Life with the Libbys

Felt heart wreath

2012-02-06T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have a little more valentines decor to show you. This heart wreath is a project I saw on pintrest and have been really excited to make. It was really easy, but time consuming.

Here's the link to the original blog post. I considered taking step by step photos and doing a tutorial about how to make this, but it would have looked identical to the original post and I would be linking back to that anyway. So I just decided to show you the finished product. I love it!

I did everything the same as the original, except that I hot glued the circles to the heart rather than pin them in place. I'm trying very hard to be proactive about actually making the projects I'm pinning on pintrest and not just wasting my life staring at the computer. Inspiration should cause action, I say!

Fostering Friday

2012-02-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

Last week I shared my heart here so all of you can know our new path to walk with our precious little man. It's been a week of rejoicing along with all of you, and lots of support and love. I so appreciate each comment, hug and prayer. We couldn't do foster care without our Great God and loving friends and family like you all!

There have been moments where I begin to think more about saying goodbye and my hearts starts to break. the tears well up and I picture our little nursery, empty. What in the world is that going to be like?! I pray that I get to see his new room so I can picture him there sleeping and playing with his forever mom and dad. My heart is beginning to skip between joy over what I know is the Lord's perfect plan for this baby, and sorrow at having our arms be empty and our home silent without his wiggly and spirited self.

People keep asking me if I'm okay, and truthfully I can answer yes. I am okay. It isn't easy now, and surely won't be in the future, but I keep clinging to the fact that What God has called us to, He will see us through. And He is! I am able to talk about our situation without sobbing most of the time, I am able to happily serve and care for my family and the baby each day with a smile on my face and joy in my heart, and I can rest in the deep peace that is only from God that is settling my heart even in moments of sadness. He truly does give us the strength to victoriously accomplish what He wants our lives to be about! And all we can do is thank Him, for an opportunity to be so blessed by the amazing, challenging road of fostering.

When I got home from taking my kids to piano lessons last night I was trudging up our front steps and in the dim lighting I saw something out of the ordinary. This beautifully handmade sign was leaning by my front door waiting to be discovered. One of you who read my post last week made me this precious reminder to hang in my house. I picked it up and just started crying. My kids thought I was a little crazy until I told them what this meant. Then they too were blessed by our anonymous encourager. So if it's you, THANK YOU! Your kind thoughtfulness has touched out whole family! We will be hanging this in a prominent place to remind us in the days to come that His faithfulness will see us through!

Here's an oldie

2012-02-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

This is a banner I made last year with my small group girls during the super bowl. It's just scrapbook paper, glue and ric rac. I was happy to pull it out and remember the fun we had making these together last year!

Make it valentiney

2012-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it only takes incorporating a holiday color into your normal decor to look festive. I just tied some signature red ribbon on and added a free downloadable valentines subway art. I sent the image to Costco and printed it for less than a dollar. Frame it and you have a piece that pulls it all together for a valentiney feel.

Burlap valentines banner

2012-01-30T09:06:00.000-08:00

I have a weakness for seasonal decorating. I love buying all the cute decor in the stores but I'm trying to keep the spending to a minimum. Two great ways for me to be successful at that is by never going shopping, if you don't see it you don't know you want it, and by making some of my own decor. It's fun to be crafty and I love seeing my finished product on display. This week I'll share some of my valentines decor, some I've had and some is newly created!

I saw this on Pintrest and knew I had to make it. My sister in law has gotten me interested in burlap, she is burlap crazy! Her house is so cute, so I thought I would copy. I made her one too for her birthday so I don't think she minds!

I just cut the little flag shapes out of burlap, cut hearts out of fabric, sewed them onto the flags and hot glued the flags over onto a pierce of twine. You could easily make this no sew and even use craft paper instead of fabric if you wanted to. Just hot glue the hearts instead of sewing. I just love a little sewing in any project. Okay, go make one too, so cute!

Fostering Friday

2012-01-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

Fostering Fridays are all about my journey as a foster mom, how I feel about it, the highs and lows, and how it affects my family. And of course, hoping to increase awareness and prayer for this challenging and very rewarding ministry.

This Friday marks a giant step toward the last leg of this journey with our little man. We received news this week that things are finally on track for an adoption through recruitment. That means that families who are certified through DHS to adopt can apply their home studies, then one family will be chosen to be our little guys forever family! This is a HUGE relief and an answer to prayer. We want so much for this baby ( who is so not really a baby anymore) to be placed in a home with parents who are waiting and praying and aching for a child!

It's been a really long process to get to this point, so many things that had to fall into place and be worked out. There have been many times where I prayed over and over for my faith in our decision not to adopt would remain and that I could trust God to see this through to completion. It was scary to see that some less than ideal paths were considered, I wanted to take matters back into my own hands and just keep him here where I know he is safe and loved. Russ and I both, have revisited time and again whether we were to adopt this child. Each time we felt sure we are called to let him go. It was hard to trust God in that choice. Is it really going to be okay? Is God really watching and moving the pieces of the puzzle around to fit perfectly together? Can I trust Him and His sovereign plan even if this doesn't end the way I think it should? Doubts threatened to creep in like a fog and hang around my shoulders as I waited and waited for answers. And each day I cared for and loved this rambunctious boy and prayed that God would hold him tighter than I can.

With the news that he is now going to recruitment comes a rush of bittersweet feelings! I have met many families that are longing for someone to let go of a beautiful baby so they could have a child. I have seen the hole in their hearts as they wait and pray for it to be their turn to have the privileged to adopt. I'm thrilled that our boy will be heading to one of these homes. I am anticipating the resolution of this journey and the amazing gift we get to give to a family so desperately wanting this baby. But when we give that gift, it means we lose it. It means our house doesn't have the wild joy of a toddler any longer. It means this little boy who has captured our hearts will move on to filling the hearts of his forever parents. And in the long run of life, we become a stop on the road to his forever family. My heart weeps for that moment of goodbye. My eyes sting with unshed tears when I think of giving him his last kiss, or holding his tiny hand for the last time. But for now, I'm just believing that what God has called us to, He will see us though. I feel like I should post that somewhere in our home to remind us that with Him even grieving the moving on of this child is possible. We will survive it, with joy, knowing he is cared for. I am abundantly blessed with my two beautiful children and until God leads us otherwise, we are are content to raise them to know God and to be compassionate for the orphans in this world. To show them that sometimes following God's plan hurts, but we can trust that the end will be worth it all.

Fostering Friday

2011-12-02T12:41:00.001-08:00

As I sit here typing away, I hear the baby singing, humming, growling, and gurgling from his bed. He is supposed to be napping, but it sounds like he's having a gymnastic play date with his stuffed animals instead. These are some of the joys of fostering. I love having these moments of clarity where I recognize the joy and blessing of having this child in my home. We've had this precious boy for almost a year and a half! I never dreamed we would have one child so long! There are some pretty tough days, I'm not going to lie. Parenting a toddler is physically demanding and tiring! But as I listen to the happy babbling it speaks deeper to my heart. Here is a child who was taken out of a situation where he would have not been safe. He was placed in my arms and it's been up to my family to teach, raise and nurture this little guy! He is healthy, well adjusted, happy, social, spirited, developing normally, and affectionate.

