The Delaney Bunch

God vs. the Redskins

2010-10-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a great conversation I had with Emma today while she was cleaning up her toys:

Emma: I'm on God's team, because I love God. Are you on God's team?

Me: Yes, I am because I love God too.

Emma: Is everybody on God's team?

Me: Well, not everyone. Because not everyone loves God.

Emma: So then they're on the Redskins team?

I guess some people would feel that way, wouldn't they? Oh, out of the mouth of babes...

Driving in VA

2010-09-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

As we were driving around town last Friday, a driver (half-way through a turn in the middle of an intersection) decided to start reversing his car into oncoming traffic.

Dan, Yon, and I all looked at each other shocked and said we couldn't believe what was going on.

Then Emma said, "Somebody should beep their horn at him."

I guess she's catching onto driving up here quicker than I thought. :)

Our BIG Move

2010-09-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

September 15 and I am finally getting around to posting again. And boy, have our lives changed! We are now a family of 5 living in Virginia.

First, let me clarify about the 'family of 5' thing. We recently invited Dan's mentee from church to come live with us, and he accepted. So now, I have a 16-, 5-, and almost 2-year-old. Lots of adjustments, but it is totally worth it.

And then there's the moving to Virginia part. Dan accepted a job here in NoVa (that's shorthand for northern Virginia, as I am learning) in June and started working here at the beginning of August. The kids and I moved up during the first weekend in September, and started homeschooling the week after.

Yes...homeschooling an 11th grade student, and kingergartener, and a two-year-old. Mostly with the two-year-old, though, we just let him color, watch movies, and play with toys. But the older two are doing so well. I wasn't sure how we were all going to adjust, but we're starting to get the hang of it. I am learning a lot (and having to remember a lot of math that was stuck in the memory bank somewhere), and God is teaching me the value of patience.

We have been blessed with the opportunity to stay with Dan's uncle and aunt while we wait on our house in Charleston to rent so we won't be burdened with a mortgage payment and a rental payment in Virginia. Learning all about God's perfect timing and provision. And we have found a pretty neat church here: Fairfax Community Church. It reminds me a lot of Seacoast, which I miss SO much, but it definitely has a northern Virginia 'flavor'. Can't wait to start volunteering and finding my place serving.

I really wish I had pictures, but I packed my camera and not the cable that connects it to my computer. Oh well...I am sure I will find it once all of our stuff is pulled out of storage and we're settled into a house.

Ethan's naptime is over...time to get running again!

My quarterly blog report

2010-04-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

Three months without blogging. A new record for me. I guess it's a testimony to how many other things we've been up to.

So here we are. Here's a recap of the last three months in pictures.

Emma's still singing. And she loves to make up songs and even new words to sing in those songs. It gets really funny when she tries to tell us what she wants, but she's using one of her made-up words.

What do you know?! We had snow like everyone else in Charleston! Dan LOVED it, Emma enjoyed it, and Ethan was only interested in looking at others playing in it.

We used some of our tax refund this year to get a new television. Dan and Ethan have been in video game heaven. And I'm not going to lie: I've enjoyed it too.

We had a good visit to Edgemoor. While we were gone, Dan painted the bathroom, set up Ethan's room with a 'big boy' bed, and put some handles on the kitchen drawers. He says we'll have to go out of town again for him to have time to finish. :)

We adopted a dog named Lacy from one of the hygienists at my dentist's office. She's a three-year-old Silky poo (silky terrier/poodle mix), weighs about four pounds, and loves walks around the neighborhood on her cute pink leash.

So there it is. The Delaney family update with a few pictures and 100 words or less. I feel like I should get graded for this.

20-10...already an eventful year

2010-01-03T17:16:00.000-08:00

It is so hard to believe that 2009 and an entire decade of early adult/adult life is behind me. Where did the last 10 years go? I've lived through two entire decades and almost (gulp) a third. 3-0 is coming too fast.

We had a wonderful and relaxing Christmas. We enjoyed a fun family service on Christmas Eve where Emma played an angel in the Christmas story. I don't know what it is, but it melts a momma's heart to see her child living out what happened that first Christmas. I know it made the whole story more real for her as she is finally understanding what it means when we say we're celebrating Jesus' birthday.

I was a little bummed that we didn't get to see my Dad's family or most of Dan's family, but that is what happens when everyone is so spread out! We did have a great Christmas brunch with Nana Boo (Dan's aunt) and Steve and Crystal. Those are some really fun people! Then we went to my Mom's house for dinner and presents. My Mom LOVES to give gifts to show her love, and she's so creative with gift baskets. My favorite gift of the season: a set of "designer" reusable bags that she got me from a website called Blue Avacado (http://www.blueavocado.com/). They are super-cute and much sturdier than some of the bags you buy at the grocery stores.

And after such a quiet Christmas, I should have known something might happen to liven our lives again. And guess what?! I got to spend a few hours one night last week in the ER. Apparently, I have some gallstones that have been giving me terrible stomach pains, so I am getting my gallbladder removed on Tuesday. As it turns out, losing a significant amount of weight and exercising can cause one to develop gallstones. Who knew? Just praying that the procedure goes as plans, and the surgeon says I can "go out and play rugby the next day." Don't think I'll be doing that, but I may enjoy a HUGE cheeseburger combo with a milkshake. The diet can be on hold for a day, right?

Sorry for no pictures of all of this fun. We left my camera at my Dad's house back at Thanksgiving, so it's a good thing they're coming down to visit this weekend (not just for the camera, but because it has been too long since we've seen them). I bought one of those cheap disposable ones to use on Christmas. Haven't gotten it developed yet, though.

So that's the latest and greatest from our house. I will hopefully post my recovery status and lots of pictures from the last two months after this weekend!

2009: Not the year of the blog

2009-12-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

2009 was not a good year for blogging for me. Yet, it was still a wonderful year! So many great moments and memories in our family, which got me thinking: what are the best moments of this past year?

So here we are (in no particular order): The Top 10 Delaney family moments/memories of 2009...

10. Getting Netflix. Yep. I love good movies, and watching a good movie with Dan is always good time for cuddling.

9. The SC Children's Museum. One of the coolest places in SC, hands down.

8. Emma turning 4 and Ethan turning 1. Every birthday each child has is such a special reminder of the wonderful gifts God has given us.

7. Summer Dreams. Working with 5 teenage interns for a summer and having fun at church two days a week was AWESOME!
6. The DC trip with the interns. Ethan may not have done too well with the travelling, but DC is fun any time of the year.

5. Starting homeschool. Emma is a sponge who loves learning, so she has been the greatest little student.

4. Couponing. Who knew saving money could be so much fun? But we have enjoying the fruits of this labor!

3. Baking Christmas cookies. Emma and I have so much fun baking, and Dan and Ethan have so much fun eating. It's a win-win situation, really.

2. Finding our place at the Dream Center. That is one AWESOME place!

1. DC Trip #2. Five days on the road with the family and so many wonderful memories... stopping at rest stops for food/playtime... going to the zoo when it was 35 degrees outside... drinking cider on the couch and enjoying the Food Network... chasing Ethan up the steps about 50 times... Wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Before and After...

2009-10-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

I love 'before & after' posts/pictures...love seeing the way people can redesign frugally and creatively...love freshening up a space and feeling like it's a whole new space.

I guess we're in 'before & after' mode at the Delaney house. As some of you saw on FB, we're selling lots of stuff on Craigslist...some of it to just get rid of stuff (a little stuffitis sets in occasionally, and we always regret it later) and some of it to simplify and freshen up the look of our house.

It's a long process--selling, rearranging what we have, patching holes/scuffs, repainting where need be, etc, etc--but I cannot wait for the end result.

I'm sure everyone's waiting on baited breath for the 'after'. And I am learning a major lesson in patience :)

Tips on getting married...from a four-year-old

2009-09-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

On Monday Emma and Dan looked through our wedding album. Emma was intrigued with the pretty dresses and seeing her family in pictures. After she was done, though, we had this great conversation:

Emma: I'm gonna get married when I'm a grown up.
Me: Really? What are you going to do when you get married?
Emma: Wear a white dress, and the other girls will wear blue dresses. And then you talk to each other.
Me: That's what you do at a wedding. What are you going to do when you're married?
Emma: You play games all the time. But when I get married, I'm going to have cake and ice cream and balloons.
Dan: I like that idea. What else?
Emma: Like some turkey sandwiches, too.
Dan: You heard it: a $100 wedding. I'm holding her to it!

I have a feeling it's not really going to work out like that. Dan's not getting off the hook that easily...

Little Miss Personality

2009-08-21T06:59:00.001-07:00

At 9:30 this morning, I was finally getting myself ready to exercise. I had already told Emma that I would exercise (or "exersaucer" as she calls it) in the living room so that there would be enough room for both of us to do the workout together.

Emma said, "Mommy, I need to go get on my exersaucer clothes. I'll be right back!" And this is what she came back wearing:

No one could ever accuse her of being a tomboy! She brings so much joy to so many days. I love this girl!

July

2009-07-28T04:47:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe July is winding down. I guess we've been pretty busy. Dan has gotten into the swing of things at his new job, Emma, Ethan, and I have been going to Summer Dreams (our church's summer camp) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we've been staying busy with family stuff. I think it's just a busy season for us!

And I've finally gotten my act together and started trying to get in better shape. I just reached a point where I was always tired and did not feel good about myself. I've been at it for 8 days now, and so far I've lost four pounds. I also have more energy and a better attitude in general. I know I can stick with it this time!

Emma is excited that she gets to start "school at [her] house after [her] birthday" (she has made this statement to several people now). We'll be doing two days of reading, one day of math, one day of science, and one day of educational games. We're certainly not going to do anything too intense, as she is still young and we're only starting homeschooling this year per her request. (I wanted to wait a year, but when a child says "I really want to have school now" you don't want to squelch that desire to learn!)

Our little Ethan is, of course, into EVERYTHING. It is almost a full-time job keeping up with him. He does stuff at his age that Emma never would have tried. Just this morning, I caught him standing on top of a box trying to pull something off of a shelf. Ha! He is all boy, and I am trying to get used to it. But when he gives me that sweet little grin, I cannot stay mad at him. Yes, I admit it: My little boy can melt my heart in a minute.

Finally, since it wouldn't be a good post without some pictures, here you are. Enjoy!

