Back from the dead! Lots going on! Painting!

Hi everyone, so obviously I've been missing for awhile! 

So I feel the need to give explainations, so here it is! 

We bought a house! 

4 bedrooms, semi-detached, but attached to someone from our church, so we couldn't be happier. It's in a great neighborhood, near a lot of our church friends, and still really close to Flash's home with his mom. 

Found out we're expecting baby #3, on Dec 9! 

No news yet on whether it's a boy or girl. July 16. I'll be sure to blog and fill you all in. 

School is finally done! 

Flash is so excited. He was so ready for summer to happen. He has spent every minute he can outside playing on the trampoline that came with the house we bought. 

My church bought a new building and Caleb is doing all the rewiring.... 

it's a lot, trust me. But the building is beautiful, and has a parish on the back for my pastor and his family to stay. Which is lovely. 

See? Busy. Very busy. To top it all off,  on the 18th of this month, I go back to SK for two weeks, and Caleb joins me for the second week. I'm of course taking Wiggles with me... which means I'm flying with a six month old... alone. It's gonna be an adventure. 

So! Now you know why things have been so nuts! Onto more cool things! 

Paint colors! 

I just bought a house, and it needs paint, thought it'll probably be a couple months before we can really paint anything. So I've been on Behr's website... did you know they have this neato thing where you take the paint color you chose and can put it in your room or a sample room? Well, I don't have decent pictures of my new house, so sample rooms it was, but here's what I'm thinkin' so far! 

We have three bedrooms upstairs, a small one that Flash will get to himself, a big one that is currently this horrible shade of bubblegum pink, which will be the girls room, and one that is relatively large and painted brown right now, that will eventually be the boys room. For now Caleb and I are in there until the little ones are old enough to go down stairs on their own. 

Then there's a finished basement (Semi-finished) that Caleb and I will be turning into our bedroom later. :) 

Well here is Flash's Room! All credit for the pictures goes to Behr! 

Flash picked the blue all himself. I picked the beige, and most rooms of the house use it. :) I thought the blue would be super dark, but I actually really like it. 

This is the living room, please note: Caleb actually chose this color! 

The black is our furniture. :) We have black leather couches, and all our accessories and things are black. I LOVE the purple, and I'm really surprised, but Caleb loves it too. 

Originally I was really leaning towards #1, but I love the grey in #2, and I ended up finding an area rug I really like in the white and grey palette, as well as cost efficient curtains, so it looks like that one might win out. It also tones down the purple a lot. 

Now, the kitchen and the living room share a wall, along with the staircase, so we needed a color that matched it... and we chose this one: 

I really like it. :) That same beige is in most of the other rooms, because I decided that I really like it. Our cabinets are all custom make oak, with this really unique finish, and I think it will go very nicely. I'll show pictures of those later. 

The girls room is going this color, again Caleb's choice. 

Originally he was advocating for purple, in fact, the lighter purple in the living room... but when I pulled up this as a possible for our room, he really liked it for the girls room. Ah well, at least my favourite palette got used somewhere in the house... Though I'm not sure what my girls will think of this color once they outgrow princess's. Ah well, that's awhile away. 

As for the other boys room, and my room... we have no idea. -_- We can't agree on a color for our room. We might go the dark blue that Flash has in his room, just because it's the only one we kinda agree on. but who knows. And the other boys room we're gonna leave until other kids eventually move into it. 

The bathroom is this lovely shade of lime green that I adore. I'm not changing it for anything. 

Opinions? 

- Adele

Keeping a Good Attitude When Life with Littles is Hard

You know those days when things just fly by? When nothing seems to go your way, when the house is a disaster, the laundry isn't done, the baby wants to be played with or cuddled, and you just want to have five minutes to yourself, and it hasn't happened in weeks?

The last two weeks have been like this. Wiggles is going through this always wanting to be held and snuggled stage. Which is awesome. Sometimes okay. Mostly I'm just struggling. 

I find myself frustrated and taking it out on those around me more and more. 

And every time I see Flash jump and look at me with those hurt little doe eyes, or Caleb give that little sigh, I feel the spirit pricking me saying 'Why did you talk to him like that. Check your attitude.' I am the first to admit that I should be giving out many more apologies than I have been. 

I have been pouring over my Bible these last couple days, looking for ways to keep a good attitude when everything seems hard, and you know what? The Bible has some super practical answers for me, and for you too!

