Toddler Hike

Since moving to Longmont, I've joined up with a mommy's toddler group that goes hiking every Wednesday. It's been good for me for many reasons: it's a good way to meet other mommy's, the kids get to make new friends, we all get to enjoy the outdoors, and it changes up my workout routine. 

Today's hike was by far the hardest. I know this pic below makes it look like an easy hike - but it didn't stay flat like that long. And to add toddlers to the mix, changes everything. 

Plus, I carried Eagan on my back almost 3/4 of the way.

35+ pounds really put my legs and butt muscles to work!!

We hiked the Canyon Loop Trail, just West of Boulder. It's a 3.2 mile loop.

It was a 45 minute drive just to get to the trail head.
The upside to driving so far: the scenery is more beautiful the more you get into the foothills, and there's more shade.
The downside: it's a 45 minute drive.

Today there were 6 mommy's and 8 toddlers (+1 baby). I rode with a new friend, Joanna, and her son. After about 45 minutes of being on the trail, we had to stop due to some meltdowns (which is always normal). But due to time restraints, Joanna needed to get back home by 1, which meant we had to leave the rest of the group and book it.

Let me tell you, hiking in a faster pace with Eagan on my back - remember it's an extra 35 lbs - was not easy!! But we made it back just in time.

Eagan had to be coaxed and encouraged to keep moving!

 so sweet...

 

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This is a glimpse of what we'll be doing Sunday - Tuesday. We're super excited to try camping with the boys for the first time. B keeps asking how many more days 'til we go. I think he's more excited about the s'mores than anything else! :) I don't blame him.
We've been getting a lot of rain here, almost on a daily basis. So it turn out to be quite an adventure! I'll be sure to post pic's and our experience.

Tilapia Dinner

Tonight's dinner was Lemon Garlic Tilapia, with a side dish of Greens with Carrots, Feta Cheese and Brown Rice. Click on the links to get the recipes. 

In our approach to eating healthier, there's this challenge to learn new recipes. 

Jamie and I liked it. Breeson did okay, and Eagan we had to spoon-feed him. At one time when Jamie was about to give him a spoonful, he took his fingers, pointed at the food and acted like he was shooting it!! :) He's a hoot.

(we may and may not have used ice cream to entice them to eat - we are not above bribing)

Visit from Granny

Jamie's mom (aka "Granny") came for a visit from Mississippi. She came last Monday and left today. I'd have to say this was one of the best visits with her. There was a lot of one-on-one time with her and the boys, and we just enjoyed our time together. 

We didn't too much "touristy" stuff this time around. We did go into Estes Park one day and played.
This is the aerial tram we rode. It's worth doing it if you have time. We didn't go into Rocky Mtn National Park this time around. The boys get bored sitting in the car for a few hours looking at scenery. :)  So this took the place of RMNP.

  

We tried Fun City where we rode...

the big slide (several times over)

  bumper cars

 and race cars

Mom was gracious enough to let us slip away for a date night:

 

We went to the last summer concert on Main Street here in Longmont, where eating Gelato and dancing took place...

Granny getting jiggy wit it...

On our way to church and then to the airport for Granny:

I am here, kind of.

Well, it's been a while blog world. I've not only neglected writing on here, but I don't even spend the time reading other blogs as much.
This is not going to be a lengthy blog - but I'm just writing a quick blurb letting you know I'll soon return with an actual post.

Since April, we've bought a house, moved in, and have been doing a lot of remodeling, unpacking, and settling in to our new life, in our new town.

Until next time...

Kudos to stay-at-home moms

Being a stay-at-home mom is SO hard. This is the first time for me to do it, and I'm not quite 2 weeks into it!! :) I applaud all women (and men!) who do it. Even after having Breeson I worked full time. Jamie was actually "Mr. Mom" when I went back to work because he was a part time student at that time. And after having Eagan the boys went to daycare after my maternity leave. I then started working part-time more consistently. It's not like being at home these last 2 weeks is the first time for me with the boys. It's just that knowing the end isn't really in sight. Whereas when I was on maternity leave, or extended vacation days, I knew when I'd go back to work, and where I'd go back to work. Both of those things are unsure right now. We know that I'll stay at home until we get fully settled into our new home. We hope/pray we close mid-May.

