Year one, done!

I am completely in love with this man:

and his partner!

One year ago, well, over a year ago but I've been a little busy with a newborn! Anyway, one year ago on June 13th, I married him, because I love him so much!

 Jenny fancied up my makeup:

 

I put on the shoes:

I put on the dress:

And I walked the aisle with this man for one of the best days of my life!

We met at the alter, said our "I do's",  had a kiss and then had one more! 

 

We have lived happily ever after and have not stopped kissing!!!

The proof:

God commands us, in Ephesians 5:2, And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Just as Christ as shown us love we too show each other, each day in the little things we do for each other. In the silent movements that speak love. I know I am loved, respected, honored and cherished. I hope I demonstrate enough that he can also say with certainty that he is loved, respected, honored and cherished, because he is!

In all my "dreams" I never could have made up the husband that was chosen for me. He is greater than anything I wished for and anything I thought I wanted. He is greater than anything I deserve. Yet, I was chosen to be his wife long ago and he was chosen to be my husband at the same time. We were chosen to raise that baby. What a blessed life I have, if I have nothing else, I have love. And love, is the greatest of all!

1Cor13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love.

My post today is for you, Officer K9. What an amazing weekend we just had. I am so grateful you have 3-day weekends. While we did absolutely nothing of significance this weekend, it felt like the most special 3 days. I loved sitting on our back patio with you staring at the work you have done to give us a beautiful yard. I loved making s'mores with you and chatting about nothing. I loved snuggling with you, Baby K9 and Hunter in the mornings. I basically just loved being with you this weekend and can't wait for the next! Now, go get some bad guys!

New additions have arrived!

Yesterday I received Baby K9's new Best Bottoms in the mail!

Cute, right? Okay, so I probably have the cutest baby on the block! (I'm sure we each have said that about our child at some point in his/her life.)
I got some hemp inserts with these, I'm anxious to try them out. I have read that hemp is an awesome absorber and gets even awesomer (not a word, is it?) the more you wash it. I checked with OK9 and no chance of Hunter indicating on them.

Today I received another package of fluff from Kelly's closet. Now, I ordered our original, first stash from Nicki's diapers. I qualified for free shipping and received two free pair of baby legs with our first order. I'm thinking, "wow, fantastic!" Then I stumbled, literally, upon Kelly's closet. Free shipping with orders over $49. Sweet! Easy to spend that on fluff and fluff accesories. Even better though, she is always having these amazing promos for free diapers! I just got 2 free ones in the shipment today! Check out her FB page (diaper shops) for the codes. You can only use each code once, and one code per order. However, I just placed two seperate orders on the same day and got my two free diapers! There are still 4 codes I haven't used yet! UGG! The torture, I pormised OK9 I was done for now. For each code you only have to spend $25! Maybe I can just place one more order...I am sure there are accesories we need.
I still love Nicki's for the Best Bottoms and will continue to shop there for them or other items on sale. Nicki's has an extensive swim diapers site too. It'll be perfect to order from next summer when we need one! Did you know regular diapers are a no-no in most public pools? I had no idea, but then again, why would I? This is my first baby! Anyway, swim cloth diapers are super absorbent without the bulk of swim disposables and they are better for the environment! My little part in being "green." Now, onto the cuteness!

I was really hoping for a fuzzibunz, I am dying to try them. Instead I got.....

On the left is a CuteyBaby-all in one. I'm anxious to see how this works out. All in one means no stuffing! It's all included! The really cool thing with this one is that the velcro tabs come off so no sticking to other dipes in the wash! The print is pretty cute too, they are green monkeys if you can't tell by the picture. In the middle is a rump-a-rooz. What a cute name! It's a pocket, one size. I love one size! That means it will grow with Baby K9 and even be usable with the Baby K92. No, there is no Baby K92 on the way. Now, back to the fluff! The rump-a-rooz has 4 size settings and the soakers have 6! The inside is made of microchamois. Oh my softness! It also has inner leg gussets to help keep leaks in. I'll let you know how well these two keep them in. So far, our Bum Genius have done a fabulous job, except at night when he sleeps in long stretches or mom gets too lazy to go change him! So, we have been using a thicker insert at night which has contained the leaks. I am happy to say that Baby has been rash free for 6 weeks now! Woot Woot! On the right are my new Flip by Bum Genius covers in Butternut. I love the yellow! I also ordered some new flip inserts in stay dry. So, I ordered one Flip and 3 inserts in one order and got a free diaper (worth $23.50) and in the second order I ordered one Flip and 3 inserts and got a free diaper (worth $24.95.) Each order came to just over $30 with shipping. I think that's a pretty sweet deal! It's a great opportunity to try out different diapers too! Another way to try out different diapers is to enter the amazing giveaways they have on their blog, the cloth whisperer. This weeks fluff friday giveaway is for a Babykicks.

