Tuesday, August 6, 2013

old news


This is all of us on our 10 year anniversary



I have so much to catch up on and so much other stuff to do. Jeff just asked me to come sit with him on the couch so we could read together so my blog catch up will wait, again.

Here is a post I started a couple weeks ago and never finished. It's old new but exciting none the less!

Jeff and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary!
It's such a big number and a big deal and then not that long when you think about it. We were talking about how long it seems but how fast it's gone and how in ten more years our oldest child will be graduating highschool. Time is such an interesting thing.
Something that I often wonder about marriage and if everyone thinks theirs is the best? I really love being married to Jeff. We are very best friends. We are far from perfect and we do argue and I will even admit that we yell at each other once in a while but we are so on the same page and I honestly can say that I love him more every single day.I can't imagine my life without my husband. He is such a great, kind gentleman and I am so blessed to be his sweetheart.
I think we have a groovy kind of love. 

This week has led to many musings. We got back from a super fun camping trip with good friends and I am left exhausted and grateful. We had the most kids out of the whole bunch and we had the smallest tent. Ha. It was a blast and once I get more pictures from the fellow campers I will post about all our adventures. 




Adelle managed to get headlice, from where I have no clue. It's a royal pain in my bum none the less but I find that I really love a good challange and defeating those little eggs has been satisfying. The boys are totally clear as are Jeff and I so the only thing that I can think is that she got it from the movie theater last week when Auntie took her to a movie. I made her wear this for two whole days until I was sure the problem was resolved.  She called herself the "sample lady" because she thought she looked like the sample lady from Costco. She is happy as ever and just doing her thing. 
Braxton, "Adelle, why do you look like the sample lady?
Adelle, "Because I have eggs in my hair!"
Braxton, "Why do you have eggs in your hair."
Adelle, "because bugs think I am a nest!"
Ha. Yuck, but funny. I only found one live bug and a handful of eggs. It was way easier to deal with than I anticipated and now I am taking precautionary measures to make sure we don't have to deal with it again, like ever would be nice ;) For the first time ever I am actually grateful at Adelle's lack of hair. It's pretty easy to search!


Gage is the best baby on the block and the best eater ever. This is him eating his baby kraut that I have been making all my kids all summer. Lacto-fermented vegetables are my new hobby and my neighbor Michelle and I have been coming up with all sorts of yummy ferments. The health benefits are unreal!! I love having good neighbors.
Gage is clapping like crazy and waving bye bye. He says "momma" which marks the first of our kids to say momma before dadda. He's been crawling for a month now and stands up on his own now too. I am just waiting for him to run he is such a little busy body!!


Braxton caught a fish while we were camping. He was pretty stoked and proud of himself. He kissed that little guy, literally, and then sent him back to his happy home in the lake.


Here are some of the first veggies I fermented. All that foggy stuff is the good bacteria that you want in your gut. We drink this stuff around here, no joke. (no, there is no alcohol in it if you are wondering). 


The Froberg ladies threw a shower for the soon to be newest member of the family. I love that my brother and Chelsey are getting married this coming weekend. Can't wait!! Love her so much... and him of course. 


After months of ignored intuition and sincere prayers and fasting I bit the bullet and took my little Emmett to the eye doctor.  I don't think I will ever forget the feeling I had when the doctor covered up his good eye and asked him what letters he saw with his bad. He couldn't tell them. He sat there and struggled to see and it was so, so, hard for him and all I could do from across the room was watch. As a mother this experience has been heart wrenching. Emmett is getting glasses and a patch and it is my job now to make sure that he wears them even though they are going to impair his vision in his good eye in order to strengthen the bad. I want to lay on the ground and throw myself around and scream and cry and yell, " I don't want to do it!!" Because it's true, I don't want to. The thought of him being uncomfortable and having to work so hard to see has been difficult for me to accept. I love this tender hearted boy so, so, much and I know without a doubt that he is stronger than I am in this situation. More of this to come.