2009-07-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Jehovah Jireh today. Found this little excerpt online (isn't the internet grand sometimes?):

This name means "the God who provides" or "God will see to it". The Hebrew word transliterated jireh is actually a form of the common verb Ra'ah ('to see'). In Genesis 22:7 when Isaac asked Abraham where the lamb was for the burnt offering and Abraham replied, 'God himself will see to it,' he was declaring that God had everything under His control and would provide what was needed at the right time.

He is a God who meets EVERY need at HIS appointed time.

One more thing I was reading last week in my quiet time:

Our Father is not surprised by the events of our life nor is He unaware of our struggles. Each and every one of them must pass through His hands and came to us with His permission. Trust Him. Abandon yourself to Him in childlike faith, knowing that no matter how you feel, no matter what you see - He is in control.

I love the small reminders of who He is in my daily life!

Mars and Venus, Spaghetti and Waffles, and whatever else you want to call it.

2009-06-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

Another entire month has gone by since I last blogged. June has been a wonderful month for us. So far we:

completed three weeks of Summer Dreams, our summer camp at the Dream Center. The kids and I are having a blast!
celebrated our fifth anniversary. I guess I'll eventually get around to posting some pictures of that fun evening on here.
had Ethan's nine-month check-up. He's 22 lbs. 10 oz. (75th percentile), 30.25 inches (95th percentile), and is otherwise growing into a healthy little boy.
have avoided the beach. Good thing, because it's been really hot.
got our budget set for the next three months as we prepare for Dan to transition to a new job. Five weeks of vacation/sick time a year plus a nice raise in pay. We are now preparing to hit our debt square in the gut. Praise God for providing!

But that's not quite the point of this post. I have just been noticing as I watch Ethan and Emma grow...what a HUGE difference between boys and girls. I just thought I'd list a few of those differences here. Some of the differences...

...girls can sit and watch a movie at a fairly young age. Ethan's only relationship with the television is that it's a great big drum on which he can bang his hand.

...girls just casually notice their surroundings, but boys have to explore their surroundings. And everything in their surroundings.

...girls like to be clean. Boys don't, unless it means they're naked in the bath tub splashing the water.

...girls like to see how high they can build their block towers. Boys have to see how quickly they can knock the block tower down.

...girls don't like to admit when they've passed gas. Boys laugh at themselves farting at such an early age. Seriously, he just laughed at himself two days ago after he passed gas.

Just a few things that I've learned. I am all-girl (as is Emma), so I imagine that she and I are in for a lot of learning with her 100% boy little brother.

Still, it's so amazing to me how God wired us so differently from the get-go. Just incredible...

Funny stuff

2009-05-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

I used to love the show Kids Say the Darndest Things. Although, I always wondered what the parents thought. Were they embarassed? Proud? Wondering where their children heard the things they were saying?

I think Emma is in that stage now. She says things, and I am not sure if she's repeating something she's heard me say or if she's learning to express her own thoughts more eloquently. Either way, here are a few funny conversations we've had lately.

(While riding in the car to her grandparents' house)
Emma: Why we have to go to Papoo and Gigi's?
Me: We don't have to, but we want to go see our family.
Emma: Oh.

(Five minutes later...)
Emma: Why we have to go to Papoo and Gigi's?
Me: Because we love our family, and we want to spend time with them. Why, do you not want to go?
Emma: No, I wanna go.
Me: Okay.

(Two minutes later...)
Emma: Why we have to go to Papoo and Gigi's?
Me: We just do. Why do you have to ask so many questions?
Emma: (without a second thought) 'Cuz I a kid.

(And on another occasion in our bedroom, when Emma was obviously feeling a little jealous about the attention we were giving her brother)
Me: Emma, are you sad?
Emma: Yeah.
Me: Why? Do you not want a brother anymore?
Emma: No. I not want a brother.
Me: Why not?
Emma: I want a baby sister now.
Me: Oh.
Emma: Can we go get her tomorrow?

Don't you just love the way the three-year-olds look at the world?

Just because I love my husband

2009-05-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Dan asked me to post some pictures to the blog, just for those who don't have Facebook or can't access it on a regular basis. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks.

Emma decided to have a little fashion show in all of her princess costumes...In less than 10 minutes.

Ethan's first dip in the pool. He wasn't sure what to think at first, but eventually he really enjoyed it!

Emma DID NOT care for the pool last year. Of course this year, she was jumping in from the sides and doggie-paddling around the pool. Yay!

I love my babies. So sweet!

I love you, Dan!

Catching up is hard to do

2009-05-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we're already more than half-way done with May. 2009 is flying by, and the kids are growing like crazy!

Our little football player Ethan is ON THE MOVE! He's got the army crawl down to a sport, and with our slick, wood floors he is superfast. I was telling someone today that having a little boy as a second child is a huge adjustment. Even as an infant, Emma was fairly content most of the time to sit still and play with her toys. Not Ethan. And for some reason, he is always after the power cords. He's our super-adventurous little man, and I have realized that as much as Emma is all prissy girl, he is rough-and-tumble boy. Just how God designed them to be...

And our sweet little princess is learning and growing so much. She's just gone through a huge growth spurt and put on about three inches. Makes those summer shorts we bought in March a little too short, so we had to get some new ones. She's getting really excited that she gets to have her "own school" at her "own house" starting this fall. I was going to wait another year to start homeschooling, but she really wants to learn about her "A-B-C"s and her "alphabets".

Here are a few pictures of what May has looked like so far for "Team Delaney" (that's what we call our family when we're talking to the kids).

Daddy and Ethan showing off his muscles. Grrrrrrr!

Emma and her pal playing in the inflatable pool. The great part is, we didn't even have to put on sunscreen because they were under the patio!

Hopefully May will bring lots more excitement and we'll be able to post some new pictures soon...

Eat your heart out, Dave Ramsey!

2009-04-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's been friends with us for long enough knows that we are trying really hard to GET OUT OF DEBT. Thanks to the wisdom of Dave Ramsey and by the grace of God, we are well on our way with a long way to go.

We have been trying to save money in so many ways: we've cut cable, gone to one cell phone, and don't often see the inside of a restaurant--even if it's just for fast food. Well, we just had the brilliant idea to take our frugality a step farther by cutting Dan's hair at home instead of paying for it. And here are two little words that we learned: BAD and IDEA!

Take a look at these:

I am not sure what I was thinking or doing. Thank goodness my wonderful husband has a good sense of humor and that the lady at SportsClips could fix this. We may have taken a lot of things out of the budget, but from now on we'll always leave money for a professional hair cut!

Spring is in Full Swing!

2009-04-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Anybody else loving this weather? Even the rain in the springtime is wonderful, because it makes the grass greener and the flowers fuller. We have certainly been enjoying it!

We've had a noneventful April thus far. Our biggest excitement was going to Edgemoor for a few days to visit with my Dad and family. Other than that, not too much to report.

Here are some great pictures we snapped before we had to come back home last week.

Going to enjoy the calm while it's here. There are busy seasons ahead...

Ta Da!

2009-04-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

"Cleanliness is next to godliness." That's somewhere in the Bible, right? Like in 2 Genesis...

I know, it's not. But I have to admit that it does feel really good to have a better-organized house. When one area of my life is chaotic (i.e., my house is a mess), that carries over into every other area of my life.

That being said, here is the finished product of weeks of work.

1. The medicine drawer. Pills, First Aid, and Bandages are all separated out so they're easier to find.

2. The bathroom counter. I threw out almost two bags of old make-up and medicine from our bathroom. Yuck! That makes it so much easier to see what we have and to keep our countertop clutter-free.

3. Gift bags and wrapping. One of my favorite changes. I bought some of the oversized Ziploc bags and separated out Christmas gift bags, other special occasion gift bags, tissue paper, and other wrapping supplies. Now, instead of trying to find the needle in the haystack (or the gift bag in the big pile of bags) I can easily find what I'm looking for.

4. The linen closet. Long was this closet the keep-all for our junk. No longer. Now it holds our toilet paper/paper towels, extra cleaning supplies and toiletries, and of course, the linens. I even made it easier by separating the separate sheet sets into the oversized Ziploc bags and labeling what is in each bag.

5. The laundry/utility room. We used to keep all of Dan's tools and 1,000 other things in here. Since he finished organizing the storage room, though, we can now use the laundry room to hold our laundry stuff and a few other items we need around the house (light bulbs, furniture movers, and child-proofing supplies). I would get a picture of the great job Dan did in the storage room, but it is raining and I am not going out in that mess right now!

6. The pantry. I got rid of old food and organized the shelves. Each shelf holds similar items: the top shelf is for pastas/rice, then the next shelf is for sauces/condiments/cans, then snack and breakfast foods, and then baking supplies. And I also finally organized all of our plastic utensils and party supplies (plates and cups).

I have to make one more run to Goodwill and finish weeding the last 1/3 of the flowerbed (again, the rain has been holding me back) and it will 100%, officially complete.

And my house feels peaceful once again...

Spring Cleaning: Jennifer Delaney Style

2009-03-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

Those who know me best would say I am a Type-A personality. I am driven to perfection when it comes to almost any task. Lately, that task has been spring cleaning. I cannot stop myself! And unfortunately for Dan, I seem to have dragged him into my project. That seems to happen to him a lot. Being the wonderful man he is, however, he just goes along and does what he can.

Our latest and greatest projects have been...

...shelving for our outdoor storage room. Dan put the shelves up and did a GREAT job! We have been able to organize and inventory all of our home improvement stuff. Who knew we had so much?

...getting rid of old college books. Seriously, why did I keep them, especially after I stopped teaching? I kept a few that would help me as I prepare for homeschooling, but everything else is gone!

...tossing the old unmentionables. Why do we keep that stuff anyway?

...getting our DONATE/THROW AWAY piles from every room. A great way to keep yourself from having TOO MUCH STUFF is to go through every room with a trash bag and a storage bin. Find 10 things to put in the trash bag, and find 10 things to put in the storage bin and donate to charity.

...weeding the flowerbed. Sure is hard work, but it is worth it. I am almost 2/3 done. I have to wait for the trash pick-up tomorrow before I can resume this project because we have generated way too much trash with cleaning during the last week.

...organizing our utility room, pantry, closets, and office. Now I actually know what I have and where it is.

And I think that finishes off our list. It sure does feel good to get all of this stuff done. I am going to have to post some pictures when we're all done. I cannot wait!

What do you say to that?