I think of where he may have been without a foster family here to offer our best care. When he asserts his will and tries to slap my face, I tell him no and put him down. He throws a tantrum. Not a pretty picture, but what does it speak to the heart. This is a child who knows he can trust me, he's not scared that I'll abuse him. This is a child who feels free to have an opinion. This is a child who is secure in the love and consistent boundaries of his family. How different would the picture be if he had not been sheltered in this family? You can look at these typical toddler behaviors and get frustrated and annoyed or I can see them as a normal, thriving child who has been spared the horrors of this world. My perspective changes and it's easier to remember why we do what we do. Fostering is giving a second chance. A chance to flourish and not flounder, grow and not give up, feel safe and not scared. It's a gift we can give these children.

As Christmas comes around I'm thinking more and more about gifts. I hope the gift I gave this baby takes him well beyond my care. I pray he will fiercely bond with his adoptive parents because we taught him it is right and safe to do so. I pray the gift of love, carries him through the transitions to come with grace and ease. Its so hard to begin thinking in terms of letting go of this child. I pray most of all that the gift I can give is a beautiful baby boy to a family longing for a child. It's easier to let go when I'm choosing to give and not view this as something taken away form me.

Thinking in terms of gifts helps me to remember that any of this is only possible through me because of the greatest gift ever received, my salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is the enabler, I am the vessel. I can only bring a willing heart and he provides the rest. The fruit this child has benefited from only come from Christ. I make mistakes and am far from perfect but I serve the one who is perfect and He is capable of doing far more than I can even ask or think. He is the giver of all good things. Every good and perfect gift comes for Him! Thanks you Jesus for bringing me to my knees, reminding me of your love and helping me to show that to this precious little gift!

The kitchen facelift!

2011-11-30T13:17:00.001-08:00

So here it is! I'm no photographer but I did the best I could to show you what we accomplished over Thanksgiving break. Here's the before....

The counters were a wood grain laminate and were totally grimy. They had to go. The cabinets had some good things going for them though. They are solid wood and I love the bead board detailing in the center. Very cottagey. I knew they would paint up nicely. I primed the inside of the cabinet first with 2 coats of kilz primer and then one coat on the cupboards and doors. I decided to go with a two tone cabinet color since I've always wanted to but was afraid I wouldn't love it. Since we're planning a major remodel in a few years I thought, "why not!"

Here's the in between! Just keeping it real!

I actually love it though and may choose something like this for my new cabinets eventually! My color choices were inspired to blend with the existing tile floor since we knew we weren't ready to replace that just yet. We replaced all the light fixtures, every outlet, light switch and the covers, painted the walls, replaced ll the hinges and knobs and the faucet. There is one wall that needed to be textured so Russ did that and it made a huge mess when he sanded! We stuck with all the appliances that came with the house and will replace those when we remodel too. We replaced the counters tops with an inexpensive prefab counter from Lowes, but I love the granite like appeal it has!

Here's the after!

Over all it really is just an update but what a joy to have everything clean and smelling nice as well as be pleasant to cook in! I'm so thankful for a hard working husband who is handy and motivated to get stuff done, it make this house and all it's many projects feel doable when know he is going to be right by my side!

Color Details:

Wall color - Marble Tile (valspar, lowes)

Top cabinets - Bay Oyster (valspar, lowes)

Bottom cabinets - Beach (valspar, lowes)

Thankful

2011-11-29T13:34:00.001-08:00

This Thanksgiving looked different for us. There was no hosting or cooking or baking at all! On Thanksgiving we attended a beautiful lunch at a relatives house and headed back home several hours later. That was it. Ethan even thought he had missed Thanksgiving because it's usually a big all day event with cousins and family crowding in. This year we were so thankful, but also focused on a task. One that we had been stuggling to complete since we moved. THE KITCHEN!!!!

We realized that with our hectic schedules a lot of the remodeling and projects we have planned for this house are going to have to wait and be done when we have uninterrupted chunks of time. Like vacations. Or Thanksgiving break. We had four days, we persevered, and we finished! It looks amazing if I do say so myself! Here's a sneak peak and I'll be back tomorrow for the big before and after!

Greetings from Salem

2011-11-22T10:22:00.001-08:00

It really is about time I picked up where I left off in this story of life thing! We got ourselves all moved in to our new house, and we're finally feeling like this is our home! It's been such a whirlwind of activity here since school started! The moving thing coming right when all out fall ministry started really threw me for a loop and I had to pull back and just survive! I feel like God really allowed me to stay calm and carry on and I've enjoyed this packed out season of life.

My sis in law and I got crafty and made some burlap wreaths. Don't you love my stained glass windows on my front door?! I think the wreath makes it look less weird.

I'm thankful for a break though. I feel like I have finally caught my breath and I'm starting to feel motivated to move beyond the daily chores into decorating and projects. This house is FULL of projects. We bought it knowing that it will take years of work to get to where we want to be. Right when we moved in it became apparent that I could not move into the cupboards in the kitchen until I did some major priming and painting. They were FILTHY!

Yikes! So ugly! The counters had a filmy slime on them that I couldn't get off completely! It really was worse than it looks in the picture!

Trying to function and live our busy lives while not having the kitchen unpacked was almost more than I could take, it was horrible! Add to that having a very active one year old that only allowed me to paint during nap time, and you can understand why I took such a long break from blogging! All I have left now are the doors for the top cabinets and that project will be completed. The kitchen is looking so cute and I'm loving the colors I chose for the cabinets. Things are feeling clean and organized and I'm itching now to paint the walls and make curtains! We still need to replace light fixtures and the faucet but other than that the quick kitchen update it about finished!! I can't wait to show you before and after pictures! It's so fun having dramatic results! It's amazing what a little paint can do! :)

This week is Thanksgiving break and I'm so thankful for the time out with my kids. I've missed them so much now that they are back in traditional school. I had both their conferences yesterday and I'm so proud of how well they are doing! Not only did they do well academically but more importantly they were shining stars in behavior and character! I'm continually thanking God for leading us to this School and the teachers he gave us! It's been a beautiful transition and they are thriving! We are loving days at home together this week, in out jammies just hanging out being goofy! They are preparing a magic show for me as I write and I can't wait to see it! I'm glad I enjoy them being home with me so much, they are such a huge help with the baby too!

Now that I broke the ice after a long dry spell I have lots to share so I'm sure I'll be back soon! Happy Thanksgiving!

Living La Vida Loca

2011-09-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

It feels like the crazy life anyhow! My entire house is in boxes. That's what I get for being an overachiever I guess. We signed papers this morning and hopefully get keys on Wednesday!! (little happy dance!) With the drive to school twice a day, homework, visits twice a week for the baby, soccer practice and games, small group, discipleship and Club Rocksalt staring this week, and everything moving entails, I feel like my head is going to explode! Then this morning I remembered that I have to start the process of address change. That bummed me out. There are sooooo many places to contact, stink! It'll all happen, in time, with perseverance. Everyone has been so sweet and I have lots of offers of help so I know all things will continue to fall into place in the right timing. No freak out sessions scheduled just yet! I'll keep you posted!

Moving!

