We are certainly in teething mode in our house. Just Thursday Teeth #3 and #4 have come through the top. They are going to be CHOMPERS--they are huge! Tooth #2 made it's way through earlier this month, and tooth #1, right around Christmastime. I haven't been able to catch a picture of 3 and 4 yet, but here's a good one of #1, and a little bit of #2 right next to it for those of you yet to see the newest addition to Noa's looks!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Teeth, Teeth and More Teeth!
We are certainly in teething mode in our house. Just Thursday Teeth #3 and #4 have come through the top. They are going to be CHOMPERS--they are huge! Tooth #2 made it's way through earlier this month, and tooth #1, right around Christmastime. I haven't been able to catch a picture of 3 and 4 yet, but here's a good one of #1, and a little bit of #2 right next to it for those of you yet to see the newest addition to Noa's looks!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Chaos vs. Structure
I have constantly fought the battle between chaos and structure in pretty much every facet of my life. I am completely drawn to the chaotic lifestyle. No deadlines or schedule constraints, freedom to do as I please, "take life as it comes..."--what could be better, really? Besides all of those wonderful ideals, I often find, like most, that God is in the messiness. The most beautiful moments of transformation in my life are when I am most frazzled, life is messy, and God is present. Chaos is incredibly appealing.
On the other hand, I see the absolute necessity of structure. Even Adam in the garden of Eden had times of work and rest. Granted, his work was probably pretty enjoyable...I know I would totally dig spending my days naming creatures, tending to living things, and hanging out with my girl Eve. Even still, he had times of work, and times of rest. Structure is life-giving. Without structure, I probably wouldn't get out of bed, I'd stink a lot worse than I already do from my lack of shower time, and my overall work ethic would be pretty much absent.
I am discovering this lately in Noa's bedtime. So far, we have not had a ton of structure in putting Noa to bed, or naps. We've taken them as they come, we've put her to sleep when she's tired. Now that we are focusing on a little more structure, I am finding our experiences with her bedtime to be FREEING. She is falling asleep much more quickly, she is RESTED in the morning, and I am able to get at least a little bit of time to myself or with Bryce/people in the evenings.
So where is the balance? When is it okay to veer from the schedule? When can the schedule become too constricting to real life, or what the Holy Spirit is doing? Here are my ideas:
1.) Community is important. As much as I want Noa to nap, or the laundry to be done, spending time with people MUST be at the forefront of my mind. Without community, my relationship with God becomes dead, or close to it.
2.) Noa's growth, development and socialization are aspects of life I do not want to miss. Bedtime can not become more valuable to me than watching my daughter grow up.
3.) Schedules are super important, but not the only guide to how my day should go.
4.) Stress is contagious. If I'm stressed, my family will feel it. Taking time for myself is not only pleasant, but necessary. I'm thankful for a husband who makes that a priority for me as well.
I think that's all for now...what lifestyle are you choosing? Have you found the balance of chaos and structure?
On the other hand, I see the absolute necessity of structure. Even Adam in the garden of Eden had times of work and rest. Granted, his work was probably pretty enjoyable...I know I would totally dig spending my days naming creatures, tending to living things, and hanging out with my girl Eve. Even still, he had times of work, and times of rest. Structure is life-giving. Without structure, I probably wouldn't get out of bed, I'd stink a lot worse than I already do from my lack of shower time, and my overall work ethic would be pretty much absent.
I am discovering this lately in Noa's bedtime. So far, we have not had a ton of structure in putting Noa to bed, or naps. We've taken them as they come, we've put her to sleep when she's tired. Now that we are focusing on a little more structure, I am finding our experiences with her bedtime to be FREEING. She is falling asleep much more quickly, she is RESTED in the morning, and I am able to get at least a little bit of time to myself or with Bryce/people in the evenings.
So where is the balance? When is it okay to veer from the schedule? When can the schedule become too constricting to real life, or what the Holy Spirit is doing? Here are my ideas:
1.) Community is important. As much as I want Noa to nap, or the laundry to be done, spending time with people MUST be at the forefront of my mind. Without community, my relationship with God becomes dead, or close to it.
2.) Noa's growth, development and socialization are aspects of life I do not want to miss. Bedtime can not become more valuable to me than watching my daughter grow up.