2009-03-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

As Emma has been growing more and more in her understanding of God and who He is, we've been slowly trying to teach her that there are things that make God/Jesus REALLY HAPPY (when we share, when we're nice to people who are sad, when we help others), and there are things that make God SAD (sins).

And just like many complex concepts you try to explain to three-year-olds, we're not always sure how much she's understanding. For instance, after telling her that Ethan came out of Mommy's belly, she told our friend Amy that her little white Care Bear came out of her big white Care Bear's belly. I guess she got the basic idea.

Anyway, Emma was asking for a snack out of the pantry today. As she was looking at her options, she looked down and noticed that we had a Sierra Mist (which she calls Ginger Ale) sitting on the pantry floor. She then said, "Mommy, you say-ed we not have Ginger Ale. That make Jesus sad." To be honest, I had totally forgotten it was there. But otherwise, I was BUSTED by my preschooler.

Wow...

More goings-on in the Delaney house...

2009-02-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

I know it's time to blog when my anti-blog husband says I need to blog! Here is some of the latest and greatest from our family:

Our big boy Ethan is now rolling over, AND he ate cereal for the first time last night. I am not kidding, but that boy acted like he was born to eat from a spoon. He didn't do the thing that most babies do at first when they push the food back out with their tongues (because that's what they have to do to get milk from a bottle or Mommy). He scarfed it down and I had to make more. So cute!

Emma has also learned to write her name. I need to post a picture of it--it's super cute. Sometimes she makes five or seven horizontal lines on her "E" instead of three, and she usually puts the line on the "a" on the wrong side, but otherwise she's got it. She loves to learn to do new things, and she is so proud of herself for every accomplishment. She's also been working on spelling some new words. So far, she can spell STOP, DOG, and EMMA.

Other than that, life is life as usual. I found a great website for those, like me, who are SO STINKIN' TIRED of all of the depressing news: www.happynews.com. It's just nice to see happy stories in the news instead of stories about the recession, political corruption, and the like. And just as I was starting to get depressed this morning, I saw this verse in my Inbox:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:35, 37

Amen.

So now that January is over...

2009-01-26T11:47:00.001-08:00

I guess it's about time for me to get back to blogging. For a while, I had a hard time getting around to blogging because I was so busy "Facebooking", but I haven't been on FB for almost three weeks now. I have to admit that I'm not missing it too much, but we'll see if that changes next week.

We added a wonderful new addition to our family this month. My brother is a proud daddy of little Ella (picture below). She is absolutely beautiful! We got to meet her on Saturday for the first time, and it was a little weird seeing her next to Ethan. It reminded me how quickly they grow up.

And here's a great picture from our dinner Saturday night. It captured the mood of the whole evening. Ella was sleeping, Ethan was squirming, Emma was being a silly three-year-old, and my Mom was laughing at the whole thing. Sadly, we tried to take this picture about eight times, and this is the best one we got. Love it!

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet around the Delaney house. We've been busy last week and will continue to be busy this week with doctor/dentist appointments and car issues/shop visits, but there are otherwise no complaints. Just taking it one day at a time.

Back to reality...

2009-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Phew! The craziness of the holidays is over. I feel like I barely rested between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. We had a wonderful Christmas with our families and were blessed to see my grandfather get married just two days after Christmas. Then, I had the opportunity of seeing my sweet friend Angela get married on New Year's Eve.

We are slowly getting into to groove with 2009. We've worked on our budget, talked about some family goals, and spent some time in prayer. I felt there was one verse (actually, two verses) that God was leading me to as I learn and grow this year.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

So, Happy New Year! And here are my two favorite Christmas pictures...

What are your traditions?

2008-12-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

I know that many of the families who might read this blog are like us--families who have a young kiddo or two at home. Or maybe there are people who read this blog who are a little older and have kiddos who have left the nest. Either way, I hope that you leave a comment and respond to this question:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY CHRISTMAS TRADITION?

It can either be a tradition that you have leading up to Christmas, on Christmas day, or after Christmas. (For instance, one of ours is to buy/create an ornament for our children every year so that by the time they have their own Christmas trees, they will have years of ornaments AND memories to hang up on it.) I am asking mostly out of curiosity, but I also love to hear about the family traditions and legacies that others are sharing with their children.

Thanks for responding!

Christmastime is here...

2008-12-07T14:19:00.000-08:00

families drawing near.
Oh that we
could always see
such spirit through the year.

Such a great song! And one that my fellow Troubadour alumni would know. :)

We are in full-swing celebrating Christmas in our home. It took us an entire week to decorate, but we finally got it finished. Emma has been SUPER-excited about getting up the treeS (emphasis added on purpose), the garland, and the other random decor--which includes a toilet-seat cover, mooing cow, and a Christmas village that we've had since I was about 10.

We're also baking, crafting, and sending out Christmas cards. It has been so much fun, and the house is a total wreck at times! We have learned to cut back this year and not go overboard with tons of gifts, parties, and everything else that can take time away from the family. Living on b-u-d-g-e-t has reminded us that this is not a time to get stressed, but a time to rejoice. There is so much going on, but I am always trying to remind myself the reason that we are celebrating.

Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord

This is such a wonderful time of year because we can remember the hope that was given to Earth on that first Christmas.

Blessings

2008-11-17T12:16:00.000-08:00

A happy family is but an earlier heaven. --George Bernard Shaw

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them. --Desmond Tutu

So what's been going on?

2008-11-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Two entire weeks since my last post. I am having a hard time keeping up with this blog. I have been really bad about not taking pictures the last few weeks, so I haven't posted on here. I am going to start bringing my camera everywhere so I don't forget.

In the meantime, here's a little of what's been going on in the Delaney house:

Dan has been working like crazy. I love my husband and the fact that he wants to provide for his family. We have really learned to enjoy the time that he's at home because we're not getting as much of it these days.

Emma and Ethan are both growing, of course. Ethan is nursing every 1.5-3 hours and is not on a good schedule yet. Our pediatrician said to let him eat on demand until he's about two months old. Only a few more weeks and (hopefully) we'll be able to get on a good schedule.

We've been getting TONS of hospital bills. Thank goodness that God is in control, because I would be freaking out otherwise.

I've been working on making some Christmas presents...and realizing that it's hard to find time to do that stuff.

I've also been reading through the Psalms during my quiet time. The last time I read through Psalms was about 7 years ago when I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life. Reading through them again has been a great reminder of how far God has brought me. His amazing grace has sustained me in good times and bad.

One of the shift keys on my keyboard is sticking, and it's driving me crazy! One thing I cannot tolerate is bad grammar. :)

Here are two cute pictures of the kids from over a week ago. They have been keeping us on our toes, but we are enjoying them so much!

We'll be taking some family photos this weekend, so I cannot wait to post them.

Who has time for this?

2008-10-29T07:18:00.001-07:00

Wow! I have one thing to say: I am so impressed by my friends with multiple children who have time to do this whole blogging thing. I am glad to make it through the day with a shower and with everyone fed. Those are my big accomplisments these days!

Other than that, we have not been up to much. I still have a week until I am officially "healed" from the c-section, and I am having a hard time taking it easy. It's hard explaining to a three-year-old why you can't pick her up. Unfortunately, though, I have gone against doctor's orders once or twice and picked her up. BAD IDEA!

Ethan went for his one month check-up on Monday.
12 lb. 5 oz.
24 in.

Our baby is HUGE! His weight is in the 95th percentile, and his height is off the charts. I think Emma might have been the same way, though. Our kiddos seem to hit their growth spurts at different times than most of the population, apparently.

So, we've had our ups and downs and nights when all I wanted was for Ethan to go to sleep so I could rest. But I have to say that God has been faithful to give me the strength to make it through each day. There are plenty of times when I have thought that I wouldn't make it to the end of the day without crying or losing it, but God has filled me with peace in those rough times!

What a crazy journey we are on right now! And I could not imagine my life any differently.

Visiting the family

2008-10-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

We took our first trip with the whole family this past weekend! It was crazy and fun and exhausting, and I am so glad we aren't doing that again until Thanksgiving. Visiting with the family was wonderful. We had great meals, went to a really fun Pumpkin Painting Party, and had some time to rest. But travelling with two kids was rough. We learned Ethan is not a car rider like Emma is.

Here is my favorite picture from this weekend: my Daddy with Ethan. Two peas in a pod...

Another week goes by...

2008-10-11T10:51:00.001-07:00

This was my first week at home with two kiddos and no hubby! It was a fun and exhausting week--a great learning experience of Mommyhood!

Emma has been a GREAT helper around the house. She always gets me some diapers and puts things away when I'm too tired or sore to move. I had always thought I wanted our kids to be closer together in age, but God knew exactly what He was doing (no surprise there). I don't know how well I would've done if she were still as needy as she was even a year ago.

Ethan is continuing to nurse ALL THE TIME and grow like a weed! He's eating about every 1.5-2 hours, and he was 9 lb. 10 oz. at his two-week check-up. He had also grown .5 in. It's so hard to believe how quickly they grow. At this rate, he'll be a solid 10.5 or 11 lbs. by the end of his first month. Whoa!

We've also had so many great friends and family come by and take care of us. It has been a huge blessing to us to have friends and family come over and bring dinner, take Emma for a little while to play, or even go to the grocery store for me. We have just been thanking God every day for the provisions He has made. I feel truly blessed!

Here are a few more pictures of our precious children to hold everyone over until we get out and about. I'm still not feeling ready to get out and drive (the doctor told me not to drive until I'd feel comfortable slamming on the brakes if someone ran in front of my car--and I am definitely not there yet), but hopefully soon!

Enjoy!

One week later...

2008-10-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

We have been a family of four for an entire week! It's so hard to believe. Yes, we're definitely losing sleep, but it is so worth it! So what have we been up to this last week? Here's the update:

I am still recovering from the unplanned C-section. Apparently after sitting vertex for 36 weeks, Ethan decided to flip to a breach position during the last few weeks. The doctor said this rarely happens. I have to say, though, it is not as painful as the recovery from Emma's birth.
We took Ethan to the doctor for the third time today. His bilirubin levels have been a little bit high, but they had dropped to a good level today. He weighed 8 lbs. 14 oz. Crazy thing is, he was only 8 lbs. 10 oz. yesterday. Whoa!
And if you can guess, he's a big eater! Usually every 1.5-3 hours, depending on the time of day. He has been wonderful enough to save the longer stretches (3 hours) for nighttime feedings.
Emma has been a great big sister. She is very nurturing and always wants to see or touch him. Her only moments of grief have been when she wants something and Dan and I have been occupied elsewhere.
Dan has done such a great job taking care of us. Between dealing with a pain-medicated wife to a sometimes-whiny toddler to a baby who can make some SMELLY diapers, he has been wonderful through it all.
I have lost 22 lbs. from my last OB visit before Ethan was born. That means I have lost 11 lbs. that were pre-Ethan. Woo hoo!

