Morton Arboretum 5K & Kids Dash

Brandon and I ran another 5K to round out the season. It was a beautiful run through the Morton Arboretum. The course was pretty challenging, with a steep hill right at the beginning. But towards the end there was a lot of downhill resulting in a time that was much faster than I was expecting!

Emma also ran her first race, a 50 yard dash. Brady ran it as well and it was so cute! Emma was last, but she loved running by all the people cheering for her. I think she's hooked.

Fall Fun!

This past Sunday we went to a farm in Oswego that had a corn maze, hay ride, and all sorts of other fun fall activities. 

Eating apple cider donuts.

She wanted to sit on or roll every pumpkin.

How I will stop spending money

This week's lesson at FPU was all about how our personalities dictate how we handle finances. For instance, you're either a nerd- someone who wants to budget, or a free spirit- someone who has a laissez faire view of how money comes and goes. Both Brandon and I discovered we are "nerds" (big surprise there!). However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that while I like the idea of being a nerd, I'm not very good at following through. I have created so many budgets through our five years of marriage but have not managed to stick to any of them! So I am going to write down, here in the Internet for all eternity, three ways I will stop spending money starting now.

1. Stop buying protein shakes at the gym. I buy protein powder already, so I will start making shakes at home more often.
2. Stop going to Target in the middle of the week just to "pick something up". "Something" inevitably turns into many "somethings" and I end up spending so much more than I anticipate.
3. Stop buying clothes for Emma...for now. Obviously she is a growing child, but she has enough to last through the winter, so there is no reason she needs anything else.

I feel really good about this list. I don't think it's unreasonable, or that my life will feel incomplete. I just needed to jot it down so I can refer back to this to hold myself accountable.

We started school again!

No, Brandon nor I are attending another school-school, we started Financial Peace University last night at Willow! I wanted to make sure and blog about it because I know that these nine weeks will fly by, and I want to remember how pumped I am about saving money! One thing that really stood out to me in the first session last night was that money isn't evil, the Bible says that the "LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).  So often people tend to look at Christians with money and think that they must have done something "unholy" to get that money, but in fact God wants us to be good stewards of all the gifts He has given to us! Proverbs 21:20 says "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has". When we make money, and spend it wisely, we will naturally begin to build wealth. Now, we spend money on frivolous things thinking we "need" it when in fact we could be saving for something much more exciting! Brandon and I don't have any credit card debt, something I am so thankful for. but we do have a large car loan for my car and student loans that we are currently paying, and will need to start paying within the year.

Another solid thought is that saving money has to be a priority. We need to first give to God what is His and tithe, and secondly we need to save. All other purchases and payments then fall in after. If you don't tithe and save, that money will be spent on something/anything else. I may think we need $500 a month for groceries because that's what we've always spent, but if I only had $400 a month we wouldn't starve, and in fact we'd still be better off than some if not most people in this country. And if we could put $100 extra towards Brandon's student loan we will save ourselves over 4 years of payments and, get this...$5,413 in interest! This is very exciting to me and I cannot wait to document this journey.

Almost 2

Emma,
Tomorrow, you will be two years old. I'm not sure how these two years have flown by like they have, and as much as I want to throw the brakes on I know that I can't stop time. On this day two years ago, I was going to the Downers Grove library to return a book, your dad was working as a teacher in the city. I was planning on heading into the city to pick him up around 10:00 at night. You weren't supposed to arrive for another couple weeks, but your dad and I both had a feeling you were going to be early. I was big, you were measuring big, and I just had that female instinct telling me that we were right and the doctors were wrong.

I never could have realized how quickly my heart leaped out of my body when you arrived in this world. Suddenly, I was extremely vulnerable and painfully in love with a tiny human who could not express any love back to me yet. I felt that this must be how God loves us. The ability to love so deeply a person who lacks the capacity to love in the same way.

I have been so lucky to spend these last 10 months as a stay-at-home-mom. Your personality has sprouted this year into a funny, animated, serious, caring little girl. I love the way you say "hug" and then hug whatever it is you're holding, whether it is a stuffed animal, doll, or me :) You have a joyousness about you that manifests whenever you yell "yay!" spontaneously. You just did that in the car on the way home from errands today. I'm not sure what you were so excited about but I loved it. You are smart, whenever we pass over train tracks you say "choo-chooo!" even if there are no trains around.

So Emma, happy, happy, happy birthday and many, many, many more. I love you more than I can even describe. You will not even begin to understand until you have a child of your own.

Love you,
Mom

Dear Emma

This week your dad was in Palo Alto for work, and boy did we miss him. Over the weekend before he left you got a really high fever and we didn't know what to do. We just kept you comfortable and gave you Tylonol and watched a lot of movies. You started to feel better before he left on Sunday which was great because he could fly without worrying about you. However, that night your fever went up again and we went back to the same old "make you comfortable" routine.

We spent all week watching "Cars Toons", Curious George, Horton Hears a Who, Thomas (or as you say "train"), and The Lorax. Tuesday I finally brought you to the doctor but there wasn't anything of concern so the doctor gave us some antibiotics to help fight the cough you have had for over two weeks it seems.

This was you all week, so sleepy. You're fighting something, just wish we knew what!

Tuesday night Grandpa came over to watch you while I went to work and you had a great time. Despite the heat, Grandpa took you for a walk around the neighborhood because you had gone into your room and pointed to your shoes. Clearly, you know what you want. Now we just have to work on getting you to say actual words instead of pointing and grunting.

Finally feeling a bit better, I said "smile for Mommy!" and this is what you did.

