Blog

  • Photo Friday – 12.04.09

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    Playing with Uncle Jason
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    Auntie Michelle’s arms are full
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    Kitty!
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    Love that smile!
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    Love this one too!
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    Getting a back massage
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    Scalp and back massage at the same time.
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    Noah was walking with dad and Ez just had to join in.

  • Wordless Wednesday – 12.02.09

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  • Last Day

    It is the last day of November and that means it is the last day of NaBloPoMo! I hope to keep posting often, just not every day.

    I wanted to take this last post to remind all the waiting families that it will happen. I know sometimes it seems it never will. I remember this time last year and just willing my phone to ring. All I wanted for Thanksgiving was a referral and then all I wanted for Christmas was a referral. We were ready to find out who Tom and Jerry were! We were often feeling like it would never happen, but on February 11 of this year it finally did. I know the wait times are increasing, but there really is an end to all that waiting.

    It is such a joy to celebrate the holidays this year with Noah and Ezra. I am so thankful for them and am looking for many, many years of celebrations to come.

  • Gift Giving

    I thought I should follow-up my last post with saying that we are not against gift giving/getting. We do love to give and get thoughtful gifts. I think one of the points of advent conspiracy is to give less and give better. Right after I posted my last post, I was thrilled to read Gretchen’s most recent post.

    It isn’t about feeling guilty….or sticking it to “the man”…..but it IS exciting to think about how our Christmases might be transformed from empty gift-giving to a thoughtful exchange of gifts for not only our friends and family, but our brothers around the world!

    Well put Gretchen!

    I would also add if you cannot find a fair trade gift that is a thoughtful gift for someone you know, please shop local. Buying from a local artist, craft person, or store owner does so much more for you community than a big box store.

  • Advent

    The season of Advent begins tomorrow.  It is a season of anticipation of the Second Coming and celebration of the birth of Jesus.  Advent Conspiracy has served as a good reminder to me about the focus of this season, about God’s love for us and the hope that He offers.

    Matt and I are continuing to learn what we should focus on during this season and what changes we can make to teach Noah and Ezra what its really all about.  We don’t have it all figured out just yet and maybe we never will, but I have hope that we can find more ways to show them what the season is about.

    Last year I shared Advent Conspiracy’s video with you and linked to some charities that provide clean water to those who need it.  I encourage you again this year to give clean water.  If you would rather give locally then please do!  You could do something as simple as forgo one side dish at your Christmas dinner (we know we all have more than enough) and give that portion to your local food bank.

    I have started a campaign through charity water to raise just 10% of a new well in an area that desperately needs it.  Please feel free to help us reach or better yet blow away our goal of $500. The campaign ends 12.27.09.

  • Photo Friday – 11.27.09

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    My little cuties
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    Sleepy Noah
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    Sleepy Ez
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    I love the wind in my face
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    Abby on the attack
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    Rock on
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    Thanksgiving is awesome!
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    No that is not stuffing mashed potatoes mushed onto my sippy
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    Drinking a bottle in the wagon is the way to go
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    Bagpipes are so awesome

  • plenty to be thankful for!

    we are such a blessed family. I am constantly thinking about how great things are. My world view has changed so much over the last few years and I can truly see that we are blessed.

    Some things I know i am thankful for.

    my amazing wife.
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    My super cute kids
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    The new family dynamic this year.

    Lets not forget things like grace & hope, freedom of religion, this great country, clean water, food on the table, and that i get to own my own design firm. So many great things in life to be thankful for!

  • Wordless Wednesday – 11.25.09

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  • The Piano

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    Teeny tiny babies playing with dad

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    Big boys playing with dad

    Ezra has become increasingly obsessed with playing the piano. To the point today where he was standing at the piano crying. So I sat with him and Noah a bit to play. Then Noah was done and I desperately need to stuff diapers, so they could have clean ones to wear, but Ez was not done with the piano. He is too little to sit on the bench all by himself, so I used my mommy brain and came up with a solution:

    Ez playing the Piano from Stephanie Adams on Vimeo.

    I was able to hear some lovely compositions by Ez while getting chores done, win/win if you ask me!

  • Hummus!

    I have been on a huge hummus kick for the last several months. Serious addiction is more like it. Needless to say I was thrilled the other day when Erica posted this recipe.

    (I know totally lame to just link for a NaBloPoMo, but it has been a long and tiring day)

  • Enjoying some sunshine

    After the boys’ second nap yesterday we took a walk down to one of the neighborhood playgrounds and enjoyed swinging and playing in the grass. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately.

    Some pics of the fun:
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    I thought I was snapping a pic of Noah, when I inadvertently caught him making one of his favorite noises on camera:

    MVI 5137 from Stephanie Adams on Vimeo.

    Here’s Ez practicing his walking with daddy. He was totally happy about it until I whipped the camera out, so he is a little cranky in the video.

    MVI 5136 from Stephanie Adams on Vimeo.

  • Noah is finally mobile!

    Noah started crawling this week.  He is so much happier now that he can move.  Here is a short video for proof:

    Crawling Noah from Stephanie Adams on Vimeo.

  • Photo Friday – 11.20.09

    This is a special edition of photo Friday! Pics from Ethiopia, I know finally. I know you have been thinking, “gees they’ve been home 5 months, where’s the pics from their trip!”
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    New family!

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    Sleeping Noah

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    Me and a teeny tiny Ez

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    Awwwww

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    Happy Ez

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    Floor time

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    At the lion zoo, Ez refused to be in a carrier

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    Noah

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    Noah’s first time in my carrier

    I put up all Matt’s photos in the gallery.  I need to find the ones that were taken with the little camera, must still be on the back-up drive.  We didn’t take nearly the photos we thought we would, the boys kept us busy!

  • Forward or Rear Facing?

    Noah (first time in a car seat)
    Noah (first time in a car seat)

    Our plan all along was to turn the boys around when they hit one year, as long as they were 20 pounds. Those are the recommendations we had always heard, but a friend posted on facebook that her pediatrician recommended keeping her baby rear facing until 2. Turns out that is the safest way to ride in a car for a baby according to AAP. Our doctor (family practice) recommends turning them around now so we can interact with them more. For now we are ignoring our doctor and keeping our babies nice and safe in their rear facing positions. I think safety trumps interaction, not that we don’t want to interact with them, we would love more interaction.

    What age did you turn your toddler around? Any regrets? Any tips on keeping them happy while rear facing?