the droog family

listening skills

2012-01-18T08:36:00.003-06:00

the other night dan was reading to the kids before bed. while eden sat and listened to the story, carter rolled around doing somersaults and interrupting and the like. eden said, 'carter, you need to listen to the story! daddy is going to stop reading if you don't sit and listen!'

and carter said, 'eden, daddy already knows i don't listen to stories.'

hmph.

carter tells a joke

2011-12-27T19:40:00.000-06:00

carter and eden are really into jokes lately.

carter has a few versions of the old classic.

carter: why did the chicken cross the road?

me: why?

carter (shouting very loudly): i don't know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

carter: why did the chicken cross the road?

me: why?

carter (shouting again): to go to the hospital!!!!!!!!!!!!!

carter: why did the chicken cross the road?

me: why?

carter (slightly softer, but no much): to see chapman!!!!!!

no boys allowed (and other rules)

2011-12-25T17:43:00.000-06:00

these three girls have some serious fun when they are together. but they do NOT like to be bothered by the 'little kids'. hence, a few door signs that carter the two year old and dylan the one year old can not read, and therefore do not listen to.

today

2011-12-12T16:47:00.003-06:00

today has been a bit of a somber monday. we learned some sad news about our adoption.

but i have hope.

as i watch my children playing in the yard i know that God knows exactly what His plan is for our family. God loves every single one of His children, whether they are playing in a backyard in Houston, or playing on a dirt pile behind an orphanage in Africa. He loves them when they are joyful and when they are despairing; every moment of time. He knows who belongs where and when. so i will trust Him.

thankful in houston

2011-11-27T10:30:00.006-06:00

just finished up a wonderful thanksgiving holiday. several of dan's family made the trip (they drove from grand junction, colorado and orange city, iowa-we are talking LONG roadtrips y'all!) to celebrate with us here in houston this year and it was great! we packed a lot into a short few days: children's museum, downtown parade, museum of natural science, and of course a mini tour of houston, droog style. we sampled shipley donuts, kolaches, and lupe tortillla. oh, and let's not forget the actual thanksgiving meal! let's just say we ate well this past week. but the best part was the time spent together. the kids played nonstop, and of course droog's can't get together with out some 'penny penny hands up'. all in all, a fabulous time!

Fact or Fiction -- If its fiction, they need to use their imagination!

2011-11-17T15:25:00.004-06:00

On the way to school in the morning E and I usually:

1. Do math, she will use my iphone to check our calculations of complex formulas like: "if you have 3 apples and you take 2 away, how many do you have, daddy?" (She likes math); or

2. She reads the letters from a sign or car or truck and will ask what that spells? (I am not good at this so she knows to play with mom and not dad); or lately

3. She wants to ask me if something is a fact or fiction. Here she suggests we listen to the talking man on the radio (which is NPR Morning Edition). The other day the show was recapping the Republican debate in which Rick Perry forgot the department of the federal government he proposed cutting and said "Opps."

This is how our conversation played out:
E: Is this fact or fiction?
Me: Well, that is a good question.
E: How come you tell me something is a good question and then don't answer?
Me: Because it is not easy to know how to answer all your questions.
E: Well, you said something was either a fact or fiction. (Note: we play opposites as well)
Me: Yes but it is not always easy to tell if someone is truthfully stating a fact or making something up, which could be fiction or could be just not telling the truth.
E: If this is fiction, they need to use their imagination!
Me: Now that is a fact!

trying for fall

2011-11-04T11:23:00.002-05:00

the weather has cooled in houston this week and we are oh so thankful.

so thankful in fact, that the kids dug out hats and mittens and begged for hot chocolate by the fire. if you know me, you know i have no problem with this, even at 60 degrees.

friday... and every day!

2011-10-21T10:18:00.003-05:00

this morning we learned that we have been approved and placed on the waitlist with our baby home in Uganda. although much is still unknown, we can abide in God's love and trust in His faithfulness everyday!

this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it

psalm 118:24

moms are the best

2011-10-19T20:42:00.001-05:00

my mama came to town for a visit and it was great!

this is a typical morning with my mom:

everyone is up bright and early.

grandma makes coffee and the kids comment on it (dan and i don't drink coffee so they associate it with her)

mom looks around and says, 'your windows are dirty, let's clean them'.

i say 'ok'

so we wash all the windows.

this same scenario plays out with different projects each day. i love it!!!! my drawers are organized, the ironing is done, our garage is swept and straightened, our porch is cleaned out, lasagna is in the freezer, party mix is made, and on and on.

not to mention both eden and carter had tons of loving grandma time. i am so very thankful for my mom who comes to see us and helps us and loves us and accepts us and prays for us and encourages us. aren't moms great?

sunday afternoon at the zoo

2011-10-16T19:46:00.003-05:00

happy 3rd birthday to our buddy chapman!

i'm on a boat!

