So Much to Say, Part 2

I promised pictures of Eloise meeting Santa, as well as pictures of her dressed up in holiday garb.  So, here they are!!

This outfit was given to us by Eloise's Aunt Julie.  It is so darling...something Ted and I would never buy...which is why it was so, so FUN to dress her in it.  She loved it!  The fuzz around her wrists had her occupied for a long, long time.  She wore this to see Santa (of course) and then she wore it to Ted's Staff Christmas Party. (which was really fun, and had lots of good food!)

We headed down to our bank to see Santa.  He was there for one hour only (He's a busy guy, ya know) and you could take your own pictures, which is way better than having to pay for a photo that may or may not turn out.  We tried our best to get Cheesy to smile, but she was waaaay too distracted by everything going on around her.  She didn't mind sitting with Santa.  Ted and I noted later that it was really neat that Eloise can be held by anyone and be super happy...but then that scared us at the same time.

You can tell that Eloise doesn't really know what to do.  She is probably wondering why she got put into a pink puffball and then put on someone's lap that has an overabundance of white curly hair streaming from his face.

I told Eloise this morning that there was only 13 days until Christmas and she got a really big smile on her face.  I practically melted.  Although... I could have said I was going to have tuna for lunch and I would have got the same reaction from her.  :)

Are you as excited as Eloise about Christmas?!?

So Much to Say!

WOW!!

It has been two weeks since I have posted.  Shame on me.  But, my lack of posting proves how busy I am these days...being a working gal and all!  :)

But, seriously.  A LOT has happened. I have so many pictures and so much news. Most of it has to do with Eloise, well probably all of it actually. :)  She is our little smiley bear cub that we can never get enough of, and as each day gets closer and closer to Christmas it seems as if she gets happier and happier.  (It's like she already understands!) 

So, first, let me just update you with some cute pics taken around the house over the past couple of weeks.

oh yea and she can sit up now!

The pictures really tell it all!  :)

We put up our Christmas tree the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.  This year Ted picked it out by himself while I stayed home with Eloise. (She was asleep and we only had that specific night available to have time to put the tree up and decorate it.)  Ted and I decorated the tree with white and colored lights and opened up all of our prized ornaments while listening to Frank and Bing sing Christmas songs. 

We really wanted to wake up Cheesy so she could see it, but we thought better of it. 

Plus, she woke up at around 11pm on her own and so we showed it to her then.  Let's just say that she LOVES it!

The putting up of the tree was on Dec. 2nd and the next major event happened Dec. 6th.  Not only was it Cheesy's Six Month Birthday, but it was also the day of her Baptism.  I could have a whole seperate post on how long it took Ted and I to pray/think/discuss whether to get her baptized or dedicated, but I won't.  In the end, we agreed that we thought scripture and God were pointing to infant baptism, and if Eloise decides when she is older that she wants to get rebaptized to proclaim her decision of her faith, then that is okay with us.  Ted had a good point that we aren't going to be able to bring any new information to the table, no matter how much we study on it, so we made (what we thought) was the best decision.  So, here is Eloise on her big day!:

Her dress is over 100 years old.  Ted's great Grandma, great Aunt, Aunt, Sister (Anne), neice (Bailey) have all worn it.  (Ted wore it too.)  And, now Eloise has worn it. :)

She had no problem with Chip holding her either.  She actually gave him her classic stare that says, "Wait a minute who are you?  ...Oh okay, you look nice.  I like you." all at once.

It was a very nice service, and we were glad that some of our family could make it.  She is now a part of God's family and it is Ted and I's responsibility to raise her to know God and his Son. 

Whew...not exactly a small task.  We can do it though, with the help of our family and church family and lots of prayer. 

So, this is a super long post, so I think I will post more tomorrow....or later today.  Not sure yet.  But in the next post you will see:  1.  Eloise meeting Santa for the very first time, 2. Eloise in a super cute holiday outfit for her very first Christmas party, and 3.  More photos of Eloise loving the Christmas tree.

Weekend Book Review

I love reading, and I LOVE sharing what I read.  I find so many good books, since I am in a library around 12 hours a week, and I thought that doing a review of the books I read every once in awhile would be a good way to spread some good (and sometimes not so good) literature around.  So, I am going to start doing a Weekend Book Review every couple of weekends...or however long it takes me to finish the book in the side bar to the right!