2011-09-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

This has been a weird moving process. Since we bought a foreclosure it takes nearly 2 months to close the deal with all the banks and loan people. (BTW, buying a house these days = crazy amount of paperwork and processes!) So I've actually been packing for almost that long. I started with all our books. Easy thing to pack and I used all the little boxes from the local grocery store my MIL kept bringing me. Then I moved on to my dining room. Since we were selling two hutches and the table and chairs I needed to unload all my china and serving dishes and RANDOM other stuff I had stuffed into those hutches. After the dining room I packed my sewing room and the garage. I've been in a bit of a holding pattern since then.

I mostly have been prepping to pack. I went through each closet and threw away or donated a TON of stuff and organized the things I want to keep. Then I brutally went through the kids' room, throwing away and donating "stuff", then packed up things like Hailey's tea set collection and Ethan's erector sets. I weeded out a bunch of kitchen items and clothing. Our closets only hold what we are actually going to wear and that fit us. Amazing, I know. This almost daily cleaning out and organizing has been so cleansing for me. My motto has been " If we don't need/want it, we're NOT moving it!"

I love the fresh start. I anticipate the organizing of empty closets in our new home. I never thought of myself as a mover. I always wanted to put down roots and watch them grow. I only moved once growing up and that was only 1 mile up the road to my Grandfather's homestead that my parents remodeled when I was 15. But Russ and I have moved 4 times in 10 years and this move will be our 5th. That's not a ton to some people, but we always move because we choose to move, not because we have to. We love the new beginning that moving poses. Now, I really have put down roots that I am unwilling to uproot, but those are placed in relationships and ministry, not necessarily a house.We always stay in the area, close to family and church, just a new adventure in a different house, another neighborhood.

I'm excited to show you pictures of our new home in all it's 1970's glory. (the fireplace is out of this world!) We will begin demolition and updates soon after we move and I'll be documenting and updating you here as we go along. I'm looking forward to a busy week of power packing the sorted and organized closets and EVERYTHING else. Then we'll sign papers and begin to move bedrooms first so we can sleep there and get the kids to school in the mornings easier. Once we're in we will have the carpets cleaned and windows washed in out current home and fix a few minor issues too. After that we'll start the kitchen update in our new home by painting cabinets first thing. Should be exciting! All I have to say is that packing with a 1 year old is challenging to say the least, he follows me everywhere pulling things out of boxes and diving into piles and eating paper and anything else that looks appetizing to him. It's a crazy crazy life, but a happy one. Have a blessed Monday!

Small gestures

2011-09-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

I bought our teachers a little gift yesterday just to say I'm thankful for them.

I picked up the reusable, double insulated cups at Winco for $4.95 and a little box of crystal light to go pods. I filled the cup with the pods and tied on a simple card to tell them both how much I appreciate them and that we are praying for them every day!

The kids got to bless their teachers this morning and they were both so happy! We're off to a good start. I really want to open the lines of communication with these women and to show them my support. Relationships are key for me to feel comfortable and at peace so I'm diving right in!

P. S. Both my kids did great yesterday and I'm just praying for some good friendships to form so they have playmates at recess. Ethan only has 5 other boys in his class so hopefully there will be one he can have as a buddy. I'm just praying and trusting like with everything else!!!

P.P.S. We are going to get to close early on our new home! Sometime next week! What a blessing because the driving to school is old already and we have only done 1 day! :)

First day

2011-09-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

So here I am. Sitting in a quiet house, finding myself sitting down at the computer and wondering where to begin in this new found peace. I have a little headache from the tears that I held in all morning while reassuring my children they would be rock stars today at school. Tears that I let loose just a bit when Ethan's teacher hugged my big boy and looked deep into my eyes and asked me to pray for her today. Tears that poured down as I walked back to my van after leaving my sweet daughter who was so nervous and scared about this new school and teacher. I know they will be fine, no, not just fine, awesome. But I just need to have them come smiling to me and tell me they were okay. I can't wait for 3:30pm when I can hug my girl and she can reassure me that she made it through this first day.

He was cool as a cucumber. Independent and totally ready to go get some knowledge!

We are so blessed to be in this school. It's a great school. We are also blessed to have other believing parents there to encourage and support me and my children. But above and beyond, we are blessed to have two Godly women for teachers this year! Just what we all needed as we approached the unknown and were all feeling unsure about how easy the transition will be. God is so good and I trust Him to see us all thought this change abundantly! He will, I know He will and we will all be closer to Him and each other because of it!

Hailey was so nervous about school. She wouldn't let me doll her up or curl her hair. She said maybe tomorrow after she sees what the other kids looked like. She is my sensitive little sweetie!

I went right to church and shed a few more tears while I spent an hour in prayer with other moms for our kids, schools, teacher and administrators. Totally calmed my heart and set my perspective right. I took the baby and we got groceries and out of my thankful heart I decided to get a little present for the kids' teachers to give them at pick up today. I'll take some pictures when I get them all packaged up and post it tomorrow. Can't wait to write a note telling these ladies how thankful I am for them and that I'll be praying every day for them and their class! Now I just have to figure out how my life is going to look without my two precious kids swarming around me every moment! I am feeling the beginnings of excitement, this could end up being very cool for all of us!

Last Day

2011-09-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day. I'm sad, excited, nervous and overwhelmed. My kids who have been home with me constantly since last summer began are going to school for 6 hours! All day!

It's been so long since we've been apart for lunch. As I sat cuddled up with them on the couch watching a show this afternoon I was struck by those feelings mentioned above. Sad to be away from them, excited to have some time alone to think and accomplish things in a timely manner, nervous for them to make some good friends and to like their teachers and overwhelmed that they are leaving my little nest and flying off on their own in a new school.

Now I am very happy about this school and I am confident that we are making a good choice that God has led us to. We have bathed this decision in prayer, but it doesn't make the first day of school eve any easier on this mommy's heart. I'm happy that I am feeling a bit sad and not jumping up and down for joy at the thought of being alone. That means we did something good last year, we enjoyed each other for the most part and it was a special year we'll always treasure. Hopefully we'll all three have stories to tell about the year we homeschooled.Good times, some bad and a lot that were just blah, but lots of good, rich and precious days together.

I won't be completely alone either. I'll still have a VERY busy one year old to chase after. All by myself now that my built in baby watcher/entertainers will be in school. What will that be like for us? I'm sure come tomorrow we'll both be looking around wondering what we're going to do all day together.

But it will be good for him too, some one on one time with mom is a good thing and although it will be new, I think he will enjoy it. My plan is to go to church after I drop my kids off and pray with the other moms there for all our kids and their teachers and this coming school year, then go grocery shopping and then head home for lunch and nap. Nap time will mean some tears for me in the absolute quiet that I never experience, but also some time to spend planning and preparing for the way things will look now.

Different but good. I am trusting that God is holding their hands tighter than I can and He is in this choice concerning school and He will see me through the transition as well as my kiddos. He is mighty and loves us all so much, that is where I will dwell and rest for tomorrow. In His very capable hands!

What in the world...