2011-10-10T13:43:00.003-05:00

special thanks to our great friends brent and adrienne for buying a boat so that we can all have a reason to look fabulous drinking champagne in full nautical attire.

we spent a gorgeous day at the harborwalk and out on the water and it was so much fun!

yay for boats (especially ones that fit 8 adults and 8 kids!)

lately

2011-09-30T08:42:00.008-05:00

celebrating my 34th with dan (and a group of sweet friends who really surprised me!)

a 'day at the farm' with friends from gbc. we love our church family!

savoring the last days of summer. (but i promise you, we are VERY ready for cooler weather!)

a carter sandwich

reflection (this little guy misses his big sister now that she goes to school every day)

sorry it's been awhile since i posted. our little family has been keeping busy with school, work, play, and life in general. we do, however, have some news to share. after much conviction, prayer, thought, conversation, and consideration, we have begun the process of adopting a child into our family. many of you are already aware of this decision, and we thank you for your love, support, questions, letters of recommendation, and advice. we are excited and anxious, but more than anything we want to be faithful stewards of God's resources and unfailing love and we believe part of this calling for our family is to provide a home for a child who is without one. we pray that you will support us through this journey. it could be a long one, but we are okay with that.

When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2b

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.
Psalms 68:5-6

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31:8-9

donde esta?

2011-09-05T14:48:00.004-05:00

if i didn't tell you, would you know these are pictures from michigan?

God's mighty hand is undeniable.

something new

2011-08-22T12:10:00.003-05:00

every once in awhile, i am surprised by the way emotional feelings manifest themselves when it comes to parenting. last night, as i lay awake in the middle of the night, anxious, sad, excited, happy, and ready for my daughter's first day of school, i could physically feel my heart aching. is that possible? it must be. there is just something about letting go that is really hard.

(by the way, carter has asked me no less than 10 times already 'where's eden? let's go get her'. i think this adustment might be hardest for the one who lost his best playmate. thankful for weekends!)

fishin'

2011-08-19T12:44:00.003-05:00

on the dock at peaceful lake brevoort

bump

2011-08-17T12:42:00.003-05:00

i asked eden and carter to stand together for a picture and they went running at each other, arms outstretched, and banged heads super hard. so this was the picture i ended up with.

yesterday

2011-08-14T14:12:00.002-05:00

was a very long day. we left the michigan upper peninsula for the greenbay airport at 7:30AM, and arrived home in houston at 3:30AM. super fun times.

here are a few upsides to the day:
1) i now know that flying with my kids after midnight is the one way i can get them to sleep on a plane
2) i beat my high score on fruit ninja
3) since united lost our plane, emotions were heightened at gate b-2 at o'hare, and we got to witness airport security breaking up a fight
4) i bought a snuggie (this is embarrassing, but it was freaking cold at 11PM in the airport!
5) we had a wonderful week celebrating my parents 40th wedding anniversary and it was totally worth it
6) they finally found our airplane.

pics of the beautiful upper peninsula to come soon...

port a

2011-08-02T13:41:00.004-05:00

spent the weekend with friends at the beach in port aransas.

tropical storm don fizzled out before coming ashore so our weather was great, and we pretty much spent all our time on the beach or in the pool. as it should be.

unfortunately, my camera broke (seriously, this sucks) while there so i only got a few pics. i had this goal of taking a "real family picture" which obviously did not happen. either way, we had a blast playing and relaxing in the sand and surf.

quote

2011-08-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

the other day eden said to me, "mommy, i am a little bit big and a little bit little."

so true.

heat wave

2011-07-27T19:28:00.004-05:00

while the rest of the nation is reeling from the crazy hot temps, we in houston are just doin' what we always do to survive our usual 3+ months of 100 degree weather- two choices: a/c or pool. it's that simple.

bubblebath

2011-07-26T16:24:00.003-05:00

bad haircut, banged up eye, and bubble bath. all in a day's work for carter.

13 years

2011-07-17T16:20:00.004-05:00

13 years, three states, eight homes, lots of jobs, one dog, two children. thankful for all of it, and for what is to come.

these girls

2011-07-14T10:55:00.002-05:00

emma kate and eden have pretty much known each other since birth. i hope they are friends forever, because friends for life is something kind of special.

the entertainer

2011-07-14T10:42:00.004-05:00

sometimes, when carter is doing his thing (like a minute ago i found him standing on two large boxes preaching about wearing lifejackets to his stuffed dinosaur, mater, and a matchbox car), i hear the song 'the entertainer' playing in my head. this kid is nonstop motion.

five (and in between)

2011-07-05T20:49:00.007-05:00

how did this happen? my heart is bursting with love.