1. Joy

Proverbs 17: 22

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 

Joy isn't some mystical emotion that is linked to happiness. No, joy is a choice, and a blessing from God. I can choose to be joyful in my life. You can too. Don't spend your day thinking about how hard your day is. Spend your day joyfully doing your work, playing with your baby, and enjoying every moment. Notice how that word enjoying sounds like you're making it joyful? It's because you are. It's easy to be joyful in the fun times, but having a joyful spirit in the hard times is one of those things we all need to discipline ourselves into learning. 

2. Work for God

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.

There will be days when you get up and say 'I don't want to do this.' We all have them. But then get up, look at yourself in the mirror and say 'I'm working for Christ, and he deserves my best effort today. And so even if I'm tired or frustrated, I will work hard, because Christ deserves my best.'

3. Without Complaining

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

It is so tempting to complain when things are hard. But this is the opposite of joy, and the only helps to make everyone around you miserable. Turn your thoughts away from complaints, and never let them drip from your lips. You'll be surprised how much this one simple change will change your day. 

4. With Praise

Psalm 150:1-6

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

It might be hard, but find something good to praise God for! This simple change in attitude will make a huge difference. Once you can latch onto one or two great things about your day, then things will go much better. Seriously. 

3. Humility 

Philippians 2:1-3

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:2-5

With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

For me, this is the hardest one on this list. Working with humility is so much more than it sounds. It's honestly in your heart, counting others needs above your own. It's apologizing to your son for your harsh tone, it's giving your husband 45 minutes when he walks in the door to relax, even when you really don't want to. But it's more than even that! It's taking the time to serve them. It's getting your husband that glass of water before he asks, and making sure he's comfortable, because his needs come before your own, and what's more, it's doing these things even when he isn't doing them back. It's doing these things even when they aren't reciprocated, joyfully and without complaint. Humility is a trait and an action that people take their entire lives to learn. But it is an essential discipline of the Christian life! 

Now, I'm preaching to myself here. xD Because I struggle with all these things more than even I admit to myself sometimes. 

Thankfully, I have realized that I don't have to do this alone. The women from my church have almost all, at one point or another, offered to take my darlin' for a couple hours so I can get some much needed time to clean and do things. They remember how hard these months are. Today, for the first time, I took one of them up on it. Tomorrow Wiggles is going home with her for a couple of hours so I can clean my house and take a much needed nap. 

We found about two weeks ago now that we're expecting baby #3! :D Which is awesome. But I had forgotten how tired you are these first couple months of being pregnant. Everything seems to wear me down, and all I want to do is eat fruit and sandwiches. Not kidding, Caleb and I went shopping for specifically those two things yesterday. 

Well, time to go apply these things to my life and clean my house. :D See y'all later, and God bless you! 

- Adele

How To Deep Clean Your Kitchen

Okay folks. Today's topic is cleaning. I know, we all hate it. But part of keeping your home in working order is clean. And once in awhile, your rooms, especially your kitchen, need a good deep clean. So here's how to give your kitchen the best cleaning you've ever given it, or will ever give it again. 

First off, a warning, you don't have to do this in one day. Seriously. This is a big task, don't feel bad if you need to space it out over a couple of days. 

Step 1: Prep. 

Get out your cleaners. Fill a bucket with hot water and your choice of all purpose cleaners, Lysol or Mr. Clean or even vinegar. Get out the Windex, and grab some old cloths for scrubbing things. Get out the oven cleaner and some rubber gloves. Fill up a bucket with floor cleaner, or just plain old hot water, get out your mop... Everything you will need to scrub this room. Once we get going, we don't want to be running around looking for what we need. Please note: Please don't use bleach. You prep food in here people, not to mention mixing it with some other chemicals can make poisonous gasses. Better to not risk it. 

Get two laundry baskets or sorting baskets, and a sheet or table cloth. Trust me. 

Open up your windows, and hopefully your doors. There are lots of chemicals used in cleaning a kitchen, and most of them smell rank and will make you high. Not cool. So open up those windows. 

If you can't get rid of your kids for a bit, put them someplace safe... like in their high chair. 

Step 2: The Oven.

Typically oven cleaners need a couple hours to set before they work, so start with this step. Follow the instructions on your bottle of oven cleaner, or sprinkle your oven with baking soda and then spray vinegar over it, or create a paste using liquid soap, baking soda, and vinegar. Apply this to your oven, and leave sit for 6-8 hours, then wipe clean. Simple as that. 

Please note: Chemical Oven Cleaners need to be Well Ventilated. They're highly toxic. 

Step 3: Clean off the clutter. 