2011-09-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

How did the ENTIRE summer slip by in the blink of an eye? I fully intended to take maybe a week off from blogging and begin again telling tales of our summer adventures. As you well know, that never happened! But here is what did,

~ We went on a mission trip
~ We started chasing a crawling (almost walking!) one year everywhere
~ We vacationed in Sisters
~ We took a trip to Crater lake
~ We hiked 4.5 miles up Misery Trail at Smith Rock
~ We camped several time and swam in the river
~ We played in the sprinkler
~ We got approved for a second home mortagage
~ We enjoyed the baby going to one loooong nap in the afternoon
~ We had our awesome realtor take us to look at houses
~ We put an offer on a house
~ We brutally cleaned out drawers and closets
~ We had small group couples come for dinner most weeks
~ We had our offer accepted and a home inspection done
~ We had a major garage sale and sold TONS of stuff including my dining room set
~ We are preparing to close on our new house in 3 weeks
~ We enrolled the kids in their new school
~ We went school supply shopping!! ( forgot how fun this is)
~ We sold both our cars ( we are driving my Mil's until we close)
~ We started packing, then packed some more and still more packing
~ We played at the park, had BBQ's and layed in the sun
~ We had swimming lessons
~ We survived the super hot week we endure every summer here in the Willamette Valley with no AC
~ We had some panic moments about all the crazy changes happening so, so fast
~ We found some great renters for our current house
~ We started prjects to get our current house ready for renters
~ We started going crazy on pintrest with new home makeover ideas (okay that was just me)
~ We had cousins come play and had sleepovers
~ We spent one more day down at the river swimming and enjoying the sun this Labor day before school starts on Wednesday

So as you can see it's been a pretty eventful summer. I'm hoping to give you some pictures to go with all this summer fun as I get back into the blogging routine. My kiddos and I will have some adjusting to do with them going back to regular school and I'm sure I'll have a lot to share about that and our moving process. Lots more fun coming your way, stay tuned! :)

Fostering Friday

2011-07-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Russ and I have worked though the spectrum of emotions this summer regarding our foster baby. We're coming up on the one year anniversary of the day we brought this precious baby home form the NICU. As you probably know, that means that there are some parental decisions to be made in court and some new life directions chosen for this baby. Our hearts have been squeezed and stretched as we have prayed though our role in this child's life. God has spoken peace and confidence to us as we've trusted Him and we have reached a decision. It's a choice full of hope and full of sadness.

Our caseworker has been a direct blessing from God. She is Godly and full of wisdom and encouragement and she had a large role in helping us prayerfully wade through some tough moments. In the end, I am trusting my wonderful husband and leaning on him to guide us through as a family. As we move closer to a final date that will lead this child to his forever parents we are understanding our role more clearly. He is a gift, one given to us for a time and he will a gift be to his mom and dad that are waiting so anxiously for him. There are more court dates and any number of things that could change but we do know that the future for our baby is adoption. Choosing a path that will undoubtedly cause pain for ourselves is difficult, but I am leaning on the Lord and His mercies. I know if we are following where He leads then He will fill us with His grace to endure what he has placed before us!

So, as this sweet child, who has grown from a baby to a boy, heads down the road to adoption I ask you to pray. Pray for our family, for this child, and for his parents to be. We don't know who they will be yet but we have confidence that God has chosen them already and they have a hole in their hearts just the shape of our precious little one. Just waiting to fill it with our baby boy! It is bittersweet, but no one said foster care is easy and pain free. I'm so thankful we have Christ to guide us and support us. My faith in His sovereign plan make me able to let go and believe in His goodness. The journey is not yet complete, but we've come through a particularly large bump in the road and we are still turning our faces upward in praise and believing in the almighty plan of our great God!

I am so thankful for the wonderful support and listening ear I have received from so many of you as I have fitfully worked through our decision not to adopt. I appreciate that there has been no condemnation, only love and understanding. If you do have a negative thought or comment, I do ask that you keep it to yourself. Baring our decision so openly is very difficult and I would appreciate your sensitivity to my fragile heart! Thanks so much for your love and prayers, they mean the world to me!

Wednesday already??

2011-07-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Where has this summer gone!! Seriously! I feel like today is the first day that it feels like summer vacation to me! The pictures in this post have nothing to do with the content. Sorry! I'm weird like that!

my kids like to have "picnics" in the front yard

I've been so busy serving and planning things to just hang out at home and organize stuff. But the sun is finally shining and my kids are off at VBS and I'm ready to tackle some closets. I have a wish list of projects to do this summer, I feel like today I can begin to tackle a few. I'm home all day today, what a rare treat!

Look! I have a tiny ponytail, my hair is growing!

I cannot believe that it's almost the last week in July! That has me thinking about school in the fall and what exactly we're going to do for our sweet kiddos. There is talk about scraping together a down payment and purchasing a home in South Salem before school starts. That would result in some major busting of my buns. I think I'm ready. We'll see what happens and what the Lord's plan is as we go. Please pray for us that we'll be wise and can move in the right direction quickly! In the meantime, if you know anyone looking to purchase a minivan, ours is up for sale! Spread the word! Happy closet cleaning, or whatever it is you're doing today!

lemonade!

2011-07-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here's my little boy with his adorable lemonade stand that he made all by himself! He turned his old nightstand into a lemonade stand, he's been working on it for weeks.He was so excited and he did great! It was really fun to watch him out there waving at people, selling his goodies and making change. We are so proud of our little entrepreneur.

Today was the Jefferson Mint Festival so we set up at Grammy's house, which is right on the main street, and we watched the parade and then sold to people passing by for about 2 and a half more hours. I was very impressed with Ethan and his people skills. He is growing up so quickly and it's so much fun! I miss my baby boy but my big boy is a blast! Way to go Ethan!

I'm baaack!

2011-07-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

So I'm feeling tired and a little lonely today. My hubs is away on business and I'm craving a little grown up time. the kids have been fighting and it's been a bit of a busy week so far all on my own. But I think my attitude has something to do with the let down after such exciting weeks leading up to this one. The family mission trip, a few days recovery and then the quilt show with my buddy Emily. Then I got home and spent a couple hours with Russ and he left for Bogota, Columbia at 3am the next morning. I just don't think I was prepared for single parenting it in a super messy house right after all that craziness. But today is actually a bit better. I had a LOVELY drive to Portland today with our caseworker and I feel revived and encouraged. I love her by the way and am so thankful to have had her on our case this year. What a blessing. I'll share more about that on Friday!

Well I have some goals this week but I'm afraid to spell them out for fear I am too lazy to actually accomplish them. They are mostly cleaning/organizing things which I'm feeling zero motivation to begin. But they really need to happen, so we'll see. I'll leave you with a photo of Em and I hanging quilts at the Sisters quilt show, it was a really fun moment and I'm so thankful I got to go even with my husband getting ready to leave for a week. Thanks Russ for being so unselfish and letting me sneak away to have fun!

Away on buisness!

2011-06-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, so most of you already know that I'll be away on a mission trip for a bit and won't be around to ship out any orders I get in my shop. Please feel free to shop and purchase but the ship date will be July 5th on anything purchased starting Saturday June 25th. Thanks for all your support and encouragement about the bible covers. I've been so blessed by all your kind comments.

P.S. Don't worry my house is being looked after while I'm away,

just so you know if any of you reading are robbers. :)

Getting ready to go!

