Wednesday, October 24, 2012

pumpkin picking

A couple weeks ago we visited the pumpkin patch. It was a very fall-ish day: overcast, drizzly and crisp.  We were so excited, we thought that this was the perfect pumpkin picking forecast and completed the feel of a fun fall outing!
 
and we were the only ones that felt that way. It was a Friday night and there were only 3 cars in the parking lot, including ours. We talked to the owner (you can do that when you are the only people there buying apple cider...) and he said they typically run a few thousand through on Friday nights. Major score for the Sigle family! We had a private hayride, and no line to wait in. We had a private ride through the pumpkin hollow show, and we had absolutely no help in the corn maze (aside from the boyscout eagle scout who led us through almost effortlessly).
 
 
 


 

Rylee had a great time going through the maze on Jeremy's shoulders and eating grilled corn, she thought the whole thing was hilarious. Once she was in his arms she fell asleep. Jackson was content hanging out in the ergo pretty much the whole time, and he even got his very own baby sized pumpkin.

Isn't fall the best?!

until next time,
Brit

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

a special visit

A couple weeks ago we were privileged to be paid a visit from a very dear friend of mine and her two kiddos! Taryn is a great friend of mine from college, she has one daughter just 3 months older than Rylee and another just one month older than Jackson.
 
They were able to visit us for a few days and it was so fun! It was so wonderful to catch up with an old friend and watch Rylee make a new one...

 


 
 
 
 

Those few days were so fun and refreshing! Its our turn to visit them next, and we cannot wait!
 
until next time,
Brit

Monday, October 22, 2012

our week, (last week)

This week we had a Gospel Meeting at the church every night Sunday through Wednesday. Then our normal bible study on Thursday night… So we’ve had our typical busy week. It has been so wonderful to see our church family every night of the week. Amidst the late nights here's what we've been up to this week:

playing with: dress up clothes, marker board and coloring books. Jackson is playing with (chewing on) anything he can get a grip on
listening to: Matt Costa and still listening to Au Revoir Simone, Rylee calls it the sunshine song and loves to dance to it!
reading: Crazy love, Ephesians, a Lineage of Grace, My Remarkably Sparkly Purse and Look on the Bright Side Minnie Mouse.
eating: we have had the joy of sharing a meal with someone every single day this week, and sometimes more than one. My favorite meal this week was chicken tacos, yum-o!
ups: Getting to spend so much time with our beloved church family, and visiting with great friends of ours that live in Lubbock. It is so encouraging to be surrounded by a body of believers who has a common tie through Christ.
downs: Being pulled in multiple directions. During some times of the day Jackson will be about ready for a nap, tired & fussy, and sometimes at the same time Rylee is wanting to play, to read or just my undivided attention. It’s so challenging for me in those moments to figure out which direction to go, if I just spend 10-15 minutes working to put Jackson to sleep then Rylee is left unhappy (and typically whiny therefor delaying the time it takes to get Jackson to sleep) If I sit down and focus on Rylee then Jackson is left upset, usually crying until I am able to focus my attention back to getting him to sleep.
And too being pulled in multiple directions with giving all of my attention to the babes and working on whatever other responsibilities need attention, this week that was a lot of cooking, cleaning, and hosting. It seems like so many times this week I was in the middle of baking another dessert when Rylee would ask me to “Sit down mama” It fills my heart that she wants me there to sit and play with her, and then when I have to reason with her that I’ve got to do (Fill in the blank) before I can play just deflates all those feel good mama emotions. I am continually reminded that years from now I'm not going to remember the dirty dishes in the sink, the unfolded laundry on the table, or the dessert. I know I will never forget the precious moments I get to spend playing dress up, having tea parties and digging in the mud. Hindsight make things seem so simple.
I’ve always told Jeremy that I'd like him to teach me to juggle, and I guess I am learning just that.
funnies: Rylee has started the “See Mama!” phase.  She’s crazy into creating, coloring, painting, drawing and is always exclaiming “See Mama!” and I love that she is so excited to share her creations with us… or at least most of them. Just this week I was changing Jacksons diaper in his room and Rylee was sitting on her potty chair, or so I thought. I hear “See mama!” and turn to see Rylee standing proudly holding her potty seat full of… one of her creations. At that moment I think I screeched then grabbed her potty seat as quick as I could before she decided to show me what it might look like on the floor. We’ve explained to her several times that the potty needs to stay in the bathroom… but I think this kid can see right through our poker face and knows that we are secretly laughing hysterically on the inside. She has done this several times since… but only once while company was over. Our kids are so cool.