3.) Schedules are super important, but not the only guide to how my day should go.
4.) Stress is contagious. If I'm stressed, my family will feel it. Taking time for myself is not only pleasant, but necessary. I'm thankful for a husband who makes that a priority for me as well.
I think that's all for now...what lifestyle are you choosing? Have you found the balance of chaos and structure?
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Our Little Helper
Noa is growing SO fast. I can not believe it...it is so strange to see this little baby become a little person! :)
Lately, she just wants to be involved in everything. When we eat pizza, Noa HAS to have a bite. Grocery shopping? Noa will hold the list, thankyouverymuch. Laundry can not be folded now without Noa holding on to the edge of the basket and tossing every article of clothing on the floor. I just love it.
It is so fun sharing life with her, and not trying to distract while I get something done, but have her involved in what what I do. It's really great.
Here we are folding laundry and putting tupperware away. I just love our little helper!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Kim's To-Read List
I would love to know what you are reading...
Here are some books that I plan to read this year.
The Creative Family: Every time I go to the book store, I walk by this book, pick it up and read some of the ideas. They are simple, hands-on activities, toys, games and more to do with your kids. I really love it--and definitely plan to pick up a copy asap. :)
Bringing it to the Table: Wendell Berry has been one of my favorite poets/essayists for quite some time now. He is a farmer in Kentucky, and is incredibly wise about food, and it's value. This is something Bryce and I are working on this year...intentional eating. I can't think of a better guy I'd like to learn this from!
Twilight: New Moon: That's right. I fell into the Twilight trap. I am certainly not OBSESSED by any means, but it does give me a chance to have something to talk about with my high school students--and they are pretty addicting. I am working on finishing New Moon right now, so I can then watch the movie and "rave" with my students. (and Monica!!)
The Inner Voice: A Journey from Anguish to Freedom: My cell group has just started reading this collection of journal entries from Henri Nouwen. Not only is a spiritual leader of our time, but his short entries are jam packed with tidbits to chew on...we had cell on Tuesday night, and I have yet to stop thinking about our topic of the night--The Inner Voice. I am looking forward to continuing to glean from Henri's wisdom!
Sara Snow's Fresh Living: You may have heard of Sara. She's kind of one of those "go green" experts... I have been reading this for quite some time. Lots of great ideas for environmentally conscience choices both in and out of our homes. I have learned so much, and continue to make changes in my life, as well as our family.
Culinary Herbs: Last year, my attempt at an herb garden was destroyed when I transported my plants from the windowsill to the backyard...and then went into labor--thus leaving me in the hospital while my herbs got pelted by a 4-day rainfall. :( Disappointing. Nevertheless, I will try again. I would also like to try to grow some non-culinary herbs like lavendar, eucalyptus and echinacea. We'll see.
Last--I thought I'd include some websites/blogs I've been into lately...maybe you'll like some...
http://www.suite101.com/blog/lucyjohn - Barb Hacker's blog--Barb is a holistic parent that I really enjoy...
www.improveverywhere.com -- These people are amazing, doing "improv" missions throughout the country and suprising the heck out of people. I just love them! Check out "Best Game Ever" and "Frozen Grand Central Station" for some of my favorites.
http://www.holidaysforeveryday.com/caljan09.shtml -- I love a reason to celebrate. Having a boring day? Check and see what you can celebrate for a "twist". :)
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/ -- I like this girl. I don't have enough time on my hands to do all of her great ideas, but I love taking some inspiration from her.
www.found.com -- Check and see what kind of random stuff people pick up...sometimes they are way funny!
What's on your reading/blog list this year?
Here are some books that I plan to read this year.
The Creative Family: Every time I go to the book store, I walk by this book, pick it up and read some of the ideas. They are simple, hands-on activities, toys, games and more to do with your kids. I really love it--and definitely plan to pick up a copy asap. :)
Bringing it to the Table: Wendell Berry has been one of my favorite poets/essayists for quite some time now. He is a farmer in Kentucky, and is incredibly wise about food, and it's value. This is something Bryce and I are working on this year...intentional eating. I can't think of a better guy I'd like to learn this from!