(but there is an ache there too.)

eden christine, happy 5th my sweet eldest.

4th

2011-07-05T07:46:00.001-05:00

it was a fun weekend with friends, food, fireworks, and margaritas. my new rule is-- don't drink more margaritas (or beer) than water, especially in the summer in houston... stay hydrated, y'all!

only a mother....

2011-06-30T14:29:00.002-05:00

would capture the process of her kid fake picking his nose.

and think it's kind of cute. gross, but cute.

ping pong

2011-06-25T14:18:00.003-05:00

dinner

2011-06-21T18:26:00.003-05:00

this dad

2011-06-19T19:12:00.001-05:00

is the best.

red cloud

2011-06-11T16:11:00.005-05:00

"You will go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."

Isaiah 55:12

summer nights

2011-06-03T09:03:00.002-05:00

Raul Malo's newest fans

rolling down the grassy knoll... (i just wanted to use the term grassy knoll)

in other language news. ever since we went to the astros game, every so often carter and eden will spontaneously shout "go astros" or "c'mon astros!". but when carter shouts it, it does not sound like 'astros'. it sounds like "go a--holes!"

and then eden asks me why i am laughing so hard.

all-american

2011-05-31T13:52:00.004-05:00

what started as a weekend with no plans turned into an all-american good time.

the order of events went pretty much like this:

car shopping, swimming, hamburgers, ice cream, park, more swimming, naps, car shopping, astros game (e and c's first, thoroughly enjoyable as long as they had the snacks to go with the baseball), church, naps, more swimming, bbq, beach, and even more bbq. we heart long weekends!

flushed

2011-05-24T16:06:00.002-05:00

summer has begun here in houston. which means my children have flushed cheeks for the next 4 months.

sunlight

2011-05-20T13:25:00.002-05:00

am i texan yet?

2011-05-20T13:23:00.004-05:00

do i qualify as honorary texan if i get really excited when this comes in the mail? or do i need to subscribe to texas monthly too? or some magazine about guns or hunting or bbq?

city farm boy

2011-05-13T12:59:00.002-05:00

the other day e and c were talking about iowa and farms. then c decided to make himself into a farm. of course, as soon as he finished putting all the stickers on himself he got really mad and wanted them all off immediately.

2011-05-08T12:54:00.012-05:00

Julie as mother . . .

A picture is worth a thousand words, particularly when a thousand words are not enough. Thank you.

- happy mothers day from eden, carter and your husband

hard at work

2011-05-05T13:14:00.004-05:00

car rides

2011-05-02T19:56:00.002-05:00

lately, riding in the car with my kids is super fun. i am being sarcastic.
for some reason, if the radio is on, they only want to listen to spanish music. and then, every time we pull up to a stoplight, carter yells, 'GO, MOM' over and over until the light turns green. and not in a cute way.

not to mention, our car has broken down twice in the last 2 weeks. if i ever told you i loved hyundai's, i lied.

let's hear it for monday!

sibs

2011-05-01T19:14:00.002-05:00

happy easter!

2011-04-24T14:08:00.002-05:00

i taught sunday school for eden's class this morning, and what a joy it was to hear 15 (it was a busy sunday at our church!) little 4-5 year olds shouting, 'He is risen, He is risen INDEED!'

on a more secular note, carter has been greeting people by saying, 'happy easter egg!'

and then he usually shows them his injured middle finger.

puppy love

2011-04-23T20:33:00.002-05:00

seriously, how cute is she?

this is lucy about 8 years ago.

i'm not going to lie, i liked her a lot better back then.

but who wouldn't?

this girl

2011-04-23T19:16:00.000-05:00

is growing so fast. but in a such a good way. i love seeing what a sweet (and sometimes extremely overprotective) big sister she is to carter. i love how excited she gets by small things like sharing popsicles with her friends or telling her teacher about the lizard her cousin jake caught. i love her imagination, and her gentle heart. i especially love her dimples, which she gets from her daddy. my delightful eden.