(OK9 just came home and said I good order some more and use the codes to get more free fluff! I love him so much! I love him so much that I will wait. He works hard to earn us money and I will be a good steward of what we have been given.)

Addiction, satisfied, for now...

Today I bought new dipeys!!!
I got these:


From Nicki's diapers. So excited they finally allowed pre-orders. I have been waiting, impatiently, for these diapers! They are suppose to be amazing and must be as they have been sold out for months! Every time she re-stocks they are gone in minutes, literally! They are too cute and are suppose to have the best of every diaper system out there! Can't wait to get mine, whenever that will be!

I also ordered some new flip covers and stay dry inserts from Kelly's closet. They have awesome coupons right now and after placing 2 seperate orders I am getting 2 free cloth diapers! I can't wait to see what I get! They also give out diaper rewards, so for every dollar I spend I get diaper money and once I accumulate enough I can use it toward...DIAPERS! Except, I promised my dear OK9 that I would be satisfied for a while. *sigh.........

I also entered an amazing giveaway from Diapershops.com to hopefully win a huge stash of the new Bum Genius 4.0's!!!! Click on the above link to find out how you can enter too! Once they reach 7500 Facebook fans they are havign the huge giveaway! They also are always having smaller, yet still amazing giveaways! Check them out!

Alright, must go tend to my darling little baby K9. He's super excited for Grandma Sharon to come tomorrow and for his first Fourth of July BBQ this weekend!!!!

Harvest

I was cleaning up around the house today and starting reflecting on what God has done in my life. As I was reflecting it occured to me that the most work in my life has been done during the summer months-for farmers this is the harvest time. Harvest, according to Merriam-Webster, means the season for gathering crops, the act or process of gathering in a crop. The Greek word for harvest is karpos which means fruit. According to Wikipedia, on small farms that do not have big machinery, harvesting is the most labor intensive activity of the season.

I began thinking of the work God as done in me as a time of harvesting. The seed was planted and now for all the years of my life His word will grow the seed and in my acts and service it will be harvested. Fruit will grow, at least that is how it should go. Sadly, as I remember the times of great fruit bearing I also remember the times of little or no fruit, at no fault but my own. Just like a seed needs water for nourishment, our walk needs His word for nourishment and growth.

Mark 4:26-29, the parable of the growing seed. As I look back on my almost 7 years of harvesting I am blessed, in awe, amazed and grateful. It excites me to think what this season of harvesting will bring. What seeds will be planted? What fruit will grow? Will this harvest be labor intensive?

Here is a glimpse of what past seasons have born:


Oregon coast with my mom


Philippines 2006




There is so much more but I would be typing for days! Such wonderful memories of what has happened and such joy for what is to come. God has amazing plans (Jer 29:11)and I can't wait to see them! I am reminded today to not stand in His way. We are harvesting in our garden this year. Seeds were planted, and when we tend to to them we have growth. Just the other day we picked strawberries and peas and ate them. Now others are not growing so well because we have slacked and not watered them. They need their food to grow and we are standing in the way of that. How often do I stand in the way of God nourishing me because I do not read my word, I am not in fellowship and prayer with the Lord? Lots of thinking done today, lots of convicting and lots of praise! What is He harvesting in you this season?

What to do....

With all my pictures! I have over 3,000 pictures on my computer right now! I am backing them up to a portable hard drive as I type this. All this leads me to think what will happen to all these pictures in 5 years? 10 years? Technology is so ever-changing. With this technology has led to pictures being saved on computers, thumb drives etc and not being printed. I suppose that is considered "green." What happens when the technology I have saved mine on no longer exists? What happens to all my pictures? My memories? I suppose there are only 2 sets of really important pictures to me: my wedding photos and now the photos we take of Baby K9. My wedding photos are backed up on disks, thumb drive and now the external hard drive. I am backing up Baby K9 on the external.

My friend suggested that they be backed up on an online share site, like Picassa, Photobucket, Costco or Kodak. Will they stay there forever?

I desperately need to get my wedding album completed, as that may be the only tangible photos I have of that day. I originally was going to get the fancy silver book from Picaboo but recently I got to check out the new leather bound books from Costco. The leather looks nice, the pages are strong and durable. They looked great! I may give it a try!