I've always told Jamie that I'm happy to become a full time stay-at-home mom when both of the boys are in school full time!! :)

In the meantime, we have our good days and our bad days. The hardest thing for me is keeping them occupied, as well as myself. I'm not the type to just sit around the house. So we try and find places to go. So far we've been to the rec center 2 times, library reading time (which they didn't end up having b/c it's spring break), park several times and lots of trips to the grocery store! Thank goodness for the weather being nice and warm. We enjoy our walks and it's healthy - in more ways than one - for us to get out.
I pray every day that the Lord gives me lots of patience, extra love, and contentment during this season. I'm sure one day I'll look back and be sad that I didn't enjoy it as much as I should. My boys do bring a lot of "joy" to my life and I'm thankful for them.
*side bar: as I'm writing this and saying how wonderful they are, I'm actually shooing them off so I can type this while telling them not to nag me right now. I'm such an awesome mother. insert sarcasm.

Sometimes I'll read other blogs or see "statuses" on FB about how some girls are just so thankful to be full time stay-at-home mothers and how blessed they are. They kinda make me want to cringe but at the same time feel guilty about how I don't desire that. I do have to be careful that I don't let Satan control me in this area and to not let him attack me with his lies. I realize that we're all gifted and desire different things. It seems like such a fine line of trying to learn to be content with where God puts us in different stages in our lives and also realizing that He did wire in me a certain way when He created me. So I do have an inner battle...

So this me just being open and honest about my feelings as a stay-at-home. Please know that I love my boys more than words can describe. But what I don't love is being bored at home with them and all of us getting on each others nerves 7 days a week. And I know that is an exaggeration. But this is my blog and my thoughts.

The end.

Unveiling...

We have so much to be thankful for and to give God praise. Thanks so much to our family and friends who have been so supportive in praying for us as we waited on God's plan for the next phase in our lives. It gives us great joy to tell you that our house is under contract, and we have officially accepted a position in Longmont, CO. Jamie will be the Associate Pastor at Epiphany Anglican Fellowship, working with Fr. Gerry Schnackenberg.



We are thankful to get to stay in Colorado. Longmont is around 35 miles North of Denver. We'll be closer to Loveland, Eldora and Rocky Mtn National Park!
Although I'll (Joy) miss the many perks of big city living (ahem, Ikea - sad face).
We are excited to work with Epiphany because we can already see how sacrificial and faith based they are. God already has a great team of people working in that church and the fact that we get to be a part of it is humbling.

Our closing date on our house is the end of the month and we are set to move to Longmont around that same time. We plan to live in temporary housing until we find the right house to buy there. Please continue to be in prayer as we pack up, and will soon be adjusting to a new place and new people. Pray especially for the boys that they can be flexible and adjust well to their new environment. One of my top prayers is that wherever God moves us, there will already be a young family where the boys can make friends with kids around their ages.

Praise be to God...

An update...of sorts

I guess I figured I would give a quick update on the sale {or lack of} of our home and directions in where God is leading us.
To say that He isn't leading us anywhere would be far from the truth. But to say that we are 100% in knowing where we're headed is also a farce. We know that God is working behind the scenes, but we're still waiting on those doors to open. This journey has definitely been stretching for us. We have had quite a few showings, just no bites. We once had an offer, but the girl low-balled us and we later found out she was shopping out of her price range. It's been a bit frustrating that our house hasn't sold, and yet I'm so thankful it hasn't at the same time. !? Huh? What I mean is that had it sold a month ago, we'd be packing up our belongings and heading nowhere. Well, not really nowhere. We both have loving family (and friends) who wouldn't allow us to be homeless, but the thought of moving somewhere temporarily with 2 kids and a dog doesn't sound appealing.

I've had my moments where I've cried out to God and asked "where" and "why". I can't say that I've had much feedback, except there have been times where I've felt an overwhelming sense of peace. I think a lot of that has to do with my husbands faith rubbing off on me. His faith and dependence on the Lord thru all of this has been amazing. I know he's not perfect, but he's been my constant source of strength (apart from the Lord) in reminding me that God has a plan for us all and that His timing is truly perfect.

As we head into this Lenten season, may we draw to Him and be reminded that God is all powerful and all knowing...even when we don't understand the "why's" and "what's" in life.