my apologies

2011-04-16T15:00:00.003-05:00

if you see carter and he flips you off, he can't help it. why? well, because his mom almost cut that sweet, chubby, little middle finger off. it has taken me four days to decompress enough to post about the incident. but since most of y'all who read our blog already know what happened, i figured i owed you a picture at least. and if you're interested, here is the story: i accidentally closed the back door on carter's middle right finger tuesday night. we made quick work getting to the nearest ER and i ran in carrying a bleeding, diaper-clad carter (with a makeshift compress to stop the blood) and shouting to anyone within earshot, "i think i cut off his finger! help us! my baby's finger is coming off!". i guess i expected the ER to be kind of hectic and loud, but it was kind of like i walked into a library. but i was too panicked to be embarrassed. they got him into triage right away, and we put a cold compress on it. then he got xrayed, and then after a little wait, the ER dr (whose name was dr. house) stitched him up. his bone was not severed, and his finger should heal fine, with or without a fingernail is yet to be seen. carter was such a brave little guy, alternating with crying, screaming, laughing, calling the sterile gauze roll a donut, sharing his stickers (with his good hand), and saying at least 100 times, 'i need to go home mommy'. eden and dan were so wonderful, eden sat in the waiting room and prayed over and over for her little brother. my heart was (and still is) sick about the whole thing. but i have been assured by both the ER staff and pretty much everyone who sees him with many similar accidental 'severing stories'. but it was a humbling week for me as a mother, i feel as though i have lost the right to ever give any type of parenting advice again. all i can do is hug that little blond ball of energy (yes, even with a bum hand he is unstoppable) a million times over and try to forgive myself. thanks for all the kind words and prayers.

fun times

2011-04-10T15:34:00.003-05:00

my brother josh, wife shawn, and their cute kids jake, anna, sylvie jane, and dylan came down to visit from michigan for a long weekend. we have had a great time, and packed it full of fun houston family activities like the downtown aquarium, children's museum (for future reference, never again go there on free family thurs nights...), a trip to galveston where the kids pretty much swam for four hours with only minimal breaks for food and potty, the YMCA, the arboretum, the zoo, visit to dan's office and discovery green downtown. whew, i'm tired just writing this--and we did it all in 4 days! oh, and the adults sneaked out for a nice dinner at taste of texas (our first time there after several recs) somewhere in there. i have been bad lately about using my nikon, so all pics have been on my phone. and it is pretty much impossible to capture 6 children ages 11 months-eight years in a photo. but trust me, we've had a great time! eden pretty much shook with excitement the whole weekend. and carter just likes to mill around in the mist of the chaos (or cause it).

cherish

2011-04-04T17:32:00.009-05:00

the first few years we were in houston, i didn't think i liked it. it was so hot, so different from both iowa and california, we didn't know barely anyone, and i was so immersed in my work at the houston scholar program i didn't take much time to form relationships outside of that. then we had eden, and even though i still worked part time, as any mother knows, babies (whether you have one or 10, work at home or elsewhere), consume much of your time and energy. so, as a new mom, i loved my sweet daughter, but it also made me realize how lonely i was. and i don't know if it's my midwestern upbringing, my insecurities, my personality, or a little of each, but i have never been the type to take intiative in making friends. but slowly, over time, and in the kindness of budding relationships, i began to get to know some other moms. over the last four years, these friendships have grown into something so important to me, it's hard to even write about it without getting teary. i was so lucky to spend time with these girls this weekend. it was a little time away from everything else--a chance to fellowship and talk, laugh, dance, enjoy the peaceful texas country, rest, eat, drink and for real, just be merry. God places people in each other's lives in such wonderful and impactful ways. i love and treasure all of these girls and look forward to many many more memory-making years together. i could not call texas my home if they weren't here with me. i wish i had a picture of the whole group--all eight of us--but unfortunately i don't. so you will just have to look at me, katie, and leah in our urban cowgirl wear. it was pretty much the first real reason i had to wear my cowboy boots besides the rodeo... ----------------- an extra note: my dear friend megan (who made us some seriously fabulous food this weekend!) sent me this link awhile ago and i think it sums things up beautifully. http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2011/02/a-recipe-for-relationships.html

happy

2011-03-23T19:32:00.001-05:00

old pros

2011-03-23T19:25:00.003-05:00

these two girls spent their fourth rodeo together last week. they are pretty much pros at making the rounds: baby eggs/chicks, pony ride, livestock and petting zoo, say hi to the fake cow, pet the rabbits, go outside to carnival, eat, then crash. every time.