Here are a few pictures we took of Emma and Ethan today. He looks so much like she did at this age. I do all the work carrying them for nine months and giving birth, and they both end up looking like Dan. Go figure. :)

Ethan Delaney

2008-09-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

September 24, 2008

9 lbs. 3 oz.

21.5 inches

Our little bundle of joy...More pictures to come...

Last Baby Ethan Update

2008-09-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe he's going to be here Wednesday! That's right: the doctor is going to induce me on Wednesday. And considering I will be one day shy of a complete 40 weeks, I could not be happier! So, how did we do at our last appointment?

Baby's heartbeat: 120s-130s
Mommy's weight gain: 11 lbs.
Mommy's blood pressure: 100/84

At this point, the doctor has stopped measuring the baby. She's thinking he's going to be 9-10 lbs. (based on the fact that he was 7.5 lbs. at 36 weeks). So hopefully, most of that 11-lb. weight gain will be gone by the time I leave the hospital!

I can't believe he's going to be here this week. I can't wait for everyone to meet him!

Three years later...

2008-09-13T13:35:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture that a friend took when I was almost 36 weeks pregnant with Emma (August 1, 2005):

Here are a few pictures that Dan took today, as I am 37 weeks (and two days) pregnant with Ethan:

Wow.

The perfect dessert...

2008-09-12T14:55:00.001-07:00

For anyone with a chocolate addiction (and who loves easy, not-so-healthy recipes), I have found the perfect dessert. I will be making it soon!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (as found on a package of BC CC Cookie mix pouch)

1 box Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix (with chocolate syrup)
Oil, water, and eggs called for on box
1 pouch Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie mix
Butter and egg called for on pouch
1 container chocolate frosting

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13x9 inch pan. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in bottom of pan.
2. Make cookie dough as directed on pouch. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
3. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with frosting.

See what I mean. Thank you, Betty Crocker, for that little piece of inspiration.

When it's hard not to laugh...

2008-09-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

In a moment of budget weakness, Emma and I went to Chick-fil-A for a late lunch today. After we sat down to eat, Emma saw an advertisement that was shaped like one of those "We're #1" foam fingers. She examined it for a few minutes, looked at her hand, and then proceeded to give me THE finger! She said, "Look, Mommy! Just like this!" She was so proud of herself that I could barely stop laughing.

I did happen to stop laughing long enough, though, to show her how to properly show that her team is #1.

A few things I've learned...

2008-09-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

Ever since Emma's birthday, things have been somewhat calm in the Delaney household. Nothing big going on with Nerve2Serve or church, no big family gatherings, and no updated information on when our little man Ethan will officially join our family.

In the quiet of this past week, I have been learning and reflecting--two of my favorite things to do. Here is what I've seen, heard, and realized:

Waking up to spend time with God before Emma is running around is the most refreshing part of my day. It gives me time to be alone with God, to talk to and hear Him, and to just thank Him for His goodness.
When I wake up early enough, I also have time to send emails and do other projects that would take me at least twice as long to finish once Emma is awake. :)
I REALLY love my husband. He had an incredible (or what would seem to be incredible) opportunity arise last week, and he turned it down because he knew it was not what God wanted.
When you do what God asks of you, the reward and blessing is sometimes almost immediate. (in reference to #3)
I am such a nerd! Yesterday while Dan and Emma were playing (yes, I think that Daddy has officially become the new favorite) I spent 30 minutes researching craft projects to make for Christmas presents. I cannot wait to get started.

That's all the excitement I've had for a week. Just a little calm before the "storm" of having a new baby. Not the bad kind of storm, though...

Happy Birthday, Emma! (again)

2008-09-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we had our families and a few of Emma's friends over for her 3rd birthday party. We so missed having more people over, but with our tighter budget and the fact that I am almost 37 weeks pregnant I thought it best to keep it small. Here are a few pictures of the special day.

We were so tired that we went to bed at 9:00 on Saturday night! I don't remember the last time I went to sleep that early. And we have been eating pizza, hot dogs, chicken, and cake for three days straight. Glad we do this but once a year...

Baby Update--36 weeks

2008-08-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Update #5,000,000 :)

Baby's weight: 7 lb. 8 oz.--he is above the 97th percentile in all of his measurements!

Baby's heartbeat: 150s

Mommy's weight gain: 9 lbs.

Mommy's blood pressure: 100/80

Everything looked great yesterday. We had another ultrasound, which is #5 for anyone who's counting, and a biophysical profile (it's like the ultrasound version of the APGAR score that babies get when they're born). It was so crazy, because I could actually see him imitating breathing motions on the screen. The sonographer said sometimes they have to wait 30 minutes or more to see them "breathing," and Ethan had done so in fewer than five minutes.

The doctor said she thinks I may go into labor early, possibly within the next 2-3 weeks. I hope Ethan makes it at least another two weeks just so his lungs are better developed.

And here are some pictures of the finished nursery. Enjoy!

This is Ethan's diaper bag. Very macho, huh? I registered for it just for Dan. :)

Happy Birthday, Emma!

2008-08-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Emma's 3rd birthday! We had so much fun, and it was such a special day because Dan took the day off to spend it with us. We started the day with pancakes and syrup, watched Emma's new Veggie Tales movie, and then the fun really began!

Daddy took Emma outside to blow some bubbles and feed the ducks. One duck just hatched NINE ducklings. Talk about a busy Mommy!

After that fun, we had lunch and headed out to the mall. Emma played on the "Big Frog" (as she likes to call it), and then we went to Barnes and Noble where Emma played with the trains and the horsies.

We stopped by Toys 'R' Us for more fun with bouncy balls and Big Wheels. Little does Emma know, she is NEVER getting one of those!

Then on to Target. We got Emma some knock-off Crocs and some new socks, and then we stopped by the food court to eat some popcorn.

Our last stop of the day was a place where Dan and Emma have never been: Chuck E. Cheese. I think once a year is enough of that place! We had pizza, Dan and Emma played games, and then they had some chocolate cake. Emma was so exhausted that she fell asleep on the way home and didn't get out of bed until 8:00 a.m.

What a fun day! And today started off with a 3-year checkup, where the doctor told us that she is a healthy, growing three-year-old. Now we're going to save up all of our energy for her 4th birthday...

Nesting has its advantages...

2008-08-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, it does...Although Dan might disagree! With only 4-5 weeks to go, I have found myself in major nesting mode. Here are the top 10 things I have been able to accomplish in a few short weeks of nesting:

The nursery is finished! It was ready over a week ago. What a huge relief.
The house has been (almost) cleaned from top to bottom. I just have to do some dusting, light sweeping/mopping, and cleaning the windows. This is the cleanest my house has been in a year!
The laundry hampers are all empty! Clean clothes all around.
I have frozen some veggies to get us through part of the winter with fresh produce. I would like to do some more, but being on my feet for the blanching, cutting, and bagging has become a little difficult.
I have managed to enter almost half of our contacts into a spreadsheet. Up until this point, I had home addresses written on envelopes, scratch paper, and everywhere else where you could lose it.
I have had time to prepare my husband's lunches for almost a month straight! He eats healthier, and we save money.
I sent all the birthday cards I was supposed to this month. Never happened before. Ever.
I have thoroughly cleaned out Emma's room. Old toys, socks, shoes, pants, and shirts are gone. It's a lot less cluttered.
We are finally in the process of preparing a will. Not something you want to think about, but with a child (and soon to be two) you don't want to leave things up in the air.
I FINISHED EMMA'S SCRAPBOOK. 48 pages in less than a month. I don't ever want to do that again, but it was so much fun! I'll just have to keep up with it now so I don't run into that problem again.

On top of that I have started getting up earlier every day to get my day started in the Bible, not by the sound of a child crying. Coffee sure would help, but I have noticed a difference in how I feel for the entire day.

So, that is what's been up with me. Not to mention, my wonderful husband has been working super-hard and has been incredibly patient as I ask him to do so much (on top of working two jobs). Hopefully, this blog will be updated soon. I have ordered the new blog kit, so I just have to put it together and get it up. I can't wait for everyone to see it! :)

My latest project

2008-08-19T05:16:00.001-07:00

For the last month, I have been working hard on finishing a scrapbook for Emma. First of all, I didn't realize how time-consuming the project would be! That's what I get for trying to scrapbook three years of memories in 30 days! And on top of that, this has been surprisingly emotional. Looking at all of these pictures of her has made me feel a little sentimental.

It has been one of those experiences that makes you realize the importance of "the little things." I have been reminded of Ephesians 5:15-16. "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." I have been so blessed the last several months to be able to stay home with Emma and watch so many more of the moments I had missed. It's still a struggle everyday, though, to not get caught up in the "have-to's" and just enjoy being a wife and mom and child of God.

And I was going to put a page up here, but I don't want to break any copyright laws. So stop by the house and see it sometime. :)

Just having fun!

2008-08-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

Baby Update--33 weeks

2008-08-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

Baby's weight: 5 lb. 1 oz.
Baby's heartbeat: 150s
Mommy's weight gain: 7 lbs.
Mommy's blood pressure: 120/74

The time is almost here to meet our little Ethan! The doctor said his growth is phenomenal (in the 95th percentile), and he looks great! They found an irregular heartbeat (his, not mine) when doing the ultrasound yesterday, so next week we'll go in for a fetal ECG. The doctor said she's fairly certain it's no big deal, but just keep him in your prayers. We are just ready for him to be here and to hold him!

She's growing so fast!

2008-07-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Sharon, a lady at church, commented on how much Emma has grown. I agreed with her, saying that she had gotten a few inches taller since March. She looked at me and said, "No, I mean she doesn't look like a baby anymore. Her face has thinned out, and she looks so much older."

Mrs. Sharon was right! I took this picture of Emma yesterday and compared it with a few other pictures of Emma that I'm working with for her scrapbook. She has turned into such a big girl. It doesn't matter how many times people tell you before they are born, but you never realize how quickly they grow up until they are here.