2011-06-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

So we're leaving on Saturday for a looong car ride and I would love to have some insight into what you do for your kids on long car rides. My two are pretty good about riding in the car now but I'm wondering if I can come up with a few fresh ideas that are not electronic. My kids have listened to the Jonathan Park adventure series and The Chronicles of Narnia at least a hundred times. We could use a few recommendations for new books on CD. I'm excited to, we're finishing the Little House on the Prairie series and Ethan is already begging me to read "a Lot" on the way over. It's good times in the car and road trips can be just as much a part of the adventure as the destination.

I have a to do list a mile long and one of those things is getting new front tires put on our van today. Les Schwab is NOT my favorite place to hang out with three kids so I'm considering taking them on a walk down to the duck pond close by while we wait. It's a gorgeous day already and I think we would all prefer that to being cooped up inside a building that smells like tar. :)

I finished the laundry yesterday and I need to put it all away today. I hate putting away laundry. I also have some new things to put in the shop! I have one more bible cover pattern and some fourth of July banners too! Here's a sneak peek at the Bible cover made from fabric designed by the oh so famous Ty Pennington!

Yes, I know, how fabulous. The banners will be coming later today! Hurry and make any orders you're wanting because the shop will be closing on this Saturday until July third. Don't forget that all diaper clutches are on sale 15% off until the shop closes this Saturday!

lovely laminated Amy Butler fabric

2011-06-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

I seriously love this fabric. It is so modern and fresh and I adore the color scheme. Usually I'm not much of a navy girl, but this I love. I was afraid the print was to big to use as a bible cover when it arrived in the mail, but I think it worked out quite nicely!

What do you all think? There are two more pattern choices coming this week and then I'll be out of town and the shop will be closed for a week.

Our little family is leaving on a mission trip together and I won't be asking the house sitter to check my shop and mail out orders. So if you want some goodies, come and get them!!!

I'll also have some 4th of July banners up and they will need to be purchased quickly if you want them in time for the 4th! And don't forget, you can save 15% on all diaper clutches in the store this week. Use the coupon code " summer " at checkout. I'm making room for some new products when I get back from the trip. So hurry and pick out your pretties and order today!Click here to shop!

Mondayness

2011-06-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

There are some jumbled thoughts rolling around in my head this morning and a confession I have to make so bear with me. Don't panic, the confession is really no big deal, just something I want to talk about really. Okay, we'll start with that. I totally fell off the weight watchers wagon this Saturday. I started out so good, I refused a donut from Cork's Donuts in the morning while we were checking out garage sales. That is a big deal because I LOOOOVE Cork's Donuts. If you're local and haven't tried them, go, eat and have a happy belly. On this occasion I decided to forgo the donut so I could celebrate Father's day the next day and not have used up extra points from my weekly allowance. We got home and I had a lean cuisine for lunch and then I made banana bread for Russ and his friends who came over to play games and help entertain a coworker who was here from Korea.

This banana bread is delicious and addicting! It's the sour cream in the recipe that makes it so rich and wonderful. I had my kids watching a movie in my room and the baby was napping and I was all alone in the family room finishing a good book. It was bliss, the hot banana bread was calling to me and I decided I would enjoy one piece. I ate it and it was super good. Well the afternoon wore on and it was about 5pm, the kids and Russ had been eating tons of snacks and I had not. They were not hungry at all, I was starving. We needed to head to Walmart for some things so we just got ready to go without making any dinner. So what do I do? I grab two more pieces of banana bread off the plate and chow them on the way to Walmart! Then when we got home, I made easy and tasty chimichangas that are supposed to be "skinny"! I ate two and was so full and happy. Here's the thing though, I entered in both recipes yesterday to my account online and the banana bread is 8 points a slice and the chinichangas? 13 points each!!!!! Yeowzers! I used up 26 of my weekly allowance in one day!!! Good thing I didn't eat a donut too! Oh well, I still enjoyed my Chinese food with my dad yesterday and I just made up for it with popcorn for dinner. :) Very boring confession and I know that no one really cares, but I feel better now and it's my blog right?!

I got a new camera! It's nothing too fancy but it's new and takes MUCH better pictures than my really old one. This camera was also free which makes it even cooler! It's a Panasonic lumix pocket camera and fits in my purse wonderfully. Thanks to the one perk we get from Russ traveling for work, we redeemed a bunch of air miles and purchased a new camera! Did you know you can do that? How cool right? I will hopefully have more pictures for you now because I don't hate my camera!

I have been taking some custom orders form my etsy shop and I just love it! It makes me so happy to make something to suit someone exactly. If you want to have something that I don't have listed just shoot me an email and we'll work together to get it just how you want it! conniealibby@gmail.com

Oh other great news!!!! I have six diaper clutches available and I'd love to clear them out to make room for some summer patterns! So I'm having a sale on diaper clutches this week! 15% off with the coupon code "summer" at checkout. This code it only good for diaper clutches and only until Sunday. If you've been wanting one, snatch it up while it's on sale! These make excellent baby shower gifts and are the perfect item for someone with an older infant too! They're so great for on the go diaper changes and super convenient when you don't need the whole diaper bag! Go to the shop and take a peak!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend celebrating your Fathers! I just love my Dad so much and had a great time watching my kids honor their own dad all day. I'll post more on that tomorrow! Happy Monday all!

Fostering Friday

2011-06-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

These last two weeks have been a blur. My Grandpa has moved to Rehab, my Grandma is now settled in assisted living, we went to the orthodontist (and made an appointment for Ethan to get braces in August), we are planning and preparing to go on our missin trip to Eastern Oregon next Friday, celebrated the little baby's birthday, had a girls (and baby) only weekend while Ethan and Russ went camping, I dyed my hair from a box for the first time, had two visits with two different doctors for the babe (including a BUNCH of shots, boo) and ended the craziness with Bunko at Real Deals with my gal pals last night! Wild! We are just sorting out how to make it feel like summer after being home together all year and the weather being so cold and weird. I think I need to go to the beach or camping to make it really feel like summer vacation. I have been BUSY!!!

I also just don't really know what to say about Fostering right now. I'm sad, and anxious for the next hearing. But I'm loving all the new things our sweet boy can do and how much fun he is. I don't want to get caught up in the emotions of what might be, I just want to enjoy making memories and providing growing experiences for this little life. We don't know how much time we'll have with this beautiful little guy, just the summer, or maybe much longer. It's hard not to know. I can't prepare. I really don't have to know either. The one thing that is really helping me stay in a healthy place mentally and not be consumed with the emotional roller coaster is scripture. Whenever I start feeling like worrying, or feel sad about all the possibilities and how each one will effect our little man and us, I think about Phillipians 4:8.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is TRUE, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

None of the things that I can come up with in my mind are true. Because they haven't happened yet! What is true is that the baby is safely sleeping in his bed right now about to wake and have a sunshiny day with us. What is true is that we love him. The rest is all speculation. We don't know how this will turn out or how it will affect him. Only God knows that, and He doesn't want me to worry about it. I am just to lay my burdens at His feet and He will carry them for me. I am to obey and enjoy loving this precious life He's blessed us with for however long He sees is right. I am just to rest in His arms of love and believe that He is stronger than any circumstance. And I do. Please pray with us for God's best for our sweet baby and for God's peace for our family as we love him through this journey!