2011

2010

2009

2008

fake camping

2011-03-20T19:43:00.000-05:00

we went up to huntsville state park this weekend; some of our friends were camping, but we came up just for the day. (basically because i can be dirt-averse and i really love my comfy bed) but even though we didn't sleep under the big texas sky, we had a great day with fabulous weather and friends. this is my absolute favorite time of year in texas.

fishing buddies

relaxing in the hammock

ninjas and normal kids

junk food ALL DAY

couldn't leave until we had s'mores of course

artwork

2011-03-04T08:44:00.002-06:00

this is how eden draws people.

i especially like the hand detail...

hey blue eyes

2011-03-04T08:18:00.001-06:00

i love this kid.

he provides serious entertainment.

go rodeo!

2011-02-25T14:41:00.003-06:00

yes, that is just how carter smiles.

and no, i don't iron my kids clothes, in case you can't tell.

who?

2011-02-18T16:05:00.000-06:00

discovered this little guy hanging out on our mailbox the other day. eden was pretty pumped, as the houston audubon society recently visited her school and she learned all about owls. he didn't like it too much when i tried to get in for a closeup and i'll admit i screamed when he took flight. could've sworn he was coming right at me.

hey valentine

2011-02-13T19:53:00.003-06:00

eden is in valentine mode. she and her dad went to a special daddy/daughter valentine dance at our church last night. i'm pretty sure it ranked up there in the top moments of her four and one half year life.

she and i also made valentines, which in theory were a great idea, but ended up taking a lot longer than planned. curse you martha stewart, you say every craft is 'simple and speedy'. liar.

happy bird-day to me

2011-02-12T19:42:00.000-06:00

carter got to enjoy his favorite things today for his birthday--

donuts, the park, friends, and cake.

(wait, aren't those everyone's favorite things?!)

(yes, thank you very much, eden and i made that kickin' cake...)

early valentine

2011-02-11T22:31:00.004-06:00

our little valentine turns two tomorrow.

oh, how the time has gone!

here are a few of carter's claims to fame over his action-filled two years:

--he can climb into, onto, over, and under anything he wants

--i'm pretty sure he has never actually eaten a vegetable in his entire life.

--in keeping with the above skill on vegetable non-eating, he will put two food items in his mouth at one time, such as chicken and broccoli, and has the special ability to keep the chicken in there while spitting out the broccoli. he can do this with any combination of food with vegetable. i am actually kind of impressed after seeing this happen hundreds of times.

--he does the excited shaking thing just like his big sister

--he yells at lucy the dog even better than his mother

--he is a great hugger, at least until he head-butts you

--he will wave at anyone, even scary looking people

--his two favorite people in the world are chapman and pop-pop

'all your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children'

isaiah 54:13

sweet

2011-02-11T22:30:00.001-06:00

blurb

2011-02-02T14:18:00.004-06:00

i have been meaning to do this for awhile, but finally did (as part of my neverending list of new year's resolutions...): i printed our blog into a photo book. as i mentioned before, i take a lot of pictures, but unfortunately they mostly sit in cyberland in files (nicely organized at least, yes another resolution knocked off the list, hooray!). so i thought printing the blog would be a good way to capture some of our family memories over the last few years. i am really happy with the results! i used a free program called booksmart by blurb, and it is super user friendly. anyway, here is a glimpse of the finished product!

naptime

2011-02-02T13:56:00.004-06:00

i don't know whether 4 1/2 year olds are supposed to still nap or not, but in our house, if we can get eden to nap, it's a good thing. especially b/c on days when she doesn't, by the time 5PM rolls around things (and by things i mean eden, carter, mom, and even lucy the dog) are getting a little testy. the other reason i like e to nap is b/c the only way i can get her to fall asleep these days is if i lay down with her, so it is a free nap for mom. some days this does not work, b/c she puts her face about 1 inch from mine and asks questions like, "why were there no donuts at church this week? did they forget that the kids really need them?". other days it works fabulously, b/c i usually fall asleep before she does and then she has no choice but to turn around and go to sleep too.

yesterday we both fell asleep and when i opened my eyes this dude was staring right at me. i was slightly disturbed. i mean, who wants to be watched while they are sleeping?

good old american idol

2011-01-27T17:01:00.000-06:00

okay, i don't know why, but dan and i were dying laughing at this clip of a lady who got a 'charlie horse' on american idol last night. ryan seacrest's reaction is priceless. poor guy didn't know what to do.

it's friday.

