with two kids than I did a few months ago, so I am thankful for the time under my belt. She went in for her check-up and passed with flying colors. 75th percentile in both height and weight (which kind of cracks me up... she seems so teeny to me!). And she is sitting up like a pro, rolling all around, reaching out and playing with toys, and just started to scoot herself backwards across the floor. I love 6 months...but, then again, I think every age is my favorite, just for different reasons.

*We are having so much fun cousin time lately! It has been so, so great. Ezekiel LOVES his cousins and has started to ask about them every morning. Once school gets out and the weather turns warm, we all sort of swarm my parents' house and spend many a summer day by their pool. I especially love being a stay-at-home mom on these days, because I wouldn't want to miss it for the world. The kids (and the grown-ups!) play in the pool all day (with short breaks to build a sand castle, swing, feed the horses, or build a rabbit trap) and we all enjoy root beer floats, BBQs and great conversation. Melissa and her kids (Morgan, Daniel, and Autumn) are in town this week and it's been so fun to play with them! We are looking forward to another great, lazy day by the pool on the 4th of July.

*I am getting ready to head to Washington on Sunday to visit my dear friend Kristen! Jen and I are flying up with our babies, and Ezekiel is staying home with daddy. I can hardly wait! It will be 4 full days with my two college roommates (plus 2 babies added to the mix!).

*This morning I took Ezekiel to the dentist for his first check-up. We made it as far as having the dr. look in his mouth, floss, and declare that he does not have any cavities. And then I decided to end the torture session since he was screaming his head off. As soon as she got her nasty gloved hands out of his mouth, he was once again his happy little self. Can you blame the guy? I hate going to the dentist too. It smells. Anyway, he then sat in my lap and watched intently while she cleaned my teeth. And when we left he waved and said for all to hear "BYE BYE TEETH!"

A few fun pictures from our recent trip to Legoland with cousins Seth and Abby:

Sooo cute!

Heaven.

"This is a gift of God: to experience the sacred amidst the commonplace - to taste heaven in our daily bread, a new heaven and a new earth in a mouthful of wine, joy in the ache of our muscles or the sweat of our brows." - Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God

I think I experienced a taste of heaven this weekend. It all started with a brilliant idea to get away for our anniversary. Kevan planned the weekend - the only thing I planned was to have a really great time. Even at that, I think I underestimated what my husband had in mind.

We headed out to LA Saturday afternoon to catch Wicked on stage later that night. First, we checked into one of the historic hotels downtown and headed out to our dinner reservation. Dinner, it turns out, rivaled the show for the evening's highlight. Melograno's is a quaint, sophisticated little Italian restaurant on Sunset Blvd. that just so happens to serve amazingly delicious food. Not a bad way to start the weekend. We spent the next 3 hours laughing and wide-eyed, completely caught up in the magic of Wicked. If you get a chance to see this show, it is worth going. Fun, witty, clever... it had me entranced from the curtain call.

After planning the perfect evening for us, I was pretty darn happy with my husband. But it just got better.

Kevan has heard me mention more than once lately that I've been craving some "me" time. I've never been one to really want to spend a lot of time by myself but, since becoming a mom and getting precious little time truly alone, I have recognized my need for time to just be. So, Kevan came up with a list of fun things we could do together for our anniversary. And then he asked himself "What would Bethany really, really want?" And he signed me up for a day at the spa. God bless him, I thought I would last 4 hours. Maybe six... and then I was sure to go out of my mind with loneliness. TWELVE hours later, I called my husband to come pick me up, refreshed, renewed, and completely in love with him for giving me this precious gift. And, during those 12 hours, I am convinced that I at least glimpsed a small piece of Heaven. Everything surrounding me was pleasing to the senses - the temperature was perfect, the smells soothing, even the voices around me were calm and reassuring. I spent the entire day getting pampered, reading an amazing book, sleeping, curling up in comfy chairs, soaking in a bubble bath, thinking, praying, sipping cool water... resting. And, of all the choices, the book I dove into that day is called The Rest of God. It gives fresh perspective to the importance - really the commandment - of rest. It calls our bluff on our "busyness" and sheds light on all the seemingly critical tasks that consume our day... and rob our souls. The quote above is from this book, a reminder to sanctify our time - to be committed, purposeful, intentional about how we spend each day. And, while that may sound like a regimented and carefully-planned life, it is actually a call toward the opposite. It is a reminder that life - the important stuff in life - is not usually found on the calendar. It is in the interruptions, the spontaneity, and the simplicity. Our plans, our calendars, our to-do lists are often the culprits that distract us from noticing the greatness of God - the beauty in the world around us, the sweet sound of our children's laughter, the opportunity to encourage someone in need of a listening ear. We can't become "un-busy", but we can be purposeful about resting in the midst of our busyness. So I learned that, when I stop and am still - when I really rest in God - He is able to do much more through me than I could ever do on my own.

Thank you, babe, for giving me this perfect and wonderful weekend. I love how hard you worked to allow me to have that day at the spa... and how you make me feel like I'm worth every bit of it. Everyone at the spa kept commenting on what a wonderful husband I must have - and they have no idea how right they are. Happy Anniversary!!

Faces

Oh, the sweet faces they make. A few shots of our little ones experiencing life lately...