Bible/Book covers

2011-06-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

So, these are finally available in my etsy shop. I've been working super hard to get this project off the ground and a nice selection available. I have only made them one size for now, fitting a 6.5 x 9.5 bible. But if you have a smaller or bigger Bible or any other book that needs a sturdy cover, please don't hesitate to make a custom order. I am happy to make any size that you need in any of the patterns I have available. Just send me a conversation from my etsy shop, or email me directly (conniealibby@gmail.com) and give me the specifics! I love to do custom orders to suit your needs so don't be shy!!

This lovely new pattern is Amy Butler laminated cotton and it's so pretty and girly!! I have another Amy Butler fabric choice showcasing later this week so stay tuned. You may be wondering why I don't just show you all the final projects at once. The answer has two parts, one is that I kinda love the suspense, and the other is that it keeps my shop fresh and at the front of the search pack, among the millions of etsy shops, when I list items regularly and not all at once. So there you have it, sorry if that's inconvenient!

These Bible covers are such a great alternative to the bulky Bible covers of yesteryear. These are streamlined and sleek, not taking up extra room or adding bulk to the already packed arms of most of us mommies! Also you have the added benefit of being able to wipe them clean. The laminated cotton is a very durable and flexible fabric that gives an allstar performance as a Bible cover.

The covers are fully lined with a coordinating cotton fabric and are held closed by a vintage button and elastic loop. So beautiful and yet so practical! So if you're in the market for a fun, fresh Bible cover, run over to my shop and snatch one up for yourself! (And maybe a friend, sister and mom too!)

They're Listed!

2011-06-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

The Bible covers are in the shop! Click here to go see them!

Have fun shopping and check back all this week for even more design choices!

Wait for it......

2011-06-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

Coming later today!!! Laminated cotton bible covers!

I'll be listing two patterns today and more to come! I'll post again when they're actually in the shop. Thanks for your patience, I've been feeling uncreative and slow lately, but I think I'm back in the groove now.

This weekend was glorious with my Dad's 70th birthday BBQ bash at my parents and a fun surprise BBQ with friends after church yesterday. The weather was hot and sunny and the fellowship was priceless. My parents planted silver dollars and half dollars in the woods and the kids got to go on a treasure hunt with my Dad's new metal detector. They had so much fun! My kids can't stop counting their money. So fun.

The only dark spot is that my Grandpa is in the hospital, he had a surgery and now has pneumonia. We're praying and visiting and trusting in God's plan. He will be 90 years old in a few months! Isn't that amazing, and yesterday he and my Grandma celebrated 65 years of marriage!!! Sad that it was in a hospital room but all their children and their spouses were there and it was a special moment anyway.

Pray with me for comfort and healing!

Fostering Friday

2011-06-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hello world! I've been out of it for a week! I was in a bit of a funk and having a hard time getting motivated or inspired to do much of anything beyond the daily grind. I did not feel like sewing and that is just a shame! That is why the beautiful bible covers have yet to appear! But they are coming, I have a bunch prepped and ready to finish and with the sunshine streaming in today I'm feeling my motivation returning! Hopefully I'll have some ready by this afternoon to list for you.

My schedule is looking different now and that means figuring out new ways to do things. I'm sure that is part of the slump. The baby is taking two solid naps now that really can't be missed if we can help it. He is too big to sleep on the go and really out of it if he misses a nap. Add that to the fact that we're a half hour from anything so we can barely get in, do something and get back before the next nap. That means we're home, all. the. time. I need to settle in a bit I think and keep busy. Also now that he is fully mobile and oh so active, I can't sew while he's awake. My sewing room is also the lego room and legos and babies don't mix. It's just about figuring out a new game plan, as all mom's of babies and toddlers understand, it's never the same, as soon as you settle into one routine it all turns upside down and you have to figure out a new one.

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It was a weird week emotionally too. There were a lot of big things going on behind the scenes with our baby. I made a day trip with the caseworker to visit some family and I felt very positive after the visit. It was hard, sad, long and exhausting but also strangely beautiful and sweet. I feel like we made a few memories for them and that is priceless. We still don't know the end result of this little boy's journey through foster care but I have a much clearer understanding of this case than ever before.

We are blessed to have a wonderful caseworker who loves this family and this little boy and works her tail off to make things go smoothly. I have a renewed respect and admiration for the people who have been led to do that incredible work. It is so tough and they face challenges and sorrow every day, all day. But they are making a difference in a big way, protecting and providing safety and love for these little broken children. They care so much, it's an amazing thing to behold. I was so glad to be in a car for 2 1/2 hours with this women and be able to discuss the details and decisions concerning our baby. I was refreshed and encouraged by the conversations we had. Now I have a full heart and am laying my requests at the Lord's feet. I see a way that seems like the best plan to me, but I do trust that whatever is God's way, even if different than mine, is the best way for this little one. Please join me in petitioning our great God about our upcoming trial this month. Pray that the judge will take to heart the tender age of this child and move to action sooner rather than waiting. That's really all I can share but God knows the situation even if you don't. Please lift up our sweet baby boy and pray with us that he will be spared much heartache.

Our family is just in love with this child and we so desire the best possible outcome for him. There are some very trying things that come our way through all of this but it is so worth the pain to see him healthy, whole and well adjusted. I praise God he has called us to do this incredible work. He gets all the glory.

Fostering Friday

2011-05-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

So 'Walk Me Home' was so fun! Our whole family was there and we saw tons of people we knew form fostering, one special couple was there that sort of mentors us and are so encouraging. We also so many friends from church that came out to support foster care! It touched my heart so much to see all these dear people show up on a Saturday to stand behind a ministry I care so much about. They didn't do it for me, but I sure benefited by seeing how compassionate and loving these sweet people are and how they want to make a difference in one child's life. Many of the familiar faces help put on and coordinate our church Foster Parent Night Out and have been touching the lives of foster children that way for a whole year. Many others are just so encouraging and supportive of all the foster families at church and help out with childcare and give special gifts and cards at just the right time. Still others I saw are respite care providers that play such an important role in foster care. Foster parents need a break sometimes and having loving respite families who are ready and willing to take foster kids takes a lot of pressure off. I'm so blessed by the body of believers I am so privileged to serve with at Salem Heights and I want them all to know how their caring has touched my heart and renewed my faith in people.I love that there are so many ways to help care for and love foster children. It's not just foster families. It takes all these roles working together to give best care to these kids.

Before the walk/run, Billy Cordero shared a sweet story that so beautifully paints a picture of how I feel about fostering I thought I'd share it here as well.

The Starfish StoryOriginal Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"

The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."

"Son," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said,
"I made a difference for that one."

Right now my family is trying to make a difference for this one. He is so precious and in need of love and safety and we're doing what we can do, for this one. There are more than 13,000 children in foster care in Oregon. I cannot possibly help all of them, but to this little baby I hold in my arm, I pray I'm making a difference.On child at a time.

As National foster care month comes to close, I hope you'll continue to pray for, support, love and encourage the foster families you know and consider how you can help change the life of even just one child.

wild weather

2011-05-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

So my hubby survived the crazy weather in Indiana yesterday and for that I'm thankful. He drove through a really nasty thunder and lightning storm with ping pong size hail, and there were multiple tornado warnings, but he never saw a tornado, thank goodness! I was a bit nervous and worried but he kept me updated and that helped me know he was safe. But more than that I just had to place him in God's hands and remember that God knows the number of our days and He will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Him. Russ comes home today and I can't wait to see him! I'm praying though, for all the families who have lost people they love in a tornado and will not get that joyful reunion until heaven, if they believe in Jesus. Natural disasters are a hard thing to accept sometimes and the devastation they can cause is giant! But our great God is sovereign AND good and He is in control. For that I am thankful.