 

Title: The Unfinished Angel

Author: Sharon Creech

I have liked previous books written by Sharon Creech, such as Love That Dog, and this one is entertaining too.  It is a young adult book (I kind of have a habit of reading those...) but it is a great, short, easy read for an adult as well.  :)

It is about an angel (or so s/he thinks) that lives in a tower in a small Swiss village.  This angel does not seem to know his purpose...yet.  A new family from America moves into town and the daughter, Zola, can see the angel. And so begins their friendship, with lots of acts of kindness along the way.

I recommend you read this book if you are looking for a light read that is creatively written and funny.  Here is an excerpt from the author's website:

I am a little hesitant to admit it, but many scenes in this book make me laugh and laugh. Here are three of my favorites:

From the chapter, 'My Territory,' when Zola asks the angel if the angel has wings.

From the chapter, 'Lizards,' when Rosetta confesses to eating a lizard's tail.

From the chapter, 'Pigeons,' when the angel reacts to Zola's pigeon story.

I have to agree! 

Let me know what you think if you choose to read this book!

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving this year was a blast!  Ted and I had so much fun with family and every year it gets a little more crazy as our neices are growing older...we LOVE it!  Especially now with Eloise thrown into the mix.  

Maddy; and (crazy) Uncle Dan

Mom Polleys made a fantastic dinner as usual, and there were three different desserts to choose from, thanks to Kelli and Ted.  Also, there was an AMAZING vegetable dish with lots of root vegetables and maple syrup.

Dad Polleys, Bailey, Aunt Julie; and Bailey dancing with Aunt Kelli

But, before dinner, Mom Polleys, Kelli and I all went to the Spa at Boyne Mountain.  It was so refereshing to be able to work out in a gym-type atmosphere and then lounge around in a hot tub afterward...with lots and lots of chatting.  :)

Ted and I, waiting for dinner

Maddy playing with Eloise and her hippo-friend.

The guys stayed home and watched football (But do I really need to tell you that?? It's kind of obvious in our family.) and Eloise hung out with them.  Will, Julie, Maddy and Bailey came over during that time, so it was great to be able to come home from the Spa and hang out with all of them.  Maddy and Bailey are getting so big and so, so cute.  (For the Gratitude Bowl, one of the things Maddy was thankful for was her ribs and bottom! So precious!)

Uncle Ted with Maddy and Eloise

Throughout the whole day there was dancing, laughing, talking, story telling, and a discussion of everyone's favorite Christmas memory growing up.  Mine pale in comparison to the Polleys' family Christmas, Dad Polleys always went above and beyond when it came to Santa Claus.  Oh, and there was lots of eating going on too, but once again that is an obvious occurence at Polleys Family get-togethers.  :)

Bailey reading Jan Brett.

Ted and I are so thankful for our family.  We do not know what we would do without it. 

And, now...it is on to CHRISTMAS!!

Forever Changed

Over the past couple of days I have been working on an article for our church's In Touch newsletter. I was asked to write about anything I wanted when it comes to the verse of Psalm 126:3. (The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.)

It didn't take me long to think of what great and amazing things God has done for me, but it did take me a while to really consider whether I was filled with joy or not from these things. Am I really joyful? Do I take the time to recognize what God has given me and has done for me? Because if I did, I would be filled with joy.

So, here is my article, which shows my thought process on that. Enjoy! It will be in the January Newsletter.

When I was asked to write this article, I began thinking: God has done great things for me…but am I filled with joy?

Ted and I have been blessed beyond belief with Eloise. Her ear to ear smiles and pleasant personality just add to how amazing she really is. Before she arrived, Ted and I always tried to imagine what life would be like with a third little person in the house, but we never could have believed how our lives would change. Who would have thought that we would both become teary-eyed after the movie Up because we feared losing each other and how that would affect Eloise. And, we never, ever could have imagined the feeling you get when you look into her little blue eyes and your heart swells with so much love that you feel like it might explode, because you have never felt that much love for anyone or anything in the whole world.

Sure, there have been challenges with preparing for and raising Eloise. Which “method” of parenting is best? Do we let her sleep with us? When should we start giving her some solid food? But, one challenge I wrestled with a lot is whether or not we should put Eloise in daycare. Being a stay-at-home-mom seemed quite appealing to me, once we had Eloise all settled in.