It's my party...

2008-07-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

My sweet little girl will be turning 3--a month from tomorrow! I cannot believe how fast she's growing up. And I love celebrating every year that we have with her. That's right: I love to plan birthday parties for my baby girl!

For her first and second birthday parties, I went ALL OUT. I paid way too much money for decorations and invitations, and I cannot even begin to say how much I spent on food! My Mom bought the cake for her first birthday party. Any guesses how much it cost? $70! For a birthday cake!

Now we're preparing for birthday party #3. And Dan and I have really been feeling certain convictions about where and how we spend our money. Mainly, we believe that God is calling us to be DEBT FREE. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? And trust me, we have a long way to go. Probably several years. But we are committed to making solid financial decisions. We have slowly begun to see the fruits of our labor, and that usually gives us the encouragement to continue going. If that doesn't encourage us, then we remember and speak one of our pastor's favorite verses: Galatians 6:9. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Anyway, back to the birthday party. I have to say that I have had more fun this year planning ways to save for the big day. I created Emma's invitations myself, and I am currently making some decorations from a digital scrapbooking kit that I found at www.theshabbyshoppe.com. Guess how much I will be spending on decorations/invitations this year?! Less than $15! And I am having a great time!!!

We've even saved money on gifts--we have decided to buy her one gift, and am half-way finished with a scrapbook that I'm making for her as the second gift. And as you may know, three-year-olds are pretty narcisstic. They LOVE pictures of themselves! She has seen a few of the pages as I've been working on them, and she gets so excited. The best part?! I've only spent $8.50 so far.

Who knew?! You can actually have fun SAVING money while planning a party. Funny thing is, I'm pretty sure my husband has been trying to tell me that for a few years... :)

Another Baby Ethan Update!

2008-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

This one took an entire week to come on the blog because my visit came in two parts--I had an ultrasound last week (no pictures this time, sorry) and my check-up this week. So here is how things are looking:

Baby's weight: 2 lb. 8 oz.--My OB informed me that this is officially off-the-charts for his gestational age. What a miracle!
Baby's hearbeat: 150s
Mommy's weight gain: 3 pounds--That's right--I gained 4 more pounds by 28 weeks and lost them all by yesterday's visit. The joys of heartburn and the nausea/vomiting that follows
Mommy's blood pressure: 128/72

So, at 30 weeks everything looks pretty much the same as it did at 24 weeks--except Baby Ethan's weight. We cannot believe we have 10 weeks or less until we meet our baby boy. What we can believe, however, is that God has been answering all of our prayers for a healthy pregnancy.

Now, if I can just make it through the brutal July and August heat... :)

Hello Bloggie, nice to see ya...

2008-07-14T06:06:00.001-07:00

Three weeks with no blogging. Wow! It has been an absolutely crazy and wonderful three weeks, though. Between Dan's birthday, 4th of July, and Nerve2Serve Week, I haven't had time to get any new pictures on here. But here are some great ones from 4th of July weekend.

Let's start with a few from Dan's birthday. It was so wonderful to hang out with a few of our best friends--even though I was a little "gimped up" with an incredibly swollen foot. No worries, though. Mariann and Lindsay took some great pictures for me!

Nothing beats a good eating close-up!

Then came July 4th. We hung out at the house most of the day, and then we went to the Red, White, and Blue on the Green Celebration in downtown Summerville. It was hot, but we had a great time! We ran into Andrew and Lindsay AND Ms. Debbie and Cassidy and Christina. I ate way too much sugary food, though, and we had to leave before I got really sick. Good thing, too, because it started drizzling right as I was getting in the car.

We ended the festive weekend with a family birthday party at Papoo and Gigi's (Emma has six grandparents--what a blessing--so we had to get creative with the names!). Colleen's birthday is three days after Dan's (or, as Dan points out, three years and 362 days before his), so we celebrated both of them with a few minutes in the pool. There was a nasty storm, so we didn't get much time to play in the water. Plus, it was pretty cold from all of the rainwater.

And nothing beats the sexiness of your husband in a Speed Racer shirt and a towel skirt. That's why I love him!

You know it's a good week when...

2008-06-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

You start AND end your week with a party!

On Sunday, we celebrated Mama Jean's 70th birthday out at Folly Beach. It was hot and windy, so we stayed inside the beach house most of the day.

Today, we were blessed to see the marriage of Mallary Chritton and Edwin Pope. We have been great friends with the Chrittons (Mallary's parents) for a few years, and it was so great to get to share in this special day with them.

Happy Anniversary

2008-06-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

Dan and I celebrated four years of wedded bliss (or something like that) yesterday. I learned a valuable lesson: sometimes a nice date with your husband can turn a bad day around. Who knew I would cry so much on my anniversary? Whether it was the hormones, or the craziness of the day, or what--I do not know.

But Dan and I ended the really bad day with a wonderful dinner at Fonduely Yours, and I remembered all the reasons I love him so much! Here are some great pictures of us attempting a self(?)-portrait. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard.

Great Summer Recipes

2008-06-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

I got a few requests for the Key Lime Cupcakes recipe, so I got to thinking--I will share a few of my new favorite summer recipes right here. So, here you go:

Easy Fruit Dip
(1) 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
(1) 7 oz. jar of Marshmallow Creme

Blend together with electric mixer, cut up some fruit, and enjoy!

Key West Cupcakes (straight from Betty Crocker herself)
Filling
1box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh Key lime or regular lime juice
4 drops green food color (NOT NECESSARY IF YOU'RE NOT INTO USING DYES)
1 1/2cups powdered sugar

Cupcakes
1box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Frosting
1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
1 tablespoon fresh Key lime or regular lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated Key lime or regular lime peel

1.To make filling: In large bowl, beat pudding mix and whipping cream with wire whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup lime juice and the food color; stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark and nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for 24 cupcakes.

3.Spread 1 rounded tablespoonful filling on top of each cupcake. Stir frosting in container 20 times. Gently stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and the lime peel. Spoon frosting into 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1/2-inch opening across lower corner of bag. Squeeze 1 tablespoon frosting from bag onto filling on each cupcake. Garnish with fresh lime wedge if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.

This also works well if you just want to bake a cake. I sliced a 9"x13" cake in half and put the filling in between two layers.

Mandarin Orange Cole Slaw
(1/2 bag) cole slaw mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
11 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in bowl. Blend into cole slaw mix. Add oranges and stir.

Hope you enjoy some of these fun recipes!

Father's Day

2008-06-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

We had a great time on Father's Day this year. Emma and I woke up and cooked Daddy some breakfast (one of his favorites--sausage gravy and biscuits), and then we packed up for the day and headed up to Myrtle Beach to visit with my Dad. They vacation up there every year with a group of friends. It was a great day!

Baking with Emma Jean

2008-06-11T11:28:00.001-07:00

Today, Emma and I tried something that we've never done together before--baking. I have told Dan for the last week that I would make him some cupcakes to take to work, but with us having to stay at my Mom's because of the a/c and being so busy with stuff for church, we have had no time.

We finally got around to it today, and I learned that my daughter is actually REALLY good help in the kitchen. She held measuring cups when she was supposed to, poured liquids without spilling, and even gave a try at stirring. That was a little too hard, though.

Our cake (I gave up on cupcakes--that takes hours sometimes) will come out of the oven any minute, and I will finish filling and icing it while Emma is napping.

We were planning on going to the beach today, but I think I'm glad we stayed in. I had a lot of fun with Emma!

Baby Ethan Update

2008-06-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the update on baby Ethan:

Baby's weight: 1 lb. 9 oz.

Baby's hearbeat: 150

Mommy's weight gain: 3 pounds (if you can do the math, that's 5 lbs. since last visit...I guess I need to watch those iced mocha lattes)

Mommy's blood pressure: 128/72

PRAISE GOD for a healthy baby. Ethan is measuring, on average, at about 25-26 weeks--even though I was only 23 weeks at the visit. The doctor said that is phenomenal news considering the two vessel cord he has. As a matter of fact, she said that because of his great progress we will not need to do the ultrasound at the next visit. WOW! We were so excited, relieved, and somehow not at all surprised to hear the news. What a might God we serve!

So for now, we're taking it easy and trying to stay out of the heat. Thank you for all of your prayers for our baby boy. We cannot wait to meet him!

I need your help!

2008-05-29T12:44:00.001-07:00

I keep meaning to get to this, but I haven't had the time. As we are expecting our second child, Ethan Thomas, in late September/early October, I realize that I need to update the blog. It wouldn't be fair to completely leave one child out.

Any ideas on good names? I am fresh out of ideas. Thanks!

Memorial Day Pictures

2008-05-26T17:02:00.001-07:00

We had a great time with the Delaneys on Memorial Day. Nothing beats family, burgers, and a swimming pool! The weather was perfect, the water felt good, and we got to spend some time with a few people we love. Here are the highlights.

My family, my ministry

2008-05-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

My wonderful friend Mariann and I were joking around last week when my sweet Emma was misbehaving, and she humorously reminded me that "(My) family is (my) ministry!" Even though I laughed at the time, I knew she was right: what an INCREDIBLE opportunity I have to make a difference in the lives of the two people who matter the most to me--Dan and Emma!

That being said, one way that I love to show love to my amazing husband is by cooking for him. They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and that cliche` is SO TRUE for Dan! And here is a great (and so easy, but not at all healthy) recipe to love on your family--courtesy of Beth Moore's blog!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2 (8 oz) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (combine about 1/2 cup sugar with 1 TBS cinnamon)

1)Using a 9x13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan.
2) Flatten.
3) Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and extract.
4) Spread over the crescent rolls.
5) Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.
6) Pour one stick of melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
7) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 12-20 servings.

We all loved this recipe! Thank you so much, Beth Moore!

Emma's first "table"

2008-05-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

Isn't it cute how toddlers use words they already know to name new things? While shopping at Target with my wonderful husband and daughter, we came to the game section. Emma fell in love with a Littlest Pet Shop puzzle, and since she's never owned one (and it was only $4), we decided it would be a good educational investment.

Emma was SO EXCITED about her "table" the whole way home--Dan couldn't figure out what she was talking about until we got it back to the house and she pulled it out of the bag. "My table, my table, my table!" is all that we heard until we got the box open. She had so much fun watching us put it together and trying to help. After a few days, she has gotten pretty good at figuring out where most of the inside pieces go (we still have to finish the puzzle frame before she knows where to put them).