Hailey woke up this morning and with sleep still in her eyes she mumbled something to me. I didn't hear her clearly and leaned in closer to hear what she said. I imagined it was "good morning," or "I love you mom," but no. She said sleepily "Can I have grits?" Grits. Hhmmm. Well sure honey, let's go make some grits.My daughter and food, she's so much like I was as a kid. My dad always asked me if I had a hollow leg, I loved to eat. My dad also hated to share his food with me. But I would sit there with my mouth open like a baby bird waiting for him to share with me. He always did. He's sweet like that. That's where Hailey's love for grits comes form. Not my dad, but her dad. He loves grits with a little butter and sugar and Hailey wants to eat whatever he is eating just like I did. He shared with her one day and she's loved them ever since. I guess today is a grits kind of day, I hope that's a good thing!

The granola bars were good, according to my kids. I think I'll make them in a bigger pan next time so they are thinner and more like a real granola bar. These are more like bar cookies. They are a super snack though, give it a try, it's easy! Here's where I found the recipe.

I'm heading out today with my kids to see a play, last field trip of the year. I get to go with my SIL and her sweet daughter and it should be really fun! I didn't get as much accomplished on the bible covers as I wanted to yesterday and I'll be gone for a chunk of today so I may not have as many available Friday as I hoped. But I'll have some and they'll just keep coming. My kids are feeling a bit better today, yucky spring cold, just hope I don't catch it!

Looky looky

2011-05-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Look what the UPS man brought me on Monday! Laminated cotton for bible covers!!! I already cut into them and I should have some listed by Friday! So fun!

Here's an update on my to do list.

Laundry is finished and put away

Bathrooms and kitchen are clean and I started working on the bible covers and banners

We are all surviving Russ being gone, even with sick kids, because I'm reading my bible and praying for extra help

I'm doing great on weight watchers, hummus and reduced fat triscuts were my yummy snack yesterday

I cooked dinner last night, sausage, potatoes and onions. Easy but that's okay, right?

Baby didn't sleep much yesterday but Jesus helped me being sweet and caring instead of impatient

Zippy pouches may not get done, I'm okay with that
I've been working out with Jillian and am feeling so strong!

Kids and I made homemade granola bars this morning, they love them and they are fairly healthy!

Boy bags are probably a project for next week.

Loved snuggling my big boy yesterday watching TV because he has a cold. Sweet moments.

Here's the granola bars cooling. I'm too impatient to wait until they are cut to post this!

Yummy Mexican Chicken Soup

2011-05-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Why do I say yummy so often? It's my go to word to describe something tasty.

"This apple is yummy."

"I call this 'yummy cake'"

"I think I'll title my post Yummy Mexican Chicken Soup!"

Okay, anyway, I made this soup last night and it was...well, yummy! I thought I'd share the recipe with you in case you'd want to try something yummy! I promise not to say yummy again. ;)

Here's the scoop:

The Barefoot Contessa's Mexican Chicken Soup

4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Good olive oil

salt and balck pepper

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

2 cups chopped carrots

4 large garlic cloves,chopped

2 1/2 quarts chicken stock

1 28oz can whole tomatos in puree, crushed

2 to 4 jalapenos, seeded and minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander seed

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 (6inch) white corn tortillas

Directions: Preheat oven to 350, place chicken on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbs of olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until onion starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 Tbs salt, 1tsp of black pepper, and cilantro. Cut tortillas in half and then cut them crosswise into 1/2 inch strips and add to soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Shred chicken and add to the soup. Serve the soup hot with sliced avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, and broken tortilla chips if desired.

So I tweaked it just a tad to suit my families tastes. First I cooked the chicken about 20 minutes longer so it was actually cooked all the way. I'm sure the barefoot contessa intended it to be that way. Then I substituted jalapenos for 1 can of green chilies since my kids won't eat it if it's to spicy. I didn't have coriander so I left it out and I used the pacific natural foods organic chicken stock because I think it's ~~yummy~~ delicious and not as salty as other brands. I topped mine with sour cream and avocado and left off the chips and cheese. This meal was sooo filling and really ~~yummy~~ tasty. My kids ate it up and even the hubs ate it without gobs of hot sauce! It was really flavorful and the tortillas, which I was nervous about being mushy, apparently melted and just added a hint of tortilla flavor that was very pleasing. Over all this gets 5 stars from me considering it feeds a crowd, was easy to prepare and, here's the kicker, was only 4 points per serving!! You better believe that this will definitely make for a ~~yummy~~ satisfying lunch tomorrow!

To do this week

2011-05-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

To Do:

LAUNDRY! ( so very behind on this)

deep clean kitchen and bathrooms (ewww)

make a whole bunch of beautiful bible covers and list them in the etsy shop ( Keep your eyes open for all new products)

survive my husband being away on business for two nights, victoriously! (victory in Jesus)

read my bible and pray (definitely the key to surviving the week)

stick to weight watchers and lose two more pounds (doing good so far, still more to go)

make dinner for the kids while daddy is gone ( we usually just eat cereal)

be patient and compassionate with my sick, teething baby (poor cranky kid, love him though)

make tiny zippy pouches to list for teacher gifts ideas (are you looking for a little gift? Tuck some lip gloss or a gift card into a cute, ruffley zippy pouch for a handmade touch)

workout with Jillian every day (she's a slave driver)

make spring and 4th of July banners (these are so cute)

do one cooking project with the kiddos ( the three chefs, at it again!)

finish the boy bag prototype ( I know, I know, I'm taking forever, soon I promise)

enjoy each moment I have with my family and try not to sweat the small stuff

So yeah, the hubs will be out of town for part of the week and we have a lot on our plate. I'm feeling a bit concerned when I think about being on my own with these three busy kids. Here's a big shout out to all you single moms, or military wives! You are amazing!

So I'm planning ahead and making some goals to make it a great week. Lists motivate me and keep me on track. This is just my broad list for the whole week, there will be smaller more detailed lists each day that will include these things on different days. Some of these things will get put on each list simply to remind me to have a trusting heart and happy attitude.

Do you use lists, do you love them like me?

Fostering Friday

2011-05-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow is the awesome Walk me Home Fundraiser for Foster care at Corban university. If you are available and want to get out and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine then come join us! I am so pleased that I was wrong about soccer and can actually attend this event! It starts at 9:30am, be there!

My whole family is going and we're probably going to do the 1k family walk since we'll have the baby and have yet to buy a jogger stroller. That is definitely on my list of things to buy! As this sweet baby grows older we're needing a bit more equipment! So I'll probably have the baby in the sling and we'll be walking along together! Come on out! You know you want to! There is a 5k walk/run also for the more ambitious and then Adam's Smokehouse is providing lunch, just $5 a plate and all proceeds go to foster care! I don't know if you've ever eaten at Adam's but it's a favorite around here. We've eaten there more than once while our kids are enjoying Foster Parent Night Out! Hailey is always so sad though when she finds out we've eaten there without her. She LOVES ribs and begs us to take her there. So we'll be eating there for sure! $5! Do it!