Twilight: New Moon: That's right. I fell into the Twilight trap. I am certainly not OBSESSED by any means, but it does give me a chance to have something to talk about with my high school students--and they are pretty addicting. I am working on finishing New Moon right now, so I can then watch the movie and "rave" with my students. (and Monica!!)
The Inner Voice: A Journey from Anguish to Freedom: My cell group has just started reading this collection of journal entries from Henri Nouwen. Not only is a spiritual leader of our time, but his short entries are jam packed with tidbits to chew on...we had cell on Tuesday night, and I have yet to stop thinking about our topic of the night--The Inner Voice. I am looking forward to continuing to glean from Henri's wisdom!
Sara Snow's Fresh Living: You may have heard of Sara. She's kind of one of those "go green" experts... I have been reading this for quite some time. Lots of great ideas for environmentally conscience choices both in and out of our homes. I have learned so much, and continue to make changes in my life, as well as our family.
Culinary Herbs: Last year, my attempt at an herb garden was destroyed when I transported my plants from the windowsill to the backyard...and then went into labor--thus leaving me in the hospital while my herbs got pelted by a 4-day rainfall. :( Disappointing. Nevertheless, I will try again. I would also like to try to grow some non-culinary herbs like lavendar, eucalyptus and echinacea. We'll see.Last--I thought I'd include some websites/blogs I've been into lately...maybe you'll like some...
http://www.suite101.com/blog/lucyjohn - Barb Hacker's blog--Barb is a holistic parent that I really enjoy...
www.improveverywhere.com -- These people are amazing, doing "improv" missions throughout the country and suprising the heck out of people. I just love them! Check out "Best Game Ever" and "Frozen Grand Central Station" for some of my favorites.
http://www.holidaysforeveryday.com/caljan09.shtml -- I love a reason to celebrate. Having a boring day? Check and see what you can celebrate for a "twist". :)
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/ -- I like this girl. I don't have enough time on my hands to do all of her great ideas, but I love taking some inspiration from her.
www.found.com -- Check and see what kind of random stuff people pick up...sometimes they are way funny!
What's on your reading/blog list this year?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Home Renovations, the Cheap Way
As many of you know, we are on the journey to some changes here in the Hewlett household. Bryce has a strong desire to go back to school, which would mean less work=less income, etc. The past few months have been budgeted and planned well--our expenses much more deliberate and intentional..."do we NEED this item?", "can we find a better deal somewhere else?" "can we get this second-hand?"
We have a few ideas on how to make things happen in our home this year, the "cheap", but more intentional way...here are some of our thoughts, maybe you have some too.
Accessories. At this time, we do not have the time, money or drive to take on a large painting project or purchase large furniture items, but we do have some interest in accessorizing. For one, I absolutely can't stand the lighting in our living room. Deep yellow and flourescent, and only in one place in the room--overhead. We plan to purchase a few lamps to change the atmosphere.
I also have this new idea for plants. I totally love house plants in other people's homes, but have never managed to get them in my own home. In the winter-time, I am definitely feeling the need to get some nature indoors. Any ideas on some house plants that require little maintenance but add a big punch to a room?
Art. Man do we need some art on our walls! It can be so difficult to find a piece of art that both fits in your color scheme, fits the size and space on the particular wall, and that you don't mind looking at every single day.
How do I go about doing this the cheap way? Second-hand lamps, sales on plants and plants that can also be substituted as art, homemade pots, and trash-picked/second-hand art.
I figured if I wrote this down, I a.) may inspire you to do some cheap renovations instead of picking up the new items, and b.) really go for my ideas, as I say I will. Often writing holds me a little more accountable than just the ideas in my head.
So there you have it. Living Room renovation plans for all to see. 1, 2, 3 Go!
We have a few ideas on how to make things happen in our home this year, the "cheap", but more intentional way...here are some of our thoughts, maybe you have some too.
Accessories. At this time, we do not have the time, money or drive to take on a large painting project or purchase large furniture items, but we do have some interest in accessorizing. For one, I absolutely can't stand the lighting in our living room. Deep yellow and flourescent, and only in one place in the room--overhead. We plan to purchase a few lamps to change the atmosphere.
I also have this new idea for plants. I totally love house plants in other people's homes, but have never managed to get them in my own home. In the winter-time, I am definitely feeling the need to get some nature indoors. Any ideas on some house plants that require little maintenance but add a big punch to a room?