Go to your table. If you're like me, it's probably covered in junk. Take all those things, and sort them. Dishes, stack on the counter. One laundry basket for things that go in other rooms, and one basket for things that need to be donated. Once your table is clear, wipe it well with a damp, hot, cloth. Scrub the caked on ketchup your kid dumped on it last night, and while you're at it, check under the edges for any food or condiments they hid or dripped under the table. 

Now lay down the sheet or tablecloth on top of the table. This is now your working space! Once you're done, any clutter or anything that happens now happens on your sheet. 

Step 4: Do your dishes.

Do all your dishes. For some people this is an easy step, and for some, this is a monumental task of epic proportions. 

Step 8: Wipe down all surfaces

Wipe down the windows sills, the fronts and edges of your drawers and cupboards, your stove, your fridge... every surface you can see when everything is closed. We'll get to everything else soon.

Starting list for things to clean off:

- On top of stove/stove buttons and knobs
- Fan blades
- Cupboard drawers
- Microwave
- On top of fridge
- Fridge Handles
- Cupboard handles
- Windows Sills
- Light fixtures
- Faucet and knobs
- Backs of Chairs

Step 4: Clear off your counters. 

Take everything on your counter, and put it on your table, on your sheet. Clear them completely off. Yes, completely. That means take off that spice rack that's been there since you got married, and that toaster that your kid smeared peanut butter on. 

First off, look at the things you put on the table. Do you really need all of those things on your counter? Do you use all of them daily or every couple days? If not, leave them on your table. It's time for the things you don't use often to find another home. 

Second step is take a damp cloth, and that bucket you filled with cleaner.. and wipe down everything you can. Wipe the counters themselves, the back splash, the fancy molding you loved when you moved in, but mostly it's just a dust collector, clean all the items on the table... everything. Clean every individual spice jar. 

Then put everything that survived the "I use this daily" test, back on the counter. If you need to rearrange how things are placed to make it easier to find/harder for kids to reach, now is the time to do it. You've got it all off anyways. 

Step 7: Clear Out Your Cupboards.

Remember how we took everything off the counter and onto the sheet? Do the same thing with all your cupboards. Let's start with the ones above the sink first. Take everything out, this means even that top shelf where you keep the dishes you got for wedding gifts and haven't used... ever. Wipe inside. You'd be surprised what kind of gross gunk can build up in cupboards. 

Now look back at your table. It's tempting, oh do I ever know it's tempting, to say you want to keep every serving tray and dish. But do you really need that snowman serving tray you inherited from your husbands great aunt? Probably not. Take this time to get rid of anything you haven't used in six months. 

That goes for appliances too. You have a baby bullet you haven't used in 3 years? Donate! You have seven trillion bugs from various places around the world? Maybe keep a couple to display, then get rid of the rest. Use one of your baskets to put all the donation things in. 

Once everything is clean and organized, put everything back into the cupboards. Then do the same thing for under your sink and any other cupboards left. 

Step 8: Clear out your drawers.

Clear out all your drawers. Wipe them out inside, and sort again. Donate what you don't use, and then organize properly what you do. 

Step 9: Clear our your pantry.

Same steps as before. Pull it all out on the table, wipe inside the pantry, clean off the boxes, sort out anything expired or not usable. If you have a spice cupboard or something similar, do that at the same time as this. 

Step 10: Clear out your fridge and freezer.

Same steps as before. Clear out, wipe, sort. Take out anything freezer burned and chuck it. This has the added benefit of you knowing what's now in your pantry and fridge. 

Step 11: Clean your windows. 

Take that windex and scrub away. If it's nice out, do the outsides too. 

Step 12: Clean anything we missed.

Sometimes people have special things in their kitchen. I have a bookshelf and our shoe rack. This would be the time I cleaned those things. This is your time to clean those others things.

Don't forget to wipe down your oven!

Step 13: Clean your floors.

 This means drag everything out into your living room you can. Garbage cans, chairs, potato bins... if you can get it out, get it out. 

Take your rugs out and give them a good beating, and maybe an air out, then store them in a safe place for awhile. 

Your floors might be covered in bits of this and that, so give it a good sweep first. Then mop, don't forget the corners and around the edges. 

Then mop, don't be scared to get down and scrub what you can. 

... 

GUESS WHAT?

You made it! We're done! 

You just gotta drag back in your furniture and bask in the uber cleanliness of your kitchen! 

It's a huge task, cleaning your kitchen this well. But so worth it. :) 

Good luck! Tell me how it went! 