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I am still wrestling with the situation regarding our little man. It's so hard to make decisions when you are bombarded by different emotions and advice. But I do know that I have to be wary of my ever changing emotions and trust in the rock of my salvation who holds all things in His hands. I am continually thankful for my Godly husband who keeps me rational and reminds me of what is true. He doesn't let me spiral down into crazyville. I have a tendency to do that if I go unchecked. We are continually praying and seeking God's face and He is faithful and just to answer our every need.

One thing I'm the most worried about is the impact the changes will have on my children when they come. My oldest in particular is so fully attached. But God is in control of that as well. It was beautifully shown to me this week. I was at DHS waiting in the foster parent waiting room with my kiddos during a visit. They were playing with a delightful sibling group that was having a meet up there. And in walked the foster parent trainer! I never see her around the building and she is so busy. But she just wanted to stop by and see what was going on at the moment! I was so happy to have a bit of face time with this woman I really admire! She asked me a few questions and when I told her my last name she remembered me! She is amazing! Even more she read me so clearly and asked if I would be interested in bringing my kids to a grief and loss class she is giving. I was astounded. How did she know so quickly that my deepest worry was for my children going through the grieving process when our little man does have to go? She even took care of signing me up! Our God is so great and leads us so perfectly in His will if we just rest in Him. He wants to bear our burdens and provide a way to healing. I'm so thankful for His tender care, fleshed out in this wonderful example of a woman who loves children and families so much!

Sunshine!!!

2011-05-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

When the sun comes out in Oregon everyone goes outside! After all the rain the sunshine looks even more inviting. I think we appreciate it so much more than places that are sunny year round and we don't want to waste a drop! It's been a long rainy spring so far and we're starved for the sun.

This weekend is supposed to be nice and I'm thrilled!!! We're heading to the park in a bout an hour and my kiddos are pumped. Nothing like sitting in the sun listening to your kids running around all crazy happy to be outside! Here's a couple picks of the one nice day we had last week with Allie visiting.

They are nuts, what can I say?

Pennant banners!

2011-05-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

I have another new item to show you! I made a couple of custom orders and have decided to put these into the shop. They are banners, perfect for holiday's or just for fun! So far I've made a few for baby nurseries, a birthday and a patriotic welcome home. But the possibilities are endless! I'm planning on a few that say SPRING and some fourth of July that say freedom, liberty and such. Right now I don't have any to list in the shop because I have orders that will need to be done first. But in the next week or so I'll have some spring banners up for grabs.

Speaking of orders...I love them!! If you have a saying or color combo you'd like me to make up for you I would be happy to accommodate! You can email me at conniealibby@gmail.com or convo me on my etsy shop and we can work out the details!

These banners are made from quality fabric and are stabilized with interfacing. They are finished with a secure zigzag stitch and can have several different things hold them all together, such as: ribbon, ric rac or bias tape. Each one has a different look and all are so cute! Hope you like them!

What would you like your banner to say?

Kisses!

2011-05-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Thanks you all so much for the lunch ideas! I'm full (hee hee) of great ideas now! See, I knew you had it in you! You were just holding out until you knew I meant business! I really appreciate all your input and I do know that you all care about me, even silly things like lunch, and was just being a stinker about saying you didn't yesterday! Love you all!!

So I wanted to let you in on a great idea I stumbled on last week. I had the pleasure of having a really fun addition to my family for most of the week. Little Allie got to come and stay with us all day while her mom got an opportunity to work.The first day Hailey and Allie were in their own little imaginary world. I barely noticed them. The second day they played outside almost the whole day and I really only had to redirect them about playing in the water. It was so hot you know, like 70 degrees! That means getting the pool out to little girls. I don't think so. By the third day I knew the kiddos were going to need some help if we were going to have a squabble free day with no mention of the dreaded, "we're bored!" So I cooked up a plan, a way to encourage them to do actual activities that they always turn down when I suggest them. When Allie came I sat them down and told them that I would have a series of challenges that they could accomplish that day and for each challenge finished they could earn a Hershey kiss!

They were so excited! They scrambled to begin the first challenge and continued with enthusiasm all day. It worked like a charm and they had so much fun. I hardly had to do anything and it had a giant pay off: busy, happy kids!

So here is a list of some of the challenges I gave the kids but you could add just about anything. I kept it to fun, play things because we had a friend over, but you could definitely add some chores to that list too and maybe add a bonus kiss for each chore they choose to complete.

1 kiss for each puzzle completed anytime during the day.

( this was a favorite)

Build a lego tower

The Lego towers, Ethan's, Allie's and Hailey's.

make a nest with an egg out of playdoh

Allie's tiny nest

Hailey 's geometric nest

color an entire picture

Allie and Hailey's artwork!

find the biggest and smallest shell in the collection

play outside for half an hour

ride bikes for 15 minutes

Ethan earned extra kisses by naming each planet and a few moons too!

The cool thing about this is that it was all about doing things we already had but the kids had forgotten how fun they can be. They enjoyed being creative and were so proud of all the things they accomplished. The bonus was that they got engrossed in each activity and spent a long time working on them. They enjoyed the process not just the reward. When they went outside to ride bikes I heard them playing an exploring game that lasted much longer than 15 minutes and they had a blast. The challenges provided them the groundwork to open up their creativity and to enjoy the simple things of childhood! I think this is a valuable activity that I will pull out on some of those long summer days when the kids need a little inspiration to get them going. The hardest part was keeping my hands out of the kisses!

Random Monday thoughts...you know you love them.

2011-05-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

So first things first. Apparently Erin is the only one who cares about my lunch dilemma. I appreciated the baked potato idea. It was yummy and surprisingly filling. I am still wide open for suggestions people. The mac n cheese is calling my name. I know, you don't care, but that's really okay.

Also I have crazy brain again and thought that the fabulous Walk Me Home event happening to support foster care was THIS weekend instead of NEXT weekend. So I told you all I couldn't go because Ethan had his last soccer game. Yeah, that was on Saturday and the walk/ run is next Saturday. So I WILL be going! And you should too! It'll be fun, we'll get a little exercise, it's for you're whole family and it supports foster care! Plus, I'll be there and that's fun right?

It's Monday and I'm tired. Tired from waking up early and working out with the ever militant Jillian Micheals. I wanted to tell her to shut-up this morning. But we don't say shut-up in our house. I thought it instead. Probably not okay either.

Now here's the good stuff. I heard the baby making noises this morning around 7:30am and went in to get him up. ( I am putting him to bed for the night in my sewing room and it's working beautifully) When I walked in I saw a diaper clad baby with socks on and nothing else. I was confused. Who had undressed him? Where were his jammies? I peeked under his blanket and there were his pajamas, still all buttoned up. How did he do it? How did he get out of his jammies entirely by himself without opening one snap? He was sleeping naked for who knows how long. I put him to bed all cozy and clothed at 8pm last night and at some point through the night he managed to disrobe. His is very wiggly, but good heavens! He's the next Houdini I tell you! I wish I had one of those video monitors so I could check to see if he still has clothes on in the night! Poor little cold baby! What am I going to do about that?!

I hope you all have a marvelous Monday! I am off to power through some more school work with the kiddos!