Isn't it amazing how their little minds work at this age? She is like a sponge that soaks up everything she sees and hears. I love it!

We're having a...

2008-05-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

BOY!

We are very excited! Overall, everything looked great today. Here is the update on our progress:

Baby's weight: about 12 oz. (the weight of a soda can)

Mommy's weight gain: -3 lbs. (I have gained one pound of the four that I lost)

Mommy's blood pressure: 118/72

The one major concern of the doctor is that our baby has what is called Single Umbilical Artery (SUA), which is a condition where only one of the two arteries that is supposed to make up the umbilical cord (in addition to a vein) is present. While this can cause major birth defects--the big ones would have been a heart or spinal cord abnormality--PRAISE GOD that NEITHER of these problems are present. Our doctor believes that the biggest concern at this point is IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction), which will keep him from growing as well as he should.

So far, he is growing RIGHT ON TRACK, measuring at 20wks, 3 days (I am technically only 20 weeks along). Please pray that he will continue to grow as he is supposed to and that I can carry to term. After 32 weeks, I will go in every week for the doctor to determine if he would be healthier outside of the womb. Obviously, the best situation would be for me to reach 37 weeks before they induce.

All that being said, we know that whatever happens we will have the baby that God has intended for us. We are so excited for this addition to our family, and we know that God has this precious little guy in His hands!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:14-16

Ahh!

2008-05-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Delaneys have had a tremendous three days--and of course I didn't charge the camera battery to take pictures of it all! So, imagine if you will...

We got to spend some time with my Dad and family in Rock Hill. My dad just finished a 1300-square foot addition to the house. We had so much fun with everyone...

On Friday, I was fortunate enough to have dinner with some friends whom I haven't seen in a long time. We then went to a chorus concert at my high school because the choral director was retiring. It was fun, and I got to see some folks I haven't seen since graduation...

Yesterday (an hour after Emma and I returned), her new friend Ethan came over with his Mommy and Daddy. We grilled steaks, laughed at the kids, and stayed up way too late...

Can't you picture it now? Those are some great pics, huh?

A little slow

2008-05-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

I meant to get the pictures from last Friday up sooner, but it has been a crazy week with colds and Nerve2Serve stuff and getting ready to go to Rock Hill. So, enjoy!

Here are great pictures of Emma and Roman in her new $9 pool from Wal-Mart. By the way, this might be the best $9 I have spent since becoming a Mommy!

More pictures to come!

So, how did we do?

2008-04-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

I know you are all wondering! I am not one who usually likes to be held accountable, but I guess I set myself up for it this time.

1. Potty training DID NOT happen. I tried it for a day, but Emma obviously does not yet understand when she has to go to the potty. After three soaking wet towels (Yes, she peed on the floor three times and thankfully it was the hardwood) and my child running away from the bathroom screaming, I figured that now isn't the time.
2. We went to the beach, and it was the PERFECT DAY--78 degrees and sunny. She loved it!
3. I didn't finish my book, but I did get through two chapters. Some progress.
4. Didn't do so well on this one. I ate out twice...
5. Homemade ice cream twice in one week! I made some chocolate on Thursday for our small group, and I made some vanilla on Friday for Dan's family.

Amie, you are welcome to come over anytime and I will make some for you, too!

The best laid plans...

2008-04-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

I usually start the week with a big list of things I hope to accomplish. This week is no different. Here are my top 5 things to accomplish for the week:

Get Emma potty-trained. She used the potty (successfully) for the first time today at church. Hopefully, we'll be able to capitalize on that excitement this week and have her OUT OF DIAPERS!!!
Take Emma to the beach. I despise going when it is crowded and hot, which rules out going any time in July or August. I only have three months of bearable beach time.
Finish reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Then, I will be two books away from completing the entire Chronicles of Narnia series--before the second movie is released next month.
Avoid eating out. I have been reading Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, and it has gotten me thinking a lot about where all of my money is going. I got a little lazy through the first trimester exhaustion, but now that I'm feeling better I should be able to do it!
Make some homemade ice cream. Mmm...enough said.

Baby Cashew Progress

2008-04-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

I guess now that I am 16 weeks along (or 15 weeks, depending on how you are measuring), I should start keeping everyone up-to-date on Mommy and Baby.

Total weight gain: -4 lbs. (the first time in my life I have lost weight without trying)
Blood pressure: 124/80 (Praise God! This is lower than it has been in a year!)
Heartbeat: mid-160s (that's for Baby, of course)
Next appointment: May 8--the anatomy ultrasound

We are so blessed that this pregnancy is going so well. That was our biggest fear with getting pregnant again...I had so many health problems the first time that we were worried this time would be a repeat. But we serve a faithful God who has been answering all of our prayers for health and wellness!

Flowers and "Fingermails"

2008-04-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

While Lindsay was visiting with us for a few minutes on Tuesday, Emma starting picking "flowers": they were really weeds, but she doesn't understand the difference yet. I digress. Anyway, she began by picking the ugly, dying, brown ones. I didn't quite understand this. Then, I noticed her picking the full, white, "pretty" ones.

Glad that she had gone for the prettier flowers I said, "That's right, Emma. Throw those ugly old ones down and keep the pretty ones." Any guesses as to which ones she kept? Just goes to show you what is beautiful in the eyes of a child.

Later that evening, I decided it was time to remove the old polish on my toenails and paint them a different color. Of course Emma had to join in on the fun. She loves to have her "fingermails" and "toemails" painted. Sadly, though, she seems to have inherited her Mommy's hideous feet. And in case you're wondering, it goes several generations back.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T10:54:00.001-07:00

Emma's First Easter Egg Hunt

2008-03-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Emma went to her first Easter Egg hunt yesterday. We had lots of fun. After a lunch of hotdogs, cheese puffs, fruit punch Kool-Aid, and cookies (which, I'm pretty sure, is what made me so sick today) we colored a picture of Jesus and got to go hunt eggs.

Emma didn't quite understand at first, so she missed out on getting a ton of eggs in her basket. She ended up with five...not bad for her first time! And of course EVERY egg was filled with chocolate--warm, melting chocolate that somehow stayed off of her brand new white shirt!

All in all, it was a good day!

Baby Dude is here!

2008-03-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to dedicate a post to my pal Lindsay and her wonderful family (the Page family). They welcomed a PRECIOUS baby boy into the world yesterday! Jude Michael Page (or Dude, as his brother Roman calls him) was born last night weighing in at 7lb 6oz and 19 inches. I am so thrilled for them! I'll post a good picture of him later.

Yay God!

The B-word

2008-03-11T18:23:00.001-07:00

These days, you can't be too sure of what the B-word is in our house. Emma is having some difficulty saying "sandwich"...any guesses which b-word comes out?

But I am actually talking about the "budget" word. It is a word from which I have run most of my life, but something that I am finding to be a necessity now. I have realized that, for me at least, I do a lot of pride-swallowing to be on a budget. No more than $50/week on groceries. The lowest cell phone plan available--and I talk on the phone a lot. No cable (as of the end of this week). No Starbucks. Ouch.

I have realized, though, that this is a sacrifice that I love making because of what I get in return. I get to stay at home and take care of Dan and Emma. And I LOVE it.

And as my husband pointed out tonight, it is something that has become a game for me. Who is going to have the best deal on meat this week? Where can I find the least expensive, best quality clothes for my money (Emma has outgrown all of her 2T stuff, and I am growing into my non-existent maternity wardrobe)? Where are the best places to go in Charleston for free? And, on the occasion that we eat out, which restaurant is having "Kids Eat Free" night? It's like a treasure hunt!

So I'm not expert...yet. But I am slowly learning how to make my family's money go as far as I can.

My Little Cinder-lala and her Prince Charming

2008-03-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

There are certain days when you are more proud than others to be a wife and mom. Not those days when you lose your patience with your two-year-old or get angry with your husband because he hung your clothes in the wrong place again. I am talking about those days when you see a glimpse of God doing something amazing, and you realize that He allowed you to see it.

The one thing I desire most for my daughter (apart from a strong relationship with Christ) is the knowledge and understanding that she is a lady. That means that she looks like a lady and acts like a lady. And what I desire most from my husband in his role as a father is to teach our daughter that she is a princess and should be treated as such by any man. Well Emma DEFINITELY wants to dress and act like a lady, and my husband (with a reminder every once in a while that burping and farting are not acceptable around girls) tries his hardest to show Emma what a Daddy's love really is. These are two areas that I pray about and encourage both Emma and Dan in.

And yesterday, I got to see the most beautiful sight. I saw my precious daughter get dressed up in her princess clothes and say to me, "I wonderful, Momma." Yes you are, my sweet girl.
And then I saw she and her Daddy walk to the living room, hand in hand, and share a special dance. No music, no lights, and for no particular reason other than that her Daddy shares many special dances with his little princess. I wish I had a camera, because it was such a beautiful moment. I saw a glimpse of my Father's love. Not just my earthly Daddy, because he makes sure to know that I'm still his little girl. I am talking about my Father God who loves me, holds my hand, and shares special moments with His princess.

What a precious sight.

Hmmm...

2008-02-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a long time, but I guess that we haven't really had a lot going on. Life has been calm lately, and that is the way I like it! Here are just a few updates:

1. I'm still feeling the nausea and fatigue from being preggo. I'm 10 weeks along, though, so hopefully that will all be ending soon.
2. Emma still doesn't want to use the potty. When I have the energy, we're going to do the 75-75 potty training technique (leave them out of a diaper for 75 hours, and pay $75 to clean everything that they are going to mess up because of accidents).
3. Dan's job is going well. It's nice to be home everyday when he gets here.
4. Our small group is still studying Luke. We are on Luke 4 right now, and it has taken us from December until now to get there. But I have learned A LOT in these last few months.
5. We get to go to Rock Hill for Easter. We haven't been there in five years, so it will be nice to spend time with my dad's ENTIRE family (about 50 people)

So, nothing really exciting...But I am taking that as a blessing!

The Big Day

2008-02-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

October 2 is the BIG day. That's when we'll see baby #2. So, it's a little later than we originally thought, but they will most likely induce early. The doctors induced a week early with Emma, and she was 8 lbs. 9 oz.--We're not too worried about a small baby in this family!