When Eloise was born, I was blessed enough not to have to worry about that question. She was born in June, so even if I found a job, it wouldn’t start until the following fall. I worked part time at the library, but the hours were always manageable enough and a family member could babysit.

But, recently on a weekend trip, Ted and I came to the realization that that one job would not hold us afloat for much longer. We talked and prayed about it a lot those few days. The Monday after that weekend I received a phone call, which ended up developing into a job opportunity. Had God answered our prayers that fast? Of course. Had God known all along that we would eventually need something more? Of course.

Looking back, I see that God gave me those five months to spend with my baby; to raise her and stay home with her. Many families never have that opportunity and I am eternally grateful. Naturally, it is extremely hard to leave her at someone else’s house while I go off and “make a living,” but I think, or rather, I know, that this is what God has for us now. Eloise is going to be perfectly fine spending six hours a day away from home, and so will I. And, God knew that. That is why he provided us with this financial blessing.

I never used to fully acknowledge all of these things that God does and how thankful I am for them. But, now something has changed inside of me. We were right! Eloise has changed our lives in a way we never could have suspected…she helped us see.

The Lord always does amazing things for us—for me. If I can’t find the true joy in that, then I am crazy. God is putting it right in front of my face like a bright shining light yelling, “Sarah! I am here for you. I will always take care of you, do not worry. I am your provider. Rejoice in Me!” It would be extremely hard for me not to see and feel that joy, I would have to deliberately look away. But, why would I want to do that?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give Thanks!

Our family is starting a new tradition this year: A Gratitude Bowl.

I read about it in my Mothering Magazine.  You place an empty glass bowl in the center of your table, as the centerpiece.  All day before dinner, right up to before dinner is served, whenever you think of something that you are thankful for, you write it on a piece of paper, fold it in half and place it in the bowl.

All throughout dinner you can see all the blessings and the thankfulness in the bowl.  Then, before dessert is served you pass the bowl around and each person takes a turn pulling out a slip of paper and reading what someone is thankful for.

I think it's a great way to remember to give thanks and count your blessings from God.  I hope it is a success!

Have a blessed day, wherever you are, whatever you are doing.

Weekly Cheese #5

Eloise's first exposure to the Christmas season--lights! And this is just the beginning! (And yes, though some choose to criticize, we put up our lights 2 days before Thanksgiving this year.) :)

Dinner Time!

This week was the official kick off to my new job. I only worked Monday and Tuesday because of the Thanksgiving Holiday, but it was a great glimpse into what my job is going to entail. When I was talking about it to Ted I came up with three main 'duties' that I have.

1. Crowd control (this is my least favorite, but when you have 26 second graders in a classroom it is inevitable.)

2. Small Groups (This is my favorite!) I love working with children (obviously) and R. (the lead teacher) is going to give me a couple groups to work with. One will be during reading, with the on-level readers, to start a book club. The other will be different students each day depending on who needs help with writing, math, etc.

and (just for laughs)

3. Coordinating...mmm-hmm...pumping schedules. R. is the mother of a 6 and a half month old and I am the mother of a 5 and a half month old. (We were in the same baby classes at the hospital!!) And, we both nurse. So...yea. Let's just say there aren't that many private places in an elementary school.

Needless to say, I have been so busy these past couple weeks. With the library on the weekend and school during the week. Whew.

Luckily, Ted and I still made time for some quality dinners on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. (Tonight, we will be eating late because I work till 8.) And, the dinner on Monday night was especially delicious...so I wanted to take the time to share it.

We had Grilled Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas.

You will need:

1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
4 cups baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (6 ounces)
4 large flour tortillas
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup store-bought fresh salsa
1/4 cup sour cream

First, heat grill (or a grilling skillet) to medium. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, spinach, and cheese. Dividing evenly, place the mixture on one half of each tortilla. Fold the other half over to cover.
Then, grill the quesadillas until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with the avocado, salsa, and sour cream.

Ta-da! So easy! And, so, so tasty. In the words of my husband, "Seriously, these are restaurant quality. This is awesome."

My avocado/salsa/sour cream placement preference is above. Ted's is below.

(Thanks Real Simple. You've done it again!)

And of course, Eloise was there to witness it all!