How does she keep growing-up before my very eyes? Really, when do kids grow? I swear I never saw that baby face melt away forever. It was just gone one day. Sob, if I could only go back and squeeze those apple cheeks one more time!

What a year it has been watching my big toddler grow into a little preschooler. In some ways it seems as though Molly has always been apart of our family. It is hard to believe that it has only been 4 years!

At the carnival last summer

Me and Molly on the boat

Ryan and Molly climbing on the Zoo's Mosquito statue

Cleaning at the townhouse with a "scrubbie".

The three PJs Musketeers, Claire, Leah, Molly

Molly proudly displaying her new matching outfit with her doll Stella (sewn by our friend Carrie).

Molly, the morning of her fourth Birthday

Molly, what a spunky little hopper! Our wiggle worm, our middle child, our most adoring fan! We love you Molly!

Love,

Jess

Moving Day has come and gone.

Packed boxes were stacked, sorted, and stamped.

Moving Time with Claire Joy

We readied ourselves for the “new house” with great anticipation.

Leah and Molly practice "packing" while Dad laughs on!

Our goodbyes were held with tears held tightly in our throats.

Leah, Molly, and Claire snuggle a goodbye with their "best friends" Neasha and Bri.

Many strong helpers heaved furniture and the contents of our life into a truck. Then we drove away, ready to expand into a larger home to fit our family. Ready for the next 20 years of our life to begin. Ready to pull over and buy a box of tissues because I forgot moving is such a roller coaster of memories of the old house and hopes for the new one.

Memories like this…

Ryan,2, snuggling with his new baby sibling-to-be, while I read Goodnight Moon for the hundredth time.

Funny, things memories. They just don’t fit into a box, they have to live in the heart.

Regardless, I brought all my memories (some sharper than others) to the “new house”, which we now lovingly call home.

Home Sweet New Home

Love,

Jess

I am moving in 3 weeks.

Originally, we were going to live in our current home, for 3 years. Then, 3 years turned in to 6 years.  Six years of living, brought our family size up to 6 people.

Our family’s combined 12 legs are excited for some real leg room. Yet, my heart will always have ties for our “starter home”.

Below, I have stitched together some photos and memories from our home.

Hail storm 2008 - Molly, Ryan and Me

• Jesus met me, often in times I was stubborn and failing and needed Him the most
• three daughters were brought home from the hospital
• my eldest son went of on the big yellow bus

A darn good sandwich from my kitchen!

• I tried to just be present in the moments of my life and not worry about the past
• I became the tooth fairy
• I started living simply with actions and purchases – no consumer debt

Molly, Ryan, Claire, Leah 2009

• Molly learned to share a room and everything she owned with her siblings
• Leah learned to fly down the stairs at the speed of light
• I changed 10 million diapers – not even kidding

Pete's Birthday Candles 2010

• Ryan learned to walk one minute and grew-up into an almost 1st grader the next
• I laughed till my eyes cried
• I did not garden or have a pet – I already have enough dirt and poop in my life

Ryan and his best neighbor pal Mason.

• Claire learned to sign “all done” after her meal
• I recognized chores were for the propulsion of life…not my life
• I cried and argued over things I’ll never remember anyway

Me and the twins napping on the couch

• Leah learned to fly down the stairs at the speed of light
• Ryan learned to ride a bike in the driveway
• I learned to decorate my walls

Pete and Ryan on a skateboard - 2007

Truly, home is where the heart is!

Love,

Jess

Hi Readers!

Time to get into the blogosphere once more.

Leah, me, Molly, Ryan, Peter, Claire

What’s UP?

Leah is 1 1/2 years old. Her clever yet sweet pea nature is fun to watch – not so fun to clean-up after. She loves to read her picture books and says words like, “bubble, baby, ball”.

I, ahem, will be coming up on the double anniversary of my Sweet Sixteenth birthday. My interest in creating home decor and shabby furniture has taken off into a serious hobby. Check out Shabby Mamas, for more details.

Molly is on the cusp of turning four. She has just completed her first year in preschool. She is a wiggly wonder-girl. Her antics never cease to make me laugh or pull out my hair – sometimes both.

Ryan is ending Kindergarten as a confidant and caring 6 1/2 year old. He has one loose tooth and 14 bruises/scrapes. He pronounces the restaurant Culver’s as “Carvells” and it is too cute to correct.

Pete, is timeless and classic. He proves his steadfast love for his us time and time again. He loves reading political action literature on his new Kindle.

Claire is 1 1/2 years old. Her darling smile is surpassed only by her darling determination. She loves to kiss her Dad, scoot on her push-toy, and throw food.

Wishing time could stretch a little farther…

Jess

How do I get away? Just do the math.

Take my husband and I

+6 mornings sleeping-in

+ 5 nights without interruption

+ 4 willing grandparents, that stayed home to watch our 4 kids

+ 3 days at resort with a chair-lift in the back yard, outdoor hot-tubs and fireplace suites

+2 college friends that are super fun, and drove us everywhere from Sacramento to Chico,CA

+1 novel read, the 4th book in the Twilight series

= One happy couple!

We were so blessed to have had the chance to visit our friends and have our first getaway since our honeymoon (8 1/2 years ago)!

Love,

Jess

I was just there…

Ryan, in diapers, with his newborn sister Molly. 2007

Then I was here…

Ryan and Molly, not in diapers, teaching baby Leah how to skooch. 2010

I was just there…

Molly and Ryan in their pjs. (The first time I successfully washed two kids and had them ready for bed together.) 2007

Then I was here…

Ryan and Leah with Claire and Molly. 2010 (All four had just been bathed and jammied.)

Time flies between diapers and baths, I guess.

Love,

Jess

Last year, 2010, I focused on the word ENRICH. I sought ways to enrich my experiences as a mother, wife and artist.

I tackled my biggest fear, the sewing machine. I took time to give back to the community through MOPS. I stitched together important relationships in my family. It was a great year!

Onto, 2011!

My one word this year…Remember.

I want to remember the greatest love story ever told, God’s Word. I want to remember those in need. I want to remember what the past has taught me about my future. I want to remember snowy windburnt cheeks and gappy Kool-Aid stained smiles.

Happy New Year,

Jess

Happy New Year!

I meant to sit down and write about my New Year’s Resolution Word for 2011. But instead, I found myself drawn to reflect on the past year.

Below are 10 projects from 2010 that I had fun doing. Some were easy, some were life-changing and most were somewhere in between. The text in orange will lead you to a blog article that originally published each project.

1. Hanging Ice Blocks

2. Wool Y0-Yo Pin

3. Living with Lindsay’s $5 Challenge (in which, I learned to sew with a machine)

4. Family Cookbook

5. Nester’s Mantel Challenge

6. Mid-Wife Kits

7. Tiered Plates

8. P90X Challenge (so sorry, you all have to see my workout clothes!)

9. Creating my Office

10. Co-founding Shabby Mamas with 4 of my friends

Hope you had a great 2010!

Love,
Jess

We ate cookies everyday, for over a week.

A sparkly new sign, made it into my Christmas decor. (Hand painted by my fellow Shabby Mama, Andrea.)

The felt “board” was laid out with our Velcro Nativity set.

My sil, Carly, gave all the sils a meaningful Christmas ornament. It means a lot to me, as I don’t have any biological sisters.

Did I mention, cookies already? We ate a lot of frosting too.

Feliz Navidad,

Jessy