I have decided to print all photos of Baby K9. Okay, yes, those could get lost in a fire, but at least I will have something tangible to remember his precious growing up years. Something to pass onto him later for his family to see. I also intend to make a photo book for him after his first year. Hopefully my pictures hang in there that long! With that, I leave you Baby K9 supporting Team USA in the World Cup!!!!


It makes daddy proud that his boy is a future soccer star! Maybe....

What are you doing to save your pictures for years to come? I'd love new ideas!

Tomorrow we head to the Pediatrician for his 2 month check-up. I can't believe it has been 2 months already! Yikes! He has changed so much and I still love staring at him for hours upon hours and making him smile and giggle (not quite a vocalizing giggle but he's getting close!)

I have an addiction...

To cloth diapers! EEK! I told OK9 I just need $100 more at the end of this month then I will stop...for now!
These are my latest buy:


So cute!!!! They are BumGenius Flip! It's just the shell and you have 3 different liner choices. They call these Hybrid diapers. The shell is reusable, if anything does leak on it just wipe! I chose the organic liners and bought some disposables ones. These are the perfect on the go dipey! We tried them today for the first time and no leaks!!! Even with a poo blowout. My daypack came with 2 moonbeam liners, I really want to order two of the butternut, I didn't get that color with my 3.0's.

Have I posted the pic of Baby K9 in his BG 3.0's?

So cute! They make his pants look like an old man but he is the most adorable old man ever!!!!

I have been researching how to convert my velcro tabs to snaps on the BG when the time comes. From what I've read the velcro should last me at least a year, but could go longer. COtton babies is an awesome company and will replace the velcro but...I read this today on dirty diaper laundry blog, and learned how to convert them myself to snaps! I am hoping to win their giveaway to Kam snaps to be able to buy the materials! Kam snaps makes the snaps in colors to match my dipes. YAY!!! See..addicted!

My next purchase will be some stay dry liners for the flips, 2 new covers in butternut, a swim cloth diaper and these cuties, best bottoms, that I have been waiting for! Thank you Nicki's for allowing pre-orders. I want the chunky monkey for my little monkey and the mint chocolate chip. Yum!

We have been washing ours in Charlie's soap. Now, it has a bit of controversy around it but I must say my seemingly sensitive guys has had no problems with it. I really like how clean and fresh smelling it gets the diapers. The problem-I have only found it online. My neighbor found Planet at some local grocery stores. It has great reviews and is recommended by cottonbabies, the makers of Bum Genius dipes. I'm going to give it a try. I hear amazing things about Rockin greens ability to remove stink but sadly it only comes in powder form and our septic is not powder friendly.

Well, just a quick post on my new addiction.
Today marks the day I am officially a stay at home momma and no longer an Early Childhood Special Ed teacher. I shed a few tears as I said goodbye and watched my last group move on to Kindergarten. I remembered today that in this my 9th year of teaching, my very first class also graduated high school this year (I taught 4th grade prior to going into Special Ed.) I wonder, what will the pay be like in my new job? Are there benefits? Sick leave? Paid vacations? Do I still get holidays and summers off? I imagine these questions and more shall be answered shortly. :)

What I've learned as a mom, so far...

1. That I absolutely love this face!



I usually stare at it for hours a day and it still doesn't seem like enough.

2. I love my husband 10x more since he became a daddy!



3. I really don't need 7 hours uninterrupted sleep and I am in no hurry to get it back. Those early morning feedings are special time for mommy and baby K9, they are already going by too quickly (he's 6 weeks tomorrow!)

4. There really is no rush to get anywhere or do anything. Life is much slower now and we like it that way!

5. Not working anymore means less "luxuries." This is the most luxury I need. The other stuff doesn't go to heaven with me anyway. What I am and how I am to this child God has trusted me with and to the wonderful husband he blessed me with is what matters. Those are my treasures.

6. Getting peed on, not so bad. Poo in my mouth, well not something I would try everyday but it could be worse.

7. Cloth diapering, not difficult or extra work at all! The benefit to his skin (and our pocket) is totally worth it!


Baby K9 sporting the Bum Genius 3.0 pocket one size in grasshopper, purchased from Nicki's Diapers

8. A wrap and a ring sling are must haves for every new mommy! At least through the infant stage, I'll let you know later how well they do. My favorite for around the house, hands-free is the wrap. The sling is great for out and about. He particularly enjoyed it at church!

9. I can still read books! The Kindle OK9 surprised me with at Christmas is awesome!

10. Now, my little one is snuggled in my arms asleep and I must go savor this moment, they truly do go by way too quickly.

Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.