Art. Man do we need some art on our walls! It can be so difficult to find a piece of art that both fits in your color scheme, fits the size and space on the particular wall, and that you don't mind looking at every single day.
How do I go about doing this the cheap way? Second-hand lamps, sales on plants and plants that can also be substituted as art, homemade pots, and trash-picked/second-hand art.
I figured if I wrote this down, I a.) may inspire you to do some cheap renovations instead of picking up the new items, and b.) really go for my ideas, as I say I will. Often writing holds me a little more accountable than just the ideas in my head.
So there you have it. Living Room renovation plans for all to see. 1, 2, 3 Go!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A New Kind of Resolution...
We sang a song at our public meeting tonight that reminded me that not all resolutions need to accomplishing something, or creating better habits. Maybe one of our better new year resolutions should be to remember our community, and to continue loving, hurting and living TOGETHER.
Come down to the river
Come and let yourself in
Make good on a promise
To never hurt again
If you're lost and lonely
You're Broken down
Bring all of your troubles come lay 'em down
All you sinners
And the weak at heart
All you helpless
On the boulevards
Wherever you are now
Whatever evil you've found
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down
We're all tied to the same old failings
Finding shelter in things we know
We're all dirty like corrupted small towns
We'll bring our troubles
We'll bring our troubles lay 'em down
All you rich men
And the high above
All those with And without love
All you burdened Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down
Thanks Rob, for bringing us a new song, and a new prayer. :)
Come down to the river
Come and let yourself in
Make good on a promise
To never hurt again
If you're lost and lonely
You're Broken down
Bring all of your troubles come lay 'em down
All you sinners
And the weak at heart
All you helpless
On the boulevards
Wherever you are now
Whatever evil you've found
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down
We're all tied to the same old failings
Finding shelter in things we know
We're all dirty like corrupted small towns
We'll bring our troubles
We'll bring our troubles lay 'em down
All you rich men
And the high above
All those with And without love
All you burdened Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down
Thanks Rob, for bringing us a new song, and a new prayer. :)
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Years Resolutions...
We all make them. Even if we don't tell anyone, because we don't want to be held accountable, we've all got something we are determined to do "better", more often, add to our lives, or take away.
Whatever we decide, I totally LOVE the new year. I love this pseudo chance to start fresh because we change calenders and all of a sudden the dates start back at 01.01. My resolution is what you are witnessing right now--a determination to start blogging again. Ever since I was a kid I kept a journal. Infact, I have close to 20 journals filled to the brim with my thoughts and crazy ideas from the first day of 6th grade up until my sophomore year in college. I am not sure why I gave up then, perhaps I was just too busy, but blogging has given me a chance to start fresh.
I'm not sure I have much of an audience, but I do hope to keep engaging with my community of friends and family around the country via this blog. Please help me by sharing your ideas, questions, concerns about the posts, and I'll try and do the same on yours--if you have a blog. :)
I won't hold myself to the "you must blog every day" standard, however I do plan to write as often as possible. (you can hold me to this)
P.S. I leave you with the image I found when I went to wake Noa up from her nap yesterday...that's right--standing in her crib. We have entered into a new stage of baby-hood!!
Whatever we decide, I totally LOVE the new year. I love this pseudo chance to start fresh because we change calenders and all of a sudden the dates start back at 01.01. My resolution is what you are witnessing right now--a determination to start blogging again. Ever since I was a kid I kept a journal. Infact, I have close to 20 journals filled to the brim with my thoughts and crazy ideas from the first day of 6th grade up until my sophomore year in college. I am not sure why I gave up then, perhaps I was just too busy, but blogging has given me a chance to start fresh.
I'm not sure I have much of an audience, but I do hope to keep engaging with my community of friends and family around the country via this blog. Please help me by sharing your ideas, questions, concerns about the posts, and I'll try and do the same on yours--if you have a blog. :)
I won't hold myself to the "you must blog every day" standard, however I do plan to write as often as possible. (you can hold me to this)
Wishing you all in blog world a very Happy New Year!
P.S. I leave you with the image I found when I went to wake Noa up from her nap yesterday...that's right--standing in her crib. We have entered into a new stage of baby-hood!!
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