- Adele

When Grandparents are far away - Coping with Long Distance Relationships

It's always hard when grandparents are far away. My kids grandparents live clear across the country in good old Saskatchewan. It's a 2 day drive(4 with kids) or a nearly 9 hours including lay overs flight away. So you can imagine we don't see them often. 

Before I got married I had to come to terms with the idea that my parents wouldn't be there for my kids lives. Yes, they would be there as often as they could, but in all actuality, for the majority of my children's lives, my parents simply can't be there. 

Lately this has come to bear a lot. Wiggles is nearly 4 months now, and the last time my parents saw her, she was 1 month old. My mom struggles all the time to deal with the fact that they are missing her mile stones. Her little giggles and kicks, her smiles and snuggles. It's incredibly hard on them, and I didn't realize just how much I'd want my parents here until I had Wiggles.

Plus, Flash loves seeing grandma and grandpa. He adores the heck out of them. He tells everyone that his grandparents are from "Saskchewan" and that they came and saw him and they're the best. Every chance he has to bask in their love, he takes it. 

So how do we cope? Well, there are pretty much 4 steps. 

1. Travel. 

I try very hard to see my parents at least once a year. If that's me going there, or them coming here. More than that, is amazing. The more my kids get to see their grandparents and be spoiled by them, the better. This is also true for their aunts. And when their family is here, they spend every minute they can with the kids. I don't think Wiggles was put down the entire time her aunties or grandparents were here. And you know what? I didn't say "Put her down, she needs to learn to be alone." I said "Hold her more, she needs to know you love her." 

Plus, I just plain old miss my family. 

2. Skype. 

Lots of it. We Skype at least once a week. Get Wiggles and Flash used to seeing and hearing their grandparents. Flash gets so excited to see grandma and grandpa on Skype. Skype has the benefit of being real time, and video and audio. It's about as close to being in the same room as you're gonna get while being a million miles away from each other. Flash sits there and chatters with grandma and grandpa, and loves every minute. Wiggles sits there and stares in wonder at the people who know her name talking to her off the computer screen. Meanwhile, my parents and sisters get to watch my kids grow up through more than just pictures. Seriously, skype. Love it. 

3. Phone.

I talk to my mom... everyday. If I don't talk to my mom, it's a weird day. Here's the thing. She knows everything that's going on with my kids. She know every little cute thing Wiggles does, she knows every perfect test score Flash gets. It's important people. Phone your family when something cool happens. If they were here in the city, I'd have my mother here as often as possible to see her grandkids grow up. In lieu of that... I call every time I can. I put the phone to Elsie's ear, and she lights up when grandma and grandpa talk to her. Flash sits and chatters with grandma for as long as he wants, and he loves it, because he gets grandma all to himself. He doesn't have to share like on Skype. It's a special time for him. 

4. Pictures and Video

Especially when you are working with babies, who grow so fast, and meet milestones so fast... take lots of pictures and video. We do. And we coat facebook in them. It's one of those things. We video Wiggles giggling, Flash feeding Wiggles, Wiggles discovering her toes... Those things that kids do without thinking. I see Flash half falling off the couch while watching a show? Picture! Share with grandma! This not only helps the grandparents stay in touch, but it helps you preserve those adorable moments that you honestly? Can't get back. 

That's all folks. It won't be easy. It'll kinda stink in fact. But remember that it's not like even 70 years ago, where moving away meant snail mail. Nope. There are SO many tools you can use to stay in touch, you just gotta make the effort. And for the record? Keeping those grandparents involved? Worth every bit of effort. 

- Adele

Teaching our Boys to be Young Men

Lately I have been really convicted about Flash. He's six, he will be seven in less than a month. And I just realized... he's becoming a little man.

I know, all if you out there reading this are like, 'Duh Adele, that's why they call them boys.' But that's not what I mean. Think of all the things you expect to find in a man, a real man. Protection, strength, wisdom, provision, leadership, to name a few. And Flash needs to know these things. He needs, as a young Christian man, to start developing these traits. 

The world is not going to help him do it. If there is one thing I am convinced about, it's that the Devil has his eye on my children, and the world is the Devils tool. 

The world will do everything it can to convince my son that he doesn't need to provide for his family. The world will do everything it can to tell my son he doesn't need to be the leader in his home. The world will do everything it can to tell my son that God's wisdom is wrong, and that he should be following some self-made theory of morality and guidance. The world will do everything to make my son ineffective. 