And in other non-baby news, PRAISE GOD for His blessings. We are so thankful that He has provided for us yet again...This time, in the form of a tax return. We are working really hard to pay off some debt and save some money, which is difficult because we have lost a lot of income in the last four months. But we are reminded yet again that God keeps His promises as our Provider. Yay!

#2 is coming (not that #2...)

2008-02-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I have waited long enough to announce it (for the two people who might not know): we're having another baby! I am really excited, really tired, and really sick of the nausea. Our expected due date is September 26, but that may change later this week after my appointment. I go in on Thursday (Valentine's Day, for those of you who celebrate) for my first visit with a new doctor. Emma will be with me--that should be fun!

I can't wait to find out what we're having. With Emma, I knew from the moment I found out I was pregnant that we were having a girl...I never doubted. This time, I have no idea. We asked Emma what she wanted, and she said she wanted a baby boy. I asked her what kind of baby she thought was in Mommy's tummy, and she said a "baby durl". We'll see.

On a side note (and quite a funny one), Emma lifted up Daddy's shirt yesterday to announce that he has a baby in HIS belly. She then said that she has a baby in her belly. I don't think she gets it yet...

Pictures from Disney World

2008-02-07T07:26:00.001-08:00

Sorry there's no music...I couldn't get iTunes to cooperate. Enjoy!

Disney World--Here we come!

2008-01-20T14:07:00.001-08:00

While I have never agreed with parents who take their children to Disney World at a young age, I am sad to admit that I have become one of them. When asked what we wanted for Christmas this past year, I asked my mom to PLEASE not get us anything. Since this was not, however, an acceptable answer to her, she asked if we wanted to accompany her to Disney World in January. We were not going to pass up the opportunity.

There are a few things that I would prefer Emma be able to do before we go--use the potty, walk longer distances, or even ride in a stroller for an extended period--but she's not to that place yet.

So we shall see how it goes--whether taking a young child (she will be 2 1/2 when we leave) is really that bad, or if it will be a fun experience for all of us. I have read the books, the suggestions, and the no-nos for bringing preschoolers to Mickey Mouse's House. I think I am as prepared for what to expect as I could be.

Yeah, we'll see...

Just a few resolutions for 2008

2008-01-11T10:16:00.000-08:00

I was talking to a friend recently who laughed when I told her that I stay up every year to wait on the million-dollar ball to drop in Times Square. I am not sure exactly what about the new year excites me, but I think it is just the feeling that you can start fresh and new. Part of that is making resolutions.

I know, I know--when you make resolutions you usually only keep them for a few days at best. But I am determined that this year is going to be different. A few weeks ago, Dan and I discussed some goals we have as a family and some personal goals.

Here are my top 10 goals for 2008:

I will drink water every night at dinner.
I will only eat out twice a week (which is great for the bank and the figure!).
I will let those close to me know how important they are by remembering to send birthday cards (I remember birthdays pretty well but ALWAYS forget the cards).
I will watch less TV...this will be easy because we are getting rid of cable.
I will pay attention to how much I am spending on gasoline. One of the pastors at our church told us that he had overspent $1000 in three years because he was not going to the most price-efficient station.
We will have game night at least once a week.
We will have date night at least once a month.
We will attend one church service a week (starting in February).
We will serve at one church service a week.
I will keep my resolutions this year. :)

So far, we are doing pretty well. I guess only time will tell how well we do.

2007 Christmas through pictures

2007-12-31T10:54:00.000-08:00

As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." So enjoy the novella of our 2007 Christmas. Emma and Liam at Papoo and Gigi's house. Emma got this cute pretend banana split in her stocking. She opened it, tried to take a bite, and then said, "It not working." (this is what she says when something doesn't do what she wants it to.) I am convinced that she wanted it to be REAL ice cream. It was pretty cute!

Emma got this stroller from Mama Jean. I am certain this was on her top 5 list of favorite gifts from 2007.

This is a picture from my PawPaw's house. And yes, this is how it looks every year. With 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild, what else can you expect?

This is Emma at Mommy D and Grandpaw's house. She was much more interested in playing the "finger, finger" (that is what she calls any piano or keyboard) than she was in opening gifts.

Emma and "Schlecky" (Lexie, my little sister) winding down by watching some "Bear Bears" (Care Bears).

Tis the season...

2007-12-19T04:59:00.000-08:00

...for lots of parties, school programs, and more parties! Here are some great pictures of the goings-on of the Delaney clan:

1. Emma's school program--very cute. We couldn't really see her well, but another mom told me that she was one of the only children singing. At one time, she even screamed with excitement over the jingle bells. She definitely takes after her Mommy when it comes to being in front of crowds!

2. Our small group party! Here is a picture of me with the girls...I love these ladies!

3. Happy Birthday, Jesus! Party--we had a great time with the Kinneys and the Pages as we celebrated Jesus' birthday!
4. Home Groups Celebration--Home groups are home small groups for the 3rd-5th graders at our church. We call them home groups as to not confuse them with the small groups we have on weekends. We decided to go to ride go karts on quite possibly the coldest day EVER! :)

5. The Seahorses' Class Party--What's more fun than a group of two-year-olds on a playground in the middle of December? I can think of a lot of things, really...but the party was still lots of fun!

And to think--we still have four stops to make for Christmas. What an exhausting time! But when you're spending it with people whom you love and care about, do you even notice?

Thursday Thirteen (a day late)

2007-12-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

13 Highs and Lows since I last blogged

I had an awesome "girls' weekend" with some ladies from church as we went to Atlanta to check out a Children's Ministry event (high).
I came back to turn in my notice that I will be leaving my position at Seacoast at the end of January (high/low, depending on when you ask me).
I had a great Thanksgiving with my family, and made sweet potato souffle for the first time (high).
I did not get to spend a lot of time with my dad's family (low).
We decorated our house for Christmas (high).
Dan started his new job and absolutely loves it (high).
We finished most of our Christmas shopping (high).
None of it is wrapped yet (low).
And now we are really broke (low).
But Dan makes a lot more at his new job, so hopefully we'll be able to recuperate some of that (high).
We have been watching Christmas movies--they always put me in a good mood (high).
My uncle died last week. It is so hard to see your family go through such a deep tragedy and want nothing more than to be able to take the pain away from them (low...really low).
The whole situation has made me realize what I feel like God has been telling me for a few weeks--that is what Christmas is all about. It's about God having such intense love for us and compassion on us that He would give us the gift of His Son. I was reminded that while we all like to think of the sweet first Christmas with the angels, the shepherds, and the wise men, that it was really about God coming to fight the very real and very powerful satan--who wants nothing more than to get a hold of our hearts and minds. But God loves us and wants the best for us and gave us the best gift that He could have given us.

Christmas in November

2007-11-11T17:40:00.001-08:00

If there is one thing I get excited about, it's Christmas! As I think back to my childhood, most of the best memories I have are from Christmas. It seemed like the one time of year that I could forget all of my troubles and really just enjoy the season.

So over the last few weeks, I have been getting really excited about Christmas this year! We have gotten a 3' tree for Emma, complete with Care Bear, My Little Pony, and Disney Princess ornaments. The funny thing is that Dan actually had an opinion about the ornaments we were getting for her. He said, "I don't want her to have Barbie. I just don't think that Barbie teaches little girls the right things." He's so hilarious when it comes to protecting his little girl!

I have also been listening to some wonderful Christmas music! 102.5 FM has been playing Christmas music over the weekends, and there's a great radio station that plays Christmas music all day. It's http://www.xmasmelody.com/. Fantastic station, but I have to put in my headphones when I listen to it at home. Dan can't stand it!

And even though Santa won't be visiting the Delaney house--ever--we are still hoping to make this a special Christmas for Emma. She's going to have a Happy Birthday, Jesus! Party in December. We can't wait to have all of the babies and toddlers come over and celebrate with us! We're going to play games and make an ornament and of course eat cake. Yay!

So I guess I'm one of those nerds who gets into Christmas a little too early. But how could you resist?

Edisto Trip

2007-11-04T17:39:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures from a great vacation. Three days of sun, 70-degree weather, and time with friends--you can't beat that! But we will try next year, as this is set to become an annual tradition.

Sometimes, you just have to get away to remember how thankful you are for your husband, your child, and your friends. God's beauty is so evident at this place, and being with people you care about makes you realize why and that you want to worship Him. But here are just a few of the reasons I praise God everyday:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. James 1:17

Princess Emma...A priceless picture

2007-11-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

It's not very often that I get good pictures of Emma. She's naturally photogenic, but she does not like to sit still long enough to take a good picture. Here's one from yesterday, though, that is one of my new favorites!

The many faces of Emma

2007-10-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

As I was making a photo calendar for 2008 (you can easily make your own at http://www.shutterfly.com/), I realized that I have a daughter (and a husband--that's where she gets it) who has as many facial expressions as there are days in a year. So, here is my tribute to the many faces of Emma!

Finally Posting Again

2007-10-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy three weeks! We've had so much going on in the Delaney house, from late nights of work to out-of-town trips to birthdays--way too much for me! I will hopefully post some updates this week. But today I'm going to enjoy this great weather with my family!

Beautiful Day

2007-09-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day! And what a wonderful time with my family. I wish I would've had the camera! Here's the rundown:

Picnic lunch in our bed with Emma
Driving around Summerville looking for the BEST neighborhood playground (yes, I know that's called loitering, but the playground in our neighborhood isn't that great)
Grocery shopping (Emma loves to put things in the cart--we have to take them out when she's not looking. The best thing that she put in there today was kidney beans...Mmm...)
Ice cream for dinner at Dairy Queen!

Wow!!! I think that everyday should be like today!!!

Top 10 Things Emma Loves Doing Now That She's 2!

2007-09-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

10. Carrying a pocketbook with who-only-knows-what in it.
9. Being allowed to sleep in a big-girl bed and making it up in the morning.
8. Being allowed to sit in a big-girl chair at restaurants.
7. Building block towers and knocking them over.
6. Playing in her kitchen and making Mommy and Daddy stuff to "eat" (Once, she gave Dan a piece of corn, brocolli, and two doughnuts...Yum)
5. Playing dress up in her clickety-clackity shoes.
4. Coloring with Mommy and Daddy and the miracle that is the Color Wonder marker.
3. Playing with her Fisher Price "Little People" sets that she got for her birthday.
2. Watching Veggie Tales...again, and again, and again, and...
1. Singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" at least ten times on the way to and from school.

I love being the mom of a two-year-old. Who could have more fun than that? :)

There she goes being cute again!

