Going Green with Jelly Beans

Slowly, one by one, hubby had been changing our bulbs over to florescent and easing me into the transition. I don't really like the light they put off but he makes a big effort to test out new ones and find ones I do like. But it doesn't save you a whole lot when they are left on all the time (a big pet peeve for hubby).

In an effort to "Go Green" (okay, really I'm just trying to please my husband and save a little dough), I decided to encourage the Things to remember to turn the lights off when they leave a room. I told the boys that whenever they remember on their own to turn off a light they will be rewarded with a jelly bean. Thing 1 has caught on right away and enthusiastically reaps lots of beans every day. It hasn't taken too long for Thing 2 to realize he is missing out and join in the "Green" effort as well.

If you have any tips for teaching your kids to go green I'd love to hear them!

BTW - Thing 3 is two weeks old today! It has been an adventure adjusting to three. Having my mom here was a HUGE help and only hours after she left I was already wayyyy behind in my laundry (and sleep). Hubby has been battling some sort of plague and has been banished to the basement since the day she left. So I'm thankful that Thing 3 is a fairly good sleeper at night, just up ever 3 - 4 hours to eat and then back to sleep.

Easter turned out to be a much bigger deal than I had anticipated around here...probably just as it should be, after all, how can you under celebrate such an important day!
It started with a quick trip through Target where I was surprised to see hubby dumping piles of candy into our cart. He then explained that Easter was a BIG deal growing up, at least if the amount of candy you got equaled the amount that you celebrated. After 8 1/2 years of marriage I'm still learning new things about him and in the most unexpected places, like the candy aisle.
The boys got to go on 3 Easter egg hunts...two of which were spontaneous and unplanned by us...probably making our one little planned one at home seem pretty mediocre. They also got huge Easter baskets from a good friend at church filled with toys, clothes, games and of course, candy. Definitely making ours look less than mediocre, if not for the plethora of candy hubby had ensured was overflowing from them.
In the end I'm glad with all the attention put on Thing 3 these days that that the first 2 Things got spoiled a bit, it couldn't have come at a better time. Just another way God continues to provide where I fall short!
Hope you all had a blessed Easter as well! It sure was nice spending our first Sunday all together in church celebrating His Resurrection...what a great memory for us to hold onto.

Presenting Thing 3!

It's about time

I'm heading in Tues. morning at 7:30 to be induced. If you read this in time, say a prayer for us!

We'll post pics when we can!

Thanks,

Sherry

Flooded Friends, 29 Dreamers, Sweet Moments...both quiet and loud.

Before I ramble on, if you only have time to read one thing, please go to this link (which for some reason won't show up as a link so you'll have to copy it...sorry):

http://xcerpts.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/friends-lose-to-river/

It will give you the story of some good friends, and fellow ministers of ours. Their home was flooded with the recent rising of the river in Fargo. They also just recently adopted their third child. Without flood insurance to cover the cost of repairs, and the expenses of adoption, they could really use your consideration of support and prayers. Please join me in praying for them and supporting them however God leads.

Now...for what is going on south of the floods...
It is officially one day past my due date...unfortunately Thing 3 was uninformed of his/her expected arrival. So I will take a moment to reflect on the poll now that it is officially closed. It seems there are 8 realists (votes for boy), 29 dreamers (votes for girls), and 4 humorists (who voted "other"). Ha, ha, you are sooo funny. :)

In lieu of life going on in spite of feeling like it should be "on hold", we have been enjoying some sweet moments together. The boys have found us in bed a few mornings to enjoy some early morning snuggle times...as much as a 3 yr old boy can lay still in the morning. One favorite moment was yesterday when it was just Thing 1and I in bed and I taught him the "Draw a letter on your back and you guess what it is" game. I know these are silly, simple things...but I'm enjoying them immensely.

Last night we picked my folks up at the airport and enjoyed a quiet dinner out (the Things were at a local church for Kid's Night Out...God bless that church!). It is funny how eating out at a restaurant takes on a whole new level of pleasure once you have children and don't have them with you. I know this seems opposite of what I just wrote about above, but I never promised to make sense. :) Hubby noted the table across the Thai restaurant had a family with two young kids that were all quiet and enjoying their meal....they were girls.

I'm excited to find out if 3 boys are in our future, and many more much appreciated date nights...and more energetic than I would envision morning snuggle times...or if it will be a whole different ball game like the 29 dreamers out there envision for us. :) Whatever it is, I'm ready!

Here is a belly shot from a few days ago...the Things are already in love with Thing 3. :)

April Fool's, Blastoff, and Goodbye

So I was feeling a bit crabby this morning about still being pregnant. I know I should be more grateful to just be allowed to be pregnant. And so I add guilt to my crabbiness, not helped by everyone commenting "you're still pregnant?!" as if I had a choice in the matter. Anyways, to lift my mood I decided to make my FB status "heading to the hospital" and it did cheer me up that people actually believed me. I guess it is my twisted way of passing the time that seems to be passing sooooo slowly! Turns out God decided to give me a taste of my own medicine as I had contractions 2 - 5 minutes apart for about 2 hours late this afternoon. Alas, they slowed down, much to my utter disappointment and here I sit blogging instead of laboring. Oh well, all in His time.

Today Thing 2 informed me that the baby was going to come like this: "5, 4, 3 ,2 ,1, 0, blastoff, pop!" Interesting interpretation of labor. Hopefully it will go nearly as quick as that...but not too quick for appropriate pain management.

In other news - I'm finally getting around to posting a photo from spring break...they are all holding up jackrabbit ears (in case you are wondering). I think I already blogged about what a great trip it was and how the students had really positive experiences.

The ministry continues to run smoothly and we are continually blessed to have our EDGE team here to minister alongside. They are such a blessing to us, including our faithful volunteer staff J. I can't imagine how things were without them and am already dreading their time being up in another year and a half.

Speaking of the EDGErs, N, moved out of our basement this past weekend to free up the room for Thing 3. We were all sad to see him go. He was a lot of fun to have around and the boys absolutely loved him! We offered to set up the bunk beds in the boys' room for him, but in the end he decided to move in with some good friends of ours instead. I know he will be as much of a blessing to that family as he was to ours. Thanks, N, for loving on our family and serving us so well!