Flash is a self proclaimed Christian. We have spent months watching his life after he accepted Jesus into his heart, and it has been amazing to see him grow and mature in his faith. He wants so much to learn, and this is amazing to see. 

At the same time as I see this maturity starting in him, I see another ugly character raising it's head. We have had to deal with questions like "Why do I have to go to work? If I don't, I'll get money anyways." He's talking about welfare. Impressing on my son the need for him to work hard at everything he does is difficult when everything around him says that he doesn't have to. That he'll get a free meal at the end of the day, simply because he was there for the ride. 

The Bible says : 

2 Thess 3: 6-13

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.

Did you catch that? The man who does not work should not eat. This is a fundamental truth in the Bible. I have found myself more and more hunting down verses like this one, to teach Flash what he needs to know, but it seems sometimes like it's fighting an uphill battle. 

But this does not mean I don't do it. 

So I want to encourage you moms out there reading this: 

1. Don't trust the world to teach your children. 

Your children are your greatest mission field. They are young, impressionable, and oh so open to learning. 

Don't let the world get a grip in their little hearts. 

Satan is not going to be merciful because they are children. The world will not be merciful because they are children. Be diligent. Your children are taking everything in, use your influence as their mother to pull them away from the world and it's sin. 

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

2. Teach them the word.

Often, daily, every hour, every minute. 

Talk to them about God. 

Talk to them about his statutes and precepts. 

Talk to them about his mercy and his love. 

Talk to them of his judgement and strength. 

Talk to them about his sovereignty. 

Talk to them about Jesus. 

Memorize scripture with them. 

Read the Bible aloud to them. 

Anything it takes to get the word into those little hearts. Because right now is the time. You might think they're to young, you might think they don't understand. But if they understand even one of the twenty things you tell them in a day, that's still something. 

Det. 11: 18 - 21

“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.

3. Set an example.

These children are watching you. Closer than you know. Be their example. Read your Bible. Pray as you do your chores. Love the Lord. Be merciful and pure in conduct. Your children will see that, and it will speak louder to them than anything that comes out of your mouth. 

The conduct you set now will be the conduct they will pick up. You love to read your Bible? They'll learn to love it. You sin regularly? Sadly, they will pick up on that same sin. 

For women, it's hard to be an example for young men, because we are not young men. :) But know this, if you are example of a Godly woman... your son will want to find another Godly woman to be with when he gets older. The Bible says that a Godly woman will bring her husband around with her conduct. 

1 Peter 3:1

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.

Now, the context here is unbelieving husbands, but I think it fits with this concept as well. A wife who is living in the word, who is filling her role as a wife, in submission and grace, will encourage her husband to fulfill his role as a Godly husband. 

Your son will look for a wife like you. Set the example now. 

4. Love and submit to his Dad. 

I can hear it. I can hear the bristling skin as the women reading this read the word submit. It echoes through these pages even as I'm writing. 

But it's one of the few commandments given directly to women in the Bible. 

Eph 5: 22 - 24

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

This isn't conditional. It doesn't say submit if your husband loves you, or submit if your husband is a good husband. No. It says submit. 

And it will be  one of the strongest ways you will reach your sons. Loving his dad, submitting to his dads leadership. Why? Because this not only shows him what a Godly woman looks like... but it allows his dad to step up and set the example of a Godly man. And your son will, more than anyone, learn from his father how to be a man. 

Learn what it means to submit. It's not a bad thing. In fact, it's a very good thing. 

5. Never think it's to late, or to early.

So your kids are older, or maybe they're much younger. Only babies. Teach them anyways. Guard their hearts anyways. Start now. 

Your son is a teenager? 

Be a Godly woman, set the example. Guard his heart. Love his dad. Monitor what he watches on TV, take him to church, talk to him about God. He might fight you on it, but as much as he seems all grown up? He is still a child, in need of your guidance. 

It's never to late to make a difference. 

I wasn't saved until I was 18. Because someone took the time to really talk with me about God and what he expects from me. 

Your son is just a baby? 

Be a Godly woman, set the example. Love his dad. Monitor what things go into that little head. Guard his heart with that fierce ferocity only moms can muster. Take him to church. Sing Bible songs to him, talk to him about his amazing creator. Get in the habit now. Make it so he doesn't remember a time when God wasn't the focus of his life. 

Flash was saved as six, because every moment he was awake, Caleb and I talked to him about God. 

It's never to early to make a difference. 

Just my thoughts for the day,

Adele

PS: I'd love to hear how you are teaching your sons to be Godly men.