2007-09-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Emma's Princess Party

2007-08-31T07:02:00.001-07:00

Our little princess turned two on Sunday! The day before her birthday, we had a special princess party with 45 guests (note to self: next year, Chuck E. Cheese can host all of Emma's friends and family and do the post-party cleanup). It was such a fun time for her to be able to spend with all of her friends and family. And who would've thought--she absolutely loved wearing the crown.

So, these are just a few pictures from her special day. And yes--there is a lot of pink!

Big girl days ahead...Baby days behind

2007-08-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is going to be TWO YEARS OLD on Sunday! I can't believe it! I just cannot help thinking about all of the memories we have made with her over the past two years...Memories that she will only know through pictures, but memories that will be forever embedded in our thoughts. We have come to realize that these last two years with our baby girl have been absolutely precious--the things that she says and does, the way that we always say "I think she's going to be just like [fill in the blank with a random family member]," and how she has changed our lives in so many ways just by being a part of our lives. And we wonder how we can love someone we've only known for two years so much, and we realize that this is only a small taste of the incredible love our Father in heaven has for us. So I would be remiss if I didn't recount some of her cute little quirks, sayings, and happenings from these past two years--so bear with me as I relive these things...

The happenings...
She peed on Dan when she was only eight weeks old (he realized from that point on that keeping a diaper on a baby was as good of an idea as I said it was), she was born with so much hair that I had to cut it when she was two weeks old (she had her own mullet), she didn't get her first tooth until she was eleven months old, she crawled when she was nine months and walked when she was fourteen months, she NEVER at baby food meat (who would?), she has been attached to her pacifier since she was tiny, we had to move her crib when she was eight months old because she figured out how to stand up in her crib and turn the lights on in her bedroom, she wasted at least ten diapers trying to put one on her baby (Pooh bear), she was terrified to try her birthday cake on her first birthday until she realized how good icing really was, she was so proud of herself when she learned to use a sippy cup at eleven months old and even prouder when she learned how to use a straw at eighteen months old

The quirks...
She loves baby dolls and pocketbooks, she can watch the same movie three times in a row, she has learned how to successfully put a DVD in the DVD player and then return the one that was in the DVD player back to its original case, she insists that eight stuffed animals stay in her crib every night, she likes to play tea parties but only if she can pour the tea herself, she loves boys and holding their hands and kissing them (her father has already told her she would be locked in her room starting at age twelve), she hated the ocean last summer but isn't happy until the person holding her is up to their necks in water this summer, she cleans up more than any other child I have ever seen (yesterday at school she not only cleaned up her mess but also the toys that two other boys had been playing with--I had to tell her that they were still playing because they were getting pretty upset), she loves dogs, ducks, and trees, she sings and dances all of the time, and she usually puts the food on the spoon with her hands instead of trying to scoop the food, she loves to read, and she attempts to say the blessing and pray every time we do

The words...
Goggy=doggy, guck=duck, wobby=movie, Mikey=Mickey Mouse, Daidy=Minnie Mouse and Daisy, shoe=shoes and juice (that one can be tricky at times), mulk=milk, Be-go=Bingo (our dog), baby=anyone who is not as tall as she is, cackuh=chips, crackers, and cookies that aren't chocolate chip, Oh no, what gon do?=Oh no, what are we going to do?, ke-gu=the clean up song, dank do=thank you, achoo=bless you (and her attempt at pretending to sneeze), tease=please, poon=spoon or fork, umpee or oo oo ah ah=monkey, ehpant=elephant, baa=sheep, and countless more

So, I hope that in some way typing all of this out will help me remember at least some of the special things about our little princess...these are things I don't ever want to forget.

From Good to Bad...

2007-08-08T12:57:00.001-07:00

Well, I guess all good things must come to an end...Or so the saying goes. As great of a week as we had last week, it got that much worse this week.

To start off, I came home Sunday from work and lunch with a headache. I didn't think much of it, as I get headaches all the time. I know the signs that a migraine is coming, but this one didn't feel like a migraine at all. So I just kept on with my day until about 9:00--then the unbearable pain hit me like a ton of bricks! I have never had such a headache before in my life. I am not exaggerating that the only worse pain I have been in was childbirth! After tossing and turning and crying all night, Dan took me to the doctor Monday morning. Once she realized that the shot of Imitrex in my right arm wasn't doing anything (and that in and of itself should have knocked me out), she gave me a shot of Perdol (the mega form of Percuset) in my left arm. And then I was three sheets to the wind...

And for the next two days, I took antibiotics, decongestants, and Vicodin...And after 72 hours my headache was all but gone. Then Dan got sick. That's right--after I had sent him and Emma off for the day in my half-dazed state, I heard the pitter patter of feet coming back in the house, followed by a foul smell and the sight of my poor husband covered in his own vomit. Then his headache started.

He is at the doctor's office right now, hopefully to return soon with some diagnosis and a way to feel better. I am back to the doctor's office tomorrow for some tests, and if nothing is conclusive, she will be setting up a time for me to get my head x-rayed (Ha ha, I've known that I've needed that for years!) to figure out what has caused all of this.

And sweet, little Emma...She's been her usual loving, caring, affectionate self through this whole thing. And that's why we love our baby girl...

What a big week!

2007-08-03T19:01:00.001-07:00

What a big week for the Delaney family! Here are some exciting things that have happened:

Emma started big girl school (Didn't she look cute?). It was a different kind of day for all of us. More on that later.
Dan has a really exciting new ministry opportunity--one that he had a vision of nearly five years ago. It is so awesome to see God bring to fruition something that we had prayed about and discussed when we just started dating. I am so excited to see what God is going to do!
I have had a life-changing revelation from God this week. It was as if a huge burden was lifted off of my shoulders when I felt God confirming something that I have been struggling with for almost two years.
We had one of the most amazing weeks of small group EVER! The funny thing is, we really did not expect that going into the evening.

So, it's been a red-letter week for the Delaneys. And we are praising God through every bit of it!

Emma's Blessings...

2007-07-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

Oh, the blessings Emma has been pouring out on me over the last 24 hours...Not really! First of all, it wasn't any kind of blessing that was coming out, and it definitely wasn't being poured out--it was being projected onto me. That's right--the stomach bug has gone through the youngest Delaney.

I have never changed clothes so much in my life! We have done a total of three loads of laundry from her littile stomach bug. And if Emma is anything like me (which she is), nausea is the worst possible feeling in the world. I have never felt so bad for her in my life. There was a moment that I wished that I was the one who was sick just so she didn't have to go through that agony.

But she seems to be doing all better. I knew she was feeling well when she willingly put both of her pacifiers back in the crib (we usually only let her have them when she is in the crib, but I wasn't about to take them from her yesterday). Now she and I just have to catch up on a night of missed sleep...And hopefully we can do that tonight!

Such a big girl

2007-07-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that she is almost two! I was putting some new pictures on the computer today, and I went back and looked at her baby pictures. And I realized something--I still call her my "baby", but she is quickly becoming quite the little lady. She is growing up so quicklly.

We are preparing for her Princess Party next month. I am so excited! I don't think she really knows what is coming up yet, except that we keep telling her she is going to be two. But it is going to be so much fun! My mom got her a Princess sand box, but we haven't even tried to put that together yet. I am sure she will love it a lot more than we will. The broom will become our new best friend!

Wow...two years old. That just doesn't seem like it's right. I have realized over the last few days that I need to soak up every minute of this journey, because it's not one that we can relive with her. We are going to enjoy every moment with our baby...

Thank heaven for little girls

2007-07-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

I LOVE HAVING A DAUGHTER! Dan and I used to disagree about how much of a girl she was going to be, but she truly is "all girl". I love the way that she wants to love on and feed and change diapers and clothes on her baby dolls. I love the way that she wants to brush her hair and put on her "make up" with me every morning. I love how she has started asking us ten times on every car trip "Daddy, ou doin' okay? Okay. Mommy, ou doin' okay? Okay." I love how she gets SO EXCITED when we go pick out new clothes or shoes for her. I love how her face lights up every time she sees ANYTHING that has to do with Disney Princesses and how she always wants to carry around a "pabook" (pocketbook). God knew what He was doing giving us a little girl. She is such a blessing to us, and I cannot imagine life any differently.

Murts

2007-07-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

There is no prouder day in a mommy's life than when her child...How many times have you heard that before? Well that never rang more true for me today when I realized that my almost-two-year-old LOVES Smurfs. We watched four episodes in a row on the Kids on Demand channel. And at the end of every episode, she would say "More Murts! Again! More Murts!" I started watching it for purely nostalgic reasons (at least that's the story that I'm sticking to) and ended up watching it for two hours.

What a proud day... :) Or just a really funny one!

Serving

2007-07-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

This has been an interesting week. For four days, a group of 15 incredible leaders and I have been working with 80 kids to teach them about serving others and serving God. It has been amazing! It has been so much fun and so rewarding, and I have realized one thing--I am so blessed to have my family.

I look at my husband and my daughter...I see their hearts--my husband who works 50-60 hours a week, and when I make jokes like "You sure are going to have a lot of laundry to fold this weekend!" he just laughs and says, "Yeah, like 27 loads by then!" And I remember part of the reason I fell so madly in love with him in the first place--I see no greater joy in him than when he is helping someone in some way. Then there's Emma--yes, a typical 2-year-old in most regards. But I love the fact that one of her favorite songs is "Clean up, Clean up!" and that every time I get out the mop and broom that she grags whichever one I'm not using and starts cleaning. I love the fact that she freely shares with others (most of the time) and that you usually don't have to ask her twice to give someone a hug when they really need it.

And then I think about the verse that we've been trying to teach the kids all week: "For we are God's workmanship ("materpiece" in the NLT), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 We are God's masterpiece! I was thinking about that...You hear people sometimes use the image of God painting a mural, and on that mural is all of our lives entwined together on earth. And you hear people talk about how going through the bad things--they make up the browns and grays and other ugly colors on the mural, but that without them the mural wouldn't look so beautiful. And I wonder--is it loving God and loving others that makes up all the beautiful parts? Is loving others what makes up all the pretty colors and God's love for us that makes it complete? I would like to think so.

We have entered the world of Blog

2007-07-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

It is official--we're a blogging family. Why? Well, probably just because I need some place to express myself (as if I don't do that freely anyway) and I figured--what better place than the World Wide Web! So, have fun reading!