On Thursday we went to a huge garage sale with Grandma Perkins. I ended up scoring the most awesome deal on a kitchen helper stool. Normally they are $200, but I got it for $10! I can't wait to have you help me in the kitchen making cookies together or just being at counter height so you can see what's going on.

Best garage sale find ever!

4th of July

We had such a great week last week celebrating the 4th of July. On Wednesday, Emma and I drove to Bethany Beach for a pre-4th get-together with my cousins and other family I haven't seen in a long time. It is alway so great to be with family. Emma got to play with her second cousin Jack since he is a bit more mobile now, he's almost a year old!

Loves climbing around the Bethany Beach playground

Merry-go-round with Jack and Heidi

Tetherball with Grandpa

On Thursday, we went over to Brandon's parents to play in the pool and have a cook-out. All the things you're supposed to do on the 4th of July. Emma had such a great time in the pool, and even shocked us all when she decided she wanted to go off the diving board just like her cousin Brady!

Brady is getting so big!

Feeling like a big girl on the diving board

She did this all on her own, it's instinct.

Jumping into Dada's arms

Our beautiful niece, Sloane, who is almost 1!

Brandon told me that Brady is standing exactly how Matt used to in pictures.

Perfect light to capture the day.

My two little hams offered to sit on a bench so I could take their picture!

Overall it was a great week of celebration. Over the weekend Brandon and I got away to Holland, MI with Amanda and Charlie. It was so fun to take an adult weekend away and spend time with old friends.

Dear Emma: This Week

Brandon was in Seattle all week for business, and I have to say this week went by so much faster than I anticipated! I did what I could to fill up the week with new and fun things to do to keep both myself and Emma entertained. Here's a recap:

Monday
We had a pretty low-key day on Monday. We had just gotten home from a weekend in Michigan, and had a graduation party on Sunday afternoon. Then we celebrated Father's Day by having burgers and milkshakes at Smashburger. It was a busy, but really fun weekend. I was hoping to take you to a music in the park across the street but it got rained out, so we had a picnic in your bedroom. I think you really liked it.

"GG" momma, Emma, and Auntie Trish watching the sunset in Michigan

I set up your chair at the table so we could eat together every day this week. I think you like sitting at the table better than in the high chair.

You were watching GMA and dancing along with the musician that was performing.

Tuesday

I sent you off to Grandma and Grandpa's on Tuesday because I was volunteering at Willow Creek for the first time. You had a blast watching the tree trimmers in their backyard. Grandma said you stood at their kitchen window for over an hour watching the men climb the trees and the branches falling to the ground. That is my favorite thing about you, you are so curious!

Grandma snapped this picture, you were having such a fun time at their house!

Wednesday

On Wednesday's we meet with our play group. We have been doing something different every week to make the most of the summer. This week we went to Cosley Animal Farm in Wheaton and you had such a great time feeding the ducks! I think that was your favorite part, besides just being able to roam around and wave at the animals. After that we went to Grandma and Grandpa's again for you to nap while I helped with their basement renovation. You napped for over four hours allowing us to get so much done. I was surprised that you napped for so long considering there was so much banging going on.

A view from inside Grandpa's office

Thursday

This was the day I was really looking forward to because we were going to see Curious George live at the Morton Arboretum! I had a feeling you would get a little scared of him, and you did, but you also had a great time walking around playing with chalk and bubbles and eating popcorn and ice cream. You did get curious about Curious George and would walk near him and just look at him from afar. It was so cute, you were being so brave within reason.

Grandpa gave you some of his old cars and you love playing with them

First Popsicle

Little miss independent with her popcorn

not so sure about Curious George

Cheesin' it up with Grandma and Grandpa

Friday

Today we will go to the Farmer's Market and take it easy. I will pick up dada tonight and you get to spend another night at Grandma and Grandpa's. They love having you over and call you "their little houseguest". I'm sure you'll have a great time.

First Haircut

My dad and I took Emma to get her first haircut yesterday at Jackie's Barbershop in West Chicago. We went there because my dad has been seeing his barber Kathy for over 20 years and I got haircuts there as a kid. I just loved the nostalgic idea of bringing Emma to the same place and person I went to for her first haircut. I thought it would be better than those kitschy kid snips places. Emma did not like it at all. She flinched every time Kathy would squirt her hair with the water and cried through most of the hair drying. But overall, she did pretty good considering she doesn't like people touching her. It is so funny to see Emma's little personality develop, and to watch her do some of the same things I would do in different situations. As I was watching Emma's reaction to getting her haircut, it was like she was on high alert and nothing could distract her or calm her down. I am the same way when I am in new or uncomfortable situations. I'm sad for her that she is like me in that sense, but I also feel better equipped to help her face difficult situations. I just have to think about what I would want done for me.

After the haircut, we surprised my mom at school and that was so fun. Emma ran right up to her in the classroom and then danced for all the kids, much to their delight. Then my dad, Emma and I went to the Morton Arboretum for lunch and play. They have a great kids garden that has a stream running through, Emma loved playing in that.

Overall it was a great day filled with firsts. I love exploring life with Emma, and I hope that she knows how much I enjoy doing so.

Easter Weekend

This Easter weekend was so refreshing. I spent Good Friday service alone (along with thousands of people) at Willow Creek. In a way, it was nice to celebrate such a reverent day on my own. It gave me a chance to reflect and thank God for sacrificing his only son for us. We spent Easter Sunday with Brandon's parents and a few other members of the extended family. It's always nice for Emma to get a chance to play with Brady and it was nice to get to spend some more time with Sloane. I'm so thankful that I married into such a nice family and that we all live so close.

So fun to see our babies grow, and the new additions!

Playing the piano with Grandpa

Easter Egg Hunt!

Enjoying Easter treats with Dada