Looking forward to a bit of a less active week to come! Hope your weekend was great!

until next time,
Brit
 

Friday, October 5, 2012

our week

We have loved the crisp fall weather around here! We've been taking advantage of the season and doing all sorts of fallish activities. The first week of the month is always a super busy week for us, but we made it through! Here is some of our week for you...

playing with: mimi! the activity bouncer, links, shopping cart, playhouse and sandbox

listening to: lots of mumford and sons, and Au Revoir Simone (I'm crazy about this song!)

reading: Crazy love, Ephesians, a Lineage of Grace, Olivia, & There's a Mouse about the House!

eating: our go to has been chicken sour cream quesadillas, yum!

ups: checking a bunch off of my to-do list thanks to Mimi! Rylee is such a chatter box and talks all the time about "Binlee" coming to visit. I don't know which of us is more excited.  She has nearly mastered her manners, she says please, thank you, bless you and sorry almost always without being reminded.

downs: Little lady has been testing me lately, checking to see just how far she can push. She is also using "Potty" as an excuse to sneak out of situations she doesn't want to be in: Church, serious talks, riding in the shopping cart etc. Its a hard line to balance does she really need to rush to the potty for the 4th time during church services or is she just bored from sitting here? Little Mr. has turned into an early riser... like 4am early. He wakes up in the best mood and just wants to visit and play.... but I have no desire to be up before the sun is up so I am hoping this passes quickly!

funnies: Rylee has learned to give little Mister strawberries on his belly. It makes him laugh and squeel, makes her laugh, and has us all laughing too. Precious.


until next week friends!
Brit

Thursday, October 4, 2012

what they've taught me this time...holding hands

Dependence.

Today we were reminiscing about when Rylee learned to walk... at the early age of 16 months! Since she was probably 11 months old she could walk but would only do so if she was holding somebodies hand. At that stage we were anxious to see her take off on her own and make some strides unassisted. Thinking back, that was a precious time. Now our speedy toddler has to be convinced and reminded over and over to hold our hand. I miss holding her hand.

Rylee is and has been growing more and more independent. Its awesome and it breaks my heart all at the same time. My heart swells to watch her grow, learn, and discover how capable she is to do all sorts of new things without help, and at the same time I am shrinking inside to think that she is all too quickly becoming less dependent on me.

As adults (and for me my whole life) we walk with confidence and like to shed an appearance that says "I've got this all under control" right?!...

Somewhere in the midst of adolescence we lose our desire and our need to be dependent. We start living under the false idea that we can do it all by myself. One of my biggest struggles when facing any sort of struggle is giving up and leaning completely on Christ. My children teach me something everyday, and today I've learned that I need to become more dependent, not just more dependent but completely dependent. God desires for us to depend on Him fully. I know I need my Father but more often than not I am the child trying to let go of His hand while yelling "I can do it by myself!"

Today I am praying to become ever more dependent. Holding onto his hand tightly. Not taking a single step without Him.

Is independence a struggle for you? What brings you back to leaning fully on Christ?

until next time,
Brit

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

What they've taught me...

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
 
Jesus is right.
 
As a parent I am learning something everyday. I learn so much about myself, my own parents, and my walk with Christ. Being a parent has been a blessing to gain sight through the eyes of a parent, and have more understanding of the most unconditional love that exists.
 
I often refer back to the verse in Matthew 18 when Jesus prompts his disciples to be humbled and become more like children. I am in awe every single day of the amazing qualities that my children posses that I so desire to have as well: humility, innocence, faith, dependence, and so many more.
 
I am so very thankful for the gift of our children. I am so very thankful for the lessons that I learn from them everyday. I would like to start sharing with you all some of the lessons I've learned along the way... (Don't hold your breath!) Keep a watch out for an occasional post about the latest kidism that I have learned.
 
until next time,
Brit
 


Monday, October 1, 2012

bucket list

One evening as I was scanning pinterest on my phone I came across the cutest crocheted quilt. I thought (like I do with most pins) "I want to make that!" Its rare that I get to too many of my pins, but as I was laying there I thought about all of those things I want to do, the big things, the once-in-your-life kinda things. So I made my list, or at least started it. Here's how it goes:

  1. Crochet a quilt for each of my children
  2. See the Grand Canyon
  3. Run a marathon
  4. Show my children the old houses where I grew up
  5. Climb a Fourteener
  6. Sew Rylee an Easter dress
  7. Watch a meteor shower
  8. Pay off student loans & be debt free
  9. Visit/Move to Kenya
  10. Visit my Grandpa's grave site
  11. Learn to play the piano
  12. Memorize the entire book of Ephesians
  13. Ride an Elephant
  14. Complete my list...
What's on your list? What else should I add to mine?

until next time,
Brit