A couple weeks ago Jeff had a job to do over on Friday Harbor so the kids and I tagged along. The ferry ride was beautiful and the kids loved the experience. Braxton helped his dad for a while. We played kick ball and picnicked and hung out while Jeff worked and then when he was done we all explored the island together. Jeff didn't bring his ladder because we remembered that it costs a whole lot more to bring it on the ferry so can you guess how he got on the roof?? Yep, I hoisted his booty on up there!! lol


We went to a tourist spot that is known for seeing Orca Whales but we didn't see a one. I guess this year they aren't coming around like they usually do. Something about a salmon shortage. We did see a seal though and had fun on the rocks.


Braxton represented in the local Old Settler's Parade. He walked with the float for his school which has closed now after years of service in the community. He was pretty stoked to be in the parade.


Ha. This picture just makes me laugh. Isn't it so gross!! My kids really don't swim in there, really. They used to when it wasn't green and now we have just been using it for our garden. But yes, Gage did fall in, head first. He wasn't sure what to do about getting out either. It was pretty funny I had to get a picture.



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

hello


So I really want to blog. Like, so so bad. But for some reason I just can't sacrifice 2 stinkin' minutes of this wonderful summer abundance.

One day.

Happy Summer!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

they scream “ice cream!”

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It was a happy day last Wednesday. After playing at the Bay and going on a kayaking voyage, Umpa got out the ice cream. We had some very happy kiddos!!

some swing shots

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Dear Brax. Thank you for hulling Emmett’s sunflower seeds so he could enjoy them the whole trip. You are the best big brother ever!

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Dear Adelle. Thank you for saying I am the best mom in the whole wide world. That is so nice to hear from your lips.

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Dear Emmett. Thank you for coming home with me even though you said you wanted to stay with Carson and Kate forever.

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Dear Gage. Thank you for joining Dad and I in Oregon and being our only child for 24 hours. You are so fun to spoil.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

summer so far

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I think I say this every year but we are having the best summer ever! So much sunshine and fun!!

Our days are being balanced between harvesting goodies from our garden, laundry, and playing in the water, among other things but those are the basics. I have been busy making this jam again because every year we run out and it’s my husbands absolute favorite.

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Gage is my handy helper and sidekick in all things. This new baby food rendition was nothing short of genius. It’s called getting home from the store, throwing about an inch of water in my crockpot along with an apple and acorn squash. Turning crock pot on high only to forget about it until a delicious smell filled my house. Oh yeah, baby food. De-seed and peel them both and throw in the ninja with a bit of water for a weeks worth of apple/squash delight. Gage was a fan.

The kids have been painting up a storm. Good thing my garage is full of boxes because I ran out of scrap wood. Now they paint cardboard but they are just as happy.

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Adelle found my old Barbies in the garage the other day. So, now she has Barbies. It’s pretty fun to watch her play with them. These five are named; Gabby, Isabel, Jama, Kate, and Mia. I hope those of you who have these names feel good about her name choices ;)

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The pool in the backyard is seeming smaller each year but still provides days of fun. Between the pool, which is now warm, and the trampoline with the sprinkler we are keeping wet.

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We’ve also been out at my parent’s at Birch Bay regularly getting our salt water fix. I love swimming in the bay, it’s just so refreshing. The last few days when the heat wave hit the kids and I would get up, get our chores done, and then drive out to the bay to play. We would bring things to eat and potluck with my parents every night and when Jeff got off of work. The weather has been so hot and perfect for the beach. I love getting out of a refreshing swim and being wet but not cold. It’s the best!

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The plan would be for Gage to fall asleep on the way out, which rarely happened, but he is quite the beach bum himself!

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My parent’s neighbors, Neil and Brenda, are so fun and are becoming like family. Our kids adore them and they equally love getting their kid fix when we come out. Neil’s garden is amazing and last week he gave me a huge bag of basil of which I turned into yummy pesto. Yesterday my mom taught Adelle how to make earrings out of some of Neil’s hollyhocks.

I am so happy when Jeff makes it out. He is so worn out from work at the end of the day and I am so happy to see him!! This is us yesterday as soon as he made it out after cleaning two church buildings. I am grateful for how hard he works for us.

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After a yummy dinner we all got in the water again until after 8:00pm. It was still so hot.

Today we are laying low. I am worn out so after errands this morning we are just chilling. Like, the kids swam in the pool for a bit and now as Gage naps they are watching The Magic School Bus series we checked out at the library yesterday.