Super Dad

Kevan and his two babies at the park today

I was looking forward to today for a while, because I couldn't wait to honor Kevan for what an AWESOME dad he is. Even though I hope I tell him all the time, it is fun to have a special day set aside just to acknowledge how much we love and appreciate him. I thought long and hard about what to get him, and vacillated between something he really wants or something sentimental. I went the sentimental route, knowing that Kevan would love it, and I sure wasn't disappointed. So, let's have his response to his gift top the chart of things I love about my amazing husband (and what makes him such a fantastically great father):

1.) When he received a (what some men would consider) dopey t-shirt with a picture of his kids for Father's Day, he said "This is awesome...can I wear it to church?!" and acted like he couldn't have loved anything more (and I sort of believe him). Don't tell anyone, but he's sweet like that.

2.) Last weekend, after he'd worked in the yard all day and was dripping in sweat and mud, he came in to find his In-N-Out burger waiting for him and his son standing there holding a toy that needed new batteries. What did he do before showering, before getting a drink, and before taking a bite of that long-awaited burger? He went out to the garage, found a screwdriver and new batteries, and got that toy working again for his little guy. And he did it with excitement and love for Ezekiel. I'm telling you right now, I would have gone for the burger. He's a better person than I am.

3.) When he is home from work and our kids get up from their nap, he wants to be the one to go get them. And he sings special little songs to them to help them wake up (they each have their own).

4.) When Ezekiel was a baby, we used to fight over who got to pick him up from the nursery at church (now we each get one!). Kevan can hardly wait to go get them when the service let's out - and it's because they are so darn excited to see him!

5.) When he works graveyards and gets home at 6:30 a.m., he will check with me to see if I've had a hard night with the kids. If so, he'll offer to stay up and get them up while I get some extra sleep. I know, I am spoiled.

6.) There is nothing - and I really mean nothing - else that Kevan would rather do than be with his kids and his wife. Wow, that is so humbling and awesome and honoring. I love how much he genuinely loves to be with his family. Pastor Mike talked this morning about how men are called to "dwell" with their families - to spend time with them in the home and take the time to really know and understand their wives. This is such a strength for Kevan, and I really believe he honors the Lord with how he honors the family God has given him. We pray that this will remain true in our home, as it only can by God's grace in our lives.

7.) I love how Kevan is not just the father of my kids, but truly a partner in parenting. I don't have to ask him to cut up food, or change a diaper, or even to discipline when necessary. He just sees the need and does it. Not as a martyr, but because he wants to play an active role in the lives of our kids (ok, sometimes we ro-sham-bo over the diapers).

So, today was a perfect day celebrating the man my kids are lucky enough to call "da-da." We slept in late (Ezekiel slept until 10 a.m. due to a busy day at LegoLand yesterday!), had a beautiful service at church, went to a quiet and peaceful park for lunch, and then all came home and took a nap. The kids were in great moods and well rested and it was just a great day. I know it sounds too good to be true (and, trust me, these days are rare and beautiful!) but for some reason everything just fell into place perfectly today. And we enjoyed it so much. We ended the day with pizza and pies and family over at my parent's house. Ahhh... much to be thankful for.

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads in our lives!

We could not get Ezekiel to part with that darn bottle (due to him just waking up), but it's still a cute picture anyway!

Lots of love (so cute how E wants to hold Bekah's hand all the time)

The kids also had to tell the world how great their dad is with their t-shirts

We love you Kevan!!

His and Hers!

We finally have completed the transformation of our nursery! It has gone from being an "all-boy" vintage sports room to adding some fun girly-girl stuff for baby sister.

The room was all painted and ready to go before Bekah Jane was born, but I have been a real chicken about the final component: Moving Ezekiel into a big-boy bed so Bekah can have the crib. About two weeks ago we finally recognized that our baby girl was probably going to stop growing if we didn't move her out of that tiny bassinet (you know, like those fish that only grow as big as their environment). Which meant it was time for Ezekiel to give up the crib. Now, I realize that he is pretty young for this, so I am going to say that it is going remarkably well... considering. For the past 10 nights or so, he has been re-learning how to sleep. It is amazing what a little transition can do to a kid. He went from never getting up at night (and I can say that with very little exaggeration... this kid has slept soundly all night long since he was a tiny baby), to getting up every few hours in this new bed. I actually started to dread the pitter-patter of little feet. Slowly but surely (and with a lot of sleepless nights, nurturing, and threats) he started to get the hang of it and he has now slept all night long 3 nights in a row. Hooray!

And last weekend we picked up Bekah's new crib bedding (another great find on Craigslist!) and got her all set up. It is soooo cute, if I might say so myself. Their little room has really come together so adorably. Perfect for a little boy and a little girl to share. Our next mission: Getting them both to sleep in there together (without waking each other up!). Wish us luck!

BEFORE... Ezekiel's room when he had it all to himself:

This is the wall where eventually Bekah's crib goes (you can see we were picking out paint colors)

And now, for his big-boy bed...

Isn't that the cutest, tiniest thing you have ever seen?!

And here is Bekah Jane's "wall":

The white frame on the right has a piece of wall paper from my bedroom when I was little.

The saying on the wall comes from my grandpa Norris. When he prays for our family, he always asks the Lord to "guide, bless, direct, and protect" us. I can't tell you how many times I've heard him pray that over dinner and I just loved this sentiment over my daughter's crib.

This little ladder is full of sentimental things, too. A handmade hankie from Kevan's great-grandma, a little table runner folded at the bottom stitched by my grandma, a blanket knitted by my mom... and my sister's little baby shoe.

Bekah seems to love her pretty new crib!