2011-01-21T17:09:00.002-06:00

thank goodness.

even though me, e,and c have our own fun, we especially like the weekends, when dad is around.

a 4 year old's perspective on equality

2011-01-15T14:31:00.006-06:00

(a highly recommended read, thanks grandma!)
eden learned about martin luther king, jr., at school last friday.
here's her version in a conversation with dan.

dan: how was school today, e?
eden: we learned about that man.
dan: what man?
eden: the man who taught people not to hit people
dan (using his sharp lawyer skills to figure it out): you mean martin luther king, jr?
eden: yes. he taught about not hitting people. maybe carter could learn something from him
dan: do you mean, he taught people not to hate each other?
eden: yes, that's right. he said we need to love each other, not hate. and it doesn't matter what color we are, we need to love all the same.
dan: that is so true.
eden: it's like in my book from grandma, the colors of us! people are all different colors in that book. there is even a girl who is the color of cinnamon. i'm white. well, with some red too.

us too

2011-01-14T20:20:00.001-06:00

this is the mommy blog trend right now and we didn't want to be left out.
here are the results of my interview with eden:

what does mommy always say to you?
--clean up your toys
what makes mommy happy?
--not throwing a fit
what makes mommy sad?
--throwing a fit
how does mommy make you laugh?
--with tickles and BOO!
what was mommy like as a child?
--like this (holds hands about 3 inches apart)
how old is mommy?
--that's a tricky one, i thinkeight
how tall is mommy?
--maybe six
what is mommy's favorite thing to do?
--cook (ha ha)
what does mommy do when you are not around?
--reads a book and cooks
if mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
--what's famous? (once explained--for getting to know people)
what is mommy good at?
--checking email
what is mommy not so good at?
--using scissors
what does mommy do for her job?
--bring me to school and reading
what is mommy's favorite food?
--green beans and soup
when are you proud of mommy?
--when you do something great, like at a party
what do you and mommy do together?
--play dollhouse
how are you and mommy the same?
--we have blond hair
how are you and mommy different?
--well, your hair is actually kind of brown
how do you know that mommy loves you?
--cause i make you happy

time

2011-01-09T13:09:00.002-06:00

really, where does time go?

new year's resolution #2

2011-01-02T12:15:00.001-06:00

take less pictures. way less. i spent most of the first day of 2011 organizing/filing away the 6482 picture i have on file from july 2005 (when we got our first digital camera) up to yesterday. my kids are cute, but they aren't that cute....

happy 2011!

2011-01-01T15:02:00.003-06:00

new year's resolution #1:

never buy white clothes for my kids again.

(or at least find a product that actually gets spaghetti sauce out)

the manger

2010-12-30T07:39:00.001-06:00

all week i have been finding sheep, cows, shepherds, mary, joseph, and baby jesus in miscellaneous places throughout my parent's home. the only one that stays on the manger is the angel, b/c it is hooked on and carter can't dislodge it (much to his dismay...)

more fun in the S-N-O-W

2010-12-28T11:13:00.003-06:00

eden and i playing in the snow

'i can't get up!'

merry merry christmas!

2010-12-26T09:30:00.000-06:00

beautiful glimpse of the Great Artist

beauty shop

2010-12-25T18:27:00.000-06:00

eden and carter had a fabulous time with their three oldest cousins, kate, samantha, and jennifer today. we love these beautiful girls so much and it does not seem so long ago that they were the age of my children now and i was babysitting them!

here are carter and eden getting prettied up...

yum.

2010-12-25T18:20:00.000-06:00

these rolls are famous at grandma droog's. i am pretty sure everyone eats at least four on christmas day. or at least i do. diet starts january 1. stat. i mean it. for reals.

complain/refrain...

2010-12-21T14:43:00.003-06:00

i was going to sit down and write a post complaining about how my today is one of those days where i really need my kids to nap and they aren't, how they've been fighting and carter has pulled eden's hair twice and run away from me at least four times, that eden has been whiny and my patience is wearing thin. but as i write it, i feel selfish and silly. what i really mean to say is that today is one of those days where i am reminded that God has blessed me with two children made in His image; but also that satan pulls and prods at them (and me) as much as he can. but God is stronger! and He gives me as a mother constant opportunities to show Himself to eden and carter--and today it is in love through discipline.

(fyi, this picture is NOT from today...:)

love in the 1940s

2010-12-15T18:45:00.003-06:00

this is a scan of an actual western union christmas telegram that my grandpa sent my grandma while he was stationed in the aleution islands during wwii. he was gone for over two years, and they married when he returned home to chicago.

(note the typo of my grandpa's name, bon instead of bob:)

and check out the write up on them in the chicago herald, i think it sums up my grandpa's personality well...

(they gave me these items shortly before he died in 2003. if you have the opportunity, i strongly encourage you to ask your grandparents about their love story!)

the second child

2010-12-14T18:45:00.001-06:00

today in our women's bible study we talked about discipline. i didn't say much.

but i had to laugh when i searched for the fence picture. b/c i realized i have lots of adorable pictures of eden, but with carter it is almost always pictures of him doing something devious. or apparently, he is just really thirsty...

ugly christmas sweater party

2010-12-11T11:51:00.003-06:00

enough said. i think we'll do it again next year.

