Consumer Reports - Katie Edition

This week has been a frustrating week for us.  The last couple of weeks we have noticed some things not going well with our 6 year refrigerator.  It stopped making ice, which we decided we could live without.  But then I noticed my stuff in the freezer starting to defrost.  We figured it may not be good since we had work done on it a year ago.  That man basically said, we'll try to replace this one thing but it may be the compressor.  For those of you who are illiterate when it comes to refrigerators (like me!), when the compressor goes out that is about a $700-$1000 fix.  So you might as well get a new fridge!  At least we got a year out of it before we had problems again.

So Mr. Handyman came Monday to look at it, and can I just say that man was the largest man that I have ever seen!  And I mean not obese, but like really tall and huge arms!  Not who I was expecting to walk through my door!  Anyway, he opened the freezer, unscrewed the back cover, and said, "I'm afraid its not good."  He showed me the coils that should have been covered with ice/frost and it was bare!  So there goes our fridge. $79 later, I now knew we needed to buy a BRAND. NEW. FRIDGE.  Sweet!  Exactly how we wanted to spend our money!

Important note:  I was currently campaigning to get myself a macbook.  I had made some progress with my husband who likes to make sure I know that we need no such thing.  He finally admitted he was being hard on me.  So I felt like I was closer than I had ever been to a little ole laptop for me!  So you can see how I am SO VERY THANKFUL(sarcasm) to my Frigidaire side by side stainless steel 6 year old refrigerator that was purchased by the previous owners that decided to fail on me just in time to prevent me from enjoying a much wanted splurge on mommy!  With all this whining, I do realize the difference between a want and a need, which is why we went to buy our first refrigerator.

Here's the consumer reports part:  Don't buy Frigidaire!  All our appliances in the kitchen are Frigidaire that were bought by previous owners when they redid our very nice and much appreciated kitchen.  We just had to buy a new dishwasher, which was not a Frigidaire but was very old and ready to die.  So we did our research and I asked Mr. Handyman and Lowe's man (who is now our best friend!) and they both said the same thing about Frigidaire.  "I wouldn't recommend it."  They both in turn recommended either the Whirlpool or Kitchen Aid which are the same company.  Mr. Handyman also said he fixes GEs all the time, so that one was out too.

So in December we did buy a Kitchen Aid dishwasher and we did bargain and we did pay cash and we did win the battle (thanks Dave Ramsey!) and we did still end up with a "friend" named Jared (Lowe's man) that we bought our fridge from as well!  And we have loved our Kitchen Aid!  So when we knew we had to look for a fridge we knew probably a Whirlpool since K.A. is more expensive.  My goodness, do you know how much refrigerators cost?!  It's crazy!  

Anyway, we get our new fridge tomorrow!  We have lived without a fridge this week and it has been pretty miserable.  Our fridge side is dying and so we can use it as a "cooler" but it won't keep foods very long.  So this has been one week of very unhealthy foods, lots of eating out, and I'm just dying for a well-rounded nutritious diet.  Which is perfect because I already think I know what I will be giving up for lent, and by I, I mean Ed and I!  

P.S. Speaking of lent, if you haven't heard, my friend Tasha Via's book is out!  And we are SO excited to use it this year for the season of lent.  Its a little book with 7 weeks of little activities and lessons to do with your family in preparation for Easter.  Buy it!  It's great and the money goes to support their adoption!  

What's New

This time of year is actually kind of slow for us, well, I guess as slow as slow can be for people involved in ministry!  So we have been enjoying some extra family time and getting some things done that we usually don't have time for!

I am really trying to flesh out my theme for this year - SIMPLE!  When I started doing resolutions for the new year I kept coming back to the same thing, I needed to simplify things.  There are SO many great and worthy things that I can latch on to, but I have realized that it makes me a crazy person.   So I've been fine tuning my "simple" plan for all things homemaking, mothering, etc.


Micah is getting ready for his t-ball season and is preparing by playing catch with Daddy.  Ed is completely amazed that he is actually playing catch with his son!  Micah is very gifted when it comes to baseball so it will be interesting how that plays out on the field.  Here's some pics from throwing the other day...

Ed loves his form...he keeps telling me to look at it!  I'm not sure if I know what I'm looking for!

Caleb (and Micah) just got haircuts.  Micah has had a buzz before, but this is Caleb's first and we think its a keeper.  He looks so ADORABLE!  I could just eat him up!  He actually let me take pictures of him the other day before "Bible Dudy (study)".  He is really thriving on one on one time and plays so well with both his brother and sister.  But he does best when he plays with one person.  That's when you really see his personality come out!

Haleigh just keeps growing and changing!  Its too fast!  I LOVE the stage she is in though.  She picks up more and more words like "get down", "more", "baby", and "ni-night".  She loves to laugh, and yell, and yes even wrestle!  She will hold her own against the boys, but is also a very sensitive girl.  She cries every time you tell her no and is frightened of every person who walks in our door because she thinks they are taking her!  We have recently added the pigtails to her hairstyles and I think its SO CUTE! 

This One's for the Grandparents!