(the sad part about this phote is you can't see uncle eddie's stark white shoes.)

all hair

2010-12-06T12:36:00.000-06:00

both of our kids have a lot of hair. sometimes in the morning when eden gets up she is just this little body under a huge mess of blonde hair. i love it. (and am secretly quite jealous of it). carter is following in her footsteps. despite several hints (okay, outright requests) that we cut his hair like a regular boy, we haven't. and it's actually dan who wants to keep it longer, surprisingly. but on monday i caved and took him for a little trim. and it was a trim, cause if you saw him you wouldn't be able to tell. but i have proof that we did it!

high in the sky

2010-12-02T20:45:00.005-06:00

i am a nervous flyer. turbulence is the beginning of the end for me. i kind of freaked out a little (just a little, right dan?) during our flight home from washington the other day when it got a bit bumpy. but then i realized i need to get over myself for a few reasons:

1) eden looked at me like i was a total weirdo while i was squashing the heck out of dan's hand and singing (more like chanting) 'abide with me'

2) i can only repeat "flying is safer than driving" in my head so many times before it kicks in

3) when you get down to it, how cool is it that we can fly?!

4) and best of all, not only did God create man with the ability to create planes, but look out the window into His created beauty, and if that doesn't give you some peace, i don't know what can.

girls.

2010-12-02T20:40:00.002-06:00

seriously, do all girls innately know how to put their hands on their hips from the moment they are born? i like to think it's a sign that she'll be a good mother.

thankful in mt vernon

2010-12-02T12:46:00.006-06:00

we spent our thanksgiving holiday with dan's brother and family in mt vernon washington. eden and carter were pretty much in heaven with all the cousin time! our sis-in-law cooked a fabulously tasty thankgiving dinner, we picked out a christmas tree, did some sightseeing of the beautiful pacific northwest, and i even got to catch up on some friday night lights. all in all, a great time! of course, it wouldn't be a family holiday without half the house getting sick...

picking out a christmas tree!

sweet charlie the 'little fella'

cousins!

------------------

and of course, a little carter in action:

carter throwing a fit on the floor of the airplane (it actually kind of worked to just shove him down there a bit to muffle his screaming....)

carter throwing a fit b/c he didn't want to stop throwing rocks in the ocean

it was only a matter of time..

2010-11-22T08:47:00.002-06:00

until carter chipped off part of a tooth.

courtesy of an attempt to escape the bathtub by shimmying up a hanging towel.

our little proselytilzer

2010-11-21T20:59:00.003-06:00

on our way to play with her friend gabriel last week, eden told me, 'i am going to tell gabriel that his name is from the bible and it means 'god's messenger'. he needs to know that.'

on our way to have dinner with friends saturday night (who have a sweet little boy named joshua), eden said, 'i'm going to tell joshua that his name is about the battle of jericho in the bible. he needs to know that.'

beware, if you or your child have a biblical name, eden will inform you its origin. or at least, she will inform me, and then be shy about it when she actually sees you.

snake spotting

2010-11-15T19:55:00.003-06:00

saturday morning was cool and rainy and turned into a spontaneous trip to the arboretum. a little nature walking is always good for the soul.

we heart cfa

2010-11-13T15:33:00.000-06:00

is it bad that one of my favorite things about living in the south is that there is no shortage of chick-fil-a restaurants? i use my kids as an excuse to go there as much as possible.

jealous?

2010-11-08T12:42:00.005-06:00

you are, aren't you? this is what i got to ride (and later on, drive) around in during my formative junior high and high school years. pretty awesome, isn't she? this sweet 1985 toyota minivan had it all--huge sunroof, reclining bucket seats in the middle row, and even a built in cooler with an ice maker. yes, you heard me right, an ice maker.

and after the van, i was lucky enough to drive this puppy. a 1991 grey dodge spirit. who wouldn't want to ride alongside me in this little charm?

goldilocks

2010-11-02T16:46:00.002-05:00

eden with her gorgeous french braids that my friend monica did on sunday. i kept them in as long as i could but decided this afternoon after naptime that it might be timefor them to come out.

yowza!

on second thought...

2010-11-02T13:43:00.002-05:00

can you imagine carter in that bucket? it would need like 12 safety straps to keep him in there.
nevermind.

pretty please

2010-11-02T13:41:00.002-05:00

will someone buy me this bike for christmas so i can ride around oak forest with my two little peanuts (and maybe lucy the dog too) in the back?

i'm pretending it's the holidays....