A Weekend Away

Superbowl weekend we spent the weekend with the Dowdys at Wintergreen.  We literally closed ourselves up in a very spacious house and only left once the whole weekend for a short walk on the golf course.  After a busy month in January with the Youth Retreat, we were glad to get away and just be with our family and close friends.  The basement was glorious for the boys!  They had their own basketball set-up, the Wii, a make-shift soccer goal, and a football practice field!  Leave it to Chris and Ed to incorporate all of the sports.  And we even had a Wii 3 Point shoot out competition between the two eldest boys, as well as a Dance Off with all the adults!  Emily and I even got to scrapbook a bit and watch Mama Mia!  

Books of 2010

In 2010, one of my goals was to read more.  With two kids in the last two years, reading kinda got cut out!  Other than my morning Bible time and "Barnyard Dance", it just wasn't a priority.  But I realized I needed it, and so I made it a goal.  I didn't even pick a number of books to read, I just decided I would always be working through a book.  And it was amazing how they challenged me in my walk with the Lord, how some of them even carried a similar theme that I think God was teaching me, and other were practically helpful in my daily life. 

Here's the list of books I read and definitely recommend them to you if you have not come across them yet!

The Prodigal God - A fresh, biblical perspective on the story of The Prodigal Son that will leave you challenged.  It offers a challenge to both the "younger brother" and the "elder brother" no matter which category you fall under.  His basic premise is that both are consumed with self and in need of a "true elder brother" to rescue them at his own expense.  The neat thing about this book is that it hits all people no matter where they are in their spiritual life.

Crazy Love - If you somehow missed this one, read it!  This book set the tone for me in 2010.   A scripture-filled reminder of God's Great Love for us and how that should radically change who we are every day and how it should impact those around us!


Dancing with My Father - I read this with my small group and it seemed to carry a similar message of Crazy Love.  It was about living life full of joy and how to find that joy in life.  Her basic message that I kept getting was that joy is a choice.  Our God has given us every reason to be joyful and has even commanded us to be full of joy.  No matter life's circumstances, with Christ, there is always a reason to be joyful, the choice is ours!


Don't Make Me Count to Three - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!  It is one of the best parenting books out there!  It is the same parenting thought as "Shepherding a Child's Heart", but full of practical ideas of how to train the heart.  She teaches you how to reach the heart of the child, how to give biblical reproof, and the proper use of the rod.  Seriously, she aligns with the best parenting books out there, but I have gotten the most practical stuff from her!  It is a book I refer back to often! 


Radical - Yep!  I could not have gone the whole year and not read one of the best books of the year!  Yes, I'm a little biased because Ed and I have listened to this guys sermons for several years now, and love his teaching.  This was the last book I read and truthfully, I don't think all the content has really sunk in.  It's one of those books that's so challenging you almost need to take it in small bits and spend time really reflecting on it.  A must read!


So there it is!  Now I need to make my list for this year!  Any recommendations for 2011?  

The Perfect Mix

These days our house is full of little bit of this, a little bit of that.

Micah, having just turned five, is now growing up before my eyes and I can't make it stop!  Every day I am utterly amazed at watching my once tiny little baby grow into a full-fledged boy!  His days are mixed with independence and yet still needing, and wanting his mommy or daddy.  This picture is sums it up perfectly!  His new skateboard he got for his birthday has made him very cool in his eyes, and he just wants to go out and ride it himself.  He is even trying tricks!  Um, can I just put padding on his entire body first!  Anyway, he wanted to picture to put on his skateboard, and oh my gosh, this is what he came up with.  A picture of his beloved doggie and it says "my best friend".  The perfect mix of big boy and mama's baby!

Caleb is still very much toddler and let's me know everyday when he throws a fit because he doesn't get what he wants!  He is having fun playing with his normal boy stuff like cars, trains, anything Toy Story, etc.  But he is now also interested in Haleigh's girl toys!  One of his favorite is the tea set.  He is not afraid to sit down with mommy and Haleigh and have a little tea party.  I love his heart!  So today I found this...His Little People pirate ship and a tea cup!  The perfect mix of little boy and little boys who's not afraid to play with his sister!

Haleigh loves to play by herself.  She is getting more and more mobile now that she is SO CLOSE to walking!  She loves to collect things in her stroller that she got for Christmas.  She will walk around the house with her stroller and the number of things in it she has collected.  Usually without a baby!  She uses it more as a shopping cart than stroller, oh well!  Anyway, this was her collection today...Her stroller with a water gun in it!  Notice the jeep behind it!  The perfect mix of baby girl and a sister to brothers!

 

Happy 5th Birthday!!

Yesterday was Micah's 5th birthday!  I cannot believe I have a five year old.  It seems like just yesterday I had one little baby and we were living in an apartment.  Now our house is consumed with toys, sippy cups, high chairs, etc, etc.  

Micah has grown into a sweet, quiet, tenderhearted little boy.  He LOVES people, especially his uncles!  He is a boys'  boy.  His favorite thing to do is play basketball or hit baseballs.  Or really any sport!  God has gifted him with a crazy ability in all sports so it will be neat to see how that will transpire in his life.  Right now we are enjoying doing preschool at home.  His loves his brother and baby sister.  He would much rather be with people than be by himself.  And although I get frustrated that he won't play by himself and doesn't seem to have or care to have much of an imagination, I love that he thrives off interaction with others his age or older!  Who knows maybe God will use him in ministry!

Here's some of my favorite pics of Micah through the years.  Notice they are all summer pics because he LOVES summertime!

6 months

18 months

2.5 yrs old

3.5 years old

4.5 years old

Happy Birthday sweet boy!  I love you!