2010-10-31T13:10:00.004-05:00

because i need an excuse to use mrs meyers new limited edition cleaning/home products in orange clove scent. last year it was iowa pine (which, have no fear, you can still order online, hallelujah). so if you come to my house over the next eight weeks it will either smell like a beautiful pine forest or simmering spiced cider. yum. i also believe that once the temperature gets below 75 in houston that it's time to use our fireplace. 75 is considered winter in houston, right?

oak grove

2010-10-26T13:11:00.007-05:00

oak grove is a state park near my hometown of sioux center, iowa. it is lovely and simple and peaceful and the perfect place for a midwestern fall day. i grew up going there for church family nights, youth group outings, sledding with friends, and picnics as a newlywed.

ultimately when i think of oak grove though, i think of my dad. this is a man who loves the tranquil beauty and quiet of hiking a path crossed by deer or casting a fishing line into the pond. my father is humble and kind and faithful- i am a lucky daughter. and what joy to see him with my children!

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit and home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 11:18-19

blue is beautiful

2010-10-21T15:26:00.003-05:00

little boys

2010-10-19T16:28:00.001-05:00

these two are pretty much best buddies. in that hug you one minute, push you the next, type of way. i have to admit carter does most of the pushing.

the sound of silence

2010-10-18T15:06:00.002-05:00

the other night our power went out at about 2:30AM. since we are family of noise, everyone woke up. i mean seriously, how are we supposed to sleep without our sound machines, air purifiers, soft lighting, and the like?

i'm not kidding. eden totally freaked out. i heard her crying out, 'it's too dark! i can't see! it's too quiet! someone help me!"

time to simplify, maybe?

oops

2010-10-14T13:33:00.002-05:00

today i drove home to our old house. actually pulled into the driveway. and wondered why the garage door opener didn't work.
then i felt stupid.

insight

2010-10-11T17:45:00.002-05:00

this past week, my sweet mother-in-law shared a few stories about dan as a child. this has given me some insight into carter's "unique" personality.

dan is the youngest of four. this means he did lots of things for attention. such as:

--intentionally fell out of his chair at dinnertime most days for about two years straight

--no one wanted him on their tball team b/c he would hit the ball and then run to 3rd base and sit down and put a glove on his head and refuse to move

--he hated to swim so when he was supposed to be going to swim lessons he went to the park and splashed water on himself from the drinking fountain so it looked like he had gone

--he fell down the stairs and climbed up and jumped off stuff. a lot.

i think we may be in for a some interesting experiences with carter...

farmland

2010-10-11T07:40:00.000-05:00

the blessing of children

2010-10-10T20:27:00.000-05:00

oh eden. i think we are both pretty determined about things neither of us need to be. and it has led to some major confrontations about life's extremely important issues (i.e., taking a nap, eating vegetables, not running away--very very very serious stuff...). a month ago i was so stressed about these things. but spending the past week+ in iowa we had such a nice time and i really had a chance to see how my sweet girl has grown. even though at times i really struggle as a mother, every so often i feel like i did something really right. God is softening my heart and helping me see how my children are made clearly in His image.

corn maze

2010-10-05T20:25:00.001-05:00

a trip to iowa is not complete with out a visit to the corn maze.

a new game

2010-10-05T20:16:00.004-05:00

this is carter's latest favorite activity. he stuffs really large amounts of food into his mouth at one time. he especially likes to do this with powdered donuts or marshmallows.

oh yes. he still likes climbing too.

this week's mom of the year moments

2010-09-30T15:12:00.007-05:00

1) monday during a meeting i had to take carter to i let him eat 3 packages of fruit snacks, 1 full size pack of m&ms, and 2 mini snickers. (blasted candy bowl in the middle of the table. won't even tell you what all i ate.) this was all too keep him busy and quiet. which he wasn't.
2) last night i took the kids to the play castle at mem city mall and then to panera bread (aka 'banana bread' to eden). about two seconds after we got there carter had a massive poo. i mean MASSIVE. and STINKY. and two seconds after that e told me she had an emergency and needed to go the bathroom, stat. so we left the play castle and went into baby gap to the bathroom (i bet they regret being right by the play castle and the only nearby bathroom...). while eden does her business, i realize as i am changing carter i have no wipes or diapers with me. what does an innovative, smart mom do in this situation? she uses wet paper towels to wipe her son's bum, and then uses more paper towels to wipe as much poo as possible out of the dirty diaper and then puts the diaper right back on her son.
gross, i know. but you know i'm not the first person to do this. or am i?